This is Some Vacation! 3

I had the first week of MOPS for the school year while Mom was here so she went along with me.  My helper mom this year is my MIL and both our moms are friends so they enjoyed the morning together.

I had 3 kids in the room that day and reminded them that my “name” at MOPS is Mrs. M— and that “this one” will be our helper in the room each time and she is also Mrs. M–.   The kids were surprised!!  My MIL isn’t thrilled to be called that so we call her Grandma M as that is what I’m used to calling her.  To add more intrigue, I introduced my mom and they were so surprised that MY mom was there from so far away and that the other one was my husband’s mom.  It was fun!

One evening we went to the PC Quilt Guild meeting.  It was an extra-special speaker that night and whereas most months we may only have 1 or 2 guests, this time my mom was one of 18 visitors to our guild!  Many, many of my guild friends (members at this one and members at the other one I’m in) were thrilled to meet her and introduced themselves.

Mom & I even had show & tell to share!  I prepared this embroidery for her to work on and she brought it back all done!  I still need to do piecing of trees for the border and quilt it for a table runner.

She does beautiful work!  I couldn’t see a pencil line of the pattern left!  I’m not sure how she did all this of white & gray floss on white fabric!

And I got her to initial it!  🙂

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The second Sunday she was here was an open day for Miss K and we all met in the middle for a wonderful dinner!

Once again, mom was the charmer and attracted the attention of the owner of the restaurant!  He came to our table and welcomed us, shaking mom’s hand and then giving her a light kiss on her head when he left.  After we had finished our meals (well, as much as we could eat and had packed up our leftovers!), Mom & I visited with the owner again.  Soon our waitress came to our table with a full serving of their dessert beignets compliments of Mr. Vitalie!  Beignets with marshmallow cream and a chocolate swirl for dipping!  We were sure our stomachs had not one more inch of space but warm beignets fit in there just right!

We brought home some leftovers and mom would heat a few each day for her mid-morning snack.  🙂  Of course, she made me have one too!  Maybe my next “meal” there will be just an order of beignets!  ♥

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Local Quilt Shows

I am a member at 2 local quilt guilds and both of them had guild shows this year.  One weekend and then the next.  I gave more of my time and resources the first weekend to the smaller guild and where I attend more regularly.

Here are some photos from the first weekend ~

Beginning of set-up.  We rent a church gymnasium and then have quilt hanging poles and all the system to make the show a go in a gym!  These workers are so smart and speedy.  I need to get trained to help out for next time, I guess.

I’m guessing there were about 4 more rows than the 5 you see here.  Quilts are able to hang on both sides of a rod across the top that is covered in clean fabric.  I appreciate the good care the quilts are given with this display.

Here are some quilts I liked and could get photos —

 

 

The smaller quilts are pinned to a carpeted wall or displayed on a table.

This guild offers a challenge area for each show and here is a photo of all the quilts entered in the challenge.
I thought there were 10 entries but maybe just these 7 I got in my photo.

Here is a collage of the quilts I took to show —

Top Row L to R: My signature quilt from 2009 of guild members and some quilting friends. Infiniband Encased is made for a hanging in JP’s room. My scalloped Christmas tree skirt. Bottom Row is me with my challenge piece and K’s signature quilt from her high school graduation.

 

I spent most of the first day there.  In the morning, I was a white glove volunteer… keeping an eye open all around and letting others see the backs of quilts if they wanted.  I had 2 of my quilts appraised in the early afternoon.  The ladies in the guild are so sweet to hang out with for the day!

I didn’t take many photos at the other show with limited time and I took the same quilts for display.

Beautiful wool applique blocks above

I liked seeing the contrast of lights & darks in this quilt as well as the lovely feather quilting.

I decided in the middle of these shows that whenever it randomly happens that both shows are in the same year, I’ll only participate in one.  Both had different rules for entry of quilts, neither followed the rules, and it was another plate I didn’t need to spin during harvest!

But meanwhile… I love quilts and seeing what others are making locally without the big time of an international show.

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Guild UFOs

This year for one of the quilt guilds, we have a UFO challenge.  Before our first meeting of the year (March b/c Feb we were snowed-in), we filled in a form with 5 UFOs we’d like to complete this year.  (UnFinishedObject… in this case, a quilt)   I wanted to participate but have clearly told myself that it may not be something I can accomplish every 2 months.

The program chair collected the forms as we arrived and then randomly pulled a number during her report.  This month (to start in March and bring to the meeting in May) is number 5.

I checked my form at home that night and my #5 is the only one that I put on the list that isn’t started.  Nadda.  I have pattern.  I have the fabrics.  I have the reason I want it.  Not started.

