Modern Spring Patchwork Pillow & Pet Project Show #16

Today was the perfect opportunity to make a

quickie project I've been longing for. I

wanted to try out my new Ditch Stitch

foot that Beth at Cooking Up Quilts had

recommended for the Janome machines.

I'd had it a week already, and never

even opened it up.

I started with a very simple layout of 2.5" squares.

I scoured my scraps, and also the fabric lying around

I'm using for my QST quilt. The green is a Schott

cotton that I can't keep enough of. I thought the 

colors reminded me so much of spring, but 

actually these wouldn't be what I would 

typically call spring colors. Then I looked back 

at the photos I'd been taking over the past few

days while out walking the Doxies.

Early rhubarb

This variety of daffodil almost glows.

This plain, little daffodil is my favorite 

out of all of them.

Many years ago when I was first married, I drove

far out in the country to our farm, and dug these

up beside an old foundation in a pasture. It

was a stagecoach stop at one time. The flower

may be plain compared to today's varieties,

but I think of all the people who gazed on

the flower from that bulb from the 1800's on.

I just love that!

The Ditch Stitch foot fit on my regular shank, and 

was easy to use. I wasn't sure if it would work 

equally well if the seams were pressed to one side 

or open, so I took the extra time to press them

open. I wasn't too careful while stitching, and it 

seemed to be far easier to stay in the ditch

than while just using a walking foot. 

It's always interesting to see what the tension on

the back looks like for me. I probably should have

adjusted it a little, but this was going to be

inside the pillow so no harm done.

The quilted top by itself turned out looking just a 

bit plain. I thought maybe a ruffled edging, but it

was too fru-fru. I liked the idea of a cross between

a ruffle and piping, and worked this out. I starched

my strip well before sewing, and left the cording

inside to give it body and weight.

 I think it feels modern, yet feminine. I finished it

off with a full width zipper, and a flap to hide it.

That's a true Friday finish, and now the

green grass is calling me to give it

the first cutting.

 Pan is watching over my garden,

and begging me to come weed it out.

Just as soon as I brew up some peppermint

tea, my friend. What a springtime treat!

Be sure to stop back for the link up

tomorrow with the Pet Project Show.

Each person who links up is automatically

given an extra chance for the Giveaway at 

the end of the month.

And a reminder to all, if you'd like to enter

the free drawing on May 2nd for this sweet 

pillow, the details are all in the link below.

You have until April 30th.

Pink Doxies Giveaway

Variable Star within a Star Pillow

The drawing is open to everyone so

check out the details, and send me an email.

If you are a No-Reply at Blogger, be sure to

include your email so I can contact you.

Linking up today with~

Crazy Mom Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Creative Goodness Linky Party
WIDTW
TGIFF with Maartje
LAFF
Planet Penny Happy Friday
Fabric Frenzy Friday
Show Off Saturday


Thank you all for the 
link up opportunity.

Come on, Doxie Girls.

Let's enjoy the sunshine.

It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules

Do we have to have rules? 

No worries! It's EASY.

1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left) 
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your 
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 

your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in 
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show 
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject

Either way you link up, remember it's a party 
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 

Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until 
Monday, April 20th at midnight. 

Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will 
feature several of the Doxies and my 
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me 
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account. 

An InLinkz Link-up

I've Moved Out & Creative Space Tag

Before I explain my exodus from the 

house, let me show you my QST progress.

This was taken in my new space with only a flash.

No other photo enhancements were made, 

but I finally have natural daylight. 

I feel like I can see the full spectrum.
 What a difference that makes!

This quilt is going to be large. The new design wall 

is 7' 7" x 8'--the dimension of 2 pieces of foam

core insulation. Each was covered with quilt

batting I found on a roll for $1.79 a yard. I 

attached it with hot glue, and then actually

hot glued it to the wall. It will all peel off 

if I need or want to move it. I think I

could use one more beside it, too.

Let's Dream Big!

I have one large window with light 

in front of my machines.

And another here! 

Both are north facing, and so I have no blinding 

glare, just great afternoon light for photos.

I have a great mess, but my husband promised

to help me move my storage cubes soon. The

room was used as a gaming room when all the

kids were young. I was the mom that wouldn't

allow video games in the house. Period. This

was a way to control it. It later became a 

guest room, and now my learning center/studio.

There are always a few drawbacks. 

No Wifi, and there are stairs. 

Imagine all the trips I made to move,

but I think it was worth it.

Why did I move? 

I moved for natural light, most of all. Also, to 

separate my home life from my work life. It's 

becoming more real when I have to close the 

door to the house, and walk 'to work'. There is 

complete quiet, or I can crank up Rock music

without bothering anyone. I won't apologize for 

being in the way. My house will stay much cleaner 

without me dragging things up and down the stairs 

to photograph. Fewer chances of pins winding up 

in my husband's socks. And thankfully, it feels right.

The Doxie Girls and I are totally convinced.

It's time to Dream in Color.

I've shown you my new space roughly

done, but promise to update you

as it comes together. In the mean

time, I'm tagging my friend, Maryse,

 to show us her space. We both thought

it would be fun to see the places

regular people like us create. Would 

you like to be included in our game of 

Creative Space Tag? 

