Go Sew

I always seem to lose my sewjo in the beginning of the year but the one thing that never fails to get it back is the annual BostonMQG retreat.  I am continually inspired by this insanely creative group of women!

My first priority was to make the Dresden Plate centers for the quilt I started on retreat in 2015.  Sewing white on white circles is definitely an activity best performed while fresh and sober.  Before dinner I was able to get all of these made and the binding for this quilt done.  I've finished hand quilting around the plates so I can almost see the finish line for this one.

Poor planning on my part, I usually like to bring a mix of different things to work on but this was the year of the HST.  3 different projects made using 3 different techniques.  I'm using the rest of these china blue fabrics and white linen to make broken dishes blocks.  This 8 at a time method for making HSTs is perfect for these blocks.

Saturday under threat of being shunned I made an ocean waves block for our latest charity quilt.  I am now addicted to Eva Paige's genius technique for accordion sewn scrappy HSTs.  Seriously, this will change your life!!!

With my social status in the guild ensured I moved onto another project...  the guild HST challenge.  I finally broke into my long hoarded stack of Tana Lawns I've amassed with the help of Westwood Acres Liberty Club.  Paired with a Kaffe Fassett shot cotton this top is as light as a feather.

Before retreat was done I was able to finish this Spoolish flimsy.  Now to get it basted and quilted.

Sometime's the hardest part of getting started is just deciding what to do but with so many projects almost at the finish line I'm excited to get back to my studio and finish these up.

Off to sew with this week's Finish it Up Friday by Crazy Mom Quilts.

Hopping in to Spring

I've really been struggling this year to find my sewing mojo.  This seems to be a recurring problem so I took my own advice and cleaned up my studio, hung out with my quilt peeps and checked the calendar.  In the process I found a stack of luscious Liberty fabrics, realized Easter is just a hop, skip, and a jump away, and drooled over Rebecca's amazing Down the Rabbit Hole (which is even more amazing in person!!!) until inspiration struck.

This is really just a rip-off of my Reindeer pillow.  I found a bunny coloring page I liked on Google and printed it on a wash-away applique sheet which I then fused to the wrong side of my liberty fabric.

I used Aurifil 12wt for my top thread and 50wt in the bobbin to buttonhole stitch around the bunny.  I love the bold look of the heavier weight thread and it almost looks hand sewn...  as if my stitches would ever be so perfect;-)

I also used the Aurifil 12wt to make a little pom pom tail.  I used an extra long piece to tie the center and then just punched that through my pillow and knotted it on the back to hold the pom pom in place.  It's certainly not as fluffy as a wool one would be since the cotton doesn't bloom but it matched perfectly and works for me.

Luckily I finished this up before Quinn buried us in snow and knocked out our power.  Nothing fires up your Sewjo like NOT being able to sew.  Dreaming of spring with this week's Finish it Up Friday by Crazy Mom Quilts.

Pillow Stats:
Finished pillow is 18" x 18"
Fabrics: Liberty of London from stash.  ChambrayYarn Dyed Essex Linen by Robert Kaufman.
Thread: Aurifil in Peachy Pink (2435) 12wt for top thread, 50wt in bobbin.