red and cream overload!

Hi everybody! I've missed chatting with you, but I've been super busy SEWING! Yes! My job has been running me ragged, so to offset that, I've been getting out of bed EARLY every day so that I can get my sewing time in. And wow did I do some major catching up! 

I've focused on the Fig Tree red and cream BOM. I've finally caught up... thanks to a lot of focus, aided by Baked Cheetos, homemade Blondies and weepy ballads from the 1970's. Whatever works, right?! I soooo hate being behind all the cool kids with the sew along, and I have a tendency to abandon projects if I wait too long. I found that i actually enjoyed sewing after such a long break. So here is the full block lineup so far. They're all 10", and the final block setting is still a mystery.

First up, Blooms block.

Next, Fly Away Home block.

Serendipity block  

Goosetracks block - of course I had to fussy cut that center square!

Ribbon Star block

Thistle block

Flame Quartet block - ho ho ho!

Shooting Star block

Farmer's Daughter block

Crown & Thorns block

Star Chain block

Puzzle Cross block

I am sooooo happy to be caught up. I actually wanted to start a brand new project yesterday, and I stared mindlessly at my stash. I'm sure that something will come to me soon... let me go have a snack and think about it!

farm girl vintage - vegetables and fruits

Hi everybody! I hope that you had a great weekend! I've been enjoying the (very slightly) cooler temperatures here in Southern Indiana and the (barely) less humid air. I know that fall is supposed to be coming! I see plenty of leaves falling from the trees. But what's strange is that they aren't turning all those pretty colors that I expected to see. They go right from green on the tree to brown and crunchy on the ground. Where's the yellow? Where's the orange and red? I go for a long walk several times each week - I'm able to walk to Target and the grocery store, and there's ALWAYS a stop at DQ for a burger or ice cream, or usually both. Anyway, I love to step on as many leaves as I can while I'm walking. And when I step on a mushy leaf, well, that's just a wasted opportunity!

I had plenty of time to sew this past weekend. I've finished some of those blocks-of-the-months and sew-alongs (but I do have a Maggie quilt finish to show you in early November!) and I just wanted something "quick" to sew RIGHT NOW. I thought it was the perfect time to return to those Farm Girl Vintage blocks by Lori Holt. It's been months since I've worked on them, and I really want to get that sampler quilt done! First up, Garden Carrots and Shelling Peas blocks.

These blocks make me laugh. I use carrots in cooking all the time. But peas, not so much. I absolutely hated peas when I was a kid (why, oh why, did my parents insist that I eat them?!) and I still avoid them. But oddly, I love sugar snap peas and I can eat them freshly washed or tossed into pasta with basil pesto. And lately, I've started to add baby frozen peas into risotto, soup and creamy pastas.

Betcha didn't know you'd be getting a cooking lesson here today, right?!

Next, Summer Peach and Cold Watermelon blocks.

I'm using a mix of mostly Fig Tree along with Brenda Riddle fabrics for my blocks. I think that they complement each other really nicely. There are two really tiny mistakes with the peach block that I've decided I can live with, but you wouldn't even know it unless you compared the block to the pattern. It's a deliciously imperfect peach, just like the peaches that resulted in this summer's yummy cobbler (recipe here) and a disastrously icy ice cream (recipe in trash).

And next, Scrappy Strawberry and Pie Blueberries blocks.

I tried to do an ombre effect with the strawberry, shading the reds into a pink center. I love anything ombre, including the sound of the word :-) And I ate plenty of unripened strawberries this summer - the kind that look great until you bite into them and taste nothing. (I'm using frozen strawberries cooked with a bit of sugar and crème de cassis on tonight's cheesecake.)

Next... a Patchwork Pumpkin block!

This block sure gave me a chance to use scrappy orange prints! Many of these prints are several years old and had never been used. I unfolded those fat quarters and was really surprised to see that most of them were still intact. Now they're just fat quarters with a tiny 1 1/2" bite taken out of them! I added a small 2" heart to the center of the pumpkin just like Lori showed on her blog awhile ago.

So the fruits and vegetables section is now done. The pumpkin, strawberry and blueberries patterns are in the Farm Girl Vintage book. The other patterns are all add-on blocks and are sold separately. I bought just a few patterns at a time but now I have the whole collection. You can find links to the book as well as the individual patterns in the right hand column of Lori's blog here.

I have just 8 more blocks to make! I think I'll sew up some animals next: cats, cow, turkey, maybe a pig, maybe a sheep.

