Yup– Carefree Highways pulled off the highway yesterday afternoon and I immediately unboxed her and stretched her out for a nice rest. She gets to stay on a bed until the Fourth— then it’s off to the Maine Quilt Show before retirement. I really enjoyed the emails from all of you who attended the Paducah show– how fun that we “connected” in this way, and thank you for reaching out! But no one was more excited than Steve, our UPS driver, who wanted to know why we had to sign for the box. ❤️

I promised I would share my judges’ comments, and I’m pretty pleased. Nice things to say— and yes, I do know that stitch in the ditch should remain in the ditch— I’m still working on that! The Paducah show is the only AQS show where you get the judges’ comments back. If you do enter a quilt show, it is nice to get the feedback. After four years of withering critiques in art school, I have the fortitude to find out!

I also got two labels to sew on the quilt, one for each show. I haven’t sewn them on in the past, but I would like my posterity to know this was finished on time for 2026, so this time I will. Maybe I can be remembered as a finisher, not a starter, after all!

Would I do enter again? It wouldn’t be in the longarm category, that’s for sure. Although I don’t think I embarrassed myself, the competition is killer! Another thing happened recently that really gave me pause— my internet friend, Nicole, over at Sister’s Choice Quilting blog recently lost a precious quilt top and two table runners in the mail! She was sending them out to be longarmed, and apparently a piece of sorting equipment ripped the box open, which was then delivered empty. Unbelievable not to mention heartbreaking, right? The process of trying to locate it or even get her $100 of insurance they always tell you is there at a minimum, is even more ridiculous. So, I kind of had my fingers crossed— once those quilts go in the mail, you may never see them again! Fortunately, AQS uses UPS and all ended well for me. Gonna think twice before I mail out again.

Harlow’s birthday quilt is almost off the longarm. I am really coming down to the wire on this one and imagine myself sewing on the binding in the car. No more deadlines, please. It is typical of me to just fill the time allotted for a project, a character flaw that I have not broken in all my years.

I tried a little vine a leaf in the background which I am very proud of! Unfortunately, it made me confident enough to once again try a feathered border. I’ll just say, there are moments of genius in that border, but they are surrounded by mediocrity to put it optimistically! Harlow won’t care.

I bought this cute little soft block panel to make books for her as well— when I opened it up, I was so excited to see a little stuffed moo cow toy! (Since I have grandkids now, I will be referring to farm animals with baby names.) Moo cows are her favorite— you know how they say babies see high contrast items like black and white. Thirty seconds after I started cutting it out on the printed line like it said in the instructions, I realized they probably meant 1/4” away from the printed line. I was committed– so I had to sew it with 1/8” seam. Plus, just how did they expect you to stuff that little tail? I think some panel creator somewhere just cut and pasted the cow from the book to fill am empty nook. So here is is— my first attempt at baby sewing.

My scant-ish seams didn’t pop open when I stuffed it, but I’m not overly optimistic about its longevity– my son’s dog also prefers high contrast toys. I’m very skeptical of the book instructions at this point, so this project may wait until Harlow’s 2nd birthday. Maybe this grandma should just stick with quilts. ❤️

The third Sweetland block is fully appliqued— only one to go. Then I thought I would be done with applique on this project, but there’s twenty-one stars to stitch (that’s 105 points!) Then there are 5 beautiful pieced star blocks that are right up my alley. And then a flying goose border that will be my “stick in on a shelf” moment. Not a fan.

My friend snagged a kit for this Lori Holt Americana collection quilt–

And I have the Quilt Seeds–

I never met a star I didn’t like, and I’d love to make all the things with this beautiful collection of fabric.

Poshness— I sewed two rows together, and they are looking very “precise.” Mr. SFO’s description, not mine! 😊 Tomorrow is my Sit ‘n Sew day— I’m hoping to get all the rows together, but to stitch two rows together takes an entire box of pins and more room than I think they have! I’d love this done by June 1st.

And the ice cream quilt has the tops of the cones ready for “Single Scoop.” Sew easy! Don’t they look yummy!

So that’s what I got! I have to admit I’ve been missing in action for San Francisco Stitch Co.– I really needed a break. June is going to be full out “Year on Sugar Meadow” finishing, and I have some really nice patriotic stuff up my sleeve… as those clickbait videos say– “WAIT FOR IT!”

Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend
and your summer is off to a fantastic start.

xox
Carol