This is my SAHRR ’26 with all the rounds on. It will be quilted and ready for the parade on March 25.
Other’s Round #6
For those of you that don’t have social media, I will post pictures of your quilts. Please send me your picture by noon (Pacific time) on March 23.
Jan W:
Jan H:
Rosie said, I used leftovers from hourglass round to make stars for the corners. It looks finished but still need to add something to bring it to QOV size.
Robin’s:
Donna R says she was away at a conference and put Round #6 together in a morning!
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
As I was doing the numbers for this week, I realized that I had goofed the % for last week. It’s fixed now!!
Toni’s Garden – is a sew-a-long that started in January … It looks pretty, so I decided to join in! (check it out HERE). All I’ve done so far is download the patterns for the first 2 blocks … hopefully I’ll be able to show you my first block soon!
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No shopping so far this year!
I finished quilting my SAHRR, but I won’t count the yardage until I post it (on March 25)
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric Used in 2026: 43.5yards (30.5 yards from non-Island Batik)
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 0 yards
Net Fabric used: 43.5 yards
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
March’s colour is RED Nothing sewn yet … haven’t even attacked my scrap bag! But soon!
Leader and Ender Scrappy continues …
When I finished my Irish Chain with stars, there were several partial components, so I’m going to continue to use the same blocks for my next leader and ender project.
Meadow Mist: Magnificent Mystery
The blocks are being webbed together. Ready to quilt … sorry, no picture.
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last week:
Finish Webbin Magnificent Mystery and sandwich it. √ DONE.
Work on 2026 SAHRR√ DONE.
Work on Toni’s Garden – piece January block NOT DONE
Piece January & February’s blocks: Jen’s Colour ChallengeNOT DONE
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √ DONE.
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.√ DONE.
To Do for this week:
I have my list, but I’m not going to stress about getting it done! There’s too much to get done in a week!
Piece January, February and March’s blocks: Jen’s Colour Challenge
Work on Baby Challenge Quilt for Boundary Bay’s Quilt Show (theme is Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder!
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.
SAHRR 2026
The SAHRR ’26 is almost finished. All of the rounds have been announced and participants have until March 25 to assemble (and possibly quilt) their projects!
Claudia is having a give-away, so make sure you check in with her! Create with Claudia
Don’t Forget
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
This is my SAHRR ’26 with all the rounds on. It will be quilted and ready for the parade on March 25.
Other’s Round #6
For those of you that don’t have social media, I will post pictures of your quilts. Please send me your picture by noon (Pacific time) on March 23.
Jan W:
Jan H:
Rosie said, I used leftovers from hourglass round to make stars for the corners. It looks finished but still need to add something to bring it to QOV size.
Robin’s:
Donna R says she was away at a conference and put Round #6 together in a morning!
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
Last week, I showed you my leaders and enders project in progress …
Well, with a destination in mind, it became my focus: piecing, quilting and scrappy binding. No pattern is available at the present time, but I’m willing to teach it in person or by zoom.
Here are some close ups! All over swirls on my domestic sewing machine.
Quilt Stats:
Size: 50″ x 70″
Block size: 10″ x 10″
Fabric: Scraps of Island Batik fabric with Island Batik’s solid White
Binding: Scraps of binding strips left over from Island Batik projects
Essem was having a ‘soft opening’ prior to their “Official Re-Opening” on Saturday, Feb. 22. So wanting to see their new space, I stopped in. I needed NOTHING and had no intention of buying anything … and I didn’t! Although they have LOTS of new and wonderful fabric in!!!
However, I ended up walking to my car with components for a cute and quick panel quilt. The panel was super narrow, compared to most panels, so I added a 6″ border on the sides and 3″ borders top and bottom. It didn’t take long to do! And it was quilted with my latest favourite, swirls.
The panel is “Willow’s Farm” and the borders are “Organic Gingham.” This baby quilt was backed with a fabric called “Teddy Plush” in beige. It’s 100% polyester and I wasn’t sure how it would quilt. It quilted like a dream!!! The quilt slid under my foot with ease. The binding was cut on the bias, using left-overs from the borders. If you go into Essem, I’m sure Simina will make up a kit for you!
Stitching Stuff
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
Oh, it is so very nice to be sewing each and every day!
