Awesome Day!

This is the view from my car window this morning on the way to church. Just breath-taking -- the photo doesn't do God's handiwork justice!

What an awesome day! From the rising of the sun to the setting of the same, may the Lord be praised!

I just love my church. We have a wonderful fellowship and a gifted pastor. Pastor Ron Hindt is teaching in the book of Revelation and today was in the first part of chapter 2 concerning Ephesus the loveless church who lost their first love. A powerful message that resulted in many lives changed including several coming to know the Savior. What a new beginning! Fresh like after the rain.


I took this photo of a bowl of cherries that I washed for breakfast. Don't know why, just thought they were pretty. Again, a reminder of our Creator and how He provides for us.

This afternoon was "my time" to get to chill out and work on a few projects. I tend to take a long time to get around to something....Son #1 had asked me to make him some pillows out of bandannas for his apartment as well as use a bandanna to patch a hole in his jeans and the jeans of his roommate ...well, just to prove how long it has taken for me to accomplish this feat I found movie tickets (and two dollars) in the pocket that was dated December 2008!


Ah, but finished is good and I know he'll be glad. Pixxie liked the pillows -- I like the design of the bandannas -- wouldn't that make a great whole cloth quilt design? Maybe in a few years!

Once that was complete I figured I had enough time still left in my afternoon to put borders on a quilt that I pieced back in January. For some reason blogger has rotated my photo, but I think you can tell....LOOK MA! TWO BORDERS ON AT ONCE!


And mitered! I love doing borders this way, it's so much faster to do two at once and to cut them the exact size needed -- a technique I learned from Winnie Flemming, a local teacher at Quakertown Quilts -- and my is it accurate! Just take a look.


I tend to have fullness in the middle, not the best piecer on the planet that's for sure. But if I'll measure and take averages before cutting out my border I don't end up with wavy borders. Makes it so much easier to quilt!!


So here's the pieced top, about 68 x 77. It's adapted from a Square in a Square pattern called Peddler's Choice. Maybe next weekend I can piece the back and prepare the binding then it can go into the "quilts in waiting" pile....might be a loooong while before that gets accomplished, but I can change my totals and reduce my UFO pile by one!

Yep, an awesome day and it's not over with yet -- looking forward to a beautiful sunset as I dine on the patio with my favorite fellow....

Spring Fling - Butterflies and Pinwheels

More like Spring Fever. I've got a bad case of it. Well, what do you expect when the weather is 80 degrees one day and 31 the next night. I'm sooo ready for spring. Of course here in the Texas gulf coast spring is only a precursor to summer and our endless summer is usually pretty darn hot -- but bring it on! I love hot humid Houston!!

Okay, back to the Butterfly part of my post...Butterflies and Pinwheels to be exact. This is the Waterwheel pattern from Square in A Square and it's a class sample for an upcoming spring class at one of the local quilt shops. It's also a 'booth sample' for the upcoming Dallas Quilt Show next week where I will be giving hands on demos in the A-1 Professional Quilting Machine booth. The show's theme is playful pinwheels so I thought this quilt would be just right.

The fabric is from P&B and is a new line called Siena. I purchased it back in January when I was in Dallas for the SnS reunion. So how 'bout that, a new record -- fabric purchased and quilt quilted in less than three months. Actually less than two months! Of course, I still have to do the binding (but that will be done this week, can't hang an unbound quilt in a quilting booth now can I?)

Here's the full view. It's 65 x 88 and was custom quilted. Techniquely 'heirloom quilted' -- anytime I have to SID (stitich in the ditch) the catagory changes! I don't want to even disclose how many hours it took me to SID around the pinwheels and the light border. That's my least favorite part of quilting, but I've learned through trial and error (usually on my own quilts) that it just pops better when this extra step is done.

And what photo op would be complete without my faithful pup, Pixxie the professional quilt model?!?! Funny side story ... Saturday a new quilting friend came over to pick up some longarm supplies...as is my custom when I answer the door I have Pixxie in my arms -- she's one wiggle worm that's for sure because she gets so excited when we have company...well, since this lady and I had never met I make our introductions -- to which she replies "oh I know Pixxie from the longarm list and your blog" (smile).

