A Spring Quilt and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  This week, I've been working on a happy new quilt, and all the blocks are done!

All these fabrics are straight from my stash.  For the last couple of years, I've been trying really hard to use the fabric I have.  That's not to say I haven't purchased fabric for a specific quilt (like my son's Southwest Scenery graduation quilt), but I've really tried my best to shop my stash first.  And I've challenged myself to make whole quilts from stash without purchasing anything.  Pieced backs really help with that endeavor.  I'm happy to report that I've made a HUGE dent in it!  Here's all that's left of my prints-

Okay, so full disclosure- I do have a small stash of Christmas prints and school/sports team prints that are kept in a separate spot, but believe me when I tell you that those are very few.  And, I also have a small solids stash that I keep folded elsewhere.  But, wow!  My regular print stash is really small these days.  Each color section is so small that it's becoming more and more difficult to pull enough fabrics that feel cohesive.  I really want to see how far I can take this little experiment, though.  We shall see...  

Have any of you ever given yourself a similar challenge?  How did it go?  What did you find the most difficult?  Let me know in the comments!

Okay, y'all!  Because of last weeks big announcement, it's been two full weeks since the last NTT.  So, I hope you have double the projects to link up.  Just a reminder, there's no limit to the number of links you can add, so if you have more than one project to share, be sure to show off everything!  Our last party was full of awesomeness, as usual.

This sweet quilt is from DonnaleeQ.  I absolutely love birds, and this is adorable!

Andree' at Quilting and Learning- What a Combo! shared this beautiful little quilt.  Be sure to check out other photos on her post, but I couldn't resist showing the close-up here.

And finally, these scrappy churns from Maggie at Making a Lather are so fun!

Okay, y'all!  Party on!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

The NEW Stash Statement!

Hey there, friends.  Needle and Thread Thursday is taking a little break this week so I can share some huge news.  The NEW and improved Stash Statement is now available in my Etsy shop!

If you have the first version of Stash Statement, you'll notice right away that the cover is very different, but that's not the only change.  Here's a little rundown of all the ways the NEW Stash Statement is bigger and better than ever-

The NEW Stash Statement now contains my personal recommendations for choosing quilting tools, plus full finishing instructions, including tips for adding lots of great quilting texture.  With these additional sections, even novice quilters can make these quilts from start to finish.  Stash Statement was first published with Martingale, who preferred to refer readers to their website for general finishing instructions.  Fox Chapel/Landauer likes to include them within each book, and I agree!

The NEW Stash Statement now contains fifteen patterns!  The original twelve patterns are all there, but three additional ones have been added.  As a little reminder, here are the original twelve patterns in the book-

And here are the three additional patterns-

Lily Pad Pond was included in the original manuscript, but was cut for space reasons.  This dreamy lagoon quilt was inspired by Monet's Water Lilies, and I'm so happy it's a part of the new version of the book.

Old Glory has been available as a little tutorial on my blog, but I frequently had quilters reach out, asking for a full pattern for this quilt.  Now you have it!

And finally, Take Flight!  You may recognize this quilt as the bonus "thank-you" pattern that I have always gifted with the purchase of the book, and now it has been added!

And finally, the NEW Stash Statement has a new price point.  Fox Chapel/Landauer prices their books a little differently, so it's actually less expensive than when it was first released.  If you've wanted to add this book to your library, there's no better time!

Since this book is a re-release, I'm not planning a new blog tour, but you won't want to miss all of the amazing versions of these quilts from the original release.  Each one of these superstar bloggers made a project from the book, and included their honest review of the structured improv process and the book itself.  Everything is linked here for you, and I've included the links to each original design as well.

