Monday Again, Already!

I can't believe its another Monday!  The time is going by way too fast for me.  We are still having "ugly" weather so it seems the garden has stalled out.  We had beautiful sunshine this morning but already the clouds are moving in and there is a bit of a chill in the air.

I finished the batik Shadow Stars Table Runner.  I got the binding stitched down last night while watching Heartland.  It seems everyone I know has been watching this series for years but somehow, we missed it.  This runner came out so much better than I expected.  I can't explain how simple it really is to make.  The pattern is on the website.

I have had the Half Square Triangle Baby Quilt blocks on the design wall for quite some time.  I really like it but there was just something that kept me from sewing it together.  We decided the stars need to be a different color than the lines of the blue.  So, stay tuned to see what we come up with.

There are lots of the half square triangle blocks left now that we are changing out the colors of the stars, so I made up this little pillow.  Its a quick little project and I love how it came out.

In case you can't tell, I love making projects from the half square triangle blocks. The possibilities are endless; there are so many ways to lay these blocks out; to play with colors.   The blocks are available in various sizes and they make the construction of the blocks almost mindless.  A great go-to for quick projects, especially from the scrap bin!  This topper was made up of all batiks that were in the scrap drawer and I absolutely love it.  It sits on my coffee table where I see it every day and it always makes me smile.

I don't know if I mentioned that I got a new machine a few weeks ago.  I got it mainly for quilting small projects and thread painting art quilts.  Its a Baby Lock Jazz II and a mechanical machine vs. a computerized machine.  I wanted mechanical; it suited my use for it.  Even though it has a very large throat, sewing bigger things or doing thread painting or quilting, was not easy with the machine sitting on top of the sewing table.  We have been going through everything in the shop and had a very large desk in my old office that just won't fit in the new more streamlined office.  I just didn't know what to do with it.  It was too good to haul to the dump and in the middle of the night when all good ideas seem to come to me, I realized it would make a perfect sewing table.  And this is when it is so awesome to have a very handy husband.  He re-made this huge desk into a drop-in sewing table.  He brought it in to the studio yesterday and I was like a giddy little girl.  He did a beautiful job and now all those huge quilts that need binding sewn on will be getting done right away.  No more fighting the weight of those big ones wanting to fall off the sewing bed of the machine.  I couldn't be happier.

Today is errand day so we are headed out to get them taken care of.  I hate these days...I want to be at work!  Who would rather be at work than out playing?  I never dreamed I would have a job that I loved so much.  I hope you enjoy quilting, sewing or crafting; whatever it is that brings you joy.  I think everyone needs a hobby; we all need something that makes us feel good about ourselves.  Finishing up a quilt is always the best feeling.  They don't have to be perfect; its the process that should give us just as much joy.  I don't believe in stressing over something that is supposed to be enjoyable.  We do our best and then enjoy the accomplishment while maybe learning something new along the way.  We are never too old to keep learning and when quilting, there are so many things to learn and try.  Keep at it.  Stay safe, stay healthy and HAPPY QUILTING!