Leave me a reply below, or drop me 

an email, and be sure to include your own.

Stay tuned to future posts, and I'll link

you over to Maryse Makes Things 

when she's ready.

Come on, Doxie Girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
Val's Quilting Archives
WIP at Freshly Pieced
Sew Fresh Quilts
Quilty Thankful Thursday
My Quilt Infatuation

Weekend Retreat with Amy Butler and Hilde Dunn

Image copyright Amy Butler tm, all rights reserved

Amy Butler Workshops and Seminars

I am at a loss of where to start this post today

so allow me to start at the beginning.

The Pink Doxies blog started on a whim one

day, and carried me along for months. It was

a slow and easy ride. The start of 2015 found 

me navigating some rapids. I loved the speed, 

and the need to think about my direction, but I

had no map or idea what laid ahead. Suddenly

I had good readership, but now I was

responsible for delivering solid content and 

unique projects. People were asking if I 

sold the things I was making. Did I? It became 
a bit overwhelming making choices

that had so many consequences. Did I 

want to paddle my boat in the small pond off 

that river, or would I rather take my chance 

to see where the current might take me?

That may have been an easy choice for you, but

I agonized over this decision for months.

What did I want for ME?

We who live for years putting the 

concerns of our family first rarely ever

have the option of asking what we want

for ourselves. I was definitely out of practice.

A friend called me about a retreat she saw

online with Amy Butler and Hilde Dunn. She

said it sounded wonderful, and by some odd
luck she got in. By the time I checked it out, 
that wasn't the case for me. They were 
definitely full. I got on the email list, and 
resigned myself to thinking about a time next 
fall when there would be another. Oh, well.
I wasn't crushed--just in a funk then. I had
felt like I was supposed to be there.

The afternoon before the retreat I got a 
call saying there was a spot if I could make
it. Someone had missed a flight. I scrambled
to make it all work, and could barely sleep the 
night before. I was out the door the next morning 
driving the 1:15 to get there early. 
I really didn't know what to expect. 


This was a combination retreat. Life coaching 

by Hilde Dunn using the Handel method was 
one part. We met in here for long sessions. 
We listened, we shared, and we journaled. 
This was a soul-seaching journey that each 
person applied individually to her life. We 
passed the tissue box, and felt safe to share.

And then on to improv piecing with Amy.
We gathered here, and sewed together. 
Even those with no previous sewing 
experience pieced together their own
masterpieces. There was no pattern to follow
meaning we couldn't mess it up. It freed us
up to talk, and, Oh, the stories we told!
I believe this was a magical gathering, so
to speak, of people who all felt compelled
to be there for different reasons. We
felt a deep, pulsing energy among us,
and that's what I'll remember most.

We each brought fabric from our lives,
and we combined it together for communal
use. Amy added scraps of her own. The rule 
was to piece using fabrics chosen for
you blindly by a partner, but there were some
fierce and secretive deals made at the 
cutting and ironing table when no one
was looking! Don't tell, but I think 
Amy was doing the same thing!

We met at the Granville Studio of Visual Arts
in Granville, Ohio. It was the ultimate space for
the venue. GSVA is a non-profit center for art 
education, and also offers the Orange Couch
program for kids online. It's SO cool! Check them out.

Over the course of a few days, our blocks
gained dimension. We shared our process, and
Amy shared positive thoughts.

Lunches were catered, and even those of us 
with food sensitivities were accomodated, 
thank you so very much. Dinner with wine 
was provided Saturday evening, and then 
we had a loud session of decoupage. 
Did I say loud?

Things were getting a little crazy, as you can see,
but it was a wonderful, Good kind of crazy.
This is Amy playing in the fabrics again!

I've purposely kept private some of the 
activities we shared like dinner in downtown 
Granville. We were all instant friends, 
Creatives, and inclusive of all.

Also, we visited the Butler's home and studio on 
Friday evening. It was so lovely, and I'm grateful 
Amy shared her home and evening with us. 
There were 4 sweet cats that could sense how 
allergic I was, and wanted dearly to be near me. 
I wiped my eyes in between listening 
to her talk about her design process, and seeing
the rolls of fabric for her new line coming to
stores in the fall. (It's gorgeous!) It was a memorable 
evening for me in spite of the kitties.

So after the decoupage on Saturday night, I
packed up my delicious goody bag, and said my 
farewells. There was still another day left, but 
my cup was already full, and my direction so 
clear. My Dream was written, and I was ready to
take the journey to make it Real. That's what
Dreaming in Color is all about. 

If you ask me if I would do it all over again,
in spite of the fact that I left early,
I would tell you...

in a Heartbeat.

This was a life changing weekend for 
me, and thank you to everyone there 
for just being who you were.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's go sew.

Linking up with~
Freemotion by the River
Sew Cute at Blossom Heart Quilts
Quilt Story
Handmade Tuesdays
TOO Cute Tuesday
She Can Quilt Scraptastic Tuesday
Show and Tell Monday with Bambi
ayliN-Nilya: Monday Makers
Making Monday
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug-a-Bit Quilts