NTT- A Fun New Project

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I actually have lots going on in my studio this week, and I am so excited to share it with you.  I decided that since I can't stand and cut fabric for very long, I would make something using improv which doesn't require it.  For the past several days I've been sewing improv houses.

Rather than making a bunch of generic houses, I decided to start with houses that are special to me.  This is our first house in Texas.  Our son was born during the time we lived here, and we ended up moving when he was three, so all of the memories of his babyhood are tied up in this house.  We loved this house and thought we would live here much longer, but life and job changes just happen.  And a photo of it for reference-

And our first house here in Tennessee, which we also loved, but it was a little close to a busy street and over time, the traffic just got busier-

This house sits on a corner and I couldn't immediately find a completely frontal view of it (or a view that wasn't snowy), but you get the idea.

And finally, our current house.  It is tucked into a quiet neighborhood and has much more space than either of the two other homes we've owned.  From the street, it looks smaller than our second home, but looks can be deceiving!  It has plenty of room for my studio to have its own non-shared space (it was a converted dining room in our other home), and plenty of room for our son to have his own space upstairs too (teens appreciate that).  And with our master bedroom downstairs in this house, we plan for this one to be our forever home.  PS- those gables were NO JOKE.

And a photo of this one for reference too!  The main difference in this block from the actual house is the windows.  Rather than sew sets of skinny windows, I opted to just do single, larger windows to represent them.  And we have plans to take the shutters off the center set of windows, so I didn't include those.

I also sewed the two houses that my husband and I grew up in.  Neither of our parents still live in these houses, so Google Earth pics are the only ones I could find right away, and they're pretty grainy.  You'll just have to take my word for it that these are pretty good representations.  :)

My husband's childhood home-

and mine!-

Sewing these houses has been SO much fun!  I have dumped all of my scraps out on my work table, keeping them in color piles so I can dig through and find what I want.  Everything has been cut using scissors only, just using the rotary cutter to straighten my block edges a little bit at the very end.  I'm appreciating the less-than-perfect improv look.

My plan is to make about twelve houses.  I have plans for a few more significant houses, and then I'll fill it in with some generic ones.  Then I just have to figure out how to fit them all together!

Y'all shared some fantastic things at last week's party!  I love this simple but beautiful quilt by Something Rosemade-

Check out this beauty by Rebecca Grace Quilting-

This one by Donnaleeq is gorgeous!

Andree' at Quilting and Learning linked up this pretty quilt.  Check out all of that quilting!

And finally, this striking finish is by Quilting Gail-

Okay friends!  It's time to link up the awesomeness that's been happening in your studio this week!

Remember!  In July, Blogger will stop the Feedburner service, which means that if you're currently receiving my posts via email, that will stop at that time.  BOO!  I'm really disappointed that they're doing this, but we just have to roll with it.  Instead, please continue to follow me through another platform.  I recommend Bloglovin', facebook, or Instagram, and then bookmark my blog so it is easy to get to.  Thanks for your continued support, friends!

Okay, let's get this party started, 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 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!  :)

NTT- A Step Backward

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends.  My ankle is healed well enough that I started physical therapy this week, but it's been two steps forward and one step back.  Over the years of repeated injury, I didn't realize how much my ankle movement and strength had been compromised, and as a result, how much my gait had changed to accommodate this.  Well, therapy is improving that, but it is kicking my behind in the process.  It sounds weird to say that I can feel that my ankle is starting to move more freely, and yet the exercises that are helping overall are making my ankle more sore in the meantime.  So, no sewing for me this week.

Instead, take a look at some of my favorite projects linked up last week.  Sandra at mmm quilts shared this simple, but beautiful quilt-

This cute farmer applique quilt is by Melva Loves Scraps.  

Maggie at Making a Lather linked up her progress on this scrappy improv String X quilt.

This modern table runner is by Vicki's Crafts and Quilting.  Be sure to check out her post for close ups of the amazing quilting!

