Quilt Show!

 My guild does a quilt show yearly.  And even before I became a member, I always admired the wonderful judged quilts on display, many from states nearby: Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. Plus I always enjoyed the luncheon which traditionally was a sloppy joe. Now there is a new caterer with even more lunch selections. And of course, there are about 25 vendors, along with the bargain bin and used book and magazine table.  Such a worthwhile visit! 

I still love it, and had the pleasure of seeing the quilts as they were hung, during the show, and then when they were taken down. 

I thought I would show you some of my favorites. 

Best of Show

Best Machine workmanship

Close up of one celtic design of which there were many in both of those quilts.

They were both 

Amazing details in this one. 

Sew darn cute: Bears in space

Loved the colors of this one; the aqua sets it off beautifully.

Great design pineapples and log cabins, plus applique.  

This one was drawn and designed by a good friend.  The  scales are dimensional, and the colors are amazing.  

I got to see these up close as I helped to hang half of them. Plus I toured the show as I worked it and then helped take them down.  Over 150 quilts.  Busy weekend. 

Whirly gig it is!

 I am excited to join another blog hop.  This time the theme is Give it a Whirl.  Oh what fun to check out lots of patterns and ideas.  I knew I wanted something springy and had collected fabrics last year for such a project and they were still sitting there waiting for me. 

Carol at Just let Me Quilt is sponsoring this hop and I hope you find fun and wonderful ideas.

But what design to choose?   Half square triangles, dresden plates, dear me.  Opportunities were endless. 

But then I ran across this pattern from Anka's Treasures whom I have followed for decades before Heather Mulder Peterson was married or had kids.  She now designs fabrics as well. And her colors are so pretty. 

I modified the size of the pieces making four flowers.  It has been fun!

I selected spring colors to get me in my mood for spring. 

40" by 42"  ( I will probably add a white border.)

Happy whirly spring.  I thought the flowers looked like windmills.  

Heart Blossoms pattern can be found here ( Missouri Star Quilt Company).

I also found it on etsy if you are interested.

Don't forget to check the other bloggers who are whirling!

My Fast and More Fun blog day

 I was so happy to be included in this blog display for Villa Rosa Designs. Love another opportunity to rummage in my stash for something fun.  

These are the 5 pattern cards we were given to choose from.  And I was excited to choose.  ( And like kids in a candy store,  I wanted to do them ALL.)  

And rummage around  I did to find something for me and something to give. 

First off, being as it was last month, a couple of Valentine charm packs were found to make this great pattern for a table runner.   These were Flirtations designed by Sandy Gervais many years ago.  The colors remind me of strawberries and chocolate: great combinations. 

It was great to arrange patterns and colors balancing them just right.  And I did it a few times to create the length I needed for a table runner to fit my table.  I added a brown inch strip for making the flange to frame the blocks. Lastly a contrasting red border and brown binding finished up the top. 

As it was a geometric and simple design, I just quilted it by stitching in the ditch. And the binding was sewn while watching tv. 

              

I love it!  Yeah! fabrics that needed to be used for a holiday!  Just what I needed. 

And for my second creation, I selected the pattern Gypsy and had these leftover fabrics from a quilt for my grandsons when they were toddlers. Bright boy colors and designs just ready for another boy!   Originally, it was a layer cake and yardage.  

It made a perfect baby quilt: 

It was easy to utilize the group of fabrics called Rockets and Robots.  I balanced the colors having the same print on opposite sides of the design. 

The back was yardage pieced to match it. 

The quilting designs were just loop de loops using a King Tut variegated thread. 

The quilt is rather puffy which I like as I used a wool batting. 

I did add a circular piece of fabric to the center as the focus. 

Off to space I go!  

Thanks to Tricia of Villa Rosa for including me in the hop! 

These are easy and quick patterns to make. I'm sure you will enjoy them. 

Don't forget to leave a comment.  Three will be selected for entering to win the prizes.   

Fast and MORE fun Blog Hop

 

For the next week, look forward to many variations of some simple patterns from Villa Rosa Designs. 

Tricia, the designer, makes many simple and easy patterns many of which you find in quilt stores on small cards. They are always a snap to create and she provides so many different ideas.  

There are 28 total blogs offering our own takes on her patterns.

