Vessel

Twice before, I've participated in the WELCA (Women of the ELCA) triennial gathering quilt challenge - in 2017 with Refiner's Fire; and in 2023 with Both Sides Now - so I was eager to participate again. This year's challenge was to create a quilt interpreting the I am Worthy gathering theme, incorporating the pink and yellow colors in the gathering's logo.

The finished perimeter of the quilt needed to be within the range of 100" to 320", though when the challenge was first announced month's ago, it was 60" to 100", so I was already planning for a relatively smaller quilt. Once I realized the change, I luckily didn't need to change my plans much, just making sure my finish 'fit.' Once completed, my Vessel, depicting a Kintsugi pot on a patchwork background measures 22.5" x 34" or a perimeter of 113".

The fabrics I included in my piece were Kona Azalea for the pot, Metallic Cotton in Gold by Windham Fabrics for the gold 'cracks', and for the background, a combination of Kona Banana Pepper, Essex Sunshine, Cotton Couture Lemon, two unidentified textured wovens, and quilt a few unidentified yellow solids from my scrap basket. Once the quilt top was complete, I created an improv-pieced quilt back using all the leftover bits.

For quilting, I echo-quilted the pot using Aurifil 50wt 2530 [Blossom Pink], to quilt between the metallic veins. Then I match-stick quilted lines 3/16" apart over the background with Aurifil 40wt Variegated 3920 [Golden Glow] for quilting and 1135 [Pale Yellow] in the bobbin.

Bound with Cotton Couture Lemon, Vessel is now ready to submit. 20 quilts will be selected to be shared at the triennial in July. Entries will be judged by a panel of selected quilters (full reveal, I was asked to be on the panel of judges since I apparently was a winner in 2023, but I won't be at the gathering) for originality, adherence to selected themes, workmanship, creative use of materials and overall design execution. There will also be a people's choice award and a quilters choice award. Winners and qualifying entries will be auctioned at the gathering, with 50% of the proceeds will go to Women of the ELCA and 50% to Lutheran World Relief.

As part of the entry form, I was asked to Describe how the quilt interprets the gathering theme. Here is my artist's statement:

The inspiration for Vessel came through a Lenten sermon series, 

where a pot was demolished, and used as a symbol for our lives, 

broken, yet beautiful in their brokenness. 

The vessel, repaired in the Kintsugi style, reminds us that our worthiness 

or value does not require perfection but a willingness to be shattered

and recreated. The mender comes to us, descending into our fractures and imperfections,

creating a renewed strength and purpose that didn’t exist before.

Umbrella Prints | Slow Stitched Needle Book

So, two things kind of morphed into one with this little project. First, I had a stack of UmbrellaPrints that I got from my friend Cindy's @liveacolorfullife destash back in February. Then there was the hand-stitched needle book made by Mira @bluebellhillcrafts, that came with an invitation, Slow stitch a needle book with me. It kinda felt like they would go together nicely.

I used a double-thickness of Aurifil 12wt threads to do all of my stitching, loosely copying the designs and stitches Mira had used on hers.

Maybe I should have used some brighter colors so they'd show off better, but then again, I enjoyed with low-key palette.

The needle book cover was attached to the lining with a blanket stitch, and in the pair of photos below, you can see the prints that I pieced together for the book's interiors, leaving that one selvage showing as a hint to the origin of the fabrics.

I chose to add just two pieces of felt, creating 4 pages to store needles. I tried to follow Mira's instructions for securing them, with three rows of stitching down the center. Not perfect, but I think it'll work fine, and it does give the book a bit of a spine.

So that was fun! Closed, the needle book measures 4.25" x 5.5". Something a little different, and something that will come in handy, for sure.

2026 Studio Mystery Box

You may remember that early last year when Anna Graham @noodlehead531 offered Studio Mystery Boxes, I couldn't resist. And subsequently, I made quite a variety of projects from the fabrics and supplies I received. Here's what I can remember off hand....

A Journal Cover, tutorial by Rachel LaBour @stitchedincolor

A Small Booklet Pouch, pattern by Aneela Hoey @aneelahoey

A Fairfax Sling, pattern by Svetlana Skumanicova @sotakhandmade

An Essex Wallet, pattern also by Svetlana @sotakhandmade

And just a few short weeks ago, a Workshop Tote, pattern by Jeni Baker @jenib320

Obviously, I've made good use of what I got, so there was no second-guessing myself when I saw Anna post: Studio clean out time! You will receive a box of some (if not all) of the following types of items:

• zippers
• fabric
• fabric scraps (each box has an approx. 1 lb bag of pressed scraps)
• some have webbing
• cording
• patterns
• a few have leather scraps, zipper pulls
• hardware
• woven labels
• box measures 11.25 X 8.75 X 5" and is full!

The box I just received had all of the above except patterns, which I'm fine with, considering all I did get. 

