My newest book, Make Your Own Medallion: Mix and Match Borders to Build Your Quilt from the Center Out, is available now. This book has been a long time coming and I am beyond thrilled that it is finally out in the world for you all to hold, see and use. The idea for this book came to me when I wanted to make a medallion quilt, but couldn't find any resources to do so. Never one to shy away from a sewing challenge, I jumped in and started fiddling around with fabric. As I made my quilt, I kept thinking about how there needed to be a book about customizing medallions - different centers, different blocks for borders, multiple sizes of blocks with the math all figured out. Really, all the tricks and tools that I wish I could have had at my fingertips when I started my medallion.Spoiler Alert: I WROTE THE BOOK!Actually, that is over-simplified. I pitched my idea to Susanne Woods of Lucky Spool Media and, with her guidance, developed the idea into Make Your Own Medallion.  The book contains all you need to design your own medallion quilt - 30 individual blocks in three to six sizes each and 6 stand-alone center medallions. Think of this book as the chose-your-own adventure version of quilting. Pick a center and add to it border by border! And no need to worry about the math - I did it all for you! If designing your own quilt isn't your thing, I've got you covered with 6 full quilt patterns, each with a unique medallion. There really is something for everyone in here!I'm going to take some time over the next few weeks to highlight the different quilts and medallions here on the blog. I want to show you how to use the book and get those creative juices flowing. I've already seen a few glimpses of projects on Instagram and it makes me so happy to see people jumping in and starting their own project. If you make something and post it, please tag me and use the hashtag #makeyourownmedallion . I am so excited to see what you all make using the book! I have some quilt-along plans up my sleeve, too. Stayed tuned for that!Make Your Own Medallion is for sale in my shop (ships for FREE in the US) and I am happy to dedicate and or sign it for you.  Many of your local quilting stores also have it - I know because I've seen photos on Instagram (exciting!). If your local quilt store doesn't have it, ask about it. It can also be found at Amazon (affiliate link) or other book sellers.And, for those of you going to QuiltCon, one of the book quilts, Centerpiece (seen above and quilted by Angela Walters), will be hanging in the show. Pinch me! I decided that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see my quilt handing so I will be there to walk the floor and for a book signing (more details on that soon). Fatty is joining me for this adventure! If you see us, please say HELLO. I promise, we don't bite. ;)Back here soon with more information on the quilts in the book. I'm so excited to share them with you all. Until then, happy quilting!

I looked up this week and it is January. How did that happen? December whizzed on by like no one's business. Logically, I know that this is how it works. That time between Thanksgiving and the new year is jam-packed with holiday things, end-of-year things, school things and, in our house, some birthdays and, most years, some travel. But, still. That went fast. The girls went back to school yesterday and it was time. I was also sad to have an empty house. Funny how that works, huh? Jane is skating into the second semester of her senior year of high school and Kate is nearing the halfway mark of her high school career. If I really start thinking about how fast time is moving, I want to scream, "STOP!" I don't though. These young women are delightful and mature and ready for their next steps. I am proud of the individuals they are - kind, creative, generous, smart, interesting. I know they are moving on to great things (college for Jane, driving for Kate) and I love being their mom. I would like it if they would keep their rooms clean, but I realize that is my fantasy, not theirs.I spent the first few months of the year working on my new book, Make Your Own Medallion (shameless plug and Amazon affiliate link). It has been winging its way into shops and mailboxes in the last week or so and I cannot wait to see what you all do with it. I'm immensely proud of this accomplishment. It was a long time in the making and I am thrilled that it is finally out in the world. One of the quilts was accepted into QuiltCon and will be hanging in Pasadena in February. Talk about a bucket list item checked off! I won't be there (insert sad face emoji), but I hope to see photos of it on Instagram (please tag me if you take one!). Back to the Make Your Own Medallion, though. I promise much more information and details soon - it obviously deserves its own post. I also have some fun project ideas up my sleeve using the book and hope you will join me. It's going to be fun!I sewed some other quilts this year, too. They were all gifts or charity donations or added to the Harris family collection. I was horrible about documenting most of them. I want to do better at writing about my process and taking photos of what I make this year. Sure, there are snippets of most, if not all, on Instagram, but I do miss the pre-IG blogging days for that reason. If I had to choose a craft-related resolution, I think that would be it: more documentation. But I don't really do resolutions so I am just going to make a bigger effort to document my projects in 2018. That, to me, seems doable.Knitting has become my downtime craft of choice these days. I love how I can knit and talk or knit and watch TV wherever my family is instead of being squirreled away in the studio by myself. I have found that sewing is good for when the kids are at school and Fatty is at work or I have a day with little commitments. It reminds me of how I used to sew when the girls were sleeping. I still do that, of course, but it's me sewing on a Saturday morning while the two of them sleep in. Times have changed! Knitting works best when they are awake, when they need me, when I have to wait for them. I also love that I knitted 2 2/3 sweaters for myself last year, 2 wraps and a lot of socks. And the yarn. We won't talk about the yarn. Gotta work on knitting through it all before I start clicking "buy" again.Fatty continues to be my best friend. We traveled many places in 2017 - some together, some as a family - with big plans for more travel in 2018. He still reads all the time, rides his bikes often and makes me laugh daily. We watched some good TV and saw some great films together this year. The ones I am not interested in, he watches on his own or with his buddy (thank you, Pope). Life is fun with Fatty by my side and I can't wait for more good times ahead.The collage of photos above is my best nine from Instagram. I think it is a pretty good representation of my year - my book! quilts! knitting! the girls! Fatty! champagne and french fries! I am generally over there, posting one photo (if not more) each day. It's also the home of my gratitude practice, where I post a photo and a list of things I am grateful for each day. There aren't any hard and fast rules as to how much I post except that I try to find three things to be thankful for even on the crappiest of crappy days. In the process, I have become a happier person. It's truly been transformative and I don't plan on stopping soon or, really, ever. I don't always list my constant gratitudes (family, friends, shelter, food, freedom), but please know I include those of you who take the time to read what I write, support what I do and follow along with my creative pursuits in that group. Thank you for sticking with me all these years, especially when through the times when it is more silence than not. I appreciate it deeply.And so we go, my friends. Onward! Here's to a beautiful 2018.