Border, border, who's got the border?

 

Auditioning border fabrics is one of my favorite parts of the quiltmaking process. Let’s face it, any time you can just play with fabrics is fun. It’s funny how I almost always chose the first fabric that I throw into the mix. The yellow was in my mind right from the start (no surprise) but I just had to give other fabrics a chance. 

Next, I had to decide whether to leave it plain or add some applique. There were several sketches of swirly vines and flowers, but in the end, this simple curve just seemed to fit. 

Of course there will likely be some colorful bobbles appliqued here and there. Don't want to overdo it! 

As for the name, I’m going to stick with my original thought, “Full Circle”. I truly believe that we will all come full circle in 2021 and work together to build trust and hope and health back in our nation and our world. 

Visit Cecile and Corinne’s FB page (here) to get the latest updates.

Update - January mini

 “Bright Hopes”, my first mini of the year, says it all. 

I used my favorite bright reproductions to create the “Broken Dishes” pattern surrounding my message. I backed it with a print that Barbara Brackman created on Spoonflower. You can order it on Barbara’s Etsy shop (here). 

 2021 Is going to have its own challenges, but I do believe we are heading in the right direction. We will need to work together to get Covid under control and to move forward in a bipartisan effort to heal our nation.

 Small is beautiful and this one is more of a micro (7 ½” square) than mini! I hope this will inspire more of you to join in whenever possible. It is very satisfying to have a stack of little quilts to be able to pull from when the need arises.

 I've linked up our usual suspects below. As this post has an automated "post time", a few may not have a mini this month, but if you scroll through you will find some wonderful inspiration indeed! I'm thrilled that my friend Gladi has joined in the merriment this month. And, I am super excited that my friend Cyndi (Busy Thimble) has joined in the fun too. 

Remember that there is never any pressure on my blog! Jump in if you like and be sure to let me know so I can link it into our mini post at the end of each month.

 

Quilting Babcia (Amity Quilter)

Randy (Barrister’s Block)

Cathy (Big Lake Quilter)

Cyndi (Busy Thimble)

Barb (Fun with Barb)

Gladi (Gladi’s Quilts)

Shasta (High Road Quilter)

Julie (Julie K Quilts)

Kathy (Kathy’s Quilts)

Katy (Katy Quilts)

Karen (Moose Bay Musings)

Sandy (My Material Creations)

Angie (Quilting on the Crescent)

Barbara (Quilts, Gravestones and Elusive Ancestors)

Janet (Rogue Quilts)

Kyle (Timeless Reflections)

Cynthia (Wabi-Sabi Quilts)

100 Circles!

 

Woohoo! My 100 little blocks in Cecile and Corinne’s “Curves” sew-a-long are now together. Oh, how they make me smile! The circles and backgrounds are all cut from different fabrics so there are 200 prints in the center alone. I admit, I am charm obsessed. My feeling is, if you have a large stash, you should make every fabric feel wanted and use as many of them as you can. Of course, the sad part is that my scrap drawers are so full, I did not have to go into the stacks at all. These were pulled from the scrap piles, and they didn’t make a dent! 

 I was contemplating making another 500 or so and making a bed size quilt, but I don’t think that I could finish that by May, so…

 On to border auditioning!

 Visit their FB page (here) to get the latest updates.

Curves with Cecile and Corinne - update

 

My goal is 100 blocks and I am fast approaching that now. 

 I like to oversize my backgrounds a bit when appliqueing circles so that if I am a tad off on my centers, I can fix it when trimming. 

One hundred blocks leave quite a pile of trimmings! 

These little gems measure 3” finished. Or, at least they are supposed to… oops! 

Measure twice, cut once – just a little too short! No worries, into the orphan block box for the next “pot luck” quilt.

 I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts for her slow stitching Sunday. Check out all the great Sunday slow stitchers (here). 

Still working on border plans. Stay tuned. 

Visit their FB page (here) to watch all the progress.

More circles and a tiny apron.

 

I’m having so much fun with these circle blocks. It is reminding me of how much I enjoyed Audrey’s “Quilty365”. There was a real let down when I had no little circles to applique each morning. It feels good to have them going again. I see yet another circle quilt in my future.   

 

They are piling up! I have already met the 16 block minimum. Woohoo! 

Visit the FB page (here) to watch the progress! Thanks Cecile and Corinne!

 And, I managed to whip up a little birthday apron for our littlest chef. He received lots of additions to his play kitchen and I thought he needed to look official. 

 Wishing you all peace, hope and good health today and every day.

Today and every day

 

Curves – Cecile and Corinne’s 2021 Quilt-a-long

 I always enjoy Cecile’s sew-a-longs. The variety never disappoints! This year she is hosting it with her friend Corinne and the theme is curves. There are very few rules. It begins in January and you must make at least 16 blocks and be finished by May.

 After the year we have all faced I decided to make my curves come “full circle”. I think we would all like a “do over” for the year that is thankfully behind us. 

 I’m making 3” finished blocks in my favorite c1890 colors. I love the bright (almost neon) colors paired with black that was popular for such a short time. I need these bright colors to keep me focused on the better days to come. Yes, I am a hopeless optimist!

 Visit the FB page (here) to watch the progress. The creativity is remarkable! Thanks Cecile and Corinne!