Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Retirement suggestions!

Just thought I would share with you what all our friends and family think we need to do during our retirement....since we have all the time in the world now.

Whatever!




We can travel......



or my husband can color.....


We could read because this one has lots more suggestions of what to do (like playing bingo!)



We can have movie nights with all the fixin's...... 



Oh no!!!! Not this kind of movie.  Besides, this would require "WORK".


....or we could just "relax".


But of course we all know what happens when I  "relax" too long. 



Birds start landing on  me.


I just love family and friends!!!


Friday, May 13, 2016

Just had to share these pictures.


My husband and I both retired within the last month.  My son came up with these pictures for our invites and these little cards.  

The likenesses are amazing!

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Two UFO's off my list.

I made this quilt in 2002 for my son's wedding.  

I happen to love it; and it has won a ribbon and cash at my local quilt show.  


You ask why is this a UFO?  Well, I made it for the wedding  and since then there has been a divorce. 

Now there is a new wife who likes the quilt, but not the signatures that were put on the back of the quilt.  Can't blame her and because of this, I will never put signatures on a wedding quilt again.  

I think this quilt is a keeper, so I have had it for nearly two years contemplating how I was going to cover all those signatures.  I bought  fabric paint and didn't like how it looked.  Then I bought some fabric ink with some little daubers and that just make the blocks dingy, so I had to resort to the one thing that I didn't want to do and that was applique fabric over each signature.  

Below is the finished and renewed back.  All the strips with the signatures were the color of the leafy label.  The ones that I covered are the golden and brown fabrics (52 siggys and part of the label).  I sure hope this holds up as I don't want to have to redo this again, but each of those new pieces are not "quilted" to help stabilize them.  So, I guess time will tell.  

 

But....it's done and going back home this week.  

Here's a closer look at one of my favorite quilts.  


Also, this week, I finished the little NICU Swoon quilt block by applying the binding.  It's been on my to-do list for some time, too.  


Sure feels good to knock things off my list.....the list that has been going for 3-4 years.  Glad to say it is getting shorter and shorter.  

Have a great week.  

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Practice run.....

I had this orphan Swoon block that didn't make the cut into my Swoon quilt because the contrast wasn't big enough, so I added the heart and will donate it as a NICU quilt.  


Today I did some practice quilting on it as this is the design I want to use on my large Swoon quilt.  

It's not perfect, so I think I will need to purchase a larger ruler to help with that, but overall not bad. 

Here's a couple close ups.  



Just have to add the binding and it is ready for donation. 

Thought I would, also, share with you my latest purchase in the yarn area.  


I ordered from Purl Soho and just got this in the mail in the last couple of days.  

The picture doesn't do it justice, but it is a luscious "ballet pink" Merino wool 80% /silk 20%.  Can't wait to get started on the scarf pattern that I have picked out for this.  


.....but, I have a couple customer quilts waiting to be worked on, so they will be first.  

Just wanted to share what I have been up to lately here at the old homestead.  


Tuesday, May 3, 2016

First retreat this year!

Started out early Thursday morning because we knew we wanted to hit a quilt shop in Midland, MI that is just so bright and fresh looking.  


If you get a chance to stop in, you will be greeted with bright, modern fabrics that just scream...."buy me"......and I did.  I was on a mission to buy fabrics for an upcoming baby shower. The mom-to-be said she is decorating in purple, teal and gray and stars.  At first that sounded so "not baby-ish", but upon seeing the quilt shops' ad on the internet, I saw this quilt on their wall that has inspired me, so I bought a bunch of light grays with some purple and teal batiks that I will make stars out of.  

So, here's my loot for Carolyn's baby.



So from there we headed out to Kettunen Center where the retreat was taking place.  The sewing rooms were well lit and the view was fantastic overlooking a lake and I can't say enough about the food.  I don't think I have been to a retreat where the food has ever been this good.  

We did go to one other quilt shop while at retreat and that was downtown Cadillac, MI called Northern Hearth Quilting & Sewing Center.  Lost my mind there and bought more for my stash.  So much for my stash diet.

Here's that loot....the "just because" purchase.


As you can see, these piles are several layers thick AND there are about three shades in each pattern.  Just love taupe.  

But...on to the quilts.  Everyone was so talented at this retreat.  There was a mystery quilt that many of the gals participated in.  I didn't get pictures of nearly half of them, but there sure was a variety of fabrics used for it. 

Here are just some.




Then we voted on "bed" quilts that they brought to cover their beds.  





This one is shirts





This next one was last year's mystery. 












.

This one took first place (I, also, voted for this one)



Another winner.



and another runner up.



Wow....that was fun.

Now on to show'n'tell. Some of these are projects that these gals were working on at retreat and some got them finished.  Others were quilts that they brought that were completed but worked on at last years retreat.  






Sharon's "plus" quilt. 


Nancy's basket quilt. 





A Gee's Bend reproduction.


This one was done with the "paint chips" fabric.  So cool!




MSU.....yeah!!!









Numerous gals were making this bag.












I think a good show'n'tell really gets you motivated. 

There was certainly a lot more going on that either I was just so in awe of and forgot to take pictures or just totally missed altogether, but I do want to share just a couple more pics of Sharon's teeny tiny pineapple blocks.  Everyone was in awe of them for sure.  



I think that's it.  I had a great time.  Now to get ready for retreat #2 coming up later this month.  

Can't wait!!

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...