Girlfriend Quilt Weekend

This IS the BEST way to spend a February weekend!!  Dear, dear friend from Texas flew to visit ME!  I realized that in all these years, I’ve only had family visit, never a girlfriend.  This was the best weekend of quilting, sharing, encouraging, eating…. EVER!!

 

She is a hand-piecer but wanted to try my long-arm!  I let her!  LOL!!  My thinking was that I’d start it, she’d do a bit, and ask me to finish.  She loved it and did her whole quilt – a throw size.

This is in the evening after she had just arrived that day!  I’d be way too tired to think.  She did an amazing job!

Put any 2 ‘retired’ homeschool moms together and what do they do…?  We took a historical field trip!  This is an old stone bridge on some property we rent where a famous future President crossed following some local debates.  It is cool to see, the weather was so mild we were sliding in mud!, and it was a good time to be out and hike.  Thankfully, we took a driver and slightly OK photographer.

We were dressed for February, not for fashion photos!  It didn’t matter, we were together!

The middle of our mild winter, she saw a few bits of snow fall and the pond behind us had ice on it.

She got so comfortable with the machine she added her name to one of the near-solid blocks.  She also added a bit of glow-in-the-dark thread for fun on this quilt!  We were so excited when it really glowed!  (by Superior)

I added the binding by machine and she had her quilt ready to take home with her!  She left 3 other quilt tops for me to quilt and bind for her.   She hand sews the bindings.  All had wonderful labels that she lettered while she was here.

She also got a junior version of English Paper Piecing class.  I’m no pro but it was fun to play with fabric together.  She also organized and culled my batik fabric bin.  Clearly she didn’t cull enough as the lid still doesn’t fit on!

Monday night we threw in a trip to one of my quilt guild meetings.  In February, we don’t usually have programs scheduled but she loved it enough she promises to go to a local guild near her!  #cough

At the airport and sadly it is time to say good-bye.  We had realized we’d never run out of things to talk about.  I needed to get a jump on the traffic.  And really just.in.time!  It backed up a ton behind me and in the other direction as I headed out of the city.  Sad to send her back home.  Thankful over the top that she came to visit!

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This is Some Vacation! 2

During vacation, the Sisters group at church had a paint party and I signed up for myself, my mom, and a friend to come.  My friend claimed she wasn’t a painter and I said that it would all be fine and that my mom has probably never held a paintbrush in her hands.

For not fun reasons, my friend was not able to come.  I then sent a text to another friend, one of my MOPS moms, asking if she’d like to come.  It was my treat, she just needed to come.  She was thrilled and all the child care worked out easily for her.  So one friend was sad and one was blessed to tears by the opportunity to come to a Sisters event.

I had hoped it was a paint party of copying the design the teacher had for us as I’ve seen many friends participate in doing.  However, it was a plaque/wall board and phrase paint class.  We used chalk paint and learned the benefits and the properties of it and it was fun.

This was shocking…. my mom doing a craft project!!

About 40 were there, we had snacks but once we started with the project we were too busy to think much about more snacks!

We had a good table of friends.  Fun evening and we were happy with our projects!

Mom was sort of a celebrity when I had her out for events.  She was thrilled to have “come the farthest” and everyone was thrilled she was out traveling and her age.

I’m taking bets if she has this hidden in her room or hung in the main living area.  What do you think?
Mine is ready to be hung…. I need to choose what will hang on the wall area and do a layout.

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Quilt Show with Friends

I was able to go to a quilt show with the added bonus of seeing some friends that I don’t see very often.

A few quilts from the show …

Song Birds ???

 

I ♥ the miniatures!! (note standard size rosette ribbon)

 

Love the farm scene!

 

Yes, I gravitate to house quilts… by a group, pastels, and vines over the thin sashings. Great work!

 

Modern is another favorite along with all the quilting here.

 

A whole wall with a whole year of quilts and then close-up of the last one. Stunning!

 

Favorites – flowers, pinks, black & white, texture, different fabrics, 3-D, spectacular quilting

 

I took a class and just got this far…

The class was instruction to make the center to either hang on point or straight of the part inside the squiggly yellow line. The instructor had many examples of how she had used this same pattern for a medallion on other quilts. My tiny triangles for the star points are on the table at the end of the class!

It was a paper piecing class but I like to do paper piecing.  I’ve done a lot of methods and will still stick with “mine”.  But we had a good instructor and I enjoyed meeting my table partner.

To a sponsored pajama party….

…and had a blast with cheering and laughing until our sides hurt.

our table princess ~

 

Seeing special friends that came for the show too! ♥

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Baby Gifts

I made gifts for a baby shower recently. The new baby is due to love pink so of course I enjoyed adding pink fabrics to a denim theme.

The bibs are like a favorite pattern I used for our son back in the day. This time I found hot pink bandanas at Farm & Fleet which pleased me! I used a standard bib pattern I found via Pinterest.  Her pattern is turned right side out but I like the frayed edges of the denim so I sewed mine wrong sides together and just stitched along the edge leaving a bit to fray after washing.