Finally, I'd like to chat briefly about comments on my blog. I love comments. And I love my readers :-)  I often reply to you by responding to your comments right here on my blog. I hope that you are receiving an email from me with my reply. Unfortunately, my blog host (Squarespace) does not provide your email addresses to me. I've complained about this to them several times... after all, isn't part of having a blog the ability to open up a conversation with my readers? I've been tempted to move to Blogspot, but I now have almost three years of blogging history right here. (I do have the addresses of several of my long-time readers, and I'll reply to them directly by email.) I love my blog because I get to say so much more here than on Instagram... although I do love Instagram too, where I am @greydogwoodstudio. So just please know that I appreciate ALL your comments, and I really hope that you receive my replies.  

a finish! fig tree mystery block of the month 2015

I have a finished quilt to share with you today! You might have already seen some of these photos if you follow me on Instagram. But I had even more pictures that I wanted to share with you here, along with some of the details. But first... let's roll the slideshow!

This is the 2015 mystery block-of-the-month sampler from Fig Tree & Co. I sure learned a lot while making it. There were some diamond shapes, tiny pieces, bias edges and even applique. I substituted a few classic Fig Tree pieced blocks in the place of some appliqued blocks, but I tried to keep the same overall feel of Joanna's design. I stalled on the appliqued clamshells until the very end, and then I finally learned the procedure (and I'm so glad that I did!). I even substituted a few fabrics - I like to squeeze in some of my favorite Strawberry Fields prints wherever I can! I used the cherry print from Fig Tree's Farmhouse collection on the back. It was expertly quilted by Diana Johnson in the exact same way that she quilted Joanna Figueroa's quilt, and each block tells it's own story. I've been having lots of fun examining every block!

I've fallen behind on the mystery quilt for 2016, and I might never catch up. That's ok... I give myself approval to work at my own pace. There are four new Fig Tree blocks-of-the-month coming up in 2017. Signups started last week, and a few of them are sold out already. You can check here to see which BOM programs still have openings (I've signed up for the red & cream and Nantucket quilts).

Can I share how I took these photos? I dragged the quilt outside right after the landscaping crew left (don't worry, I hadn't washed the quilt yet), and there had been a rainstorm that morning. So the ground was covered with grass clippings and it was squishy with mud. As I snapped my camera I realized that there were teeny tiny mosquitos ALL OVER ME. You know, the kind that are so silent that you don't even know they're there? Oh yeah. Now the quilt has been washed and is draped on my bed, and I'm COVERED with mosquito bites. All this for the art of the quilt, my friends! 

crossroads quilt along- the final month!

It's the very final month of the Crossroads quilt along! This is the month of the pieced backing. Ok, so before I show you my pictures, let me warn you. My iron DIED just as I was finishing this up. As in, spitting black coffee-colored gunk all over my cream fabric DEAD. So I never say this, but please excuse my wrinkles!

I am in love with this backing! It's a huge, 36" square block, surrounded by simple borders. The original pattern is a scrappy block; it is made with leftover prints from the front of the quilt, plus cream solid background and a cream print border. It looks great just the way it was designed. But sometimes I like to customize patterns just to be different. With the backing, I definitely wanted it to be non-scrappy. So I printed out multiple copies of the pattern and then colored right on top of them with pencils until I found the right color combo. Yep, I'm really hi tech and modern here!

I made a block with pinks, yellows and greens against a printed cream background. But it didn't work at all - there were too many medium tones, and the star just faded away. And then, late one night (because that's when I do my best thinking), I thought why not try a medium background with a dark star? I made myself a color chart so that I wouldn't accidentally cut the wrong prints. (These pieces are big. I didn't want to chop up half yards and then realize that I cut the wrong fabric!)

Have I already mentioned that I love the backing now? I can easily flip the quilt over for a whole new look!

I used the Crossroads backing kit from Fat Quarter Shop (available here) and added in the pink and aqua fabric. Crossroads was a fundraiser for March of Dimes, co-sponsored by Moda Fabrics and Fat Quarter Shop. I'm so happy to see that the quilting community has raised over $12,000. While the monthly projects are finished, you still have the opportunity to make the quilt using either your own fabrics or the kit that I used, available here. A link to some additional details about the quilt along, as well as the monthly patterns and a link to the contribution page at March of Dimes is right over here.

Thanks for being there with me as I made this quilt throughout the year. I can't wait to send it off to Melissa for some custom quilting! A new charitable quilt along will start in January. I'll be sharing more details as we get closer to the kickoff, but you can see a sneak peek here. It'll be fun, and I hope that you'll consider joining us.

