My medallion quilting is progressing along quite nicely. I've opted to stitch a few favorite rows to accent the piecing, but most of the rows are stitched with any number of straight lines. I'm picking a different quilting thread color for each row, and trying to compliment or contrast with the fabric in the piecing.​

I haven't gotten to any long rows yet, so its going encouragingly fast. Of course picking a binding color/fabric is big on my mind lately. I'm really not sure at all how my mind will land on that.​

Today's scraps for hand piecing. I can't tell you how excited I am to arrange all of these scraps compositions on a wall together. Check them out in my shop, this one is my new favorite for sure.

This is happening, just in time for weekend sewing. Most quilts start this way for me. A block idea pops into my head. I decide generally how big I want the pieces to be, and then I just see how big one block turns out. No math. Forget it. I know, I know, I work backwards, but I just like the results of doing it this way better. Being responsive instead of planning too much allows me to make decisions visually and aesthetically rather than analytically.​ I guess I just like to keep things loose as I piece.

I've added a new  pillow to my shop. If you recognize the colors, you're right, the last of the Medallion Quilt scraps found their way into this guy.

In hindsight I can't figure out why I haven't been making more quilted pillows. Maybe because they require a nice backing fabric and zippers that aren't usually in my stash.  I stocked up on some heavier weight fabric and a TON of zippers the last time I went to PA. I have a love hate relationship with storing fabric, notions and scraps. Usually I don't want to get rid of a single scrap I might use, and like any crafter every time I go into a fabric or craft store there are plenty of things I'd like to buy. The reality is, I live in a tiny NYC apartment, and I don't have space for an extensive fabric stash. I have one tiny drawer system, and two fabric storage boxes from Muji filled with my fabric stash. Most of it is already sorted into piles of future quilts, so its not really like having my own little fabric store to "shop" from when I'm sewing.

I was NOT using my scraps for a long time – they were overflowing from every corner of my desk – so I finally decided enough is enough. If you've been following along you've seen the scraps compositions I've been making. This time I still had a bunch of scraps leftover that I'm pretty tired of using, but instead of tossing them in boredom I whipped together a fun little pillow. I've already pulled some stacks of scraps together to make more!

Another Scraps composition to join the mix!​ This one is a little near and dear to my heart because it uses some of the leftover scraps from my medallion quilt project. I also got my hands on some of the excellent railroad stripes by Robert Kauffman to use for the sides and back on a recent trip to Purl Soho. The bundles Purl has for sale are just too good to pass by. If it weren't for the blue overflowing already in my fabric stash I'd have scored the whole set for myself.

​Need a little extra sunshine, or maybe you're just dying to own a little piece of my medallion quilt? Grab this bright burst of color in my shop.