A Farewell to NTT

Hey there, my friends!  Welcome to the final Needle and Thread Thursday.  As I mentioned last week, it's a bittersweet ending, but I feel certain it's the right decision for me going forward.  

Before we get to the party, I want to take this opportunity to thank you.  To all of you who have shared links over the past (almost) thirteen years; to those who haven't linked up, but have cheered on other quilters and their lovely projects, and to those of you who have encouraged me as I have hosted each week- it is because of you that NTT continued on for as long as it did.  I have loved carving out a little corner of the internet and helping to build this community of such kind and creative folks, and I am deeply appreciative of all the inspiration and connection.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  

I do want to reiterate that this is not a goodbye to blogging for me.  I will continue to share as I have things, but it won't be on a defined schedule.  I will also continue to share on Instagram (myquiltinfatuation), and I hope you'll find me there as well.

So, for the last time, here are some of my favorite links from last week's party.  This scrappy quilt is from Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic-

This lovely rainbow is from Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

This sweet little quilt is from Sew Preeti Quilts-

And finally, I love this little mini from Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room-

Okay, friends!  We've had 590 parties over the years, and it's time to link up to Needle and Thread Thursday one last time!  

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!  :)

A Major Change and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thursday, friends!  I have some bittersweet news to share with you today.  After next week (at the end of March), I will be retiring Needle and Thread Thursday.  I've been thinking about this for a while, and I know it is the right decision for me.  I started NTT almost 13 years ago- way back in June of 2013, which makes it one of the oldest continuous quilt link parties (it even may be the oldest?).  It has never taken more than a holiday or vacation break, and it has never had another blog home.  

It was started when link parties were THE way to connect with other quilters and to keep your finger on what was happening in the quilty world.  It was before Instagram really took off, and those weekly parties were huge, averaging about 70-75 links per week!  It was also a time when blogging was the primary way quilters shared their work.  

But of course, things are always changing.  I still love the detail I can put into a blog post much more than the short posts of Instagram, so I will definitely continue to blog when I have something bigger to share, but I'm going to try to be more intentional about posting more frequently to Instagram, since it seems that's where everybody is most often these days.  If you're not already following me on Instagram, I'm myquiltinfatuation there, and I hope you'll join me.

As I mentioned, this change is bittersweet, and even though I have struggled with letting go of Needle and Thread Thursday, I know it's time.  Just FYI- I will continue to pay for the link service through June 2027, so you can continue to look back at previous parties if you like.  Unfortunately, once I discontinue paying for the service, all of the links will disappear.  :( 

So, without further ado, let's make these final two Needle and Thread Thursday parties amazing!  And let's start off with some of my favorite highlights from last week. This lovely quilt is from Something Rosemade-

Look at this stunner shared by Rebecca Grace Quilting!

This scrappy cutie is from Maggie at Making a Lather-

And finally, y'all know I'm a sucker for a rainbow, and I just love this one from Julie's Quilts and Costumes-

Okay friends!  It's time to get our party on!

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!  :)

The Siren Song of Spring and NTT

Every single year, it happens around the beginning of March- 72 degree days, plenty of sunshine, a warm breeze, trees and plants start to show signs of new growth- and I just can't help myself.  All I want to do is get my hands in the dirt and start my spring garden cleanup, or stay outside with my book, my coffee or tea, and my dog.  I love the two options equally, and this past week has been magnificent for both.  And since it won't be long before rainier days arrive, that is exactly how I've spent the past week.

Since I don't have anything new to share from my studio, check out some of my favorite projects linked up at last week's party! This quilt by Sew Preeti Quilts is just lovely (and such a gorgeous photo)!

I love this fun quilt top from Deb at A Scrappy Quilter!  Such a great use of scraps!

Julie's Quilts and Costumes showed off this pretty quilt-

Gretchen's Little Corner shared purple beauty, with lots of embroidery!

And finally, Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting has been quilting up a storm!  She shared five different projects, but this table runner is my favorite, and perfect for the season.

Okay friends!  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 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!  :)

An Unexpected Family Visit and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, my friends.  Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting my parents and grandmother for a visit. They were supposed to visit over the weekend, but a last minute conflict meant they had to move their trip to the middle of the week, which is why NTT was skipped last week. We cooked, shopped, went antiquing, watched Olympics, and had a marvelous visit. This week, I've started working on something new, but I need to keep it secret for now.  So instead, check out a few highlights from our party two weeks ago-

This cheerful quilt is from Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

Yvonne at Sew Yummy linked up this pretty purple and yellow quilt.  This LSU girl approves!  ;)

And finally, this fun, scrappy quilt is from Viridian's Blog-

You know what time it is!  Let's get this party started!

