LVMQG Exchange

It was an exciting night for our modern quilt guild meeting because it included a pot luck dinner and our mini quilt exchange. With one day to spare I finished my project to give to Vic. Look what I received! It is so fun, done in bright Kaffe fabrics, it will fit right into my sewing room. Love the button detail. Thanks Vic.

LVMQG Mini Quilt Exchange   Dec. 2012

The bag is right up my alley too, made out of juice boxes woven together. No, Vic did not make this. 

I am trying to get more creative with my photography by putting the projects in the bushes, as one friend described my background. 

Here is the project I made for Vic.

LVMQG Mini Quilt Exchange  Dec. 2012

Quilting detail

I took this at just the right time of day to get the quilting detail. I quilted the hexagon shape heavily so the sewing machines would puff up. The pink is actually more puffy than it looks in the photo.

Detail

I added a Swarovski flat backed crystals to the sewing machines for detail, thanks to my friend Rickie, as well as hand stitching the black dotted line on the fabric. I used #16 pearl cotton and thought it was #8 but it looked okay. It was my first time hand stitching with pearl cotton and it has to be easier without trying to follow a line.

Looking forward to 2013. Be safe if you are out and about on New Year's eve. Make time for your sewing therapy.

I'm going to start 2013 off with a Block of the Month, a quilt along and a whole list of projects already started. There is not going to be time to slack. My sewing room has to be cleaned up in order for all of these things to be accomplished. I did a kaleidoscope quilt along but never a BOM. I challenge myself to keep up!

I finished my MQG mini quilt exchange today. I thought I would never finish. Good thing because it is due tomorrow night! Will let you know how my exchange partner likes it.

Sewing at the store for a few hours tomorrow. Maybe I will work on my No Negative Space quilt. This is a quilt I started because I found a box full of Dresden Plate leftovers. The background was chosen by my friend Rickie during a discussion about fabric for another quilt. If you squint the background almost looks solid. Maybe? I know these fabrics are old but they were already cut! It is twice this size now. I love it.

No Negative Space WIP  Dec. 2012

Until next time have fun whatever you do.

Already Thinking....

I'm getting excited about the new year and what I have planned. I have joined a paper piecing quilt along. I love the pattern. I am going to be working on my daughter and son-in-laws overdue wedding quilt. I am going to make a baby blanket for my niece in Virginia. Finish my sisters quilt that we worked on in Connecticut. And finish three UFO's that I have been working on in the past year. These are all the projects that I can remember I need to do! 

Check out this quilt along with Amy Ellis. The pattern is very cool. If you don't want to make the small ones she is working on enlarging them. I want to make 100 of these little stars and make a dent in my stash. Well, try to make a dent in my stash.

Tomorrow is shop with Daughter and sew with the MQG ladies for 4 hours.

Have a happy!

Merry Christmas

The holiday season is upon us again. No big tree for the first time ever. I came home from Connecticut and by the time I could get it up it would be time to take it down. Last year I didn't get the tree down until April! My son-in-law was ready to built an outdoor storage where he would cut a large hole in the living room wall, put the tree on rollers and roll it into it's own storage area fully decorated. It was a joke at the time.... We do have little teeny trees.

Tree for 2012

 It plugs into the USB port of your computer. I have this one next to my computer. It lights up when I turn my computer on.

Tree for 2012

This is Husbands tree by his computer. This one changes colors. It is tiny.

I worked on my MQG exchange today. I still have more to do to complete this project. I want to share but I'm too afraid my partner will see.

The Mini Club Holiday party is tomorrow night. I will see my big girl twins and I am so excited.

Have a great holiday, and if time allows, quilt happy.

Brown is Blue

Worked on the Island Melody quilt last night until 1 in the morning. Went to a quilt shop today in Vernon, Connecticut called Quilt by the Yard for additional choices of fabric to complete my sisters quilt. We had a great time visiting with the staff and somehow my sister and I ended up singing the oldies with the customers. We went shopping for fabric and a party broke out! 

And another cool and unexpected thing happened today. I met Audrie Bidwell! She has two quilts published in a current book which I bought and she signed.  Brights are her thing! The book is Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe. She has a blog at Blue Is Bleu. Check her out here. Also found out Audrie is not a fan of browns. So there is someone out there besides me who thinks brown is blue! You meet the coolest people in quilt shops.

Hawaiian Melody quilt Dec. 2012

Work table for Hawaiian Melody quilt pieces.   Dec. 2012

There will be three more rows added but they will have to wait until I get home. So fun to do this with my sister. The end result will be a surprise for her even though she is designing the squares. She will have to wait to see it complete with all the rows sewn together.

