Saturday, August 31, 2013

What's your process?

When you work on a quilt, do you cut it all out and then start? or do you cut, sew, cut the next thing and then sew?
 
I usually cut out the whole thing, but for some reason  and probably because I was cutting out three quilts at one sitting, I hadn't for the quilt that I decided to work on today.
 
I cut out all my HST pieced blocks today and then stitched them together.
 
 
.....but I hadn't cut out my solids squares.  So, had to set everything aside and do that from the strips that I had cut out the other day.
 
Afterwards, I started laying out the blocks.
 
 
 
This pattern is dizzy-ing.
 
 
They are all laid out now, but I am going to sit on it for a little while since the last time I made this I had a whole row sitting  in the wrong direction.
 
I am thinking it looks ok at this point.
 
Last time I stitched rows and for some reason the whole quilt was a little wonky and that is probably why I haven't quilted it yet.
 
So this time, I think I am going to sew together 9-patches which should be easy as it is 15 x 15 blocks, so the math works.  Hopefully this will help prevent wonkiness. 
 
Ok, back to the sewing machine.


Friday, August 30, 2013

Moving along.....

Thank goodness it is a long weekend.
 
The rest of the "Fancy That" quilt is cut out after running to Joann's to pick up the Kona white cotton
 
 
.....and I have been stitching up the strips of charcoal and white for the Houndstooth quilt.
 
 
All strips are together and pressed.
 
Now I am in the process of  cutting out the 112 triangles that are needed.
 
 
More progress to report tomorrow.
.
 


Thursday, August 29, 2013

Baby Shower and quilting.

I think the baby shower was a huge success.  At least that is what I am told and my daughter was very happy with all the decorations, food, layout and we had a good turn out, too.
 
Here's a few pictures of the shower.

(ok...I give up, these favors just don't want to be upright)

This is a small pot of culinary thyme and the stick says "It's Thyme"

 
Baby bunting.
 
 
Centerpiece bouquet and ceramic bird. 
 
 
Cake
 
 
The three of us (me and my daughters)
 
 
Mama and Daddy to be
 
 
oh....by the way....
 
(another uncooperative photo)
 
IT"S A BOY!!!
 
 
 
Now that all is done (with this anyways as I have a wedding shower and a wedding coming up  too in the family), I have had time and energy to get into the sewing room today.
 
I have a baby quilt cut out for my daughter
 
Houndstooth.
 
 
It will be in the charcoal and white same as the pattern.
 
I, also, cut out a new quilt called Fancy That.
 
 
 
One of the gals at my last retreat made one and I have done nothing but think about it since then.  I picked up these fabrics while attending the AQS Grand Rapids show.
 
 
 
Here they are all cut up.  All I need now is the background fabric.
 
 
 
I, also, cut out my $25 a yard Ricky Tims fabric that I bought at my retreat with him earlier this summer. 
 
 
 
Here it is cut up in its strips.  This is going to be a simple version of his convergence quilts.
 
 
 
So, I have a few things cut out today.  Hopefully tomorrow I can sit and sew and start making some headway on my projects.  It's been way too long and now that the busy-ness  is done, I can devote more time to my sewing room.  

Sunday, August 18, 2013

I am back from Quilt Week or

Where to start?  Do I make this one post or two?  There was so much to see in Grand Rapids this week at the AQS Quilt Week show. 
 
 
Sandy from Alabama came up to my house and we drove together from here in MI to the show.
 
 
We stayed at the Amway which is connected to the DeVos Convention Center where the show was held.
 
 
We were impressed!
 
 
Our room was fabulous.
 
We took an excursion to Frederick Meijer's Gardens.
It is known for its gardens and it's sculptures. 
Awesome. 
I want to go back and see more.
 
 
This window was in one of the greenhouses.  It made me think of a quilt. 
 
 
Hanging in the cafeteria was this Chihuly glass sculpture. 
 
 
Last year they had these type of glass sculptures all through the gardens.  I wish I had seen them then. 
 
We, also, went to a lecture by David Taylor, an art quilter.  All I can say is his work is awesome!!
 
We were asked NOT to take pictures of the quilts at the show and then post them, but everyone is going to see the winning quilts in one place or another.  This was the Best of Show called Sushi.
 
 
...and this was another big winner.
 
 
Other than these two quilts, I really didn't take any more pictures, but there sure were a lot of beautiful quilts there to enjoy.
 
There were over 200 vendors, too. 
 
Here are some of my purchases minus some Christmas gifts that I have bought ahead of time.
 
These are fat quarters and backing for a quilt that I have been wanting to make called "Fancy That".
 
 
I bought a pattern for a cute little zippered bag and bought these fabrics to work with.
 
 
....and I bought several spools of thread for quilts that I have waiting here to be quilted.
 
 
The red and tan threads are for my Swoon quilt.
 
The two rosy colored threads are for my Home Sweet Home quilt.
 
The gold threads are for my sister-in-laws 9-patch quilt that I am supposed to quilt for her.
 
The two turquoise/aqua ones are for  my Vintage Modern quilt.
 
The gray threads, I think, will be for my large black/white and red quilt AND maybe for the wedding quilt, too.
 
I, also, picked up the teal thread for another friend's quilt (Rita's)  that needs to be quilted. 
 
Note sure if you can see it, but I have two long arm rulers (arcs) from DeLoa Jones, a show pin and a magnetic pin/scissors keeper. 
 
Ahhh....I think I did well this time around. 

Well, it is back to normal tomorrow. 

Today we worked some more on the planning of the baby shower that will take place this coming weekend.  If you didn't believe me that the "tribbles" were multiplying, you should see the pile of them on the pool table in the basement.  I will leave you with this picture......

 
  
 

Monday, August 12, 2013

Trouble with Tribbles.....

I am trying to get ready to attend the Grand Rapids AQS quilt show, but the girls had other ideas.
 
 
 
 
They were over tonight making "poofs" for the  baby shower that we are having in a couple of weeks.
 
These are going to decorate the ceiling over the tables.
 
Below are just a "FEW" that they made.   
 
 
Believe me.....I think they were multiplying like the Tribbles of Star Trek. 
 
Oh well, one more thing off my list of things to get done for the shower. 
 
Now to go finish packing.
 
I should have lots to post about after I get back from the Big Quilt Show in Grand Rapids, MI.
 
See you soon!

Friday, August 9, 2013

I should be.......

Working on this.....
 
 
or this....(the wedding quilt)
 
 
 
or this.....(the christening gown)
 
 
(of course, I have ripped this out three times and will be ripping it out one more time.  I have since learned about "life lines", so I will see if that works for me.  If I still have the same problem, then maybe it is the pattern and not me, so then I will be moving on to another pattern).
 
I should be playing with this.....
 
 
....but I do have to confess that I did just pulled this quilt off of Millie Faye.
 
 
and I used the "popcorn" panto on it.
 
 
Instead, I have been reading my Nook and working on these for the baby shower that is coming up. 
 
 
These dish cloths will be added to some of our "prize" gifts, so I have been busy knitting away on these. ....and planning the shower.....and getting ready to can tomatoes....and packing for the Grand Rapids AQS quilt show.  "grin"  I am looking forward to that. 
 
I will be meeting up with some good friends, shopping for some more long arm stuff, eating, shopping, laughing, shopping, so on and so on. 
 
Then it will be back home to make the final arrangements for the baby shower for my daughter.  Next month is the wedding shower for my son and then October is when both the BIG things happen. 
 
Yikes!!!! I need to get busy.


Michigan quilters, take note

  Come see us at our first Quilter's to Quilter's sale.   Don't know what that is?  Well, it will be 28 quilters/vendors selling...