Preparing to Visit Houston Quilt Show

     In the past few days I have done a small amount of sewing on odd pieces.  I made an international themed block for my guild monthly challenge but I don't want to show it yet. While trying to decide what to do, I became interested in making a mola.  I found two old magazine articles that were some help.  I decided I need more info and it would take too much time.  Instead I chose to paper-piece a block that was easy.  
     I have spent more time washing clothes, gathering things and packing. I still have things to do to get ready.  I am registered to take an all day Baltimore Album class on hand applique elements and techniques with Elly Sienkiewicz. I will be sure to show my project (success or failure) when I return.  I will probably not post again until Saturday and then I hope to have some things to share.    

Scrappy Bargello Top Finished

        After several aggravations I finished the bottom border so the whole top is pieced.  It now measures 68 ½” by 86 ½ ”.  I need 5 ¼ yds. for the backing or I may use several different fabrics pieced.  Since the top is so scrappy, it would be appropriate for the back to be scrappy.  Sorry it is not the best photo.  It is so large it was difficult to take a picture of the whole top.

        A quilter in GA donated some old fabric and UFOs to our church quilt group.  In the pile I found a UFO for 4 pineapple placemats.  Today I pulled out one and sewed it together.  I don’t like the fabric but thought I would give it a try.  The directions are for a stitch and flip technique stitching through batting and backing as you construct the pineapple block.  I found out that  it is NOT my favorite technique as it requires a lot of marking as you work but the result is okay.  One placemat got finished. 

Sampler Class Projects

    This was the last night for the beginner sampler class. One lady finished her quilt last week.  Anne was sewing on her binding tonight.  Doesn't it look great!  She made it to match her bedroom. 

Licia sandwiched her quilt and started quilting with the walking foot. You might be able to see the pins in the photo.  I love the accents of color in her quilt. 

That is the end of classes until the new year.  In February I plan to teach crumb piecing.  The side panel has links to see some of my crumb piecing. 
That's all for tonight.

Working on Bargello Borders

    I have been working most of the day (between loads of laundry) finishing the top corners and piecing the top border onto the rest.  That part is done and looks good.  

The bottom border needs more work.  I had to REdesign a little and do some UNsewing because I pieced too many strips ahead.  Part of the problem is that the side borders are not symmetrical so the top and bottom borders can not be exactly the same for the design to flow around the quilt. 
     I have to stop soon for the final class for the beginner sampler.  I hope to have a couple more photos later.

Church Group Sew Day

   I got a late start for the church sew day but got a lot done.   I worked on the top and bottom borders for the scrappy bargello that will be for the VA Hospice unit.  I have most of the borders pieced.  I need to adjust the center so it fits and then work on the corners. 

I planned the borders and corners in EQ but I need to make a little adjustment.

This and That

 

      We had 2 nice days at the GA Quilt Show.  I enjoyed shopping at the vendors and seeing the competition quilts.  I took a few photos but they are only supposed to be for personal use so I don’t think I should share any here.  They had a separate small exhibit of quilts by teachers (that you were not supposed to photograph). 

       They had another exhibit of quilts from the Alliance for American Quilts (that you were not supposed to photograph)  but you can check it out here: http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/ .  We watched as Jodie Davis interviewed a quilter for the Alliance.  It was interesting. 

    Monday I did not have time to sew during the day.  In the evening Quilt Mavens met so while enjoying the fellowship, I did some hand sewing on the binding for my sampler quilt for class. 

     This morning was GCQ charity sew day.  I took a few digital photos while members worked.  I have taken over the job of putting together the guild newsletter and I decided to also start a guild blog.  Several members have their own blogs so I hope they will occasionally post their experiences at guild events.  The blog is brand new but you can check it out here: http://gcquilters.blogspot.com/

Sampler Class Progress

     Just to update you from last night's class, Linda sewed on the binding.

 She will sew the back binding by hand, but she is finished.  It is for her grandchildren to enjoy when they visit her. 

 

Anne started quilting with the walking foot.  

  That is all for now.  Joan, Bonney and I are leaving shortly for the GA Quilt Show.  

Fantastic Fans - Border Fabric

Look what I found. I was in JoAnn Fabrics, not because I needed fabric, but because thread is on sale at 50% off.  I just happened to walk by a display of premium quilters’ cotton and a fabric caught my eye. It has so many of the colors I was hoping to find in a fabric for a border but I was not really looking.

       You may remember my Fantastic Fans (August 17^th and 19^th) quilt in progress from Charlotte Angotti’s workshop.  It needs more borders to be twin bed size so it has been on hold.  I was considering a wide border with appliquéd vines and Dresden type flower buds.  After I bought thread, I can home, got the quilt top and went back to the store with the top to see how the spied fabric would look with the top.  I think it’s a winner and will make a much easier and quicker finish for the quilt.  I still need to decide on exactly how to use it for the border but I feel great about today’s purchase.  I hope you get an idea from this photo which only shows a portion. 

Scrappy Bargello Borders

        I was TEMPED today to start a new project.  I managed to control myself, pulled out the scrappy bargello and worked on border pieces.  I have enough of the same strip set to finish the side borders, but I’m using scrap strips.  The top and bottom border will be different because I don’t have any more strips of some of the fabrics.  I will use the ones I do have and try to find fabrics that are similar. 

