Facing and Fangirling

 I didn't really want to bind my Cross Patch quilt because I love the pattern going all the way to the edge of the quilt.  Time to give "facing" a try!  I used this tutorial, and it was quite simple.  Now to see how it holds up with use, since this is a 57" lap quilt, not an art quilt that will hang on the wall...

Done!!

Look ma!  No binding!

I love how there is no frame with facing.

Neat and crisp on the back

In other news, yesterday was the opening reception for Chawne Kimber's Freedom in Cotton solo quilt exhibit here at Deerfield Academy.  I've been crushing on Chawne's work for years now, and seeing her quilts in person did not disappoint.  I'm so glad they are here until late February so I can visit them often!  Here are some of my favorites that are in the exhibit:

Me, too, Chawne.  Me, too.

The Selfie Quilt - see next photo

So clever!  And all those tiny pieces...amazing!

The One for Eric G <3

Oh, how I can relate to this quilt.  And those pops of color - wow!

Another spin on the longarm machine

 Twas a weekend full of crafty goodness for me.  On Saturday morning, I made my third trip to try my hand at longarm quilting a quilt.  I chose a simple wavy design for this busy scrap quilt, and got some knitting done while I supervised the machine.

I am knitting a Wave of Change Pullover

Today's weather was nasty - freezing rain and cold winds, perfect for staying inside.  I pawed through the scrap bin to find some reds and greens to start this year's Scrap Buster Challenge from Border Creek Station.  One block is sewn together,

I'm thinking scrappy red and green for a non-traditional holiday quilt

a couple more are cut out and ready to sew.

I'm not ready for the weekend to end, but I AM looking forward to next weekend.  A couple years ago I suggested that our on campus art gallery invite quilter Chawne Kimber to exhibit, and it is finally happening!  The exhibit opens next Sunday evening.  Unfortunately, she won't be accompanying her quilts, but I'm still pumped.  I've been a fan for years, and I am most excited to see "The One for Eric G" in person. (for some reason, most of the photos on her blog are not showing up for me today; is it just me?)

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap.

I've been busy (but not blogging)

I keep thinking I'm going to write a blog post, and never seem to get around to it. Instead, I read or knit or quilt. Which is good because those things all bring me joy, but it means that my record of my quilting progress is not up to date. Usually I go to my blog to figure out, "now when did I make THAT quilt?" but since I haven't posted in MONTHS, I'm at a bit of a loss. Let's see if I can piece together the last seven months or so - I've been productive! In June, I tried my hand at longarm quilting for the first time. The recipient was so surprised - I love it when the quilt is unexpected like that!

I finished a baby quilt for a baby born in late December, and went back to the longarm to quilt it while also quilting another scrap quilt that I made over a decade ago:

I chose to quilt this baby quilt for a baby due in February on my own domestic machine (I guess I never took a full completed quilt photo):

I finally finished hand quilting my niece's baby quilt - regular quilting in the white, big stitch quilting with embroidery floss in the colors (she's going to be 4 in April):

Throughout it all, I made a couple of bee blocks each month:

I've been working on my Scrappy Trips Around the World quilt, thinking it will go to a friend who will be having surgery in March,

but I've also been thinking I might want to make them a plaid and denim quilt instead like this one: This weekend, I'm headed back to the longarmer to quilt this one for my twin sister who has made noises about the fact that she'd like a snuggle quilt for the couch. I love this one so I'm happy to keep it in the family.

And that's about it for my quilting the last couple of months. Lots of knitting and reading, too, plus I moved to Indiana in June. Never a dull moment, I tell ya!

Things are looking up!

First off, my sister-in-law is COVID-free and home from the hospital!!  Her recovery is far from over, but we are so thankful that she is out of the woods!!

I've been trying to discipline myself to finish things up rather than start more new things.  I got the pineapple baby quilt top pieced together and basted, now just contemplating how to quilt it.

Not sure yet how I will quilt it...but it is basted and ready to go!

I put a skinny border on my cross-patch quilt, and am trying to decide if that is it.  I think so...but I'm going to let it sit for a while.

