Earth Day Quilt Pattern Sale

Happy Earth Day, quilters! In the interest of helping out the environment, my publisher, Martingale, is having a blow-out e-pattern and e-book sale this weekend. E-books are 50% off and e-patterns are only $1.00 each. That's right - $1.00. What a deal.  Go digital for Earth Day and visit the website to order. (With e-patterns and e-books, you just download them instantly to your computer (or iPad). So easy - no paper and no waiting for the mail to arrive.) 

Order here 

Here are a few of my favorites -

Of course you'll want this orange peel pattern of mine if you don't have it yet  : )  

You can't beat this kind of a pattern sale. And there are many more. Too many to list. Visit Martingale's blog or website for more info and order a few if you need a few new books, patterns or projects to work on (Hah! You know we always need more projects . . . .). 

Have a great weekend and Happy Earth Day! I'll be spending my time quilting inside today but cheering on my husband from the window as he cleans up the earth in the backyard, mows the lawn and picks up a multitude of tree branches from the last storm.  

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I know it's not really a race or I would have conceded a long time ago.  I STILL have 3 blocks left to go to finish the center of my Dear Jane quilt. I had 2 separate days picked out last month to work on them but got interrupted with family things and never got to it. Oh well.

Even if I don't have time to work on the blocks I haven't forgotten them. I still like to take them out and post photos now and then because it really encourages me to keep going. 

Today's not going to be the day and probably not tomorrow either because I have too many other things I need to work on. But I AM thinking about you, Jane. I often wonder how long it took you to complete your quilt and if you ever struggled. 

Small goals - Three more blocks. 

It's not a race, it's not a race, it's NOT a race. 

The Cozy Life

It's raining here today. The kind of rain that makes you want to stay inside and get cozy.

But I really don't mind the rain and I needed something to read so I went to the library this morning. Ever wondered why the country of Denmark is consistently named the happiest country on earth? This book sparked my curiosity and I'm about to find out - 

Not that I have any thoughts of leaving the U.S. or anything . . . .

After I got home I looked into this happiness concept and found an interesting article in the New Yorker last year about the Scandinavian concept of "Hygge"  - a Danish term defined as "a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being." The word does not translate into English very well but "cozy" comes close. Russell, the author and a British journalist, defines the term as "taking pleasure in the presence of gentle, soothing things" like a freshly brewed cup of coffee, cinnamon rolls and warm socks. And maybe a quilt or two? Hygge has something to do with creating sanctuaries for ourselves during life's dark or difficult times.

What's cozy to you? Reading? Sewing inside on a rainy day? I'll read a little and then I'll sew a little today. 

For me, sometimes cozy is a clean sewing table that's conducive to creating . . .  . Getting rid of distracting clutter makes me feel good so I can cozy in and sew.

Surrounding myself with pretty things makes me feel cozy . . . 

Working on the sofa, cozying up under a quilt, near a dog while the rain trickles against the windows . . .

Delighting in my finished blocks . . . 

Making a  great pot of coffee . . . 

Crossword puzzles (and coffee) . . . 

Coffee cozy I made a few years ago.