One Day at a Time

Quilting of Grandiose, Macnas series no. 8, has started.  Honestly, getting bobbins wound and stitching the first few passes is one of the "hurdle" points in every quilt.

That said, I'm delighted with the way the Robin Egg thread plays with Grandiose's colors.

Hopefully over the next few days I'll be able to finish Grandiose and pin baste Enchanted (no. 9 in the Macnas series).  

(and yes, I've been considering quilt ideas to work on once the entire Macnas series is done and dusted - there's a lot of stashed fabric waiting to be used)

Indoors our two Christmas cacti continue to bloom and there are a few more buds ready to open any day now.  

Outdoors, the three clumps of iris that were planted last spring survived the winter and are budded and/or blooming.  The flowers are purple with mottled white areas - so pretty.

The azalea that moved to our house from elder son's yard a few years back is blooming profusely, despite the late freezes.  I only wish the flowers lasted a bit longer (the photo will supersize if you want to see the blossoms in greater detail).

I'll end with this gorgeous sunset photo taken on April 9.  Since then, the trees here are almost fully leafed out and we once again have shade - funny how its absence over the winter months became the norm.

* * *

There's lots of random background stuff going on that isn't blog-worthy yet.  Things like harvesting ephemera from older magazine issues, cleaning and tidying the studio, sorting and gathering bits for three future projects involving paper and glue, household stuff, and errands.  

It's all good but I'm glad I learned long ago to work in bursts in between everything else.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Many of us have made our world so familiar that we do not see it anymore.  An interesting question to ask yourself at night is What did I really see this day?"

John O'Donohue

Razzle-Dazzle - the Quilt

Razzle-Dazzle is finished at last.  It has been just over five years since the initial brights on black strips were cut from fabrics in the stash.

Originally those strips were intended to become a set of six placemats, but in June 2022 while visiting Lynne in NH and making my first scrap slab triangles using her tutorial, that plan abruptly changed.

Once home, I started piecing the 88 brights on black triangles in July 2022, quickly realizing I needed to cut even more strips from the stash; especially since a whole lot of the original strips were already being used to piece a donation quilt top named B.O.B.

By September 2022, Razzle-Dazzle's final layout was pinned to the design wall, including each block's scrappy black on white side triangles.

The project stayed on the design wall until spring 2023, when I finally started assembling the three-piece blocks (a triangle plus two side setting triangles, framed on the outer edges with Tula Pink Lineworks "Read Between the Lines" zebras).  

The top was completed in June, 2023 (8 columns wide x 11 rows; 51" x 70").

The scrappy back was also pieced in June 2023, using four prints from the stash:  NIGHT BLOOM b Chong-a-Hwang for Timeless Treasures, TOSSED MASQUARADE (sic) LADIES from Loralei Harris Designs, a print by Debi Payne for QT Fabrics, and ISLAND PALM LEAVES from Tropical Breeze line by Greta Lynn for Kanvas.  

In order to make the backing long enough, I added the horizontal insert using seven rows of pieced 2.5" strips left after making the top.  

Quilted using my liberated all over nested spiral fans and Glide thread in Kiwi (lime-ish green).

Once quilted, it was time to make a final decision on the binding.  

Surprise!  I found some already-made binding lurking in my leftover/set aside binding stash that was absolutely perfect and not one of the previous choices.  It had been made from the last of a long-stashed Henry Glass wide back named Circle Play by designer Color Principle.

This photo shows the four different corners of the back with the newly-finished binding.

And this photo shows a better detail of the insert strips.  

Finished size:  49.5" x 68.5"

* * *

Such a gloriously scrappy quilt - I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Quiltdivajulie

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"If happiness happens, say thanks."

Marlene Dietrich

March Recap and Looking Ahead

During March, I quilted and finished Incandescent - a soon to be gifted quilt.

I also finished Daydreams (formerly known as Tropical Canyon) - another soon to be gifted quilt.

There was one completed quilt top - Morning Fog, Macnas series no. 11.

I also made two new pillowcases for Young Man reflecting his love of Lego, math, and science.

* * *

Looking ahead, Razzle Dazzle is next up for quilting.

Grandiose, Macnas series no. 8, will then become next in line for quilting.

And at the sewing machine, the rows are being assembled for Paint Party, Macnas series no. 12.

* * *

Charlotta asked a question that I want to answer here.  