Okay, back to the quilt rambling. I've also learned through playing around with personal quilts that I really like the Hobbs Tuscany Wool batting -- can you see the texture in the close up of the quilting? It's sorta hard with the matching thread, but when the light hits it just right it really has a lot of movement and can at times look like faux trapunto. Yummy batting. The quilts are sooo soft and cuddly too. And they don't seem to wrinkle or crease like my other quilts. Good thing since most of my quilts are used and can usually be found rotating between the couch and the bed.

When I first started quilting I developed this habit of signing my initials KEO in the body of the quilt along with the year. It's hard to see unless you have a way of making the photo larger (or going to my webshots to see it there) but in this bottom pinwheel I indeed have KEO 2009. Later I added my signature butterfly to the mix and lately have been using a butterfly as a focal point in the top corner of a quilt (My Dangling Carrot quilt is an example of that). Well, this quilt just screamed that it needed butterflies. So...why just do one when you can do seven!!

Makes it more springie don't you think? If you go back to the overall photo can you find all seven? The first one is easy.

I've also offered my customers this design element as an additional service. Some like just one, a few have asked for three, but I think so far this is the most I've done in one quilt. And it was fun.

I spent too much time quilting the interior of the quilt -- well, not too much time for therapy but too much time considering it doesn't show! True confessions. I needed to do dense quilting to make this quilt lay flat...

See, I made the mistake of piecing this one two different machines. Have you heard not to do that? Some of the flying geese units were made on one machine and some were made on another. Between the two machines the needle setting was not the same, hence my quarter inch was not consistant. When I pieced it I had to fudge a little. (surly you've had to fudge some too in your quilt life haven't you? that's when you 'unch' it in -- I like to call it fudge because it reminds me of chocolate and who doesn't love chocolate! makes the task more tolorable).

Okay. So there you have it. When you aren't a good seamstress you sometimes don't get the flatest laying quilts. That's why you really have to measure to make sure you don't have wavy borders. (That's a topic for another day, or go visit my website for detail instructions on preventing this qulter's nightmare). I have to say I was pleased with the way the mitered borders turned out and my quilt did turn out straight -- but it only lay flat because I nailed it down with dense quilting!! And as my husband reminds me, I did enjoy the process.

Hope you like my new quilt. PS the colors are more vibrant in person, wish you could see it - I just love the backing!!
ko

Tic Tac Toe Away We Go

Looks like a game board doesn't it? Nope. It's my project boxes for this next weekend...big goals, not realistic, but variety is nice.

What am I talking about? An upcoming retreat of course! A weekend get-a-way with a few quilting buddies and I'm planning my course of action!

The top left is a UFO (UnFinished Object) - renamed PS for Project Started - called Southern Skies. It's a SnS (Square in a Square) pattern that's in the works. it has high hopes of being chosen to be worked on.

Center top row is another SnS project you've seen before -- I started it in January -- Peddler's Choice, the center blocks are all done and connected, all it needs is a border, or two (smile) to call it a Quilt in Waiting.

Actually, that's the goal -- to turn a few of these from PS's to QIW.

The far right on the top is a project that was a result of a PS turning to a QIW last year at retreat -- one that is still in that category actually (Morning Star). It was a Nickel Quilt (from the pattern book series with the same name) that was cut out to be a queen size top but found itself a twin instead. Finished is good. Well, finished piecing at this point. Anyway, the leftover nickels needed a quilt to belong to so I decided to make a Ferris Wheel and made a couple of blocks...then it got shelved. I pulled it out today and finished cutting out all the hexagons so it would have a better chance of getting worked on at retreat next weekend.

Middle row, left is a goofy little Christmas quilt. The blocks were pieced back in 2004 so I'd have something to practice on (early days of longarm quilting). All it needs is a border. This one has a good chance of getting picked as a "me first" project -- goals of being one of the first QIW for the weekend.

Center of center row is a new project that I've been working on these past few "days off" (remember I piece for myself on Sunday's after worship). This is another SnS pattern called Waterwheel. I have 24 blocks made already and have pieced the basic square for the Option 4 half square triangles that will join these blocks as small pinwheels. I really like the fabric in this one, it's a new line by P&B called Siena so it has a good chance of being among the chosen at retreat. One of the gals is coming from the Dallas area and is swinging by P&B to pick up a bolt for the backing! What a treat! What a nice friend!