And finally, these little improv blocks by Anorina at Samelia's Mum look awesome.  I can't wait to see what they become!

Before we party, there is some business to take care of.  In July, Blogger will stop the Feedburner service, which means that if you're currently receiving my posts via email, that will stop at that time.  BOO!  I'm really disappointed that they're doing this, but we just have to roll with it.  Instead, please continue to follow me through another platform.  I recommend Bloglovin', facebook, or Instagram.  Thanks for your continued support, friends!

Okay, let's get this party started, 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 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!  :)

NTT- A Gift For a Grad

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  For the past few days, I've been working on a little gift for a special graduate.  Before quilting was my actual job, I taught elementary school for fifteen years (which is probably why teaching groups of quilters comes very naturally to me!), and I taught this young lady in both first AND third grade.  During those years at various school functions, my husband and I really hit it off with her parents, and a couple years later, they joined our Sunday School class.  We've remained close friends for all of this time.  

Teachers don't always get to follow their students as closely as I've been able to follow her, and I'm so proud of her!  It has been a privilege to watch her grow up.  I asked her mom if she had decided on dorm room decor/colors for next year, and she is planning to decorate with blush, coral, and light blue.  So, I decided to make a little monogram pillow for her dorm room bed to go with her graduation gift.  My foot still can't handle the cutting for a quilt, but a pillow was totally doable.

I'm not a huge fan of pink so I don't have a ton of that color in my stash or my scrap jars, especially not in the blush/coral family, so I made the most of the few bits I had with applique circles.  They look so sweet against the Bella Solids Ivory background.  Once I decided to use circles on the pillow, pebbling was really only one choice for the quilting, and they took forever.  I love the result though, almost like bubbles!  I left the applique pieces unquilted so they stand out and "float" agains the background.

This pillow is 18", and if you're interested in how I make my envelope closures and finish the edges, you can check out my tutorial HERE.  We're attending a graduation party for her on Saturday night, and I can't wait to give it to her then.

Before we get to the highlights from last week, I owe you a winner from last week's April sponsor post.  Lady Belle Fabrics is kindly offering a $25 gift certificate to a lucky winner, and that person is comment number 53, Barb!  Congratulations, Barb!  I've sent you an email so you can get your prize.

Okay then!  Let's check out some of my favorite links from last week!  Sew Preeti Quilts has her autumn vibes going with this quilt finish.  

I love this scrappy quilt top by Deb at A Scrappy Quilter-

And this fun, modern mini is by Leanne at Devoted Quilter-

Okay friends!  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!  :)

Booking 2022 and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I feel like we can finally see light at the end of this pandemic tunnel and it feels so wonderful.  During this whole thing, rather than try to modify my classes to a virtual format, I decided to just hold out and wait for an in-person experience.  

My teaching style is very hands-on with lots of individual attention, and the nature of improv piecing is non-linear, and neither of those things lend themselves to a virtual format.  Though that meant that my teaching ground to a halt, I just didn't want to compromise on that.  Now that things are getting back to normal, over the last several days I've been touching base with guilds to get things rescheduled.  2022 is starting to fill up!  

If your guild is getting ready for face-to-face workshops in 2022, send me an email for more information (button on the right sidebar).  I promise you'll walk away with new techniques to help you put a dent in those scraps, and most of all, I know you'll have FUN!  

So without further ado, let's get right to the highlights from last week.  Brenda at Songbird Designs linked up this colorful quilt-

Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting shared this beautiful client quilt-

Maggie at Making a Lather showed off this lovely quilt top-

I love this beautiful quilt by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal.

And finally, this gorgeous scrappy quilt top is by Sew Yummy!

On a more personal note, I had a follow-up on my ankle, and I am happy to report that I no longer have to wear the boot!  Instead, I am in a rigid brace, which is much more comfy.  I still have to stay off of it as much as possible though.  In fact, staying off of it was one condition of the doctor letting me forego the boot.  

