New Twist on an Old Favorite

While in Rockford, I got to go to two new quilt shops! Cathe took me to one by her house and Melissa took us to one that her neighbor owns. Both were loaded with inspiration and, of course, I always have to take something home with me. The one Melissa took us to is called Quilter's General Store. One of the "souvenirs" I picked up there was a pattern that intrigued me.

Like many quilters, I am a fan of the classics. Like at least a couple of quilters I know, I have started a traditional Cathedral Window quilt. It's just another "work in progress", and probably will be for several years. That's just how much time goes into making that design. But the General Store had a pattern for a "mock" Cathedral Window. In this version, instead of all the sewing, flipping, inserting and hand stitching...you just sew squares together. After you've gotten it the size that you want, you cut out and sew these little white football-shaped pieces over the seams. Just leave a little seam allowance and when you're finished -- in no time at all! -- you wash it and shake it out. The footballs fray a little and it gives it a soft, vintage look. You layer the backing and batting behind the squares so that as you sew the footballs on you are quilting it as you go. So when you're done -- you're done! Voila! A finished quilt in very little time.

I started mine not long ago and finished it yesterday. I'm very pleased with how sweet it looks and how easy it was. Whoever thought this technique up is a genius and I thank her. I'm donating mine to the Healing Hugs ministry for cancer patients. It's a nice, snuggly quilt and I hope someone will enjoy it and it will bring them comfort.

Let There Be Light

A few years ago, we remodeled my sewing room. It's a regular bedroom in the basement. Jerry stained some unfinished cupboards for storage and cut down and stained some base cabinets to use to support a work top. I love it! There has always been a problem with the lighting, though. It has a standard 3-bulb fixture in the ceiling in the middle of the room. Not great light to work by. We tried putting some fluorescents in there, but they were worse for some reason. And whatever light was coming from there, I was working in my own shadow. So I've just continued to sew and Jerry continued to worry about my going blind.

A couple of weekends ago, I was gone for two days to the annual Women of Faith Conference in Atlanta (awesome, by the way). He had intended to surprise me by having an electrician in while I was away and put some lighting under the cupboards to illuminate my work space. He had to tell me about it, though, because the electrician wasn't able to come out until after I got home. But that way I did get some input into what I would like. It's all done now and the difference is really amazing!

And, lo, though I have worked in the shadow of darkness I have now seen a great light!