Quilts in Summer

It's steamy outside.  It's been 90 degrees all week, and I've been hiding my head indoors, with the blinds shut and the air conditioning on.  My workspace is like a cool little cave.  I stepped outside just now, and it felt like condensation was building up on my skin.

I haven't noticed the outside world much this week though, because I've been too busy learning how to use my shiny new sewing machine!  I got a Janome DC 2012, and it is a marvel.  There is such a difference between this and what I was using before!  I had no idea.  But now that I've been spoiled, there's no going back for me.  I love it so, so much.

I got all this gorgeous quilting fabric on Monday from an Etsy seller, and I've been making quilts on my new Janome to get used to her.  Piecing is a good way to get a feel for how things operate.  Plus, she came with a quilting foot and a walking foot, and you know I was dying to try that out.  And I actually finished making a quilt yesterday!  I had some... issues with the bias tape, as I usually do - I hate that stuff.  I hate it sooo much - so I just rolled the edges under and sewed them up as I went.  I'm keeping this one for myself, because that was always the plan.  Look at how pretty it turned out!

I made 4x4 inch squares of Tula Pink's Prince Charming in Olive.  It looks pretty with our living room furniture.  I've been hoarding this fabric for almost a year, and it was time to do something with it.

And since that went so well, I couldn't stop there.  So I cut up some of Valori Wells Cocoon in Stone, along with half a dozen fat quarters I got from JoAnn Fabrics in matching colors, and I made up the squares for that quilt yesterday.  I think it's going to be really, really pretty.  Funky, but pretty.  I'm going to get the top done tonight, fingers crossed.

And after I'm done with that, I am going to pour myself a glass of wine, including ice cubes, because I'm classy like that, and I'm going to finish the Eloisa James romance novel I started yesterday.