Catching up with Friends

Ever have a week when you get a chance to catch up with old friends?  My week began with a nice long visit with my favorite cross stitch designer, Merry Cox.  She has updated her website with teaching pieces and her teaching schedule.  She is also offering on-line classes so you really can stitch in your pjs!  Jump over and visit even if you're not a stitcher.  Her pieces are absolutely exquisite.  This is her newest piece.

Yesterday I had a chance to go to the Springfield MO bi-annual quilt show.  I arrived just in time to attend Terry Clothier Thompson's lecture on red and green quilts.  I have collected several antique red and green quilts and they are my absolute favorite.  Terry acquired an antique strawberry quilt and has reproduced it.  Of course, I HAD to buy the pattern.

Kay from Mama's Log House Quilt Shop was one of the vendors.  I have known Kay for years and think she has the best selection of reproduction fabrics in the area.  Since I didn't take a photo of her cute booth, I am sharing a photo of the historic log house.  Check out the story of it on her website.

Today is the first really cool (59 degrees) day we've had in a long time.  I couldn't resist making a batch of whole wheat cinnamon applesauce raisin muffins.  Wish you were here to share a cup of tea and a muffin!

Spring Cleaning - just a few months late

If you'd been at my house the past few days you would have thought it was April instead of September.  The spring cleaning bug hit me Thursday so I spent all day Friday and Saturday organizing and discarding.  I now have the majority of my fabric on shelves grouped by color - no more digging for that perfect piece.  I have looked at dozens of magazines with most of them going to the discard pile.  Goodwill will be so happy to see me tomorrow! 

Before I started on my cleaning frenzy, I did manage to get a birthday present made.  This is the needleroll made from Moda's French General line.

And here's the box where it lives when it's not being used.  I didn't take a photo of the inside of the box but it is lined with vintage dictionary pages.

I am also working on a large 9-block quilt.  It is a reproduction of an antique quilt.  Pieces are large and choosing the fabric has been just too much fun.  



Here's what the original looks like.  Several friends are making the quilt.  I can't wait to see how theirs look.

I would love to chat more but have a few more piles to tackle. 

Civil War Bride Quilt Block #5

It's finally ready to show - block #5 of the Civil War Bride Quilt. 

I'm not sure why this block gave me such fits.  First, I used a different stem fabric.  Got the stems made and pinned in place only to discover they were too wide.  Rather than take the time to remake them, I carefully folded the edges under to make them the correct size.  They still didn't look right so I threw them away and went back to the stem fabric I'd used on previous blocks.  Perfect.....at least the stems were......

Next came the vase.  I just knew the dark fabric that is now the apples would make a perfect vase.  Rather than waste fabric (Heaven forbid I might run out of fabric!) I audition using a template.  First, draw the shape on a piece of plain paper.

Next, cut out on the line to create a stencil.  Place the stencil over fabric to determine the best use of the fabric. 

Creating a stencil helps me zero in on the fabric.  I often see details I would not have otherwise noticed.  Now that the vase was perfect, it was time to move on to the flowers.  You may notice there is a flower missing.  That's because I couldn't decide what fabric to use for it.  The block was becoming a chore so I decided to throw caution to the wind and omit the flower; replacing it with a bud. 

I fussy cut my daisies and buds.  Here's what the fabric looks like off the bolt.

And here's what it looks like when it's fussy cut to create flowers and buds.

Block 5 took longer than blocks 1-4 combined (at least it felt that way!).  While I was on a roll, I went ahead and prepared block #6.  I am almost finished with it and will share it soon.

Hope you have a great week.  I know I plan to!

Kay

14th Annual Outdoor Quilt Show at The Buggy Barn

The day of the show was picture perfect:  temps in the 70s with a breeze, blue skies with occasional fluffy white clouds.  Although the Buggy Barn quilt shop is not large in square footage, it has everything a quilter would want. 

Quilts were hanging everywhere in the shop - even on the ceiling!

 

Outside, quilts could be found just about everwhere you looked.  On fences, on barns, on wagons, on clothes lines--everywhere!

  

 

Unfortunately, photos can't do the show justice.  If you've ever been to the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Zion National Park or Niagara Falls and taken oodles of photos, you know what I mean.  Photos just can't seem to communicate the magnificence. 

Next year is the 15th annual outdoor show.  I am already making plans to attend.  How about you?

Kay

Buggy Barn and Renee and Jo

The third day of classes at Buggy Barn meant a day with Renee Plains of Liberty Star.  I have loved Renee's patterns since she began designing so was very excited to be with her for the day.  I made a covered journal that will be perfect for jotting down design ideas as they come to me.  We used a combination of fabric and wool.  Also, learned the toothpick method of applique.  I'm excited to share the toothpick method in a future workshop. 

Here's some projects Renee brought to share with us. 

My last day of classes was spent with Jo Morton.  If I had to summarize Jo's work in one word, "amazing" would be the word.  Her written instructions are very well done - they make sewing a project so easy.  Her books are beautifully photographed and contain numerous diagrams to insure your success. 

Class with Jo is always so relaxing.  I perfected my backbasting needleturn applique and am excited to share the technique with all my friends.  I have to confess I haven't finished my project yet but this is what it will look like when it's finished.

So cute and so Jo! 

Next post I will show photos from the quilt show.  It was the 14th annual.  Just a hint:  quilts were hanging everywhere.