Pebbles in the Churn Dash

I quilted a Churn Dash block yesterday.

I am undecided. I don’t usually like dense quilting, but this looks pretty cool. However, it is tedious. Doing this in all 25 blocks would send me around the bend (and make the quilt very heavy). This was the center block in the quilt. I started there and am working my way out. I think I would choose maybe 3-4 other blocks around the top and quilt pebbles in them, but that would be it.

I need to come up with a few other fillers. I have some ideas. The problem is that these areas are small, so the fillers have to be scaled down. I’m going to quilt a second block today with a different filler. The Amanda Murphy mini-lollipop rulers should work nicely for some of these areas.

[I am glad I decided to go with the sit-down Q20 rather than one on a frame. This set-up fits my working style much better. Quilting on a frame means that once you load the top, you’re pretty much committed to quilting it until it’s done. I can switch quilts as I need to.]

Today’s serger class had no students, so I canceled it. I don’t take this personally—sometimes classes fill and sometimes they don’t. I think a lot of people are still getting over their holiday making frenzies, too, and just need a break. I am not lacking for projects. Item #1 on the list for today is basting the Sunbonnet Sue top with the backing and batting.

I’m kicking around the idea of revisiting this pattern:

I made one of these in 2018. I actually started working on it the same day I came down with the flu that landed me in the ICU on a ventilator for a week. I worked on the bag off and on after I got out of the hospital. It was such a great pattern and such a fun make that I would like to do another one. This—like the Slabtown Backpack—is a project I can sink my teeth into but can work on in little bits here and there. I know I’ve got all the supplies.

[The Slabtown is going to Sew Expo with me. That will be the perfect bag for carrying supplies and Ellie Lum, the designer, is teaching there. Even though I’m not taking any bag classes, it will be fun to show her my version. Most designers love to see what people make with their patterns.]

My skills also have improved considerably since I made the first Ravenwood. And waxed canvas is fun to sew.

We’ll see. I’d still like to do that Simplicity 9713 raincoat pattern, but it’s going to take me some time to gather all the materials.