Forever Quilting 4 You

It’s that time again for my next issue of “What’s on Your Sewing Table today?”

The Island Batik April 2023 Crazy Quilt Challenge started off with a bang! In fact, I had a great majority of the challenge finished in February, but as life goes, I had no idea what it was about to throw at me. The picture below is the quilt I originally made for April’s challenge, but with everything going on in my life, I decided to postpone its completion because I didn’t have the time or energy to give it the love and attention it deserved in order to get it finished.

With family medical emergencies, traveling out of state for training, and attending several important retreats and quilting/sewing get-togethers, the stress was unimaginable. I find that when life seems to be too much to handle, and I know I can’t get everything done that I want to do, I’ve learned how to let some things go and re-direct my attention to what feeds my soul — being creative and loosing myself in sewing.

After many tears and confusion, I chose to listen to my sister when she reminded me that I’m a left-brained person, which can get in my way sometimes (refer back to my blog detailing the adventure I had making the All Puffed Up quilt). More times than not I think that everything needs to be bigger and better. But my sister pointed out that how I started the April challenge didn’t mean that that’s how it had to end up. With this new outlook – free from being overwhelmed and considering the time frame within which I needed to complete the challenge – I came up with a new plan, one project that would fulfill two needs, and I started over on the Island Batik April Crazy Quilt Challenge.

In my circle of friends I’m known as the self proclaimed “Scrappy Queen.” That’s not to say I’m good at making scrappy quilts, because I’m not. Rather, I’m an “organized” scrappy person, if you know what I mean. I came up with this name for myself because my friends give me their scraps and I turn them into treasures that even surprise me sometimes, thoroughly and immensely enjoying the process along the way. So I decided to use the scraps from the first challenge – the All Puffed Up quilt – for the April challenge. Wow! That quilt is like a bad penny… it keeps turning up! But this time around, that penny has turned out to be good!

So, what to do with the scraps leftover from your many projects? For this month’s project I’m turning mine into “crazy quilt” snack mats! I have several trunk shows coming up in the months ahead and I like to bring thank you gifts for everyone who comes to the event, which brings me to my new project – Island Batik April 2023 Crazy Quilt Challenge “2.0!”

With the Princess Rose collection scraps in hand, I set out to do what I do best – I engaged the left side of my brain and started designing my scrappy crazy quilt snack mats! The things that were overwhelming me began to melt away as I created and planned to begin what I call “mindless sewing.” Mindless sewing simply means that I’m not all consumed by what I’m working on and therefore allows my creative juices to flow. It not only unclogs my brain, but replaces the worries of the days with peace and calm.

This little 6″ block fulfilled the two needs I mentioned above, not only did it fill my soul but it also met the requirements for the April Crazy Quilt Challenge. Oh! It also met a third need – it will soon become a thank you gift for the people who come to my upcoming trunk shows!

While making the snack mats I also found some new stitches on my Bernina 570QE and used them on this project. It was fun and exciting! Who knew that my new Bernina would change my life and how I look at creating things with Island Batik Fabrics? It’s also changed how I create the items I sell in my Etsy shop, @ForeverQuilting4You@etsy.com. Some of my best-selling items have been made with the scraps that were given to me, “the Scrappy Queen,” by people who no longer wanted them! So here’s to those of you who love scraps as much as I do and transform them from “what do I do with this scrap” into creations that might even surprise you from time to time! Below, see what went into making these fun little scrappy crazy quilt snack mats.

Before the binding:

…the binding, which I cut at 2″ wide

… and after the binding!

Here’s to many more finished snack mats yet to come!

If you want to make these little gems you can find the pattern, all 52 designs, at http://www.leilagardunia/shop. If you do go to her page, please be sure to let her know that Victoria Johnson sent you!!!

So what did I learn during the process of designing, creating and completing this month’s project? Sometimes life is like a tsunami and you need to swim with the waves instead of trying to swim against them. More times than not, KISS (keep it sweet and simple) is much better than coming up with a hugely complicated and involved project that stunts my creativity and delays the completion of a challenge. Here’s to the small but mighty projects that will bring joy to many unsuspecting people in the end! Go snack mats!!!

Thank you Island Batiks for the Princess Rose Collection, Hobbs Batting for the 80/20 Cotton Batting, Aurifil for the amazing variegated thread #4060, and Schmetz needles for their amazing ability to go through all of the layers of fabrics with ease!

Happy creating! I can’t wait to see what you make next, so whatever it is, please send me a picture of your “scrappy” creations!!!

What’s on your sewing table today?

Victoria aka Tori