Summer

I have been a bit miserable lately. I struggle to stay positive a lot of the time, as most readers probably know, but sometimes I do lose patience with myself. I feel so acutely that I am wasting precious time with all the sadness and that I need to be doing something (almost anything) to shake off the flumpiness.

I am still fighting my dermatillomania (skin picking disorder). I do desperately want to be a whole lot better as soon as possible. Currently I am able to be pick free about one day out of three, which is definite progress, but I wish I was doing better. I want to post a photo for the Fat Quarterly Retreat intro link-up thingy but I'm too shy about my skin. At the moment my main focus is on getting my skin to look as good as it can for my trip. (Last time I went away I didn't pick at all for an entire weekend, so I am feeling fairly confident I'll be able to take good care of myself in London.) Also, I have new sandals (the kind I can't wear socks with) and I'd really like to wear them.

I sewed some happy blocks! Inspired by the Liberty Love 100 Spools Quilt, as well as the fantastic spool projects I'm seeing other talented quilter's come up with. I started sewing yesterday afternoon after exposure to this loveliness. Also here and here. Lots more spool block goodness out there but it is these three that made me start cutting. Fabric I have been hoarding for years is finally seeing the light of day!

My colour palette is not limited to the blocks shown here. I just happen to love magenta and citrine, so I tend to reach for those first. I'm actually using most of the rainbow and making a stash archive project, with each spool 'thread' a unique fabric. Lots of precious scraps might appear for the last time (those pink seahorses are the very last piece I was saving). All the spool caps will be black-ish. Background fabric is kona snow. They measure 6" finished and I'm thinking of setting them in alternating directions without sashing. And possibly setting the whole thing on point. An ongoing project, but it's making me so so happy!

I find myself drawn to small intricate blocks which I can gradually sew, something to work on on a moments inspiration which can gradually build in to an epic fabric-showcasing project. For that reason I have decided to start a Farmer's Wife quilt. My book has been shipped, so as soon as it arrives I'll be working on that too. My plan is one block per week, and I'm hoping to sew the majority without templates, using either conventional machine piecing or paper piecing depending on the block.

Also on the Janey schedule... Swoon Sundays! Last weekend I was being rather melodramatic about my unfinished Swoon Quilt. So Dan decreed I should work on it for a while every Sunday morning until it's done. I am really close at this point. I decided to bind it even though the quilting isn't finished, as the edges were fraying badly. It's much nicer to handle now. I do hope to finish by the end of July. Expect Swoon related post soon!