Toni’s Garden – is a sew-a-long that started in January … It looks pretty, so I decided to join in! (check it out HERE). All I’ve done so far is download the patterns for the first 2 blocks … hopefully I’ll be able to show you my first block soon!
Patterns by Jen – 2026 Monthly Colour Challenge
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Quilting Projects:
SAHRR ’26
Sunday Stash
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No shopping so far this year!
I estimated that the Scrappy Irish Chain was approximately 9 yards … 4 yards for backing and at least 5 yards for the scraps and binding. It probably used more, but I’ll leave it at 9.
Even though I came out of Essem with fabric, I didn’t buy any and the sample was back in the store in a couple of days. So, I’m not counting it as fabric bought, nor fabric used.
Fabric used this week: 9 yards
Fabric Used in 2026: 43.5yards (30.5 yards from non-Island Batik)
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 0 yards
Net Fabric used: 43.5 yards
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
February’s colour is GREEN. I’ve sewn (8) 9 patch blocks … using scraps of Island Batik fabric. I showed this last week, there’s nothing new this week.
Leaders and Enders
OK … confession here. Once I put the above Scrappy Irish Chain with Stars together, I had several more components of the blocks made. So I’m going to continue to make even more to make another quilt.
Meadow Mist: Magnificent Mystery
The blocks are being webbed together.
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last week:
Work on Magnificent Mystery: February’s clue in progress
Work on 2026 SAHRR√ DONE.
Work on Toni’s Garden – piece January block NOT DONE
Piece January & February’s blocks: Jen’s Colour ChallengeNOT DONE
Leader’s & Enders Scrappy Irish Chain with Stars√ DONE.
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √ DONE.
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.√ DONE.
To Do for this week:
I have my list, but I’m not going to stress about getting it done! There’s too much to get done in a week!
Finish Webbin Magnificent Mystery and sandwich it
Quilt 2026 SAHRR
Work on Toni’s Garden – piece January block
Piece January & February’s blocks: Jen’s Colour Challenge
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder!
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.
SAHRR 2026
The SAHRR ’26 has started!! It’s not too late if you want to join in. We’re only half way done! See these posts for more details:
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
Did you see all the Round #4s from last week’s Link Party? You can see them at Pieceful Thoughts
It’s my turn this week. I have chosen 2 colours. I figure after a few of the comments I received about last week’s curves, you needed something simple!
This week, we’re going to use 2 colours and you can make anything you like, but you’re going to use 2 colours. If you want, you can add in a neutral, which some would say is 3 colours. However, the SAHRR does NOT have quilt police, so you can do it YOUR way! There are probably over a million different blocks out there, so you can choose. I’m going to keep it simple and use a 4 patch.
Would you believe that I neglected to take pictures as I made my 4 patches. Gee … you’d think that I’d learn to consistently take pictures, but I didn’t. I strip pieced the blue and purple fabrics with Egg White. The strips were all cut at 2 1/2“. I had to fudge a little along the top and bottom borders, the the sides fit perfectly!
My SAHRR measures 37″ x 48.” Here it is:
Be sure to link up your Round #5 below.
The fabric I am using for this years SAHRR is Lumin Fabrics (Island Batik) “Radiant Burst” by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white.
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
I thought I had shown you this quilt already, but I can’t find it in my feed. Did I delete the post? I don’t know … but, you get to see it again! It was the fall mystery from Laundry Basket Quilts, but I changed the star blocks and didn’t do a couple of the final rounds.
There is a mixture of ruler quilting and free motion. Here are some close up pictures of the quilting. I really enjoyed quilting this one!! There’s a LOT of ruler quilting! And all quilting is done on my domestic machine (Janome M7).
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
Oh, it is so very nice to be sewing each and every day!
Toni’s Garden – is a sew-a-long that started in January … It looks pretty, so I decided to join in! (check it out HERE). All I’ve done so far is download the pattern … hopefully I’ll be able to show you my first block soon!
Patterns by Jen – 2026 Monthly Colour Challenge
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Leader’s & Enders Scrappy Irish Chain with Stars
Quilting Projects:
None at the moment!
Sunday Stash
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No shopping so far this year!
I think the fabric from Laundry Basket quilt was already included in these totals.
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric Used in 2026: 34.5yards (26.5 yards from non-Island Batik)
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 0 yards
Net Fabric used: 34.5 yards
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
February’s colour is GREEN. I’ve sewn (8) 9 patch blocks … using scraps of Island Batik fabric.