Stash Statement Blog Tour-

Grand Bazaar    My original quilt

           Shelley @ Cora's Quilts

          Connie @ Freemotion by the River

Louvered   My original quilt

           Lindsey @ Primrose Cottage Quilts 

           Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

Precarious  My original quilt

          Jess @ Quilty Habit                       

          Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts

                                                            

Beach Retreat  My original quilt

          Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts                               

          Liz @ Savor Every Stitch 

                                                           

Fire Pit   My original quilt

          Alison @ Little Bunny Quilts                                          

          Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts

                                                            

Detour   My original quilt

          Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts                         

          Shelley @ The Carpenter's Daughter Who Quilts

                                                            

Murrina    My original quilt

          Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl             

          Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

                                                            

Scattered   My original quilt

          Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal                      

          Christine @ Triangles and Squares 

                                                            

Bloom Chicka Boom   My original quilt

          Chris @ made by ChrissieD            

          Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

                                                            

Regatta   My original quilt

          Susan @ Quilt Fabrication                             

          Debbie @ A Quilter's Table    

                                                            

Catch a Falling Star  My original quilt

          Cynthia @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework        

          Anja @ Anja Quilts

                                                            

College Prep   My original quilt

          Hilary @ by Hilary Jordan                 

          Lori @ Crossquilt

                                                            

Take Flight   My original quilt (two versions)

          Kelli @ Seriously, I Think It Needs Stitches 

          Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

I hope you'll take a few minutes to check out the amazing quilts included in this lineup!  And I also hope you'll consider adding the NEW Stash Statement to your library.  

The NEW Stash Statement is available in my Etsy shop now.  You can find it HERE, or by clicking on the book cover on the top left sidebar.  It will also be available on Amazon and everywhere else you usually buy books in mid-May.  Thanks so much, friends!

April Sponsor News!

Hey y'all!  It's the middle of the month and you know what that means!  It's time to fill you in on the latest happenings at my favorite shops around the web.

Over at LouLou's Fabric Shop, spring is definitely in the air.  Check out this fresh and cheerful Feed My Soul quilt kit.  I just love these colors and prints!

Or, if you're looking for spring basics to round out your latest project, look no further than the latest LouLou Bundle.  Gingham is the perfect print for spring!

            

I usually like quilting with the season, but if you prefer to get ahead of schedule on your projects, you might be looking at fall fabrics.  It's hard to believe, but Halloween collections are arriving in shops now, and this adorable Hey Boo collection from Lella Boutique is brand new at LouLou's.

Of course, to make room for all the new goodies, the older fabrics have to go!  LouLou's is having a BIG spring clear out, and right now, you can use the code Springsale to get an extra 20% off of items that are already marked down (and it's a LOT)!

Lady Belle Fabrics is getting their spring vibes on too!  Just arrived in the shop are yardage and kits from the Tulip Time collection from Sharon Holland.  These fabrics are so pretty, and the feel of Art Gallery Fabrics never disappoints.  Check out this Tulip Time Spring Garden quilt kit.  It is just lovely.

     

If you're a sale hunter, don't miss Lady Belle's bundle section.  There are lots of beautiful bundles marked down to amazing prices.  I love the rich colors and bold prints in the 365 Fifth Avenue collection by Bari J.  Check it out!

Okay friends!  I know I've given you lots to look at, and these little highlights are just a snippet of all these shops have to offer.  I hope you'll take a few minutes and check them out.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  Happy shopping!

Eclipse and Oklahoma!

Hey there, friends!  It's been a great week around here, including a solar eclipse day trip.  Though we worried about cloud cover in central Arkansas (only about 2.5 hours from us), we ended up with lovely weather and four full minutes of totality.  Though my son and I traveled to Paducah for the eclipse in 2017 (with my mom and grandmother), my husband was on a work trip and missed that one.  So, a total solar eclipse was a new experience for him, as well as for my son's girlfriend, who also came along with us on Monday.  Even though I experienced the 2017 eclipse, this one was no less amazing.

And now, at the time of posting, I'm actually on my way to visit Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  No sewing this week, but plenty of other great things going on.

