Simple & Sweet : :

I can't thank you enough for all the kind words and advice so many of you left me yesterday. I read every comment and felt, more than anything, lifted up by your support and encouragement. I had originally decided that I wasn't going to share what's currently happening with my health, especially after having such an amazing Quilt Market experience. I didn't want to spoil the news and excitement of it all. I came back feeling SO good. Then immediately to have what feels like my whole system just crash on me, has really got me down, which is what brought on yesterday's post. I've been dealing with some pretty severe Autoimmune issues for as long as I've had this blog. That's not a coincidence. I've turned to being creative and sharing my passion for it to get me through it all, without ever dreaming what it would turn into. I don't feel a pressure to continue on the days I'm struggling from my readers, my sponsors, or any contract I've signed. The pressure comes from ME. Each day that passes that I don't spend being productive, creative, and happy is one I feel I've wasted. There's being tired and needing rest, which I think I have no problem conceding to and feel I get plenty of. Then there's what I'm dealing with now, which is an exhaustion and fogginess that leaves me feeling defeated before the day begins. I don't want to be overcome by my grief and illness, I want to succeed more than ever despite of it. I do need to learn to give myself a break on the days I don't. Yesterday, you all reminded me of that and I can't thank you enough. I feel much better today, like a weight has been lifted. Today I'm going to continue working on my sisters pillows at my new pace, without worry or guilt for how behind I feel I am. I'm going to continue counting down the days to when my fabric collection arrives at my door with excitement, which with perfect timing should be right when I can take my medication again.  I'm going to do some of that "selfish sewing" that so many of you mentioned in the comments yesterday. I definitely don't do enough of that! I'll continue to update you all on what's going on, without feeling embarrassed and shy, because pretending it all away just isn't working anymore. But first I want to share a few photos of what I made yesterday. Just a sweet & simple set of whole cloth pillows, quilted with Aurifil, bound in a solid navy.









Such an easy project, but still I managed to create something rewarding that is beautiful and special for my sister. A good reminder that sometimes the grand plans, long to-do lists, and big goals can be forgotten for awhile. That sometimes simple is exactly what's needed to bring the joy and magic of making back to our days and hearts.

Thank you all again!  ♡  Maureen

For Pillow Making : :

Thank you all so very much for the kind words wishing my family and I a great weekend together as we remembered and celebrated my Dad's life. It was such a wonderful and comforting weekend!

My sister and her family will be here visiting for another week and have some sewing work for me! We looked through my fabric stash last night, picking fabrics together for a set of six 11"x18" and two 16" square pillows for their built-in breakfast nook and I'm excited to get started today!



Like me, my sister loves color, and was immediately drawn to the Anna Maria Horner prints I showed her. Since we don't have time to shop, my pretty large AMH stash will be just perfect for this project.





I can use a number of quilting cottons for the pillow fronts, adding in some of the Drawing Room collection I've been hording as my backing. The sateen home decor weight will give each pillow an extra sturdiness, while tying them all together by using one united fabric print for each of my pillow backs.



I hope that working with these fun, colorful fabrics will give me the boost in energy I so need to get back on track here. Wish me luck!

And how about you, have you started anything new lately?  

♡  Maureen

Binding & Destash Day!

Two beautifully long arm quilted quilts arrived back from Sew Shabby Quilting Melissa this week, my Emmy Grace and my Autumn Sun quilts! Today's plan is to make my binding and finish them up for hopeful picture taking this weekend!



At noon (EST) I plan to do a second Anna Maria Horner destash!



I stayed up extra last night bundling some more of my precious out of print Anna Maria Horner fabrics to offer in a second little destash today. The last time I had a scrap bundle destash right here on my blog and although it worked out well, I'm going to give my Instagram a turn this time. Be sure to follow me over there if you're interested!



Each scrap bundle will include approximately 1 yard of colorful AMH fabric scraps by weight and will vary in prints from several out of print collections. They are $15 a piece plus shipping, and I have just 20 bundles to offer today. All bundles will be shipped first class with tracking at $4 for USA residents. International friends are welcome to these scraps as well, but I will have to send the bundle in a flat rate envelope so the package is track-able, which is pretty pricey. 



