My sewing machine seems to have developed a magnetic pull. Instead of starting January in a creative funk like I did last year and the year before that, I'm getting all sorts of things done.

I finished quilting my log cabin and got it bound--



The backing, which used because I wanted to save my original choice for a different quilt, looks a lot better than I expected it to. I'm not as madly in love with this quilt as I was when I first started it, but I'm glad it's done and happy with the results.

My Fun With Bricks, the one I made to replace the rail fence I gave to my best friend, is quilted and bound --



I had planned to use as many fabrics from the rail fence quilt as I could dig out of my stash, but I guess I kept substituting the fabrics I would have put in the rail fence if I'd owned them a couple of years ago. So the two quilts have almost nothing in common.

But what I loved most about the rail fence was the dense quilting, and this one has that same texture with fewer mistakes. I'm happy.

It's amazing how much better a top looks once you start quilting it. The fish are transforming into an actual quilt --



I wanted to try something different than my usual meander, and I'm loving these ripples, but they're taking absolutely forever. I spent an hour on it this morning and then switched the machine back to straight stitching so I could have some fun.

The last of the madder snowballs should be done tomorrow so I can start putting that one together, and I did five more blocks for my courthouse steps, which is a sequel to the log cabin, and I think I can get a little more piecing done before dinner.