Churning and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends. I got into my studio this week for the first time since the loss of my dog, and it felt good to sew something, however small.  By far, the Churn, Churn Churn pattern is the most popular class I teach from my book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, and I've been wanting to sew another class sample for awhile now.  

I decided to make this one in a cool color way with purple, blue, and teal, and I think it is so striking against the solid black background.  Here is the original quilt from the book-

I like the single color gradient effect, but it's always nice to show a different option for quilters in my classes.  I'm heading to Charlotte, NC next week to teach this one, and then I'm teaching it again in Tulsa, OK in April.  So, it seemed like the perfect time to get this new sample "churned" out. I'm working to get it quilted and finished before I leave at the crack of dawn on Wednesday (I literally have to be at the airport at 4:30am).  

Even though I'll be in North Carolina at the time of posting next week, don't worry!  NTT is still on.  I'll have the post all ready to go before leaving.  Now, let's get to the highlights from last week.  This EPP finish is from Turid at Den syende himmel.  WOW!  This quilt was ten years in the making!

Quilting Gail shared her method for making a diagonal quilt back, and you know I'm all about pieced quilt backs!

Check out this cute quilt from Maggie at Making a Lather-

And finally, I am in LOVE with scrappy finish from Something Rosemade-

Okay y'all!  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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

Spring is in the Air and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all. It feels like spring here, with temps in the low 70's and sunny, with a warm, light breeze.  As I write this post, I'm out here soaking up the sunshine.

No sewing for me this week, but I did have a lovely visit with my family last weekend, and of course they saw the memory quilts and ornaments in person for the first time.  They loved them as much as I hoped they would.  

So, without delay, let's get right to the highlights from last week's party.  Linda at Kokaquilts linked up this sweet quilt top-

This pretty quilt top is from Gretchen's Little Corner-

And this little baby quilt top is from Kat at Scrapbox Quilts-

Okay friends!  It's time to get our party started.  Show me what's been going on in your studio!

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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

Memory Ornaments and NTT

Happy Valentine's Day, and welcome to NTT friends.  Thank you so much to all who left kind condolences on last week's post.  It has been a very long ten days.  I have been keeping myself busy, and staying away from home much more than usual.  Home is where the memories and sadness hit the hardest.  My parents and grandmother are coming in town tomorrow though, so I'm really looking forward to that.  

On that note, I'll be sending the quilts made from my grandfather's shirts back to Louisiana with them, as well as these finished ornaments.  Though I haven't gotten any sewing done since Finn's death, these ornaments were a nice, mindless distraction.  Decoupage is a little messy, but it's fun to do and pretty simple, which was just what I needed.  I do love how they turned out.

These four ornaments are for my sister and my three first cousins, one for each granddaughter in our family (my own ornament is already put away, so it's not pictured).  Each ornament is a simple 4" plastic ball ornament, decoupaged with 1.5" squares, layered to cover the entire ornament.  I used the same thirty shirts from the memory quilts, and I used the chambray fabric from the quilts to add a decorative tie.  I am certain these ornaments and the three memory quilts will be treasured.

Okay friends, let's take a look at some of the gorgeous links from our party two weeks ago.  Sew Preeti Quilts shared this beauty-

Check out this fun one from Sandra at mmm...quilts-

This minimal quilt from Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl is fabulous!

This quilt by Gretchen's Little Corner looks so cozy-

And finally, this quilt by Kris at Sew Sunshine is a stunner!

Okay, ya'll!  Party on!  And enjoy your Valentine's Day!

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 within your 

    post.  

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!  :)

Wading Through Sadness

Hey there, friends.  It's been a tough few days around here.  On Sunday night, our beloved Boxer, Finn, died suddenly at the very young age of four.  Last May, he collapsed while on a walk and was diagnosed with a ventricular arrhythmia.  He was immediately put on a beta blocker to treat it in the hope that it would not progress to cardiomyopathy, and by all accounts, the meds were working.  He had another episode five days after the first, while the meds were still getting into his system, and then had not had another episode since. 

Two additional visits to the vet with normal ECG's over the last seven months lulled us into a false sense of relief that we had caught this in its earliest stages before the catastrophic happened.  How wrong we were.  I had fully accepted that his life might not be the 10ish years we expect to get from our dogs, but never in a million years did I think we would lose him at four, and so very suddenly.  We had no warning at all.  One second we were watching a movie and he was sitting right by us in front of the couch, and the next second, he collapsed from sudden heart failure.  He was gone in seconds, despite my futile attempt at CPR. It was very traumatic, and I feel like he has been stolen from me.

These last few days have been a constant battle to keep tears at bay, and if I'm being honest, I've been mostly unsuccessful.  Since I'm home all day, Finn was my constant companion.  He took a nap between my legs on an ottoman in our living room every morning while I drank my coffee.  When I was in my studio, he would drag his special blanket in there just to lay beside me, and when I was cooking in the kitchen, he was never more than a few feet away.  We joked that I couldn’t even shower or use the restroom without supervision.  Every single part of my day included him.  He was so attached to me.  There is an enormous void in my house right now, and I miss him so much that my chest hurts.  We are heartbroken and in a state of shock.

So, NTT is taking a break this week, and instead, here are some pictures of my sweet boy.  Thanks for understanding.