Right, center row is parts and pieces to a lone star made of purple and orange batiks using the QuiltSmart method. Everything is cut out. This was fabric I purchased in the summer of 2004 with a gift certificate from ladies at in the Women's Ministry at church...I'd put together a prayer quilt with their help for our pastor's wife who had just been diagnosed with a very rare bone cancer. She's undergone lots of stuff in the past few years and is a living testimony to God's grace. We learn a lot from her and her godly example. Anyway, the ladies got together and gave me a gift certificate to the local quilt shop as a thank you for heading up the prayer quilt....I don't know if I'll get to this quilt next weekend at retreat or not, but I hope so. At least work on it a little bit so it doesn't feel so neglected. I know it will remind me to pray for our pastor's wife and others who are going through physical battles as I work on it and every time I see it. Quilts have memories associated with them ya'know.

Bottom row, left. That's a little project that's sure to be done -- or at least I hope. It's not among my countdown of PS's, it's actually a new project. There are a dozen of us looking forward to this escape and time of endless sewing...we are exchanging a signature block to make a souvenir of our weekend together. That's my dozen blocks in that project box, and a cute little panel that I hope will work as a topper to a quaint little memento.

Bottom center is my Christmas tree quilt -- it was hanging in my living room as a PS during my open house. Technically it needs a top and bottom pieced row before it can become a QIW. I hope it will be one that is finished up, it would really be nice to also be able to move it to the finished category before this next Christmas. Only time will tell.

The final PS in my tic tac toe arrangement is a kiddie kaleidoscope. I pieced 12 blocks in 2004 and have let it sit since then. Today I decided to cut out the parts and pieces for the remaining 13 blocks with high hopes of it getting picked as one of the top candidates for next weekend's projects. I think I'll have enough fabric for a nice wide border -- and I went shopping in my stash and came up with a luscious lemon stripe that I hope will blend in, I'm thinking striped bias binding and backing for this one! This one just makes me smile -- love the colors, love the cute little sea creatures.

So there you have it. The line up. Pretty little project boxes full of PS's (projects started) all with the high hopes of being worked on at least a little bit at the retreat... why so many you ask?? In case I get distracted or lose focus on one I have something else to chose from (grin). Yep, I'm a certifiable basket case. And yes, I have a very big trunk!!

So the agenda this week is to try to put visions of PS's and future QIW out of my mind long enough to deal with the week's wonderful activities! I have a beautiful customer applique quilt on the frame now and hopes to finish another customer quilt before I take time out for fun with my quilting buddies.

Stay tuned. The retreat center is really fabulous and the gals will all have their own projects to work on -- we love show and tell. To get a glimpse of what to expect visit my webshot album from last year's retreat! We had sew much fun!! There will be some new faces this year, but I can guarantee that we'll all be smiling!!

High hopes!

Busy Weekend

Busy month! Hum, busy season! Feels like I haven't had a breather since pre-Ike when we were boarding up for the first time in August. Just this past week have I felt somewhat 'normal' -- and have been surprised that several of my local friends have felt the same way. I know folks are tired of us whining about Ike, but I tell ya', you survive a major life-changing event like that one and it does take it's toll on you.

But that's not what I wanted to ramble about this morning. Actually I have a couple of things I want to ramble about -- one being the quilt that almost took away all my confidence as a quilter...but that story needs lots of photos to tell so it will have to be delayed until another time.

So about my weekend...while it's fresh on my mind (grin)

Saturday morning I hosted four new students to a Square in A Square Class -- they learned the basic options (techniques) to make half-square triangles and flying geese out of squares and strips. Everyone finished one complete block and parts and pieces for others. The pattern was called Garden Party.

When class was over we all high-tailed it over to Cactus Quilts in Texas City to see what was left from her anniversary sale (it's a wonder we didn't delay the start of class to go shopping first!) We weren't disappointed. And yes, I was tempted. No stashbuster broken promises here, I gave up being a stashbuster (grin). I came home with a cute little panel that was half price, a few cordinating fat quarters that were 40 percent off and a little yardage of this cute matching pink print (that wasn't on sale). Oh, and did I mention that I just had to have a new book - needed some new reading material for the nightstand...25 percent off to boot!

Well, can't let a new project just sit so Sunday after worship I decided that I just needed to do something with that panel. I'm not really a "cheater cloth" sort of gal, but when it's on sale why not break out of my box. A few added SnS and tada....

