It seems that everyone is really busy right now, with more things to do around the house, working from home, video conferencing, kids home from school, and trying to be sure we have what we need for an extended home stay-cation. I saw another blogger call it a ‘corona-cation’, and that seems like a good title too. I hope you are all staying safe and well. So, now that we are spending more time in our sewing and craft rooms, I wanted to find a way to inspire your creativity and sewing time. I keep thinking about the rabbit that begs not to be thrown in the briar patch, LOL, just where he wants to be!! Having projects helps me to focus and be productive, so I’m going to try to come up with some small and quick projects for you in the coming weeks in addition to the ongoing quilt alongs and charity projects we have going on now. I actually like it best when I have several going at once so I can move around as I get bored or tired of a project and want to change it up. Here’s what is going on in my sewing room this week. I finished up the nine patch quilt sashing, and ultimately decided not to add another border. It is already 60×72, and another border would make it a bit too big. So, I loaded it on the longarm and will work on quilting it over this week.
I finished the binding on the last To The Nines quilt, added the label, and it is ready to hand off to the QOV committee for awarding to a veteran soon.
Then, I got a new-to-me toy this week and I am really excited. My old Brother machine is just toast, and I have finally made the decision to let it go. Now I need to decide what to do about the embroidery part of the old one. This machine was purchased from a friend who didn’t want it anymore. It is practically new, only a year old and barely used. I couldn’t pass that up when she offered it to me, and I picked it up just a couple of days ago. I’m still going through the manual to learn how to use it.
I finished a quilt repair last week, and I have three more in the queue. When I get tired of sewing, I have more cards in the works for the Safelight Project.
So, fire up the slow cooker, and let’s have some fun. Click on Slow Cooker Recipes to see the ideas for chicken, beef and pork along with step by step instructions for some wonderful meals that cook while you sew. With St Patrick’s day this week, maybe you’d like my Slow Cooker Corned Beef with Cabbage and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.
If you haven’t begun the Scrap Dance Twist Mystery quilt along, it isn’t too late. Step 1 Cutting Instructions were January, and February was the first sewing step. The third clue will post Friday of this week. Clues come out monthly so it is easy to work around your other projects and catch up when you need to. I have two more blocks to make, then assembly can begin. I have to stay far enough ahead to write the steps and have the pictures ready.
My Scrap Dance pattern line originated from the mystery quilt alongs. The patterns are designed to use up your leftovers from other projects. The patterns have fabric cutting in scrap sizes, and include multiple sizes of projects. I give a table, like this one, telling you what to pull from your scraps. See all my Scrap Dance patterns on My Patterns page, and you can order from there too. Leave a comment on this post, and I’ll draw 2 winners from the comments on Friday to get a free pattern from my Scrap Dance line. If you order and your name is drawn, I’ll refund your purchase for one pattern. Order three patterns and get a fourth one free.
I’m also doing a monthly quilt along from the book Vintage Christmas. See the first post at Vintage Christmas Quilt Along. We will do two blocks a month for six months, then put it all together so your project will be usable for this holiday season. Posts are the fourth Monday of each month.
If you have some bigger scraps lying around, make some case sets for gifts for your friends, get a head start on Christmas sewing, and for our Safelight Project. Download the free pattern – Safelight Case Sets
So, what are you going to work on this week?
From My Carolina Home 
Love the nine patch quilt, it is on my list to make some day. Thanks for the corned beef recipe. We make ours on the stove top but the crock pot will be easier.
I am still behind on the QALs. Several major family illness but no virus.
I’m working on 2 Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts — Awesome Land blocks from Lissa Anderson’s book Oh Scrap and Heartfire blocks from Lynn Wilder of Sew’n Wild Oaks. I’m also doing my best to stay caught up with The Quilt Show’s BOM called Afternoon Delight designed by the late Sue Garman. In between these quilting projects, I’m just about finished knitting a pair of socks and I’m cross-stitching along with Kimberly of Fat Quarter Shop on Bloomtopia. Sew much fun in my stitching world!
Hi Carole, I’m exactly like you describe…now that I CAN spend hours in my sewing room I find I’m getting bored with my project (NO!). I’ve already pulled some fabric for at least one Safelight set, I’m sure there’ll be more in my future 😉
By the way, Biltmore has suspended all ‘internal’ tours (the Gardens are still open) so unfortunately I won’t be able to go see the Downton exhibit. We were scheduled to go next weekend but we had already decided we weren’t going 😦 I’ll just have to go back through your thorough account and live vicariously 🙂
My dear blog friend, I am in need of a new sewing machine. I don’t quilt but a long time ago I made most of my clothes and even sewed for my boys and husband. I’m wondering which machine you would recomend that isn’t too costly. Thanks.
Love the scrap dance mystery series! To keep busy indoors I’ve pulled out an epic Crabapple Hill pattern – the embroidery is done and am now hand quilting it all. That should last well through any isolation needed! Stay well!
It’s like starting the winter hibernation all over, but with beautiful scenery to be able to get out and take a walk in. I’ll try to work on my purse collection and the continuous re-reorganization in the household storage closet. Stay well.
