Friday, July 3, 2026

June 2026 Recap!

My Goodness is it July already!!!
Can’t believe it!!

It brings to mind a saying someone told me when my kids were
Little and I was stressed all the time …
“The Days are Long, but the Years are Short - Enjoy them”
It is so very true!

My Appliqué retreat at the Strong House Inn 
 is coming up - so excited - can’t wait!!
There will be ten ladies - and I have surprises for them!
More on that next month!

It’s is my original sample for the retreat,
But I’ve been working on a second version,
To show how color and fabric can impact a quilt.




Using my Japanese Taupes - it gives the quilt
A very calm serine look.


Then to really change it up …
There is a beaded binding surrounding the lighter
Blue center and an appliquéd trellis to the darker blue border.
If you noticed the little blue clip at the bottom - 
It’s to find where I am in the stitching process!!!
All the appliqué pieces and trellis are done in
The prepared edge method.

Future decisions:
How will it be bound: Faced binding or Regular binding
How will it be quilted: Hand or Machine.
Your thoughts??



In June I had the pleasure of presenting my Design Lecture-
“The In Between”
To the Yankee Quilters of Franklin!
A nice group of ladies - sadly no photos!

This is a fairly new lecture - created after
Receiving numerous questions on how I come up with quilt designs, 
how my quilts are marked for quilting and how I quilt my quilts!
It’s been well received by guilds - which makes me happy!!



On the home front the back decks (upper and lower)
Are coming along nicely and almost finished!!


My Arbor garden is so full of color!
The orange lilies popped a few weeks ago!


Mr T. And his Lady Friend hiding in the garden!!

The irises were spectacular this year,
Wished they lasted longer.


Same with the peonies…
Thankfully the heavy rains we had in June came
Just at the right time!



 

During my walks at LaSalette
There were a few interesting bird sightings!
This Heron was stalking is prey in the Rosary Pond…



 

And there was a beautiful family of Canadian Geese!
Six Goslings - it’s been fun watching them grow all month long!


Spent a quick few days on the Cape with Victoria!
We had a nice few relaxing days even though it was WINDY!!
The beaches were beautiful, we put our toes in the ocean!


 


In Provincetown we took a Whale Watching trip!


There were so many whales and dolphins - it was amazing! 
A Baby Whale came right up out of the water to check out the boat!
Then she did a few summersaults and rollovers - just having so much fun!!


Of course we had to have lunch / early dinner!!
At the Iconic Lobster Pot…
It did not disappoint!!


So good to have both children home for Father’s Day Cookout!


More Backyard wildlife!
Just because it makes me smile!!

Mummy Dear and Baby!

Mr. Rose Breasted Grosbeak                           Miss Baltimore Oriole 

Baby Bluebird waiting to be fed by Daddy!!



Working on painting and Iris from my garden…
So much harder without a teacher / tutorial guiding me!!

Here is my inspiration photo   

And my progress…


The flower is as good as my powers of capability will get it!
Just need to finish the stem. 

Enjoy July!

Have a great Quilty Day and enjoy the process!

                               Janet


 

Monday, June 15, 2026

May 2026 Recap

 May Recap!

May was a much quieter month as far as my personal quilting goes!!

I'm in Applique Retreat Prep mode! 

Getting samples and step out ready, making little kits and printing patterns and class booklets!
Checking to make sure my laptop, document camera and new epson projector 
will be nice and talk to one another. I'm not especially a "techy" person 
and this is definately expanding my horizons!!! 
Cross you fingers it all behaves in July!!!
Check out the  Strong House Inn for more details!


The Quiet Valley Quilters of Bennington VT invited me to give my "Journey" lecture. 

So hubby and I packed up the car and took a nice scenic drive up to VT. 

The hotel was good (comfy bed) except for the nest of sparrows in the air conditioner!! 

Good thing it was still chilly out so the air conditioner wasn't needed! 

We could tell when momma bird arrived with food - the babies sang quite a song! 

So loud it sounded like they were in the room!!! 

The Quiet Valley Quilters were a warm and inviting group - asking lots of great questions! 

Just love it when a guild asks questions - shows they were really interested!


Before leaving Vermont Hubby and I had the BEST breakfast
At this cute little train car dinner!
The Blue Benn in Bennington VT - highly recommend it!!

 

After Vermont I traveled down to Westerly Rhode Island

to Ninigret Quilters to give a Spiffy Binding Lecture and Workshop!

This was my third (or fourth!) time presenting to this guild and they always

have a huge turn out! Very Interactive! The workshop went great and everyone

finished their spiffy binding samples!!


 


In May I was so happy to be able to take a workshop with
Her work as a mosaic artist is just outstanding and I’ve been
Following her for years - just loving everything she creates.
In the work shop we learned how to make a mosaic quilt
Start to finish (well except for the quilting part!!)
Our workshop project was this beautiful Moroccan Tile 
Now to do the micro quilting!!
Finding this process so interesting and Fun…
I bought three kits!