Seems I didn't guestimate my pretty pink fabric well -- I've got to go back for 5.5 inches x WOF to be able to finish the narrow border on the other three sides (sigh). But! I did get the cordinating backing material on sale - so there.

Once that was complete I wanted to finish out the class demo from Saturday...even though I already had a class sampler made I always demo a block or two for the students to see and understand the process...so instead of having another UFO I worked really hard to get my blocks together. We cut out enough for 5 blocks, and my original sample had 5, but one of the students mentioned that this design would look good set on point, so that's what I did - used four blocks on point and parts of the fifth block in the border.

So that's what I did this weekend.

I've got more to share...that quilt that totally depressed me, and the re-organization in my studio (mainly my UFO section)....but this is all the time I have this morning...Have a customer quilt calling my name and it's a little past my normal time to 'clock in' for work...stay tuned...the rambler isn't out of stories just been a little short on computer time.

Retreat Anyone - or - Retreat for One

One is the lonely-ish number....or so the old song goes. Yes and no. Sometimes it's good to be alone, other times its great to be surrounded by family and friends. What's better is if your day encompasses both.... that's a good balance in my book.

Well, today it was just one. Four AM came really really early this morning, especially since I stayed up late trying to get 'everything done' -- which I didn't. Still had lots to do with the goal of being on I45 North no later than 6:30 AM to miss the Houston traffic...large goals considering I had to pack! Oh, and did I mention that my destination of Dallas/Fort Worth was expecting freezing rain? Talk about pressure to get on the road early!

Packing isn't that hard when it's just clothing for a week, but when that week will fluctuate from 30 degrees to 70 that adds a tad more weight to the ole' suitcases. Thank goodness I was driving and didn't have to worry about a weight issue (bags not me!) and it's a huge blessing that I have a BIG BIG, did I mention BIG trunk! Clothing didn't take up as much room as all the sewing gear! Machine, extra light, travel iron, cutting mat, ruler, and all the normal gear that I need for my comfort in creating.

What's up you ask? Well, that's my set up above in my hotel suite tonight. Tomorrow I will be involved in several days of workshops with Jodi Barrows, Square in a Square -- I will be working on my "diamond certification" as I am already "square certified". Part of the sewing project on the table is my homework for this week's class -- 50 diamonds. I did half of it last night before I crashed and decided that I'd just have to finish up when I got to the hotel. Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself -- I forgot to tell you about the freezing rain!

Have you ever just had a peace come over you knowing that your prayers (and prayers of others) was being answered? That's how it felt today. I did get on the road by my goal (amazing - but that's only because I figured it was dark and no one would see me until lunchtime so I could shave off a little time by NOT putting on my makeup). I45 had absolutely no accidents on the morning commute, again, amazing! Breezed right through. It wasn't too long in my almost 300 mile journey that I hit rain. Kinda made it hard to concentrate on the audio book I was listening too so I opted for my praise and worship music instead (gotta love those iPods). Very fitting to keep my mind on Jesus as I kept my eyes on the road!

My plans were to meet up with my friend Sue and do a little warehouse shopping at P&B fabrics and Moda fabrics -- unfortunately she lives a little northwest of my hotel and her area was experiencing freezing rain. I drove by a time and tempature sign that said 36 so I was spared (praise God). Sue gave me directions to P&B and despite the rain I just had to take a detour (only 5 miles out of my way and what true blue quilter wouldn't go 5 miles out of their way for a fabric frolic!).

Several bolts later I was back on the freeway to my destination hotel. Have to admit I was a bit tired and frazzled especially after unloading all my gear in the rain. A hot shower and some sewing was just what I needed. Topped off with a pizza delivery and I'm a happy camper!

I was a good girl and finished up my homework...well, almost, I still have to press open sides 3 and 4 on my diamonds -- tomorrow we'll learn how to trim them into wonderful options...once I got those semi-finished I searched my SnS books for a pattern that I could play with tonight with my new fabrics....preferably one that I will be teaching later this year (never too early to work on class samples!) I found the perfect one -- Peddler's Choice from Liz's Mercantile Pattern Book -- commonly known as Cracker Box. I have loved this pattern ever since I found an old 'rescue quilt' made with this design. I kept trying to figure it out and duh-huh it's soooo much easier the Square in a Square way. In fact, I pieced 9 blocks just tonight - which is almost 1/4 of the quilt since it will be a 6 x 7 setting when it's done. How do you like the wild colors? Of course I had to have purple (grin).