Half yard each of Fableism Checkmate Checkers double cloth in Butterscotch and Ivory

23" x WOF of Speckled Canvas Metallic by Rashida Coleman Hale in black

21" x WOF of Speckled Canvas Metallic by Rashida in Sarah (green)

8(!) zippers in a variety of sizes and styles + one leather zipper pull 

Half yard of Anna's Orchard Run Flowers in Slate 

A mix of bag hardware and other supplies - a scrap of leather, 2 1/4 yards of 1.5" webbing, natural and blue drawstring cording, several rectangular rings, a half moon magnetic edge clasp (which I've never seen before!) from Emmaline Bags @emmalinebags, a side release buckle, waxed cord, and woven labels. 

AND my bag of pressed scraps (14.8 oz.) included cuts of Essex, Orchard Run, Carolyn Friedlander, Echino, and Fableism. IE. some good stuff! I figure between the scraps and the yardage, I received about 5 1/2 yards of fabric, all of which I really like.

So I'm more than happy with the mystery box, and look forward to working these items into my making!

At the Table :: 2026 Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club | February, March, and April

Since 2026 began, the Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club has been embracing the Year of the Deep Dive, with our main cookbook being Something from Nothing by Alison Roan @alisoneroman. January got its 
own post, I know, but here's what I've cooked up the rest of the months using this book.

February challenge - Soups On: Make any recipe from the Soups & Stews chapter

Spicy Pork Soup with Pasta & Parmesan

Ginger & Greens Noodle Soup

March challenge - Pasta is Life: Make any recipe from the Pasta & Noodles chapter

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta with Pecorino Breadcrumbs

April challenge - From Land to Sea: Make any recipe from the Meats & Fishes chapter

Goodbye Meatballs

Meanwhile, we'll be baking from Baking & The Meaning of Life: How to Find Joy in 100 Recipes by Helen Goh @helen_goh_bakes through this entire year. Below are what I've made for our February - April last day of the month baking challenges:

Chocolate Ginger Beer Cake

Dutch Baby with Mortadella & Arugula

King’s Coronation Scones with Morello Cherry Jam

Looking back over the last few months, I think it's a toss-up between the soups and the meatballs, which new recipes we enjoyed the most. Whatever, I really enjoyed trying recipes from both of these books. It'll be great to keep baking from The Meaning of Life, and I'm anxious to hear what our new savory book will be for the next four months. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow!

Making Scrappy Potholders

A while back, my friend Linda @flourishingpalms said she'd appreciate a tutorial for how I make potholders - specifically the layering sequence of fabric, batting, and Insulbrite. Knowing I could quite easily provide that, I put it on my 'to do' list for 2026. Finally, when I was in the mood for some scrappy free-sewing last week, I knew the time had come.

Not all potholders need to be scrappy, of course. Feel free to use orphan blocks, or make any pattern you wish for the front. For the purpose of this tutorial, I sewed scraps together with the goal of two 8" square-ish potholders. I stopped piecing when my slabs were 9"-10" square.

Of course, then I needed backings. I opted to use larger sized scraps this time, though sometimes I choose a stashed print so the pair has matching backs.

I like my potholders quilted, so here's where the layering comes in. I place the backing right-side down, then top it with a layer of Insulbrite.

Next comes a layer of cotton batting.

And finally, the pieced slab is placed on top, right-side up. I like to baste the layers with a shot of spray baste, but feel free to baste in whatever way you like. It won't take much, since the quilt sandwich is so small. 

Now quilt as desired. Here too, it won't take much. I often like straight lines or a grid, often following the lines of the piecing OR marked with a hera marker. Below are examples of the type of quilting I usually do, from a batch of scrappy potholders I made back in 2022.

And below is how I quilted this pair.

Though I've made potholders in a variety of shapes, these days I almost always trim them with the unique shape I saw Hannah Haberkern @verdigrissewing use several years ago. For my template, I drew an 8" square on copy paper, then rounded two opposite corners. The nice thing about making your slabs a little larger than needed is that you can choose the orientation later in the process - straight on or angled.

For this pair, I chose angled.

Once trimmed into a square, I use a marking pen to trace the rounded corners, and then cut along those lines with scissors. I just get a neater corner that way than with a rotary cutter.

Then it's time to bind! Though maybe not quite necessary, I like to use bias binding on these. About 42" of binding is plenty for each one. Though I often use 2" binding for hand-binding quilts, I like 2.25" wide for potholders, as I tend to sew it completely by machine. Machine sew onto the back, then fold over to the front. When machine-binding, I find frequent use of wonder clips to be a big help in keeping things in place.

So once they're bound, they're done! 

I hope you find this tutorial helpful! Let me know if there are any questions. And I sure hope you enjoy making some of your own. I find them a terrific way to use some scraps!