Catching Up Before the 52 Quilts Challenge Begins

A Whirlwind Few Weeks

Between then and now, I’ve been mostly catching up and getting organized for the challenge.  Sort of. 

That is to say, — I mapped out my overall attack strategy for the first few weeks… and then promptly jetted off to a work conference across the continent. ✈️ Now that’s what I call preparing for the 52 Quilts Challenge!

[Just a note about the fun collage image above – I took all my photos for this blog post and uploaded it into AI and asked it to make a photo-realistic collage as a summary photo of sorts – I think it did a great job! I still don’t know how I feel about AI altogether, but I’m enjoying playing with it. Don’t worry, I still will be including my original (real) pics throughout the challenge. But I like seeing what summary collage it may come up with and plan to use some if I like them enough!]

Solo at Disneyland (and Loved It!)

I traveled from North Florida to Anaheim, California — my first visit there!  I arrived a day early and took myself to Disneyland for the first time.  So different, yet so familiar compared to Disney World back home.

And honestly, it was my first time ever visiting a theme park solo — a surprisingly wonderful experience!  No persuading anyone to ride anything, no schedule to keep, just wandering, window shopping, and watching the shows at my own pace. And, bonus, I was able to get on most rides between 5-40 minutes!! I think it may have just been an oddly slow day perhaps?

When a Tile Becomes Quilt Inspiration

One of my favorite discoveries was this beautiful tile design. This tile was used throughout the area where I stayed (walking distance to Disneyland).  Every business had its sign framed in columns wrapped in this same tile — cohesive, colorful, and classic.  I’m dying to recreate it as a quilt block someday. Inspiration really does pop up in the most unexpected places!

Orange Quilt Bee & a Fabric Detour

I also stopped by Orange Quilt Bee, the last remaining quilt shop in all of Orange County, California (yes, one shop for over three million people!).  Wendy, who works there, was lovely — we chatted while I picked out fabric for the Quilted Comfort & Joy Mini Quilt Swap I recently joined.  Just what I needed… another quilt to make. 😊

After the conference (and catching up on a mountain of work back home), I turned my focus to getting the studio settled for the 52 Quilts Challenge.

🎃 The Case of the Missing Halloween Quilt

And then—bam!—my first roadblock.  My planned Week 2 quilt top had gone missing.

Years ago, I had sewn the applique quilt top for a Halloween-themed mini quilt. It was adorable — a witch stirring her brew, if memory serves!  I tore the studio apart looking for it — drawers, cupboards, bins — even while sorting through my ever-growing UFO collection.  No luck! 

I began to pull out a spread of my UFOs in hopes that it was somehow mixed in with one of my many other projects.  But I couldn’t find it anywhere! Instagram post about my UFO spread here.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to look long to find plenty of replacements.  In fact, I uncovered four other Halloween projects in various stages of progress.  Easy fix — I know what I’m finishing for Week 2! Stay tuned for that reveal! Here’s a sneak peak 🙂

I do need to find that first project though! I wonder if it will be unearthed at some point throughout this challenge!

And of course I’ve already teased the Week 1 quilt finish for next week on Instagram with a few in-progress photos. I can’t wait to share the final reveal with you next week for the official challenge launch!  I just love how bright and colorful it’s turning out.

Ready (Mostly) for 52 Quilts to Begin

I’m hoping these first few weeks of the challenge go smoothly — wish me luck!  I’d love to hear your encouraging words or thoughts as I start tackling these quilt finishes one by one.

Stay tuned for the Week 1 reveal – this will actually be called Quilt #52 I think since counting down feels so motivating.  It’s darling and I can’t wait to wrap it up and show it to you!

The first reveal — Quilt #52 — goes live Friday, October 17th!  I’ll share sneak peeks next Monday, write up the story behind it, and post the full reveal on Friday before it heads off to its new home.

That’s all for this week!  You can catch up on the details of this crazy adventure in the cornerstone post here.  Also, check out related posts “Go Big or Go Home” and “A Plan is Brewing (or Burnt)”.

And if you’re in the mood for some seasonal fun, check out the Halloween-inspired tees now in the Studio shop here!  

Until next week — happy stitching! 🧵🎃✨