SAHRR2026

The first-row clue has come for the 2026 SAHRR. It is the hourglass or quarter square triangle block. Along with the clue was a link to Jennie Doane’s method of making this block without using triangles. It starts with two four patches and with a little sewing and cutting, the block is made with no waste and no triangles. There was a little bit of trimming at the end, but the hourglasses blocks were super easy. This is my new way of making hourglass blocks.

The center and the first row were laid on the center of a batting and backing and quilted. When the row 3 clue comes this week, it will be added and quilted.

SAHRR2025

This was never finished last year and has been in the ufo bin since then. I don’t usually piece with solid fabrics. Somehow, I seem to accumulate them. Who knows where they come from. As I look at it this year, I like it better. It wasn’t number one on the ufo list but has made its way there.

The center and two rows were finished. It, also, has been placed in the center of batting and backing and quilted. The basket was hand quilted, so I machine quilted in the ditch to reserve that look. Row three is a star. Row four is a split block. The blocks are finished. I’m combining the two rows. The stars will be in the four corners, and the split blocks will be on the side.

The row is six inches wide. The last two rows are a partial log cabin and a kite block. I think that I will combine them also in a row with the kites in the corner and the log cabins on the side. Then, I will decide if it needs a border.

A New Quilt

In a Guild Yankee swap at Christmas, I received a stack of red and blue fat quarters. I knew if I put them in the drawer, they would stay there and not be used. A friend had been talking about the Easy Peasy mystery quilt that I designed. She has made several. I decided to use the fat quarters and make this quilt. In two afternoons, the top was complete. I quilted the colored blocks in a wavy design. The white portion of the quilt was McTavished.

The quilt starts with 20 nine patches. It’s quick and easy and can be made in sizes from a mini to a queen size, depending on the size of the pieces in the nine patch. It’s great for scraps or can be color controlled.

Temperature Quilt

The Temperature quilt is up to date. There have been two below 0 fabrics used so far in January. Also, lots of fabrics between 0 and 32. The fabric colors are unusual when placed together.

The Maine Guild challenge

One of my three registered ufo quilts is at the long arm quilter. I have tried working on the Cynthia England paper pieced wall hanging and know why it was in the ufo bin. The pieces are very small. I think that I know how to make it easier but will put it aside for a while and think about it. While looking for something, I found the master design that I used when I made the Applique quilt. It’s perfect to design the quilting. I have until September to finish these three quilts but I want them finished before then.

Have a great day and happy quilting.

Working on UFOs is a slow process. One is finished.

Several more are in process. It’s a step in the right direction. The Temperature quilt is up to date. When I chose the fabrics, I had no idea the colors would go together this way. This will be a very interesting quilt.

The colors will change as the temperature gets warmer in the spring and summer. and then go back to these colors next winter.

The SAHRR2026 has started. The center block is a block of our choice. I found a package of fat quarters in my stash. There are enough light, medium and dark fabrics to make a quilt.

I made four cat’s cradle blocks and sewed them together. The Creative Grid Cat’s Cradle ruler makes two at a time. It doesn’t take long to make perfect Cat’s Cradles. Then I put sashing around the block. I don’t know if I’ll have this block in a straight setting or on a diagonal. The next set of instructions will come on Wednesday. I’ll make up my mind at that time.

I’ve had a “what if” moment. Would this be another ufo, waiting to be quilted when I finished it? The SAHRR 2025 is in the ufo list. What if I quilted each row as I made it. I could have the backing and batting ready and quilt the center block in the middle. Then I could add each row as I made it and quilt it. When all rows are finished, it would just need a binding. After Wednesday, when I decide which way to set the center block, I can make a rough diagram to figure out the size that I need. The backing and batting would be cut larger to accommodate a change when I receive a new instruction.

The Log cabin quilt is coming along slowly. All of the blocks are quilted with built on embroidery stitches. Most have had feather stitching around the edges of the blocks. All the feather stitching should be done this week and then I can free motion quilt the sashing. I’ve wound many bobbins for this quilt.

The quilt is a mixture of a log cabin and mile a minute. The logs are not straight. The sashing is a cream color, the same as the thread. The quilting on the sashing will be texture only, leaving the blocks to be the star.

Some of the ufos need a lot of work. Some, just a little. This will be the year to finish most of them. I may change the order of finishing them and do the quick ones first.

Have a great day and happy quilting.

Happy New Year. Welcome to 2026

Now that it’s a new year, I decided to find all the ufos and list them. It took a little while yesterday, but the listing is finished. I have over 30 ufos on the list. I found them in closets, drawers, and bins. Some are ready to quilt. Some of the bins just have fabric and a pattern. That’s not a real ufo. It’s a thought in progress. Some are partially made and need to be finished. All the quilts have been given an order number. That decision is made but it can be changed.

I counted the Magnificent Mystery, Dear Jane, and this year’s SAHRR which hasn’t started yet. Last year’s SAHRR is in the count. I didn’t finish it because I didn’t like the colors, but, for some reason, they look better this year. I did keep the instructions. If I add a darker value, it might work. Quilting always helps, too. The three registered for finish by September are in the count. One is at the long arm quilter. I’m slowly working on the Cynthia England paper pieced wall hanging. I have to decide how I want to quilt the third piece. It’s ready to quilt.

Today has been a good day in the sewing room. I was able to go in after lunch, The instructions for this month’s Magnificent Mystery have come. This month was easy. There were a few flying geese. They are finished. This is the last set of instructions for making blocks. Next month will be the instructions for putting the blocks together.

A friend came to lunch and wanted to see some of my quilts. In the batch that I showed her was the Temperature Quilt from 2018. That was fun to make.

It’s the first of the year and a perfect time to make another one for 2026. I chose 21 different fabrics and put them in 21 labeled bags. The bags were marked in 5-degree increments.

The quilt is made with flying geese. The goose is the highest temperature of the day, and the sky is the coolest temperature. The fabric is pulled from the baggie that is marked in the temperature range for the day. There are 12 vertical rows, one for each month. This is January 1 and January 2.

The geese are made with the Kimberly Einmo flying geese ruler. It’s great for making one goose at a time. Sewing two seams to attach the bird and sky pieces and another one to add it to the row makes this quilt quick and easy even though it takes a whole year. to finish. There’s enough fabric left over to make the middle border.

Two quilts came back from the long arm quilter. I made the binding for this one, so it was ready to sew on today. This ufo is almost finished.

I was making a sandwich a while back. The tomato was soggy so I put a slice in some dirt.

This is what I got. When they’re bigger, I’ll transplant them into their own pots. It’s a headstart on Spring.

The ufo list is made, but that doesn’t mean that I’ll finish all of them. There must be a reason why they’re ufos. But I’ll deal with each one when their number comes up. My mile a minute basket is empty. It might be the home to some of them.

Have a great day and happy quilting.