Hello everyone,

No, I haven’t dropped off the planet, but I had a deadline sneak up on me … my first quilting article, actually will be a regular column in Cotton Spice magazine (subscribe here) … and class preparations as well.

I’ve been working on other things too:

On the right is a UFO, a jacket actually from some years ago, which was originally a “muslin” to test out a pattern before I cut into my silk tweed. Well, I didn’t quite have enough fabric, so the sleeves became 3/4 (which was actually allright with me), halfway through I stopped looking at the directions and started doing my own thing so by the time I got down to the end I didn’t know how to finish it. Then I decided I didn’t like the pattern, or at least it wasn’t quite what I wanted for the silk. Wanting something to wear I recently decided on how to finish it off. I folded up the serged edges and wrapped them with novelty yarn. I’m nearly done and should have a new jacket by the time it gets really hot here.

On the left is another cell phone caddy I made for my mother’s birthday. It fit her phone, but just barely. I love how when you cut this fabric you get such a variety of different-looking pieces.

I’m still quilting on the March 12x12x12, which is about to become 12x12x4. I suspected at the beginning that I was biting off more than I could chew, and it didn’t take too long for me to realize my suspicion was correct. It came down to the question: Do I want to make 12 quilts that are pared down or would I rather embellish to my heart’s content and make fewer?

Finally is my aborted attempt at the 2007 Hoffmann Challenge. I love the colors and feel of the challenge fabric. I just wish it was a larger scale. I wanted to make a whole bunch of these flowers and connect them together, but it became so tedious, well you can see how far I got. Maybe I’ll get inspired and pick it up later. I don’t think I’ve completely given up on it yet, but almost.

happy quilting!