Louie  Dec.2012

This is Louie, my sisters cat. He is a rescue and they think he is a year old. He, like most cats think that fabric and quilts are theirs and should be shared. My nephew loves playing with Louie.

Nephew and Louie. Is that hoodie a quilt?  Dec. 2012

Louie  Dec. 2012

Louie sleeps on this quilt daily. On cold nights we put a recycled wool sweater on the top of his quilt to keep him warm. This is one of my first quilts circa 2004.

Traveling back home on Saturday, so until then quilt happy.

All photos by Hattie Wilcox.

Let It Snow

I'm having another high production year at my sisters house in Connecticut. Sewing to the max, eating lobster and having lots of laughs. I can't share the first project I finished as it is a Christmas exchange with a Modern Quilt Guild member. We are making mini quilts using an inspiration fabric our person gave to us. I am really pleased with my idea and will share it later.

My sister and I have been working together on a quilt that she designed. She made up the pattern with a little help from me so that is pretty exciting. This is a design as you go pattern so it isn't as fast as I am used to. I work on my own quilt during the design time if she takes too long!

M&W quilt  Dec. 2012

We are making progress, slowly but surely!

M&W progress  Dec. 2012

Bleeding light to dark from the center is her goal. You should see what she is going to use in the border row. She has never designed a quilt except on paper so this is a process she had no idea was so involved. Designing as you go and sewing it by the row is a pain, but it has to be done this way. How many rows? I have no idea. I try not to think about it! I leave here on Saturday so it will be finished as far as design goes. 

Me sewing at Harriet's  Dec. 2012

Stay tuned for more progress on the latest Connecticut quilt.

All photos by Hattie Wilcox.

Finally Finished

I was going to wait until I got a picture of the baby girl twins on their quilts but I will post it when I get it. I have been busy working Shop Hop. Great fun. I have never talked so much in two days, ever! Thanks again to Zany Quilter for quilting these. Check out the close up photos here.

Monica's Quilt Nov. 2012

Nicole"s Quilt Nov. 2012

Snapped these photos just as the wind was picking up. Mom wanted orange and yellow for the babies and the Timeless Treasures Pink Lemonade strips were perfect. For someone who has pattern issues this came together without a hitch. For me, that's saying something!

Back and binding Pink Lemonade Nov. 2012

I love the backs and binding. 

On my list right now are two more baby quilts, my daughters wedding quilt which we will be working on together. I am really looking forward to that. Wait till you see the pattern. My sisters quilt she designed, MQG challenge quilt and the Christmas exchange for MQG. The toaster quilt that is half finished, The Kaffe fabric one that is half finished and a class that I am taking on Friday, the fabric has to be cut and ready. These are the only the ones I can remember! Oh and my handwork hexies in 1" and 3/8".

Until next time... quilt happy.

http://zanyquilter.blogspot.com/2012/10/baby-quilts.html

Hawaii Twins and Sister

These quilts put a smile on my face and the fact they are done is due to a good friend quilting them. They would still be in a pile waiting to be quilted if I was responsible for getting them quilted. Thanks Zany Quilter. Check out the close up quilting there. She did a wonderful job. Thank you Zany Quilter. 

I didn't follow a pattern, I just stacked, cut and shuffled to do the blocks. It is all freehand cutting. Give it a try, it's fun.

Hawaii Twins Nov. 2012

The boys quilts are the same except the backs. One is blue with trucks and one is gray with trucks. The binding matches the backs. The backs being different is so they will know which one belongs to them. 

Hawaii Twins back Nov. 2012

Sisters quilt I did quilt and I am very pleased with my work. It was fun but I still think that is an art in it's self. 

Twins Sister quilt Nov. 2012

That border is called piano keys and I love doing them. I"m usually not a border person but I like this one. I also made her a pillowcase that has colorful fishes on it because I heard she loves the ocean. Now to get it all in the mail. It will arrive before the boys turn one so I have met my goal that I have a year after they are born to get the little ones their quilts. Their cousin in Virginia is on the list.

Until next time...have fun, whatever you do!

Modern Quilt Guild Challenge

Our last challenge for this year for the Modern Quilt Guild is to use all Bonnie and Camille fabrics and has to be bigger than 20" X 20'. It has to be quilted and bound. It is due the 29th of this month. Here is where I am with this project.

MQG B&C Challenge Nov. 2012

Tomorrow is my 12 hour sewing gig so I should make great headway on this piece. I think I know where I'm going with this pile so I just need to do it.

I am washing all the baby quilts as I type this and I am so excited to post and distribute these cuties. I have to admit there are two that I haven't even started. Bobby and Riley aren't very old yet so I still have some time.

See you again on Wednesday. Until then...happy quilting.

