I finished my Easy Bargello quilt a few weeks ago, but I haven’t gotten outside for any outside shots, so I’ve decided to share this quilt finish with a few inside photos. Here is one I took after I finished binding it. The quilt measures 70″ x 81″ so it even fits my full-size bed nicely.

I’ve wanted to make a quilt using the Easy Bargello Quilt Pattern by Busy Hands Quilts for the past two or three years. I started piecing the quilt top in January 2023 and really enjoyed sewing with Wilmington Prints Magic Colors and Silvers Linings 40 Karat Gems (precuts similar to jelly rolls). The strip piecing went fairly quickly, and then I sent it off to Rebecca at https://www.rebeccagracequilting.com/. She did her usual amazing job!

Below is a pic taken by Rebecca at Rebecca Grace Quilting.

And here’s a closeup taken by Rebecca that shows the pretty quilting:

Linking up to Anja Quilts: TGIFF. I will also be linking up to Quilt Schmilt: To-Do Tuesday on Tuesday to check in with my regular quilting peeps.

I finished my Turquoise Stars Quilt a few weeks ago but haven’t felt like hefting the quilt outside to hang on the curtain rod attached to my shed due to the pain/weakness in my right hand. I recently saw a hand specialist and got a cortisone shot which is helping with both the pain and numbness associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, but I will probably opt for surgery sometime this summer. I’ve decided to not worry about getting outside shots for now. Below is a pic that Rebecca at Rebecca Grace Quilting took after she finished her glorious quilting using Karlee Porter’s Billowy designs.

For my the quilt top I used five stars from Lee Heinrich’s Chevron Star pattern. I found these blocks to be quite challenging when matching the points, so I was really glad to only make five stars and to allow the quilting to do much of the work in giving this quilt its Wow factor. I used five different Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements fabrics: Tile Blue, Maldives, Cozumel Blue, and Fresh Water for the stars and Night Sea for the background. The binding is also Tile Blue.

I snapped a quick pic after I finished binding this quilt, but the background looks grey not like the much more accurate blue in the photo above that Rebecca took. I do like how well the quilting pops in the photo below. We were going after a custom look but using a combination of edge-to-edge quilting patterns that were designed to work together.

I’ve really been limiting my sewing, but I have been having fun with playing with another craft–stenciling pavers. My friend, Mary, and I have been adding some decorative touches to our front courtyard in preparation for a party celebrating my retirement. My last day of work at my mental health agency is June 9th! I’ve invited around 25 people to stop by and share some sangria and finger foods with us after work that day. I wish you all could join us! Here’s one of the stenciled pavers using a favorite color palette:

Linking up to Quilt Schmilt: To-Do Tuesday.

I used my AccuQuilt 2.5″ strip die to cut sashing strips which is much easier for me right now than rotary cutting, so I was able to get the sashing cut and sewn for the Mid Century Modern quilt I’m making for my friend, James. Please see my MCM Update #1 post for close-ups of the first eight blocks and the details about this project and my MCM Update #2 post that shows close-ups of last eight blocks. Below is the finished quilt top:

I have a couple of small sewing tasks to get done in the next few weeks, but for now I’m still trying to minimize cutting/sewing and typing which has freed up some time to do some much needed household organization. I’ve been finding things that have been hiding for a long time!

On Tuesday, I will be linking up to Quilt Schmilt: To-Do Tuesday to share this update with my quilting peeps who participate in this linky party.

I have had a fairly good week pain-wise with my right hand/wrist, so I was able to get the rest of the blocks sewn for the Mid Century Modern quilt I’m making for my friend, James. Please see my MCM Update #1 post for the details about this project. Below are the last eight of the 12″ blocks that I’ve drafted in Electric Quilt Version 8 (EQ8) with a close-up of the line drawing on the left and the sewn block on the right.

Next up is joining the blocks with sashing to get the quilt top made which I hope to get done in the next week.

On Tuesday, I will be linking up to Quilt Schmilt: To-Do Tuesday to share this update with my quilting peeps who participate in this linky party.

