My birthday is this week, and it'll put me just a year shy of 40. I don't get anxious about birthdays, and I'm neither dreading nor excitedly anticipating the milestone next fall, but it will be the start of a new decade and I've been thinking that I want to mark it somehow. To make something fresh and tangible to kick off a time span that I hope will be more intentional and fulfilling, and less out-of-control-career-and-kid-driven-roller-coaster ; ) 

So you know how I looove purple, right? I've been mulling over the idea of a scrappy, all violet quilt for a while, and I think the time is finally right.... Except that when I pulled fabrics and culled everything too cool, too pale, or with competing colors in the prints, this is all I have! I should be good to get underway, but I definitely need to broaden my purple selection. For all of you fellow red+blue devotees out there, please comment below if you know of some newer warm plum, tone-on-tone prints I should incorporate!

~ Sarah

This week was a doozy. Many of us are reeling from the election results regardless of which candidate we voted for, and many of our fellow citizens from across the political spectrum are acting out in both violent and nonviolent ways. On Wednesday, I felt paralyzed from shock by the reality of our country's choices and behavior, and I wasn't sure of the right outlet for my feelings. I'm generally calm and principled in expressing my views, relishing civil debate and respect for others' differences in opinion, and my blog has never crossed over into political territory - but this week I want to say more.

This month's giveaway is double the fun: two chances to win The Quilter's Planner 2017 - one right here, and one over @berrybarndesigns on Instagram! I'll be drawing winners this weekend, so enter, tell a friend, and keep your fingers crossed : )

For the first time in a presidential election, my daughters are old enough to be paying attention to the news, and we've had some interesting discussions about the candidates, the voting process, and the history of women's rights in our country and significance of possibly electing our first female president. I felt inspired to honor the importance of all of us exercising our voting rights on this important day, regardless of political beliefs, so I worked on this little reverse applique sign to hang where my kids will see it regularly.

Mini Quilt Stats: Finished size 16.5" x 6.5"
Fabric: (top) Kona Snow, (bottom) unknown, (binding) Studio Stash by Jennifer Sampou
Interfacing: Pellon Fusible Fleece
Thread: (handstitching) Superior Threads 3310 #12 , (binding) Aurifil 2783 #50

~ Sarah

​​ P.S. And if you haven't yet... VOTE!