Wonky Flying Geese heading south I have a 40 year gap in my quilting education so I have been doing "make-up homework" to try to catch up. This month I delved into the popular "flying geese" pattern. Making quilt blocks is an excellent way to learn quilting, color, and history of a motif. The flying geese block can be large or small, it can be wonky or scrappy, it can be dull gray or pink so it hurts. (Click on the image to link to video on YouTube

Beautiful quilting weight fabrics from Liberty of London I dream of a summer quilt. And Liberty of London fabrics are just perfect for it. They are light and silky and flowy. During summers in college, I visited my then boyfriend's family in rural Washington. His mother's quilt had a fresh, sun-dried smell and feel and I slept deeply under them. With summer coming, I've decided to make a light and airy quilt of my own. It's the perfect opportunity to dig through my stash of L

After I said this to my neighbor Ward, he immediately asked, "How on earth did you accidentally make a quilt??" This is how. Practicing half-square triangle blocks I have a quilt in my future that will made with half-square triangles, an interesting and ubiquitous quilt block. So I started practicing with some fabric I already have. (I didn't want to break out the quilt specific fabric just yet.) And I ended up with an unexpected but delightful quilt. Click on the image to li

I love Jane Austen and I am enamoured with quilting. So I was doubly delighted with a box of Jane Austen-themed quilting fabrics! Riley Blake fabrics with names that refer to Jane Austen novels A fabric manufacturer, Riley Blake, came up with a collection of fabrics based on a quilt that Jane and her sister made. Then they brilliantly named the patterns after characters from, in this case, the novel Emma. What a blast to go through them all and dream of ways I might use them!

So many beautiful ties! I've been talking a lot about my new quilting passion. I'm always delighted to find someone who also quilts or crafts or sews. But the next best thing to that, is someone who has fabric they'd like to give me for my projects. In this video, I go through two boxes and a bag of clothing, ties, and leftover samples from interior designers. It's a treasure trove! Click on the image to link to the video in YouTube

One of my favorite traditions is to create an animated holiday card for my friends, family and clients. This one is especially dear to me since it also celebrates my new favorite fabric designer, Tula Pink. Click on image to link to video on YouTube Happy holidays!

I started slowly with 7" tribute banners I have fallen into a rabbit hole of colorful quilts. And I don't want to get out! All over social media, creators and crafters are making things. We all know how good creativity and creation is for our brains, right. So I dove in. I started small, making 7"x7" banners to pay tribute to creatives in my life. My mom, who wasn't really a quilter but who modeled independent exploration. My mother in law who taught me to quilt decades ago.

When I left France last summer, returning from my bucket-list trip, I knew I would be back for another taste. After my 2024 visit to France, I went again in 2025 in order to learn French. So I returned this summer to the same ancient stone house where I stayed before, in the same ancient village, with the same goal of speaking French. This playlist has a video from each week of my stay, like a travel diary. Eight weeks! I had two friends visit for about a week each, many driv

Sense and Sensibility is not my favorite Jane Austen novel. However, I do really enjoy the adaptations. Why is that?? What are the adaptors doing that Jane Austen didn't? Every adaptor of fiction from previous centuries has to decide how they are going to present the story for a modern audience. In the case of Sense and Sensibility, it's an important job. There are many aspects of the novel that are difficult for a modern audience to swallow. Two worthy young women, thwarted

A tour of Seattle ice cream shops unearthed some fun surprises.

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If you're reading this, I'm gone, out the door, off to France.

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