Things are settling into a little more of rhythm here and I am full-steam-ahead working on my preparations for Riley Blake's upcoming Fabric Fest and then the Sewing Summit the week after that! It's going to be a crazy month. A lot of work to get there, but a lot of fun once I arrive. I hope!
Fortunately the preparations are pretty fun too. (Other than preparing what I'm actually going to say. That part = stressful. Eek.)
But the sewing and cutting-up-fabric part is super fun! Especially after not doing a lot of sewing the past few weeks/months. It feels fun to be spending more quality time with my machine and even my rotary cutter again.
These lovelies are Riley Blake solids. They make such pretty eye candy.
One of the classes I'm teaching is about Modern Quilting and I want to talk about improv quilting. So I am finally assembling some improv Bee swap blocks from 2010. (When I looked up when that bee was I was kind of shocked that is was that long ago.) Well, it's good that they're finally seeing the light of day!
And finally, speaking of eye candy, check out these pretties from Aurifil thread and the Fat Quarter Shop. This collection is called The Binding Box and it contains a variety of colors to have on hand to match most bindings.
I am a huge fan of Aurifil thread. I buy it buy the cone in basic neutrals and use the 50 wt for all my piecing. Those cones last for.ever. I also love the 50 wt because piecing comes together so nicely and because you can get a lot of thread on a bobbin! So when the Fat Quarter Shop offered to let me sample their new Binding Box collection I was ecstatic to have colored Aurifil thread to play with too!
And finally, if you're looking for insta-quilty-eye candy on your mobile device, I am on Instagram @diaryofaquilter. I've been lurking on instagram for a while - I like my own quick-fix on other people's eye candy too - but my private life and my public quilting world were colliding and making each other uncomfortable. So I finally bit the bullet and created a separate account. Now I am free to post all kinds of fabric-y fun, without embarrassing my children, and my extended family and neighbors thinking I am a total weirdo. If you're an Instagram-junkie too, let me know where to find you!
Shannon Gillman Orr says
Hi Amy, I'm thinking of creating a separate Instagram too. Any tips on having two accounts? Or do you sign in and out each time? That last option sounds annoying. Please let me know. I hope to see you at the Sewing Summit!
amy smart says
Hi Shannon! I do have to log out and log in whenever I change accounts. It's not as big of a pain as I'd feared, so I'm still glad I did it. Hopefully!
amy smart says
PS. Excited to meet you at the SS too!<br />
oneenglishteacher says
Oh, those solids are eye candy for sure!I love the bright colors of the first set of blocks that you have pictured.
margaret says
lovelty fabrics and those you have used have made wonderful eye candy.
Teje Karjalainen says
Thank you for sweet eye candies! Your projects and fabrics look so delicious! x Teje
Claire says
Hi Amy - I've just started an Instagram account (clairebearquilts) if you want to say hi. Been wondering how your Dad is - hope he's hanging in there, hope my prayers are working. Love your eye candy too and that box of Aurifil - wow! I think I need one of those!
Andrea says
I have followed your blog for a long time and will look for you on IG. I only started using it a while back and love it. I am @welshquilter. At the moment I'm not finding time to blog but IG is quick and easy x
Leigh Anne says
Tons of fabric eye candy going on in this post 🙂 I really need to make a quilt from those string blocks. I always love them when I see them around. <br /><br />I'm @ellascottage if you want to take a peek 🙂
Sarah Elliott says
Those RB solids are yummy, as is the binding box. I just signed up for Instagram a few weeks ago...You can find me @ georgiagirlquilts. Stop bye and say hi sometime! 🙂
Katy Cameron says
Loving the all the sewing prep you've got going on there! I'm normally all about the neutral Aurifils too, but I just won a box like that of coloured ones (Sheena Norquay's collection) so I'm going to have to start embracing more colourful quilting I think :o)
Marianne says
Hello, i just started following you on instagram and i am sewpaintit. Love those hexagons you keep showing to tantalise us!
Hilary @ Young Texan Mama says
I love all of this eye candy 🙂 I just recently started using Aurifil thread and I adore it. I'm slowly phasing out all of my "old" thread and replacing it with Aurifil. I'm on instagram all the time too 🙂 @ youngtexanmama<br /><br />Hilary
dolores says
Yo chica....long time no talk too!;) My fault...we were busy getting ready for a trip to OX to see the girl but now we are back. <br /><br />Thought of you when I was in OX as they have a Cath Kidston shop and I bought a metre of London canvas!;)<br /><br />Wish I could come west...one day!
The Little Red Hen Quilts... says
You busy, busy girl! If you ever need an extra set of hands....you know where to find me:) Love everything you do!
Jenny says
I'm really digging that bee quilt with the red, yellow, and brown. I think I may have to make a stack for one of those, though my brown stash is pretty limited, brown being, well, so brown and all. Good luck with your classes.
Thimbleanna says
Beautiful photos Amy! I'm toying with the idea of a separate account just for the reasons you've mentioned -- don't want to bother family and friends with fabric, so I've shied away from posting it. How has the transition been -- have people hopped over ok?
amy smart says
The transition has been...a transition. 🙂 Some people are finding me, I know it will just take time. Still SO glad I did it!
Lana says
You have BEEN busy! great work on the string blocks...those are always a favorite of mine. I found you on IG and I am on lanadunk. Hope you stop by every once and a while!
Ginny says
Such great eye candy! Love those solids! Yes, I try to keep my private world seperate from my quilty world, sometimes its hard to find the line, friends do enjoy knowing a bit about you so they can relate. I do love IG, so much "in the moment" inspiration compared to a fully prepared and laid out blog post. Two totally differnt mediums. I found you, I would love to have you join me (
Rachel says
The straight line quilting on that orange and blue quilt looks awesome. Did you do free motion or a walking foot? And how in the heck did you do all those lines in opposite directions? I can't even see where your lines connect!
MaureenM says
I was thinking the same thing...I do think I see a Bernina walking foot peeking in the corner 🙂