My Sampler Quilted

      I spent the afternoon quilting my sampler lap quilt.  I used a walking foot and quilted wavy diagonal lines the same way I suggest for beginning students.  I will not trim it yet so I will have it to demo trimming and adding the binding in class. 

     

     I do not enjoy shopping.  I would rather be working on a quilt than making myself a new dress.  This morning as I was dressing for church I realized I have GOT to take some time to make some clothes for myself or make myself shop.  Just like I have a stash of quilting fabric and patterns, I also have a stash of dress fabric and patterns.  

      It was BEAUTIFUL outside today and I was reminded that this is a great time of year to work in the yard to get flowerbeds ready for winter. I need a plan for how best to use my time and still have time for what I love to do.   

Halloween Costume

      Instead of working on a quilt today was spent making the cowgirl shirt for my granddaughter’s Halloween costume.  She wants to be Jessie from Toy Story.  I used a pattern for a regular long sleeve shirt and I added the yoke with red trim and changed the cuffs.  The chaps from a separate pattern are made of fake bovine spotted fur.  Her mom needs to find a red cowgirl hat and boots and she will be ready. I wish I could be there on Halloween to see her in her outfit, but I will settle for photos.

Tomorrow back to quilting. 

Beginner Sampler's Plus Contest

      I did not get to sew today until after lunch.  I started making Jessie’s cowgirl shirt for my granddaughter’s Halloween costume. 

     Then it was time for my beginner sampler class.  The ladies were all at different stages tonight.  Linda came with the border already on her top so I helped her sandwich and baste and she started machine quilting with a walking foot. 

     Anne had all the sashing together so she worked on adding the border. 

 

Licia was finishing up her sashing and almost ready to add the border.  

 

Isn’t it surprising how different they look with different fabric?  I wanted each of them with their quilt but with this photo angle I could not get the whole quilt top.  

     I uploaded a photo of my brown crumb quilt for Quilting Gallery’s Weekly Themed quilt contest 
http://quiltinggallery.com/tag/weekly-themed-quilt-contest/

on scrappy quilts.  I hope you will take a few minutes to visit their site and vote for my quilt.  Voting is Friday through Sunday with the winner announced on Monday. 

Church Group Sew Day

      Today was sew day for my church quilting group.  We had a small group but a great sewing day.  I’m still working on bargello borders.  Bonney brought to show her One Block Wonder top pieced.  Like my One Block Wonder hers is on her UFO list.  She still has to decide on a border but it looks great. 

 

    This was the first day for the SC State Fair and it only cost $1 to get in.  It was a bit drizzly for a few minutes.  I only stayed long enough to take a quick look at the quilts, handwork and the flowers.   I am pleased to say that all 4 quilts I entered won first place awards.   This was also the first time I entered a piece in Fine Arts.  It was juried in but did not win anything.  There  were many lovely quilts and pieces of handwork.

  On a rainy Tuesday Day Bee made a road trip to 3 upstate quilt shops.  We had 12 members go along.  I had not planned to buy anything in particular but came home with 6 lovely pieces of fabric.  I have a project in mind for 3.  Two were from the 50% off shelf.  Can you guess which ones? 

 

The first 2 on the left were on sale.  I love them. 

Beginner Sampler Class Progress

        I am preparing for granddaughter and family to visit this evening so I have not done much

sewing / quilting the past few days.   I have a few sore muscles from 3 hours of working in the yard Wednesday.  

       In my Beginner Sampler class Thursday night students laid out their blocks to begin sashing.  They are making great progress.   I forgot to take a picture of some but here are Linda’s blocks.  She chose bright bug fabrics.

Here are my sampler blocks I'm sewing with the class so they are partly together also.

       I will try to take more photos next week.  I love to see how different the quilts look with different choices of fabric.  Some are bright and child friendly while others are elegant or warm.  

      The weather this weekend is expected to be beautiful so I hope you get out and enjoy it and sew later.

Catching Up

       The past several days have been busy.  Tuesday was charity sew day for GCQ.  Sewing with the group I got all the red, white and blue blocks together.  Mary saw the block in Canada and many ladies in the guild contributed blocks.  You start with a RWB 4 patch, slice it and sew it back together to make this block.  

Mary said the quilt could be finished as one of the VA hospice quilts.  I brought it home and added borders.  Wednesday was quilt group day at church so I took it to pick out a backing.  Bonney took it home to quilt.  

 

I worked some on borders for the scrappy bargello. 

      Thursday evenings I teach a beginner sampler class at Midlands Tech – Harbison campus.  The ladies and I are finishing up the 12 blocks.  Here are some of mine.  Next week we will sash them and be ready to add the border. 

     Friday a group of friends and I went to Asheville for the quilt show.  It was a good show and we enjoyed the day.  I did not take my camera so I don’t have photos to share.

    Today I sewed a pair of fleece pants for my granddaughter and worked on her Halloween costume.  She wants to be cowgirl Jessie from Toy Story. That is enough for tonight.