After finishing piecing a row of quilt blocks I checked the stitch count on the BERNINA 560 and it’s just over 1.5 million stitches since the last service. That was just over five years ago. That’s not a lot of stitches when 3 million per year is average expected. I clearly have not been doing a lot of stitching over the last few years.
Spending two years in formation as a spiritual director and now pursuing one other community related which requires some time both divide my attention and hone my pursuits.
A few weeks ago a box of remnants arrived from Cherrywood Fabrics. I have long loved both the color and texture of these solids and once upon a time made a quilt from one of their challenge lines. Way back in 2006 or 2008 I completed Split Complimenterity using Benartex’s Fossil Ferns line to make the 20 pieced blocks. On the day I took the above picture while teaching at my local quilt shop I noticed that the binding is beginning to fray – which is fixable. And then there is that box of remnants….well that is all I need to create a new version of this quilt.
Step one, pair up the fabric by choosing a color, looking for the direct compliment (neighbor across the street), then check out the nextdoor neighbors.
And then cut and piece.
One interesting thing when working with a block that uses three colors is that there six possible block combinations as each fabric can change position several times. Sometimes this is quite obvious, sometimes not so much. So if the remnant has enough to create all the blocks I’ll do it. If it doesn’t I’ll piece whatever I can from that particular combination. Now here’s where I’m still thinking about final design do I fully recreate the original quilt using a black background or do I use all the blocks for one quilt. What is fascinating to me is that there is an alternate design that becomes apparent when the blocks are next to each other.
Decisions. Decisions. But oh what fun. I will be remaking this quilt with another fabric line as soon as I get the Cherrywood version completed.
While I’m here talking a little about color let me share three videos on my YouTube Channel.
Color of the Year – Tracy Mooney and I discuss the Color of the Year, the feels and the possibilities.
Let your Quilts Sing With Color Joen Wolfrom – the beginning of an on-going conversation on color where I learn more about color. This is already shifting how I see and experience color in the world around me and quilts.
Colorfully Joen – we continue the conversation and then Joen gets into design. I mean how cool is this.
Also my friend Alex is doing beginning Life Coaching Alex Rodriguez. Check out our conversation and let Alex know that I’ve sent you over.
Okay I’m not exactly all caught up but it’s a good start and welcome to 2026!
Happy Quilting!
Teri
Check me out on Instagram.
Happy Stitching!
Teri
PS stay tuned for an update on Here Be Dragons Mystery Quilt Along | Debby Brown Quilts, a quilt along quilt with my friend Debby Brown.
