Ripples - A New Start

I literally woke up with this idea.

We all know I am a morning person, rising to practice Morning Make. I've never confessed that it is still tough to actually get out of bed. So I take a few minutes to breathe and think about what I want to do as soon as my feet hit the ground. If I haven't prepped my Morning Make the night before I decide what mood I am in that day in those few minutes. Sewing? Sketching? Writing?

A few weekends ago I had the pleasure of participating in The Creative Jam in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Wonderful people, the ocean, and a phenomenal creative spirit. It was an incredible weekend. Total bonus for me was my morning walks. The rain and fog held off each morning and the ocean was still. I could watch herons, seals, boats, and the fog roll in like a quilt being pulled over a sleeping baby. 

The morning after I got home I woke up with this idea. Ripples. 

Two rough 4'' squares layered right sides up. One light blue, one dark blue, value being relative. A wavy cut with my good scissors. Sewing opposites together. Square up to 3.5'' x 4''. Repeat and repeat, a meditation. 

How could I not, with this as inspiration?

Pattern Drop and My Sewing Machine Quilt

Today is the day my pattern drops on Pattern Drop. 

Like that? It's as if Katie planned it that way. I'm sure she did. She is a lot of fun like that. (Katie from Swim, Bike, Quilt is behind Pattern Drop.)

Pattern Drop is a monthly subscription service where you get one new pattern and loads of inspiration delivered to your inbox. There is no way you could buy all these patterns for the cost of a subscription. And it is so easy for you! 12 amazing designers with 12 unique, bold patterns. Each pattern is tested, too, so no errors to worry about. I am pretty excited to see what else comes as the previous months produced some delicious quilts.

The Sewing Machine Quilt pattern is a perfect escape for us quilters, or the quilters in your life. I, myself, made this and it pulled me out of a huge creative slump. With options for precision piecing and improv blocks there is something for every quilter in this pattern. Not to mention two block sizes (small above, large below) and a wide number of layout options.

I'm thrilled to be working with Katie this month and share my Sewing Machine Quilt with a wider audience. Just look at what she has done in advance of this month!

To sign up for Pattern Drop visit the site and choose either a monthly or annual subscription (which, of course, gives you a better rate). You can get colouring pages, access to tutorials and forums, and meet a community of quilters working on similar projects. Each new pattern drops on the first Wednesday of the month.

Annual Subscriptions are US$6.99/month. (US$83.88) A monthly subscription is US$8.99/month. If you use this special code I am providing you essentially get 2 months free! (US$69.90)

Pattern Drop Coupon Code: CHERYL2FREE

For those of you joining me via Pattern Drop, Welcome! I am so glad to have you here. Grab a cup of tea and look around. 

Full confession: As a Pattern Drop designer I do have an affiliate link if you sign up through me. 

Itty Bitty Curves to Carry Me Through the End of Winter

Oh these improv curves! 

In sharp contrast, at least when it comes to colour, I pulled out these little blocks last week. With my Names for Snow quilt top finished it is great to play with bold colours again. 

Here's where it stands. 

I'm running out of fabric. But I am nowhere near running out of motivation to sew these little blocks together. So now I am debating finding more fabric - it is a mix of random vintage solids, Kona solids, Connecting Threads solids, and I think some Essex Linen. It wouldn't be hard to figure out what I've used so far and buy just a little bit more.

As it stands, this is about 65'' tall. But only 38'' wide. I have baggies of blocks, but they are little and get used up quickly. Hmm...

Names For Snow Quilt Top

Yup, still winter.

At least that means that when I finished this winter inspired quilt the other day I had ample opportunity to take a shot of it in the snow.

It started with a stack of neutral solids fabrics and a beloved pair of Japanese tailor's scissors. I became so enamoured with the process of improv half square triangles and only using my scissors that I kept going and going. I actually have more blocks, but this was the size of quilt I wanted in the end. 

I think the bunnies might like it too...

It would be lovely to get it quilted before the snow totally disappears. Knowing Calgary and the winter we've had, that is about a month away! But I need the quilting pattern to percolate a bit. I've got a couple of ideas but nothing is settled yet. I'd like to move beyond cliche snowflakes.

This is technically the second in a series of quilts inspired by my Alberta landscapes. Actually, more like third, although I only consider this one to be a study and not the full quilt planned. Mountain Meadows would be the first. That one dictated the size of this quilt and the subsequent ones. They are improvised so I can't be exact, but close is good enough.

PS As of last week I am sold out of my Japanese scissors but Knifewear still had a few pairs.