When our only company consists of other crepuscular creatures like the newspaper delivery driver with the squeaky door, the two wandering coyotes and the fluffles of bunnies, Boss Dog and I walk. While he’s sniffing around, I write you all posts in my head. They just seem of late to rarely make it here. I guess like so many things in life, there’s some unfinished floating around, but of course there’s also some closure, or milestones, or new starts depending on one’s perspective. We dropped Roan off to college which was certainly a mix of exciting, chaotic and bittersweet. Friends and family ..read more

If you know me, then you know I have a soft spot for animals. Three decades ago my Fe Dog and I lived on a ranch that butted up to the Coconino National Forest in the outskirts of Flagstaff with 2 horses, a donkey that thought the kitchen window was a drive-thru for carrots, 5 other dogs, a gang of cats and any other wildlife that decided to call it home. Every one of them had the checkered pasts of rescues, but their final path had led them to what I considered pet heaven. I often donate to the animal welfare community, so when Pokey reached out to the quilting arts community for donations t ..read more

I got my heart pillows out the other day and thought you all might enjoy playing with this fun geometric shape and its modern approach to crazy piecing. The Crushed It Heart Block Pattern focuses on improvisational and traditional piecing techniques to create (3) 12.5″ x 12.5″ blocks.   This block pattern is a great start if you are learning curious about either of these methods. I’d call it advanced beginner, but the kids make them in Open Studios with my pressing and cutting help so I’m pretty sure you’ve got the skills! Fit your linear and geometric heart blocks into endless quil ..read more

I love the creative vitality that jumps starts around Halloween and only amps up as we approach the new year. Some mornings in a dreamy state, I find my mind’s eye already in making mode. Slowly realizing I’m awake, I get excited about lattes, and happily head out to the studio with one in hand to putter about before I walk Boss and welcome students. It’s specific gifts circling in my head that define Christmas making to me and trigger my frontal lobe into planning mode. Pairing my fabrics to the people on my gift list is a favorite past time, as is buying Christmas fabric, so I’ve got a lot ..read more

Jefe & I celebrated our 18th anniversary by taking down the ceiling & walls in the kitchen to start the rewiring of the electrical. Romantic, no. Togetherness, yes. Considering the project list, the additional layer of dust mixed with dog hair, and having no clue where anything is I decided it was another year to enjoy the Halloween decor virtually. I’ll happily work on my new paper pieced improv triangle quilt, Trick or Treat bags and some napkins in the warm cleanliness of the studio instead. Annually, I’m easily swayed into purchasing some Halloween prints. I loved this wee waving ..read more

Gimme something happy, like a colorful quilt. Bright and summery even though lounging under it sounds a little…hot. I finished the summer twin to the winter color way quilt I shared a few posts back. It’s a blend of two workshops I often teach, Magic Numbers and Improvisational Triangles. The background is just a mix of gray from stash with a speckle of almost-solid print incorporated in. I love myself a toss up of the textures and it’s fun to revisit some fabric bought for another purpose. Cat or dog, regardless they are smack dab in the middle or everything. I wanted the back to matchy ..read more

It’s been Junuary here in Seattle, so let’s start on a beach shall we? A Topo-Chico or margarita in hand, turquoise blue water, warm sand and sun. Or perhaps you’d prefer a pool on a lagoon? You’ll need a good bag to carry sunscreen and the essentials. A bag that’s easy to squish down, because your destination is warm, you like to pretend you’re still 23 so you don’t need more than a couple of sundresses, the best travel sunhat and 4 bikinis in a backpack. If you’ve been living in Seattle this spring this is seriously heaven. Regardless of the type of water containment we were going to loung ..read more

I started this post during my visit with the Omaha Modern Quilt Guild. Progressed a bit on it a week later in Seattle waiting for my 3xs over delayed flight to teach with the Longmont Quilters Guild, sat in my studio on my mattress, lounged by a lagoon in Mexico and now am attempting to catch a little time here again in Denver with the Metro MQG to bookend its finish. I promise the mattress situation will make more sense by the end. Regardless of the physical location, I’m happy to finally make it back to this virtual space. Getting here has been on my mind, but placed at the bottom of the lis ..read more

I wasn’t sure which quilt to share this round, but since it’s about the time of year my retreat friends and I start getting excited and collaborate on projects, food, cocktails and books to the point that I kid you not, we actually have a private Pinboard, it seemed appropriate to showcase a quilt I started at our last one three years ago. My dad Rog was in town to be my quilt holder on a beautiful October day this round. And my friend Tai helping me at retreat. I loaded a stack of fabrics that year, and finished three small quilt tops, including this other finish inspired by a boxed pouch ..read more

I have two finished quilts to show you, but no bright days to photograph them, so I’ll offer you up this quilt as a tidbit of luminosity instead. After the students cleared last Saturday, I did my usual clean up and moved the table out of the way to baste one of my snowballed stars quilt. I went with a mostly flannel back. It occurred to me as I was snuggled under a quilt the other night that always pick ones with flannel backs. I had moved away from using flannel in an effort to use up some of my stash, and to make traveling with 100 pounds of quilts for workshops and lectures a tad lighter ..read more