Get Up, Dress Up - Lori Holt Millie's Dresses Wall Hanging

 Look your best and you will think and act your best. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've been patiently waiting for just the right quilt block to exemplify my life's mantra and I found the perfect one in this beautiful vintage dress block called  Millie's Dresses by Lori Holt.  The minute I saw it I knew I was going to make a wall hanging for Nannyland with a sign above it symbolizing the daily motto I have followed since I was a teenager.

I'm going to confess to what may be a controversial practice in today's "free to be me" climate.  I have been engaging in an obsessive ritual that some might consider compulsive at worst and quirky at best.  I've been getting up every morning, since I was a teenager, dressing in an outfit appropriate to be seen in public, and  completing a full hair and makeup routine.  My daily mantra is always "Get Up, Dress Up."  There, I've said it.  My girls can back me up on this.  No matter what my daily challenge is, be it toothache, earthquake, surgery, cancer treatment, family crisis, girls camp...you name it, I'm going to be looking as spiffy as possible to greet the opportunities and challenges of the new day.  

Now, some of you might be thinking, "Could she be more vain?," but I have found the affect is just the opposite.  Once I've taken care of my own grooming, I don't think about it the rest of the day and I can go about my activities with confidence.  I can smile at strangers and engage with the people I meet, look for ways to do service, welcome visitors to my home without peering through a crack in the door, do errands any time for myself and others, hang with the people I love and just generally be present in the world.

I get this is not for everyone. The majority of my friends and family look and feel fabulous everyday, as they should, without focusing on eye shadow color or hair gel.  And don't get me started on those people with the thick mermaid hair, long dark lashes and glowing skin that don't ever need to look in a mirror!  This is just a ME thing that has helped me get through some difficult times, feeling like I can take on the day with faith and composure.  

I ended up in emergency a couple of weeks ago with some pesky blood clots and was happy that I had on full make up to offset the very unattractive, ill-fitting gown. I'm very happy that not one of my doctors or attendants seemed impressed with my lipstick color, but I, myself, didn't feel like a poor sick old lady who just dragged out of bed, and that meant something to me. The doctor commented on how healthy I was and said he didn't think blood thinners would be a problem for me since I didn't look like a person who falls a lot.  Because I obviously had the wits to apply make up, people! So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Get Up, Dress Up. It's worth the effort, I swear. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt - English Paper Piecing

 Why did she make things? Well, she enjoyed it, of course,
but it also somehow helped her remember who she was
 and where she came from. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

Yayyy! I finally finished my Grandma's Flower Garden quilt and I really love the way it turned out, imperfections and all.  I've been sewing the English Paper Pieced hexagons together to create my flowers since the dawn of time and I was excited when I realized I had finally accumulated enough for a quilt.  I used THIS Flowers For Emma pattern by Sherri McConnell for my inspiration because I loved the way she pieced four low volume fabrics to create the backgrounds for her flower blocks.  

My EPP flowers are truly scrappy because I used small, very old scraps from my stash that I had collected over many years and none of my flowers are the same.  I used yellow dotted fabric for the centers to create a unifying element.  

I chose a cute flower pantograph for my quilting to mimic my flowers.   I added white sashing to add some contrast to my blocks and a green Lori Holt "sew cherry" border because many of my fabrics had cherry or fruit motifs.  What's not to like about cherries!   As usual, I added striped binding to finish my quilt. 

Although this quilt certainly has a handsewn vibe with lots of imperfections, it will always be one of my favorites because so much time and affection went into it.  This one won't end up on some careless person's lap in front of the TV in danger of getting snacks spilled on it.  I'll just carefully lay it on my lap when I want to reminisce about all the wonderful years I've spent blissfully playing with beautiful fabric and quilting. And all the fun hours I spent watching Hallmark movies while sewing my hexagons together.  I'm already starting a new batch and can't wait to see where they land. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Preview of Millie's Dresses Wall Hanging Quilt

Fashion is the art and you are the canvas. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've had my eye out for a really cute dress quilt block and I've definitely found it with this darling Millie's Dresses pattern by Lori Holt.  I've been planning a special wall hanging for years, patiently waiting for the right design to complete my vision. 

This adorable Lori Holt fabric collection is called Mercantile and it perfectly suits these nostalgic vintage-style dresses.  I almost hated to cut into my fat quarters, but it was super fun coordinating the collars and belts with the main dresses. 

Lori's original quilt design calls for 16 dresses, but I only needed six for my wall hanging.  I had such a delightful time piecing them, I may decide to make the whole quilt at some point.  The borders Lori has created for her setting are amazing.  I  have a specific spot I want to hang my smaller quilt, and it's a little bit of a squeeze, so I'll save the fancy borders for a bigger quilt.  