Okay, y'all, let's do this!

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!  :)

Happy NTT!

Welcome to another Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  Sadly, I still don't have anything to share with you.  At this point, sitting down to sew really isn't the problem, it's standing up to cut fabric.  And since I didn't have anything cut out and ready when I broke my ankle, I'm kind of in a holding pattern.  I'm really missing my sewing machine.  The spring weather has been glorious lately, and that's a consolation at least.  I've been spending as much time as possible outside enjoying it, even as I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it's already April.  

I'm going to get back to my machine as soon as I possibly can, but until then, I'm living vicariously through all of your beautiful projects.  Check out this awesome quilt by Quilting Gail-

This simple rainbow patchwork quilt is by Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic-

This fun tumbler quilt is by Kat at Scrapbox Quilts-

And finally, I love this scrappy quilt by Linda at kokaquilts-

Okay, friends! Let's get our 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!  :)

NTT- The Road to Normalcy

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  Well, the boot's still on, so no change there, but I did get my second vaccine dose on Monday, so I'm feeling great about taking that step toward getting life back to normal.  My son is almost 17, so he got his first dose this week as well.  Hubby works for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, so he's been vaccinated since January.  We're alllllmost there.  Hooray for science!

Since I don't have anything new to share (again, the boot), take a look at some of my favorites from last week's party.  Janis at Canyon Rim Quilting shared this sweet string quilt-

This stunning quilt is by Frederique at Quilting Patchwork Applique

I love the crazy scrappiness of this quilt by Tubakk at Den syende himmel-

Take a look at this cute star quilt by Cheree at The Morning Latte-

This vibrant beauty is by Michelle at My Bijou Life-

And this soothing piece by Jayne at Twiggy and Opal makes me long for the beach!

Wow!  Y'all really brought the eye candy last week.  So, without further ado, let's 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!  :)

NTT- Taking the Good With the Boot

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  This week has been one of highs and one big low.  As I mentioned in my last post, we did a closet overhaul in our bedroom and as promised, here are a couple of pictures of the finish.

I am in LOVE with the way it turned out, and it makes me so happy to see how beautifully organized everything is.  Just for reference, my closet is 7.5 feet wide, by 8 feet deep.

Unfortunately, my excitement was tempered by the fact that while walking in my neighborhood, I tripped on a fairly innocuous crack in the sidewalk and rolled my ankle, breaking my fibula and partially tearing the ligament in the process.  Womp, womp.

Silver linings are tough in this circumstance, but miraculously there are a few.  First, even though part of my fibula was sheared off completely and pulled away from the bone by the ligament, it has settled back into place and doesn't require surgery.  

Also, the walking boot is a marvelous thing.  Once you injure your ligaments/tendons/joints a few times, they are permanently weakened and are much easier to injure in the future, and this is where I am.  If you can believe it, this is my sixth (!!!) break in my ankles and feet (fourth on this foot), so I've had my share of casts and boots.  In fact, I even brought my boot to the doctor with me with the hope that they wouldn't cast me.  I joked that it was BYOB day at the ortho practice, ha!  A boot isn't exactly comfy, but it does make things like showering a lot easier.  So, yay for no cast.

And finally, you might have noticed that thankfully, this is my left foot and not my driving foot!  By driving, I mean my car AND my sewing machine.  I'll still be down for a while because I'm pretty swollen and bruised, so elevating and icing is happening as much as possible, but I really think I'll be back at it in a couple of weeks, even if it's just in small spurts.

Since I don't have any quilty news to share from my studio, take a look at some of the projects y'all shared last week.  You know how much I love green, and these blocks from Anorina at Samelia's Mum are so awesomely springy!

Anja Quilts linked up this cute quilt-

I love, love, love this quilt by Julie's Quilts and Costumes.  

And this triangle quilt by Sew Preeti Quilts is just fantastic (and don't miss the other quilt she shared in her post)!

Okie dokie, friends!  It's time to get our party started.  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!  :)