it seems that its been mini quilt weather around these parts - rainy, quiet mornings and sunny afternoons lend an appealing air to my little sewing table by the kitchen window. though i miss my 'studio' in the bright sunroom we had in our home in maine, this will have to do. and it is.

mini quilts seem to be my distraction these days. i should be cutting triangles and wool felt, attaching zippers to linings and outers, designing a simple dolly that wears skirts or shirts or hats, and finally finishing that twin size quilt that's been hanging around forever. but instead i choose to experiment with new techniques and blocks, mixing fabrics that i never thought would compliment each other. not such a bad distraction if you ask me!

what a way to start of the week - one blog post down, three mini quilts done, one in progress, and the sun is shining! it would seem that quilting-all-day-with-frankie-as-helper rather than serving-food-while-family-is-home-without-me is agreeing with this mama. now, if i could get some better lighting in here i would show you the progress that i made this weekend - winter craft fairs, here i come!

finally - finally! inspiration has hit me like a ton of bricks and it couldn't have come at a better time. life here on this little, green island is very seasonal. after memorial day beaches are open to the public again, traffic is sane and manageable (keep in mind their is no such thing as a stop light or traffic circle here), and i can now recognize and greet at least one local while frankie and i run errands. and i am no longer a slave to the hungry masses at the local general store/lunch stop - leaving me with plenty of time to cut and sew and stitch, scheme up new designs, and make plenty of long to-do lists for this little space (and my home, too). 

this sudden burst of energy can't be attributed to more 'days off' alone - as i'm now entering the second trimester of my second pregnancy (a new baby, and boy, can this one grow!) i can eat again, i can almost sleep at night and stay awake during the day again, and, most importantly, i can't sit so still anymore. i promise not to go full-time pregnancy-blogging-heal-wearing-uber-hip-mom-on-the-go on you, but little quilts and hand knit hats with matching booties are kind of my thing - consider yourself fully warned.

i think i'll only show you this quilt in bits and pieces from now on, until its completed. as you might remember, sad little half square triangles and chevrons have been waiting around patiently for the day that i might discover them again. well, that day came, with a vengeance. i'm happy with where it is going and excited to see where it ends up - so little teasers it will be until i can properly unveil this quilt.

xo

 

a + b + c =

a new trio of mini quilts:

improv pieced,

patchwork letters,

meant to hang in a row.

i fully intend to continue on with this project - whether that means completing the alphabet or moving on to numbers. i love how freeing the patchwork became and the puzzle that improv piecing can be. the process of straight line quilting (i echoed the shape of the letters with a new line every 1/4") was a bit addictive as well. it became a chance to meditate on the work that i had done and the possibilities of what could be.

frankie insists that the letter 'a' quilt should be full size - she sits her little self down on the floor and tries to cover her  toes with a quilt that is just not big enough. maybe a 'frances mae' quilt is in the starts for my baby girl.