Nana's Brightly (2025)

Back to documenting past finishes today. The current plan is to do all of my 2025 finishes and then switch to more of a summary post for prior years.  Otherwise, I'll never catch up. 😬

This is Nana's Brightly quilt, and it has quite a story. 💙

Years ago, I made Brent's (aka Handsome, Boyfriend, Mr. Quilt Holder, Enabler, Warden) parents a Christmas themed quilt, one of my first quilts.  They used it year round, and over the years we gave them much grief for that. (think snow globes and mittens in July) Nana said she would stop when she had another one to replace it. 😂😅  I had been planning to make another bed quilt for them for quite a while and finally put it on the priority list for 2024. Nana LOVES all things blue willow and ginger jar so that was my inspiration. (Thank you, Google images, for the inspiration pics)

I found the perfect fabric line at a local quilt shop, added some blenders and decided on the Brightly by Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew. It's another great pattern that seems to work with any fabric combo. (fat quarter and layer cake friendly, too!) No photo of the fabric pull. 😑

Anyway, I finished piecing Nana's Brightly in September of 2024 thinking we'd gift it for Christmas. Plenty of time to have it quilted, bind it and label it. Right?  Nope. Life happened in October. Their washer flooded and caused major damage to their home. Temporary accommodations and extensive remodeling ensued, followed by some pretty serious health issues and the difficult decision to downsize/relocate closer to their children. 2024/2025 was HARD. They lived nearly five hours away at the time, and Handsome went most weekends for almost six months to help with the repairs, packing, staging, selling, moving, etc.  

While a Christmas delivery didn't happen, Nana's Brightly made the perfect surprise housewarming gift. Jesus knew she'd need something special on a hard day. We sneaked in and left it on the bed while she was distracted with the movers. Her throw pillows and shams coordinate beautifully too.

Housewarming gift 💙

Moving day 2025

Relocation was a really difficult change for them, leaving their church family and community of nearly 50 years. But they've settled in nicely and are enjoying being a bit closer to us (3 hours!) and just minutes from Handsome's sister and family.  

Nana's Brightly finished at ~ 84" square and was quilted by my friend Donna. Zoom in for a peek at the backing. In all the excitement (stress) I forgot to get finish photos.  I'll have to take it off the bed and sneak outside for a photo shoot next time we visit. 

By the way, the Christmas quilt?  It now lives on the guest bed under a beautiful coverlet where I see it each time we stay over. But more on that one later...💕

Piece...

~ Cheryl

🧵🪡

Hold On. Let me Overthink this.

There hasn't been a whole lot of quilting going on over here for one reason or another, but I spent this past week at a retreat (yes, another retreat) with a group of friends. I might have procured a new t-shirt. It's perfect. 🐥

And, I'm happy to report progress on several projects!! First up, some pink 9 patch blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge project I "accidentally" started last month. 💗 My plan is to make as many each month as my 2 1/2" bin will support. I have plenty of pink in the box, so maybe I'll  get a few more in next week.

I made a few more Village Quilt houses in pink last week ,too.  I have eleven more cut but forgot the "door" pieces at home so maybe next week... This is one of my RSC projects from 2025.  After pink, I think I only have one or two more colors to add. 

 

Donna is the April Queen for our Shopgirl Stashbee and chose this Disappearing Pinwheel block for us. I believe the block tutorial was from Missouri Star.

Donna's sample block

She asked for gender neutral fabrics in a softer palette for a baby quilt. Here are my blocks. Geese and bunnies!

Next up, I made my last Carolina Chain blocks, another 2025 RSC project.  I chose gray for October instead of pastels since I'd already been using all shades/tones in each monthly color. When I finish the star sampler, I plan to start sewing these together!

Because I was still procrastinating (overthinking) the star sampler, I stitched up a Honey Bouquet top using a cute little bundle called Pawsomely Posh from Camelot. Get some sunglasses.  It's bright. 😎 But the pups and scooters are just too cute.  Some little girl somewhere will love this. I think sorting out the layout took longer than cutting and sewing the top. I'll definitely revisit this pattern.

Pawsomely Posh Honey Bouquet 

I finally settled down on Thursday, and worked out a plan for my star sampler.  I got all the sashing finished and blocks sewn into rows. I'll sew the rows together and add a border in the same blue fabric as the cornerstone stars next week (I hope.) And then maybe take some better pics. 

I made five more Streak of Lightning blocks for my Leader/Ender project using up a shoe box of 2 1/2" squares and strips. That box is like loaves and fishes, but the lid fits a little better now. :)

 

Next up? Back to the star sampler, some pink houses and my block samples for May stash bee. I'm about to be a queen!  

Piece...

 

Cheryl

🧵🪡

Linking to Angela's ScrapHappy Saturday 

Margie's Meadowland (2025)

 Last year, my sweet friend Margie welcomed her first grandbaby and will henceforth be known as "Gigi". The occasion had to be marked with a special quilt, one to be kept at Gigi's house for all the future grands. Here's to many more, Margie! 

Margie's Meadowland

The pattern is Meadowland by Then Came June. It's one of my favorites. This is my second version, and I already have plans for a third.  I treated myself to a 4x8 Bloc Loc flying geese ruler for this pattern.  I can't recommend it enough. 😍 The pattern is FQ friendly and produces very little waste. 

I pieced the top at our 2025 quilt retreat. We used these tables for layout work, and then looked down at it from the balcony to get a bird's eye view.  This always becomes a group effort - one or two arranging blocks while the others chime in from the landing.  😂 Works for us.

Look at all the finishes!

Here it is hanging from the balcony with other completed tops at retreat. I used a long-hoarded half yard bundle of Charleston by Amy Sinibaldi and some Art Gallery blenders. I'll just love this collection.

Quilting by Michelle 💗

Michelle did a fantastic job quilting it for me.  I'm amazed at what she can do with some rulers and freehand magic. I love how the tiny stippling makes the orange peels pop.

Labeled, bound, gifted!

Margie's Meadowland finished at ~ 48" x 64" and was gifted in May 2025 from 100% stash!!! (yay me!)