Perfectionism

When I teach classes, I stress that I'm not a perfectionist quilter.  Constantly ripping out seams is demoralizing, and can stop quilt progress in its tracks.  I firmly believe that to improve a skill, it's best just to gain experience and practice by forging ahead to get the project finished.  So, I rarely rip out seams, unless I truly can't help it.

On the other hand, practice does make perfect, and when I made the Will's Wings quilt for my friend, the feather detail quilting on the wings turned out so much better the second time around that I couldn't help a remake for keeps.  I'm hoping that the third time's the charm for this pattern and I can't wait to start quilting it!

I also wanted to share a gorgeous version of the Take Flight pattern, made by a friend in my guild who tested the pattern for me.  She made this quilt for a friend in memory of her husband, and the black/gray ombre wings are so striking, and definitely give the quilt a more masculine look.

ps- the Take Flight pattern is an exclusive FREE bonus pattern, only available with the purchase of my brand new book Stash Statement.  You can get a signed copy in my Etsy shop HERE!

Florida Sunset and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks my latest quilt looks like it belongs amongst sunny, warm weather.  My wild thing strolled through my studio as I was quilting it and casually mentioned that it looks like the sunset from our beach vacations.  As far as I'm concerned, that's the perfect inspiration for a name- Florida Sunset it is!

Shades of teal and orange always strike me as very Floridian, and the addition of navy just gives the quilt more depth.

I stippled this quilt with Aurifil 40 wt. #1133, Bright Orange, and though it really just blends into the quilt from a distance, up close, the extra pop of color in the quilting stitches is fun.

All of my leftovers went into the backing of this quilt (though I did have to pull an extra aqua fabric from my stash to widen it out).  I used Kona Navy for the binding, and went ahead and stitched it with the orange thread as well.  The dark binding frames the colors in the quilt really well, and since I also used a stripe of Kona Navy on the backing, it worked out perfectly!

I love when I can make an entire quilt from my stash, and this one was even better, since I even pieced together some batting leftovers for it.  It is destined for the silent auction at our church to benefit youth mission trips, and I hope it sells high for them.

So, let's go ahead and check out the features from last week's party.  This beauty is by Stitching Stories by Sharon.  I love these peaceful colors!

I'm in love with this quilt by The Lilac Cat.  The warm palette, as well as the block pattern are so lovely.

And I'm so impressed with this awesome Fountain Pen quilt block from Soma at Whims and Fancies (ps- check out her post the pattern!)

Alright, friends.  Are you ready to party?  Let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Come On, Spring! (and NTT)

Last week was my wild thing's spring break, and ordinarily by that time rolls around, the weather already has me thinking about wearing flip flops, short sleeves, and spring flower planting.  This year though, we seem to be caught in the winter that will not go away.  Well, it may not be spring outside, but I'm the boss of the season in my sewing studio.  I pulled a palette of fresh, bright colors from my stash and sewed this easy quilt top in an effort to will away the winter doldrums.

Each spring, the youth group at our church hosts a crawfish boil and silent auction to help fund their summer mission trips, so this quilt is destined for donation.  I think the shades of orange, teal, and navy, as well as the busier vibe are fun for a teen and I'm looking forward to finishing it. 

Before we get to the features from last week's party, check out the other BIG thing that is happening this week-

Yes, my friends.  I am signing, packaging, and shipping out the very first of my books this week!  I'm expecting another shipment tomorrow, so by the end of this week, books should be on the way for everyone who has already ordered.  Hooray!

OOPS!  Edited to add- I forgot to announce the winner of this month's giveaway!  Congrats to comment number 68, Kathy.  I'll be contacting you ASAP via email so you can get that awesome Blue Hawaii bundle from Fort Worth Fabric Studio!






Okay, y'all!  Last week's party was amazing.  This Postcard From Sweden quilt top is from Tanya Quilts in CO- 

This Odori quilt is by Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty.  She has links to the free pattern in her post!

This adorable Baby Sea Animals quilt is by Jess at Quilty Habit.

And this bold, graphic Exploding Stars quilt is by Danice at Homespun Hannah.

I really could have chosen several more projects to highlight this week.  Specifically, there were so many different plus sign quilts shared for the Modern Plus Sign Quilts book tour.  Rather than just choose only a few of them to highlight, I'm just going to say- if you missed them, you definitely need to go back and take a look.

Okay y'all!  Let's party!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

CMM March Blocks

It seems crazy that we are already three months into the Classic Meets Modern BOM Quilt Along, and yet, here we are!  This month's blocks went together pretty quickly, and with everything that has been going on in the past couple of weeks, I am grateful for it.