In 2 weeks, I have colored in the black & white pattern and cut pieces for 3 of the 4 accent colors.  Enough cutting to get my will power going so I’m eager to squeeze in work on this.

Outside the Box — pattern and a few pages of the “pattern from hell” and the most complicated one I have ever seen!!

I got a bum deal on the pattern.  Found the pattern and fabrics at a booth at a quilt show.  Looked over the pattern in my room that night and thought – what a nightmare!  Once home, I looked online for ways other people had made the quilt and found not. much.  Then I found the pattern writer and her website.  It is a download purchase so I assume in color.  And $2 less than I paid for the black & white at the show.  😦    I’ve tossed & turned about giving another $10 for the color pattern but one evening just colored A, B, C, and D fabrics with colored pencils for the cutting and assembly pages.  All will be well.

The cutting is 1 piece at a time.  Slow.  But steady and all has gone great so far.  The cut pieces are sorted per instructions into the 4 bags as I go.  Maybe but still no betting… it will be a top at least by the May meeting.  Hoping it is a good planting week and I can feed the men and get to the meeting.  I’ll take as much as I have finished.

The background is a light aqua from Kaffe and the 4 accent fabrics.  Who knows what color shows on your monitor.  It will be a large wallhanging…whenever finished.

I’m calling this project Number 5 (#5) for now for many reasons.  UFO list item #5, for our child #5’s room are a few things.

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Mini Quilted Stockings

Part of the Christmas meeting at one of the quilt guilds I attend was a stocking exchange.  We were given the pattern earlier and were to make a stocking and add up to $10 of goodies inside.

I made this:

At the meeting, all the stockings were laid out on a table.  So cute!!

We had numbers drawn out of a “hat” (ie box) and got to choose a stocking in order.  About 25 or so members played along and had made stockings.  I was pleased that #6 chose my stocking.  I had added in a set of good pins, hand needles, and filled the toe with Dove chocolates.  🙂  (I went over the limit…)

I had #17 and there were still all lovely stockings left.  One was bigger than the others and I thought I’d choose that one but then found this blue one.  🙂

Inside the stocking was a charm pack of red & white fabrics with winter prints… snowmen, etc.  Cute!  And I know who made it so that is extra-special.  (I don’t know many in this group but they are always nice to me.)

We had a potluck supper and a short meeting where we got to see the guild’s raffle quilt.  Let me know if you want tickets.  🙂   The drawing for the quilt will be October 2015 at our guild quilt show.

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Guild – Amish Program

This month’s guild program was by Klaudeen Hansen…

Yes, THIS one!  She edits/assembles the quilts for the calenders for AQS every year.  I have at least 10 yrs of these.  Most are well used; I keep one in my sewing room and jot down what I’m working on and sometimes notes of what is happening with the kids or the farm or the weather.  I hope they are enjoyed in years to come.  She had the new 2013 ones so I am all ready for a new year.  (Yes, it is OK with me to skip fall & winter if we have to be done with summer in another month.)

She shared her knowledge of Amish quilts with us and also brought along her trunk show of Amish quilts.

First a slide show.  Can you believe this photo above and the one below are from the back of the dark room to the slide on the screen?!  Love the camera!!  The quilting on this quilt is stunning!  Glad I could capture it a bit in this photo.

I’m seriously not sure how this fits in besides it is solid fabrics.  But… maybe her daughter made it?  I was too frantic grabbing my camera before she changed the slide, I think.   🙂  Very funny!

Above is a page of her own Amish style quilts.  Click the photo to see them in a better size.

This one missed the collage page.  I love the layout of the off-center log cabin.

Above — from show & tell.  Some guild quilts and some are Klaudeen’s.  The wonky stars (bottom left) was a good example for the class she was teaching for the guild on Tuesday.

Klaudeen showed this quilt and my friend, Patti, & I loved it!!  The colors seem a bit off here… hot pink & neon green with the black!!  🙂   Patti got the pattern so we both want to  make one of these.  Look out show & tell!  (well, give us a few months…)  I have my fabrics already (I got Kona cottons) and I chose not to go with the neon look.  But of course, PINK is there.

The quilting —

The fun back! —

I will miss the other guild this month so we’ll see you next month for more guild meetings!

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January Guild

I’ll try to catch you up a bit…. I’m surprised at how bothered I continue to be with my back.  It was a week on Wednesday and I’ve been to the chiropractor 3 times and today had my massage.  Tomorrow must be better!! 🙂

Monday night I helped with the guild program on how to take your quilt to your long-arm quilter.   I didn’t have anyone there to be my photographer but I do have some photos from show & tell.  (The guts of the program will be in my brochure and on my business site…. later.  🙂   Those were my thoughts to include there but I just hadn’t stopped to write it out!)  I feel like I made some good contacts as well.

