A Change in Plans

Life brings many changes.
It's been...ages since I posted here. Life happened. Quilting came to a halt. Currently my sewing machine sits in a dark corner, staring at me. The last time I used it was to teach the girls how to make PJ bottoms. My oldest now has custody of the quilt room, it's her bedroom. Sewing has been put aside for now.
BUT...I still have a creative outlet. Writing.

My newest release Missing Children.

I'm sharing it with you, because it surrounds a quilting group. Here's the blurb:

What do you do with fabric scraps? You make a quilt. Memories are the scraps of life. Louise's memories are missing because of Alzheimer's. After being moved to a nursing home, her family donates Louise's fabric to her old quilting bee.

Hannah and the ladies of the quilting bee are happy to have the fabric but have mixed feelings over the nursing home. Before they can make quilts in honor of Louise they must sort through the tension and mixed emotions. Hannah must also deal with past regrets and memories of her grandmother who died with Alzheimer's.

Can Hannah forgive herself for past mistakes? Can the close knit group put feelings aside long enough to make a memory quilt for Louise?
Experience the laughter and tears as Hannah and her friends deal with the tragedy of Alzheimer's and the healing art of quilting.


Missing Children is available from Amazon for $0.99. 
I hope to get a little sewing accomplished this summer, even if it is just teaching the young ones how to make sleepwear.  If you enjoy reading and like the book or if you are just curious, my writer's blog is located here.  
Happy Quilting,
Caren 

Too Hot....

The heat here has made it too difficult to quilt.  I have been spending too much time on pinterest, but that has allowed me to find great patterns I want to try.  My latest obsessions are mermaids and super hero's.  Actually, they are not that different!

Pinterest led me to Quiet Play's shop at Craftsy.  She has great paper pieced patterns, many of which are free.

Today, I braved the heat and made this:

 

I hope all of you know who this is with out me telling you...

 

Wonder Woman!

 

I have plans to use her other patterns and add a few of my own.  Now that I said that It

will never happen!

 

 

Happy Quilting!

Caren

Modern Sampler Block 1

I've been gone way too long.  Working full time has really put a cramp in my quilting.  I have lots to tell but first I want to show what I made today.

A few weeks ago I was rearranging the clump of blankets on my bed ( I won't lie and say I was making the bed) and realized that my main quilt doesn't cover the entire king size bed.  I made it when Sweetie Pie and I married and it's a tad short on the sides.  So I decide I want a new bed quilt, last one made 8 years ago or more :) 

I sat down and decided to make a Modernish sampler quilt with blocks of different sizes.  I sat down drew up a few details and tried to make size requirements for blocks.  Then decided that was too much work and I would just wing it!  Well, I guess we know how this may end.

I had 2 charm packs of 5 in. squares of Quilt Blocks,  3 yards of white, and assorted yards of solids and prints.

Today I made my first block:  Box  it's a traditional block.  Don't know how it got it's name.

BOX, finishes 12 inches

4 -5 inch grey print charm squares
4- 5 inch yellow solid squares
1- 4 inch yellow solid square

Take 1 grey squarer RS up and 1 yellow square RS down.  Draw a line from point to point and sew 1/4 inch from both sides of the line.  Make 4 of these.  Cut on the line to make 8 half square triangle patches.

Now, Line the squares up and trim them down to 4 inches square.

I match the center seam with the diagonal line running across the cutting mat.
This, is how the patches should look:

Sew patches and rows together using a 1/4 inch seam.  Hopefully, your corners will match better than mine!  I have one little corner that's a little off.  But I'm happy.  Now I have to iron the seams into submission!

Happy Quilting
Caren