September 1, 2014

Well, it's been awhile..........I've been doing a little knitting trying to use up some of my yarn stash.  My next project is socks------two at a time, magic loop, toe up.  I'll let you know how it goes and post pictures as I go.  I have finished a shawl (that still needs blocked) and a knitted wool hat.  I'll post pictures of those later.

I've also challenged myself to finish "at least one" UFO per month.  So far so good.  My Thimbleberries Village quilt was the one for June.  These are the ones I'm counting towards July and August....(although they might have both been finished in August.....).....still, they are complete!

This first is my "Snow Happens" wall hanging.  It is a pattern by Bird Brain Designs and I did it in pastel colors on a cream background of snowflakes......I used 30's reproduction prints for the squares on point.  I quilted it with nylon thread and Aurifil thread.  I just love the Aurifil thread and really love the nylon also!

Then I finished my Hawaiian applique block into a pillow.  This fabric was made in the 90's by P&B Textiles designed by Jennifer Sampon.   It is called "Victorian Wheeling" and was taken from elements found in the Victorian homes in Wheeling, WV.   Some featured parquet flooring, stained glass, wall paper, etc.   I finally got it out of the UFO pile and quilted it after taking Harriet Hargrave's class in August.   The two pictures show block quilting front and back, the third picture shows the pillow front, and the fourth picture shows the pillow back.  

I made piping from the peacock fabric and also used the border on the fabric to highlight the back flap and hide the zipper.  I always add a zipper on my pillows so that I can remove the pillow form and wash them.  Our pillows get used a lot around here!

I had a great time watching my friend's dog this past Friday and Saturday......she is such a sweet girl.  "Buffy" was my sewing buddy......she preferred the sewing room to all the others!    Here's a picture of her in my sewing room with me..........seems I'm the only one that can get a good picture of her!    She is so precious!

July update---is it really August already?

I have had a wonderful July......from quilting, sewing, doing alterations and going to quilt shows.   A few weeks ago my dear friend Cathy and I went to another dear friends house to play with her Handiquilter Avante.   She was such a dear to allow me to use it.......her local guild makes baby quilts to donate....and I quilted two of these while we were there.   The first I meandered, and the seconded, I meandered with a five pointed star.   Not bad for a first try.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to attend a 2-day class by Harriet Hargrave in St. Albans, WV at the end of July and beginning of August.......it was wonderful.  I have been machine quilting for nearly twenty years, but I still learned so much and was able to play with many different types of battings!

By the last day, I was completely worn out (as one look at me will show!)----below here I am with another dear friend, Beverly, Harriet and myself.

In between the 2 days of classes, I helped my daughter with her cosplay outfits.   Her "Beatrice" dress needed a corset back added (and the zipper removed) and also gussets in the sides and under sleeves.  Here she is in it:

And here she is in the outfit that I made for her 2 years ago.  It was a France outfit!

Then, with Heather's help, we delivered a car load of quilts to Bridgeport, WV, for the 2014 Millennium Quilters Quilt Show on August 7th and 8th.    It was a great show and we brought home several ribbons again this year.   Here is Cathy's two wall hangings........she did machine quilted all by herself!  I am so proud of her machine quilting!!!!

My friend Beverly brought home a 1st Place Ribbon for her Kim Diehl quilt!

Another friend - who went with me on Friday to the show - Tresha C. also brought home a ribbon!!!!  Her quilt was also published in Fons and Porters Easy Quilts magazine.

I entered a wall hanging - that are all kaleidoscope blocks and is hand quilted - she showed well, but didn't bring home any ribbons........

And then my "Thimbleberries Village" quilt that was awarded a "Judges Choice" ribbon.

So, it has been a busy, but very good July and August so far!!!!  

This week, I have been putting the things I learned in Harriet's class to good use and I have quilted a Hawaiian applique block that has been laying around for probably 15 or more years.  I am very, very pleased with how it turned out! Here are two pictures of the front, and two pictures of the back.   I hope you enjoy seeing them!!!  I'm going to turn this into a large throw pillow.

Until next time!   Happy quilting!!!

I found this on Facebook and it was too good not to share......

I found this on Facebook and it was too good not to share......

