This is the third in my Unmentionables series. This quilt embraces tampons. I asked guild members to share their “code names” for their periods. Mine was Miss Murphy. The other names were shared by Candy Parker, Ann Prince, Maria Radecki, and Meagan Buch along with Donna Blalock’s encouragement for advocating for women’s health issues. I have tried to interject some humor into this discussion, but I recognize that periods can be unpredictable and painful.
72” x 55”
Lost in the Elevator
This quilt took more than a year and a half to make– from design to binding. I started this quilt to enter the Flying Geese Challenge for last year’s QuiltCon. (I didn’t make the November 2017 deadline). I envisioned a quilt with perfectly-made flying geese in sizes from 18″ by 36″ to 1.5″ by 3″. I used the No-Waste Flying Geese method to make four at a time — you can find the Flying Geese No-Waste tutorial from Patchpieces.com
After making a few of these, I got frustrated with exactness, and my need to make improv blocks took over. In the end, this quilt represents my approach to design and quilt. I like the mix of randomness and exactness. The excitement of not knowing how the pieces will land makes me happy. Finding a way to make it work together also gives me joy. The hand quilting also shows my struggle between these competing ideas. There is a mix of straight stitching and curved chaos. The quilt finished at 54″ by 54″.
Since I have made a lot of Flying Geese blocks, I made a perfect points tutorial for the Central Virginia Modern Quilt Guild to use for this year’s QuiltCon Charity Challenge. I’m providing that here– PERFECT POINTS TUTORIAL for flying geese.
SOME FOLKS believe modern quilters don’t hand sew. This is not surprising since “modern” usually means what’s popular at the moment such as the latest technology. In the case of quilters, that means long arm machines. But, hand sewing is modern because it is gaining popularity among quilters at this moment.
I JUST READ an article from the National Quilting Association titled, “Handwork makes a Comeback.” The article includes a quilt by Chawne Kimber: Wedowee. I’m a huge fan. The main point of the article was that modern handwork is innovative with “big stitching” and combining hand stitching with machine stitching.
I love hand quilting. I use some BASIC TOOLS: 
I use a thimble as well. I have used it for longer than I can remember. It’s essential to me.
I buy thread and notions from Hand Quilting Supplies, an online shop.
Tim Latimer is also a resource. He is an amazing hand quilter and has video tutorials. (here and here)
Quilting Adventures has a Back to Basics series, and there’s one on:
Be modern and try some hand sewing,
Wanda
I’m linking up with Late Night Quilter’s Tips and Tutorials Tuesdays, where incidentally she has a video on making thread knots.
Wanda's Life Sampler 