(And finally, RIP dear Rowenta iron. You did an amazing job pressing LOTS of seams this past year. Your poor cord was plugged in for 3-5 hours every day and you never complained. But let's face it... you gave up and stopped steaming a few months ago. I hope that you are out of your misery now and enjoying your new life at the bottom of the trash can. I would have bought another iron just like you, but you've been discontinued. A shiny new iron from Reliable is coming to take your place very soon. Pam is already using one and is very happy (so far). I'll be sure to let you know all about her, dear readers.)

Oh wait, I have one more thing to share! Judi Duncan is the winner of the Maggie's First Dance September giveaway. Judi is working on a Dear Daughter quilt. Congratulations, Judi!

crossroads quilt along - the big assembly

I know that I say I love all my quilts, but I really love this one. Extra love for the Crossroads quilt! This month, the blocks were connected with sashing, and I arranged the blocks exactly like the pattern. The pieced border has 122 red half-square-triangles. And I have a little confession. The pattern directs you to make them using triangles-on-a-roll paper. But instead, I used my usual method which is done by placing two slightly oversized squares right sides together, drawing a line from corner to corner and sewing 1/4" away from the line on both sides, cutting in half on the drawn line and pressing them open, and then trimming the pressed HSTs down to exactly the right size. Use whichever method works best for YOU! And finally, I added the five borders.

I loved watching the quilt come to life with each step of the assembly. It looks like the perfect antique that I hoped to find at the antique flea market that we went to yesterday at the local 4-H Center. Sadly, all I found were tattered, abused quilts - I wonder if those quilts were loved very much, or if they were just used for farming needs. Well, now I have my own "instant" antique quilt!

I'm so happy that I participated in the sew along, and I really hope that you've been sewing with us. All of the patterns are still available free of charge here, courtesy of Fig Tree Quilts and Fat Quarter Shop. A minimum donation of $5 to March of Dimes is requested for the use of each pattern, and your donation will go directly to the charity. This month's video tutorial is really helpful (and at least I learned how to use those trianges-on-a-roll!). Next month, we'll assemble the pieced backing - I'm using the kit, and I'm planning to tweak it a just a little :-) and then Crossroads can go off to my quilter!

Also - congratulations to last week's giveaway winner, Tammy Barnhardt! Tammy likes to decorate for Christmas with red and gold, but she's thinking of trying pink and teal. Thanks, everybody, for playing along!

moda modern building blocks quilt FINISHED!

I have a finish to share with you today! The Moda Modern Building Blocks quilt is finished, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. I can hardly believe that I started this in July 2014 - two years ago! The last time it appeared on this blog was February 2015, and at that time, I said that I had only two blocks to go. Wow, how time flies!

The pattern was a bit challenging, for sure. The block patterns instruct you to use triangles (not the stitch-and-flip method), so lots of careful cutting and pinning was needed. Several of the blocks - such as the large 36" block! - have stretchy bias on the outer edges. I loved working with the Fig Tree color palette, with a few prints added for interest. I added a narrow Fig Tree toile outer border in a taupe color.  There were three reasons why I did this. First, I wanted to contain all those seams that would have been on the outer edge. Second, adding an outer border ensured that no star points would be accidentally hidden within the binding. And finally, the borders created a quilt that was the perfect size for a queen bed (it finished, with borders, at 90" x 102" before washing). It was quilted in a Baptist fan pattern by Kaylene Parry of Lehi, UT, and I love how her quilting helps to bring a classic element to a modern quilt. 

But I don't have the quilt anymore - it's been gifted! When I was first started working on the quilt, my friend Carole saw it on the blog and mentioned that she'd be happy to have it. I thought how perfect, now I know what to give her for Christmas! So this past Thanksgiving, I took the still-unfinished quilt top to Ohio so that she and her husband Russ could have a preview. Then I stuffed it into a bag and brought it home :-) I added the border and shipped it off to Kaylene for quilting. And then it sat in my studio for another three months until I stitched the binding (Surely I am not the only lazy quilter when it comes time to do the binding?!) Carole and Russ came to visit us in Indiana last weekend, and I was so happy to be able to present them with a finished quilt... at last.

Specifics: my fabric mix was part of a monthly block-of-the-month program from Fig Tree Quilts. It is made of Moda Bella solids and some Fig Tree Somerset prints. The pattern was written with a different color grouping. You can see more detail about the blocks and fabric yardage requirement on this Moda pdf that I found online. I also searched and found that a copy of the pattern is still available here.