Quilt Maladies

By Kathy Mathews, Monday at 7:12 am

You've heard of Tennis Elbow, yes? How about writer's cramp or runner's knee? These are injuries and aches named after a specific activity and I ask you, where are the quilt maladies?

We toil and sweat with needles and pins. We wrestle bolts of fabric, cut and fold. Ladies, we are putting our lives on the line and yet is there a single medical condition named after us?

No, there is not. Until today. Today a new chapter begins melding what we suffer and the health community. Finally, we are about to get the medical version of immortality, we are having a condition bear our name.

Here are my suggestions for our possible contribution to medical jargon.

1. Needle finger - a finger sore from having been stuck with a needle.

2. Pedal paw - a tenderness in the foot from having pressed on the sewing machine pedal for hours.

3. Rotary slice - a section of skin or tissue removed by an over zealous rotary cutter.

4. Quilter's squint - the face we make when threading a needle.

5. Guild guilt - the vaguely uncomfortable realization that you're not quite pulling your weight in your guild.

6. Quilt envy - Lusting after a quilt not made nor owned by you.

7. Stitch syndrome - Just one more stitch being repeated endlessly.

8. Ripper remorse - The feeling one gets after carrying out stitch syndrome in the wrong direction.

9. Patchwork panic - Realizing you are never going to finish that quilt in time.

10. Quilter's block - Not being able to choose just the right fabric.

11. Fabric frenzy - Buying multiple yards of fabric you don't really need and aren't ultimately what you want.

12. Long arm anxiety - Worry that the bottom tension is acting up again.

13. Thimble therapy - Switching from hand sewing to machine.

14. Measurement remorse - Realizing you didn't measure correctly and your piece is lacking in either width or length.

15. Thread ball - The threads you collect off your body and roll into one unit.

16. Quilter's bottom - The expansion of the area of your body where you sit and sew.

17. Sew what - How you feel about quilter's bottom.

These are just scratching the surface. I know I have forgotten major quilt maladies. Let me know what to add!

Sew happy!

June 26, 2014 - Happy Anniversary to us!

Today is our 4th wedding anniversary.......not long for folks our age, but it's been a good four years.   We've had our ups and downs and we're all the stronger for it all.  

Here we are.....taking our first steps together as husband and wife.

If you notice the charms hanging from my bouquet, one has a picture of Tim's dad and the other one has a picture of my parents on their wedding day......even though they are not longer with us, they were with us on this special day.

This is our aisle runner......I stenciled it myself with our initial "M" and the date.  I still have it and I'm thinking about making it into wall hanging.

This was our wedding cake.....we did individual tiers instead of layers, the tiny bride and groom were the ones used by my mom and dad, ad well as the cake knife.   Special memories.

Another busy day.......

Well, the West Virginia Quilt Festival 2014 is a wrap!   Held in Summersville, WV every June, it was a lot of work and there were a lot of beautiful quilts on display along with lots of vendors!!!

My Thimbleberries Village quilt received an Honorable Mention ribbon---not bad considering it was a BOM kit......I am very happy with it!

This is Sue Papouschek and me-----Sue owns Willowcreek quilting and she did the amazing quilting on my quilt!   Thanks Sue!!!!

Here's Beverly H. with her quilt!   It is a Kim Diehl pattern entitled "Private Garden" and is absolutely gorgeous!   Sue also quilted it!

Cathy S. also had a cute wall hanging in the show....."Snow Happens".....here she is with it!

Barbara J. won 1st Place with her quilt West Virginia Backroads.....also quilted by Sue Papouschek!!!!  Way to go ladies!

Tresha C. won an Honorable Mention for her quilt, "Patriotic Pinwheels".  It was recently published in Love of Quilting's Easy Quilts magazine!

My daughter, Heather did the embroideries on these and I finished it up...we received a third place ribbon!

 

Then of course, I had to buy a few things.....

And although we didn't have all of our group there, we did get a group shot on Saturday!

                                            Barbara J., Sue P., me, Cathy S. and Beverly H.

Cathy's daughter, Heidi, won a door prize.......the Baby Lock "Rachel" sewing machine!  Here's Cathy with the vendors who donated it!   Sew Many Blessings Quilt Shop and Quarters and Bolts Quilt Shop!

That's all from the Quilt Festival...............more later!  :)