2016-05 Paducha

I've been a bit busy the last couple weeks and forgot to post!   shocking!  I know.

  

It has now been quilted and is waiting to be bound.  I pieced the backing for the Trip Around the World wedding quilt for my husband's niece.

I took some time off and went to Paducha for several days to see the AQS Quilt show.

I arrived in Paducha Tuesday afternoon and spent several hours drooling over fabrics at Hancocks... and burning up the credit card!

I bunked with Wanda (from Alaska) and her friend Terry.  We went to TGIFridays for dinner and a "rousing" game of trivia!  LOL!


Wednesday through Saturday I rented a cottage with Barbara, a friend from church.   It was a very relaxing place to be after a busy show and classes.


We set up tables and featherweights in the living room and enjoyed the view of the Grand River, watching tugboats go by... pushing barges of coal .

  

Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday I signed up for classes (more on that later) and spent time at the show.   But Friday we spent all day relaxing in the cottage sewing and chatting.... except for an afternoon exercise break when we walked down the hill and out to the end of that jetty and back.

There was the mandatory "Sloanie" meet-up on Thursday with Pat Sloan

Pat laid out her blocks for the Splendid Sampler... an online sew-along that she is hosting.  There will be 100 six inch blocks made when this is done!

And no trip to Paducha would be complete without a dinner at Patti's 1880 Settlement.  Great restaurant... great food... great friends... old and new.

2016-01 ... Snowmagedden and UFO progress

We had snowmagedden here in Tennessee and along the east coast.  Nine inches of snow is unheard of here and everything just closes down for a couple days until it all melts.

We had our eldest grandson for the week while schools were shut down and among other things we had fun sledding down the front street and experimented with making SnowCream...YUM!
  

When I wasn't entertaining the kids I was sewing.... I finished piecing, quilting and binding Little Monkey for my grand niece.

I also quilted and am working on the binding for Globetrotting.

A Sewing Vacation

I have really enjoyed my vacation this past week.  We rented a cabin on Lake Barkley in KY.  One bedroom, a couple of pull-out couches... just perfect for the three of us.  It was a bit crowded when my daughter and grandsons came for a visit mid-week, but we're family and it's good to be close... once in a while...for a short time.

Although I've taken pictures with my camera, I forgot the cord to connect and download to the computer, so for now, these pictures are emailed and downloaded from my phone..a bit blurry, but good enough.

I set up my little 221 featherweight in the corner behind the kitchen table and had a blast sewing away on UFOs that I never could find time to complete at home.

    

The most important project of the week was to embroider a face on Bunny.  I had made this bunny as an Easter present for my oldest grandson from one of his receiving blankets when he was 2.  He was always carrying his blanket around and tripping over it.  So, rather than have him looking like a bruised up Linus, I decided a stuffed toy would be easier to carry.  Now that he is 5, he has been asking me to give Bunny a face.

 



He was thrilled to arrive at the cabin for a visit to find Bunny with a face laying on his sleeping bag.

I also made both boys a pair of Lightning McQueen pajama pants.  I have more fabric to make a matching top, but that will have to wait.  They have gone home and I have no T-shirts of theirs to use as a pattern.

First quilt done was Cracker Barrel... a UFO from 2007.  I had been working on these blocks as a leader/ender since January.  The rail fences were made and all the white triangles sewn on.  Several hours  of happily chain-piecing while also  watching the World Cup games and the blue triangles were sewn on too.  The blocks and rows were quickly assembled, borders on and call it done (except for the quilting!)

Next up was my Quiltmakers Block Party swap blocks from 2012. I had gone to Williamsburg, took Bonnies three classes and participated in the swap and haven't touched any of it since returning home.  

I had made and received 12 blocks, but some of them just didn't seem to fit the designated color-way and I just couldn't include those odd-balls in this quilt.  I  raided my stash and found the pink for sashing.

Next was to sew together another pink charm-square quilt.  These are my most popular item I have made and sold for the last 5 years...and I need a few for the upcoming shows in the fall.  I collect various pale pinks, cut 5inch charms, a white inner border and then find a final outer border.  It's an easy quilt to piece together in just a couple hours.

 

 

This next project is a BOM designed by Pat Sloan.  I made the first block back in January when the sew-along began... and then just never found time to make each additional monthly block.  I am really happy to be able to get caught up with these.  The first block is a 24in center and other blocks are 10in and will surround the center block.  I am all caught up  now and ready for the new block in July.

 

 

 

 

This next quilt I made from some blocks I had in my stash.  I had made these blocks several years ago, but not really liking them, I put them aside.  I decided now was the time to do something with them. I am sure I had more of this fabric to finish the quilt, but it has disappeared over time.  While I don't love this it is done, and maybe someone will have a little baby boy that can love it.

  

 



There are more pictures and projects to show... but I'll save that for another post.

 

 

Globetrotting

Pat Sloan has started a new quilt along this year... check out the details here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/QuiltWithPatSloan/

here is my block one   Washington DC

I haven't had a chance to make block 2 Venice, yet, but I have all month ;)

Quilt-A-Long

Ok, my lack of techno savvy is showing... I can't figure out how to add the logo so here is the big long link for a quilt-a-long by Pat Sloan over at the Quilting Gallery.  Let's hope you can just click on it to get there.  If not copy and paste and that should work...I think. (sigh)


 http://quiltinggallery.com/learning-center/beginners-quilt-along/


Each week directions for a new block will be posted and by mid September you should have a completed quilt.    Now I'm off in search of fabrics and start sewing!


Oh, and here is my half square triangle top all pieced and  waiting in line to be quilted.





One more UFO to finish this month and I'm back to working on Orca Bay designed by Bonnie Hunter.   I'll be starting three new quilts designed by her during classes in August at the QuiltMaker Party in Williamsburg!  Check it out here...
http://www.quiltmaker.com/events/quilt-along-with-quiltmaker.html