Leaders and Enders
I’ve been working on a Scrappy Irish Chain with Stars as my Leaders and Enders … I’m using scraps of Island Batik fabric and solid white to make the blocks …
Well, as with all Leaders and Enders, there comes a point when it all of a sudden becomes a current work in progress.
I started with lots of squares and made the chain rows, and smaller squares and half-square triangles for the stars and viola, I have 2 blocks.
Hopefully, it will be a quilt soon!
Meadow Mist: Magnificent Mystery
The final clue came on Feb. It was a few days before I could start assembling it. I’m liking it so far! Here are the first 2 blocks:
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last week:
Work on Magnificent Mystery: February’s clue in progress
Work on 2026 SAHRR in progress
Work on Toni’s Garden – piece January block NOT DONE
Piece January & February’s blocks: Jen’s Colour ChallengeNOT DONE
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √ DONE.
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.√ DONE.
To Do for this week:
I have my list, but I’m not going to stress about getting it done! There’s too much to get done in a week!
Work on Magnificent Mystery
Work on 2026 SAHRR
Work on Toni’s Garden – piece January block
Piece January & February’s blocks: Jen’s Colour Challenge
Leader’s & Enders Scrappy Irish Chain with Stars
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder!
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.
SAHRR 2026
The SAHRR ’26 has started!! It’s not too late if you want to join in. We’re only half way done! See these posts for more details:
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
Did you see all the Round #3’s from last week’s Link Party? You can see them at The Darling Dogwood
This week is Round #4. Wendy has chosen “Curved Block.”
This is what she says, “This week let’s show off our curves! Curved blocks, that is! Make a curved block border for your quilt this week. Curved blocks can be intimidating, but they really are easier than they look. Here are just a few ideas for constructing your blocks:
Use templates to cut and piece
Use the improv method (no templates, just your rotary cutter)
Use applique method
Think out of the box – fabrics with a curved print? Bias tape curves?
Once the blocks are done, there are several ways they can be arranged into a border, so play with them a bit before you sew up your border. Have fun!
I chose to make circles … lots of circles and put them on a curved line on each side of the quilt. I don’t have an accuquilt die that cuts circles, so I used a plastic template and cut circles 1 1/4” in size. Because I did them by hand, they are not perfect … but they are close enough. I glued them on the border with a dab of Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue, but I didn’t trust them to stay in place. I used the largest stitch on my machine and basted them in place. Once I quilt the quilt, they will be well secured!
And here is my SAHRR so far:
Be sure to link up your Round #4 on Wendy’s blog: Wendy @ Pieceful Thoughts
The fabric I am using for this years SAHRR is Lumin Fabrics (Island Batik) “Radiant Burst” by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white.
You can see my previous SAHRR ’26 posts at these links:
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
Robin added cats to her quilt … why am I not surprised? She will fill in the middle once she finds out what this week’s prompt is!
Donna added 2 moose to the side of her quilt:
Dena Emeneau posted this on IG, but sent the link to me. (Dena, could you please send me your email address – thx!)
Katie said, “I had a hard time with the animal theme–I finally decided on a fish, but had trouble making one small enough–this one finishes at 1-1/2″ high and it stll looks huge compared to the sailboat”
Sedona Starburst is a pattern by Songbird Designs. Isn’t it fantastic? I used an older fat quarter pack to make this quilt. I have no idea what the line of fabric is … but I know I got it around 2017 or earlier. If you would like the pattern, visit Songbird Designs and she will tell you how to get the. pattern for yourself!
There is a mixture of ruler quilting and free motion. Here are some close up pictures of the quilting. I really enjoyed quilting this one!! There’s a LOT of ruler quilting! And all quilting is done on my domestic machine (Janome M7).
For the back, I used the left-over fat quarters. I love how the quilting shows up on the back!
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
Oh, it is so very nice to be sewing each and every day!
Toni’s Garden – is a sew-a-long that started in January … It looks pretty, so I decided to join in! (check it out HERE). All I’ve done so far is download the pattern … hopefully I’ll be able to show you my first block soon!
Patterns by Jen – 2026 Monthly Colour Challenge
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
Quilting Projects:
None at the moment!
Sunday Stash
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No shopping so far this year!
Sedona Starburst used 6 yards from my stash.