Giveaway: don't forget that you still have a few more days to enter the giveaway on my last blog post! I know that I had a problem earlier this week and my blog wasn't accepting comments. Sorry about that! It's been corrected, so go ahead and enter... just make sure that I can reach you by email if you're the lucky winner!

crossroads quilt along - intersection block

Hi y'all! Just a short, quick, sweet post today to let you know that it's time for the Crossroads quilt along again! This month we're making the Intersection block. In the tutorial video, Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts and Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop discuss the intersections in their lives. But we're at another type of intersection, too - we've now finished the vintage-inspired blocks, and next month we will start the chain blocks that will pull everything together. Are you sewing along with us? You can still catch up! Check out this blog post for all the details on how to download the pattern (it's free, but a donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes).

popsicles!

Summer = an excess of frozen treats in my house. So a few weeks ago I started to work on this new pattern from Fig Tree Quilts called Popsicles. I like to think of it as a palette cleanser between the larger, ongoing quilt projects. Kinda like a lemon sorbet after the steak, know what I mean?!

I'm working with this luscious stack of Moda Bella Solids in sherbet colors, curated by Fig Tree. I ordered it here, along with a copy of the runner pattern. I think they'd be really cute in prints, too.

But... I don't have much use for a runner on our round farmhouse table. So I decided to keep making more popsicles for a larger quilt. (The runner needs just 11 blocks, but I've made 20 so far.) And now Joanna has designed a larger quilt just brimming with popsicles! I preordered my copy this morning, and I'll keep sewing blocks. The larger quilt pattern is available here. I might need to make that melon slice quilt on the cover, too!

I was thinking about my own personal history with popsicles. I remember going to the corner store with my parents in Florida, just to get an evening popsicle. But the wooden sticks give me tongue shivers! I loved Fudgsicles back then, and mom occasionally made popsicles with a Tupperware mold. Then came the Dove bar craze. My love of popsicles came to a crashing end in the late 1980's when I worked for a small company that couldn't afford to make the weekly payroll, so they'd pay us with... FrozeFruit. Seriously! I vividly remember the company owner cackling that "we can't pay you this week, but have a FrozeFruit." And to this day I refuse to eat FrozeFruit! But I still like those Haagen-Dazs dark chocolate ice cream bars! And I just bought a new ice cream maker last week.

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE AURIFIL THREAD GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment on my last blog post (not this one) for a chance to win! (ps - I'm using Aurifil thread, color 2000 on the popsicles)

crossroads quilt along - month 4 - and a giveway winner!

It's month 4 of the Crossroads quilt along. This month's "Family" block represents the bonds that quilters have with our families. It's also traditionally called the Mother's Choice block, and you might also notice that it is similar to the Weathervane block. But whatever we call it, it's a cute block!

They're cleverly disguised, but there are 32 flying geese in these blocks. Maybe they represent the family of flying Canada geese around my home?! (It's definitely easier to WATCH live geese than to SEW flying geese!)

Watch the video tutorial with Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts and Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter shop here, and download the block pattern here. A donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes for the use of the pattern. I'm using the kit with Fig Tree's Strawberry Fields Revisted fabrics. It's available here.

I took this past week as a vacation "sewcation" and it was very productive. I spent the week sewing something that I'll show you in a few months - my fingers, arm and neck hurt from all that rotary cutting and pressing. I was also able to FINALLY finish planting the flowerboxes, hanging baskets and flowerpots on our balcony. The geranium and lavender plants are covered with flowers and the herbs need to be harvested (who knew that sage grows as quickly as a weed?!) The strawberry plants are already bearing fruit, and they're yummy. (Never mind that the berries are the size of my fingernail... they still taste much better than the local Amish market's "first strawberries of the season" that I should have never baked into a tasteless strawberry pie.)

And I'm sorry that I forgot to announce a winner for the Maggie's First Dance quilt along pattern giveaway. Congratulations to Liz Horgan! And I hope that you'll join me for the upcoming sew along hosted by Jacquelynne Steves. You'll find all the details on my blog right here.

Happy sewing!

farm girl vintage again!

Happy Monday! I hope that you all had a great weekend! I finally had a chance to pull a favorite book off the shelf, dust it off, and start sewing. It's Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt.

So let me tell you about my experience with this book. I was so excited about it LAST MAY. I picked out my fabrics...

They're a blend of Ambleside by Brenda Riddle and Aloha Girl by Fig Tree. I happily sewed the first 19 blocks...

And then you can probably guess what happened. I found out that we'd be relocating to Indiana, and my focus became all about finding a place to live, buying some new furnishings and then the fun drive here from NYC with the cats in the car (anyone with a cat knows that I'm kidding about that!) I brought my sewing machine with us in the car because I was afraid that something bad might happen to it in the moving truck! But I didn't bring any fabric or projects to work on. So of course, by the time our stuff was delivered and my sewing space was set up, well, I had completely lost interest in the Farm Girl Vintage quilt.