I've grown accustomed to cutting my pieces on my Accuquilt Go, so rotary cutting several small pieces was a little bit of a stretch for me.  I had to rely on my questionable math skills for accuracy instead of depending on the precision of die cuts.  I don't mind doing this, though, because there are so many beautiful quilts out there that don't quite fit  my Accuilt dies.  I was able to cut my 1 1/2 inch sashing and borders with my Go stip dies, thank goodness.  

With my hand cut pieces,  I really felt I had hold my tongue in the right place while sewing the blocks so that I preserved all my corners and the pieces lined up where they should.  I failed in this attempt a few times, as always,  but I still think the dresses look adorable. 

I have a really fun idea for the hanging of my quilt that will make me happy every time I look at it.  Stay tuned for the unveiling in a couple of months when everything comes together. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Eleanor Burns Patty Cake Pattern Quilt - Bonnie and Camille Sunday Stroll Layer Cake.

All the things of the universe are perfect miracles,
each as profound as any. 
Walt Whitman

Hey there from Nannyland,

My rainbow of scrappy quilts is piling up in my guest room and creating a vibrant mish-mash of quilty delight.  I like creating joyful vibes for my guests and the ones who left this morning seemed to sleep well in their cozy cocoon.   So now my focus is turning to the creation of this same sunshiny atmosphere in my master bedroom, but maybe with a little more modern flair.  My favorite colors (red and aqua) can be seen in every room in my house, with some added navies and grays in my master bedroom. Hmmm. What designers have all the colors I love with the addition of beautiful navies?   Bonnie and Camille, of course!  Their Sunday Stroll layer cake is popping aplenty with the perfect palette. Say that three times fast.  Such yummy candy for my quilter eyes. 😍

I've been anxiously waiting to use this beautiful layer-cake-friendly pattern by Eleanor Burns called Patty Cake. It was super fun and easy to sew.  My inner border measures two inches, my red border measures one inch and my outer border is four inches.  The outer border and backing are Bonnie and Camille fabric from the same collection.

As usual, I chose to bind it with striped fabric. This crisp navy one coordinates well with the navy in my blocks and the accessories in my room.  

The pattern came together quickly and I love the result. Scrappy and bright...my mantra.

My quilter did a fabulous job with the longarm quilting.  I'm getting braver with the more dense pantographs and I think this turned out lovely. The finished quilt measures about 50 x 72. 

This quilt lives happily on my blue chair for now, waiting for me to cuddle up with it while watching tv or reading in the seclusion of my peaceful bedroom.  

My next project for this room will be a wall hanging above my bed in the same navy/aqua/red palette as my quilt.  I think I'll try some solid grunge fabric to make it a little more contemporary. Now I just need to decide on a pattern. Yep, I think things are shaping up nicely. 😀

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Christmas Gift Basket - Accuquilt Go Bowl Cozy

It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.   Mother Teresa

Hey there from Nannyland,

My Christmas gift baskets are all wrapped and ready to deliver and I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief.  I made eight of them for close friends and family and I'm all revved up to deliver them as soon as possible so I can put my feet up and enjoy the delights of the holiday.

This year I was excited to use my Accuquilt Go Big Bowl Cozy Die. I used THIS tutorial from Accuqult to sew my cozies and I found them fairly easy to make, with several opportunities to chain piece. I cut bright layer cake fabric and scraps to create coordinated top and bottom layers. All materials, including thread, must be 100% cotton to make them safe for the microwave so I used special batting by Pellon called Wrap and Zap. 

I love the way they turned out with all the bright colors.  I put sets of 2 and 4 together, depending on the number of people in my recipient families. I added THIS cute tag with care instructions.  

It was so much fun filling up a Dollar Tree plastic mixing bowl with soup related items. I put a microwave safe bowl on top of my cozies to hold a bag of bean soup mix, some small packages of crackers, a ladle and some cute snowman napkins.  A plastic basket bag and a large checked bow were all I needed to make a festive presentation.  

It's always a delight to put together unique and personal handmade gifts for Christmas. They give me plenty of time to reflect on how grateful I am to be surrounded by loving friends and family this time of year.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year full of crafting joy.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

A Heartfelt Quilt for Baby Indy - Accuquilt Wonky Heart BOB

Please bless the little head that lies beneath these quilted threads.

Hey there from Nannyland,

I've been super excited to have the opportunity to sew a baby quilt after a very long break with no little ones waiting to appear.  Happily, a sweet little mom, whom I think of as a granddaughter, recently announced that she would be giving birth to a darling baby girl in November.  Indy Jean, as she will be called, will certainly be beyond adorable because her family is already the cutest in the world, with a three-year-old boy named Tuf who has already stolen my heart. 