Fabric used this week: 12.5 yards
Fabric Used in 2026: 34.5yards (26.5 yards from non-Island Batik)
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 0 yards
Net Fabric used: 34.5 yards
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
February’s colour is GREEN. I’ve sewn (3) 9 patch blocks … the top right block is actually a dark dark green. These are from my Island Batik scraps.
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last week:
Work on Magnificent Mystery: February’s clue in progress
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
Most of my friends know that I will NOT quilt their quilt(s). I always encourage them to do it themselves … or … quilt it by cheque! (ie send it to a long armer!)
However, when my dear friend (Heather) was in palliative care, I was told about a quilt that she started when her eldest daughter was 12 or 14. The quilt sat for many years, but Heather had worked hard that summer to complete the quilt … but alas, it didn’t get finished. Heather was a well known costume designer/sewer in the Abbotsford/Chilliwack area and she definitely knew how to sew. Her 1/4” seam was perfect! The blocks were all exactly the same size! Totally amazing for her first quilt!
Oh, and I must tell you that this eldest daughter is over 50 and a grandma herself! So, it’s obvious the quilt languished for many many years. Also, when the daughter was around 5 or 6, my husband and I babysat her and her sister … and they were so easy to take care of and such lovely kids, that it was soon after that when we started our own family!
I agreed to finish the quilt. It needed quilting and binding.
I was given the quilt in mid-November. No promises were made as to when it would be finished (this is when I was dealing with my fractured ribs). However, I managed to finish quilting and binding it by late December. They were having the memorial service for Heather on New Years Eve.
So, once the quilt was finished, my husband and I took the quilt and gave it to Heather’s husband a few days prior to the service. What a true honour it was to finish this quilt for them!!
Here are some pictures of the daughter receiving the quilt and it’s place of honour at the memorial service.
And a picture of the completed quilt:
Here is a close-up of the back where I used Silly Moon’s “Drop” ruler for the flower and “Rocket” for all the straight lines.
As I said previously, it was a great honour to be able to finish this quilt for Heather.
Don’t Forget!
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
Did you see all the Round #1s from last week’s Link Party? You can see them at Songbird Designs.
This week is Round #3. Animal Kingdom. Emily says, “This week, we’re taking inspiration from the animal kingdom! Any animal counts, from the smallest ant to the biggest of sharks. There are lots of ways to interpret Animal Kingdom. Here are some ideas:
Block named after an animal: Bear Paw, Monkey Wrench, Snail’s Trail, Birds in the Air, Shoo Fly, Puss in the Corner, etc.
Applique of an animal
Pieced block that looks like an animal
Fabric that contains animals
I googled “Butterfly” blocks. Lots came up, but nothing was quite ‘right.’ Then, I went to Quilt Blocks Galore and found this 6″ paper pieced Butterfly block. (HERE). I admit, that I wasn’t thrilled with the sample butterfly, but my imagination took the block, added in my glorious “Radiant Burst” fabrics and I KNEW it would work!
I made 6 paper pieced butterflies. Put 3 on the top and 3 on the bottom. I just want to make sure that the quilt is a rectangle! The next round will be on the sides.
Be sure to link up your Round #3 on Emily’s blog: Emily @ The Darling Dogwood
The fabric I am using for this years SAHRR is Lumin Fabrics (Island Batik) “Radiant Burst” by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white.
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
Katie Y: She says, “Here are my first two rounds–I started with an orphan block–the sailboat and added the hour glasses at the top–thought they looked kind of like clouds, and then double four patches at the bottom to resemble waves.”
Donna R says, “I know it’s lopsided, but this will get me to a rectangle shape rather than a square. The block is Double Spinwheel from Quilter’s Cache.“
How true is that? But, I haven’t bought any fabric yet this year.
One Finishthis week
I finished quilting the “Arabesque” Pattern from mmmquilts. I used 2 different sized Silly Moon Beanies and Rocket for the ruler work. The swirls were all free motioned without rulers.
This quilt pattern was Sandra’s (mmmquilts) SAHRR from 2025. If you take a look at my SAHRR (HERE) you would NEVER ever guess that she used the same prompts! If you want the pattern, you can purchase it from Sandra at mmmquilts etsy site.
And here is the back! And yes, the top left corner has the label for the Boundary Bay Quilt Guild, so it’s destined as a donation quilt.