So, let's go ahead and check out a few highlights from last week's party.  Deb at A Scrappy Quilter showed off this finish-

This pretty quilt is from Gretchen's Little Corner-

Check out this awesome purple quilt from Something Rosemade-

And finally, I love this scrappy quilt from Maggie at Making a Lather-

Okay, friends!  Let's get our party going!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

A Spring Color Palette

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I've still been enjoying the outdoors this week with yet another landscaping project  I'm pretty sure this is the last one!  I decided to dig up some monkey grass in a narrow flower bed alongside our driveway (planted by the previous owners of our house), and replace it with plants I actually love (dense monkey grass was the ONLY thing in that flower bed).  The monkey grass filled seventeen garbage bags, and I listed them on a local resale site (for free).  All seventeen bags were claimed within an hour!  I don't love monkey grass, but it makes me happy that someone does, and that perfectly healthy plants didn't get thrown away.

And all this outdoor time inspired me to pull this cheerful spring color palette out of my cabinet.  I'm not sure what I'm going to make just yet, but the colors make me smile.

Once again, last week's party was awesome!  Check out this gorgeous quilt top from Maggie at Making a Lather-

Gretchen's Little Corner linked up this fun quilt top!

This quilt from Quilting Gail is a beauty!

And finally, I love this sweet quilt top from Linda at kokaquilts-

Y'all are amazing week after week!  Let's get this party started, friends!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Happy NTT!

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all.  I wasn't kidding when I said last week that I love yard work so much that I even help my friends.  After two exceptionally hard winters, two of my very good friends are doing lots of reevaluating what plants are actually hardy enough for this area, and lots of replanting.  And yep!  You guessed it.  I've been to the nursery and right there digging holes with each of them this week.  

Last week's party had lots to ogle though!  I love this sweet quilt from Susan at Patchwork n Play-

This fun quilt is from Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic-

I love this one from Sew Preeti Quilts-

And finally, check out this cozy beauty from Maggie at Making a Lather-

Okay friends!  Party on!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Lots of Landscaping and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday and happy spring, y'all!  I know I've probably mentioned how much I love working in my yard, but in case you don't already know- at my house, I am the grass-cutter, the leaf-raker, and the flower planter.  My husband is wonderful and is almost always working alongside me, especially with jobs that are too big for me to handle alone.  I prefer yard work over the gym, so I insist on doing as much as possible without his help so I can skip my evening workout.  I love yard work so much that I even help my friends with theirs, lol!

The spring weather makes it easy to be outside, and since I returned from North Carolina, we have been hard at work adding a HUGE flower bed along our back fence.

I have two large oak trees in my backyard, and this area only gets sunshine in the morning.  Over the past four years, the sod that was laid there has gotten more and more sparse.  So, I decided to turn the area into a big, beautiful flower bed.  I've planted several types of hydrangeas, some azaleas, and a camellia in the bed, with a few hostas in the deep shade area just under the biggest oak tree.  All of these plants love morning sun and need protection during the hottest part of the day, which the fence and trees will provide perfectly.  The plants are just babies now, but they'll fill up this bed in just a couple of good growing seasons.

And I can't stop staring at my redbud tree in full bloom.  The small pink flowers make the branches look like they're coated in cotton candy (and yes, they smell wonderfully fragrant).  I won't bombard you with photos since you're here for the quilting, but we also added another small flower bed on the side of our house, and had to plant some new things in the front that never quite bounced back from the arctic blast two winters ago.  Needless to say, I've been super busy (and dirty) this week.

Instead of sewing, our days have been filled with tilling, dirt, SO much mulch, and several trips to my favorite nursery.  And in the moments that I haven't been digging in the ground, I've been reading on my back patio, just to be surrounded by all of it.  Quilting will wait.

So, let's check out some of my favorite links from last week.  I love this sweet quilt top from Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room-

This blue beauty is from Melva Loves Scraps-

And Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting linked up this lovely quilt-

Alrighty friends!  Let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)