A June Finish!

Yes!  I finally finished my Disappearing Hour Glass!  I started it January 22, 2026 and finished the binding yesterday June 12, 2026.  Funny story, I was doing longarm quilting for a friend of mine who passed away last year.  Two of us are finishing all her WIP's for her family to have her quilts.  After quilting hers, it was so gorgeous I knew I needed to make one just like it.  I didn't know the name of the pattern so I drew diagrams and tried to figure it out.  It seemed too difficult.  Then I asked the friend who brought me the top if she knew the name of it.  She figured it out and then I found out how easy it really was!   Two layer cake squares, make an hourglass, cut it up, rearrange and sew back together!  Wow!  (I followed the  pattern and tutorial by Missouri Star Quilt Co.).  Now I have one of my own.  It's 88" x 100" with borders.  I posted a tutorial of my own on how to make the blocks on my YouTube Channel @everydaysewist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD0ovHq2CjU. 

The backing is a Kaffe print called Fronds in black and white.  I finished it with an extra wide binding cut from 3.5" strips.  I haven't made a wide binding in a long time and I love it!  Best of all this quilt will remind me of my friend as I use it.  She was and is still an inspiration.  Cancer sucks.  

I have given myself a new Challenge called Make It Happen Monday.  I have a list of smallish projects I want to make but I never seem to make the time or take the time to make them because I'm always working on big projects.  Well, on Mondays I'm going to allot a half hour or so to get started or make one of those smaller projects.  This week I did really well!  Not only did I make one of the Bowl Covers I wanted to do but I worked on 3 other projects as well throughout the week.  Here are 4 of the bowl covers.  They keep the dust out of your bowls when you aren't using them or keep curious pets from sticking their nose in.  I think they will be used a lot during the summer picnic/outdoor eating season.  They are reversible so all the edges are finished and pretty!  (Tutorial by Nikki @pincutsew).  Each one takes about half hour. 

I purchased this pattern recently called Neighborhood Nights.  I made a sample block to try it out.  I really like it!  Once I get another project or two done maybe I'll let myself work on this one.  

>I have so many things I want to work on.  I've made a few more Box Kite blocks.  I'm up to 65/120.  When I restarted on June 5 I had 49 made.  I'm making at least one a day as my Block a Day.   

>I made progress on Witches' Feet during my monthly Sew Day.

>And I finished the first twelve blocks of the log cabin quilt.  Now I want to make it a bit larger so I will make 20 blocks total.  Back to the cutting mat!  I wasn't trying or wanting to make normal log cabin blocks but now that I have arranged in furrows I kinda like it this way so the remaining blocks will be a bit more traditional color placement.  I like that it won't be perfect.  

>I also have the top completed for Succulent Garden.  Hopefully I will get it on the longarm this week. (Fingers crossed.)

I had a really good week and made a lot of progress on my projects!  Our challenge this month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is to work with (or not forget about using) pastels.  I think some more will work their way into the log cabin blocks.  

Happy Sewing, 

Stephanie

June Projects- I think I may have a problem

 Does anyone else spend (waste) time looking for a project they put away, nearby, so they can pull it out again really easily, and then not be able to find it?  Argh, time after time... Solution?  I hear some people only work on one project at at time.  I have never been that person.  Maybe I need to edge closer to being the person who works on only one or two at a time, so I don't have to put them away to never find them again.... 

This month I am working on:  

1.  Binding!!  I'm almost finished making the Disappearing Hour Glass. It looks fantastic.  I made an extra wide binding for this one and I really love it.  I usually cut binding at 2 1/4" but this time I cut it 3 1/2". I love the look of it for this project.  

2.  Succulent Garden, pattern by Crimson Tate.  

This is a kit I've had since last summer waiting to work on it.  I started it on retreat in April.  One of my goals for this year is to make some of the kits I've collected.  This is the first kit for this year and now I'm assembling it!  In fact, it's almost a top!  Just one more column to go and I'll be choosing a backing for it.  I love it so much!  I have enough blocks leftover to make a smaller nap size too. It has been a fast easy one to sew.  I definitely want to make other versions of it.  The store always has the coolest kits for them.  It's a half yard friendly pattern. 