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
Oh, it is so very nice to be sewing each and every day!
Meadow Mist MagnificientMystery: I’m all caught up, just waiting for February’s clue. Apparently we’ll be told which blocks to make and how to finish the quilt … I’ll find out on February 5
SAHRR ’26
Toni’s Garden – is a sew-a-long that started a couple of days ago … It looks pretty, so I decided to join in! (check it out HERE). All I’ve done so far is download the pattern … hopefully I’ll be able to show you my first block soon!
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No shopping so far this year!
The Arabesque quilt used 6 yards from my stash.
Fabric used this week: 6 yards
Fabric Used in 2026: 14yards (6 yards from non-Island Batik)
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 0 yards
Net Fabric used: 14 yards
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
January’s colour is BLUE. Usually with blue, I would make at least a baby quilt, but I just made 7 nine patch blocks. The Island Batik 2.5″ squares were in my stash, no cutting involved! Just 3 different ways to do 9 patches with blues and a neutral.
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last week:
Laundry Basket Mystery: Sandwich and Quilt in progress
Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs Sandwich and Quilt. in progress. sandwiched and binding made!
Sandwich and Quilt Arabesque Quilt for mmmquilts√ DONE
Work on Magnificent Mystery: November & December √ DONE. All caught up!
Work on 2026 SAHRR in progress
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √ DONE.
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.√ DONE.
To Do for this week: needs to be updated.
I have my list, but I’m not going to stress about getting it done! There’s too much to get done in a week!
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
Did you see all the Round #1s from last week’s Link Party? You can see them at Songbird Designs.
This week is Round #2. Kathleen says: Make it a Double! It is week 2 and I challenge you to use a double block. Here are a few examples:
Double Z
Double 4 patch
Double Irish Chain
Double Cross
Double Hour Glass
Double Pinwheel
Double Wedding Ring (that would be ambitious)
Double Wrench
Double X
I wasn’t inspired by any of the Double blocks. I find this unusual as usually I am able to find something that works. I went to Quilt Blocks Galore for more inspiration. As I went through the list of “double” blocks, Nothing was saying “do this.”
And then … I was wandering around the Internet and came across Jenny Doan’s “Double Churn Dash” quilt. Now, I’m not about to make a whole quilt, but it inspired me to use 2 of the fabrics from the Radiant Burst collection and frame Round #1 with a Double Churn Dash. Yes, I know that a Churn Dash is basically the same as a “Wrench” block … but I’m also a bit of a rebel!
This is my finished Round #2 … This block is now 22 1/2” x 26 1/2“.
How I made this double Churn Dash: The strips of red, blue and neutral were all cut at 1 1/2” and the half-square triangles were cut at 21/2“, and will finish at 2” in the quilt.
Be sure to link up your round #2 on Kathleen’s blog: Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing
The fabric I am using for this years SAHRR is Lumin Fabrics (Island Batik) “Radiant Burst” by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white.
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
I know that I have not posted much in the last month … I’ve had that horrid flu / cold that was going around. I’m finally on the mend and feeling much much better! So, I’ll try to catch you up to what’s happening!
For each of my weekly updates, I’ll be starting fresh!
Two Finishes
I have 2 finishes this month:
The quilt I made for the Starry Seas Blog Hop, along with the magnetic bowls see THIS POST.
And the Helen Godden Countdown to Christmas ’25. (See all the youtube videos HERE.) I have been doing her countdowns for several years. This was the 3rd year that my sister and I have done it together. We often do it between Christmas and New Years, but this year we did it this past week. As we are zooming, we watch the videos together and then quilt the various components.
I used Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) solid white fabric. The project was traced onto the fabric using a Sharpie “Stained” marker (doesn’t bleed like a regular sharpie). The lines were all stitched with Aurifil #2692 (black). The various sections were coloured with Inktense pencils and Aloe Vera. Hobbs 80/20 was used as the batting. All of the micro quilting was done with black Aurifil thread. The quilt was bound with Island Batik’s solid black fabric.
And here is the finished project!
I always learn a LOT when doing these projects! It’s a LOT of fun and it doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect! It just gets done!
Stitching Stuff
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
I know that for at least 2 weeks, I didn’t go into my sewing room. I was too sick. And the rest of the time was hit and miss, so I’m going to take a wild guess that I have probably sewed for 30 minutes at least 10 days so far this month. I know it’s a low percentage for me, but it will get better!