But then something happened. I saw everybody posting their finished quilts on Instagram and I thought WAIT, I NEED TO FINISH MINE! So a few days ago, I pulled out all my blocks and started to sew. First, I made Grandma's Quilt block, and then the Kettle's On block.

I kept going and made the Haystack and Kitchen Window blocks. Would you believe that I spent two hours choosing these fabrics? The blocks took just minutes to sew.

The partial block lineup! I love how they look together so far.

But I could see that I was running into an obstacle. There are several blocks that almost need an orangey fabric. Yes, I could substitute... but you need orange prints to make a pumpkin! And I really, really wanted to make the Homemade Pie block. Of course, pie crust isn't grey or pink. So I asked my Instagram friends about if I should add orange prints. The comments came in quickly, and it was unanimous - everybody told me to not be afraid of orange. I'm now adding the more pale Fig Tree oranges - the butterscotches and softer pumpkins. (I'm adding a few prints from other Brenda Riddle and Fig Tree collections, too.) So here is Homemade Pie! And I needed the Pie Cherries block, too.

I actually finished the Homemade Pie block on Saturday at 1am (yes, 1am) and the fork tines looked bent. Ugh. That would never do. So after a few hours of sleep, I unsewed the block and fixed it. It quickly became my very favorite block.

l'm going to keep sewing blocks from the book, and I'll add in some of the extra bonus blocks like the hand mixer and the pig.  I even bought embroidery floss today for the electric cord on the mixer and the tail on the pig. I'm serious about finishing this quilt!

The Farm Girl Vintage book is available from many retailers, but I got mine here, and the pie block pattern here. There are also several other companion blocks, such as the mixer, a cow, a barn cat, a honey bee and more. You can find all of them here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today... see you soon... probably with more Farm Girl Vintage blocks!

crossroads quilt along - month 3!

It's Crossroads quilt along time again! We're up to the third month, and making the "Friendship" block. I really like the circular, almost ring-like design. And it's loaded with flying geese!

We now have 12 blocks made. Yay! But so far there's only one pink block. I need more pink! And when the quilt along is finished later this year, we'll have this beautiful quilt:

Crossroads is the annual charitable quilt along sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and Moda Fabrics. The monthly patterns are free, and a donation of $5 (or more) is requested for March of Dimes. It makes me happy to know that we are sewing for a great cause. You'll find the block pattern here, a new video tutorial with Joanna Figueroa and Kimberly Jolly here. Also check out the special Jolly Jabber Crossroads quilt along blog here for lots of great information about the prior month blocks.  You can use your own fabrics, or make blocks just like mine with this kit featuring the Strawberry Fields Revisited collection by Fig Tree Quilts.

(And I just returned from my week of meetings in Scottsdale. Now I am officially ready to SEW again!)

finding time for a mystery

Hello quilters! I've missed chatting with you! The past month has been full of real-life work activity, and that's involved preparation for client presentations, an action-packed trip to New York and an upcoming trip to Phoenix and Scottsdale. I'D RATHER BE QUILTING! In between all this craziness, I've managed to squeeze in a few minutes to sew this month's blocks for the Fig Tree Mystery Sampler BOM.

I love those Homestead house blocks. Remember how I made the large Homestead quilt a few years ago? It was just quilted by Melissa and I'm working on the binding. So of course I was more than happy to make more Homestead houses!

And these "x" plus blocks - I couldn't have guessed that I'd love this black cabbage rose print so much. (Really, I should have known. I don't think I've ever "met" a cabbage rose print that I didn't love!) I might need to buy some yardage of this print before it's gone forever (It's from the Farmhouse collection by Fig Tree.)

Ok, about these 4" basket blocks. They're cute, and they're small. I think that the aqua basket with the busy background looks a little blurry, but it's done and it's a keeper!

And now about that trip to NYC last week! Here's the view from my hotel window. That's the LIpstick Building on the right. It's an oval shaped skyscraper, and it's and rosy colored... like a lipstick. The building in the center is my employer's headquarters. Staying in a hotel in the city that was my home for 30 years was just surreal.

This was my first return trip since September. I dropped my luggage at the hotel and immediately hopped on the subway to go downtown for lunch and some quick shopping. What made it feel weird was that I acted like a New Yorker, but it was no longer my home. It was fun to run around to my favorite places, and I'm glad that I was able to do that. I even ate dinner at my favorite burger place near my old apartment. (And I walked by my old apartment building. What a dump. LOL) My big purchases? A used, out-of-print cookbook and a bunch of imported pasta from Eataly!  I was happy when my seven meetings had ended and I could get on a plane and leave. I guess home really is where you make it - or, home is where you cook your pasta!

