Off Kilter

"The small fragments of our current lives sometimes seem overshadowed by the pandemic particulars....almost but not quite.  May the fabric of your life be filled with lovely, lively, off kilter moments and memories of this unique time."
From an e-mail exchange with my friend Lynne

Lynne and I continue our periodic e-mail creative pep talks....she's a teacher and a cheerleader.

She's been busy making quilts during this stay at home time and shared her most recent "off kilter" scrap quilt experiment. As I mentioned before I'd already been thinking about reinventing some of my daily squares...even turning them on an angle....and today I had the courage to cut one block a little "off kilter."  It felt good.

So the 100 day project is shifting. The first 50 days or so I made squares....and the 2nd 50 I'm going to play with what I have....and a few other sewing experiments I want to try. It about a creative daily sewing practice....unless I'm in the garden all day.

But today I was also compelled to actually finish something. So I took one of my blocks...added to it and made a little mug rug.  I use these mini placemats/coasters around my house....at my puzzle table...at work my table or beside my chair where I watch TV and hand stitch...wherever I have a drink and a snack.  This "lively" one is going in the mail to a friend who once told me she can never have enough of these.  It's a wild version of her colors.

Quilting changes everything....and I really do love topstitching straight lines.  It's calming and satisfying....things I needed today.


With my needle set to the right I used the side of my presser foot as my guide. And because I always went in the opposite direction it created this window pane pattern and I like the way it looks on the back.

Here's Lynne's "off kilter" scrap quilt experiment....wonky, wild, and wonderful!