Meadow Mist MagnificientMystery: I’m all caught up, just waiting for February’s clue. Apparently we’ll be told which blocks to make and how to finish the quilt … I’ll find out on February 5
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No purchases so far this year!
The Starry Seas quilt and magnetic bowls used 7.5 yards and the Helen Godden Christmas used half a yard.
Fabric used this year: 8 yards
Fabric Used in 2026: 8yards
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 0 yards
Net Fabric used: 8 yards
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
January’s colour is BLUE. Usually with blue, I would make at least a baby quilt, but I just made 3 nine patch blocks. The Island Batik 2.5″ squares were in my stash, no cutting involved! Just 3 different ways to do 9 patches with blues and a neutral.
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last year ago:
Laundry Basket Mystery: Finish Week 7 √ DONE. It’s ready to be sandwiched and quilted
Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs get the quilt webbed together. √ DONE. It’s ready to be sandwiched and quilted
Sandwich and Quilt Arabesque Quilt for mmmquilts in progress
Finish Quilting Friend’s Quilt√ DONE.
Work on Magnificent Mystery: November & December √ DONE. All caught up!
Work on 2026 SAHRR in progress
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √ DONE.
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.√ DONE.
To Do for this week:
I have my list, but I’m not going to stress about getting it done! There’s too much to get done in a week!
Laundry Basket Mystery: Sandwich and Quilt
Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs Sandwich and Quilt
Finish Quilting and bind Arabesque Quilt for mmmquilts
Work on 2026 SAHRR
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder!
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.
SAHRR 2026
The SAHRR ’26 has started!! It’s not too late if you want to join in. See these posts for more details:
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
Did you see all the Centre Blocks from last week’s Link Party? You can see them HERE.
This week is Round #1. Brenda chose this round and here’s what she had to say: Traditional hourglass block using HSTs OR Super Easy Hourglass block with Jenny Doan’s technique using four patch blocks. You can find her video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK8vOFzYzwM. Make them any size you like to fit your plan for your SAHRR. Visit Brenda’s blog for more details: Brenda @ Songbird Designs
I hadn’t tried Jenny Doan’s technique and thought I’d give it a whirl. I cut my squares at 3″, made my 4 patches and carried on. The Hourglass blocks finished at 3 1/2″. I wasn’t sure that I liked just 4 blocks, so I made a second set, giving me 8 blocks.
This is my finished Round #1 … This block is now 13 1/2” x 17 1/2“.
Be sure to link up your round #1 on Brenda’s blog: Brenda @ Songbird Designs
The fabric I am using for this years SAHRR is Lumin Fabrics (Island Batik) “Radiant Burst” by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white.
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
I received a 10″ stack of Starry Seas along with along with 2 yards of Buttermilk (from the Neutrals collection) and 2 yards of Sea Urchins – Multi Pink (which is part of the Starry Seas collection) in my Island Batik (Lumin Fabrics) box in July. When I saw that Jennifer, from the InquiringQuilter was going to do a blog hop, I asked if she wanted me to participate. Of course, she said ‘yes.’
I used the “Kite” Accuquilt die and cut out a kite star from 20 of the 10″ squares, along with the coordinating pieces using Buttermilk. They were pieced together, then I added a 2.5″ sashing of Buttermilk and 2.5″ squares of Sea Urchins for cornerstones. This is the result:
I used Silly Moon’s “Rocket” to outline the kite stars and do the inner stars. The neutral was free motion swirls. On the border, I used the “Kite” ruler to make the kites circulating the quilt.
And a couple of close ups of the quilting!
Quilt Stats:
Size: 50″x 60″
Block size: 8″
Fabric: Island Batik: “Starry Seas” along with Buttermilk & Sea Urchins
But there is more. When I cut out the Kite shapes with the Accuquilt, there were pieces left-over. Pieces that could not be cut into nice half-square triangles or squares. So … I had an idea to use some Mod Podge and cover some magnetic bowls. I covered a bunch of them and gave them to my quilting friends for Christmas.
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
The 2026 SAHRR was officially announced in December (you can read the announcement and all about the SAHRR HERE).