And now I need to pack that suitcase again. The cats will not be happy.  But I'll be back on Friday with the latest Crossroads quilt along block!

crossroads quilt along month 2

Welcome back for the second month of the Crossroads Quilt Along! I am sewing along with Fig Tree Quilts and Fat Quarter Shop to create a great vintage-inspired quilt, and to raise funds for March of Dimes! And this month, we're making Diamond blocks.

Even though I've been quilting for many years, I still like learning new techniques. For example, the square-in-a-square elements of this block (the taupe print with the strawberries, set on point). I've always pressed my seams out, toward the solid. Then I've always watched helplessly as my feed dogs gobble the unit up when sewing it to an adjoining unit. (I do hope that this makes sense!) But this pattern tells you to press your seams open and guess what - no feed dog gobbling!  And while I don't use taupe or brown prints often, I think that they'll provide some interesting contrast in the finished quilt.

And now for the obligatory let's-put-all-my-blocks-together-for-a-group-photo shot. Or maybe this is just an excuse to trot out those cute pink and aqua houses again!

Now for all the specifics. The pattern is free, but a donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes. You can download the pattern and see which other bloggers are sewing along with me by clicking here. Please consider making a donation by clicking here. Use your own fabulous collection of fabric, or purchase the kit that I am using here. And don't miss the block tutorial video here.  In the video, Joanna Figueroa and Kimberly Jolly discuss what diamonds mean to them (it's all about family). And are you one of those Strawberry Fields fabric junkies like me? There's also a video where Joanna talks about the similarities and differences between the new Strawberry Fields Revisited and the original Strawberry Fields collections. You can watch that video here.

Be sure to show us your blocks! When you post them on social media, be sure to tag them #crossroadsquiltalong. Thanks so much for stopping by, and have fun making your own diamond blocks!

mystery sampler 2016

Hello! I hope that you all had a great weekend. I cannot believe the beautiful weather here in Southern Indiana. After a week of rain, all the magnolia trees are in bloom and daffodils are popping up everywhere. All my little birdfeeder friends are starting to find other sources of food, but I know that the hummingbirds are flying back from Mexico and will be here soon. (Hopefully they'll bring some enchiladas for me, because I'm not happy with our local Mexican restaurants. But that's a whole other story. Let's now return to quilting...)

I have a little confession.

I'm a block-of-the-month addict.

I just can't help myself! I'm currently working on FIVE of them: Fig Tree Wool, Fig Tree Yuletide Christmas (from last year!), Fig Tree Crossroads (new blocks are coming this Tuesday), Lakehouse Two by Two (help, I'm falling behind), and now, Fig Tree Mystery Sampler 2016.

I might need an intervention soon. Somebody please stop me from signing up for any more BOMs.

These pics are all from the Fig Tree Mystery BOM. Isn't that star cool? It's from a pattern called Sweet Sugar Swirls. No templates or Y seams, just some creative cutting with the angle lines on your ruler. I'd really like to make a whole quilt full of them, but you know... I've got other blocks that need to be sewn! The individual Sweet Sugar Swirls pattern is available here.

February's fabric/pattern pack had instructions for a lower case "a" but I quickly realized that if I reversed the pattern I'd have a lower case "g" block! I flipped the pattern over, placed it on my lightbox and traced it from the back. It could also easily become other letters, too.

Last year's Mystery Sampler BOM was one of my all time favorite quilt tops. I loved making it, loved the completed top, and I'm sure that I'll love the finished quilt when it comes back from being quilted by Diana. So, lots of love for that quilt. And that's why I didn't hesitate to sign up for this year's Mystery Sampler!

But here's what isn't a mystery: the new block for the Fig Tree Crossroads sew along is coming on Tuesday. The blocks use Strawberry Fields Revisited fabric, and we're all sewing along to raise funds for March of Dimes. You can join us! Click this link for details. I'll be back in just a few days with those blocks.

Have a great week!

classic yuletide block of the month, or, the tale of the big, scary star block

Block 1 Puzzle Star

Block 2 Carolina Lily Variation

Did I ever tell you about the Fig Tree Classic Yuletide block of the month? I think I totally forgot about it! So, this started in April 2015. I loved sewing the first two blocks - Puzzle Star and Carolina Lily Variation. And then May's block patterns arrive in the mail, and they included a big, scary Feathered Star. I choked. I despaired. I stuck the fabric into a box. (That always makes a problem go away, right?!) Then, the monthly packages piled up and I felt guilty. I'm a little weird in that I like to sew my blocks in the right order, and that meant that I wasn't going to do any of the other blocks until I got over my fear of the big, scary Feathered Star. I KNEW that I needed to just get it done when I saw Sherri's finished quilt. So beautiful! And now, here's the star block!

