While I’ve been patiently (read:not patiently) waiting for my last block in the series, I prepped alllllll my cute little outer pieces of my blocks, borders, and binding. I’ve got a 108” wideback all prepped, and a whole bolt of Warm & White — so as soon as I get that last block, I’m ready to finish this WIP! It’s my second UFO for the NMQ challenge, so I’m right on track!
Project: 2025 FQS Mystery @fatquartershop
Fabric: Abloom by Corey Yoder @corianderquilts for @modafabrics
#nataliefinishes2026 #fqsmysterybom #quiltyufo
I am no gardener… but this year I’m DETERMINED to weed my front garden beds and plant flowers! This is an iris from my mom’s amazing garden (and another one is coming up on the left, do you see it?), which she divided and gave to me a couple of years ago. Friends, when I tell you that last year they sprouted out of the grocery sack I took them home in… you will know “I am no gardener” is not an exaggeration.
Last fall, I decided to just go ahead and plant them all and see what happened. I probably have 12 plants! And this is just the most beautiful ever I’ve ever seen, because it’s from my Mama. So appropriate for a Mother’s Day surprise!
#iamnogardener #minimalgardeningskillsrequired #irisesaremazing #blessmyheart
Here’s a sneak peek — I’m teaching a class tonight for these cuuuuutie Everbloom blocks! They are so, so fabulous and fun to make!
Project: P+P Garden Sampler with @cornwagonquilts
Patterns: Pen and Paper Sampler & Fresh As a Daisy by @penandpaperpatterns
Fabrics: Moda Bella Solids and various prints from my stash
#nataliefinishes2026 #natalieteaches2026 #penandpaperpatterns #penandpapersampler #samplerquilt
This is the progress I made in the last couple of days — all the “B” blocks are done! And most of the pieces of the “A” blocks too. I still have to trim all the HSTs for three more colorways — I have 288 left! And then the sashing and putting it alllll together. It’s coming along!
This month I have a bunch of behind-the-scenes stuff going on — mostly boring home maintenance and exciting weed-pulling — so I’m choosing to focus most on this fun quilt!
Years ago, Amy Smart came to our quilt guild and shared a new fun quilt with us from her upcoming fabric collection. When I heard the name, I just KNEW I needed to make one for my cute sister-in-law, whose family vacations every year at the same beach Amy got her inspiration from! The sweet, softly patriotic colors are also SO perfect for my history-loving sister-in-law and her husband.
When the fabric came out, I ended up making a shop sample (sadly, I’m not 100% sure where that went) and then bought just the right amount for the queen size for them. It’s been a few years, so I’m sure they’ve forgotten my offer — but they’re moving back within the next month, so this *could* be the perfect housewarming present! If I can get my act together, it will be just SO FUN to surprise them!
Here’s a little rundown of how I’ve organized my project — and how I usually cut and organize a project:
1. Pattern: New Castle Beach by Amy Smart @diaryofaquilter
2. All the pieces I need to make the first set of blocks (pictured in the second photo), plus Triangles on a Roll from @fatquartershop (I absolutely love this product and have it in two sizes!)
3. All the pieces I need to make the first set of snowball blocks — pic coming soon!
4. The sashing strips, all laid out together.
5. I like to pre-cut and pre-piece my border strips so they are the finished length. I find this saves me time and patience when I’m ready to finish that quilt!
6. I also prepare my binding right at the beginning. I’m so happy to have it all ready to go when I’m finished quilting the whole thing!
And then I included a little sneak peek of one of the blocks — isn’t it fun?! The only thing I have left is to buy the backing — I think a nice dark blue Peppered Cotton would be so soft and perfect!
Project: New Castle Beach quilt (queen size) by Amy Smart @diaryofaquilter
Fabric: Portsmouth by Amy Smart for Riley Blake Designs @rileyblakedesigns
Deadline: hopefully May 31!
Goodbye and good riddance to April!! I had so much going on, it felt like I was going to explode. Or possibly maybe not make it. But I did survive! And the horizons are clear skies ahead — famous last words, but I already said it. Here’s hoping it’s a little easier month. I have plans to sew with friends tomorrow, so that’s been keeping me going all week!
INSPIRATION — where does it come from? I think when you are a quilter you see quilts everywhere — just like when you are an author you see stories everywhere. Not everything will become a quilt, but I love having a bunch of random photos that just spark something in my imagination! Some of these inspiration pics are from games, some from my recent trip to Paris (one is even from a grate around a tree!), sometimes it’s in the way a staircase looks in the sunlight, or a pretty cake. When your eyes are open, there is inspiration everywhere!
And that’s the trick — your eyes have to be open. I feel like mine have been a little bit closed recently. It’s all normal, real-life stuff like anxiety, job loss, and just plain being tired — but that can wear on creativity and make you not see it, even when it’s all around you.
I’m leaning hard into a season of rest, and I can feel my creativity and hustle start to come alive again! It’s nice to have that old friend back again.
And with that little ramble into philosophy, I’ll be posting a bunch of pretty pictures again this week. I hope you’re all finding your creativity in real life too! ❤️
This post is a two-for-one! In February I finished this sweet pillow cover — which I made for Valentine’s Day but ended up liking it so much that I have kept it in my room all this time!
I shamelessly copied the layout from the kit, because it was just perfect! Sometimes I like to go rogue, but when I’m feeling tired of decision-making or I really like the sample, I’ll just copy it. This was such a fun project, and I really loved hand-quilting it with perle cotton!
And now for the two-in-one. I fell in absolute love with the piano piece I’ve attached to this post. I was feeling some real burnout, and this song was so peaceful and beautiful, it just spoke to my soul. So I found the sheet music and now I have it memorized. Music is such a joy, I love being able to sit down and play this piece whenever I want to. ❤️❤️❤️
Project: Starstruck Pillow Kit from @sewlux
Fabrics: mostly RSS @rubystarsociety — included in the kit
Quilting thread: Valdani 12 wt #265
So… this month in the FQS Mystery kit, I didn’t really love the block layout. No shame to the creator, it was super interesting and creative! But not for me. So I adjusted one of my favorite patterns (Saltwater from @thimbleblossoms ) and gave it the same center as the block, as a nod to the designer. I think it turned out darling!
Project: 2025 FQS Mystery @fatquartershop
Pattern: Saltwater by @thimbleblossoms (with some adjustments)
Fabric: Abloom by Corey Yoder @corianderquilts for @modafabrics
Since I posted that cute block the other day, I forgot to post this little mockup I made too. We are doing a block swap in my little group — make 8 of any 12” finished block you’d like, in one color, and we’ll have 8 rainbow blocks at the end! With 8 you can make a pretty good-sized table runner or wall hanging, add just a few more blocks and you can have a small lap quilt, and swap twice for a good throw!
One 12” (finished) block for the next @nebomodernquilters swap! You can come hear all about it at our meeting today at 10:00.
This is the first thing I’ve sewn for fun in a couple of weeks — I’m gonna have to change that next week! I’ve had lots of binding work this week, so I’ve been sewing, just not piecing — which is my favorite part!
This little cutie I whipped up a million years ago when I was President of the NMQ for our logo. Many presidents later, and the logo has changed quite a bit — but I’m still pretty proud of this block. 🥹
In unrelated news, oh my word I need to change my ironing board cover.
