Biscuits & Gravy Quilt

 Back in 2019 I saw this print in the local quilt shop and I couldn't resist.

It's a Riley Blake line called Biscuits & Gravy. Well, I just thought that was the best name ever! I knew I had to build a quilt around it and I knew I wanted something in a patchwork style. Enter this simple pattern 

I needed something simple to work on when I was in Texas and this fit the bill 

I picked it up from Jackie the Monday before Thanksgiving after work and was tickled with this pattern she chose called Geranium.

                                      

I managed to stitch the binding to the front of the quilt, but with a houseful for 5 days over Thanksgiving, it was set aside.

After all, I had more important things to tend to! But, I always need a quilt to bind during the NFR and this one was this year's NFR quilt even though I set it aside again at Christmas. I finally finished stitching the binding the first week in January.

It finishes at 72x84

I backed it with my second favorite print from the line because I found 4 1/2 yards of it in the clearance section for $6.00 at The Quilt Haus in New Braunfels when I was in Texas. It wasn't quite enough, but I added a strip of a Shadow Play fabric that I found at a new quilt shop in Clovis

I guess this is a controlled scrappy patchwork quilt since it's all from the same line, but I love it and I plan on making another one from real scraps soon:

Another happy finish!

                          

A Few Stitches

 I haven't stitched in weeks and only a very small bit in months. You would think the recent inclement weather would allow me to sneak in a little sewing, but I haven't been able to make that happen. Due to the weather, the cattle sale was cancelled, but I put on my ranch wife hat and have been helping DH. However, I did manage to sneak in a few stitches while he was on a feed run so I took advantage of the gifted time and dusted off my neglected 16-patch  project I worked on last fall:

                               

Completed blocks were stitched into rows:

 And I pulled out this fabric from an earlier Hill Country Spring collection for the backing. In a different scenario, I'd probably use a less busy print, but I'm giving myself brownie points for using what I have and a riot of wildflowers is always a good thing. And yes, it is in serious need of a good pressing:

When I was in Texas last month, I did manage to make this oversized lined drawstring bag:

                                             

I am using it for a dirty clothes bag during road trips. Can a dirty clothes bag bring you joy? I don't want to know what that says about me that it does:

                                            

I was also thrilled to have manipulated technology into allowing me to still use the embroidery capabilities on my sewing machine and stitch a label for a quilt I gifted to the friends who did mom's memorial service:

                                             

It required downloading drivers and reconfiguring some software and for this technology-stunted gal, it was worth a whoop or two. They are retired military and I gave them this quilt:

I also worked on some blocks using a jelly roll pattern. I was really in the mood for some mindless sewing and this project fit the bill:

                                  

Whew, it feels really good to have something stitchy to share! I figured I had better strike while the iron was hot, both literally and figuratively, because more pressing matters await and I am being summoned away from my sewing room: