My Colorful Past

If you are thinking this is going to be a blog of true confessions you are partly right (grin) - however, it's not what you think!

These blocks are part of my colorful past...bits and pieces of leftovers from previous quilts or parts that didn't quite make it in design and were discarded - what we as quilters often refer to as "orphan blocks".

My goal - to make these orphans into a family, how be it, with the chance of being a dysfunctional family - but these blocks needed to feel loved and needed, proving that they indeed had a purpose.

So out of the hidden places in the studio they came. Blocks that haven't seen the light of day since being carefully packed away waiting for "some day" when they could be used as intended.

Some day came today. An opportunity to remember the past and rejoice over all the fabrics. As my friend Annette said today "you certainly aren't afraid of color!" Yep, all these fabrics were -are - my friends. I bought them because I liked them, so if I chose them then they ought to play together nicely shouldn't they?

I like the memories too. There's a couple of blocks that were the results of classes with national teachers at International Quilt Festival(s). There's the log cabin block from one of my very first quilts- make 10 years ago! There's parts of quilts that I no longer own - one was gifted as a baby gift and blocks from a quilt that was given to a family after a fire. Two blocks aren't mine - they were a gift from my friend Delores, the pink basket and the blue basket. These are adopted orphan blocks (grin).

Little by little parts and pieces were added together as the puzzle began to take a life of it's own. Try this, try that. Trim this, add to that.

Back to the design wall, try again. Nope that one just doesn't seem to want to work out for now.

Finally all the ones that were suppose to be in this quilt top found their place.

There were many that were hopeful of being in the quilt, but they just didn't make it.

Next came the audition of border fabrics. It's a good thing I had a nice stash in the back of my car to choose from. Who would have thought? It wasn't prearranged, but it came together.

By midnight the borders were pieced but haven't been added to the quilt yet. I plan on mitering them and that takes math. Something I love, but am better at fresh in the morning.

Yep, it's a quilt I call "My Colorful Past" because it holds memories of other quilts or just favorite fabrics that I've picked up along the way of my quilt journey. Somehow they fit together - a little crazy for some people's taste I'm sure, but the blocks are now functional in a quilt as they were created to be.

In a way, this reminds me of God and us as His children. He created us to spend eternity with Him. He wants us to play together nicely as a family. Some of us are a little wonky. Some of us shine the best in supporting roles where others stand out boldly as the leaders of the pack. Each of us unique. Sadly, some of us wander off the path and are like the blocks that were discarded - not making it into the family...perhaps to be given another chance another day. That's the neat thing about God - He's a God of second chances...adopting us into His family, where we belong, fitting us in and making it all come together....to be useful as intended. And to be loved.

Oh how He loves you and me.....

Off on another adventure

It's amazing what one can pack in a car if one has the desire!

I'm off on retreat this week - and I have high expectations.

The blue fabric bowl is full of scraps from recent quilts that are waiting to be "tamed" with my Go Cutter - that's what all the green things are - dies for my cutter.

See, I dearly love scrap quilts. And I hope to put together a really wild and wonderful one this week.

I've also brought several project boxes (far left) with UFO's to choose from. You can never have too many projects when you go out of town on retreat...cuz ya'never know what mood you'll wake up in and which project will catch your fancy that particular day.

Notice the drawer system in the middle? Well, that top draw is all my 2.5 strips and it just seemed easier to bring my drawer system (there are four drawers) with some of my fabric stash and work out of the back of my car instead of trying to pack things in a suitcase and lug it all in...

And behind all this is two suitcases with fabric bolts so I'd have some yardage to choose from as I work through my scraps.

Today's project was a UFO - I had already completed all the blocks from Debbie Maddy's Simple Stars Beautiful Quilts book - the pattern Broken Star - I adapted it to be cut with the Go Cutter and actually pieced the blocks using Bonnie Hunter's Leader and Ender technique - in other words, the blocks were pieced as I worked through other quilts (customer t-shirt quilts over the past few months). My goal this afternoon was to use the design walls at the retreat center for the proper layout. A task that took much longer than I anticipated, but happily accomplished while chatting with my fellow retreaters.

The beauty of a retreat is not only having uninterrupted time to work on personal projects, but to share the journey with my fellow quilters. Everyone works on something of their own...some are finishing up a project previously started while others have chosen a new project just for the week.

We love to celebrate the "ta-da" moments when someone has all their blocks together. It's a shame she forgot the border fabric. Oh well, on to the next project!

