This skirt was supposed to be sewn Mother's Day weekend. I had the fabric washed and the pattern picked out, but it just didn't happen. I honestly forgot how busy May can be. I thought if I could get to May 9th, I'd be gold. More like May 29th, in reality. So it goes. Over the weekend, one week later than I was planning on getting it finished, I was really bummed that I hadn't sewn this skirt. I attacked KCWC style - cut out Saturday afternoon, sewn a bit on Sunday and finished between 3 separate sewing sessions of 20 to 40 minutes as time allowed yesterday.

I love the other Everyday Skirt that I have in my closet. It is one of the items in my wardrobe that gets worn again and again so choosing this pattern again was a no-brainer. Also, Liesl's patterns are extremely well-written and go together so smoothly. They are a total joy to sew.

The fabric is one of Anna Maria's new Loominous yarn dyes (Headlines in Grape) and, boy howdy, is it ever lovely! It is lightweight and beautifully soft with lovely drape - basically, perfect for clothing. After washing, it reminded me of a madras. I was a little stumped as to how to best use the stripe with the side panels on the skirt. It drives me absolutely crazy when patterns don't match on the seams! In the end, I decided to cut the side panels and the pockets (which you see a tiny bit of at the side panel seams) on the cross grain to make them a design feature. It was a good call! I love the end result and can't wait to wear my new summer skirt!

My friend, Jill, and I are both making the Moda Modern Building Blocks quilt. She is working from the kit, adding a few of her own fabrics and I am working from my stash. Well, I am trying to work from my stash. I may have to pick up a fabric or two as needed - most of my cuts are 1/2 yard or smaller and some of these block eat up a lot of fabric!

Above is my first block, finished a few weeks ago. As the pattern suggests, we are starting with the biggest block and working our way smaller. Good thing, too, as the cutting instructions seem to be difficult for me to manage. I don't know what it is about them, but I cannot follow them correctly. The amount of fabric I have wasted is crazy. On the last two I cut, I wrote the sizes on a sticky note and I didn't make any mistakes. I will continue in that manner going forward. It really sucks when you mess up on Carolyn Friedlander's ledger print. Just saying.

I didn't start with a well-developed color scheme. I am just going to let this one take me where it will. Right now it is looking very gold, green, red, orange and blue with low volumes. That could change. I may end up with a ton of variety in the prints, but I am hoping to keep the prints harmonious. By using what I like, I am hoping that it will just come together in the end. Fingers crossed.

Three blocks down, a ton to go. The fourth is cut out ready for when I have a few moments to string together. I don't know what it is about May, but I swear it is busier than December! The school year is wrapping up here - Jane has 2 weeks left, Kate has 3. I have a few secret quilts I am working on and I am still trying to get some of the book quilts into pattern form. Can anyone recommend a designer that can turn all my little sketches and instructions into a beautiful pdf? Let me know! I am ready to get this rolling.

Back here Friday with another book review and giveaway!

I know many, many quilters were dismayed to hear that Quilty magazine has stopped publishing. It's a shame, really. Each and every issue was full of beautiful quilt patterns and many practical tips and advice.

Dear Quilty: 12 Easy Patchwork Quilts and Great Quilting Advice by Mary Fons (Fons & Porter/F&W $22.99) is a book from the group that put together the magazine. This book has 12 easy patchwork quilts and all of the tips and tricks that were the hallmark of the magazine. It is aimed at beginning quilters, but I think it would be a welcome addition to any quilter's library because it has so much practical information including tips on cutting, piecing, colors, binding and more. There are also profiles on members of the Quilty team and some letters from the magazine's readers. It's a nice read and a visual treat - a winning combination when it comes to quilt books!

One of my favorite quilts is this Sunny Side Up by Anna Graham. It is a fresh, modern take on traditional design. I also love the one below by Tula Pink - great use of strips and, of course, the fabric is to die for!

I have one copy of the book to giveaway (U.S. addresses only). To enter, comment on this post and tell me why you started quilting. I will leave the comments open until Sunday, May 10 at 6:00 pm EST. Good luck!

I whipped up a Linden sweatshirt yesterday in about an hour. This pattern by Grainline Studios is a super easy sew. I am sure that you have seen a gazillion versions of it, especially if you are on instagram. If not, check out the hastag #lindensweatshirt. Simple, comfortable, fast, well-fitting - it has all the hallmarks of a pattern that I will sew again and again. And, actually, this is my second one. The first I made out of a Liberty sweatshirt fleece back in the winter - it is heavy and cozy and was worn a ton. This fabric is a much lighter French terry. I bought it from Frances at Miss Matatabi. She has the best stuff! While I was shopping for this, I picked up some pink French terry, too. That's earmarked for Linden #3.

Headless! First thing in the morning, on my way to work out is not a look I feel like sharing today. ;)

The nitty gritty:  I made myself a size 12, same as I have in other Grainline patterns. I think the fit is spot on for me. I may be inclined to add a tiny bit of length, maybe an inch, to the front and back pieces of the pattern on my next go, but I am not sure. The Liberty one I made in the winter, I sized up to a 14 because the fabric had little to no stretch. I also cut the cuffs and neck band on the bias for that one. But! This one was made exactly as the pattern specified and came together beautifully. There are a few spotty bits of top-stitching with the double needle, but those are completely user error (forgot to put on the walking foot!) and I am not going to point them out! I sewed most of it on my serger, but it can be done on a domestic machine, too. I did add the cuffs, neck band and waist band with the sewing machine before serging the seams. It was just easier that way for me.

Overall, a winner of a pattern! I can't wait to make another.