(I have no affiliate sponsors.  I’m just adding the links so you can find ideas too.)  I don’t have more pictures as these came out of the washer & dryer just 5 minutes after I should have left for the party!  I don’t do late.

Snap Source, the best way to add snaps!  Even if you sew only a few things for a child, you have to have a snap setter from Snap Source.  Buy size 16 and you should be pretty set for most projects.  It is great — even after all these years for me!

The travel changing pad idea and instructions came from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew.  I used denim on the outside and a cotton fabric with a light chintz glaze for the inside. I took the denim and a piece of wool batting to my deck and spray-basted them together.  Then it was easier to sew the denim right sides together with the cotton.  After turning right side out, I quilted a few wavy lines since I had added a layer of wool batting inside.

I added a travel pouch of wipes after the photo.

My children didn’t have tag blankets but I’ve heard a lot about them. I sent a quick message to a young mom friend to check on a good size. I say bigger is better and was aiming to about 20″ square as the pattern suggested. However, she said theirs are more 12″ square and big loveies shouldn’t be in cribs anymore.

The cream side is velour and the other side is a pastel yellow flannel feminine print. I added pastel ribbons of various textures.

I also put a layer of wool batting inside before turning. Quilting this on my long arm was a challenge with nothing to load it with so I basted the edges to some straps of fabric. It was the ugliest load ever! (in the form of technique) But totally worth getting a feathered freehand heart!

I made a denim tote for the gift bag and it can be used for toting toys, baby needs, or groceries. I love this size for the grocery. Plus if something spills the totes are easy to wash.  I have this pattern but I really want to rewrite it so I don’t have to rethink it all every time I make one. I’ve made several.  Poorly written directions!

Me with the expectant mom —

I’m friends with the expectant grandmother; here with her other daughter ~

And now we await word on or around May 1st!

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AQS Quilt show

My friend and I made our annual trip to a nearby quilt show in Iowa the first weekend of October.  A friend of hers has joined us for the last 2 trips and the 3 of us are good travelers together.  #3 delights in the back seat and does hand work on bindings and hand quilting and shows us what fun magazine she has all while never getting ill in the back!  Plus she brings us super yummy jumbo-sized cookies!!!

Our favorite reason to go to this show is to meet-up with an east coast friend of mine from college days!  Oh the joy and tears to reunite each year!!  We then get a few meals with her as well.  It is never enough time. She is super loving as always!

Me, EHB, SL

I spent a lot of my time at E’s work area and while she made business contacts with some at a table, I helped others register for the iquilt.com site.  The iQuilt site has quilt shows that you can buy and download and watch & re-watch as often as you like!  Let them know I sent you.  😉  J/K  — there are no kick-backs!

The national show is smallish but the local guild has a large show every year that is all included in one ticket.  A beautiful break away!

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Layer Cake Additions

When the gov’t calls a legal holiday, I have a quilting friend with the day off!  🙂  Lunch out, a good drive, a quilt shop or clothing store or many of the above, and lots & lots of chat.  It is great!

This trip I had 2 layer cakes (already purchased) that needed companion fabrics and my friend said one store had a lot of batiks and brights.  The store was beautiful!!  And quiet.  And great inventory! And I spread out all over.  Left them money and came home with 2 packets for future quilts, all ready to go.

Yellows, darker greens, browns, and near white with a “background” of grayish white and splash of brown/black.  Dynamic!

Pinks, blues, purples in batiks with a “background” of violet and splash of gold with purples.  I knew that color-wise a yellow would be a good compliment but I sure wasn’t sure I’d ever find it.  Pleased with this stop in Monticello!

Do you separate your precuts when you buy them?  I keep them wrapped up until I’m ready to use them.   My friend got a new charm pack while we were out and immediately spread it out when we got home.  So funny when we realized that!

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Gifts from Brazil

My bestie sent me presents she moved to the states from Brazil (via her limited luggage) and then an extra one she bought on her last trip there.

These are tall & fragile but so, so pretty!  And in pink… of course.  I have them on my nightstand but here in the living room for the natural light for photos.

She has a large collection of these handmade flowers and got to know the artist at a local fair they’d visit often.  I already had a small pot with a purple single flower that lives by my kitchen sink.

Have you ever had real leather from South America?  It is nothing like real leather from the US… it is soft and beautiful and smells divine!!  (And my sandals from Brazil a few years ago fit so perfectly and cup/mold to my feet…. real leather!)

A new wallet!  In pink… of course.  🙂

My cards fit in the pockets so they are just the right size!!

And when I opened the wallet, every pocket, holder, pouch had a note.  A huge treasure and will be kept!  She is a lovely writer.

So thankful for the friendship and the beautiful reminders of her throughout my home & day!

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Special Gift Box

I have a friend that serves with her husband as a pastor to the local pastors in a Third World Country.  The last few years I’ve sent boxes to help them prepare Christmas gifts for the pastor families as well as area orphans.  She has a very fascinating blog and HERE is the specific post about the gift boxes.

