27 August 2026

Panel Queen

I teased I'd share the cheater panel story one day. I'd rather share a finished quilt. Or even one in progress. I guess my secret life as a panel queen will suffice on a day when I have nothing better to share.

My father-in-law created a quilt stand for me years and years ago. I asked for cactus-shaped, and he delivered. I'm almost embarassed to show how full it is now. But, at least it's organized once again.

In April, I had to move the extremely top-heavy quilt stand from the living room/dining room/kitchen/entrance to the bedroom to make room for the hospice bed. While moving the (overweight) stand, many of the panels I've collected over the years and unfinished projects from the last decade or more fell off. I had to pick them all up and move them out of the way in a hurry because my time was limited. I think I had about two hours before the hospice bed would arrive, and I still had furniture to move.

While recently trying to rush a quilt finish for my new neighbors' toddler, I had to search through my haphazard stash of panels. I realized I had never straightened out the pile. So, before I ever started the rush quilt, I organized my panels. All 60 of them. (Not including the probably 30ish Spoonflower panels I've designed over the years.)

One of these three was one of my first panels. I adored it when I first ordered it online. I was too excited when I first found it to realize the measurement was not going to be big enough for a bed. Not only was it not going to be big enough (and I had not ordered any of the coordinating fabrics so I could try to make it big enough), but it was cut crooked on one side. Back then, I had no idea whatsoever how to fix that. Or that I could have complained and probably exchanged it for a properly cut panel. I later bought two more quilt panels I thought I might be able to add to the first to make it big enough. I think falling off the quilt frame in April was the first time these three panels had ever been moved. PS: I still love the other two panels, and I'm not sure I want to insult them by putting them with the third now.

My kids were grown by the time I bought this one (the last one!!!), but I thought it would make a great gift when grandkids began arriving on the scene. My oldest grands have now graduated, and I still haven't turned this into a fun and useful wall quilt. I confess; I forgot about it. Because it got buried by all the rest!!! Which I also forgot!!! It might make a great gift for a great-grandkid one day...

I went through a butterfly phase.

Actually, I'm still in butterfly phase. I've actually finished a few butterfly quilts.

I've even designed my own Spoonflower cheater panels...

Shoot, I've even designed and crocheted butterflies!

I even love butterflies in real life.

I also experienced a powerful peacock phase. Animal and color. Still in the color phase. Possibly permanently.

And, yes, I did indeed design a crochet peacock.

I can never get enough sunflowers.

Or rainbows.

I love winter. Especially in the middle of a heat dome. I love snowflakes. I love polar bears. And owls. And penguins. And eagles. And tigers (my high school mascot, and Lizard's, too). And lizards. And bicycles. And hot air balloons. And southwest/desert scenes/artwork. And sunrises/sunsets. And northern lights. And flowers.

I apparently also love "last one" descriptions. I could not believe how many of these and scores of others I haven't even shown were purchased not only because of an incurable love at first sight, but because they each were the last one. I guess I have a few collectibles in my collection. I probably have enough to open my own cheater panel fabic store. And on that humorous note...

Linking up with Alycia Quilts.

25 August 2026

shortsidedness

Shortsighted, ridiculous, outrageous, and taxes out of control. I will be submitting my comments (Thursday deadline), and it's going to take everything I've got to keep from being angry and rude.

It's worded so poorly, any Colorado resident who photographs a wild animal in their backyard can be fined if they try to sell the photo. People like me who sell wildlife photos (and pay all applicable taxes and fees when entering parks, refuges and recreational areas) and barely make $10 per year would have to buy a $250 annual permit in addition to costs already being paid in order to sell (such as Etsy fees, printing costs, annual photo gallery costs, applicable copyright fees, equipment and maintenance costs, etc.).

Artists will have to pay the annual fee!!! To draw or paint wildlife in Colorado! Who is going to check to see where each artist got their inspiration?!?

As others have mentioned, professional photographers are often more environment- and ethics-aware than the average enthusiast such as phone-toting amateurs who regularly harass wildlife, trample nature while in pursuit and ignore regulations.

Yes, I'm ticked. But I'm going to try not to show it when I draft my comments.

24 August 2026

Snowframe Monday

I've had my Mojo Hearts Snowflake on my "make a snowframe" list since about 2020. This one was a challenge to figure out without binding off and re-joining for the second round, but it's actually a very easy and very quick snowframe. If you are not comfortable with foundation crochet, you can do it the old-fashioned way. Bind off at the end of Round 1 and join anew on Round 2. Ha ha! I made a rhyme!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Mojo Hearts Snowframe Instructions

Round 1: [Ch 5, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook (sc picot made), * ch 5, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch (double dc picot made)] 6 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 1, taking care not to twist work, 1 tr in starting ch to form ring; 1 fdc in bottom of tr just worked, 1 fdc in bottom of dc just worked.


1 tr in starting ch to form ring


tr finished


fdc in bottom of tr


continuing fdc in bottom of tr


fdc complete


work another fdc


fdc in fdc


fdc complete

Round 2: Ch 11 (counts as 1 dc and [ch 9), sk over next sc picot, in top of next double dc picot work (1 dc, ch 25, 1 sc in 20th ch from hook and in next ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 1 dc)] 6 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 11; bind off. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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