 

My dilemma has been designing this quilt in a more modern style, since the last ones I created for my Etsy Store several years ago rocked ducks and bunnies in shades of pink, blue and yellow.  While I think I could still come up with something cute using that recipe, I really wanted to make this one more current, since my friend (and hairdresser) is a very stylish lady.  I've been noticing the popular colors for babies are more muted shades of pinks, blues and neutrals, often referred to as boho colors after their earthy hues.  I searched the internet for fabric that would "make the cut" and found a pretty collection by Moda in Etsy called Songbook.  The peachy pinks and tans match the colors in little Indie's nursery perfectly.   

I cut my layer cake with my favorite  Accuquilt Wonky Heart BOB die to create 35 six-inch finished blocks and added white 1-1/2 inch sashing and aqua corner stones to set my blocks.  The back is the same aqua fabric with small metallic flowers as  the corner stones and the swirly heart edge-to-edge pattern my long arm quilter used to mimic my heart blocks shows up beautifully. I added my usual striped binding in aqua and white and I love how things came together.  I carefully washed my finished quilt in Dreft baby detergent on the gentle cycle and dried it on the low setting to bring out all the soft crinkly texture. I don't often wash my quilts before I gift them, so I'm always surprised and amazed at the change in texture after they come out of the dryer.  I really love it and hope my recipients do, too.  I have made a decision to wash all my quilts in the future before I gift them so they are fresh, newly crinkled and cuddly soft when they reach their new home. 

This quilt still feels quite different from my usual brightly colored creations, but I loved going out of my comfort zone for my special friend and her baby.  I hope little Indie and her mom will cherish it for many years to come.  I opened up Indy's closet and it was full of the cutest little wardrobe items in all the boho colors of her quilt.  Now I just can't wait to meet her in a week or two!  I also think my boy Tuf needs a quilt all his own.  Hmmm.  What would a three year old boy like?  Another creative conundrum to tackle.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

A Basket Full of EPP Flowers for a Grandma's Flower Garden Quilt - Accuquilt Go Big Cutter

 Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I rarely sit still without something to occupy my hands. It might be considered by some to be a nervous habit, but I have come to enjoy it and always look forward to some no-stress stitching time.  I love crocheting and knitting, but my favorite activity to do while I watch tv lately is English Paper Piecing. It's a great way to use my fabric scraps and create interesting elements to add to my quilts. Unlike traditional patchwork piecing, paper templates are used to create shapes like hexagons, triangles, and diamonds.  When I realized that many of my favorite quilters love incorporating EPP into their quilt designs, I knew I had to try it.  I did some googling and found tons of excellent information and tutorials. I really like this three part series by one of my favorite quilters, Erica Arndt: Part One,  Part Two and Part Three. 

I was elated when Accuquilt came out with die cuts for the fabric and foundation pieces. They have different die sets and an actual cube with all the shapes, but the one-inch hexagon I used for these cute traditional  "grandmother's flower garden" flowers  comes on one board with the foundation shapes and larger fabric shapes on the same board.

                                                                     

                                                

The supplies are minimal for EPP. I use this cute sewing basket at home but it is very easy to prepare a sewing kit for travel. 

                   

I have enough flowers now to make one of these beautiful quilts by Sheri McConnell.   She mixes a lot of EPP flowers with other traditional quilt blocks and I love the way they look. My hubby keeps asking when I'll have enough, but I tell him there will never be enough for all the projects I'm planning,  so I'm just going to keep on stitching until I get tired of it and move on.  I can't wait to prepare a small sewing kit to take to Hawaii soon for some calm, restful beach stitching.

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

My Emotional Support Fabric - A Cupboard Full of Bliss

 How do you know how much a quilter loves you? She uses her good fabric on your quilt. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I witnessed something so heartwarming at my LFS this week, I just had to share.   As I was walking around the store, admiring the sea of fabulous fabrics and quilts, I noticed a mom and grown daughter admiring and commenting on some gorgeous fabric bundles.  I couldn't help thinking how adorable their sweet interaction was. Later, when I went to the counter, I saw them again as they paid for their purchases.  The daughter was lovingly rubbing a  colorful bundle of fabric on her cheek, and thanking her mom for buying her some "emotional support fabric."  Yes!!!!  EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FABRIC!!!  That's exactly what I would call the brightly hued fat quarter bundles from my favorite quilt designers that reside in the cabinet in my guest room.  Every time I go past them I have to stop and marvel at their sheer majesty and splendor.  A peaceful calm comes over me as I contemplate the hours of blissful sewing I will enjoy as I piece a patchwork design into a handmade "hug" for someone I love. But I do have a common problem among quilters....I don't want to ruin the beauty of my perfect treasures by cutting them up for a quilt. So often they live in their pristine glory for a little too long, waiting for that special quilt worthy of their magnificence.  

