Another month of summer sewing under our belts! In May my girls created their own first Kids Quilt Round Robin block, and in June they worked on their first partner's block. Norah (her mom Katie blogs at SwimBikeQuilt) sent us her flying geese row for her quilt and asked for something very similar. We used a blue ikat she had sent along, and added some of our own stash, and voila!

Did you read my June newsletter? (Not a subscriber? Join here!) If so, you saw I've sent out the call for pattern testers. The time has come for me to grow my pattern tester pool, and if that's something you enjoy doing, I'd love to have you on board! I've written up the "fine print" (you can find it here) and I encourage anyone who's interested to read it thoroughly. If it sounds like a good fit for you, please fill out the accompanying Pattern Tester Application so I'll have your information the next time I have a pattern that needs feedback. I'm excited to be adding this step to my pattern development process and look forward to both hearing the critique you can offer, and seeing how my designs look in your capable hands!

Ok, so "phobia" might be a bit dramatic, but it's no secret that I have strong aversion to one important step in quilting: the binding. I enjoy sketching designs, I love pulling fabrics, and I adore quilting. Heck, I even don't mind all the cutting and piecing that happens in between. When I get to that very last [crucial] step, though, I often stall out and my quilts languish in almost-completed limbo. Making and attaching binding just feels like a huge, boring chore that happens at the end of all the fun stuff. But I as time goes on, I want to make (and bind!) more and more quilts. So I've been trying to find a way to trick myself into enjoying binding... and I think I've found the solution with my new two-pronged approach!

And just like that, it's summer vacation! My girls are staying busy in the studio working on the Kids Quilt Round Robin that I'm hosting along with Sarah Goer Quilts. They began with this raw edge appliqued block for the "Treehouse Quilt" they're making their brother, and they're asking all their round robin partners to add treehouse/outdoor play inspired blocks to the project. 

Two wonderful teachers meant two wonderful quilty gifts as school wrapped this year, and today I'm sharing the "Summer Sherbet" throw I created for my younger daughter's teacher. (You can read about the other, "Blue Owls," in my post here). 

Before I started drafting this post, I reread my 2014 Pantone Quilt Challenge entry and after a quick skim, realized I seem to have a theme for these - start with plan A, switch gears underway, submit a pillow ; )