Everyone that is doing the SAHRR starts with a Centre Block. It’s up to each person to choose which block they want to use. Some people use an orphan block. Or you can use one of the blocks that one of the SAHRR team has used. OR you can use any block of your choice!! Any size that you want! It can be square or rectangle … even a triangle if you wish! 😉
This year I’m using an orphan block. It was a block from when I made “Bloomers.” Bloomers was designed by by Denise of A Quiltery. The quilt is a mixture of embroidered and pieced blocks. The embroidered blocks have a base that is half Egg White neutral and half solid white. However, if you put the base fabrics on the wrong side, it doesn’t work with the quilt. Thus, I had this beautiful orphan block.
You can contact Denise at if you want to use this block. It is available as an embroidery block or appliqué. Mine is embroidered. The fabric I plan to use this year is Lumin Fabrics (Island Batik) “Radiant Burst” by Jerry Khiev, along with the Egg White neutral and solid white. This block is 7″ x 12″ and theoretically, I should end up with a rectangle quilt.
The Schedule
January 14 Each of the co-leaders will be sharing their centre blocks (you will have to visit each of their blogs to see them). I will host the first linky party where you can show your centre block.
March 25: Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!
We have Sponsors!
We reached out to several companies that we all LOVE and many of them agreed to sponsor the SAHRR 2026!!! (That means prizes for YOU!!!). We will keep track of all of the participants that link to our Linky parties each week. We will make a list and use a random number generator to choose the winners for each prize! So, if you link up to 3 Linky parties, you will have 3 opportunities to win! If you don’t have a blog or Instagram account, contact me, or one of the other co-hosts, and we will post your SAHRR on our blog. This way you still have an opportunity to win!
This is where you can Link up and show us your Centre block. We want the actual block that you will be using. It’s OK if you change your mind, but if you don’t use what you show us, we won’t be counting it as an entry to join.
The Link Party will be open until midnight (Pacific time) on January 20.
Here is a list of the participating Blog Hoppers and make sure you visit Jennifer’s blog to have an opportunity to win a Fat Quarter Pack of this beautiful fabric!
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
My husband has been bugging me to make a quilt for the grand-dog. I had made one a few years ago, but it went home with her mama. I decided to make one, using some dog fabric that I had left over. I kept it a secret and the grand-dog got it for Christmas. It’s 28″ x36″ and has a plush backing. Although it’s difficult to see, there are bones quilted all over it. You might be able to see them better on the backing!
Stitching Stuff
Kate, from Life in Pieces, is hosting “Stitching Stuff” and the goal is to sew for at least 15 minutes a day. I use Kate’s guideline, but my personal goal is to sew for 30 minutes a day. On those “blah” days, it does motivate me to sit at my machine and 30 minutes often turns into several hours. Thank you Kate for the motivation!
I’m currently quilting a quilt for a friend. I’ll show it to you when it’s finished … I’ve got a ways to go.
Sunday Stash
Donna at Quilt Paint Create hosts a weekly linky party where you can display your stash numbers. This has really kept my stash from growing (somewhat!) Before I buy anything, I am always mindful of the fact that I need to report it on my blog … That sometimes stops me in my tracks!
No purchases this week, but the dog quilt used up 2 yards.
I was hoping to make it to 200 yards used … but I’m 2.5 yards short. Oh well. My stash isn’t going anywhere, so hopefully I can dream and make 200 yards next year.
Fabric used since my last report: 2 yards
Fabric Used in 2025: 226yards. {72 yards of non Island Batik fabric}
Fabric Added in the last week: 0 yards
Fabric Added this year: 28.5 yards
Net Fabric used: 197.5 yards
To Do
Carol from Quilt Schmilt is hosting “To Do” every week.
To Do from last week ago:
Laundry Basket Mystery: Work on Week 7 in progress
Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs in progress
Quilt on a Arabesque Quilt for mmmquilts XX not done XX still needs to be sandwiched.
Finish Quilting Friend’s Quilt in progress
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder! √ DONE.
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.√ DONE.
To Do for this week:
I have my list, but I’m not going to stress about getting it done!
Laundry Basket Mystery: Finish Week 7
Continue to work on a Test quilt for Songbird Designs get the quilt webbed together.
Do NOT be distracted by any SQUIRRELS! I NEED this continual reminder!
Tidy & clean studio for 30 minutes.
Don’t Forget
I am now a Silly Moon affiliate! So what does that mean? When you use my affiliate code Quiltinggail2024 at Silly Moon, you will receive 10% off your order and I will receive a small commission.