"Am I right that you have been speeding up your work on them [the Macnas quilts] lately? If so, is there a reason for that? And one additional question: how many of them do you still have? It would be fantastic, I think, to do a show of all of them together when you’re finished!"

Yes, I have been more focused on the remaining Macnas series quilts - because I'm determined to get the series finished before year end (I want to use the twelve quilts for my 2027 annual wall calendar).  

As to the finished quilts - I have all of them and plan to keep them here until the series, including the bonus quilts, is completed; just in case I need to take additional photos.  Down the road there are a few that I plan to set aside for different gifting opportunities but the rest I plan to keep.  

Once the finish line is crossed, I do plan to do a retrospective post (or two) for the entire series; but in the meantime you are welcome to visit My Macnas Quilts page here on the blog.  

Finally, this is the April first photo of our backyard.  The above-ground pots that are not home to hostas have been planted with annuals, and the first few blossoms have started to appear on the azalea despite the many yellowed leaves from the late freeze of a week or so ago.

You can see the earlier monthly photos by clicking on the monthly recap label below.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Where flowers bloom so does hope."

Lady Bird Johnson

Cathy's Stamps

Back in  December, Cathy L. sent me this box stuffed full of postage saved from her years of quilt block swaps.  What an unexpected delight.

I couldn't cut up the groupings - I just couldn't - so instead I trimmed away the excess envelope paper, peeled away the bubblewrap layers, and sorted the rest into domestic metered, domestic stamps, international metered, and international stamps.

Then I tucked them safely in a drawer until I came up with a good way to showcase them.

Not long ago I thrifted the "G" volume from a set of 1938 World Book Encyclopedias, and realized it would be ideal for Cathy's stamps.

So I started gluing . . . 

I had so much fun re-reading the postmarks, finding these four from MI where I grew up and IN near where we spent the first decade years of our married life.

I enjoyed the many stamps from Finland with their varied subjects and cheerful colors, especially the Moomin stamps (see final photo).

 

The Bakery Hill Post Office postmark tickled me.

I miss the days when postal workers hand cancelled stamps without obliterating them like they do now with the wide black marker streaks.

Thank you, Cathy!

* * *

I'll be back tomorrow with my March recap, the April 1 backyard photo, and my goals for the coming month.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Creativity is not the possession of some special talent.  It's about the willingness to play."

John Cleese

Morning Fog - the Flimsy

Morning Fog, number 11 in the series of 12 Macnas quilts, is now a flimsy measuring roughly 52" x 72" - you should be able to enlarge the photo so the variety of fabrics is easier to explore.

In the end, the gifted low volume backing I had set aside for Morning Fog was too creamy/yellowish.  Hmmm - and then I remembered that a while ago I ordered some 108" Newsprint by Carrie Bloomston when it was on sale (simply because I've used it before in both tops and backs and I knew I could use it again).  I'm very hopeful that it will play nicely with Morning Fog.

While I was piecing the rows for Morning Fog, I used the individually sewn HSTs for Xanadu as my leader-ender, turning them into pairs.  The pinks were paired and then paired again into 4-HST blocks.  The other four colors are all sewn in pairs and pinned into 4-block sets.

The blocks for Paint Party, the last planned quilt in the Macnas series, were sorted by color before being sorted using my one-plate-per-row system.   

Once Paint Party becomes a flimsy, I'll get the blocks for the planned bonus quilt (Holus Bolus) sewn together. 

The three unplanned bonus quilts created to use up Macnas series leftovers are already sewn into tops (Motley, Githerments, and Rastro).   

* * *

And then there is the matter of quilting and finishing Macnas quilts 8-12 plus Holus-Bolus and the three additional bonus quilts . . . my goal is to have all nine of these done by the end of the year.  

(so far I've been able to keep the studio squirrels from distracting me - I'm hopeful they'll continue to chill in the background)

Quiltdivajulie

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"Little by little one travels far."

J.R.R. Tolkien

Friday Check-In

There are now ten rows sewn together for Morning Fog (Macnas series number 11) . . . only eight more rows to go.

Young Man kept us busy when he spent last weekend with us.  This was one of the quieter moments.

And he did indeed give the backyard swing a workout along with completing an unwanted writing assignment for school.

While taking YM home Sunday evening, DH captured this glorious sunset over the Mississippi.

