FWQ Progress: March

Oh my goodness, where did March go? I know. Wedding planning. With only three months to go now, all the little details are sneaking up on us. But the good news is we got everything done, so we're still on schedule and I completed my four farmer's wife quilt blocks for the month. I may or may not have made them all in the last week, but that doesn't matter. My goal was one a week, and I did it!

#32 Farmer's Daughter

This was the Needlwork quilt-along pick for March. Isn't it pretty?

Now think about the fact that my finished blocks measure 6-1/2" square. Do the math. Each of those little squares is a measely 1-1/4" finished!

#71 Puss in Corner

Or birds in a corner. Clearly I need more kitty fabric.

#4 Basketweave

So simple and easy, I love it.

#108 Windmill

I made this block three times! I think the templates are about 1/8" off for the rectangles. Anyone else run into this problem? I couldn't find anything about it on the forums. Meh.

FLASH SALE

It's official. As of today, Dear Edna has been in business for four years! Definitely reason to celebrate. So... nearly everything in the shop is 50% off for the entire day! Woo!

Sampler Quilt

It's finished! Yay!

It only took me 6 months. Haha! In my defence, this was very much a learning project, so a slower pace was necessary. And when I think of everything I learned, all the time and effort was definitely worth it. Like I said back in November, I did the majority of the piecing work during a 7-week class at Needlework and the quilting at home over the holidays.

I even took a stab at hand-quilting for the first time. Those detailed cross-panels were just calling out for something special, so I hand-stitched along each leafy vine. The end result is quite beautiful, but I'll admit that something so intricate was tough for a first attempt. And you can't really see the shape on the back. So just don't look at the back, OK?

I'm still not sure I love all the colours I chose either, it's a little busy for my taste, but I'm really proud of the quality and complexity of it. How will I ever decide whether to keep it for myself or give it away?

Shop Update: Limited Editions

When I first started the business, I was nervous for a long time about buying too much fabric at once. What if no one likes it as much as I do and then I'm stuck with yards of something that will never sell? I eventually learned to trust my taste and moved from buying a single yard to buying several bolts, often sight unseen. Gasp! However, I still have many of those small cuts of fabric on my shelf and I've made it a goal to start using them more in some limited edition one-off designs. I've always found it difficult to justify the effort of listing an item online that I only have one of, but I also hate the idea of such special pieces laying folded up on a shelf for months. So I decided to suck it up and spent a day last week learning how to use the self-timer on my camera (not an easy task, by the way) and shot all the one-of-a-kind aprons I have: three half and a reversible. They are now all available in the shop and are included in my 30% off sale!

Saying Goodbye

A Dear Edna classic, this black and white tote is what started it all. It was my very first listing, my first sale, heck it's even my branding! This little bag is what put me on the Etsy radar and taught me how to grow a business — forcing me to move beyond stencilling paper doilies at my dining room table to building a proper workroom and learning to screenprint. It's been made in too many colours to count and inspired custom products from yoga bags to throw pillows. In tears of happiness and frustration, we've been through a lot together.

That's why it's very difficult for me to say goodbye. After four years, the time has come to put this design to bed. I have a few pre-printed totes hanging around that are now up for sale in my Etsy shop. I also have several navy totes left that can still be customized with the monogram of your choice. But after those sell, that will be it. Discontinued.

I really enjoyed screenprinting, but I feel like what I want to do with it is limited by my space. So I'm packing up my paint with the hopes that I can unpack it again in the not-too-distant future. You know, when we move to a beautiful new house with a huge sunlit studio in the backyard. Heh. Until then, indulge my sentimentality for a moment with a few photos, reminiscing on the end of a beginning.