Walking Down Silver Lane
This month’s addition to our Patchwork Stitches journey is the timeless Silver Lane block, a design that has graced quilts for more than a century. With its interlocking diamond shapes, it has long been seen as a reflection of life’s winding paths — the twists, the turns, and the unexpected detours that ultimately lead us forward. For many quilters of the past, Silver Lane symbolized perseverance: the way we move through challenges with hope, stitching brighter days into the fabric of our lives.
I find it so fitting that this pattern should arrive in September, when the year itself begins to curve toward autumn’s golden light. Just as the season turns, guiding us gently into shorter days and cooler evenings, the Silver Lane block feels like a quiet reminder to embrace change with both courage and grace.
A Row Completed
Our Silver Lane block comes alive in the same rich palette that has carried us through the year, harmonizing beautifully with the story of our quilt. With this month’s stitches, we complete the third full row of the design — such a milestone moment! That leaves just one row waiting, ready to be filled with the final three patterns that will bring our year-long journey to a close.
When I step back and look at the quilt so far, I can’t help but feel a swell of pride and gratitude. Each block is a season captured, a story told in thread. Together, they’ve become more than just fabric and floss — they’re a tapestry of shared hours, quiet moments, and the steady rhythm of needle and thread moving through cloth.
Silver Lane in September
Fall is a season when stitching seems to glow with its own kind of magic. Many of us stitch more this time of year, nestled into the rhythm of cooler nights, candles lit on the table, maybe a favorite audiobook or playlist playing in the background. It’s the season of gathering inspiration, of beginning projects meant for gifting, and of cherishing the handmade comforts that carry us into the holidays.
There’s something about the Silver Lane block that feels right at home in September. Its steady, interlocking shapes echo the balance of the season — the way late summer lingers even as autumn’s crispness begins to settle in. It’s a design that belongs to quiet afternoons, golden sunsets, and evenings filled with the scent of cinnamon drifting from the kitchen.
Adventures on the East Coast
Before we fully turn the page to fall, our family squeezed in one last summer adventure — a trip to the East Coast. The salty air, rugged coastlines, and charming towns were the perfect send-off to summer. There’s something about being near the ocean that feels both humbling and restorative, and I carried that feeling home with me, tucked into the edges of my sketchbook and stitched into the corners of my imagination.
Travel always reminds me how creativity thrives on new sights, sounds, and tastes. The colors of the sea, the texture of weathered wood along the docks, and the rhythm of waves against the shore — all of it feels like inspiration waiting to be stitched someday.
Back-to-School Rhythms
Now that we’re home, the familiar shift of September is here. Backpacks are being packed, routines are falling into place, and school bells ring us back into the steady rhythm of daily life. I always find this time of year both exciting and grounding — a season of fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils, but also of slowing down and settling in after the fullness of summer.
It’s also a season when I find myself craving projects that carry meaning, ones that feel like companions as the days grow shorter. Perhaps that’s why I love sharing seasonal stitching with you so much — it becomes part of life’s rhythm in a way that feels both comforting and inspiring.
Stitching Forward: What’s Next
Behind the scenes, my stitching table is bustling with threads and sketches as I put the finishing touches on next year’s Stitch-Along, which will be released in January. I can’t wait to share more with you soon! Designing a year-long project is always both exhilarating and humbling — it’s like weaving together a story that unfolds one month at a time, and imagining how it will journey alongside each of you through the seasons ahead.
Of course, we’re also still deep in the beauty of the Lavender Whispers Stitch-Along. The next part releases next weekend, and I have to say, it’s becoming such a timeless, classic piece. Watching it bloom in the hands of so many stitchers has been pure joy — each photo shared feels like a new spark of lavender light joining the field.
A Cozy September Ahead
As I look ahead to the rest of this month, I feel grateful for the mix of endings and beginnings that September always seems to hold. The closing of summer’s chapter, the fresh start of school, the comforting rhythm of stitching projects that carry us toward the holidays — it’s all part of the same story, stitched together with love.
Thank you for walking this journey with me, needle in hand and heart wide open. Here’s to golden evenings, cozy cups of tea, and the beauty of Silver Lane guiding us gently into autumn.
With heart and thread,
Jeannie
Thyme for Stitching