3.  Box Kite, a block pattern by Bonnie Hunter in Quiltmaker May/June 2014. 

Instead of starting the current leader/ender project I dug out this project!  I put it aside back in 2015 after making 49 blocks. 🤷🏻‍♀️  My notes tell me I had planned on making a queen size quilt but now I think it would be just fine and dandy as a throw/lap/nap size which means I only need 99 blocks, or, if I'm feeling spunky I could make it a little bigger, set 10 x 12 for 120 blocks.  These are 6" finished blocks.  I've pulled fabrics for a bunch more blocks, maybe not all of them, but most.  I wonder if I could all the blocks made by the end of the month or, before she releases the next Leader/Ender Challenge block?   I am going to finish these before I start a new project of hers (or anyone else's).  I better get busy because I have a new BOM kit arriving soon.  😳🙈😂

4.  Log Cabin blocks.  19" finished.  2.5" strips.  

They look funny don't they?  They aren't done yet.  My plan is to make 12 blocks for a napper size quilt.  I have five more strips to add to these.  I started this one last month.  I need to get the next round of strips cut to length.  It will take an evening to get the next 2 strips sewn on to each block.  I think I can get that much done.  

5. 6. & 7.  String Blocks, 9 Patches and Double Star blocks.  I'm working intermittently on these as well.  I've added a couple of each to the piles except I haven't made a Double Star block for this month's color yet.  The nine patches and double star are for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I will keep in mind to add pastels to the blocks as this month's color.  I can also add some to the Log Cabins and the Box Kites.  

See what I mean?  Too many projects going at one time.  I'm lucky I could find all of these to share pictures of them.  I'm going to whittle down this list to no more than three projects at a time.  I'll have a progress report at the end of the month to see how far I've gotten.  Wish me luck!  

Happy Sewing, 

Stephanie

May 2026- Memorial Day Weekend, Project Update

 I'm excited about a couple of new starts and my progress on a couple of other projects.  I had very little sewing time in April/early May with my Mom here so I'm making up for it now.  My Mom has gone back to live with my brother for a while.  I'll sew as much as I can until she comes back here.  I've found that even though she is easy to care for it definitely changes my routine and takes a lot of time.  I'm sure a lot of you are nodding your head.  Here's my update from the beginning of the month and some of the things I'll be working on in June.  

1. I finished binding Lupine & Laughter.  It looks just like the last photo I took in my previous post and it's my display quilt on my upcoming YouTube video.  I LOVE IT!  I added two extra borders to Bonnie's layout so it finishes at 96 x 96 and contains 2381 pieces.  

2.  I've made more string blocks.  I'm up to 20, enough for a twin size quilt measuring 64 x 80 without borders.  I might stop there temporarily, make the twin quilt, and then come back to making more later.  They are 16" finished.  I don't have a current picture of them all on the design wall but they are making a nice size pile in the pizza box.  

3.  My Disappearing Hour Glass quilt top is done.   I ordered fabric for the backing because I didn't want a pieced backing for this one.  I thought about several options but none of them appealed to me.  There were 2 bolts that had enough for a backing but the rest of them would mean extra piecing.  I wanted something more dramatic for this top.  It's a long story.  

4.  Succulent Garden has been waiting it's turn to get back on the design wall....

5.  Making Bowl Covers, also not yet.  Maybe this weekend?? Now that's a great goal! 

6.  Now for NEW STARTS!  I started 3 new projects, two of them are for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge which I'm linking to.  I realized I wanted to have another couple of ways to cut and use my scraps.  I've been inspired by all the quilters posting their projects so if it was you I have copied THANK YOU!  Please tell me in the comments if it was you because I lost track of who/where I saw it.  

First, I started making Nine Patches in color order.  The squares are cut 2.5".  The nine patches always have a white square in the center.  I'm not sure if I will use them all in one quilt or if I might get enough of one color range to make a quilt in just blues/greens as my friend did.  Here are my 28 blocks.  So far, I've made at least one in almost all the colors.  There is one orange block in there but I started with January's color of blue, then moved on to green and red and pink.  Then I had to make a couple of purple and yellow also.   If they all go in one quilt set straight I'll need 99 blocks for a throw size. 

 Here is the quilt a friend of mine made which I quilted for her:  This is a possible layout with 30 blocks.  And, look at that gorgeous border!  I'm not sure I will get to making the border as she did but I love it.  It really makes the quilt pop doesn't it: 

I also started making 16" Double Star blocks.  I'm really excited about these blocks because they are so scrappy.  I love the variety of background and prints.  Since my orange scrap bag also has yellow in it I ended up making one of each.  These were a test to see if I liked making them and I do.  However, since I was aiming for so much variety I ended up having quite a few leftover pieces.  I might need to make 2 at a time to use up all the pieces I cut.  I'm also thinking of using the extras in an ocean waves block.