Since my self-diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand/wrist (to be confirmed by my PCP at a regularly scheduled appointment in May), I have cut down significantly on any typing and have decreased my sewing activities. Wearing a wrist brace at night has helped immensely with the hand numbness. With the minimal sewing that I’m allowing myself to do, I am prioritizing making a quilt for my friend, James, as a birthday gift. When I visited him in Albuquerque in early March, I was so impressed with his Mid Century Modern home, especially with the tile in his guest bathroom. I decided that I wanted to make a Mid Century Modern quilt for him in grey and mustard fabrics for his 50th birthday in August. I took several photos of his bathroom tile that included many line drawings that could be made into quilt blocks. Here is one of the photos I took:

Below are eight of the 12″ blocks that I’ve drafted in Electric Quilt Version 8 (EQ8) with a close-up of the line drawing on the left and the sewn block on the right. I’m feeling much more comfortable using EQ8 after designing more than 20 blocks in this computerized quilt design program. I’ve decided to stick with the simpler designs that can be made into blocks with rotary cut and/or basic paper piecing units (and NO dreaded Y-seams!). The blocks below are photographed on Alison Glass Kaleidoscope black fabric which will be used for the sashing and outer borders. The fabrics I’m using for the blocks are Free Spirit Designer Solid Spark Gold, Moutarde Grunge by Basic Grey (thanks Linda and Wendy for the recommendation), Kona Curry, Alison Glass Kaleidoscope Raven, Alison Glass Kaleidoscope Charcoal, and Cloud 9 Cirrus Solid in Shadow.

I used a 4×4 layout instead of 5×5 to simplify the quilt math.

This is my favorite one so far!

On Tuesday, I will be linking up to Quilt Schmilt: To-Do Tuesday to share this update with my quilting peeps who participate in this linky party.

My April 2023 One Monthly Goal is to make a quilt top for a boy’s baby quilt I plan to donate to Little Lambs Foundation of Utah through participation in Confessions of a Fabric Addict: Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2023. Below are 16 five-inch squares that will be the centers of 8″ finished economy quilt blocks.

Linking up to Elm Street Quilts: April 2023 One Monthly Goal.

I am joining the #2023QuiltingQ1CheckIn hosted by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl. Like many quilt bloggers, a primary motivation for blogging about my quilting is to have an ongoing journal about my quilting journey. I have found that weekly, monthly, semi-yearly, and yearly goals have been extremely valuable to check my progress on goals and to reassess my priorities, and now Yvonne is offering us an opportunity to check in regarding our progress during the first quarter of 2023. It reminds me of the quarterly Finish-Along updates from a few years back that I found both useful and motivating. This exercise is particularly beneficial for me as it helps me to not get too tempted by all the amazing opportunities to join (I’m talking about you–Alison Glass’ 2023 Trinket Sew-Along!) and stick to what is aligned with my current priorities. I took a minute to write them down the other day, and here they are:

1. Make quilts and other small projects for friends and family.
2. Make at least one donation quilt (or quilt top) per year.
3. Expand my piecing/quilting/designing skills.
4. Use more of my stash.
5. Continue to make projects with fabrics and colors that feed my soul.
6. Connect with the quilting community by regularly blogging, reading other blogs and commenting when I can, and participate occasionally in sew-alongs when I have time in my schedule.

Now let’s take a look at what I thought I would prioritize for this year back in December. From my 2022 Recap/2023 Planning Quilting & Stitching post, I have copied and pasted the Probables and Possibilities for 2023 with some annotations in bold print:

