Fun Little Things to Make in February

February always ends up being a busy but often creative month for me. The holiday crunch is over and I usually have more time so I get down to business. I often "think pink" around this time of year. Ever since the kids were little I loved decorating for Valentine's Day. It was always a very exciting time for school-age kids. "Secret" valentines, parties, candy, etc. Mine are all grown up now and so no more vinyl heart stickers on the windows but I still have fun displaying my pink or red quilts around the house and changing the wreath on the front door. Maybe getting a little chocolate . . . .

If you've been following my 2020 Mystery Quilt Sew Along you may have finished the blocks for January -

Well, we're moving right along. The blocks for February were posted a couple of day ago.

These should keep you busy for awhile. You can find the patterns in my Facebook group files or on my website under the Mystery page. It's never too late to begin. If you haven't thought about starting the Mystery quilt yet, read more about it here.

If you're in the mood for more projects, join me in making some other things this month. My Facebook small quilt group also does monthly small quilt challenges. This month we're making a Valentine's Day themed quilt for the February Small Quilt Challenge.  Make a little quilt with a heart motif or make something using red or pink fabrics. The pattern is your choice but the file describing the challenge in our group files gives some suggestions. I hope some of you will join us. Here's the quilt I started and I really hope to get it quilted before too long. I designed it for the groups as a challenge idea a few years ago but never got around to making one of my own so this is the year. Just a simple four patch turned on point to make scrappy "hearts."

Perhaps there's a pattern you've always meant to make but never found the time? Maybe this is the year. Pick out some pretty fabric. Sew some squares or triangles together. Make something just for yourself. Put your heart into it.

Here are a few other suggestions. The Be My Little Valentine quilt from my book Small & Scrappy is a really easy project. 

My popular Vintage Valentine quilt that I designed last year is still available as a pattern on my website or in my Etsy shop. Many of you bought the kit from me and so perhaps that's another good idea.

This Little Sweethearts runner from a few years ago is also available as a pattern. I don't typically use novelty fabrics much but this one with all the little heart prints was fun and easy to make. Many of you bought this kit too so now may be the time to finally make it. 

Last year's February challenge pattern is also available in the online group files. 

As a little extra this month, I thought it might be fun to have a Valentine's Day pincushion challenge - make a sweet little pincushion with a Valentine's Day theme and post a picture in the group. These are usually really simple and fun and take hardly any time at all to complete. The fun part is always playing around with pretty red or pink fabrics. I know we could all use some little decorative things around the house for February so grab some of your scraps and make a little something. A few simple pinnies displayed in a bowl would be fun. We often get busy and always think we have so much to do but sometimes taking a little time for yourself to make something small and cute can be just what you need to perk you up in the winter. 

Making even a little something can motivate and energize you and just plain make you feel good. Or, here's a better idea - make a small gift for someone else.


"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart."   ~Helen Keller

Happy St. Valentine's Month!

Be My Valentine Quilt

 I had a very productive pre-Valentine's Day weekend.

A couple of weeks ago I designed a small Valentine quilt project for those in my Yahoo group, using little nine-patch blocks combined with hourglass blocks. I didn't think I'd have any time to make something myself so it was fun to see what people came up with. I became really inspired looking at some of the quilts in the album and said What the Heck with chores this weekend and spent time working on my own. (I did finally  mop the kitchen and front hallway yesterday, so that counts for something . . . Quilting seems to energize me some days).

 First, I cut my pieces. I decided to make it completely from my scraps, using assorted reds, pinks and shirtings.

 

The nine-patch blocks are made from 1 1/2" squares, finishing at 3" x 3". 

 

   

The hourglass blocks in the center are made from four 4 1/4" squares, cut twice on the diagonal to get 4 triangles from 4 different fabrics. Each hourglass block also finishes at 3" x 3". Arrange the triangles to get the Pinwheel in the center. (I ended up using different prints.)

Lookie here, I got the top finished!

I started out thinking it would be a red and pink and white quilt, then started adding more muted colors. I decided to scrap the initial center piece I made - too bright for me - and remade the rest of it with more vintage fabrics, including BROWN! Don't quilts just take on a life of their own sometimes?? Funny, this is NOT the quilt I had planned, just the way it turned out as I worked with the fabrics. I will probably trim the pink border a little and then add a darker pink binding. The brown floral border is a Judie Rothermel (Marcus Bros) print left over from the Peony Star quilt I made for Remembering Adelia.

 I love my little vintage Valentine's Day quilt!

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According to the Huffington Post, a widely accepted belief about the holiday is that Valentine's Day grew out of a Middle Ages tradition of celebrating Feb. 14 as the day "the birds began to pair." The first true Valentine card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time.

In the U.S., the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847. 

