Karrin's Crazy World: 2026

Sunday, March 01, 2026

Slow Sunday Stitching

It has been a busy couple of weeks. Last Saturday was our guild's fundraiser tea, and then right after that, was the Begonia Society 's 77th Birthday Dinner. It was way too much food for one day, especially treats.

This week I have gotten a lot done. Last December, for grandson Jaeger's BD, I took a panel and made it into a simple top, and quilted it with Cuddle.

After his brother saw that quilt, he wanted one too. So for Christmas, I had gotten a panel for Keaton too, with some more Cuddle.

After Jaeger's girlfriend Shiri saw his quilt she wanted one too. She has a birthday in March, so I found another panel, and some more Cuddle. This week I got it ready to go on my longarm.

Also Andrew, Kyleigh's fiance wanted one for himself. I found a panel with a moose for him, and he liked Keaton's Cuddle and I was able to find some more.

I'm using these simple panels to practice my free motifs on my Handiquilter. I have had a Handiquilter set-up since they first came out with rails that you taped to a board and a carriage, over 25 years ago. Then in 2021 I bought the Handiquilter Moxie. All I have ever done is meandering. I don't have the $$ to get the computer program.

I have taken multiple free motion quilting classes, which I can do pretty well on my domestic machine. But I have been hesitant or scared to practice on the longarm. I don't want to screw something up. A friend and I challenged each other, me to practice other stitches, and her to get her longarm started.

On Jaeger's quilt I practiced swirls, on Keaton's I practiced woodgrain. I am going to continue practicing on Shiri's and Andrew's quilts.

Another thing I did this week was work on one of my quilts I am entering in the quilt show this year. This was finished in March of 2019. It was part of the Hand-Pieced Quilt-Along hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts and Kristin of Simple, Handmade, Everyday. I had first planned on hand quilting it, but that hasn't happened yet, and I have no idea when it ever would. I dithered for weeks about quilting the corners. I planned on quilting feathers but then couldn't decide what kind of feathers. Finally I watched one of Angela Walters of Quilting is My Therapy free motion videos, and decided to do a Paisley Meander. All I need to do is sew the hanging sleeve down, and make a label. I am calling this Rhapsody in Blue because I couldn't think of a name I liked better.

This week I also was able to add another row to Kyleigh's wedding quilt. I have 3 more to go.

I have also been working on the Opportunity Quilt for the guild. I received some new laces today. I have a friend on Etsy who sells dyed laces. Her shop is called

Ravioleedreams.

I pulled a few of my crazy quilt blocks out for inspiration. These were part of a Journal Project years ago, I did one block a month. I plan eventually to have a family crazy quilt. Of course I am about 30 years behind. I need to have blocks for my girls' weddings and my grandchildren too.

I'm thinking about copying this tree on the Opportunity quilt.

What I will be working on for Slow Sunday Stitching will be the Opportunity Quilt block.

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching and https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Slow Sunday Stitching

It's been quite a while since I have blogged, the end of November last year. It was busy during the holidays, my brother Bill and wife Char stopped by on their way to their holiday in Oregon. Grandson Jaeger and girlfriend Shiri were visiting from Albuquerque. There were a lot of family activities and once I took off it was hard to get back to blogging. This has been the longest break I have taken in years.

I felt like I was not getting much done, being bogged down with being Co-Chair of Community Service for my guild. In January, we had a meeting at my house of guild members and discussed who could take over various parts of my position. My garage is now clear of most Community Service materials. I am still involved in Community Service, like taking the packaged quilts to the community center across the street from me for basting day, and sitting at the Community Service table on guild day.

Meanwhile I have taken on something else for the guild. Every year we have an opportunity quilt that we take around to other guilds and sell tickets for. I am working on the 2028 opportunity quilt. It was from this 2002 Piecemaker's Calendar.

Another member appliqued all the tree blocks, and I making the crazy quilt setting triangles. I have to have this done by February or March of 2027 so we can take pictures and make postcards to take around to other guilds and quilt shops etc. Crazy quilting is one of my favorite things to do, and I am so happy to take on this project.

So far, I have completed the January block.

I have two more blocks prepared to embellish the triangles.

The other reason I needed more spare time is that my granddaughter Kyleigh is getting married in October and I am making a double wedding ring quilt. This is what I have done so far. With the exception of the background fabric, these are all scraps. I have 5 more rows to go.

I have the best family. On Valentine's day, my daughters Kristen and Katie and I went and got pedicures, and then went to lunch afterwards.

Mine are the blue toes, in the middle.

What I also got done the beginning of January was that antique quilt I was restoring. The owner figures it was made in around 1910. She was thrilled with the finish. In fact she shared a picture of it this week on her bed. We showed it at guild last month, but unfortunately no picture was taken.

When I was getting my CQ supplies out, I discovered some idiot had just stuffed all my silk ribbons in a box, and there was a big mess. That idiot was me obviously, but I have now purchased a storage container to sort these out. Part of them are wrapped around like embroidery thread on spools.