I don't think I want to add more borders, but I'm not sure.  Gonna revisit this in a little bit.

I pulled out my 2018 temperature quilt top.  I've been trying to figure out what to do for borders. 

I have SO MUCH Kona solid left after making this project!

At first I thought I'd do a border that had all 32 of my Kona fabrics that I bought for this quilt around the outside, but I got two sides done and didn't like it, so instead I pulled the two fabrics that represent the yearly average high and low temperatures, and used those as borders.  DONE!  Now to baste and quilt.

I also finished knitting a rainbow shawlette...

Still needs to be blocked...hopefully it won't look so lopsided then!

and have been making progress on my Earthy Excavation scrap blanket.

I love, Love, LOVE this project!  So simple and interesting and I'm using up all the little bits and bobs of leftover yarn!

Can you tell I've also been spending a lot of time outdoors?  Lots of reading going on, too!  According to my Goodreads account, I've read and/or listened to 55 books so far this year.  My goal of 24 books in 2020 was obviously too modest.  Maybe I can read 100?

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap and Monday Making.

Growth

How boring my blog must be to readers.  Nothing happening in my life other than work, reading and quilting, and I've been working on the same quilt for weeks now.  It is growing slowly, and bringing me great joy, a true scrap quilt that has me digging into piles and drawers looking for smaller scraps to use up and combine in fun ways.

Of course, I imagine most everyone's life is like that these days, one day looking much like the day before.  Thank goodness for books to give me some excitement, whether I am reading in the hammock like I did this weekend, or listening to an audiobook while I stitch.

I'm linking with Oh Scrap and Monday Making.

Mining my scraps

I continue to work from home, grateful for both the distraction of it as well as the paycheck.

I continue to deepen my relationship with my boys; we were starting to drift apart here in their teen years, but we've been having some good times lately - exercising together, practicing Spanish on Duolingo together, cooking together, having late night chats, watching cringe-worthy movies, even making some TikTok videos (I refuse to get drawn down that rabbit hole, but the boys have cast me in a couple of their productions).

And I continue to sew, losing myself in my piles of scraps, loving the way this quilt top is coming together.

I'm pretty sure this one will be for me, for summer picnics and for snuggling up in the hammock.  To me, this quilt is clamoring to be used heavily, to accompany me on my adventures.

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap and Monday Making.

Another new project

I haven't blogged because I feel like I haven't had anything positive to say.  My uncle died from complications of COVID19.  Someone tested positive in my twin sister's house today.  Helpless and hopeless - those are the two prevailing feelings I've been experiencing.

If I dig deeper, there is good, of course.  Spending all this time with my husband and boys has been wonderful.  I have a job that I can do from home, so my mind stays busy and my bank account isn't empty.  I have a lifetime supply of fabric and yarn here at home, so I can create.

I adopted some tan/beige scraps from Cynthia's Quilty Adoption event this spring.  I've been using them to make these blocks - I don't know what they are called, do you?

My inspiration was from a 2012 post I stumbled across: https://quiltingtwin.blogspot.com/2012/02/im-happily-working-on-my-scrap-projects.html. (OMG, I just clicked on her profile to learn more about her - she's also an identical twin and her name is Keryn, which probably rhymes with my name, Erin, don't ya think?  Cool!)

Anyway, sewing, in particular, has been a balm to my soul.  Since my home office is also my sewing room, it has been neat to fit in 10 minutes here and there throughout the day since I'm always at home.  It means that I can sew every single day - a dream come true.  So this project is growing quickly.

I like the antique feel the tan & beige fabrics give it.

And I'm also participating in Bonnie Hunter's Sew-in-place Unity Quilt Along, although I'm a week behind.  I love mystery quilts, and I love making scrappy quilts, but I always get bogged down with Bonnie's mysteries because I get tired of using the same colors over and over, even if it is scrappy within each color way.  Here is my version through Step Two (minus the final 1.5" border).

And, of course, I've made masks and knitted ear savers.  Here's the latest batch, currently on its way to my brother and his family in Virginia.

Back to sewing I go.  Be well, everyone!

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap and Monday Making.