These will ship today for those of you who would like one and can pay right away. I'm offering just one per person this time and am not able to take any requests as they are already packaged into my mailing envelopes. Please join me on Instagram at noon EST, leave a comment with your Paypal email address to claim, and the first twenty to do so will receive an AMH bundle!

Is sold out!

Thank you!  ♥ Maureen

AMH Scrap Bundle Destash : :

I stayed up last night pressing and bundling some of my Anna Maria Horner fabric scraps to offer here in a little destash today. The last time that I had a scrap bundle destash right here on my blog it worked out wonderfully, so I'm going to try it again! It was nice to be able to include those of you don't have Instagram. 



In each scrap bag you’ll find a range of fabrics from several Anna Maria Horner fabric collections including quilting cotton, voile, flannel, sateen, and out of print fabrics!  These are the strips, charms, and pieces in sizes perfect for patchwork, leftover from my herringbone quilts and the dozens of sewing projects I've created using Anna Maria's designs!





Each scrap bag will include a cute yet heavy-duty, usable, 10 x 12 inch 100% cotton drawstring bag filled with approximately 1 yard of colorful fabric scraps by weight and will vary in prints from several collections...







They are $15 a piece plus shipping, and I have just 15 bags to offer today. All bundles will be shipped first class with tracking at $4 for USA residents. International friends are welcome to these scraps, as well, but I will have to send the bag in a flat rate envelope so the package is track-able, which is pretty pricey!

These will ship today for those of you who would like one can pay right away. I'm offering just one per person this time and am not able to take any requests as they are already packaged into my mailing envelopes. Please leave a comment with your Paypal email address to claim, the first fifteen to do so will receive an AMH scrap bag!

& thank you!
♥ Maureen

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  

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My sponsor The Intrepid Thread is a family owned and run business. In their shop you'll find Fat Quarters, Half Yards, Yards, and Yardage, as well as patterns and embellishments. Their designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Art Gallery Fabrics, Moda, and Riley Blake Designs just to name a few! 
The owners work extremely hard everyday to bring their customers the best fabrics,
at the best prices, with high quality customer service!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting The Intrepid Thread's sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway, Julie at The Intrepid Thread asked me to choose one colorway fat quarter bundle from Anna Maria's newest collection Pretty Potent! This beautiful collection includes three colorways -- Duchess, Princess, and Queen. I chose Duchess to offer here today, I love these colors combined with the touches of black!

You can find the Pretty Potent collection newly available in all three colorways in yardage and a variety of bundles right HERE in The Intrepid Thread Shop!!

Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! We'd love to know which Pretty Potent colorway is your favorite?! (one entry)
2. Follow The Intrepid Thread on Facebook, their blog, or sign up to receive their Newsletter. Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! If you follow here, on Instagram, or on Facebook just let me know by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, May 12th! Winner will be picked at Random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog.

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!!

From 1,397 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is... 

Comment #210 --   *  CurlyGirlMom  *
   

Congratulations! I will be in touch shortly! 

A Winter Herringbone Quilt { and GIVEAWAY! } : :

Just before sundown last night, when it looked like the wind had lightened just enough to make quilt photographing possible, we went for a quick drive to snap these pictures. It was extremely chilly and as the last bit of light was high on the hilltops the warm colors of my quilt gave a vision so great. It was too beautiful to capture, but I tried!



This is my second Herringbone Quilt, made using the Herringbone quilt-as-you-go Tutorial that I share here, Anna Maria Horner's Dowry & True Colors collections for Free Spirit Fabrics, and Anna's Dowry ribbons collection for Renaissance Ribbons. I'm so happy with how this one turned out that I just might love it even more than my first, which is so encouraging because I plan to make at least three more this year. A Spring Herringbone with lighter and brighter fabrics, a Summer version in voile, and a second using the colors of Autumn that I love so much. 



