Eleanor Burns has surgery

On September 14 Eleanor Burns had heart surgery.

A movement to send get well cards has started.
Her address is:  Eleanor Burns, c/o Quilt in a Day, 1955 Diamond Street, San Marcos, CA 92078.

Please join us in urging Eleanor to work for recovery.
Have a great day.

Pincushion

I found a pincushion on the Moda Bake Shop website called the Prairie Flower Pincushion. It has been calling to me. I started hand piecing it from a charm pack. I have completed the top and bottom, folded the prairie points and am working on the sides.

It is such fun.

Have a great day.

I finally got back into blogger.

Sorry for abandoning you. I lost my ID and Password for my blog.

I have been recovering from major surgery and not doing much.

Last week I started a table topper with pre cut hexies. I stitched it by hand. The top is finished. Need to dig out my iron and board to iron before making the sandwich and basting.

My annual retreat is 19 days away. I have to figure out what to take. Minimum projects. Minimum tools.

Have a great day.

Quilt staging completed

I have all my supplies for the three classes I am taking at the Pigeon Forge, TN Mountain Quiltfest put together.  The fabric is in a carry bag that fits on my sewing machine trolley.  I also have another carry bag that contains all the UFO quilt blocks for my Marti Michell Patchwork Party and Stonehenge top.  All sewing and quilting notions are in with the sewing machine.  I am traveling lightly this year!

There are three classes from Bonnie Goolsby:  "The Finished Quilt", "Cutwork for A Quilt" and "Learn to Paper Piece" that I am taking.  Strangely some of the classes that were full are now open for registration.  My DH would have me tied up to my sewing machine if I was to sign up for another class.  Oh, well, next year.

This is the fifth year I have attended the Quiltfest and I am ready to leave right now.

Have a blessed day.

Eight days until the Annual Mountain Quiltfest

I have started staging various things for our trip to Pigeon Forge, TN.  Clothing and not quilting staging area is the floor next to our bed.  Sewing and quilting staging area is a chair in the studio.
Today will be getting all the things for my three classes into the studio staging area and getting all the clothes and toiletries into the bedroom staging area.
Tomorrow will be a wrap up and packing of the staging areas.
Then I have to figure out what I have forgotten.
We are leaving after the Quiltfest to go to Orlando.  Our daughter and grandson will be coming down the weekend that we will be leaving and we will celebrate my birthday on Saturday before we leave.  They will be staying an additional 7 days with their best friends Lorrie, Jim and their son Scott.
I have one full day at Discovery Cove for myself to celebrate my 66th birthday.  What a present.  It isn't coming fast enough.
Have a blessed day.

It is almost March and I am going to the Mountain Quiltfest in Pigeon Forge, TN

I have started gathering my equipment and supplies for the quilt fest.  19 days until we travel to Gatlinburg for our vacation/sewing classes.  I am so excited!

I am taking my computer and Kindle and will try to post my daily accomplishment while I am there.

Currently I am taking one BOM series through one of our Local Quilt Shops.  It is a Marti Michell pattern.  I picked up the finishing kit last week.

Also, last week I found all the other quilt top BOM from her collections that I have underway.  They will be the only non quilt fest projects that I will be taking with me.  There are two that I found.  That is 24 blocks to cut and finish.  Since we are also traveling to Orland for one week after Gatlinburg I think I will have time to do this.  There are about 16 days in the trip, minus traveling days.  That makes 12 sewing days.  If I can finish two block each day I will be very pleased.

Have a blessed day

Procrastination

I haven't pieced anything since my last BOM class at Bella Quilts in Hamilton, Ohio.  I have two blocks that need to be cut out for the class this Saturday.  Hope I can get both sewn during the class and pick up the next block for December.

Have a blessed day.

2014 Hoffman Challenge Fabrics have been published.

Although the fabric is lovely I would not have personally chosen the specific fabric as the main challenge fabric.
I went on the Internet and was able to print all the fabric swatches in the entire line of Anisa by Hoffman.  One website indicates that they have all the fabric ready to order.  Now I need to decide the pattern I want to make.  I have narrowed it down to Card Tricks aka Winning Hand or King's Crown (c) Janet Wickell.
Then I have to figure out yardage for a 40" by 40" completed size quilt.
Have a blessed day.

Hoffmann Challenge 2013 -- Binding

I have completed making the 2 1/2" wide strips for the binding.  I am still thinking about what I want to do for the quilting.

The nine patch blocks seem to call for in the ditch quilting.

