Yesterday time slowed down for me, and it was as welcome as a cool summer breeze. It was time to teach my niece a new craft.

My sister had invited me to her home for the day while she attended a conference. Coincidentally, my niece had the day off from elementary school, so we were put in charge of the pets and not much more.

I bought my niece a fleece blanket kit for her recent birthday, so we spent our day together at the kitchen table, watching Muppet movies on her iPad, singing along, and creating a blanket. She tied the fringes, and I cuddled Tom Cat while overseeing her progress.

I definitely recommend this kit! It includes clear, colorful instructions and all the pre-cut fleece to make a 3.5′ x 5′ blanket. My niece chose a design, I sorted the fabric accordingly, and she got busy.

Each fringe has a slot at the base, so it was easy for her to tuck and tie. Plus, the illustrations showed how to lay the squares next to each other to keep the fringes lined up with the adjacent block.

My mom and Grandma shared their love of handcrafts with me, and I’m happy to do the same with my niece. It’s a joy to slow down together and create something both beautiful and useful.

A Time to Learn

Tomorrow I hope to be a student at Amanda Jean Nyberg’s class for quilters: Spin Class – Make Your Quilts Your Own. I have a copy of Amanda’s book and a pile of “scraps” ready. Typically I don’t save small bits of leftover fabric once I complete a quilt; however, I do save my favorites from Fig Tree and Co.

I emphasize hope because a storm is heading our way that is wreaking havoc on everyone’s plans for the weekend. Thunder, rain, ice, high wind, and 10-14″ of snow are on their way! The TV meteorologist said to make plans to stay home. Bummer! Most likely a lot of people will be streaming Netflix while on a couch under a quilt.

During the past month, I’ve also been working on my blogging skills with a group of gals. On Monday I’ll be part of the kick-off with introductions and prizes. So get ready for some fun! We’ll be sharing photos of a few of our favorite quilts, along with quilting or blogging tips.

I hope you’re enjoying warm spring weather; however, if you’re in the path of this snowstorm, stay safe and warm under a blanket of love.

Joyfully,

Tracie

P.S. I’m linking up with Amanda Jean Nyberg at Crazy Mom Quilts, so if we can’t be together tomorrow for Spin Class, at least we can be together in blog land. I’m also linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.