What’s on my Sewing Table – July 2023

Holy smokes – I can’t believe it’s already the end of July. This summer is flying by. July has gone particularly fast as we’ve had family in town (our daughter visiting from Washington DC and two of my sisters and their families also visiting from out of state.) As a result – not as much happening on my sewing table most of the month, but I’ve started to make up for it this week with some summer sewing. Here’s a little recap of July happenings.

While my sewing table has been neglected most of the month, I have returned with a vengeance this week (partially thanks to a gross heatwave that made we want to never go outside).

This past week I’ve been working on finishing lots of UFO (UnFinished Object) projects that are on my list. Including: finally piecing the quilt top from this year’s Riley Blake Quilt Block Sampler using my Portsmouth collection. I’m finally almost ready to send it off to the longarm quilter

As you can see, I chose a different setting for the sampler blocks. I’ll be working on the instructions this week. Once the quilt gets back and finished hopefully I’ll have the finishing instructions ready to share in a couple of weeks. (Pattern writing always takes one so much longer than you think it will.) To those who have asked, thanks for your patience. 🙂

Another quilt on my cutting table ready for the quilter – a new version of my Brickyard pattern using Minki Kim’s latest fabric collection In the Afterglow from Riley Blake. It’s such a pretty palette. My friend Suzy helped with the piecing on this one but I’ve been stuck picking borders. Finally did it and it’s ready for the long arm quilter too.

I have started an English Paper Piecing handwork project this summer that I’ve been carrying around on the go. I’m piecing diamond stars using scraps from my Portsmouth collection.

These blocks are made with 1.5″ 60 degree Diamond pieces. You can read more about How to English Paper Piece – aka EPP – here.

I’m feeling inspired by my friend Kathy of Darty Kite Pattern Co. to do more fussy cutting for interesting pattern repeats when English Paper Piecing. I love how fussy cutting certain elements can create a whole new design with the fabric.

One of the sisters in town for a bit was my sister Laura Miller visiting from Texas. Laura contributed her artistic skill to my last two fabric collections, including drawing the New England seacoast scenes as well as the water-color hydrangea prints in my Portsmouth collection.

So while she was here, I presented her with the New Castle Beach quilt featuring her seacoast water-color vignettes and the hydrangea print on the back. She doesn’t sew and I can’t paint, so it’s been really fun to pool our strengths together. We’ve got another collaboration coming out next year! More details to come on that in the next month, but here’s a hint:

We also took a family trip for a few weeks. It was SO nice to getaway for a bit and especially to spend time with our grown-up girls who no longer live at home.

I’ve also taken (and enjoyed) a break from social media. So nice. Highly recommend it.

So not as much sewing as usual, but I’m not sad about it. It’s been really fun to spend time with family this month as well as enjoy the beauty of summer. We’ve also made weekly trips to our nearby mountains. They’re glorious this year and I’m trying to soak it up as much as I can.