I love your selection for the Twist…..gorgeous floral! Thanks for the suggestions and RECIPES! I have enough in my fridge to supply an invading army, and anything to make it easier (like crock pot corned beef) is most appreciated. I’m in for the duration and cannot risk losing my fattiness!!!!!
I love your Scrap Dance Mystery series. I didn’t get started from the beginning, but now I’m hooked. This is my third year for making the quilt. I’m looking forward to the next clue on Friday. Thank you for doing them.
So it looks like it’s new machine season. My Bernina’s mother board is sadly dying and I can’t trust it for serious sewing so I splurged and go a new one last week. It’s a whole new learning curve, as I bought my other machine used 22 yrs. ago. Yikes. I plan to make your Scrap Dance Mystery but have been dragging my feet. Love your fabric choices. Thanks for the recipes. I hope all staying well.
I’m finally getting back to quilting after having both hips replaced last year and a few other medical problems. I’m currently working on graduation quilts for 2 of my granddaughters and need to start 3 baby quilts. I need to do a thorough servicing of my longarm as I haven’t been able to use it for over a year. That will probably happen this week as the 2 graduation quilts are almost ready to be quilted.
Love all your suggestions to keep us busy during this trying time! One of the reasons I so enjoy your blog is the positive and encouraging atmosphere you foster. Light a candle instead of cursing the darkness! And take the action you can! I will work on some more cards for Safelight and continue working on the Vintage Christmas blocks. I have had good luck with corned beef in the crock pot,but my Irish-heritage husband prefers Shepherd’s Pie, so that is on our menu tomorrow. And I guess I have no more excuses not to clean out some drawers. Darn!
Thanks, Carole, for thinking of ways to help all of your readers through the coronacation! I agree with your thought of having a variety of projects so as to chase away the blahs. Once I get a few deep cleaning chores down for an early Spring Cleaning, I plan to have nothing but sewing days.
Connie
My QOV group has gone nuts over To The Nines pattern. Thanks so much!
Mary Ed
I’ve got everything set up for online lessons now, and with no one coming to the house, I can sew instead of cleaning!!!!! I finally finished squaring all the HST from Scrap Dance Tango, so I’ll be sewing on them this week.
Great post-enjoy your new machine
Carole,
I’m planning to do more quilting in the next few weeks . So far my office is open, but if I can work from home soon, that will give me 2 extra crafting hours per day by eliminating commuting time! Thanks for the slow cooker recipes also.
You are so creative, Carole! I think being creative will help all of us keep sane right now! xoxo
I’ll be mailing 5 case sets today for the Safelight Project. Let me know if you need more and I’ll do my best to help! Bonnie in So. GA
Thanks for all the great ideas – now I’m hungry for corned beef! Finally printed the directions for Safelight so maybe I can work on it during the year as the fabric comes up. When you were saying what to do with the embroidery stitches, then there was a pic of the cards, I thought you were doing embroidery on a card! I’ve seen that in the store, but what needle to use?
Love your new machine, look like lots of fun.
To the Nines turned it beautifully!!
Hello Carole, Like so many I am staying in and keeping busy with a variety of cleaning and fun quilting/sewing projects. One of my cleaning tasks is to go through all of my fabrics and downsize, plus organize. Not an easy or fun task by any means. But then again, it is fun discovering fabrics that I forget about and seeing the projects that I forgot about also. We are staying safe, it is my Mom that I really worry about. She is staying very safe, yet is feeling very lonely already. I am glad to know that you are both staying safe also! Hubby just left to mail the package. We have a small Post Office less than 2 miles from us instead of driving the 15 miles into the large town. Thank you so much for everything, Carole!!! Have a fantastic day!
I decided I was going to go back and find your post about speed piecing a quilt top (I think some people call it webbing) and give it a try! I had a bunch of 6.5 inch piece out of scraps and thought that would be the perfect thing for this. So far, it’s going great!
Hi Carole!
Mailed 3 more sets today and the clerk said you should have them by Thursday. Also restocked the velcro and have enough for 30 sets. Can’t say I’ll make that many but I’m prepared! Stay healthy everyone!
Enjoying the quiltalongs that different sites are producing in these troubled times. Thanks for encouraging me to use some of those charm packs!
Lovely projects and great ideas! I am hoping to get some sewing done, but spending time instead worrying and inventorying our food and supplies. Usually I walk to the store to pick up what we need for only a day or two at a time. Trying to think ahead is really difficult. But once I figure out what we have I will better know what to try to have delivered. Walmart came thru today with some items so that is encouraging. Be safe everyone! Elbow bump!
So much inspiration. I’m having a hard time getting going on anything. Little stuff I guess is what I need to do. Helped a granddaughter make a birthday card for her daddy last week, and now I am just finally cleaning the stamps. (Thank goodness it was used on the clear embossing pad – they did clean up). I have a birthday card to make ready for one daughter today, and I needed my “UNICORN” stamp for it!