I have really enjoyed packing boxes for the Sowers’ ministry as they don’t just drop off boxes, take photos, and leave. They continually minister to these families and children all year long.  They help with area physical needs (feeding centers and building huge cement bridges to replace wooden planks!) and providing training and encouragement to those around them.  I know some of you are super creative in your preparing special boxes per age & gender and family boxes are also needed for the Sowers.  I send a box of needed items and let them fill-in gaps or make new packages from the extras I include.

This year when I saw blankets as a need on the list and saw what a blanket costs (when did I buy a blanket last???), I figured I had fabric, I’d make quilts for part of my box.  I officially took off the week of Thanksgiving from customer work and spent my quilting time make quilts for an unknown loved one in a faraway land.  It was so fun to make from what I had and be able to do whatever I wanted.  I ended up playing quite a bit with my quilting.  Midst the work, my mind prayed for the Sower family and those that will receive my meager gifts.

Of course, that week also had time with the kiddos on Wednesday night and Thursday and extra cooking but I was pleased with all I did on the other days.

This top was started at a guild workshop many years ago.   (Pat Speth author of the Nickel Square books.)   The pieces were cut and two 16″ blocks were finished; like this as they were pulled from the project box.

I pieced the remaining 4 blocks, added sashing and a border.  It is bright and scrappy but not my style when I added in that red/rust sashing.  Is it just me?  I also think the blocks needed 1/4 turns as I went and more blocks and no sashing.  Hopefully someone likes the bright colors.  (I’m pretty sure I could do this pattern again from my nickel squares (8 times???) so I’ll try other layouts.)

Starting quilting ~

This ended being about 50 x 75 or so… a throw or small twin size.   Just right for whoever needs it, I hope!

The next quilt was a pattern I found online after searching for large block quilts.  I love this pattern!  Giant Star  It goes together quite quickly.

I used a collection of fat quarters and some background fabric from the stash.  Scrappy but sort of coordinated…. gold, brown, slight turquoise, etc.

Added a turquoise inner border and used that for the binding as well.

And then I got to quilting… lots of detail and play.  This is all free-hand, hand-guided, idea and then let it go… About 30 – 45 mins per square after I had done a few and 8 1/2 bobbins (my long-arm machine bobbins are quite large)!  I prayed these quilts would bless someone abundantly and bring joy to them.  And prayed for my friend as they raise a family there too.

This quilt is 81″ x 81″.

The rest of my box included men’s tshirts, toiletries, crayons & coloring books.  I was packing a day after the posted deadline or would have bought a few more things to fill up the box.

Currently, they’ve had some shipping issues (prayers still needed!) but have 2 shipping containers coming.  I’m thrilled and hope it is easy to sort and distribute.  Quite a job from what I’ve heard in past years.  I think it would be fun to go see her and help in whatever way I can but the last bit of me has scary thoughts of the landing… dirt strip?  or ?  or?  🙂   Over our years of friendship, we’ve even learned some unusual connections we have between us… less than 6 degrees even… and that is fun to share.

I enjoy sharing in this way.  I know they will deliver to hundreds of people.  You know what would be cool….. a photo of someone with a quilt.  🙂  Or I’ll meet them in heaven some day.  Cuz I feel sort of connected to the receiver even before they have received.  And next year’s goal, desire, would be to have several done before the deadline!  (If you want to donate a top and/or backing fabric, I’ll quilt it and finish it for free for the gift box next year.)

ETA: This post intent was to show you some quilting I’ve done lately and to see if any of my readers want to help in any way with a box or gift to this ministry.  I’m not here to toot my own horn over what I’ve donated.  It is a joy to me to give this!  I’m not seeking praise.

Blog from ministry website HERE.

Giant Star posted on The Quilt Show gallery HERE.

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Quilt Show

Another quilt show… more friends!

Some of my favorite quilts but we didn’t see all the quilts nor did I photograph or post all of them!

This is a quilt… fabric & thread but even in real life looks like a photograph!

 

My friend was really drawn to this within our first 30 minutes. I know the maker (have met her) and she isn’t far from me.

I love the miniatures category. When I went to view that area, this quilt’s maker was there visiting with any of us. You can see the size perspective with his hand in one photo and his casual attire and personality in the other photo. He had on his veteran hat. Great moment!

Saturday morning, we gathered with me & the TX quilting gang at a local Mexican (real!) restaurant.  I was a little apprehensive in the neighborhood and the outside of the building but I understand their decorating now.  The food was aMAZing!!

 

Together at the show!  Oh my what fun to spend the day with these loved ones!!

Delight!!

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My Friend & Me

Never enough time.  Never enough photos.   Many blessings.

 

A great breakfast spot!

 

 

 

 

Cyclamen – my favorite!

 

 

To share in her reaction — priceless and about 10x more than I ever imagined.

 

 

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