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Our living room is getting a bit of a makeover—nothing super fancy: a new-to-us sofa from Facebook Marketplace, some new pillow covers, a vintage rocker in need of updated cushions, a new-but-vintage ottoman, a CRIBBAGE TABLE!!!, and the Crosswind Mystery Quilt. The grandbabies idea of redecorating. Enzo is under the blue pillows and Bentley the green. With the closing of Joann Fabrics, the selection around here is only fair-to-middling. Yes, there are quilt shops, but they aren't really my style. There is the Mill End Store, but I hate searching through tables and tables of discontinued flatfolds. At the quilt show we attended a few weeks ago, we met the proprietor of Boersma's, a quilt store about 1.5 hours south of us. It's significantly larger than anything in the Portland area and is super cute. It opened in 1935! Yesterday, we piled into hubby's truck and made the trek. (He's cute. I think I'll keep him. We celebrate 32 years married on the 16th!) Oh. My. Goodness. Much, much more my vibe and much larger than any of the Portland stores (besides Mill End). We wandered for a couple hours before finally choosing fabrics for Crosswind. I really enjoy narrowing down the fabrics with my husband- along as we are clear who gets the final say. We brought a screenshot of a color palette - that we both liked -for inspiration. We settled on this combo- before dipping in to a McMenamin's we hadn't visited before. Yummy food, as always. And I'd happily swipe their lamps and stained glass any time I visit one of their restaurants. I look forward to sewing with you these next few weeks! May the crosswinds be kind and your threads never tangle. Find the details on the Crosswind Mystery Quilt dashboard.

Oh @Megan V, I love this so much! I totally agree with @Penny and @Delene Bartholomew —what a beautiful way to encourage each other and to celebrate the joy of hand quilting. Your stitches are full of heart, and that’s what makes them perfectly yours. I think we’re all guilty of being our own “quilt police” sometimes, but your story is such a good reminder to let the joy of stitching shine brighter than any self-doubt. Keep going— your quilts are already singing their own happy song in thread and fabric!

I used to hand quilt along side of my mother and my mother-in-law. I could hold my own, but it is too convenient to send my quilts to the long arm! Keep going Megan, it is beautiful!

What a great way to encourage each other... you do wonderful work!!!

Today, my husband took me out on a date to the Northwest Quilters "Festival of Quilts" and then out for an early supper at a local pub. As we were wandering the quilt show, I came across a booth with a woman hand quilting at a frame. There were several hand quilted quilts about- including a Grandmother's Flower Garden draped over a table. I bent over it to examine the stitches. The lady looked up and said, "That's hand quilted." I replied, "I know! It's fabulous! I have one at home that I keep picking up then putting down because I'm not confident about my stitching, and I was looking at this stitching to see how mine compared." She said, "You know, there are no quilt police." "Ah, but there are, " I disagreed. "I am my own quilt police." There was a stifled laugh in the next booth over. Apparently, they'd overheard me, and it rang true for them as well. The kind lady said, "That quilt took me 37 years start to finish. I'm proud of it." She didn't add "even though there are mistakes" or "even if my stitches aren't perfect". I told her that I've been working on my GFG for 14 years but have been tempted to just burn it. She indulged me by looking at my photos of my hand quilting projects. When we came to the Grandmother's Flower Garden photos, she zoomed in to look at my stitches, "Those are fine stitches! You're a real hand quilter!" We chatted on about thimbles, other projects and the local hand quilting guild. When I walked away a few minutes later, it was with a slight spring in my step and just a little more confidence in my skill as a quilter.

Wow, @Becky J. — finishing the batting roll with Berry Bloom was such a perfect flourish! Three bobbins at the ready was a power move. And I love that you even packed the machine for vacation — true quilty priorities! Hope it stitched up as beautifully as it looks.

Wow, Becky — sewing on vacation back in August?! That’s next-level dedication! I’d have been lounging with a book, but you managed a quilt top. How on earth did the machine make it into the luggage?