I can almost guarantee by the end of the retreat this t-shirt quilt will come together very nicely.

Mission accomplished for day one - by 10:30 PM the interior of this quilt is now complete. I too forgot the border fabric, so it's still a UFO, regardless, I'm a happy camper!

Stay tuned....there's more to come!

July Retreat

All too soon it's over. Isn't that just the way it goes, you look forward to something, you plan, you pack, and then it's over. Ah, but the memories live on -- and are documented forever in photos! If you want to see ALL the fun including photos of our wonderful facilities you'll need to visit my webshots.

And now for The rest of the story!

Trish (cute little blond front row second from the left) and I headed north to meet Cindy (Miss Smiles, the one in the pink far left) for a shop hop prior to our retreat on Friday morning. We breezed through downtown Houston and actually arrived earlier than expected, which was great because we hit Timed Treasures just about the time they opened. After a nice shopping spree we headed to another quilt shop that is new to the area, Quilt Works in Cypress. They are so new that that don't have a website. For the record I managed to NOT purchase anything in either shop. Amazing! Not that I wasn't tempted, mind you, but I was focused on my unfinished projects packed in the back of my new car and was eager to get to the retreat center!

We got lost somewhere between the second shop and our retreat center. Hum. I think I'm going to ask for a GPS for Christmas! Arriving about an hour after we could have checked in at noon, we quickly unloaded our sewing machines and projects and joined the 4 ladies that 'got there first'!

Quilter's Cabin is really peaceful and wonderful retreat center. Everyone loved it. We laughed, we ate, we sewed, we listen to music as we sewed, we talked as we sewed, we enjoyed seeing each others projects as we sewed, and did I mention that we sewed?

Most of us bring several different projects to work on, some are already started and we hope to get them completed during the course of the weekend. Others are started there...Donna decided since this was her first retreat to make a small autograph quilt which we all signed so she'll now have a memory quilt to hang in her sewing room. This was an impromptu Square in a Square lesson where I taught her how to do the diamonds. Yep, fast, fun, finished!



Kris brought a work in progress and was able to complete the blocks, add borders and later add applique flowers to the top.


I had high hopes...wanted to finish my purple and lime green project and hoped to move on to another one. It took longer than I thought, but I did get all the blocks together. Now I just need to add borders to call it done. By the way, the blue project that I brought, I did pull it out the last day but decided that I really didn't want to work on it, now or ever. A little friendly bartering and my UFO went home with someone else! How's that for checking one off the to do list!


Annette was able to sew all the blocks and complete her flannel quilt that has been sitting on a shelf for several years, she's looking forward to having it quilted and being able to cuddle with it this fall.


The "grand finale" was demo-ing the fabric bowl technique I learned from Jamie Wallen (The DVD has just been released!!) I think I've pre-sold some DVD's for my friend Jamie and his partner Roseanne! This little bowl matches my bathroom rug and looks great on the back of the throne holding "the spray" (grin)


Yep, all too soon it was time to pack up and reload the car. As we had almost cleared out the sewing room when Trish noticed someone carrying out their pillow and said "Oh, I have clothes!" then hurried to the bedroom to pack up her personal belongings! Funny how to a quilter the most important things on your mind is your sewing machine and fabric!

I'm thankful for the friends that joined me to celebrate my birthday with a sewing retreat. We had a great time! Again, for all the photos visit my webshots!

PS I forgot to say "for the record" I turned out the lights at 3 AM each night, AND I hold the record for sewing the longest WITHOUT a bobbin -- eight and a half blocks!

Something old, something new, something purple, something blue

No, it's not the wedding saying, it's my birthday! (hence the purple part) And the title will make sense in a little while (grin).

First things first. In response to inquiring minds that want to know...here's a picture of my kissing cousins thread. The one on the left is Melcomart's ARC and the one on the right is Isacord. These are the staples of my thread drawer. ARC is no longer available having been replaced by Madeira, which I've been told is good thread, but I'm going to be replacing my color stash with Isacord, which I've been building up over the past year or two anyway. I run these threads exclusively in the bobbin no matter what thread I use on top (King Tut, Rainbows, ARC, Isacord). And that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Did I mention that they have over 200 colors!!

You are seeing a sneak preview of my birthday wholecloth. I didn't get started until late afternoon and didn't get as far as I wanted to, but the night is still young.



I've tried to make it a habit since 2004 to make a birthday quilt every year...more on that later...this one is some of the hand dyed fabric from the workshops last month with Jamie Wallen. It's just a little piece, somewhere around 28 x 40 I think and it's going to be yummy.

Son #2 is my artist, this is a picture he painted and gave to me today for my birthday. He knows my colors doesn't he! He's on his way over and we're going to bake cookies tonight.

This is my REAL birthday present, even though it arrived a little early (last week). Pixxie is checking out my new ride! (This is my something NEW, or at least new to me)



Tomorrow in celebration of my birthday I'm going on a road trip to my favorite retreat center in Tomball, the Quilter's Cabin This will be my third time hosting a sew-in. I've dubbed this one "49 and holding!" and can't wait to pack up the new ride with all my quilting projects.


This suitcase if full of my living room fabric left-over scraps. I've made curtains, a wallhanging that isn't quilted yet, and a couch quilt that just needs the binding sewn down and still have scraps!. My goal for this weekend is another scrap quilt (see the EQ6 pattern?) and cover some pillows for the couch. (This is my something OLD, even though some of the other projects are older - just work with me here okay)


This is another project that I'm bringing to work on. Several of the gals are bringing the same "block of the month" that we never quite finished. Off hand I can't remember what year Quilts By the Bay in Galveston offered it, but I'm sure one of the gals will refresh my memory. I'm going to try to come up with something creative and use the 5 blocks that I managed to actually make and turn this into a smaller quilt than the original queen 3 x 4 setting with sashing. The retreat center has fabulous design walls and I'm eager to take advantage of them! (This is my something BLUE)

And here's my something PURPLE. It's also my unfinished 2007 birthday quilt. The plan for the quilt was to contain 47 purples to celebrate my age, now I have to figure out if I can work in 49 or just call it done and not worry about it GRIN. This was the only year (2007) that I didn't complete a quilt for my birthday. The others have all been pretty simple patterns, I guess that's why they got finished!


Oh, and I thought I'd throw in another something NEW just in case. These are fabrics that I collected when I did my Dangling Carrot quilt but decided not to use, I just used the fabrics that my friends shared with me. Well, one of those cyper friends was Le Ann Weaver author of Loose Change. If I have the opportunity I think these fabrics would look great with one of the patterns in the book. It's a great book, I'd highly recommend it.

Well, Son #2 just arrived, I'd sent him out for eggs. Plan on making enough cookies for hubby's lunch and a co-worker who keeps asking "when is your wife making cookies again", son #2 and his roommate, son #1 and his roommates, and enough to share at the retreat this weekend. That's a lot of cookies!

Stay tuned, there WILL be photos from the retreat! In the meantime, check out the webshots from previous year's past. We have a great time! Wish you all could come GRIN

Time Out for a Quilt Retreat

Friday morning my bags were packed and ready to be loaded into the trunk of the car for my long anticipated quilt retreat weekend!

The smallest bag held my clothing (smile) the rest held my 'necessities' Quilting isn't for light weights that's for sure!

We were able to check in at noon -- to a wonderfully beautiful fantastic retreat center owned by fellow longarm quilter Diane Anderson -- she's the Cabin Quilter and this is her Quilter's Cabin - and yes, it's in the woods (smile).

Our home away from home for the next 51 hours. I was joined by 11 lovely ladies and we had a blast! The sewing machines were quickly set up, the overnight bags tossed on the beds for later unpacking, the kitchen well stocked with our 'pot luck' meal arrangements and it was time to sew!

Everyone brought multiple projects to work on, some had quilts that had already been quilted and just needed the binding put on, some had applique projects, there were some projects started "from scratch" and finished at the retreat while there were many that were "projects started" and worked on during the retreat. With the fabulous design walls in our sewing area it was fun to watch the building of the blocks into quilt tops!

This is our second annual retreat and I decided we needed a block exchange. So everyone made 3.5 inch split rails and I gave a free demo/lesson in turning those into Cracker Box blocks using the Square in a Square technique. We signed the center and exchanged these mementos. I didn't work on putting mine together yet so I guess technically I need to add another number to my "Projects Started" accountability list on my side bar.

Here's the project that I decided to work on Friday afternoon. The large waterwheel blocks were already pieced prior to coming. I then pieced the small pinwheels and spent my day putting the top together.

Literally the entire day!! Here I am at 30 minutes past midnight with all the blocks and sashing sewn together. Whew!

I auditioned fabric for the borders and the gals liked this combo best. It's hard to see but there's a narrow black border first to help float the pinwheels, then a narrow green border, then a wider black border with multi-colored confetti triangles. I pieced these together to be able to add as one border instead of three -- and will be mitering them.

