Hello my Quilty Friends. I was on the road again last Tuesday. I was attending a Gammill Quilting With Confidence where I made new friends and learned more things! I am definitely feeling inspired to get cracking on my long arm. We had a lot of hands on experience with both the software and the machines this time which was really nice. Last week was my final week of travel (I think) for a while – at least overnight trips. 🐿️ LOL! 😂
I plan on linking up with Carol over at Quilt Schmilt this week. I always love checking out what others are doing. It keeps the creative juices flowing.
QuiltFest Northwest 2026
The week before I left for the conference, I was rushing around putting labels and sleeves on my quilt entries to the NW Quilt Fest. They are all prior finished small projects. All my large quilts are at their forever homes and I only have a few quilts here. This was my first time entering quilt items in a show. I have done the Santa Clara County fair before when I was scrapbooking and crocheting a lot.
I was pleasantly surprised to actually win a ribbon! It was for Summer Basket #3.
I was surfing through social media and realized that one of my quilts was popping up. The popular quilt was….
A good experience for my first time!
WIP Updates
Let’s move on to what I have worked on since I got home from my travels.
EPP: Tula Pinks Super Nova with fabrics from Pink Door Fabrics
Earlier today I felt an overwhelming need to work on this cutie. I just received month 6 fabric this week and here I am still working on Month 1 Block 1 (1-1). I have 5 of the 10 stars attached. I still need to make stars 9 & 10. I think I finally found my preferred method of attaching stars. The rainbow 🌈 is coming together.
Starbright Paisley’s Strip Club attern by Cozy Quilt Designs
I am still working on finishing the center of the blocks which consist of a four patch used in another “four patch”. I have been very happy with my background color of butter yellow. This is currently leaders and enders project. When I finish all the centers, I think this one will become a main project as the next round on the block is a lot of stitch and flips. I am not crazy about having that as my leaders and enders project.
Fade To Gray by Tula Pink
Finally got my big old project bag upstairs that I used for the Tahoe quilt retreat and unpacked it. Okay. Sorta unpacked. Most things are strewn everywhere. It is must do for this next week to put things in their place.
I really wanted to finish my first block for the two rows of light medium gray blocks. There is a total of 8.
I finished the center row (the lightest gray) while at the quilt retreat and am now working on the rows on each side of it.
This week I had to layout and reorganize my units I have cut and sewn already. It always surprises me with how much time to get organized. At the quilt retreat I got all the twosies sewn for these two rows as well as the center row twosies units assembled. This week I got back in the groove sewing the twosies into rows of seven. I just wanted to walk away with ONE complete block so I did it before completely sewing all the side units.
I am really feeling the crunch to get the design wall. I need to measure again (because .. yes I lost the measurements 🙄). But doesn’t the leopard seal look so cute!
Alison Glass Quilt Along
I decided to join one of Alison Glasses’ quilt alongs. It is called Color Study and one block will be released each week for I have no idea how long. I got caught up with it being a rainbow. 🐿️. I ordered the fabric and it arrived while I was gone. I have down loaded the first two blocks to sew. Friday block 3 will be released. I hope to get myself current sooner than later. I am using her latest collection Color Camp Basics. Of course, I couldn’t resist pre-ordering another quilt she had on the website that I liked. Alison is one of the few designers who has her own website and sells her own fabric. She runs sewalongs/quilt alongs all the time and has a pretty big community. If you are interested, click here
Weekly To Do List
Most of what I did this week was housekeeping but managed to do a couple day of sewing. Here is what I checked off my to do list from September 29th:
- Labels made and attached to quilt entries
- Sleeves on all quilt show entry quilts
- Sewed short side units to next shade of gray focus centers for the Fade To Gray quilt
- Work on EPP Super Nova 1-1
In addition I also did:
- Starbright Paisleys leaders and enders units
- Finished one block of Fade To Gray
- Unpacked from quilt retreat
- Checked out the QuiltFest Northwest Quilt Show
Thinking for this next week I will work from the following list:
- Order design wall (desperately need this)
- Finish sewing all the side units for rows 4 & 6 of the Fade To Gray. Hopefully finish at least one more block
- Lunchbox 2.0: Cut coordinating fabric and do next step
- Welcome Winter applique: pull coordinating thread and start the process
- Setup my 990 for applique
- Teal Freelancer Star project: finish final 4 blocks
- Work on EPP Super Nova 1-1
- Work on EPP Ruby’s Garden blk 27
- Figure out where I am on my 365 block challenge
- Quilt Turkey Lurkey wall hanging
- Quilt Patriotic table runner
- Load 2018 100 days quilt on long arm
- sew zipper in my project bag
- START: Cut my first two blocks for the Alison Glass Color Study
- October Monthly Color Challenge block pick fabrics
- Guild Block – Moda Blockhead pick fabric
Musings
I am not feeling very muse like at the moment. So this will be short and sweet. I would very much like to FINALLY get my sewing studio semi organized with at least all of my active WIPS easily accessible, quilts to be quilted all together with their backs, quilt that need borders kept with their extra fabrics, blocks to be assembled all together, kits put away so that they are not such a distraction, my thread organized or disposed of, etc. The chaos in the sewing room is starting to be extremely distracting and non conducive to finishing a project.
I also want to make a box (or ten) of things I no longer want so I can start taking it to quilt retreats for free tables or the quilt guild for free tables. Just want an organized chaos instead of a chaotic chaos. LOL. 🙈
Harvest Moon Shop Hop
While on my travels this past week, I came across a small shop hop in the area (sorta) that includes just seven shops that starts on Thursday and last for 10 days. I think it will be a good way to see stores in my area. I met one of the shop owners when I was at the Gammill conference and I met his wife at the quilt show. (Small World). It sounds like fun as we will get a quilt block at each store we visit. Sounds fun!
Small Group Meetings
This week I have on my calendar to attend three small focus groups. Handwork Group is tomorrow. Friday is Long Arm group. Saturday is 990 Embroidery Club. (Then Sunday will be Shop Hop). Not sure how much sewing will happen but it sure is fun meeting new people! Then Friday is my guild’s Sit n Sew which is all day. I tried to join them last Friday but I think everyone was at the quilt show. I just sewed quitely in my studio with Nala and Simba to keep me company.
Everyone have a great week. Hope you enjoyed what I have shared. Next post will be Friday Cross Stitch, otherwise I will see you next Tuesday!
Peggy Stockwell in Vancouver Washington