Hotel lighting messes up the true colors -- good thing I brought my own light to sew by! It will look better once I finish it and photo it at home in my studio (with Pixxie, did I mention that I miss my pup?)

Well, the alarm clock will be ringing early and I'll have to pack up all my sewing gear and move down to the conference room to join the others...first I need to find the conference room (and the others)....I'm looking forward to a great week -- will try to post as I can, but Jodi works us hard from sun-up till dark-thirty (grin). So much to learn. Sew much fun!!

Good night from the Big D

Beginning the New Year Right (grin)

Okay, I couldn't help myself. After all, it's still a holiday and technically I'm "off" and can do what I want right? I know, I know, there's dishes that need to be done, the bathroom could use a little attention, not to mention that mound of paperwork I keep ignoring...but what can I say? I was having withdraws!

My longarm needed me. It was calling my name when I woke up this morning. Begging me not to send a 9 patch pieced UNQUILTED top out as a class sample. Pleading with me that surely I could be diligent enough and stay focused long enough on a holiday to quilt a class sample. After all, how long could it take to put on borders and load a quilt?

Well, longer than I thought, but well worth the efforts! Not only did I have a fabulous day just me and my A-1, but I'm sorta proud of the result...and inspired a little too. More on that in a minute.

Thought I'd share the 'funny' photo first...the blooper so to speak....

I think I caught Pixxie thinking of her payday while she was working...but being the professional that she is, she quickly straighten up and took her job seriously.

Ta Da. Here's my little quilt. My class sample for the upcoming "Prairie Claw" Square in a Square class in Feb. at Cactus Quilts in Texas City. I think I'm calling this my "tic tac toe" see if you can see why (smile).

There's O's (triple feather wreath)

and x's (Renae's amazing rays)

The lighting isn't the best this time of night...but I think you can tell that I had fun today....did I mention ALLLLLL day! I did get a movie and a late dinner date - a wonderful way to start of my new year -- I love date nights!

Oh, and of course there's the signature butterfly in the border....

So, here's my "inspiration" and justification to boot. Remember I cut out enough fabric to make this a queen size quilt (sigh) so instead of needing to recut these five blocks I've decided that my goal for this year will be to make 5 identical quilts and quilt them up different ways! Wouldn't that be cool? Show an all-over design, a simple custom, different threads, who knows! But wouldn't that be cool? Maybe someone should take my temperature (grin).

Yes, it's been a Happy New Year. Looking forward to wonderful things in 2009. I'll leave you with a quote sent to me by Nevrdun (my friend on a farm in TN who is 'never done') ...

Advice for the New Year from a 1918 edition of "Successful Farming" . . .

"We are apt to measure a year by what we get out of it. We should, rather, measure it by what we put into it. Move into the New Year as you would into a new house. Carry with you only what is attractive or useful and make a bonfire of the old rubbish . . . chiefly useless memories and regrets."

Happy New Year - time to make a quilt!

Technically it's not New Year's yet - still a little less than two hours to go -- would someone please tell the neighbors! They started fire crackers at dusk and haven't let up yet. Poor Pixxie has been in hiding under our bed all evening. It's a terrible thing to do to a cute puppy. (Sigh)

So! Guess what I've been doing today?

First, we spent the entire morning taking down the Christmas stuff. I love Christmas, but when it's over, it's over. I guess because it's a long season -- we put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving - and sometimes I leave it till New Year's, but this year things worked out differently. (Had help so you take it when you can get it! Grin).

That done it was time for some therapy in the studio. I still haven't quite dug out from all the happenin's this past month (customer quilts, Quilts of Hope, Jamie camping out in the studio while here to help with A-1 set ups, mounts of paperwork around the computer, etc.) but I decided that some of the mess just had to be ignored because I couldn't ignore the call to piece!

Besides, I am teaching a class next month at the local quilt shop and Saturday is her sign up day - ya' think I should have a class sample made?

So that's what I've done. I've pulled out scraps and got busy. This is a Square in a Square pattern from the original book (fondly called 'the blue book') called Prairie Claws. The pattern is quite simple to piece and used up a lot of scraps. Each block had the potential of 36 different prints! My kind of scrappy!