You might be thinking that this is all my fabric stash, tucked so neatly in my cute little cupboard. I chuckle at the thought. I have tons stashed in my craft room and garage, all of it very appropriately organized and out of sight, lest you imagine a scene from hoarders.  But this coveted ESF fabric is on display for me to soak up it's healing powers at a moments notice. A tragic example happened this week when Best Buy's Geek Squad permanently lost ALL of the files on my computer, so I spent some extra time mourning with my bundles.  I came away thinking, "Oh well, since I lost a lot of the files I use for making cards with my Emotional Support Copic markers, the universe must be telling me to quilt more."   If you are a quilter, you are identifying with the ESF fabric concept.  If you aren't, just know it really is a "thing"  Most of us have emotional support stuff of one kind or another...animals, pictures, shoes, books, dolls, etc. I say, embrace it and be grateful for it's healing magic.    

It's nice to put a label on an addiction that brings me such joy.   

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

     

Crazy Quilt in Not-So-Crazy Colors - Accuquilt Go BOB

 Strength doesn't come from what you can do.  
It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't.

Hey there from Nannyland,

I'm still doing a little more quilting than card making these days because sewing seems to require less brain power and I gets me to my happy place quicker, without much artistic effort. And the repetitive motion is so calming. Quilts definitely use the creative side of my brain but I've been working with Accuquilt Block-on-Board dies so I can efficiently cut my fabric on my Accuquilt Go Big without all the measuring and math. Following the easy assembly directions is fun and there is plenty of opportunity for chain piecing in this block.  It's always so satisfying to put together a fabulous quilt that looks complicated and time consuming, but was done in a flash. 

I've always pictured crazy quilts in bright colors like this one I made a couple of years ago, but I decided to take a chance with a minimal color palette when I saw a similar quilt on Pinterest.  I knew I had tons of yellow, black and white prints in my stash that I had bought on sale several years ago and I was happy to bust them out for this quilt. 

Since yellow has long been one of my favorite colors and I like high contrast, I was delighted with the way this came together.  It has a crisp, modern feel, unlike many of the quilts I make with the bright floral thirties reproduction fabrics I love so much. 

I have a friend who I know would love this, but it has yellow in it...so it might have to live with me for a little while longer...or forever.  

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Perfect Brightness of Hope String Quilt

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

As has happened several times in my long, exhilaratong life adventure, the start of a new year has brought with it a very annoying and exremely inconvenient challenge for me.  A third brush with breast cancer (yikes) has put me in cahoots with doctors, tests and all the things that go along with making sure my cancer is gone, hopefully for good this time.  To say that it has been  unnerving is an understatement, but my past experiences with it have taught me a lot about faith, healing, resilience and empathy.  One thing I know for certain...God knows each one of us personally and we need only ask for him to help us through our hardest battles.

Usually, when I'm in the midst of my struggles, I'm not in the mood to share, but I'm always happy to reflect on the lessons resulting from my ordeal when I'm back on solid ground. So here's the scoop.  I had surgery to remove my cancer (and the implants from my previous reconstruction surgery) a couple of weeks ago and I'm feeling great now.  The surgery went well and now I just have to follow a treatment plan with estrogen blockers and maybe a little radiation when I'm healed.  It's all doable and I'm looking forward to a long, cancer free future.  I know God's plan for me will be a good one, no matter what it is.

When I first learned about the return of my cancer, I was understandably devastated and you might say a little inconsolable.  That is, until I turned things over to God and retreated to Nannyland in search of a mindless project to keep my thoughts from spiraling into negative territory.  With not much creative mojo happening, I pulled out the box of scraps I had been saving to make a strip quilt and just blindly started sewing.  Strip after strip on block after block, I calmed my mind as I lived through some dark weeks anticipating my PET scan results.  Then came a bone biopsy, ultra sound and ultimately surgery.  The results, both medically and spiritually, have been nothing less than miraculous and my future is looking hopeful and bright.  And, in the end, I have a gorgeous quilt to remind me that nothing is impossible when God is at the helm.  I have appropriately named my masterpiece my "Perfect Brightness of Hope Quilt" after one of my favorite scriptures. 

This colorful quilt was a joy to sew using scraps from many years of fabric bliss.  I loved wandering down memory lane as I remembered countless fun projects, many of them from when I was selling handmade items in my Etsy store. 