I saw a simple quilt the had blocks quilting with a single echo row of stitching 1/4" from the seam line.  I am toying with that idea for this quilt too.

Still thinking.

Have a blessed day.

Roman Shades Class

Yesterday morning I took a 4 hour class on how to make a Roman Shade.  The instructor, Pamela M. Damour ( www.pamdamour.com ) was fantastic.  A kit was included in the class and we started with two pieces of fabric and all the attachments.
There were five of us in the class and we each proceeded at our own pace.  It had advantages and disadvantages.  Those who were working ahead were able to get more hands on assistance with Pam and the rest of us were able to view and be prepared when we go to the next point in construction.
The kit created a 24 by 36 Roman Shade.  Now I have to find a 24 by 36 window in my house.
I already have plans on taking the draperies in the two smaller bedrooms in our house and remaking them into Roman shades.

I know that this is really not a quilt, but it fits with my UFO's.

Have a blessed day.

Half Square Triangles in multiples. Do you want a tutorial?

I just ran across a tutorial on another blog that was teaching a method of making identical two fabric half square triangles.  I have used a very old method of making up to 24 half square triangles from a single sandwich of two fabrics right sides together.

If there is an interest I will put together a tutorial with instructions and pictures.

This is a method to make 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 18, 20 or 24 identical half square triangles.  You will never (and I do mean never) sew on a bias edge that is not stabilized.  If I get only one reader interested I will make the tutorial available. 

Have a blessed day.

Binding for Baby Quilt.

I don't know what fabric I will be using for the binding.  I will have to look into my stash.  Since pink is not one of my top priorities it will take some searching.
Keep on piecing and quilting.

The Baby Quilt is quilted and ready for the binding.

I finished the quilting on the baby quilt this morning with tears running down my face.  Our faithful Rottweiler / Black Labrador senior citizen went home to doggy heaven this morning after 15 years of faithful service.  He was a friend, guardian, nurse and comfort in hard times.  We will miss Max very much.  The last stitches in this quilt will be in his memory.
Keep piecing and quilting.

Baby quilt

I pieced a baby quilt over a year ago and last week I batted it.  I started quilting with basic straight lines on the diagonal.  It is looking good.  When I finish the quilting I am going to start putting the binding using the new binding foot I bought in June.
If this new foot is a great as I think it will be I may not be piecing much for a while.  Just batting and quilting my UFO's and then putting on the binding.
Keep quilting and piecing.

I missed the Hoffmann Challenge deadline. Maybe a good thing.

My Hoffman Challenge quilt top was completed and batted on Thursday.  When I looked closely for imperfections and missed points it was too late.  I will be quilting it and putting on a binding and label.  It will be the "Hoffman Challenge 2013 missed the deadline" quilt.
What a disappointment!
Keep on quilting and piecing.

Deadline is approaching for the Hoffman Challenge

This morning I decided to get up off my >>> and get back to work.  I am still troubled by the points and corners and am trying to determine how to make them more precise.

I purchased the quilting thread on my LQS 5th Saturday sale.

Keep quilting.

Hoffman Challenge I am behind the 8 ball

My Hoffman Challenge quilt top has been sitting on the ironing table (yes I have an ironing board as well) for several days.  The deadline is not too far away.  My LQS is have a 5th Saturday sale this week and I want to pick up the thread for the quilting.

I will try to post soon with updated information.

Keep on quilting.

Progress on my Quilt Top

I have almost completed all the Ohio Star Blocks.  There are two left to finish sewing.  Then I will place the challenge fabric in between each block in an alternating pattern.  The finished top will be a 5 by 5 pattern with the Ohio Star Blocks starting in each corner.

As soon as I finish the top I will proceed with the borders.  Since the finished size of the blocks is 30 by 30 and the Challenge size minimum is 40 by 40 I have some bordering to do.

Keep on piecing and quilting

I didn't get enough fabric

Have you ever been working on a project and realized that you didn't plan for enough fabric?  Well...I was cutting the red fabric today and realized that I don't have enough for the quarter square triangles.  I might be able to make half square triangles from the remaining fabric and then sew the quarter square triangles from there.  Measure twice and cut once.
Have a great day piecing and quilting.

My progress with my Hoffman Challenge Quilt.

I have actually started making the Ohio Star blocks with the Hoffman fabric.  I have three finished.  They are turning out well.  I have done some un-sewing because I did not like a piece in the block or the way they are finished.  It is fun doing this and I can see myself doing this again.

Keep piecing and quilting,