I missed the whole story to this 1930’s quilt but somehow (easily) she got the top and then finished it.

Lynda had finished her Round Robin and I had helped on this one so it was great to see!

Ann completed these lovely trees!

The committee showed the group the completed raffle quilt so now the ticket committee can get to work!  Yeah – they loved it!!  🙂

IRL, I finished a customer quilt and the tshirt quilt is loaded.  I hope to get a lot of the quilting done on that this weekend.  We are forecast to get a LOAD of snow tomorrow so at least one day (probably Saturday too) will be good days at home.

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October Guild

Monday night was my usual (closest) guild meeting.  I came home charged & energized so had to take quite a while to settle before sleep came to me.

Pam Buda gave the program on “making do” along the lines of the pioneer women who had a limited supply of fabric.  They often had to “make do” with what they had even if the colors weren’t all the same as originally planned.  Honestly, doing this would make me CRAZY but I’m considering it.

Needing not one new thing, I came home with her Journey One of the Prairie Women’s Sewing Circle.  There are patterns for 7 quilts, a pincushion, and prairie stories to go with each pattern.

(photo from her website)

Here are some photos from her program:

We had a great show & tell as usual!  One of my dye class students was there with her daughter and the fabrics they have dyed!  I was so thrilled to meet her daughter.

The mom is piecing these blocks with the daughter’s dyed fabrics.  I think this is a super way to showcase the gorgeous fabrics.

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Weekend Show

This weekend one of my guilds held their bi-annual show.  I’m new to the guild so this is my first show with them.   It is about 1/2 hr away so on Thursday morning, I loaded up my quilts and took them in time for set-up.  As soon as I walked in the door, it dawned on me (think brick to head) that ALLLLL my paperwork was AT HOME!!!  😦

So I said I’d be back in an hour.  Thankful for my cell phone so that I could chat with my mom while I drove.  🙂  So that started that day in a kerplunkel. I returned with my registration forms, photos, and descriptions gathered from the coffee table for all 6 of my entries.

After packing lunches for Phil & our worker, I headed to the show on Friday. My volunteer spot was as a white glove lady that day.  While wearing white gloves, I  walked the show aisles.  If anyone wanted to see the back of a quilt, I could lift it with my gloved hands.   This keeps (hopefully) others from touching the quilts.   It was a slow job as they had the basket at the admission table so some viewers had on their own gloves to do the looking.

I walked the 6 aisles for 3 hours.  I got in some visiting with the guild members as well.  🙂

I had also taken 2 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread to donate to the bake sale.  One sold right away to a volunteer in the kitchen and the other one was sold when I arrived on Saturday.

In the above photo, the lady in blue is helping at the guild boutique.  We had donated either newly made items or patterns & books we no longer needed to sell.  I made 3 little clutch/cosmetic bags and they all sold.

After my shifts had ended, I got a few photos of my favorite quilts to show you —

Miriam's Dear Jane won Viewer's Choice 1st place

Sue's Sunburst & Tulips was 2nd place in Viewer's Choice

Beautiful quilting and this quilt reminded me a lot of my 2008 BOM I showed

These are the entries in the guild challenge. (more on that in another post)

On Saturday, I worked the admission table for 3 hours.  There I got to visit with a lot of guild members and 3 of us new members connected.  It will be good to see each other at our next meeting.

After my work shifts, I had a quilt appraised.  This was my first time to do this and I was SO excited!!  However, the appraiser was a bit overwhelmed and said she had to do a lot of figuring for me.  She said she’d mail me my paperwork the beginning of the week.  I’ve done the counting and could end up not knowing until Thursday. (No mail on Monday. If she mails by Tuesday, I could have it on Weds or Thursday.  *sigh* ) And no, I probably won’t post those details.  😉

It was so fun that one of my local quilting friends came to the show on Saturday.  After my work shift, it was fun to look at the quilts together and visit.  Thanks!!!

The show ended at 4 on Saturday and I was near to watch the raffle drawings.  There were 4 large baskets of quilt supplies, fabric, & books and I didn’t win any.  They announced the quilt winner and the lady who had worked the raffle table the WHOLE time got all choked up!  She had sold the winning ticket just the other day.  She immediately called the man and told him he HAD to come get it NOW.  It was quite fun!

Take down & clean-up commenced and all seemed to go smoothly.  A fun weekend!