It is no wonder so many riverfront and near-riverfront residents drive their golf carts to the parks to watch the sun set.

* * *

Next week's calendar is not nearly as full as this week's has been, so I seriously hope to get more time in the studio.  Fingers crossed!

Quiltdivajulie

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"BE A WEED!  A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows."

Doug Larson

First Day of Spring

Welcome to Spring 2026.  I know many of you are still dealing with winter-ish weather which is what I grew up with, but here in western Tennessee the new growing season has begun.

This is one of our pot-planted hostas coming up for its third season.  

Yesterday, DH brought home four of the combo planters we use to fill our largest backyard pots.  It makes us so happy to see these from the kitchen window instead of only khaki color grass.

I'm already planning a trip to my favorite garden center to spend time with the newly arriving plants and flowers.

This is an early morning photo of our "eager beaver" hosta.  

Given the success we've had with overwintering in pots, I think we'll add a few more hostas this year. 

Indoors I've swapped out our St. Patrick's Day decor for Easter bunnies and eggs.  When I finished the second scrappy runner made with leftovers from Esperance and Haru, someone asked me what I was going to do with a 110" runner.  This time of year, it lives on the dining room buffet until the next seasonal decor shift when it will return to the back of the rocking chair in my studio.  

* * *

Young Man will be here this weekend for a sleepover.  No rain in the forecast so I'm guessing the backyard swing will see some action along with his scooter.

In the studio, Razzle Dazzle is pin basted and ready for quilting next week while Morning Fog is waiting patiently.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Happiness? The color of it must be spring green.” —Frances Mayes

Daydreams - the Quilt

 

This was the quilt crumpled on my sewing table just after I finished stitching the binding.

And this is the finished quilt - Daydreams (formerly known as Tropical Canyon).

Created with scraps from the stash, leftover backing trimmed from at least a dozen quilts (if not more), plus strips of Wanda's 2023 fabric-swapped strata; the quilt top was completed in August 2024.

The binding had been in the stash so long, there were no selvages left to ID the maker.  (added later - Bubble Up, Rainbow Dots Black by Wilmington Fabrics)

Backing - Daydreams (PWSP091) from the Skylights line by Sue Penn for Free Spirit (thank you, Lynne for not wanting to use this at your house).

Quilted using Glide thread in Hawaiian Blue and my liberated all-over free motion nested spiral fans, Daydreams finished at 61" wide x 73" long.

It will be shipped/gifted in late April to a couple celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. 

Quiltdivajulie

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Thoughtful note - I can't help but think about how all these un-related fabrics came together to create a wonderful whole, much like the unpredictable things that happen to us along the way combine into the shared journey of marriage and parenthood.

Weekend Notes

The first four rows for Morning Fog, Macnas series no. 11, have been sewn together.

I'm using the HSTs for Xanadu as the leader-enders while I sew Morning Fog's rows.

These are the newly-sewn/pressed pink HST pairs ready to be sewn into four-part blocks.

The next few rows of Morning Fog will see the green HSTs sewn ready to be pressed/paired.

When I cleaned off the paper play table one evening, I ended up creating a small, eclectic junque journal using an empty cardboard mailer as the cover, with magazine pages, scraps from more magazine pages, and bits from other papers collaged inside.  

My logic?  Use the stuff for something instead of filing/storing it.   

Quiltdivajulie

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"The more you are in the room working, experimenting, banging away at your objective, the more luck has a chance of biting you on the nose."

Twyla Tharp in The Creative Habit

The Week that Flew By

Young Man spent two of his Spring Break weekdays with us.  He spent a lot of that time working on his latest Lego car (he finished it mid-way through the second day).  

It rained a lot, so outdoor time was non-existent.

On the second day he spent a couple of hours in the workshop with DeeDah and turned his very first woodturned pen.

Can you feel his happiness through the photo?! 

When I took him home later that day, he could NOT wait to show his pen to Daddy (even before he showed him the finished Lego car).

I managed to press the top for Ruska (52" x 68") and piece the backing.  That center panel is pieced with a total of five fabrics (three of which are hiding under the quilt top in the photo).

I also pieced the backing for Daydreams and prepped the quilt sandwich layers for pin basting.

* * *

Unless more things are added to the coming week's calendar, I should be able to spend more time moving things forward in the studio.  We shall see how well that plan works.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Art exists because life is not enough."

Ferreira Gullar