On Feb 14, 1861 - Adelia Thomas wrote in her diary:


"Feb 14
"This morning it snowed and the wind blew very hard. Towards noon the weather moderated and then it rained. In the evening went to Mr Sharp's Spelling school and when we came home it snowed very hard. Mary Lincoln was there and made herself very conspicuous I thought. Maria Shaver spelled the school down. Valentine's day—never got one! Good."

I know Adelia had a special beau in mind (she referred to him as "L" in her diary) and so I think she protested too much! 

My "sweetest of the sweet" husband took his 2 girls out for a special Valentine's Day lunch yesterday. (That would not include the little black dog, although she runs a close third . . . some days she even comes in first or second.) 

 

Tonight, I will return the favor and cook something nice : ). 

Happy Valentine's Day!

A Heartful Month

I love hearts and have a soft spot for most things that are heart shaped. Thank goodness for February and Valentine's Day because it gives me a good excuse to indulge myself. I usually immerse myself in hearts and heartfelt thoughts all month long. 

I've been chastised for wearing my heart on my sleeve at times but ask me if I care. I do have a lot of heart-shaped jewelry and I wear it often (on my neck, and on my ears . . . ).  Perhaps that's what they meant?

I have more. And I know I will probably buy more. I can't resist a nice pair of silver heart-shaped earrings. Or a vintage locket. Or a bracelet with hearts on it. . . . Depending upon how you look at it, this is either ridiculous or pretty cool. Makes it easy for my family to always know what to get me for my birthday  . . . .

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart."   ~Helen Keller

                              

 "Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go."  ~Louise Driscoll

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So - Happy February! To me, the whole month of February means Valentine's Day. If you haven't already heard, this month our small quilt challenge will be making something that celebrates hearts.  You can choose to do any kind of  Valentine's Day quilt you like. Go to the Facebook or Yahoo group pages for further instructions and join us. It's fun to see photos of what everyone comes up with. Make a quilt with appliqued hearts or make an embroidered hearts quilt or just a red and white quilt, as long as it has a hearts theme.

Perhaps there's a pattern you've always meant to make but never found the time? Maybe this is the year. Pick out some pretty fabric. Sew some squares or triangles together. Make something just for yourself. Put your heart into it.

                             

"Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart." 

"The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love." 

~ Wm.Wordsworth

"Above all else, guard your heart for everything you do flows from it."

~Proverbs

"Let's all just be nice."

~Kathy  

I'll be finished with all my book quilts next week (Yay!) and then maybe I can make something "heartful" myself.  

Also, don't forget - a week from today, on Saturday, Feb 13, I'll be at Ye Olde Schoolhouse Quilt Shop in historic Cedarburg, Wisconsin, celebrating. Hope to see some of you there.  I'll be the one wearing hearts (on her sleeves and everywhere else).

Happy St. Valentine's Month!

The Shortest Month. And the Pinkest . . .

February is the shortest month so if you have quilting goals, you'd better get cracking. Here's Block #2 of my Mystery Quilt for 2019. Have you joined in yet? It's free and the patterns for the blocks are posted monthly. We're moving right along. The mystery will be revealed in July.

You can download the monthly patterns from Files in my Facebook small quilt lovers group or the Mystery page on my website. I love this block! It's called "Louisiana" and it's fast becoming one of my favorites. Very simple and yet if you use some pretty fabric combinations with nice contrast it looks more complicated than it really is.

I had pink and brown on my brain as we went into this month. The February small quilt challenge is a free little nine-patch quilt because I was playing around with some pink and brown nine-patch blocks  one evening and said What the heck, this might be perfect for the February challenge quilt - 

Quick and easy. Pattern is in Files in the groups. 

Here's a little more inspiration for February. If you haven't made the Be My Little Valentine quilt from my Small & Scrappy book yet, this may be a good month to get that one finished. Also simple and cute. Doesn't get much easier than four patches. 

More pink and brown - Last February, I started this sweet little hearts quilt and was finally able to finish it last week. I created some kits and also put a pattern up on my website. The kits have already sold out but if anyone would really, really like to purchase one, you may be able to twist my arm to make up a few more so please e-mail me (click on my blog profile for e-mail). I will do this if there's any interest. But I'd have to buy more fabric and you probably won't get them before Valentine's Day. So, let me know. You can also purchase the pattern alone and use your own scraps. 

If you follow along with our monthly challenges, we've still got a few more quilts to make from my Prairie Journey book this year. Last month, some of us made the little log cabin quilt. I forgot to post the pic of mine here. Of course it's not quilted yet because I got sidetracked by a few other things. (More pink and red. I was in antique mode.) 

I chose my colors and fabrics based on an antique doll quilt I saw on eBay. This one was so much fun and it really does stitch up rather easily. (FYI - Needle case was a gift made by a friend. Don't know the pattern.)

