Cold weather sewing. What I am working on for the next few weeks and the year.

This weekend was a cold one the initial forecast was snow and ice, but we were fortunate to get just a lot of cold rain. This meant lots of time to work on sewing projects and cooking yummy things.

I made 16 chicken blocks for a spring chicken quilt while thinking of the upcoming season. It’s a pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew. The fabric is Spring Chicken from Sweetwater by Moda. I have been wanting to do this quilt since I got the fabric last year, and I put it on my must-do list for the year. I grew up on a farm with cows, horses, chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, and pigs. Now I live in a subdivided neighborhood, and I miss my barnyard creatures. The HOA here has a strict no chicken policy so these will be the only chickens I have for a while.

I also made a table topper for my kitchen table out of farmhouse-themed fabric. I made it as practice for a block of the month I am starting next weekend. It is Jaybird’s Quilts Gazebo pattern. It uses her Hex and More ruler. I have only ever used a standard quilting ruler so I wanted to “train” my brain on how to position the fabric. I also had to train my brain to piece triangle blocks where I have ever made squares and rectangles. It was a lot like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. I love puzzles.

I am going to be participating in several sew-alongs, block of the months and a challenge this year. The first is Toes in the Sand Block of the Month by Jaybirds Quilts using Tula Pink Daydreamer Fabrics. It is being held through my local quilt shop and is definitely going to be a challenge for me. I have only ever done quilts with squarish blocks. This one is composed of intricate triangles made of smaller triangles and hexagons. Hence why I was practicing for it using the ruler. Here is a link to the pattern and what the quilt will look like here.

I am also participating in A Quilting Life’s 2022 Block of the Month. I am using her Happy Days Fabric. I am trying to decide if I want to make all the churn dashes one color or two colors.

I am also participating in Pat Sloan’s Sweet Dreams Sew Along. It runs from January through May. It is one block per week. I am using Kitty Corn by Urban Chiks for Moda. I love the retro/ cartoony Halloween look. This will be my first Halloween quilt.

I have also decided to complete the Free Spirit Coat challenge with my local quilt shop. I’m excited to try something other than a quilt.

Well, I hope all of yall are staying warm. Stay tuned for more exciting updates.