I'm definitely NOT giving this one away...it will live on my quilt ladder to remind me of a time when miracles surrounded me and faith, hope and maniacal sewing kept me going. 

It's amazing to see how sewing a hodgepodge of seemingly unrelated fabric scraps can come together in such a harmonious array of awesome color, not unlike the experiences we have in this beautiful patchwork we call life. 

I'm so blessed to have my peaceful Nannyland retreat to escape to when the world gets overwhelming.  No therapy needed here...just prayer and all things artsy. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply

Scrappy Jelly Roll Log Cabin Quilt

 Being unique is better than being perfect. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

When I pieced this quilt top last summer, I called it my "Quick Quarantine Quilt," because I was cloistered in Nannyland with a mild case of covid.  I actually felt fine, so I was happy to take on this fun jelly roll log cabin quilt block project that I had been wanting to conquer for a long time. 

You can read on my post how I used several tutorials to narrow my process down and I really love how this quilt turned out.  My plan is to make several more with this delightful and simple pattern, and whittle down my significant jelly roll stash.  

        

I still can't believe how much I love the colors in this quilt, since this was my least favorite jelly roll in my stash when I picked it for my first attempt at this pattern.  It had much more subdued hues than my usual bright palette and I thought it might turn out blah.  I learned something from this exercise...I shouldn't limit myself to my "go to" palette all the time.  Branching out and experimenting with color is very satisfying.  

I took my quilt top to my favorite LQS for some beautiful quilting in a lovely swirly pattern. I'm having things quilted a little denser these days, as is the trend now, but I still like to keep my quilts soft and cuddly for my recipients.  

This quilt lives on the ottoman at the end of my bed in my master bedroom for now.  I'm planning to make the Accuquilt Go Quilt-a-long House bed runner when I get a chance and this quilt will find a new home.  It's funny, but I can't bear to give it away yet.  I just really love those colors!

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

My Pink Panoply Breast Cancer Journey Part Three - Accuquilt Bear Paw BOB

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, 

something to love, and something to hope for.

Joseph Addison

Hey there from Nannyland,

It's no secret that I am a two-time breast cancer survivor and feel very blessed to be living my best life 18 years after my first diagnosis and treatment.  I am also almost 10 years out from my second diagnosis. and now, to my apprehension, I'm about to embark on a third breast cancer saga.  Yeah, I know, I can't trust my boobs to behave, whether real of fake.  "Think Pink" has a special meaning to me since my beautiful mom died of breast cancer at 61 and my sister and I have both endured it in recent years. I'm journaling my story because my first amazing craft room was born during my radiation treatments for my initial cancer when we added a studio to our home. And Pink Panoply was conceived during  my mastectomy and reconstruction after my second diagnosis.   It appears that the seeds of my creativity have been planted during adversity and  blossom with the enlightenment and peace I receive during these challenging times.

I started making quilts for breast cancer survivors in 2016 and discovered that quilt making is every bit as delightful and creative as card making.  My label "Pink Panoply" came about when I needed a trade name to sell my quilts, along with baby bibs and blankets, in my Etsy store.  My Etsy venture didn't last long because making a business of my most beloved and rewarding calling limited my creativity and took the joy out of it for me.  But it was a fun experience and I still have my store to reopen if I wish.

Happily, Pink Panoply has lived long after those first breast cancer awareness quilts and here I am with my blog/journal, Instagram, Facebook, Design Teams and many other ways to engage with you on the internet. My recent diagnosis is new, so I don't know the challenges that lie ahead but I have faith in a good outcome, and trust that God will watch over me as he always does.  In the meantime, I have been doing what I have done in the past and realigning my priorities to include those things that are most important to me.  That still means lots of crafting, but hopefully more quilts and faith journal pages.  I'm excited for the changes I'm making because I really miss some of the things that have been crowded out by pursuits that seem much less important now.

And now for some happy quilting schmooze. I made this quilt for my bestie and her husband for their 50th wedding anniversary last month.  She's a home decorator extraordinaire, so I knew it would be much safer to create a quilt she could use in her fancy new travel trailer.  Hence, the bear paw block...cute, eh?  I found a fat quarter bundle in her favorite shades of blue and green and used the Bear Paw Accuquilt Block On Board die in my Accuquilt Go Big to die cut the block pieces.  I used my usual crisp striped binding and pieced a backing with fabric that looks like pebbles in a mountain stream.

I hope it doesn't take an awakening like a health crisis to encourage you to prioritize  the things that matter most to you.  Go forth and immerse yourself in the exquisite creative mindfulness and joy that comes from creating something beautiful. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)