But first see her blog today to introduce the blog hop at villarosaquilts.com

So you must visit as many of the blogs as possible and comment.  "Why?" you ask.  Because you will have the opportunity to win some great prizes and each blogger offers another opportunity. 

So I will not let all of the cats out of the bag.  Go to Villa Rosa Quilts and find out for yourself.

BIG finish with small pieces

 I am so excited to get this quilt DONE.   For the past year, I have been merrily sewing all these pieces to make my 9 patch WONDER!  It has been fun to have it on the side, idly making little 3 inch 9 patch blocks. Then I would assemble the bigger 9 patch blocks, followed by sashing  one row at a time. Sometimes it was just the best project to not have to think about as you assembled groups of 9 patches. 

 I want to thank Gretchen Weaver for her inspiring quilt which spurred me on.  Here is her quilt.  The original pattern was in American Patchwork and Quilting which I did find in my stacks of magazines. 

( Notice the photo is taken outside! Yeah to warm weather.)

And for this beauty, I only had to purchase the blue solid fabric, the red border fabric and the backing fabric. All the little pieces were from my stash cut from the variety of colors; I used as much as I could from my scrap container. But alas, they seem to have multiplied again.  And even though I used up a wealth of backgrounds, I still have many pieces left. 

History of the quilt began here. Followed by additions: here and here and here.   Piecing the borders were here.   If you are so inclined to see the enlargement a bit at a time. 

Here you can see the beautiful red print on the back and the quilt design.

And here you can see the setting better as well as the paper pieced borders.

The quilt is 7 blocks in each of 7 rows. Plus it has sashing with one 9 patch block in the middle of each. 

Total size of 96 inches square !  

Enjoying the creativity

 I am back to quilting. Not that the vacation to Hawaii wasn't wonderful and I missed quilting while I was there, but sitting at the machine is fun and I so enjoy it. 

So here are some projects I have been working on: 

Stash Bee: for those who don't know, it is a group of women who sew for each other once a month. Every month, I new person decides the design or block and colorway. This month is a Terry Rowland block designed to use up scraps. Here is a video of how she makes the blocks for the colorwash quilt: here. it was also made by Kate of The Last Homely House in England. Here is her instructions: scraps. Each block within the block is 3 inches finished making the 9 patch 9 inches.

Anyway, our queen bee of the month wanted a block of 9 individual blocks together in a colorway. We only are asked to make one block.  But I love sharing with others so much, that I always make extra. 10 blocks does not a quilt make. 

And I got out my Dear Jane box and forged on for more blocks: 

These are 5 inch blocks and the last one needs hand applique.  Evening work. 

And lastly,  working on a seasonal wall hanging for me: 

Each block is 4 inches.  This is creativity in progress. Center design is to be determined. 

Back from vacation

 My dear husband and I took the vacation of a lifetime; a cruise in Hawaii touring 4 of the islands: Oahu, Maui, the Big Island of Hawaii, and Kauai.  What a whirlwind week! The weather was warm!!!! That in itself was rejuvenating: 70 degrees or warmer. Each day we had an activity planned from whale watching to luaus, sunset cruises to kayaking, etc. We didn't use the ship for much more than sleeping and eating. 

lava tube

But we loved the sights  the lava made land covered in tropical foliage. And the water itself had the most amazing hues of blue. Such an array of colors surrounded us all week starting with a rainbow to greet us at the airport after we flew for all of the day across the continent and sea. 

My body still has the feel of sea movement as I sit here. The repeated sway of the waves up and down in my blood. I love it!  I have always loved water and now I witnessed new rushes of the ocean on a far larger scale than the lakes I have always been on. And then to taste the salt in the fluid around you and feel it after it dries on your skin. God truly does amazing things.

And as  a quilter, I was able to locate one quilt store on the city of Kona on Hawaii called Quilt Passions and bring home some wonderful treasures. They were in the process of getting ready to move to a new location. The owner was so friendly and helpful.  

I did not get to peruse the store for very long as I had an uber driver waiting. But I loved this hawaiin print dress and purchased the fabric for it.  

They also had many lovely sashiko kits.  This one is foilage of the island, but I purchased a turtle as well as a Hawaiian design.  Plus more sashiko thread. 

I will have to show those later.   

Mahalo :  thank you in Hawaiian  for reading my blog today!