Hi friends!
Working from Home
So many things are happening in our world right now. A lot of changes for many of us. And while, yes, I have had teaching/lecture gigs cancel, to be honest, my day to day life has changed very little.
I usually work from home which means I am used to being here, all day, working away and not being out and about. What I am not used to is having hubby work from home all day as well!
These days we share office space. A few months back, we switched spaces in our house. Our large master bedroom became the office and we moved our bedroom into the little spare room.
The office works pretty well; I now have a desk that is an old countertop from our home in Connecticut that sits on 2 small Ikea bookcases. It used to be my sewing table but I recently upgraded myself to a new sewing table with an insert for my machine.
We even created a mini shipping station!
The next few weeks will be an adjustment for both of us. We can’t be on business calls at the same time unless one of us moves to another room. A friend, who also works from home, joked that now that her hubby is working from home she needs to make adjustments to her shopping list as he did not factor into her toilet paper plan for the week! (What is up with hoarding toilet paper anyway?)
How do we cope in these uncertain times? I know for many of us quilters, we are happy to stay in and play with our fabric! That is why we have a stash- just for times like this. Even if the outside world is making us anxious, if we can spend a little time sorting fabric, planning and sewing our next quilt, we can relax just a little.
Do you need a new quilting project?
This is a great time to go thru your stash- you have a small stash, right???- and maybe plan some new quilts for your family, for charity or start to get a jump on those holiday gifts!!
Here are a few of my patterns that will be great for making a fast and easy scrap quilt from your stash.
5 Fast and Easy Scrap Quilts
Fast and Easy Scrap Quilts: Whirlybird
This is a super fun block to make! In Whirlybird, there are very few spots where the seams match up so it is pretty easy to piece.
You could just go to your stash, grab some leftover bits, and make scrappy blocks. To keep the quilt from feeling too scrappy, pick one fabric for the small squares that are in each block- in my quilt, they are yellow squares.
Fast and Easy Scrap Quilts: Boston Bricks
Do you have stack of pretty fat quarters just waiting to be made into a quilt?
Boston Bricks is great for a scrappy quilt. In my version, I mixed fat quarters from a bunch of different lines and just kept my background one fabric. I love how bright and happy this quilt is!
Crosscut
Do you have a jelly roll or layer cake bundle that you bought but never used?
Crosscut is a pattern that I have made from a jelly roll, from a layer cake and from scraps!
It is super easy and works with my Braid Template. And you can turn the blocks in different directions to get different looks.
Fast and Easy Scrap Quilts: Hop the Fence
Another option for that jelly roll that has been hanging around or those scrap 2 1/2” strips is Hop The Fence.
Super fast- make with or without sashing!
Fast and Easy Scrap Quilts: Little Leaves
Little Leaves is a fun quilt where you can use up those leftover bits of background fabrics.
Just use random squares for the backgrounds and then use your scraps for the leaves. Easy peasy!
How about a quilting giveaway?
To cheer us up, I decided to do a little giveaway! How about some yummy batik fat quarters?
This group of 5 Fast and Easy Scrap Quilts are from the fabrics I used to make my quilt, Half Step.
Enter the using the widget below and leave me a comment on what quilt project you are working on! I would love to hear. Giveaway is open until Monday night March 23rd. No purchase necessary to win. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Sorry, shipping is just so prohibitive!
Note: I have some of this fabric available to make your own Half Step quilt! Click here if you are interested in making the lap size quilt- the kit comes with a free Half Step pattern, with or without backing. I only have 2 kits available. And they are 20% off until Monday night, March 23rd!
Social Media Shop Hop
If you are on Facebook or Instagram you probably have already seen all the quilt shops, pattern designers and others putting up videos and pretty pictures of the projects they are working on. I can’t show what I am working on right now as it is in super secret mode BUT I can tell you about a fun “Shop Hop” that I will be participating in; it is called: Stay Home and Hop With Us!
