The Latest Update

It seems like just yesterday that I made my 2025 to-do list and now it is already time to report on my progress during the first three months. January was my most productive month as life slowed down quite a bit after the holidays and the cold weather kept us at home. February brought a fabulous cruise to the Bahamas with a great group of friends followed by a bout of influenza that I shared with Tom - not a result of the cruise! After four weeks of coughing and being totally exhausted I finally felt better and was able to work on a few of my projects to close out March.

Of the ten projects on my to-do list I was able to finish three of them. The first one was a Christmas tree skirt kit that I purchased from Connecting Threads. It was a fairly quick project as it just required stitching strips together and then cutting them into wedges. I added some custom quilting to the final project and then found the binding to be a bit of a challenge. After a quick google search I found a video that showed how to maneuver around the inner top of the tree skirt. Now I have something new and fresh to put around our tree next Christmas!

The second project that I finished was another Connecting Threads kit that I started last summer called Written By The Stars. As I was working on it I realized that the colors would go perfectly in my mom’s bedroom and I just happened to finish it in time to gift it to her for her birthday!

My final finished project was yet another Connecting Threads kit called Charming Wonder. This kit came with a package of charm squares - 5” squares of fabric - that I stitched into scrappy bow tie blocks. I quilted an all-over swirl design called Outside In using thread that matched the background fabric which gave it an interesting texture. I then donated it to the charity that the Panama Quilt Guild supports.

Of the seven projects left on my to-do list I made at least some progress on four of them. Two of those are the stamped cross-stitch blocks that were given to me by my neighbor’s daughter. I have completed five of the thirty purple flower blocks and eleven of the seventeen flower circle blocks. I have recently been making a concerted effort to work on these projects at least a little bit every day. If I don’t they may never get done!

Another project that I made some progress on is another Connecting Threads kit - it really is hard to resist their Stash and Save daily deals! This kit is called Every Which Way and features bright batik fabric. I have the thirty blocks almost finished. I just need to add a pieced strip to two sides of each block.

I also had a chance to start a project using Moda Cupcake Mix #1 and a couple of packages of Christmas fabric charm squares. I have all of the paper pieces sewn together. The next step is to cut them apart, press them, and remove the paper. I made a similar project a few years and was very happy with the table topper and table runner that resulted. I’m not sure how I will put these blocks together. That is still to be determined.

I finished up a quick project for the Panama Quilt Guild as I stitched five string-pieced blocks that will be made into a charity quilt. Our group started these blocks at our March meeting and then we divided them up to be finished at home. They were so much fun to do and have inspired me to try a string-pieced quilt of my own. I certainly have enough scraps to make it happen!

In addition to all of that I stitched 17 customer quilts and eight Quilts of Valor. Never a dull moment in the sewing room!