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Farmer’s Wife Program

At guild this month, our program was by Laurie Hird, author of The Farmer’s Wife, a quilt pattern book.

I think occasionally that I should make a quilt from this book.  With the whole farmer’s wife theme going on.  I haven’t jumped yet since my Dear Jane quilt remains unfinished.  *sigh*  I was just talking today to one of Phil’s cousins about DJ and it makes me miss working on that.

Laurie Hird was a great speaker and we are blessed that she doesn’t live too far from us.  She showed her original FW quilt and also her Pony Club quilt. That book is due this fall.  I have NO desire to do that as I have not one inkling towards ponies.  At least that is off the hook!

Laurie's Farmer's Wife quilt

Laurie's Pony Club quilt

She explained about the FW book and how she based the block designs around letters written to the Farmer’s Wife magazine that was published from the late 1890’s through the 1930’s.

She showed many of the original magazines and then some cover posters she’s had printed.  She thinks she has the largest personal collection of the magazines.

During the break, many who are making the Farmer’s Wife quilt brought either a label for her to sign or had her sign the signature block on their quilt!

She was quite kind in doing this as well as posing for photographs with those who had brought their quilts.  Here are a few of them.  It was hard to get them all in the camera AND they never stood still!!

I had borrowed MIL’s blue cross-stitch quilt for show & tell, so returned that to them on my way home.  I told them about the meeting and asked if they remembered their parents getting the Farmer’s Wife magazine.   They didn’t remember that one but MIL sort of had a thought process going on and she said she’d check her stash.

Two days later, she called and brought over this —

This is the August 1934 edition in mint condition!!  It is addressed to Phil’s great-grandmother.  He has always spoken highly of this one.  While I flipped through the magazine, I read some excerpts to JP.  Very funny!   He laughed at some of the ads as well.

I’m so thrilled to have this magazine and would like to frame it somehow but also be able to see the magazine as well.

Have you made this quilt or do you have one in process?  Do you have any of the magazines that need a new home?

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Round Robins Wrap Up!

I never got an email out with the before & after for the quilt I had for the April Round Robin.   I can post now so this was what I got in March…

And this is how I returned it in April… The colors are a bit washed out… creams, tans, beige — those families with black.  Very striking!  This month’s rule was triangles.  I added large pieced triangles with triangles in the triangles.  🙂    I’m not sure it was a good idea to put the whole quilt on point at this juncture but I did it anyway.

In April I brought home this….

Well, I brought it home w/o the gray/blue border but I forgot to take a photo before adding what I thought was a filler border. I pieced a border to add and in the end didn’t need this filler border so removed it anyway!!  *sigh*

I returned this in May which was our last month of this project….

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During refreshments at the May meeting, it was announced that the Round Robin quilts were on display in 2 classrooms at the end of the hall.  I was SO excited to go see them! And very glad they were laid out so we could see all of them and not just see a quick parade across the room.

Finally in the second room, I found my quilt! I barely recognized it but I LOVE IT!!

…

Hopefully, this will help you understand the Round Robin a bit better.  I submitted my choice of a center block, required to be 8″ finished size, in October.  Each month my quilt went home with someone else who followed a simple guideline for what to add for the next border.   For this round robin, each was asked to add a border to all 4 sides each month. We kept them hidden from the owners until the big reveal on Monday night.

I really like my quilt!  Right now I have it hanging in my long-arm studio and I’m trying to decide if I want to make it bigger or keep it this wallhanging size.  The jumbo green squares are dynamic around the center!   I like how Donna brought in brown fabrics.   I think it really added a new dimension to the whole quilt!  Mary L’s triangles are perfectly pieced and pressed – I wonder what method she uses.   And I love the pink scalloped border.  ♥

Here are some other completed tops that I worked on —

The first photo shows what I did as the last border and the photo on the right is the finished top from Monday night.

The first month - I added the red triangles and the checkerboard

I added the diamond border - this was quilter's choice month (anything BUT the before & after months).

This was appliqué month. I added the cream border and did the appliqué. (machine buttonhole stitch, pattern from Pat Sloan's site) I see I didn't get the whole finished top in my photo. The last border has fussy-cut blocks (like her center 4 - peacock feathers) in the corner squares.

I added the large pieced triangles to set the quilt on point.

I added the pieced Irish Chain in the last border.

Here are some of the other finished tops that I didn't work on.

This is the first time I’ve participated in a Round Robin.  I think that most of us loved what we got back.   It made all the sweating bullets moments while working on someone else’s quilt all worthwhile!   I hope I get to do this again.  It was fun and really taught me a lot and took me out of my box.

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