GENTLE MIDSUMMER DAYS

I love love love

the middle of summer!

Ahhh....

I finished up a pillow I started 

for a dear friend's daughter.

When I was making all those Vintage Spin wedges,

the first wedge cut leave you with this angled scrap

really too small to do anything with.

So, I wedged those scraps and

glue sticked them down (ala Feddy!).

Then I decided to keep adding

and it slowly evolved into the pillow it wanted to be!

(with pom poms...of course!)

Staying with the idea of finishing...

years ago,

I trekked to Kalispell, MT 

and took a class with Ruth McDowell.

The gist of the class was

to take a photo you love -

my middle son 

walking down the beach of Lake Michigan

with his bucket and  fishing pole -

blown it up, sketch it out, and divide it into

a million sketched pieces that you can then 

turn into a million fabric pieces

and stitch together to make

a most fantastic Ruthlike quilt.

My friend Sue told me I should stay until the end,

even a day later, she suggested, to ensure I finished.

That was the best quilting advice - that I never took.

I left a day early to see U2 play in Seattle,

and what I started in that class

has lived rolled up under my bed ever since.

A few weeks ago I pulled it out,

stuck in on my design wall,

and immediately

 hung another piece of batting over it 

and proceeded to make my Jen Kingwell quilt!

Ha!

Alas, that Jen Kingwell quilt is finished, 

sew much fun,

but no more excuses...

I knew there was no way I was going to piece it,

so I am glue sticking (ala Freddy) 

and will trust the quilter to work her magic.

On the left is what I left class with -

a hundred little precise pieces

pinned to an outline of my quilt.

On the right is my transfer to a piece of muslin.

I am concerned about fabric choices 

that I did not make in class

and now have to make on my own...

good practice taking one piece at a time

and trusting it will work out.

Deep breath.

Today's progress...

Drum roll please...

the last winner for my summer giveaways is

Joyce Carter!

Congrats!

Thanks to all who have commented! 

It's been great fun...

if a bit challenging for me to get 

things packaged and mailed...

but so worth it!

I love sharing and free stuff

but mostly love knowing there are other 

quilters out there having fun!