These little blocks really make my heart sing.  Make something with pink in it to perk yourself up and get over the gloomy winter doldrums. It won't be spring for awhile. Snow is gone and we have promises of ice and rain here this week. Yep, it's February. But, hey, at least it's the shortest month.

Mystery Quilt Sew Along

I'm starting another Mystery Quilt Sew Along this year. It's called Friendship Garden. The first block is an appliqué design. You can read about how the sew along will work by visiting the Mystery Quilt page on my website or going to the files section in my Yahoo group or Facebook group and clicking on the link called "Welcome to the Mystery Quilt." Then, download the first block.

Yes, it's applique! I took a poll and some of you said you wanted to do some applique this time so here you go.

Pretty simple but be warned, the pieces are small, so take your time. My leaves are slightly wonky. But it's finished.

Around the first week of each month through June, you'll get instructions to make another part of the quilt. Those blocks will be pieced, not appliqued, and posted on my website and the Yahoo and Facebook group file pages. 

I'll be sewing along with all of you and, if you keep up, your quilt top will be finished by summer. You can take the rest of the year to finish. I hope you will sew along with us! Our group members will be sharing their progress as we go along and that's a good reason to join the groups. Just click on one of the group links on the side of the blog to join in the fun. Please remember to read the files and patterns before you begin so you have all of the info you need. Also, it's helpful to read the messages posted in the Facebook group about the Mystery Quilt if you have any questions. It only takes a minute to scroll down through the posts. You may find that the questions you want to ask have already been answered. 

Beginners are welcome. This is a no-pressure, sew-at-your-own-pace project. If you don't like appliqué, no worries -  there is an alternate pieced block for you to substitute. The rest of the quilt will be the same. Choose your own colors and fabrics from your stash or scraps. I am making mine scrappy using some of my favorite reproduction scraps but the quilt would also look great as a two-color quilt or done in modern prints. Or, try wool for the applique. 

If you missed the Mystery Quilt for 2017, you'll be happy to know that I included it in my next book, coming out in July.

We'll also be working on small quilt challenges from my Small & Scrappy book during the first few months of the year. After the Mystery Quilt is finished, we'll make some quilts from the new book. There are a few really sweet appliqué quilts in that book so maybe now is the time to learn how to do appliqué if you've been procrastinating. Try visiting YouTube to see some applique tutorials. 

Here's the small quilt for January - Crow's Foot doll quilt on page 34. It's fast and easy and a nice little project to display for Valentine's Day. Or, make it in different colors.

Looks like it will be a good weekend to stay in and do some sewing. In addition to taking down our Christmas tree and decorations I need to do some other cleaning up since my sewing table got a little messy around Christmas. Also, look for some scrap bags for sale on my website next week if you're interested in picking up some of my random reproduction scraps to add to your own scraps for the blocks in your quilt. I'll be cutting some of them up this weekend.

Here's to a Happy and Healthy 2017

Happy New Year, Quilting friends (and others)! 2017 will be another year of fun projects and events related to small quilting if I have anything to say about it. In my small quilt groups, we'll have challenges to make more small quilts every other month (there'll be other fun stuff for the in-between months). We'll make new friends and encourage each other to keep going on our projects and dreams. We'll host fun swaps and other events. I'll keep you posted - but, if you are not a member of either the Facebook or Yahoo group, you're missing out. See the sidebar for info on joining. (You can also sign up to receive updates of my blog through e-mail if you like. Just click on the follow by e-mail or subscribe through e-mail gadgets on the blog sidebar to do this and you will be notified each time I write a new post.)  

For our January 2017 small quilt challenge in my groups, we'll be making the "Be My Little Valentine" doll quilt for January. Why January? To give you more time to finish it so you can display it in time for the February holiday. Clever, huh?   It's a very simple quilt using lots of pink, red and cream scraps and the pattern is in my book Small & Scrappy on page 12. 

A lot of you probably have it already (I hope), but I will be giving away a copy of my new book later this week so make sure you come back here for that. If nothing else, the comments are usually fun to read.

We definitely have to fit in this quilt for one of our challenges.

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Some of you joined my Papa's Shirts and Mama's Dresses doll quilt club last summer and had fun getting the patterns in the mail and making those quilts (or at least dreaming about making them SOMEDAY). That club ended in November but I am now running it again for those who may have missed out - so here's your last chance to order the patterns before I retire them this year. Find out more here. The first pattern will ship in mid-January.  

Know that I am wishing all of you all the best for the coming year and hope that your dreams and aspirations for 2017 will be achieved. No real resolutions here, but one of my goals is to get back to working on more of my Dear Jane blocks. And make some more quilts for my family (and the sofa) . . . . I love small quilts but I decided I just need a few more large quilts too!