Some of us are posting sales or other fun stuff on our websites; others might be on Facebook. If you aren’t on Facebook, and I know some of you aren’t, there will be still lots of websites to visit!
Starting on Saturday, March 21st, I’ll invite you to explore the newest offerings, patterns and notions from my fellow quilty colleagues. You’ll meet pattern designers, explore quilting websites, and perhaps make a purchase or two along the way. All of them have something unique to offer to you – our virtual shop hoppers. So when you need a break, come virtually hop and shop with the gang!
Adventure in Color Quilt Along
Block 4 of the Luminous Quilt was posted this week and we have another great giveaway; this week it is on Tammy’s blog post.
Click here to see my Block 4 and get the link to Tammy’s blog!
happy quilting!
Kate
I haven’t actually sewed a project yet but have taken this time to do a much needed quilt related home project. I have gathered all my quilting books, magazines and patterns, sorted and taken out ones to donate to guild or resell and also alphabetized onto a new 6′ x 6′ bookcase. All are easily accessible-I have refreshed my memory as to what I have and now to just choose an actual sewing project!
Great ideas for some pick-me-up sewing! I’m cleaning my studio and reacquainting myself with some older projects! Lol
I am currently quilting a baby quilt that I made from left over fabrics from another baby quilt. 🙂 I hope to have it finished this weekend so I can move on to something new. I start working from home on Monday so that could be interesting!
I’m working on a Christmas table runner for my daughter. I’ll be giving it to her for her birthday in September so she can enjoy it all during Christmas.
I’m working on a quilt for my granddaughter using batiks. She picked the colors and the design – one very opinionated 3 year old.
I’m working on some UFO charity quilts.
I am currently working on Bumblebee Blossoms. I will start the Luminous quilt next.
I love the whirligigs pattern. I just started my first trip around the world from Bonnie Hunter’s website under her free tabs.
I am loving being “stuck” in my sewing room.
I even cleaned it today!
Sorry I meant “Whirlybird”.
I just discovered you today by listening to Leah Day’s podcast #14 that was recorded back in 2017! I loved the interview.
I’ve been working on EPP quilt blocks from the book Farmer’s Wife 1920’s. Just finished one today, actually.
I am working on several different projects now. that way I do not get tired of my project..
I’m stitching some flannel leftovers into a panel. The scraps were from my friend who died a couple years ago. I took a bag of what I thought were scraps; but, were half completed potholders. I completed the twelve potholders and am stitching up the leftover bits. So far I’ve made two of the four panels which at some point will translate into four quilts. My goal is to get them to a 40×60 inch size. The first two will need some additional fabric. . .flannel isn’t something that I have in my stash!
I’m working on a “Cars” Quilt with Lightening McQueen and Mater currently but will have a little tote for traveling from work to my home this weekend (6 hour drive)… I will be doing some hand stitching for the afternoon – embroidery work is soothing.
I tend to jump around from project to project and have several going at the same time. Right now I’m focusing mostly on finishing some UFOs, so I have a disappearing pinwheel top that I”m putting the borders on as well as a Bonnie Hunter mystery from a couple of years ago that i”m working on the four pieced borders. Along with that I have a leader/ender project going called Traffic Jam and am getting things cut and ready for a new project involving cute little crabs!
I am making a OBW right now.
I have so many projects. Some are close to finished, however many are in the bags as they came from the quilt shop. Hope to get some completed.
Currently working on a baby quilt..and also making Quilt As You Go blocks from scraps 🙂
I’m working on finishing up a Judy Niemeyer table runner and a small donation quilt. Once I’m done with those, I have many more to work on! I’d love to get some of my UFOs done while we’re all staying at home. Thanks for the giveaway!
I was not a fan of batiks until recently. So now I am playing catch up to build my stash for the projects I am fascinated by. Thanks for the opportunity
I’m starting a Clover All Over quilt today.
Love the Whirlybird pattern. That is on my list now! Thanks for the ideas and the giveaway. Take care!