I had planned on doing this at the retreat so I could check off a "Project Started" and move it to "Quilts in Waiting" -- especially since this quilt needs to be finished before vending at the Dallas show...but decided to wait until I got home because I have a very large cutting station and I want to make sure I'm accurate in cutting the miters. So, day one, almost done but no cigar!

On Saturday I pulled out another PS (project started) and decided to work on my lone star, especially since one of the gals there had worked with QuiltSmart and knew the method of construction. Prior to retreat I only had three rows of the six done on this single panel. For some reason my brain wasn't wrapping around the method too easily, but thanks to the patience of my friend and a little swig of Pepsi I came back alive and finally "got it" (remember, I was quilting until well past midnight the night before!)

By the end of the day I'd completed 4 panels of the 8 needed for the star center. Did I mention this is a 58" star?

Decided to pull another almost all nighter - here's my friend Sara after she completed the borders on her quilt AT 2:30 AM Sunday morning! And yes, she's leaning up against the wall, but wouldn't you if you'd been on such a marathon!

For the record, she and I were up until 4:30 AM -- longer than a couple of other die-hard quilters who ONLY made it until 3:30 AM. We had fun talking about "how would you quilt this" on several projects -- my waterwheel included, it's great to get opinions and ideas from others. Not to mention the inspiration in seeing what others were working on and thinking "I'd like to do that sometime."

All too soon Sunday morning came (that's an understatement!!) The final day of retreat. So far I'd worked on two projects but none of them were complete (sigh) and I had a trunk load that I'd brought with me...

Since we had to check out at 3 PM I decided I needed an easy project for a little instant gratification. So I pulled out my kaleidoscope project. Below are the blocks that I came with.

I turned into a smokin' needle to try to make the remaining 13 blocks (they were pre-cut so that helped).

Let me add here that the fellowship and camaraderie was so wonderful. These ladies knew that "karen doesn't cook" so they had planned meals -- Lisa made a tasty chili/taco soup for Friday night, Lea Ann and the other Karen made crab cakes for lunch, Peggy brought chicken salad for lunch, Sara made a nice rice, asparagus and shrimp stir fry for Saturday night, and I don't know who made the breakfast casseroles (I managed to sleep through breakfast and just made oatmeal with fruit for myself). And those wonderful snacks!!

We had so much fun laughing and talking and watching each others parts and pieces come together into a quilt project. We helped each other with design ideas, block placement, border choices....just plain fun!

In keeping with that spirit of helpfulness, it's not too surprising that Peggy offered to help me on Sunday -- she volunteered to press my blocks as I continued sewing so I could actually MAKE 13 blocks that afternoon (remember, we had to take time out to eat a lot and time for our group photo).

One of the gals asked if this would technically make this a "two person quilt" if I ever entered it into a show (grin). I said "In my acceptance speech for this major quilting award I will declare 'I owe it all to my friends!'"

With Peggy's help in pressing, and the other gals cleaning up the kitchen (see, I'm really allergic to the kitchen and they all knew that), I was able to get all my blocks completed before our 3 PM departure!! Still no check marks off the PS category, but a whole lot closer!

All too soon we were loading our cars and giving hugs with the "see ya next year" parting words. We came from all around our Houston/Galveston area and even as far away as Fort Worth. Some of the ladies knew each other, some met for the first time this weekend and yes, we all can't wait until next year! I've already made the reservations! (I am tempted to keep my project boxes packed but perhaps I'll be able to work on a few between now and then!)

Truly I am blessed with such fabulous friends. We laughed together, helped each other, and I really wouldn't have wanted to miss out on the 'group therapy' -- even when it continued into the wee hours. The saying "I get by with a little help from my friends" rings loudly in my ear. I am soooo blessed.

This posting doesn't do justice to our weekend. The photos in webshots give more visual interpretation to our glorious weekend. Sara was surprised that I didn't stay up even later each evening to blog about our day...in a way, it would have been much more of an interesting story, but I decided that it was better to just LIVE the story than try to RECORD the story. I hope you'll hop on over to my photos and see what everyone else was working on (much more interesting than my projects) and you'll get a better taste of our weekend. Plus you can take a tour of the interior of our retreat center. Top notch one hundred percent!

By the smiles on our faces late Sunday afternoon when this photo was taken, I think you'll agree we all had a wonderful time. Can't wait until next year!!

Retreat Center: www.quilterscabin.com
Photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/quiltsnkaboodle

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!

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