QUILT SHOW!

Our guild show was Fri. and Sat.  What fun!

My friend Carol Becker, made this car cover a few years ago.  She parks out front to help folks find us and set the mood.

These were some of my favorites in the show.

This one had sooo much work on it!

This one is so bright and cheery!

This cathedral window jacket had some 'windows' unopened.  So unique.

I love the rainbow effect here.

This is my friend Jodi, with her beautiful bargello.

More pretties.

This photo doesn't do this quilt justice.  All the animals are paper pieced.  The size of some of the pieces is really tiny.  Each feather, each nuance.  Wow!

I've never used a brown background, but it sure is nice.

Can you tell I'm partial to applique?

An Edyta Sitar design all in batiks.  So pretty.

We had a super crowd; especially on Friday.

I'm tired exhausted after two full days at the show.  Next year, I think I'll opt for a sit down job for part of the time :)  I spent two afternoons arranging and sorting in our boutique.  It was fun and busy.

I didn't enter any quilts this year.  I'm new to guild and wanted to see how it all works.  I gave everything close attention this year.  Generally I just browse the shows.

Take down was accomplished in 36 minutes!  They passed last year's record of 45 minutes.  Lots of husbands help, and it really does work like a well-oiled machine!  So many people working together.

Now, what should I be working on?  Did I come away inspired or in awe?  New goals?

AROUND THE WORLD BLOCKS

I am participating in a swap with gals from all over the world, where we select a fabric that represents us, then send a fat eighth of it to each participant.  They in turn select a 6" block to make that represents them.

You then make a block representing you using fabric representing them.  It's a neat way to combine friendship in a quilt.

I chose the common blue fabric you see here.  I love blue and want a blue and white quilt.  I request that the others use any other blues with it, and white or white-on-white background if they chose.

So far five blocks have come back.  The Dutch block is from a Dutch quilter, etc.  I think they are playing nicely together so far.

There are 21 of us in the swap, so there will be many more blocks coming in over the next months.

WHERE DID FEB. GO???

I've had a couple readers ask if I am ok, as it's been so long since I posted.  Yes, I'm fine, but not much stitchin' happened this month.  But here are a few Feb. pictures.

Valentine's from My Guy.

Cool quilts and bags we learned to make at Stashbusters.

And, as you may have seen on the news, Gator's Dockside is now adding a surcharge to your tab, to help pay Obamacare for their employees.  We ate lunch there yesterday.  Here's our bill with the ACA (Affordable Care Act) surcharge on our ticket, and the explanation sheet.  Hmmm....................

Now off to swim with grandkids.  That is where much of March has gone, and can't complain about that:)

FEBRUARY UFO CHALLENGE

This is my February challenge.  I plan to quilt and bind my heart quilt this month.  What better month to work on it?  And since I plan to use big-stitch hand work with perle cotton, it will be perfect to stitch while watching the Olympics.

These hearts are from a swap on the DJ Alternate yahoo group back in 2009.  I finished the top that year, but it has languished along with my other 15+ tops that need quilting.  My bad!!!  The setting is using the Disappearing 9-Patch.  I posted about it on this blog way back then. 

Rosa recently quilted her's (well her DH did on his long-arm), and it reminded me of mine.  I worked on my blocks for this swap at the Dear Jane Retreat in Shipshewana, IN, in the fall of 2008.  Whew, that was a while back.  Brings back memories of the many on-line friends I met there, including Ruthie Quilts.  She was working on her's there too, it's the one with that lovely lace in the center'ish.

Happy stitching to my quilty friends. 

FIRST FINISH OF 2014

Here's my first finish of the year.  It is a wall quilt for my daughter.  Done-done.  Yeah!

Still have to finish my other UFO challenge for Jan. on one of my groups,  Now what will I select for February?  Surely something that needs quilting and binding for at least one of them.

Stay safe, those of you in the cold/snow/ice regions.  Strangely we are hitting 80 today, but only 50's tomorrow.  Weird weather for sure.

OOH LA LA!

 

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday!  Remember when I posted just the center block a few months back?  Well here she is back home after a trip all over the USA and even to Australia.

Each participant put so much love into their work.  The beautiful applique was that gal's first attempt at machine applique.  Lovely.  And do you  notice how the outer blocks mimic the flow of the applique? So much care went into this quilt.

I just LOVE everything about this quilt top.  I am so grateful to each of the participants, as well as to our hostess.  I'm happy dancing here!

Mr. quilt holder's feet are cute too:)

DEAR JANE SECRET SISTER ARRIVAL

I haven't played the secret sister game for a couple years, but decided to get back in.

Here's what my sister sent for January.

First, she made that paper-pieced cover for the person size calendar for my purse.  I love it!  There's nothing like a home made gift.

