spring sewing: a six-pack of finishes

A dog, a homespun quilt and a big red chicken... somehow seems appropriate.

Its been a prolific spring for sewing. I've bounced between my consulting jobs, quilt guild lectures, writing my second book, and sewing and quilting. Lots of sewing and quilting!

Still working on this one. Pieced using scrap prints from my collection.

I'm a brutal multi-tasker and I self impose deadlines. All of these things pictured in this post were things I convinced myself HAD to be done. So I just got after it and went to work. 

Fabric buckets.

 Here's my six-pack (+ some) of finishes from the last six weeks.

• 3 large, custom-quilted professional tote bags. Both of the bags shown here have been delivered to the retail shop and already sold - practically the same day they were delivered! Cool! (The 3rd is a gift, so its a secret for now.)
• 1 finished quilt using homespun scraps from my collection.
• Pieced and basted 1 quilt using scrap prints from my collection.
• Made 2 small fabric buckets to put stuff in. 
• I also rescued one antique quilt and disassembled it. More on that in a later post.
• Cleaned my closet. Boring, I know, but so needed. (Thank you to my quilt buddy Amy G. for the motivation to get this done!)
• And started an improv art quilt. 

The 2 scrap quilts are part of my ongoing effort to use up my stash! I have too much fabric. And I want to use it up to make quilts to give to other people. Here are 2 homespun quilts I made and gave away last year.

Also took a day off and went to the famous antique festival in Round Top, Texas. Came home with this fabulous red, vintage clock for my studio. Totally matches the red shelf vibe!

The latest art quilt is still hanging on the design wall... waiting for me. The art quilt side of the brain was temporarily set aside. I think I needed the break. Sometimes its good just to be productive and to sew... while I reserved my brain for the harder task of writing my book. Sewing things like the stuff in this post are actually a way of relaxing, believe it or not. I can think about my writing and the direction of my book while I'm pinning, stitching, cutting and designing simple quilts and tote bags.

Now I feel that I can check these things off the list and get back to making something less utilitarian and something more artsy. Kind of like a mental vacation, and now I'm back.