Back in the spring a local 'famous person' (lives in north Houston) Lynn Roddy Brown came to speak at our guild. She's the author of "Simple Strategies for Scrap Quilts" published by That Patchwork Place. She not only had a fabulous trunk show, but wonderful suggestions on how to tame your scraps. One thing she does is take fat quarters and cut them into 3 portions of 5.5 x 20+ - she even shared how you could do an exchange with friends. Well, I went through my fat quarters this spring and did just that - I cut them up into strips. It was from this 'pile' that I worked on my quilt today.

I had (75) 5.5 x 20 which were perfect for the Prairie Claws project. I needed 1.5 strips for my 'surround' strips on my Options 1 and 3, and I needed a couple of 3-7/8 squares and a couple of 2 inch squared from each print. And I even have a little left over! Not bad!!

The pattern calls for 28 pieced blocks to make a queen size quilt, but for my class sample I only made 5. This would make a cute quilt if borders were added, but I think I'll hold out and make it bigger -- just not before Saturday! In class the students should be able to do all five blocks, at least one or two -- depends if they are smokin' needles or not (grin). Today I was smokin!!

So here's my New Year's Eve therapy...what do you think?

I don't know, seems kinda sad without my Pixxie to pose with it. Dang those fireworks!

Happy New Year friends! I think I'm going to finish cutting out the background fabric so I can place all the parts and pieces in yet another UFO bag. Ah, but this one has potential!

Christmas Quilts

Even though I've taken time out for a Christmas Open House, tool shopping, and a church pot-luck on Sunday that I haven't even told you about yet - I really have been busy with Christmas customer quilts too! Not all of them have been "Christmas" quilts -- but wanted to share these recent ones to sorta put you in the holiday mode!

I really enjoyed working on the broken star log cabin quilt, it was done with a simple panto and the customer was pleased when she came to pick it up. I know someone will enjoy snuggling under it this holiday season! You have to look close, but do you see my professional quilt model amongt the batting at the bottom (grin)?

I was able to sneak in a quilt of my own this past week as I quilted two student/customer quilts the same time as mine. You may remember these from earlier posts - they are a Square in a Square pattern called Exploding Star or Christmas Star in the book Advancing On II.

I wasn't sure if all three of them would fit on the frame, it was a tight squeeze, even with wide backing, but ta-da!

This one was my class sample. The quilting doesn't show up much due to the rich colors in the fabric, but when the light hits it just right you can see the texture. Even though it's quilted, it probably won't get hung this Christmas -- needs binding and a hanging sleeve and that's just not on my agenda or to do list for this season (sigh).

This one is Peggy's. She pieced the center in our SnS class and then went home to add the borders and the snowman in the center. I really like the way it looks and you can see from the close up that her choice of a lighter background fabric allowed the quilting to show up more than mine. Good job Peggy! She said she was gifting this to a friend for Christmas, I hope she likes it!

This next one is Cheryl's. She too was in the SnS class and pieced the center in class and went home to add the borders. Her green fabric has a little gold in it and it worked well with the gold thread - somehow it reflects and sparkles. She too chose a lighter background fabric that allowed the quilting to show better. Hum...seems I have something to learn from my students!

I played around with some different feathers on this one. Even though the quilts are all the same pattern I couldn't quilt them alike (sigh and grin)

I hope the girls are pleased. They took me longer than anticipated and now I'm a little behind...such is life. Need to get off the computer and go load another customer quilt that has been promised for Christmas...

In the meantime, I hope these Christmas beauties have inspired you to take time sometime this next year and make a Christmas quilt for yourself and your family. Certainly brightens up the room and adds joy to the season if ya' ask me!

Christmas Open House

Yesterday was my Open House for my business, Quilts 'N Kaboodle. We were celebrating several things - one, God's mercy on our home during Hurricane Ike, two God's blessing in the increase of our quilting business to include being a certified instructor with Square in a Square (this happened in June) and our new association with A-1 Quilting Machines as their Texas dealer (this happened in November). Truly a blessing to share these praises with my friends.

So from 10 to 3 many of my quilting friends "dropped in" for a hug, a howdy, a cookie and a few demos.