Block 3 Feathered Star

It wasn't so scary after all! Yes, it took me 4 days to make, and no, I don't ever want to make this block again. I think I finished it at maybe midnight a few days ago and was too tired to even feel happy. But I'm happy now. Knocking off the next several blocks was all downhill after the star!

Block 4 Flying Geese Criss Cross

Block 5 Goose In The Pond

What makes this fun is that there's actually an assortment fabrics from different Moda designers. There are two Minick & Simpson red prints and two Bunny Hill cream prints in the Nine Patchwork block. They all play together very nicely. (I'm not sure what that green confetti print is. I think it could be Sweetwater.)

Block 6 Nine Patchwork

Now the first three month's blocks are done. I'd love to just work on this, but of course, there are other distractions - such as the FOUR other blocks-of-the-month that I'm working on! My goal is to do two blocks each month from now until October and then I can assemble the quilt.

Don't be like me. Don't hide your big, scary stars in a box. We learn to be better quilters when we practice. I gotta remind myself about that! Have a star-filled day!

crossroads quilt along, AND the name game!

Hi everybody! The Crossroads quilt along officially kicks off today and I am SO EXCITED! You know how much I love Fig Tree fabrics and quilt patterns, so do I really need to say more?!

These four house blocks make me happy in so many ways. House blocks are one of my all-time favorites (like my pink house logo!), and there they are in the sherbet-y goodness of Strawberry Fields Revisted fabric! I'm sewing with the kit, and for once, I am resisting the urge to make fabric changes. But you never know what the future might bring!

Crossroads is a 10 month quilt along designed by Fig Tree Quilts and Fat Quarter Shop. We'll be making blocks for six months and then we'll put it all together in August and September.

One of my favorite parts of the pattern is that after each step, the pattern tells you what the size of that sewn unit should be. It's a great way to make sure that your sizing is accurate throughout the construction of the block. I always take a measurement of my unit and make corrections if needed. And guess what? There are NO templates in the roof unit!

And of course, while I was sewing these blocks, my local radio station was in the midst of a Big 80's weekend, and John Mellencamp's "Little Pink Houses" came on! (Now if only the lyrics were "little pink strawberry houses for you and me.")

And part of my love of house blocks comes from my very BIG interest in becoming a first time homeowner. I've lived in 18 different locations (there might be more, but I've lost count) and I've never actually owned a house. Maybe home #1 can be aqua and covered with big roses?

The pattern download is free each month, but a minimal donation of $5 is requested for March of Dimes. Together, we'll raise funds to help prevent premature births. You'll find LOTS of additional information about Crossroads here - you'll see fabric requirements, a calendar of the blocks that we'll be making, and a list of the participating bloggers. And be sure to watch this new video with Joanna and Kimberly, where they discuss what "home" means, as well as a house block tutorial. 

But wait, there's more!

Have you ever wondered where my name - Grey Dogwood Studio - came from? I'm playing The Name Game today on Cindy Wiens' blog,  Live A Colorful Life. Learn all about how I came up with my moniker (it's more complicated than you might think!) and check out all of Cindy's other fun posts. Just click here to learn more!

three figs

Hi everybody! I may have been quiet lately, but I have been sewing, appliqueing, binding and designing. I've got lots to show you, but I need to start somewhere, so how about with a trio of new Fig Tree projects?

First is the upcoming Fig Tree Crossroads quilt along. I hope that you're excited about it! The kit arrived from Fat Quarter Shop and the fabrics are beeeautiful (never mind that I haven't even untied the fabric bundle LOL).This is going to be so much fun. As usual, the quilt along will benefit a charity, and this year we'll be raising funds for March of Dimes. The quilt was designed by Joanna Figueroa exclusively for Fat Quarter Shop. You can choose to sew with your own fabric collection or purchase the kit. There is LOTS more information about the sew along here, along with the fabric requirements. The first block pattern is the house (yay!) and it will be posted on February 15. I can't wait to get started! And I hope that you'll sew along with us.