And just last night I started a log cabin project.  I wanted to make a test block to check my measurements and write them down so I used old fabrics from my 2.5" strip drawer.  It turns out I really like it!  I made the first one with a green center then changed my mind, took out the green and replaced it with solid brown (Northcott Colorworks in Chocolate).  I thought my brown phase was over but I am excited to have a place for these older fabrics and I think it will look cozy come fall.  Here is my  inspiration quilt, circa 2004, a Thimbleberries pattern.  I've wanted to duplicate this one for a long time. 

I like the larger center which I cut at 3.5" with all the strips cut at 2.5" width.  Lengths are:  3.5", 5.5", 7.5", 9.5", 11.5", 13.5", 15.5", 17.5" and last one at 19.5".  Cut one each of 3.5 and 19.5, two each of the rest.  

Here's what my design wall looks like now: 

And that's what I've been working on the past few weeks!  I think June will be a fun month in the sewing room. 

If you want to see more about my projects I have a YouTube channel @everydaysewist.  I'm just starting to put a couple of tutorials out which I'm very excited about in addition to monthly episodes about my projects.  Everyday Sewist on YouTube

Linking up with:

Angela at Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Happy sewing!

Stephanie

May 2026

Week One:  

Well, how is it May already?!  I really wanted to post more frequently but that hasn't happened...yet.  I'm an optimist so we'll see.  I've been a bit overwhelmed with life lately, not as much time sewing as I'm accustomed to.  

Here are the projects on my May list, only one new project I hope to try, the rest are carry overs from April and earlier.  

1.  Lupine and Laughter, Bonnie Hunter mystery from Nov 2025:  stitch binding down on back. 

2.  16" string blocks with a 30's fabrics.  13 of 30 blocks made.  It doesn't matter how long this takes.  The goal is to use up as much of my 30's stash as possible (it's in one drawer).  Is it possible to empty the drawer??  If 30 blocks doesn't make a big dent I could keep going and make a second twin size quilt.  

3.  Also shown in the photo above is are my Offset columns, an idea I got from Cheryl Arkison.  The colors are rectangles cut 1.5" x 2.5". The lights are 2.5" squares.  I need hundreds of units to make about 45 columns for a queen size quilt.   It's my leader/ender project.  The other projects in this photo are a flannel quilt I'll get back to soon (the top is done except for borders) and blocks for lupine and laughter (now almost finished-see above.)

4.  Disappearing Hour Glass:  needs borders, quilting and binding.  I think I can get that done this month.  

5.  Succulent Garden:  started at retreat in April this year I have almost all the blocks done then I will add filler pieces and then assemble.  I may want to make a couple of extra blocks to replace the darker ones.  I'm not sure how much I'll get to work on it this month, we'll see.  It looks so dark in this photo but it's really not.  

6.  Bowl Covers.  I'd like to try the tutorial from Nikki at Pin, Cut, Sew to make a couple of bowl covers for a quick easy project.  They are reversible.  

Those are the projects on my list this month.  I also want to make a couple of videos for my YouTube Channel:  Everyday Sewist.  Come visit me there!  We might be traveling a bit too.  Good thing it's a long month.  I will dig into my ORANGE stash and scraps and see what I can come up with.  I don't have a plan for a block to make every month so I'm cutting up scraps for Offset (above) and for a future Potato Chip quilt (2.5" x 4.5" rectangles).  I could make some more blocks for my Colorwash quilt (a Terry Rowland tutorial) or make some more tiny houses.  I sure like seeing what everyone is making each month over at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!   

 Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Stephanie

 

 Scrappy Saturday and a Snowstorm

We are supposed to be getting a bunch of snow overnight tonight.  It has just started and it looks like powdered sugar coming down.  

I'm participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year.  I've finished one Blue project so far this month.  I'm working on a second one and there's a third one I'd like to start!  😂 This is what everybody does, right?  I'm inspired to work with my scraps this year.  If I don't start using them they will be donated at the end of the year.  

I started this one on New Year's Day and finished it last night.  The pattern is Neptune by Villa Rosa Designs.  It uses 2.5" strips which I cut from my stash. 

Front

Pieced Back

I wanted to start a slow stitching project to so I chose to make another Kawandi style quilt.  This one will be a little bigger than the first one I made last year.  I will make each round the color of the month.  Since you work from the outside to the inside blue will take the longest.  I'm not sure if I will get all these stitched down by the end of the month but that's ok.  Each month will be quicker and quicker so I'll catch up.  This one really is from my scrap bin.  I pulled a bunch of scraps to start with and piled them up in the middle as I worked my around pinning the pieces in place.  Since I have so much left I'm thinking about starting another quilt project called ZipIt.  

Month One-Blue

Thanks for letting me join in on this scrappy adventure!  

 

          Stephanie