week 1

Donated for Ronald McDonald House quilt that Sew South members can contribute to!

Working on the Woodland Sampler available at The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

Spent a whole week nursing husband instead of working on The Farmers Wife Quilt Along blocks BUT that's okay!  He is home now and recovering!

Instagram blew up with members making Scrappy Trip Around the World quilts!  I joined in the fun and am currently slashing, ripping and sewing blocks.  Can't wait to show you more~

Just for fun...a goofy picture of my growing gal!

Enjoy your week!  What will you make???

Happy New Year

Goodbye 2012!  You were a good year.  A hard year for me but a good year.  A year full of personal learning and growing.  I came into my own as a nurse and even though learning in this field NEVER ends I have found myself enjoying my job more than not. I feel proud looking back at the years of school, blood and tears (literally) and coming through with a solid year and half of med/surg experience and, recently, hospice work.  As a nurse it is impossible to know what kind of day you face as you ride up the elevators to the floor.  I equate it to what I think firefighters must feel like running into a burning building - Surprises, fear, excitement and sometimes joy.  A feeling of a job well done while at the same time asking what more could I have done.  Every once in awhile, you witness the beauty and strength of the human spirit - the beauty in recovery, acceptance and even death.  What a true honor it is to care for people at their most vulnerable time. 

~

My family has been healthy and busy.  Little B started Kindergarten as the youngest in her class.  She is full of life and we are quite sure she has inherited her father's silly life-loving personality. 

My son, HG, has become quite the avid reader.  He currently finished The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and is absorbing all kinds of scientific information.  He is smart, kind and his heart for others is inspiring. 

Jolie continues to pursue her love of ballet.  She auditioned for the Nutcracker and devoted every weekend for 4 months to her role.  Jeff and I went to the ballet together this month and watched as her dedication payed off.  I am one proud momma!

 ~

I made more quilts this year than I ever imagined I would.  I  designed and created my own quilt pattern which I desperately want to make available to the public in 2013.  In fact, the first photograph in this post featuring LIZZY House Constellations is being set aside for this purpose.  I didn't make it back to Sewing Summit 2012 and I promised myself I would attend a sewing conference this next year.  I bought a ticket to Sew South and am so looking forward to the upcoming trip!

Goals for the new year include the previously mentioned quilt top pattern, running the Pony Club Quilt Along (see last post) and hosting a pot holder swap this spring.  As you may have noticed, I put 'Susannah Kate' as my blog title instead of An Art Nest.  I am trying it out.  I thought I might want to completely start over with a blog this next year but I don't want to loose my established 5 year history.  I am still An Art Nest too!

Happy New Year!

"The Farmer's Wife Pony Club" Quilt-Along

 

The Farmer's Wife Pony Club Sampler Quilt: Letters From the Lucky Pony Winners of 1915 and 90 Blocks That Tell Their Stories by Laurie Aaron Hird

You are invited to join me next year, 2013, in "The Farmer's Wife Pony Club" Quilt-Along!  This will be my first quilt-along to host or, to be honest, be in! 

As mentioned in the previous post "my goal is to make 2 blocks a week so that by the end of next year I will have a complete quilt top.  This leaves 7 weeks in the year that I don't have to do any blocks which will be nice for the holidays and, you know, the unexpected surprises of life. "

I really want this to be fun and laid back.  You don't think you can make 2 blocks a week?  That's JUST FINE!  Please join me at your own pace!  Make it a 2 year project...no judgement or quilt-along police here ~ promise! 

I am going to start at the beginning two blocks and move through them from A-Z.  I plan on posting weekly blocks as well as a blog roll of all participating bloggers/flickr(ers)/instagram(ers)!  If you are a blogger and would like to 'host' the blocks of the week just let me know! 

Just a word about fabrics:  I am viewing each block as it's own 'entity'.  Meaning, I am going to pull from my stash and scraps fabrics that I think will look best in each block.  Then I'm going to cross my fingers that when they are all put together the quilt will look smashing.  My theory is if you use fabrics that you love then they will love each other. 

Hope you join in, even if it's in the middle of next year, and I will have a Flickr group up soon~

Susannah

hello

Hello!  Feels like I've been away for awhile now.  I have been very busy on InstaGram - please come follow me for almost daily updates on my daily life and projects :: susannahkate_artnest

 I have been making plans for 2013 already and one of my major undertakings is starting on this:

The Farmer's Wife Pony Club Sampler Quilt: Letters From the Lucky Pony Winners of 1915 and 90 Blocks That Tell Their Stories by Laurie Aaron Hird

More information to follow but my goal is to make 2 blocks a week so that by the end of next year I will have a complete quilt top.  This leaves 7 weeks in the year that I don't have to do any blocks which will be nice for the holidays and, you know, the unexpected surprises of life.  I hope to make this a quilt-a-long so if you are interested, leave me a comment and put the book on your Christmas list!   I found a slightly used copy on Amazon and saved some pennies! 

drunkards path baby quilt finish

measures approximately 36"x36"

includes woven 'art nest' tag

The circles were appliquéd onto white squares and then cut into the quarter inch circle / square shapes.  I love the colorfulness of this quilt!  I did some free motion stipple quilting which I am still learning.  Yes, there are mistakes but I still enjoy the process.  Can't wait to make another one!!!