Hello May!

Isn't it amazing that we are already in May of 2026??! It's just incredible how quickly time flies by.

Have you made specific plans for quilting in this brand new month? In the month we've been home from Florida, I've mostly focused my time in the sewing room on straightening up and tidying things. Too many months of not cleaning up after myself had left me with a workspace that was no longer workable. 

Things in the sewing room are looking better and now that we're into a new month,  I'm feeling the urge to get busy at some projects!

But first, let's do a wrap-up of April. It wasn't a total zero in terms of accomplishments.

 

TOP ROW: I attended a 4-day quilt retreat early in the month which will be known as my Kaffe Fassett retreat as I made 3 quilts from my KF stash. It was exceedingly satisfying. Sweet Miss Reagan is growing like a weed and is a delight to watch as she is learning her words and loves to have books read to her. Another of the KF retreat quilts is shown in the third photo.

MIDDLE ROW: Miss Cate is learning to how to be a big sister, as new baby Annie has joined the family. This third granddaughter sure seems tiny compared to those two bigger girls. In the last pic, I have replenished by supply of card wallets with a marathon sewing session at a Frienzie's project day. 

BOTTOM ROW: Also, at the Frienzie's project day, I worked on stitching up some little granddaughter dresses. Two A-line dresses for Cate and Reagan, and a little pinafore dress for Annie satisfied this Granny's desire to sew for little ones. I also made Minnie Mouse skirts for Cate and Reagan; I'd seen costumes like this when we were at Disney this past winter and knew I could whip these up with ease. The final picture is from the scraps of all those Kaffe Fassett quilts I made earlier in the month. I just wanted to see what would happen with some random strips sewn into a 'granny square' style block. I can see more of these piling up and actually becoming a quilt.

Now, what will be the focus for May, I wonder? Well, I've gotta' get that long arm machine working again. I last used it in September or October of last year! I must make this a priority.

I also want to cut out a quilt or two that I have on my '26 Goals List - maybe the Winnemucca quilt and the Aurora quilt. Those would be good ones to start with. Son-in-law Jeff has requested a pillow project using fabrics from his grandfather's shirts and jackets. It will be easy to accomplish, but cutting into a perfectly good wool jacket is daunting to me.( I will do it, though.) 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Hello May!

Speeding through 2024, we have arrived already in May! Wheee! Such a lot of fun awaits us as the weather continues to improve and outdoor activities take center stage.

I’ve compiled my collage of April highlights - on time for a change. As I review all my activities of the past month, I realize that my focus was all about reconnecting with family and friends. We returned from Florida on March 31, so April became a time for catching up!

TOP ROW: Early April gave us some mighty blue and sunny skies. The trees hadn't yet begun to leaf out. The first thing we planned was a dinner with our girls and my mom; Great-Grandma Jeannie read to a very entertained Cate. On the 8th, I was at a quilt retreat and we were in awe of the eclipse! Here, two quilters - Helen and Sharon - gaze up at the sky as the eclipse was just underway.

MIDDLE ROW: More fun with friends - The Frienzies met for lunch, crafts and games at Pam's house. Near the end of the month, all my siblings and our mother were together for a family member's celebration of life. Minimal sewing occurred in April, but I did get one entire quilt top finished - begun at retreat; finished here at home - Paris Flea Market Find.

BOTTOM ROW: The only other quilting of note was beginning Tag Sale with my little collection of (mostly) Bonnie and Camille fabrics. We got to have a whole weekend of Cate when she was here this past Friday through Sunday. What fun she had with her Pappaw! Last, on the final day of April, I finished the little wrap-dress. You'll be hearing more about it tomorrow. *wink*

I have plans for May, but have not itemized or prioritized them, so I suppose I will be firming all that up in the next few days. 

This afternoon, I will be re-introducing myself to the long arm machine!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Hello May!

These past two months of coronavirus seemed to drag and drag on; even so, arriving here at May already? Impossible! Here we are. Gracious.

I made a collage of my April highlights. It truly felt as though I wasn't accomplishing anything, but seeing this grouping makes me realize April wasn't such a waste after all.

Top row: I made over 90 masks and gave them away to friends and family. We installed a pergola in our back yard. I quilted a baby quilt for young friends expecting a little boy in just a couple more weeks.

Middle row: I quilted a 30s quilt called Simple Sixteen and now have it on our bed. Because I was unhappy with a quilt I'd put together, I "unsewed" many seams and blocks, and then I restitched that same quilt in a more pleasing fashion.

Bottom row: Our lilac bush has provided some lovely color and scent to our dining area. I began making Ohio Stars out of two fabrics I've long wanted to use together. And frequent walks in the woods have yielded many pictures of wildflowers.

I am about to finish my semester at OU; should be done this weekend. I hope to do a bit of refresh for spring and summer here in the house. And I will be working on that Ohio Star quilt.

Hope you have a great month!
Happy Quilting, Friends!