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The year is winding down and it has given me the opportunity for a little personal reflection.  What was 2015 to me?  How did it change me, for better or worse?  What have I accomplished?  Where did I fail? For me, 2015 was a year to make things. A lot of things (this isn't all of them). It was also a year I became a mother of 3. And somehow got talked into getting a dog. It was a year of contributing to  a book . It was a year when I asked myself the question: why do I spend all of this time quilting?  And consequently started to think a little less about fancy new fabrics and more about how I can make quilts that are softer and cozier and more likely to be used.  It was a year of helping a few others make their first quilts and falling in love with the process all over again. It was a year of trying to make each gifted quilt more personal.  Of redefining quilting as a way to show love for the people in my life. It was a year of being so grateful that I discovered quilting and all

Let me introduce you to the 4th and final AGF Stitched quilt of 2015: The Locket Quilt.  I have enjoyed making these quilts this year, but this design is my favorite. I decided to use some April Rhodes prints for the quilt.  Most of them are from her Wanderer collection (one is from Bound ) and they are lovely. This was also the fastest and (I think) easiest quilt in the series.  The only changes that I made to the original pattern are to have 4 different D, E, G, & H fabrics instead of 2 and to just have one fabric for F & I (if those letters don't make any sense to you, check out the pattern here ).   The backing fabric is from Wanderer.  And let's be honest, I didn't really have a choice.  It is one of the best backing fabrics ever.   Do you want to make your own Locket Quilt? Video Free Pattern Quilt Kit Backing Set If you would like to see the other quilts that I have made as part of the AGF Stitched Free Pattern series, see the links below. Birchen Quilt Fra

Is it just me, or can you never have too many tote bags?  I have made several different varieties, but they have all been gifted or appropriated elsewhere, and I recently started a new responsibility at church which requires me to carry around several clipboards and papers and notebooks and a new tote bag was in order. I found this tutorial , which is probably the best one I have found for a tote bag that is both simple and sturdy.  I also love that the pattern does not call for interfacing.   For the main fabric I used a Cotton + Steel Tokyo Train Ride canvas print.  I liked it before I made the bag, and now I really love it.  There are so many great details and the color is subtle but a little funky.  The tutorial calls for an indoor/outdoor print and since the Cotton + Steel canvas is sturdy but a little floppy, I ended up using some SF-101 interfacing for the main panels (I know, I said that I liked that this tutorial didn't require interfacing, but it was only a couple pieces)

Thank you everyone for all of the comments on my Giveaway Post.  I am working my way through reading the comments and suggestions about having a new puppy. Before we got the puppy I felt like my life was pretty much as full as it could get - and now I am having to readjust because it is a little fuller.  I have been lamenting that because of other obligations I haven't been able to sew much (I snuck in about 20 minutes of sewing last week total!), but I am happy to have all of those other things in my life too.  Hopefully I will find more time to sew soon because I have a stack of quilts-to-be-made on my counter about 4 quilts high. The winners of the giveaway are . . . I will be emailing you each soon to get your mailing addresses!

Hello and welcome!   1.  Small World Baby Quilt ,  2. Desert Blooms Medallion , 3. Wee Wander Double Wedding Ring Baby Quilt , 4. Picnic Basket Quilt , 5. Intertwined Quilt , 6. Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt , 7. Sew Along Star Pillow , 8. Wonderland Quilt ,  9. Flower Garden Quilt , 10. Sundown II , 11. Welded Quilt , 12. Hazel Hourglass Quilt If you are visiting my blog for the first time, I thought I would show you a few photos of quilts that I have made since the last giveaway day .  But I will keep it brief since I know that's not why you are here ;) For the giveaway I have 2 charm packs of different Cotton + Steel prints, one is of Kimberly Kight's Lucky Strikes and the other is Alexia Abegg's Paper Bandana.  There will be 2 winners and the giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere. The giveaway is now closed.   To enter the giveaway: 1.  Just leave me a comment letting me know any advice you might have about having a puppy.  Because I have one , and I have no idea what I

The Double Wedding Ring quilt has been on my quilting "bucket list" for a while.  Maybe, once I find the notebook where I wrote down the list, I will post it here but the list is fairly short.  This pattern earned a place on the list because it is challenging and traditional and seemed like a rite of passage.  Also because there are lots of ways to modernize and improvise this block and I hope to do some of it in the future. Ta da!  It turned out not to be that crazy challenging (I used this ruler ) and it turned out to be the perfect pattern for the Wee Wander fat quarter bundle I have had on my shelf for a few months.  I did add a few fabrics to mix things up, and I fussy cut the center of the blocks though my options were limited for fussy cutting since I was cutting from fat quarters and the fabrics have a fairly large repeat.   The most challenging part was definitely binding the inside corners.  I could use some practice, but I think I kind of figured it out. The backin