Summer Sewing

My niece was here for a few weeks this summer and was a lot of help in getting the girl twins quilts going. She loves to use the rotary cutter! She was very good at trimming the corners off. That's why that quilt seem to go together so fast. She drew the lines, I was busy sewing and she trimmed. Now I remember! 

Nicole & Monica's pieces   Aug.2012

I will be working on the binding today. Will post photos when they are both done. Finished binding one of the boy twins quilts. 

Ella's Journal  Aug. 2012

I made her a journal cover that fit the first time. I usually have to make two as the first is always too small. If I only knew what I did different! She has a great eye for color and chose her fabrics from my stash.

Ella and her journal  Aug. 2012

I think she loves it! We always have such a great time in the sewing room. She walked into my fabric room and said it always makes her so happy to see all the colors. That's my kind of girl! She is working on her yo yo stash too! Could it be possible that she will be anything like her Auntie?

Aug. 2012

Love the toes! My new favorite color. Yes, it was August and she is under a blanket! She had to share the couch by day with Sparky the cat who sleeps under the quilt at night.

Aug. 2012

Just to let you know I was not sitting around eating bon bons since my July post! Ongoing projects for when I get bored or need a change. The hexagons are my night sewing projects that I do while watching TV with Husband. Recently I have been working on bindings for all the baby quilts that seem to be never ending. I'm getting there. The toaster quilt is to help use up my stash and trading fabrics with others that are doing the same quilt.

Until the next time, happy quilting!

Caddy Pad

My Hawaii friend is here for her annual trip and we have been busy, busy, busy, shopping and sewing! We made iron caddies for those times we have to take our irons to sew-ins and retreats. They open into an ironing surface with a heat resistant fabric inside. It is the perfect solution for taking a warm iron home without iceing it down first!

Shar has to have her bling so you know which one is hers.

 Iron Caddy - October 2012

I have been working very hard on my numerous baby quilts. Thanks to Zany Quilter, she has enabled me to go from quilt tops to binding. She quilted all four that I had finished and did a beautiful job. I was putting off quilting them on my Juki as they are all large and very intimidating to an inexperienced quilter. Thank you again Zany Quilter. Check out her work here.I will post pictures when I get the binding complete. The twin boys in Hawaii just may get them before their first birthdays. Good thing the end of the year is near as I have a total of six baby quilts to make for this year. Two sets of twins. There must be something in the water! None of them grandchildren but that's okay. I still have two that I haven't even started yet. 

Yesterday Shar went with me to our monthly sew-in with the Modern Quilt Guild girls. They made her feel so welcome she thinks she wants to join! Good  company, good food, lots done. A good time was had by all.

Until next time. Happy quilting.

On to Something New

After finishing my bags I got busy on my orange challenge for the Modern Quilt Guild due last week. It needed to be a finished project so I made a doll size quilt using 1 1/2"  Thangles. I love using Thangles because you can sew with your brain in the off position and it still turns out! 

Why is this photo not straight you ask? My sewing rooms are so trashed I could hardly make it to my design wall. I feel lucky to get this post out.

Orange Challenge MQG  June 2012

I picked up a new baby kitty last week from a parking lot and took it home, much to my husbands dismay. It has been living in our bedroom since we have two other cats. I will be taking her to my Dad's house as he is in the market for a kitty and she is a sweetie. I thought it was a Ragdoll but with further research I found out she is a Turkish Van. Loves water and her coat is like an angora rabbit. 

June 2012

I have been trying to get some sewing done but with a baby kitty in my sewing room little gets accomplished. 

I have been working on my many baby quilts I need to get finished. Two babies are here already and three to go, well four if you count my son's friends baby. I am very excited about the little girl twins due next door as they are going to need some help. Even though the husbands Mom is coming for three months I hope to be able to pitch in to help.

It is July already. I have so many sewing projects on my list. Until next time, sew often and sew happy!

Extreme Weekend!

What an extreme weekend it was. The Sin City Mini Club did an amazing job at organizing AMVIV 9, the annual Mini car club event. It was such fun to see club members I hadn't seen in a long time and to meet lots of new people I look forward to seeing next year. Here are a few of the people that bought my bags. Unfortunately my camera battery died and in my overheated, exhausted state I forgot to recharge it.  

 June 2012

Check out the purse she is carrying. It is really cool. That guy really did buy those two bags. The colorful bag on the right looks like roads that Mini's love to travel on. Hard to tell in that photo though.

Winston @ AMVIV  June 2012

I think his name is Winston and he was a barrel of energy at a year old. Loved being the center of attention and if Mom would have let him I think he would have stayed all day. 