I am working on a quilt shown on the cover of Farmhouse style Quilts book in purples. Just have to quilt it.
I am working on a super scrappy quilt using the Scrappy Cross tutorial from Bonjour Quilts. I made one a couple years ago but it has been given away so I wanted to make another. I am cutting lots of individual pieces from lots of different scraps so it is not super fast. But the way life has become lately, that seems just right. And I am loving how it looks so far!
I like to have several projects going at once. Right now I’m putting the third of four pieced borders on a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt from a couple of years ago as well as getting ready to put a border on a disappearing pinwheel quilt. In addition, I am working on a leader/ender project as I go along made of 4-patches and am getting the pieces ready to start a cute crab quilt for my granddaugther’s birthday.
Thanks for all the ideas and the giveaway. I spent Mon-Thurs making some donation quilts for kids from leftover prints and solids. Pieced batting yesterday and pinned one top. Will start quilting today.
Have a great week.
Pretty Batiks. I haven’t used them yet, but these would be a great start. Loving this time to work uninterrupted on a few of the projects I have started.
Right now I am going to be practicing FMQ so that I can finish the placemats for our oldest granddaughter. The napkins are done. I gave her the fabric almost 2 yrs ago for a shower gift. She loves sunflowers, and they were in the bouquets the girls carried. The fabric has sunflowers. I have never done any FMQ, so I will be stretching myself.
I just finished piecing a pink baby quilt and will be quilting it next week.
I actually sewed some surgical masks for some oncology patients at risk and a few nurses for back ups in case they run out of N95 masks. After these are all done I am working on a color block quilt! I am loving the little leaves pattern – would be so sweet for a baby quilt!
I’m not doing any quilting at the moment. I am doing some sewing though, and what I’m sewing are some face masks for the local hospital. I hope everyone stays safe and healthy!
I stepped up my motivation and I’ve been chipping away at two projects that had been pushed to the side because they just wore me down and were sapping all my energy. I figured this was the time to work through the finicky and tedious steps so I pulled them out of my UFO pile. I’m pushing to get them done by alternating between them every other day so that I don’t burn out – just want to get them done!
That was a great and entertaining post. Lots of good ideas for quilt tops, thank you! I’m working on finishing a quilt top from 2016 today. It was fun to move it a little farther along. Thanks for the chance on the giveaway. That would be an awesome (in the traditional sense of the word) win! Thanks for all you are doing to make things more interesting so we aren’t just countin’ flowers on the wall. =)
I’m working on a quilt called Beat of My Heart by Let’s Sew Something. Thank you for sponsoring a lovely giveaway. My heart swoons when looking at batiks. take care ~~rita
Just today I finished two tops- one from a jelly roll I had lying around and one I started about a year ago.
I’m working on a Christmas table runner that was a UFO. I love working with batiks.
Love the scrappy quilts. Currently I am working on the Blooming Nine Patch
I have been quilting mug rugs and potholders and I’m working on a quilt I designed for my daughter.
I am working another Patriotic Quilt of Valor project. I guess I love to make them as this is my fourth one.
I am working on a kit from blueprint that is called heart of the ocean, itbis turning out well, very difficult to do I probably read instruction in ns 4 times everytime k nvh sit down,lots of small pieces, but the design is beautiful
So many cute project/quilts. Oh for the time and energy to make them. I am just trying to catch up on charity project cut out.
I am working on a wool applique project.
With the virus downtime, I can’t volunteer so right now I am catching up on my emails. Then I can go back to quilting. Right now I am working on a Patriotic Country Sampler, and looking for a Snowman Pattern for one of my daughters-in-law who collect Snowmen.
I’m currently working on a commissioned quilt along with blocks for an international swap that I’m taking part in. And I’ve got two commissions waiting in the works as well. The whirlybird quilt pattern is very tempting tho! Thanks for the giveaway.
Recently made several quilts from my stash. One has become my favorite.
Also am enjoying making the sew together makeup bags!
This is really great way. I love this very much!
Thanks for reading!