I'm enamored with the quilt lady pin.  Isn't she cute!  Her necklace says Dear Jane.  In her hands she's holding a DJ book, her credit card, and a pack of M & Ms.  What more could a girl need?  I will proudly wear her often.

Also there's a Mary Englebreit needle holder.

Along with these there was a chatty hand written note.  It's going to be a super year, I can tell.  And Dear Pal, if you are reading here, I know we'll get to know each other better this year.  Thanks so much!

Brr..................

 

Ready for guild today.  Too funny.  Tom said he can't remember seeing me dressed so warm -- turtle neck, fleece, boots.  Then reminded me to be sure my winter coat was in the car, whether Jodi or I drove.  Kind of fun for a day or so.  We'll be back to 80 this weekend.

 

Some guild members still wore their flip flops; flips are hard to give up :)  But when do I get to wear boots?

UFO POST 1

Since this is my first post of 2014, one would expect it to be about sewing resolutions.  Like last year I was going to have 13 finishes in '13.  Yah, that happened.  Not!

But I am joining in with a group to try to finish things we have started.  No matter how long it takes.  Finish it.  Not that we are promising not to start new things, not to buy fabric or patterns  (yes, English majors, the triple negative is intentionally confusing).  I know I'll be starting new things.  I know I'll shop sometimes.  I did on Jan 1 sale at LQS (40% off everything).  Just to also finish something from the past once in a while.

Here's the first UFO I dug out.

I has been three years waiting to get quilted.  Three years.  I started big-stitch hand quilting it, wasn't happy, put it away, got it out, thought about taking out the stitches and machine quilting it, put it away, got it out, thought about how great it would look if I did it this way or that way, put it away, got it out, repeat.

This quilt is for our daughter, Melissa, and was made specifically to fit a quilt rack our son, Eric, made for her.  Geesh!  Finished is better than perfect.  I plan to finish this one this month.  Or soon.  Or at least never put it away to ponder again!

STITCHING WITH MY PEEPS

Nanette, Jodi, and I usually go to Stashbusters at a LQS on the 4th Saturday of the month.  But today they weren't having it -- taking a holiday rest.  So we got together to stitch and laugh and eat at Jodi's.  Isn't her sewing room beautiful, roomy, and light.  Love it!  We had a super time.

Here I am trying out Jodi's Tiara.

Nan was busy with a secret project.

Here's Jodi at the cutting station.

 

This is the pressing area.

Jodi stores her fabric in an adjoining room.  I didn't get a picture, but it is all very well organized fabrics, folded, on bolts, and in tubs.

Oh, did I mention more talking than stitching might have taken place???

Maybe.

It was wonderful to get together with friends to sew together.  We need to do it more often!

STITCHY CHRISTMAS

 

My friend Carol gave me 3 'stitchy' gifts for Christmas.  The little bag and the shirt showcase my favorite Loralie gal.  The one on the shirt is something else, LOL!  Below is a close up of the Lego sewing machine.  Isn't it cute?  Thanks, Carol.

Hope you are enjoying your holidays too, however you celebrate.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

 

Merry Christmas to all my readers and online friends.  Our lawn is ready to receive our king.

 

 

And indoors, the tree is up and the packages are ready,

 

Less is more is our mantra these days :)

 

A bit of baking tomorrow, on Christmas Eve, an evening service at church, and I'm all ready.

 

 

Whatever holiday you celebrate, and in whatever way, my wish for you is for a Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year.

 



SCORE!

Look what I picked up from the "Free Table" at guild this week. 

First, that Simplicity Sewing Book is dated 1972.  Lower left is the price, $1.  It is filled with the clothes and accessories I wore when I was 21 years old.  Even my husband had fun looking at it.  Mini skirts, knit fabric bell bottoms, jumpers, crochet short pullover vests, etc.  Too fun!  It also contains lots of tips and tricks still in use today.  Fun!  Fun!

Top left is 'Historic Australian Quilts, by Annette Gero.  It was published in 2000, and was signed to by author in 2002 in Houston.  I've read lots about the history of quilts in the USA, but very little about that history in Australia.  So much history, such rich photos, lots of good reading here.

Top right, 'Quilts of Illustion' published 1988.  This one includes photos of old antique quilts in patterns such as Delectable Mountains,  Tumbling Blocks, Stairway to Heaven, etc. While there are a few patterns, this is mainly a historical documentary book.  Love it!

All three of these books are in brand new condition.

Bottom right, you'll recognize a brand new pattern for doll clothes.  Not of historical significance, but cute doll clothes.

I'm off to finish wrapping and cleaning for the holidays.  Hope you have a productive weekend.

BAKING PIES; PASSING ON TRADITION

Pie baking with granddaughter Alicia Hessert yesterday.  One coconut cream and one pumpkin.  So happy someone in the new generation wants to carry on the tradition. 

Some folks are known for great accomplishments.  I'm known for great pies!