Isn't this the most beautiful wool bundle ever?! Fig Tree has partnered with Weeks Dye Works to create this Retro Farmhouse wool bundle. There's also a new Aurifloss collection that matches. When people describe fabric as "yummy" I always think, no, you cannot eat fabric. But... isn't this wool... yummy?! It's part of a 12 month wool BOM that just started. I've heard that the program is full, but wool bundles (and wool mini quilt patterns) are available here. 

And finally today is the new Fig Tree Strawberry Fields Revisited Frivol. So what's a Frivol? It's a collectible tin decorated with polka dots and strawberries. It comes stuffed with lots of goodies - 42 7" squares tied with Moda's signature tape measure ribbon, a pattern for a churn dash quilt, an individual block pattern, and a surprise. The surprise is two strawberry quilt labels. I bought the tin just to get those labels! (And of course I love the fabric, too.) Oh how I wish that Moda would print bolts of assorted labels! There are many more pictures of the Frivol items on Fig Tree's blog here. I ordered mine directly from Fig Tree but it appears to have sold out. You might find it in your local quilt shop, or you can order one here.

You might think I'm crazy, but there's ANOTHER Fig Tree BOM that should be shipping soon. Yikes, I am going to be busy. And remember last year's Fig Tree vintage mystery BOM? It's being quilted right now, and I cannot wait to see it.

And now I must get busy sewing! 

quiltmaker's 100 blocks volume 12 - my block! plus giveaway!

Y'all know that I love to sew. I could sew 12 hours a day if I really had the time. And I love fabric too. In my head, I'm always designing a fantasy fabric collection. That's a dream. But I never thought of myself as a pattern designer.

And then came an email from Pam Kitty Morning. Why don't I design a block and submit it to Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12?

What?! Me design a block? I didn't even know if it was possible. And yet, it was an intriguing idea. I procrastinated for months. Then it was nearly deadline time. In a flurry of activity, I sketched out a block, stitched it up and mailed it to Quiltmaker with my application. I waited (im)patiently for months. Would they like it? Was it good enough?

And there it is in print! I am SO EXCITED to present my block, #1183 East Side Rose!

It's actually a really simple block to construct, with LOTS of stitch-and-flip corners. Let me tell you about my inspiration.

East Side Rose was inspired by my great love of classic rose gardens. There have been many, many visits to the Cranford Rose Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden over the past several years. Roses have amazing velvety petals, and intense (or sometimes non-existent) scent. The gigantic bees love them. And their names are quirky, like the pink Linda McCartney rose shown above. Would you believe that there's a Betty Boop rose? How about a Betty White rose? Bob Hope? And then there are the diminutive climbing roses from the mid 1800's. Always such a variety.

I sketched out my rose on graph paper while in a hotel room, and then colored it while on a plane. Oddly, nobody thinks it's strange when I start coloring from my tiny seat in row 34. (There is not enough space on those tray tables for a drink AND colored pencils, so I sit with art supplies in my lap and hope I don't drop anything.)

My original block was sewn using Pam Kitty Garden fabric which perfectly replicated the roses of the garden - bright, happy, clear colors. But once I learned that my block was being published, I realized that I had used up those prints! So I started to think of the softer shades of roses - the ivories, pinkish apricots and faded reds - and they were all there, in my stash of assorted Fig Tree fabrics.

How about a more intense, all red rose?

While East Side Rose is fairly easy to construct (each petal is constructed almost identically, but there are 32 petals), it will take some time to put it together because of all the pieces. The instructions in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12 are very simple to follow. I thought it might be helpful to show how I pressed my seams.

I pressed the seams between each petal OPEN. Then after joining each row of petals to the center, I pressed the whole seam to the outside of the block. This will give you a nice flat block.

The inspiration for the block name? When I submitted the block in February, I lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Hence the "East Side." But since then I have relocated to the Midwest. I'm now living on the North side of a town in Southwestern Indiana. Got that?! LOL

Thanks to the editors for choosing my block. I'm humbled and proud to be in the magazine. And many thanks to Pam Kitty Morning for believing that I could really do this. (Pam is in the issue, too... she's been in all of them! And her Hollyhocks block would look perfect paired with mine.) The issue is on newsstands and quilt shops this week. Or you can order a print or digital copy here.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

The editors of Quiltmaker Magazine have graciously provided a copy of the magazine as a giveaway prize. Just leave me a comment letting me know your favorite flower by Friday, November 20 midnight Central (hey, your favorite flower might inspire my next block design!) and I will pick a winner on Saturday, November 21. Be sure that I can reach you, as I'll need the winner's name and address by Monday.

And for even more GIVEAWAYS - visit Quiltmaker Magazine's Quilty Pleasures blog to see what they have for you, as well as links to the other designers on the blog tour.