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    Catching up and Checking In

    Last Modified: January 16, 2021 by Amy · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 10 Comments

    Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve checked in to share what’s on my sewing table these days. There’s some really fun stuff on there right now, most of it in the very beginning/planning stages. So nothing finished to share, but I thought I’d give some introductions and progress reports since I’m trying to do a better job of documenting the process (reality, mess, etc), not just the finishes. 

    Vintage Christmas Quilt report: I had high hopes to get a lot of Christmas sewing done the week after before New Years. I did get these 5 blocks finished, which I’ll call a win, but not much more than that. My people were all home together and it was good to just be present with and enjoy them. 

    Here are all my blocks together.  (Pattern from Lori Holt’s Vintage Christmas book.) I had fun using the Santa Claus Lane panel prints for a few of them. 

    I made a game plan for these blocks – I think I will make 2 more of the 12″ x 12″ blocks, sash them and sew them together.  I also put in some time to sort all of my Christmas fabric (of which there is A LOT).  And 

    Still need a plan for the red station wagon. (Which I adore.) Maybe on the back? Or make more trees 

    It was officially time to clean up the blocks, and the Christmas fabric. The finished blocks are stored together along WITH the Vintage Christmas pattern book, so that when the mood for Christmas sewing strikes I can dive in and finish up this quilt once and for all.

    Now I’m tackling a bunch of new deadlines and projects. Some that are shareable and some that I’ll share more about in the weeks to come.

    This pile of beauties is from the Liberty quilting cottons collection called Winter Flower Show.

    The majority of the sewing I did over the Christmas break was to sew more face masks – particularly for my college girls. We were all needing some fresh masks. These were a good ‘winter’ update of the bright pastel floral versions I made last summer.

    After having worn and tried multiple styles of masks over the past months, this face mask tutorial has become my preferred size and style. They have great coverage and they’re easier to wear when trying to talk because they stay in place and I don’t have to tug at or move it back in place.

    Plus they’re really easy to make and resize for different face sizes.

    Also on my cutting table: a couple of brand new Riley Blake Chambrays. I’m SO excited to play with these. These woven cottons are a beautiful weight and drape for clothing (like Christopher’s (aka the Tattooed Quilter) shirt or this dress by Sew Sophie Lynn).

    I’m combining them with some Riley Blake basics including Confetti Cotton in Navy and this Blossom print in gray on white.

    I’ve got a new quilt pattern that will be out later this month and I’m excited to make a two-tone modern version in this blue palette.

    Notting Hill fabric collection by Amy Smart for Riley Blake

    The other version of this upcoming quilt is made from the my upcoming fabric collection: Notting Hill – coming very soon (mid February!) to a quilt shop near you. I’ll have lots more Notting Hill projects to share in the coming weeks. 🙂 

    Lots of sewing prep to do in the mean time.  Oh, and we’re finally painting and re-carpeting the second half of our upstairs that we were supposed to finish last January. (Ay yi yi.) Not looking forward to the upheaval, but very much looking forward to finally getting it done.

    Life feels a bit like a three-ring circus. But at the same time I’ve been grateful for something positive to focus on after spending way too much time consuming news about last week’s disheartening events.

    Oh yeah – And we’re dog-sitting this weekend! And somehow, I’m the favorite. Which is both great and tricky.  (It’s wonderful to be loved but not always easy to be in demand.) But he did closely supervise the writing of this very blog post and sends his approval hello to all of you.

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    Filed Under: fabric, Riley Blake Designs

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cocoa Quilts

      January 15, 2021 at 9:56 am

      I think the truck block would make a great pillow! Love those christmas blocks

      Reply
      • Amy

        January 15, 2021 at 1:01 pm

        Ooo! That’s a great idea!

        Reply
    2. Cathy B.

      January 16, 2021 at 6:24 am

      Check out Pat Sloan’s blog from last fall. She adapted the station wagon block to a runner / wall hanging by adding some trees on each side. Love the blue snowflake background you used there. Happy New Year!

      Reply
      • Amy

        January 16, 2021 at 10:58 am

        Oh! I’ll have to check out Pat’s version. That’s a great suggestion.

        Reply
    3. Lynette Gross

      January 16, 2021 at 8:16 am

      The station wagon is adorable ❤️ takes me back to my growing up years! Now I want to make a pillow with that block! I remember a light green station wagon in grade school and a blue with a fake wood panel on the side in high school! Your quilt is looking great!

      Reply
    4. Sue

      January 16, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Your blocks are gorgeous. And the furbaby supervising you on the laptop…ahhhh. In my house, when the furbaby puts the chin on the thigh or arm, it means “I need to go out NOW.”

      Reply
    5. Karen

      January 17, 2021 at 6:23 pm

      I made Lori Holt’s Vintage Christmas Quilt last year. My grandson asked me to make it for him for Christmas 2019. He wanted me to make it “exactly like the book cover” of Lori Holt’s Vintage Christmas Quilt book. I didn’t finish until February 2020. He said, “That’s ok, Nana.” He loves every quilt I make, and tries to claim them all.

      Reply
    6. Steve and Lisa reade

      January 20, 2021 at 7:49 am

      AMY I Have a many yards of IKEA Snoa Flinga if you’d like to buy it. My text number is 2014634673

      Reply
      • Amy

        January 21, 2021 at 11:50 am

        Thank you so much for reaching out. I’m no longer looking for any, but thank you for the offer!

        Reply
    7. Gwyn

      January 23, 2021 at 6:41 pm

      Progress is better than not and a fun Christmas quilt when you are ready. I like the plaids in Notting Hill. Can’t wait to see what you make with it.

      Reply

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