No sewing, just sunshine — I’d say Kauai was a pretty acceptable excuse.

My hubby and I are off adventuring on the island of Kauai this week! My brother and his wife are our "traveling buddies" and the perfect companions. My brother and I both have health issues that slow us down a bit, while our spouses are tireless, intrepid adventurers. Today, for example, they are on an 11-mile hike through the jungle while we are having a rest day at the condo- drinking coffee on the lanai with our feet up. And everyone is happy.

What a sweet fabric collection! It works well in those blocks. Does that block have a name? Has the vacation time been restful? It looks productive, at least! I'm leaving on vacation (Kauaii!) on the 23rd but won't be packing my machine! I haven't decided on whether I'm taking a hand project- it kinda depends on how I'm tolerating my new glasses.

I usually have some kind of hand work with me on vacation. Didn’t take any on the last road trip I went on though!

Looks like fun... I brought a wall hanging to be bound on vacation with me...not much progress as I've just been enjoying the much cooler temps here in the mountains.

I brought a layer cake and made a quilt! This is what I've been sewing on for the last few days. Brought my machine on vacation with me I did bring the center square already cut from another fabric but all the blocks are from one layer cake! I ended up with 3 extra blocks... They will probably make it to the back of the quilt. Anyone else have blocks or quilts from vacation sewing?!

That quilt is so sweet and precious, if it was a baby- I'd pinch it's cheeks. And I hope all that quilting has been filling your soul with joy! Have a lovely vacation!

The last of my batting roll is on the long arm! The Berry Bloom quilt is on.... Getting some quilting done. Trying to decide how to quilt the leaf block. I just loaded 3 bobbins so they are ready to go. Hope to get it done today! I feel like it's been a bit since I've quilted this much... Like a long time! I'm happy with the quilts I've been working on and soooo excited about the mystery quilt coming up in the fall. You are going to love it... I just know it! I have a family vacation next week but am bringing my sewing machine along with me. My mom is too .. So I'm not the only one ignoring everyone else.

Haha yes @Megan V —glitter everywhere! I swear I’m still sparkling from last week But honestly, they bring so much joy I’d wade through sequins for them Cyprus was pure sunshine and slow mornings—exactly what the soul needed. And oh yes, the graduation waterworks were real! So much pride and emotion bundled into one beautiful moment. I love that you get it It’s lovely to be back here among kindred spirits like you—feels like slipping into a cosy quilted hug!

Oh ho! You are a brave woman! Glitter??? You must love those grandbabies! Cypress sounds lovely! And graduations make me cry with pride, every. single. time.

Phew! Finally surfacing after a whirlwind few weeks I’ve been off-grid but for very good reasons—soaking up the sunshine in Cyprus (highly recommend! ), celebrating my amazing daughter’s graduation (proud-mama moment x1000), and now diving headfirst into school holiday mode with my grandbabies (translation: glitter, giggles, snacks, and maybe a few naps… for me, not them ). Trying to catch up on all the glorious quilts and posts I’ve missed—so if you see a sudden flurry of likes and comments from me, I promise I’m not stalking… just joyfully binge-scrolling Delighted to be back in the patchy posse groove again

Just spotted this on the Show & Tell catch-up @Becky J. —it’s an absolute beauty! The colour combos are so fun and full of life—it’s like a patchwork party on a mountainside! Each block has such personality, and that sprinkle fabric is just too delightful—it made me smile instantly! You’ve totally inspired me to look at my fat quarter stash with a little more courage and a lot more colour. Can’t wait to see how it turns out once it’s quilted—it’s already a standout!

It looks great! What fun fabrics! and, wow, those are big mountains!

I've been sewing a little bit more lately. Trying a mountain block using fat quarters that were squared up. It's such a large block! I still have a few very large half square triangles and don't want to make the quilt larger so I'm going to make hour glass blocks with those. So this is the large mountain block quilt ready for backing and quilting!