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!  :)

All Olympics, All the Time and NTT

Hey, y'all!  I just love the Olympics.  I love the inspirational stories, the feats of athleticism, and the pride the athletes have in representing their families and their countries.  And when the Olympics happen, I watch as much as I possibly can.  Any sport and any event- qualifiers, finals, medal ceremonies- I love all of it.  I especially love that the games are happening in a time where the prime events in Italy are happening live during the daytime here.  Of course, that means that my days have been spent glued to the TV, rather than sewing, but that's okay.  

So, without any new progress from my sewing studio, let's go ahead and jump right into the highlights from last week.  Take a look at this scrappy quilt from Gretchen's Little Corner-

Check out this cute house block from Kat at Scrapbook Quilts-

And finally, this quilt from Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl is absolutely stunning.  I love the creativity of leaving some of the raw seams visible-

Okay, friends!  It's time to 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!  :)

Day 17,631...and NTT

Hey there, my friends.  It's currently day 17,631 of this ice storm.  Not really, but it sure feels like it, and for those of you who have seen the movie Groundhog Day, I guess it's fitting for this week.  As I write this, we're on day 12, and my neighborhood streets are still icy, which means the schools are still out, no mail or package deliveries, and things are still not back to normal.  And of course, since I haven't gotten to the quilt shop, it means that I haven't sewn anything new.

I know some of you northern folks are thinking that 4.5 inches of sleet is no big deal, but I'm in a southern city that doesn't plow roads (not that you can really plow ice anyway) with drivers who don't have chains or snow tires, so the best we can do is just wait for it to melt.  And usually, within a few days, it does.  But not this time.  This storm has brought temperatures barely above freezing every day, and then bone-chilling refreezing each night, making the roads into a lovely place for sledding, figure skating, or hockey, but terrible for driving.  We are all so over it.  Please understand, I know that SO many others have had it worse in this storm, and I am grateful for how well we've fared overall, but I sure do wish it would all just go away.

In the past two days, we have finally gotten some significant melting, and all I can say is, bring on spring!  

So, in lieu of sewing something myself, I'm living vicariously through your awesomely creative link-ups, like this fun string quilt from Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

And this fun quilt from Maggie at Making a Lather-

Sally at Crafts, Cavies, and Cooking showed off this tiny beauty, which is only six inches square!

I love the movement in this quilt from Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

And finally, look at this amazing quilt from Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl!

Okay, y'all!  Let's get our party going!

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!  :)

MidMod Stars and NTT

Hey there my friends, and welcome to this week's Needle and Thread Thursday.  As you can see from my photos, we are covered in a blanket of white, but unfortunately, it's about 4.5 inches of pure sleet rather than soft, fluffy snow.  The only footprints in it are from Tucker running through it and digging in with his claws.  It's so icy and hard-packed that regular walking doesn't leave any marks at all. Thankfully though, we didn't get any freezing rain ice buildup, which is the big worry with power lines and trees.  We have kept our electricity, and we are so thankful.  Our neighbors just to the south of us were not so lucky.

The weather did give me time to get my latest quilt finished, and I love how it turned out.  I decided to lean into the Mid-Century Modern feel of this pattern and call it MidMod Stars.

It felt so good to have a finish after such a long break raising a puppy.  He's nine months old now, so technically I'm still raising him, but he has gotten a little easier lately.

As I mentioned in my last post, last fall, when I was really missing creativity but still couldn't sew, I did lots of pattern designing.  This is one of those designs.  When I designed it, it was an immediate favorite and I knew I had to make it first.  It was a lot of fun to sew.

I decided to quilt this one with a nice, easy stipple to ease back into the quilting groove.  It gives the quilt plenty of texture and allows the pattern to really be the star.

This quilt makes very efficient use of either fat quarters of long quarters, so I didn't really have many scraps to speak of.  So, for the back, I made what I like to call a Focus Stripe backing.  This backing is from the Stash and Yardage Backs section of my book, Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs.  Often, I like to use a large print in the center focus stripe, but for this quilt, I made the backing using three tonal prints to keep the color stripes as bold as possible.  It's a really simple backing, but adds just a little extra interest to the back.  My book is full of full patterns for pieced quilt backs (30 of them!), ranging from simple to a little more intricate, but all are easy and are a perfect way to remember that the back of your quilt is another place to get creative!  

And a crisp Kona Navy binding frames the whole quilt nicely, and looks great with the front and back of the quilt.

One of the things that felt the weirdest about this quilt is the fact that I had to purchase every single bit of fabric for it.  Usually I shop my stash and then purchase fabric to fill out the fabric I need, but after using up all of my fabric last year, that's no longer an option.  Of course this means that until our ice melts, I'm at a standstill on starting something new.  Hopefully we'll get above freezing within the next couple of days!

It's almost time to get our party on for this week, but before we link up, check out some of my favorite projects from last week.  Sandra at mmmquilts showed off this lovely quilt with a snowy backdrop of her own!

Check out all of the delicious texture on this sweet owl quilt, shared by Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room-

And finally, Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic linked up this scrappy teal goodness-

Okay my friends!  I hope you're all warm and cozy and getting lots of good creative time!  Let's get this party started!

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!  :)