The cookies were baked by my good friend Annette, I've learned to rely on her for my "food needs" when I have quilting events. Not only is she fabulous as a person and friend, but she's a great cook! and by turning the kitchen over to her I'm relived of a lot of stress (smile)

As you can see, the kitchen is a big hit with my guests, everyone loved Annette's cookies, many asking for the recipes...

I spent a little time doodling on the longarm and then asked my guests to take the A-1 Quilting Machine for their own test drive. Many took me up on the offer!

Part of the open house included some of my 'students' bringing their show and tell from the Square in a Square classes we've had this past year. This is Delores, she took the Ohio Star class but didn't want to make the six inch blocks and a small quilt so I showed her how to translate the pattern to 12 inch blocks and away she went! Turned out to be a big, beautiful quilt and it's finished!

Judy was in the Exploding Star Class, she brought her top to share and to inquire about adding more rows to make it bigger. Can't wait to see the finished project!

At the top of the hour we had drawings for door prizes. Judy won one.

And Kaye did too!

I think the real fun was playing on the longarm...I think you'll agree as you view the photos!





All in all it was a fun day and I truly appreciate all that came. Especially Sara who took the photos and along with Amy and Annette greeted my guests. To see all the photos visit my webshots album

Wild Thing -- or What Was She Thinking!

It started out innocently, really it did! I found 40 four patches when putting my studio "back together" after one of the summer evacuation scares. They were made a year or so ago from my scrap pile and somehow forgotten. Fabrics with memories of quilts gone by that just needed to be included in a new project.

I didn't want to make more four patches to make a bigger quilt, but alone they wouldn't even cover Pixxie -- for the record, she's a southern Chihuahua and does like her quilts. Oh what to do?

Why not surround the patches with strips and use my newly found skills as a Square in a Square certified instructor and turn them into Option 5's (anything in the middle). And why not use that bolt of beautiful black wood-tone looking fabric? Why not indeed. Okay, round one and it wasn't much bigger. Hum...what about that cool lime green stripe that I just had to add to my stash earlier this summer? Make it an Option 2 (two times around)...hum...why not. Oh I loved what the stripe did for the overall look! But I didn't want to put lime green next to lime green, it was too dizzy looking. For the record, I like dizzy - but the quilt needed something else, besides it was still small and if you are going to make a quilt and really use it (and use up some of your stash) then it's gotta be bigger right?

Well, about that time I nicknamed this my 'dangling carrot' cuz it was really hard to keep focused on the task at hand (as in "punching the clock on Monday morning" -- this potential quilt was calling my name! Quite a distraction I must admit.)

As I shared in an earlier post several online friends said they'd help me out and send me carrot fabric, I asked for 5 inch squares thinking I'd just join it in with the SnS format...in the meantime I purchased 3 yards of carrot fabric to use "somewhere" in the quilt...and then I got emails that folks had other veggies besides carrots did I want those too? why not! and before I knew it I had carrots and other veggies (and seed package prints) included in this wacky wild quilt.

And it GREW!! 88 x 111!!

Is that wild or what!

Here's a close up of the blocks.
The carrot sashing was suppose to make a secondary design of a star, but sorta got lost since I didn't use the back in the center -- my thinking? I wanted more scraps!
Oh well, maybe there will be secondary stars sashing in another quilt...

Here's the close up of the veggie blocks in the border from my friends

More blocks from friends
Did I mention that I used lime green thread?
Why not!?!

Close up of a little thread play at the bottom

This is the back flipped over to show the thread play AND the hand dyed backing.

I used a new batting, FiberCo's bamboo blend, a 50% bamboo and 50% cotton - just a little something I picked up at Houston Market (smile). I can't wait to bind it in that lime green stripe, on the bias of course. Once it's bound I plan on washing it to see how the bamboo holds up. I've been told that it does beautifully and drapes really well. All I know is it is SOFT!

So there ya' go my friends -- my Dangling Carrot quilt is wild and wacky and finished, and no, I couldn't tell you what I was really thinking as this quilt grew...I was just escaping to my own little corner in my own little room in my own little world on my "day off" and yes, it took a month of Sundays (smile) but it's finished and when the next cold spell comes we'll give it a try out on the bed to see if it's as warm as our Hobbs Tuscany Wool batting (smile).

Did I mention it was 70+ degrees today!! Oh I love the Texas Gulf Coast!!