Learning a New Skill

I've been saying for several years now, that I want to learn to quilt when I grow up. I'm not sure I'm any more grown up today, but I started working on a "quilt as you go" project. Quilt-as-you-go is a method of quilting one block at a time, then joining the blocks to make the finished quilt.

Some years ago, my mother and her sister took a lap quilting (quilt-as-you-go) class. They each made a beautiful quilt; my mother's quilt now hangs in my house. She did not go on to make any more, preferring other sewing projects. My aunt, however, has made several quilts since that time.

So, after talking to my aunt and reading a lot of library books on quilting, I've taken the plunge. I picked a simple pattern called "churn dash" or "hole in the barn door". I've made three blocks and they are ready to be quilted. I'm not sure yet if this will be a full size quilt or just a small lap size. I'll try to keep you posted on my progress.

Is there anything you've always wanted to learn to do?

New projects

I went to an estate sale the other day and came home with some great finds. I bought two quilts to use as material for totes and Christmas stockings. (Relax, they are beautiful, nicely made quilts, but they are NOT grandma's heirlooms. I could tell where the tag had been.)

I also found some vintage table linens, some still in the original packaging. They are a tablecloth and 12 matching napkins from a collection based on art by Princess Grace of Monaco. The other is a tablecloth with a green border and flower illustrations. The green will almost certainly become pillows or totes, but the matching set may be sold as vintage. What do you think?

My other finds will have to remain a secret. They will become gifts for business partner Lori. Let's just say, they involve fish.