Probables for 2023

• A paper pieced long quilt to cover my recliner in the living room using a modification of Lee Heinrich’s Chevron Star pattern. I need the quilt to be long (in this case 90″ to accommodate shrinkage from multiple washings). This is my Turquoise Stars quilt. The quilt top is completed and is 87″ long because I didn’t want to have to buy any more background fabric. (See post here).
• A Quilt Your Life quilt after taking the online Seaglass Quilting Class by Allie with Exhausted Octopus that will involve tracking different kinds of exercise including riding my Peloton bike, strength training, flexibility routines, balance and posture exercises, and days I walk at least 10K steps. I will be able to use some of the time I allotted each day this year to making flying geese for my temperature quilts in an intentional way to improve my health. I have continued to ride my Peloton bike daily but have not incorporated any other kind of exercise into my daily routine. I plan to do so post-retirement. I still hope to make a Seaglass quilt later this year, but it most likely will not be a Quilt Your Life quilt.
• A Mosaic Story Quilt, pattern by Amy Friend at During Quiet Time. I have been cutting 2.5″ on-point squares for this project that I plan to make late summer. For a brief tutorial on how I fussy cut these on-point squares, see post here .
  
• A camping quilt for my niece, Kim, most likely using the Ripples block from when I participated in the Bee Hive a few years ago. The last time I made this block was for Roseanne when she was the Queen Bee (see these cute Christmas Ripples blocks here). This project is finished except for the binding. (See post here).
• Participate in Quilting Gail’s SAHRR2023. I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this year’s SAHRR2023 sew-along. (See post here).
• Make a donation quilt. I’m leaning toward making a 14″ x17″ quilt for Jack’s Basket. I have some adorable zebra fabric that would make a cute and fast basket quilt. I will be participating in Confessions of a Fabric Addict: Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2023 and will be making a boy’s baby quilt for Little Lambs Foundation of Utah. I still may make a mini quilt for Jack’s Basket later this year.
• Make a beach-themed economy block quilt for my friend, Annette’s 60th birthday. Not started but I have purchased some beach-themed charm squares.
• Finish my Sashiko Daisy Pouch. I did get it finished, and I love it! (See post here ).

Possibilities for 2023

• Participate in Jaybird Quilts 2023 Temperature Quilt Sew-Along. Haven’t participated thus far this year, but I did finish my three 2022 temperature quilts in early January (see post here)
  
• I’ve really been enjoying reading posts about Lone Star Quilts on the Island Batik Lone Star Blog Hop. And hands down my favorite Lone Star is the one on Emily’s jacket featured on her The Darling Dogwood post. The Lone Star quilt that has been on my quilty bucket list for awhile is the Luminary Quilt, and if I make it, I plan to use scraps from my Alison Glass fabric stash. Maybe in 2024
• Make a Colorburst mini quilt, pattern by Sassafras Lane. Possibly later this year
• A Christmas quilt for my bestie, Mary, pattern to be determined. Not started yet
• Some other small Christmas projects like table runners, mini quilts, and more Sew Tiny ornaments. Not started yet
• My cousin, McKenzie, and I each independently bought the Easy Bargello Quilt Pattern by Busy Hands Quilts and have talked about having another sew-along next year using this pattern. Maybe her mom and grandma might want to join us? McKenzie and I have both finished our Easy Bargello quilt tops, and I sent mine off for quilting to Rebecca at Rebecca Grace Quilting. I am expecting it back from her any day.
• Hologram Quilt, pattern and fabric by Christina Cameli (I have already have both!) Maybe in 2024
• Harmony and Light Quilt, pattern and fabric by Christina Cameli (I have already these too!). Maybe in 2024
• Coffee Sashiko Fukin mat by SashikoLab. Maybe later this year

One Additional 2023 Project

When I visited my friend, James, in Albuquerque earlier this month, I was so impressed with his Mid Century Modern home, especially with the tile in his guest bathroom.

I decided that I wanted to make a Mid Century Modern quilt for him in grey and mustard fabrics for his 50th birthday in August and started drafting blocks in EQ8. Below are some of the blocks I may use in his quilt.

Initially I thought I would make this quilt in the Quilt As You Go style, but I don’t have the time right now to become more skilled with this technique, so I will be sending it to Rebecca for quilting. We’ve already chosen an awesome Mid Century Modern quilting design.

So that’s it as far as my reflections on the first quarter of 2023. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

Linking up to Quilting Jetgirl: #2023QuiltingQ1Checkin.