Spending time with “Karina” learning the machine and 
Practicing my quilting and even doing a little ruler work!


This quilt has been waiting patiently for about eight years
All basted just waiting to be quilted!!!
The room my Q20 provides and the ease of quilting
Is just outstanding - I’m having sew much fun!!


This is the new configuration of my studio - 
So glad I kept the pool table lights!!!

May was also Alex Kincaid’s Watercolor Week
Participating in daily painting classes via zoom,
 this was my end result!
Pretty happy with this one!!

May was also the month I decided to recommit to daily
(Well almost daily!) exercise! Hubby and I go to LaSalette Shrine
And do a two mile walk. It’s so peaceful.

My arbor garden is exploding - May brought the start of color!


The irises outdid themselves this year!


And the peonies are just beautiful!



Nature at its very best!

Have a great Quilty Day and enjoy the process!

                               Janet



Saturday, May 2, 2026

April - a month full of Surprise!!


April was a month full of surprises for me!

First up I had the opportunity to visit with my "Ships" 
at the AQS Hartford Quilt Show!
What a thrill to see my quilt hanging in a "BIG" show!!
Hearing people's positive comments made 
my little heart sing!


The Lunch and Learn program on the first day was 
a Design class taught by Gina Perkes and it was Fabulous!
She is so talented and reviewed many aspects of
machine quilting from types of thread & bobbin tension 
to using minky as a backing and creating balance in your quilting!
The biggest take away for me was-
the quilting should have a role.
Whether your quilting a donation quilt or a custom quilt
for someone special - know the theme of the quilt, how it will be used
and from that your designs will come.

There were so many incredible quilts on display at the show
but my all time favorite was the Cherrywood "Abyss" Challenge quilts.
Maybe because I love the ocean and the color Blue
these quilts just stole my heart!







I did have a few show favorites!
Usually I'm drawn to all the applique quilts, 
but for some reason these two are quilts just hit me.

The incredible quilt by Laura Franci of Italy
(received a First place in Paducah!!)
was in the Small Wall Quilt Category...

Can't you just hear the wave crashing 
and smell the ocean when you look at the quilt!!


close up 

 Ricky Tim's The Visitation quilt
just Outstanding!
(received a Best Stationary Machine Workmanship
 ribbon in Paducah!)

close up



After a quick two days at the AQS Hartford show I zipped
over to Bolton MA to go on a retreat with my Quilting Besties!
Joan, Giuliana and Emma (G's daughter!)
(Missed you Diana - you better be there in September!!)
 We have been quilting together forever and
its always so nice to sit, chat, laugh, eat and sew with friends!
The sunrises (yes I was up at the crack of dawn - literally!)
were stunning!


My focus for this retreat was handwork - specifically
the Trade Winds quilt (pattern by Sue Spargo)
These two blocks took the better part of three days to complete!!
Mind you the applique portion was already done!
The three days were spent doing all of the embellishment stitch!!!

 



The current project on my design wall
is progressing ... the 13 blocks are done and 
I'm doing just a little embroidery stitching on the last one!
Next up - adding the setting triangles and borders.




Hubby and I went to Afternoon Tea at Blithewold in RI ~ just a lovely place! 
We went last year and I was surprised how much he enjoyed it!!


The food was, as always - scrumptious! 
After getting our fill of finger sandwiches, goodies and tea 
we strolled around the beautiful grounds.


Later that same night while watching the  
AQS Paducah Awards ceremony live on YouTube ...

This happened!!!!

OMG!!!!


of course I let out a little scream - 
hubby came running to find out what was up and
took this photo of a VERY surprised Me!!


A few of my friends were at the show and sent photos
of the "Ships" wearing her beautiful
Dogwood Embellishment!!!

Still can't believe she won a pretty dogwood ribbon!!!
Talk about a Pinch Me Moment!!


Then a few days later this arrived!!!
Yes I did it! 
Purchased a Bernina Q20 sit down long arm!!
My wonderfully generous sister Karen helped make this possible
so in her honor and since it's a Bernina I've named my new machine
KARINA!!!
Can't wait to learn what this new machine can do 
and start quilting the MANY quilts that are
just waiting to be quilted!!

But there is More!!!

The other night while watching the AQS Paducah wrap up
on YouTube they mentioned the 2027 engagement calendar,
and what page did they just happen to open to???

YES! 
My Garden Trellis Quilt!!!
Bright flowers in time for Spring!
And the week they happened to place my quilt on 
coincidentally is my son's birthday week!!



It doesn't get much better than this month of April for surprises!!!


Today I'm finishing off the month with these two samples
for QuiltCorner Studio!
The larger bag is Odessa Weekender by Minki Kim
and there smaller is Ditty Bags 2.0 from byAnnie.com
both made with Tula Pink's new Floral Reef fabrics.
Both bags were fun to make 
and the directions were pretty straight forward.



It's been a slow month for critter sightings in the backyard...
but then this handsome guy showed up!


April was definately Full of Many Surprises!!!!


Have a great Quilty Day and enjoy the process!

                               Janet