Quilt Notes: What I'm Working on as Summer Arrives...018 0626

Happy Sunday, friends — and happy first day of summer.   The season has officially arrived, and here in Illinois that means sunshine, storms, humidity, and trying to squeeze projects into the hours between all three. This week has been a mix of outdoor work, studio progress, and watching the radar like it’s a full‑time job. If you’re also juggling summer weather, gardening, quilting, and everything else life brings this time of year, you’re in good company.

Even with the storms rolling through, I’ve been able to make some really fun progress in the studio — and I wanted to share a few peeks with you.

One of the biggest wins this week was finally solving a filming problem I’ve had for nine years. I’ve always needed Dave to film my machine demos because I didn’t have a camera setup that let me work hands‑free and still get a clear shot. Using my phone camera just didn't cut it for the demo videos. But this week, everything clicked.

I pulled out my IPEVO document camera — the one I use for university teaching — set it up on my new cutting island, and discovered that the height, distance, and angle were perfect for filming at the machine. I recorded a test segment, and it worked beautifully. The camera focused, the lighting cooperated, and the microphone even blocked out the machine noise.

New Cutting Island

For the first time, I can film machine demos completely on my own.

It’s such a small thing on paper, but in practice it’s a huge shift in how I can work. I snapped a photo of the setup because I’m still a little giddy about it.

Behind the scenes

Between storms, I’ve also been piecing the segments of the Independence quilt. You’ve already seen the layout, and my original hope was to have the full quilt finished this week. However, outdoor projects (a stray cat the destroyed a third of the flower field, weather windows, and a few long days shifted the timeline just a bit.

The good news is: it’s coming very soon.

Double Square in Process

I’ve been making steady progress, and seeing the sections come together has been incredibly satisfying. This quilt has such a clean, classic feel and I am loving how it's coming together.

I think you all are going to love making this one. At 30×30 inches, it’s a wonderfully usable size for seasonal décor — easy to hang, easy to store, and just the right scale for a quick weekend project. It’s one of those quilts that feels special without taking months to finish.

I’m not quite ready to show the full top yet, but here’s a little behind‑the‑scenes peek at the pieces in progress. The finish line is close, and I can’t wait to share the completed quilt with you.

Trimming Segments

And this coming Wednesday at 2pm and 6pm I am hosting you for our June LIVE events on the YouTube channel. And may I say this is going to be a packed couple of events. I'd love to see you all at either the 2pm or 6pm events - maybe even both. Just tune in to the YouTube channel - "Build A Quilt". Bring your questions, comments, a favorite beverage and get ready for the fun...

Summer has its own rhythm — slower mornings, outdoor projects, sudden storms, and those little pockets of time where creativity fits in around everything else. I’ve been leaning into that rhythm instead of fighting it, and it’s been surprisingly grounding.

Wherever you are — in sunshine, storms, or somewhere in between — I hope you’re finding your own small moments to quilt, dream, and make something that brings you joy.

I’ll see you Wednesday our Live events. Until then, stay cool, stay creative, and enjoy these first beautiful days of summer.

Quilt Life Beautiful...

Diana