Once again, thank you Mrs. Ott.  And Grandma Dorothy.

GUILD CHRISTMAS PARTY

Our guild Christmas party was this week.  The committee did a wonderful job!  Here's how the tables looked. 

Love those little long john place favors.  Santa ran out of stockings, so we got long underwear stuffed with candy instead.  Sorry about that blurry front close up!  The saying is, "We looked for a stocking, but couldn't find a spare................So we ended up stuffing Santa's Long John Underwear!"  One member made all of them from felt.

There was an elf quilt challenge.  My friend Jodi won a prize for hers :)

Isn't it just the cutest?  Here are a few of the others.

 

 

This is the Christmas raffle quilt --  Sunbonnet Sue and Sam celebrating Christmas.  They made over $700 on it.  The money will be donated to the local 'Shop With a Cop' program.

It was so nice to dress up, meet with friends, and have a wonderful meal served to us, all in a lovely country club setting.  I do need to mention that we still call it a Christmas luncheon, and we still say grace before eating.  I love it!  We also say the Pledge of Allegiance before our meetings too.  I'm old fashioned that way and proud of it.

This picture has nothing to do with the rest of this post.  It's my granddaughter, Corina Rose and me, showing off our 'matching' pink Minnetonka moccasins.  We wore them on Thanksgiving.

Hope all my readers are having fun with preparing for the holidays, whatever you are up to.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

LADIES OF DOWNTON ABBEY

The kit arrived today.  Yeah!  Love this one, and can't wait to get started, but it will be 2014 before that happens, I do think.  I really like how this one incorporates fabrics from all 4 Downton women's lines.

But, I also must say that I love Violet. She is my favorite character.  I want to be her when I grow up.  And I also am called to this quilt from her line.  Applique and piecing mixed - a favorite of mine.

This quilt, from the fabric manufacturer, Andover,  calls to me too.  There are many patterns out there for this fabric line, and of course, you could use your own imagination too.  Here's a link to Andover's patterns.

I know the fabric is flying off the bolts.  I'm glad I ordered as soon as it was available.  My kit is from The Fat Quarter Shop.  Now I'm eager to see what everyone makes with Downton fabric.  I've seen other 1920s lines coming out too.  A new trend, like CW or 30s?  Do we all secretly wish we were flappers in the 20s?

ARRIVAL

Downton Abbey backing fabric arrived today.  The kit is expected to be here tomorrow.  Odd, since I ordered the kit first, but, won't get to it until after the holiday stitching anyway.

SUNSET PROGRESS

I've been working on my Gloria Loughman class wall hanging today.  Now I need to find more threads.  Might need a trip to the quilt shop.  The background tiles are all stitched down with Superior Rainbow thread.

Below the piece is the original inspiration post card.  I really don't care if it turns out similar or not, but you do need a starting point of some sort.

Fun!

 

STARS ARE HERE!

The star swap is complete and my pretties are here.  I requested Christmas red/green/gold.  I had thought about making two table runners with these, but now I'm thinking maybe make a Christmas throw.  I love the secondary pattern that would be lost on a runner.

These are paper pieced 12" blocks, with 72 pieces per block.  Thanks to Bea who ran the swap and to all the participants.

CLASS WITH GLORIA LOUGHMAN

I was so fortunate to take a class with Gloria Loughman, from Australia, for the past two days.  We began with a trunk show and slide show with the whole guild.


 

We had the opportunity to examine her amazing work up close.

Here's a close-up of part of one of her panel quilts.

 

This is the Linear Landscape she teaches on Craftsy.

 

 

Our class involved tiling the background like this wonderful sample.

 

After lunch, those of us taking the class got set up.  Where to start?

 

That large spread out piece is 1/2 meter of Gloria's hand dyed.  I used it for my background and the tiles on top.

My friend, Jodi, seriously at work.

 

A photo op with Gloria.  Need to get more serious with the diet!  Second day lunch we ordered out pizza.  Yummy, but.......

 

 

 

Maybe Jodi got a better picture of me?

 

And here's my progress so far.  The tiled sky (not yet stitched), The proposed land on the horizon, and my piece of water reflecting sunset.

 

 

 

This was made by painting (me, painting?) over a commercial fabric that I used for jar lids a few years back.  Again, me painting?  Well................  Gloria had demonstrated; she did get me started; well, ok, in the end she did it for me.  I think she sensed my fear every time she tried to hand me the brush :)  You can see on the far left, where there's no paint, what the fabric looked like in the beginning.

 

And what was that I said about not having to line up points on an art quilt?  Hmmm.............  Not exactly true here.

 

If ever you have the opportunity to take a class with Gloria, do it.  She is an amazing teacher -- very friendly, hands on, calms your fears, helpful, etc.  I learned so much and had so much fun.  Very worthwhile indeed!