As an Island Batik (Lumin) Ambassador, I receive a LOT of wonderful fabric and quilting supplies from Island Batik and industry partners. This post is a compilation of the projects I created in 2025 using Island Batik fabrics. Thank you Island Batik for a wonderful year!
Here’s a l pictures of everything I received in my first January box. The 2nd box contained all the wonderful Hobbs Batting and a tool from Studio 180 Designs. You can see the video and individual pictures on THIS POST.
This was my runner for February’s Island Batik (Lumin) challenge featuring Studio 180 tool and the Radiant Burst collection. See HERE for more details.
Claudia Porter from Create with Claudia asked me to make something with her feature fabric. Of course, I said “yes.” This quilt used the beautiful Meadow Hues collection. See HERE. for more detail.
This pretty quilt was made with Jennifer Thomas’s (of Curlicue Creations) signature fabric, Sunlit Garden. See THIS POST for more details.
March’s Island Batik challenge was “It’s All Up to You.” We made anything we wanted. The choice was ours. I made this bear’s paw quilt. See THIS POST for more details.
This zipper pouch was easy to make for a quick gift. See HERE for more details.
This was my SAHRR quilt. THIS POST has most of the details, with links to other posts containing details of each round.
The Rainbow Scrap Challenge for February was Blue. This is one of the quilts I completed for February. You can read about it HERE.
April’s Challenge was to make a quilt using a Drunkard’s Path block. You can read more about it HERE.
And, here’s a smaller version!
I reviewed a book called “Picture Patchwork” and this train was one of the quilts in the book. You can read about it HERE.
This quilt was made for the Island Batik Catalogue. You can read about it on THIS POST. (photo credit: Jerry Khiev).
A 12″ mini quilt was made for the Hobbs Batting booth in Houston … It’s likely the only quilt that I’ll have that hung in that quilt show!! LOL!!!
This quilt was made for a dear relative dealing with cancer. You can read more about it on THIS POST.
This is one of the TWO quilts I made for the Irish Chain Blog Hop. You can read about it on THIS POST.
This is the back of the first quilt.
This is the 2nd quilt:
I made this little zipper pouch (front & back shown) from left-overs from the above quilt. See THIS POST for details.
The June Island Batik challenge was to make a soft toy using a Funky Friends pattern. See HERE for the adventures of these 2 squirrels!
These placemats used more of the left-overs from the Irish Chain quilts … This POST has all the details.
This was a mystery quilt from Canuck Quilter. You can read more about it on THIS POST.
I made this Swan Quilt using a pattern from the “Picture Patchwork” book. You can read about it HERE.
This quilt was made with scraps of purple and solid white. You can read about it HERE.
I used leftover strips to make these donation placemats. See THIS POST for details:
This quilt was made for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Orange was the colour for June … but it didn’t get finished until the end of July. See details HERE.
This is my August Island Batik Challenge: to decorate the wool Oliso carrying case. I also made a reversible bag to put my Alpaca/wool mat in. See HERE for more details.
This butterfly quilt was fun to make. See details HERE.
I made this quilt using Embroidery designs by Denise Looney and the fabrics were all from Island Batik. More details HERE.
These quilts were made for the Threaded Chaos Blog Hop, featuring crazy quilts using Aurifil Thread. THIS POST has all the details.
This quilt was made with a strip pack of the Splish Splash collection. You can read more about it HERE, and see lots of close-ups of the quilting!
The October challenge was to make a byAnnie bag. I made ‘Switchback.’ You can read about it HERE.
These were left-overs from the Splish Splash quilt (above) you can read about them on THIS POST.
The November challenge was Timeless Traditions. We were instructed to choose at least 5 traditional blocks and make a quilt. You can read about it on THIS POST.
When I made the Switchback (ByAnnie bag) earlier this fall, I had some left-over quilted fabric … one an incorrect panel. I couldn’t resist using them to make these too Clam Up bags. (See HERE for details)
December’s Island Batik challenge was totally up to us! We could make whatever we wanted. The fall colours were so vibrant this year, that I couldn’t resist making this maple leaf scrappy quilt. See THIS POST for details.
Thank you!Thank you! Thank you!
WOW!! A total of 46 projects made with Island Batik fabrics!! This wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of Lumin Fabrics and the industry partners!
Quilting Gail 