This panel style of quilt-as-you-go made my idea of adding in ribbons effortless. After each panel was finished I simply edge stitched the ribbons, keeping the same angle as my fabrics, with a matching Aurifil thread directly on top of my work. Just here and there to add an extra bit of color, texture, and shimmer!





For my binding I finished with a Stella Solid in Indigo, the same binding I used to finish my Winter's Garden quilt from earlier in the week.







To create this quilt I used just two Design Rolls of Dowry and one of True Colors. Using the pre-cut 2.5" strips of fabric made my quick quilt pattern, even quicker! I had on hand one yard of each Dowry Ribbon to add to my quilt top. And I'm so very happy to share that these gorgeous ribbons are now available for purchase by the yard right here, at Renaissance Ribbons!






As promised once again, now that I have finished, photographed, and shared this new quilt, I have a gorgeous Design Roll of both the Dowry & True Colors collections that I used to make my quilt, and the entire Dowry ribbons collection to offer today in another special Giveaway!

Enter to win a Dowry & True Colors Design Roll and the Dowry Ribbons collection!

Here's how,   

1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! (one entry)
2. Follow Renaissance Ribbons on Facebook or Instagram! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. Follow Free Spirit Fabrics on Facebook! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. My followers get a third entry! Whether you follow me here, on Facebook, on Instagram, just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
5. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by tweet, instagram, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 5 possible entries! Enter now through Thursday, April 3rd. The winner will be chosen by Random and I will announce their name, at the bottom of this post, here on the blog!  
 

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!! From  1,959 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is... 

Comment #451 --   * JoAnne Brown * 

Congratulations, I'll be in touch shortly!   

Quilt & Giveaway Plans : :

I came down with a hard-hitting flu bug yesterday and it completely squashed all of my sewing plans for last night and for this morning, although I am beginning to feel a little better. There's nothing worse than feeling the satisfaction of being back on track only to be immediately derailed again, boo! But don't worry about me, I'll be back on schedule soon enough and so I thought I'd share my plans for when I am. They involve some pretty quilt finishes and giveaways to get excited about!

First up, my Winter's Garden quilt made using Dear Stella's Mercer collection arrived back from Sew Shabby Quilting this past weekend, with the most beautiful quilted roses!



I have a solid indigo planned for my binding which is tops on my to-do list. I think the solid should frame this quilt perfectly!



When I finish, photograph, and share my finished quilt I have a gorgeous fat quarter bundle of Mercer waiting to giveaway!



I've been sharing lots of posts on my Herringbone Dowry, True Colors, & Ribbons Quilt here and on my instagram. This one is also so close to being finished!



For the back and binding I pulled some favorite Anna Maria Horner prints from my stash! All the deep purples and bright aqua blues in her Dowry collection made me reach for more. I can't wait to finish this one too!



For when I do I'll have another amazing giveaway to share for a Design Roll of each Dowry & True Colors collections and the entire Dowry ribbons collection!



Stay tuned...  and stay healthy!  ♥  Maureen

In the Sunshine : :

This morning, after another snow storm, the sun is shining bright and beautifully through the window onto my newest finished quilt top. I couldn't resist taking a few quick shots to share here quickly before I dive into etsy orders!











Happy Sewing!  ♥  Maureen

With Ribbons : :

Yesterday I started a second Herringbone Quilt, this time using just the two Anna Maria Horner collections that didn't arrive in time to be included in my first one, Dowry and True colors! New to this quilt are also these Design Roll precuts that are making this super quick quilt make even quicker!
 


I'm so in love with this quilt already! It was just about midnight last night when I decided that Dowry, combined with True Colors, is my favorite AMH collection to date. A revisit to her Dowry introduction post this morning confirmed that. Yes, this collection is truly a gift to us quilters!

As enthused as I am just to be finally sewing with Anna's Dowry fabrics, I'm extra excited that for this quilt I'll be adding in a layer of her richly colored Dowry jacquard ribbons from Renaissance Ribbons!



I have a full jar of Aurifil waiting to be matched up for ribbon edge-stitching!



I can't wait to add them to my quilt!



How about you, have you used ribbon for added detail and texture to any of your quilts or sewing projects? 

♥  Maureen