Back to Busy : :

Along with my Friendship Diamond quilt I had also planned to have Field Day quilt top photos to share with you all last week, but the strong winds that blow across the ocean and up the beach made it impossible for me to catch the lovely photos of my newly finished, delicate scrappy hourglass quilt top that I had envisioned. That glowing light illuminating each piece of patchwork that I had so hoped to catch again, this time at the shore, was nearly all blocked out by my sweet quilt holder husband's silhouette. Returning home to Pennsylvania, although wonderful, the gloomy overcast is still putting my plans on hold. So, it back to work for me today as I wait to take my pictures. I have lots of felt and fabric to order, etsy business to handle, a few mid-progress projects I'm eager to get back to, and lots of new ideas!

Wising you all a wonderful beginning to this new week!

♥ Maureen

A Friendship Diamond Quilt : :

Each Summer, for one glorious week, my big, wonderful family rents a house right on the beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It's my most favorite week of the year, the only time I truly count down the days. It's always so special, but after the recent loss of our Father, we're enjoying every moment of this much-needed time together as a family.





And even though I vowed to spend my time this week at the beach, swimming, relaxing, being silly & carefree, I couldn't resist bringing along my most recently finished projects for picture taking!



This Friendship Diamond quilt is made with Pat Bravo's newest collection NouvElle, along with lots of pretty, coordinating Pure Element solids. I'm loving the ripple of pinks framed by these watery blues, and I'm so glad I added in the diamonds!





My quilt design was inspired by the friendship bracelet diamond pattern I attempted to make as a child, and is something I plan to continue to work on to offer eventually!



Once my quilt top was complete, I sent it out to Melissa Sew Shabby Quilting, and decided on an overall, feminine floral quilting pattern and I love the way it turned out! You can really see in my sunny photos how densely this one is quilted!



Now that it's finished & photographed, I've been enjoying using it here at the beach house!



And, now that it's blogged I'm heading back to the beach!



♥ Maureen

Thank you,

Thank you all for your kind, supportive, understanding words, prayers, and thoughts of comfort. They have meant so much to me. Throughout the past four plus years that I have had this blog and have been sewing, I have turned to it to help me through so many different things. My own creativity, this amazing opportunity to share it, and the love & positivity given back to me, has sustained me through some the darkest times in my life, and will continue to through this grief. And so I want to, as much as I can, keep up with my regular postings here. Especially all the giveaway days I have had scheduled months in advance. The days I don't, are the days that I just can't, just as I've been doing for the past several weeks. Some of you took notice and I could only share my reasons between those of you who reached out and myself. Since Tuesday I've been feeling a strong need to sew, which is part of my plan for this rainy day. The joy it gives me to make and share feels necessary, and I'm really looking forward to it. 

Thanks again for helping me through this. While I make binding to finish my newest quilt, I know my thoughts will be with those of you who share this loss and pain with me, I'll be sending love to you.

♥ Maureen  

A Friendship Diamond Quilt Top : :

So, after much going back and forth I decided to see out my original idea of adding triangles to several of my quilt block corners to create scattered diamonds throughout my NouvElle quilt. First I layered on a few of those cuts to get a good visual and then the good, honest feedback came from my kiddos, who have all taken turns having the flu these past several days! The vote was unanimous, the diamond centers made it that much better, and so closely formed the image I had in mind from the beginning, inspired by the friendship bracelet diamond pattern I attempted to make as a child!



I really did like it just as it was, without the diamonds, as many of you suggested it should be. But better is always good, and even though I was perfectly fine with not making more work for myself this week with so much going on, I am just too good at that!



I'm super happy with how this one turned out and hope you are too! Now to decided on the quilting, hmn? I'm thinking something pretty and feathery or a sweet flower pattern like this one,  yes?

Options : :

Yesterday morning, just after I finished up blogging and the day's Esty orders, I grabbed my stack of NouvElle Friendship Diamond Quilt blocks from my wip table and laid them out onto the floor.



Is there another quilter in all of Blogland more in need of a quilt wall than me?!



It was getting dark, about to storm, so I snapped a few quick photos, then the phone rang, it was the school nurse telling me that Jacob had come down with the flu. The bad flu. The kind that required me to stay right by his side, watching an American Pickers marathon, interrupted only by trips to the bathroom, popsicles, and little naps. He's still in bed this morning as I write this, I'm hoping after some rest he'll be on the mend today! Having all those little chances to glance into my sewing room, at the floor, to look at this quilt wip ended up being a good thing, as I'm quite liking all the pink happening in the center now!



I had originally planned & shared that I would be doing some chopping at this point, adding in diamonds of the NouvElle blues to break up all the pink.



But, now I'm not sure? After sleeping on it, I'm loving the ripple of pinks framed by the watery blues again this morning! Here's another, brighter photo that I recently shared on my Instagram.



Penny's clearly bored with my indecision!

What do you think?

Within Sight : :

These sewing days are busy, overloaded with a medley of etsy orders, quilt projects, computer work, and abounding new ideas & plans. When it comes to my etsy orders I try not to over-share here. I assure you, each sewing day there's at least one, but most likely several, crowns & pillows being made, packaged, shipped. This is the work that sustains my business and I'm so grateful! The reward is this blog and the time I have to make with fabric, supported by my wonderful sponsors! It's a dream and having their and your support encourages my work in a way I could never return!

Today, after I finish up a few more orders, I have big binding plans for my newest quilt as you go finish, my Endless Summer quilt made of Leah's gorgeous Meadow collection and lots of Art Gallery fabrics!



But for me, beginning is just as exciting as finishing! And there's lots of that these sewing days, as well! Last week I shared that Pat Bravo recently sent me some advanced yardage of her newest collection due out soon, NouvElle. The plan for these beauties came to me immediately and I couldn't wait to begin! I shared a couple of peeks on my Instragram over the weekend, in case you didn't see..





I'm calling this my Friendship Diamond quilt and I can't wait to work my way back to it today!



I'll have more to share soon!  ♥  Maureen