AMVIV 9 June 2012

What would a Las Vegas trade show be without showgirls? Not a Las Vegas trade show! As members of the club they wanted to do their part, and what a great addition they were.

Miss Kitty Kaboot is a member doing her part. This was her pre-show outfit. She sang at the pool party and was a huge success. She really does have a great voice and so hot in her long pink dress! Check out more photos of AMVIV  if you are on Facebook. Don't miss the video on my Facebook. 

A special thanks to Husband for taking his garage swamp cooler to the show to keep us cool. Yes, the show was outside and the highest temperature was 110 on Saturday when I left. That's what it said the outside temp was and it was in the shade! He hauled lots of 5 gallon buckets of water to keep that thing filled. Thanks.

It was a great event but the thought of sewing in the air conditioning is very appealing to me!

Until next time...happy sewing! 

MQG Journal Swap

It was journal swap night at the MQG meeting. I received a really, really cool one. We supplied an 'inspiration' fabric and they added however much of whatever fabric they wanted. I love it!

Journal Swap MQG May 2012

The fabric I gave her was the top one. I love what she did with it.

Here is the front of the one I gave. My design was inspired last month when the big meteor dropped from outer space and landed somewhere in the world with a big boom. 

MQG Journal Swap  May 2012

I used raw edge circles and King Tut variegated quilting cotton to make my circles look like they are exploding! 

Journal detail

This was a really fun project and the journals that were products of this swap were amazing. Will send a link as soon as our guild gets their photos up. 

The orange challenge, hmmm....

Bags, Bags and More Bags

I have been working hard for the past month making duffle bags out of Mini Cooper fabric to sell at the yearly gathering. Supporting a daily sewing habit can be expensive with the price of fabric going up like everything else. The event is June 14 so maybe I will be able to move on to something different after that.

Finished bags May 2012

Three finished. Not counting the ones that are already in to their new homes.

Bags needing grommets May 2012

There are about 10 more in progress that aren't yet to the grommet stage. Two of these sold after I took the picture! They are all one of a kind as I will not use the same accent fabric twice. Last night I gathered about 8 more fabrics for additional bags. 


I'm so lucky to have a dear friend helping me as I would not be this far in my adventure. We meet at one of our local shops so we can spread out on to the classroom tables. The distractions at home (the cats and my good book that I'm reading) lead to not getting as much done in the same time period. 

Duffle ties yet to be installed. May 2012

As you can see I have my days work cut out for me. Better get started.

My orange challenge is still waiting for my attention. I've had lots of time to figure out what to do with all that orange!

Sneak Peek

I was so pleased with how my journal cover swap came out I thought I would show you THE BACK! I don't know if my swap partner reads my blog but if she does she can only imagine what the front looks like. I have an issue with journal covers. For every one that turns out, there is another one that was too small. Yes, I will complete the front of the first one and be searching for a book that is a little bit smaller. The last one that was too small I turned into a zipper bag here!

LVMQG Journal Cover Swap  May 2012

I found a picture of the back of the pickle dish quilt that shows the handwork detail. Unbelievable.

Pickle Dish detail

There was a note with this next quilt that said this quilt was 100 years old in 1957. It had some holes and the batting was coming out in places but it was so cool to see something that is 155 years old! It was well used by someone.

Karen's Collection

It seems my response to seeing these quilts in person is a big WOW. Thanks Karen, I look forward to seeing more.

Until next time, have a happy _____. You fill in the blank!

Oh My

On Saturday a friend brought over a few of the many quilts that have been packed away in boxes that her grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother made. This pickle dish quilt all pieced by hand just took my breath away. We forgot to measure it but it is on my 6 foot dining table with some drape all the way around. 

Pickle Dish Quilt
Karen's collection
April 2012

Detail of Pickle Dish quilt

There is a little bit at the top showing the back side of the quilt. I couldn't believe the hours of hand stitching this quilt must have taken. Someone was really stepping out of the box using these colors too. I was determined to find the pattern for this quilt, and not only did I find a pattern I found the paper piecing pattern. Now that, I can do. Not by hand though! 

Extremely old Grandma's Garden Quilt
Karen's collection  April 2012

Another in the collection I was privileged to see. I have always loved this pattern. I think I still have an enlarged version of grandma's garden quilt I started after college. In the garage, in a box, unfinished. I was sewing by hand then because I couldn't afford a sewing machine. I guess I have been doing sewing of some sort since high school. In 2003 is when I started quilting full time.

Now that I have shared these lovelies with you I must return to my binding of the charity quilts, assembling of the dufflebags and thinking about my orange challenge. I finished my journal swap last night but I can't show you until later.

More oldies to come.

Have a good rest of the week!