With strip piecing, and only one set of HST, the Propeller block is especially easy to put together.

The Sawtooth Stars took a little more time, but only because I attempted to first put the block together without trimming the HST.  I wasted more time trying to get around this step than I would have spent just trimming the HST to size.  Lesson learned.

**ps- the cutting instructions on this block are correct, but there is a typo in the HST instructions.  The HST should be made with 3.5" squares, which will yield 2" HST (though they will need to be trimmed to size).  The PDF has already been updated on Etsy and Craftsy!  Thanks for pointing it out for me, Diane!

When these blocks were finished, I couldn't help but lay them all out on my design wall to admire the way they are looking together.

Ordinarily, when I make a quilt, I make all of my fabric choices ahead of time.  Although I did use the blank sheet in the pattern to plan out my color distribution, I have been choosing my fabrics for each block at the start of every month when I actually sew them, and I am enjoying that process.

I can't wait to see your March blocks!  Let's link them up!

1.  If you're a little late to the party, it's okay!  You can still join in anytime.  This is a Block of the Month Quilt Along, so we will only be completing two blocks each month.  The pace is leisurely and it will be easy to catch up.  You can get the Classic Meets Modern pattern in my Etsy or Craftsy shops (links on my right sidebar).

2.  Remember, the link party opens on the 15th of each month, and will close at midnight CST on the last day of the month.  You can certainly link to my weekly NTT post if you like, but be sure to link your quilt along blocks to this party, so everyone is sure to see your progress.

3.  You don't have to have a blog to join in!  You can link to an Instagram post, or even a Flickr account.  Use the hashtag #classicmeetsmodernbomqal on Instagram!  If you do have a blog, grab a button for your sidebar to let everyone know you're participating!

<a href=" http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/2018/01/classic-meets-modern-kickoff.html" target="_blank"><img src=" http://i1275.photobucket.com/albums/y450/kellydyoung/CMM%20button-2_zpsd8gude1q.jpg " border="0" alt="Classic Meets Modern QAL" /> </a>

4. Finally, don't forget about the prizes! Several goodies will be up for grabs at the end of the year for anyone who links up a finished quilt top!

Sneak Peek Stars and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, and for those of you lucky enough to be on Spring Break, hooray for that too!  I've actually been sewing quite a lot lately, and even have a whole quilt top put together that I love.  It's a secret project though, so you'll have to settle for a close-up sneak peek.

I really loved pulling out all of my scraps in shades of dark blue for this one, and I pieced the background using the improv methods shown in my book.  I can't believe that the release is approaching in just a couple of weeks.  Have you preordered your copy yet?  Well, head on over to my Etsy shop and reserve yours ASAP.  Remember, it comes with the free Take Flight bonus digital pattern!

I can't wait to reveal the full quilt to you, but for now, a peek will have to do!  Last week's party was filled with amazing eye-candy.  I love the modern, clean lines of this quilt by Leanne at Devoted Quilter.  And guess what? This is a free pattern on her site!

These two Kaffe Fassett quilts by Something Rosemade are so whimsical and pretty.  Hop over to her blog to see individual shots of each quilt!

This curvy improv quilt by The Lilac Cat is super fun, and she gives details about her process, just in case you want to give it a try.

Finally, this graphic beauty is by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal.  Love it!

Without further ado, let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Heartbreak and NTT

Today, we had to say goodbye to our beloved family Boxer, Beau, and my heart is so sad (thank goodness for the ability to schedule posts).  We rescued him when my son was in Kindergarten, and Beau has been his playmate for the bulk of his childhood.  He is handling it as well as I can possibly expect (with a teenager, feelings are sometimes hard to decipher), but it breaks my heart that I can't make it okay.  Beau turned ten on Sunday, and we had a little party with cheeseburgers, a cake, and plenty of squishy kisses, grateful that even with lung cancer, he could enjoy his final birthday.

We were determined to not waste our last few days with him, and as such, I haven't felt like sewing too much.  I did make a set of burp cloths (find my tutorial HERE), and it was nice to finish something fast and easy.  I love making these sets for a new baby.  They are soft and cuddly, and so easy to personalize with specific colors matching any decor imaginable.

Before we party, check out some of the highlights from last week.  This sweet set of mini quilts, by Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts gets me in the mood for spring!

Look at this fun mini by Vicki's Crafts and Quilting.  Such a cool interpretation of flying geese.

and this scrappy quilt by Susan at Quilt Fabrication is awesome.  It is called Raspberry Cheesecake, and I think that's a perfect name!

Let's party, y'all!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)