Quilting Sisters at Retreat

After some cropping and picture fixing here is a better picture of myself with Penna, Rita, Carolyn and Joyce at Hankerd Inn.

And I almost forgot, Bella, the inn shi-zhu.

Graduation Gift Quilt

Using the strip tube method with the strip tube ruler I made this quilt for a graduation gift for my niece. I used 2 jelly rolls from Timeless Treasures. The appliques are raw edge and sewn my machine around the edges....fast and easy. Hope she likes it. Now to get busy to get it quilted.

Retreat Weekend

Four quilting sisters and I spent 4 days at Hankerd Inn at Pleasant Lake Michigan to sew, sew, sew....and sew we did. We finished many projects as you will see in the pictures. I finished to tops....one for a graduation gift and another just for me. The one for me is a fall quilt called Chestnuts and Vines and was a BOM from Country Cupboard Quilt Shop in Pataskala, Ohio. The chestnuts and vines were hand appliqued, needleturn method.

Here are more pics from the retreat. Hankerd Inn is a wonderful bed and breakfast inn set up special just for quilters and scrapbookers. We thought the balcony rail was the perfect place to dispay our projects.

 Here we are: Penna, Rita, Me, Carolyn and Joyce. Each of us finished 2 tops.

Happy Birthday

Happy birthday to my youngest son Jim who turns 29 today. Unbelievable. I sent his birthday gift yesterday which is quite like me to be late. No quilt this year but did get his apron done. Today I am going on a 4 day quilting retreat to Hankerd Inn on Pleasant Lake here in Michigan. So looking forward to sewing, sewing, sewing with wonderful quilting friends. It will be a small group which I prefer. No cooking. It just doesn't get any better. When I return I will have lots of pics to post.

Planning Ahead

Lately my Christmas fabric stash has been calling me wanting to be pressed and cut. Do you ever feel like just organizing, ironing, and cutting fabric? I know I should vacuum but.....

The plastic boxes are stuffed full with fatt quarters with the larger yardage piled on top. And then there is the Minglewood pattern I am dying to start too.

Here are a couple of patterns I may use to make some Christmas quilts. One is Atkinson's Designs, Slide Show and the other pattern is from Mountaincreek Creations called Arcadia. Mountaincreek Creations has wonderful patterns for showing off fabrics.

Happy Holiday Table Topper Demo

February 29th each of the workers at the Quilts at the Marshall House Quilt Shop will be doing demonstration of a technique, tool, or pattern. Well, I chose the Terry Atkinson pattern, Happy Holiday Table Topper which can also be made into a tree skirt. It using the 60 degree triangle ruler which means you are working with bias edges ALOT. The designer suggests you use starch often...before cutting and sometimes after cutting. My favorite starch, Best Press by Ellen was completely gone but that didn't stop me from going ahead and making the top. Oh no...not me. Here are the results. This will be my "How Not To Make" sample and you get to see it here first. Check out how wonky it is on the outside edge....way too much fabric. Now that will not quilt out.

I really like this pattern because you can make in 3 different sizes and the medium will fit my coffee table perfectly. I want to make it in spring colors, this time using Best Press starch!!!

Another Bunny Hill Design Quilt

My best quilting friend, Nonnie, and I are working together on this winter Bunny Hill Design called, Catch a Christmas Star. My blocks have been hand appliqued and are now ready to for the embroidery stitches which I am not crazy about doing.....neither is Nonnie. Oh well. I bought the embroidery thread so I am going to do it. The directions say to do the embroidery after quilting but I prefer to do the embroidery now so I don't have to handle so much fabric. I am quilting it myself and will be very careful not to sew over any embroidery. I will put the buttons on after quilting. My snowmen are looking awfully sad without eyes, noses, and mouths...need to get going on these guys....probably tonight. Orange wool will be blanket stitched on for the noses.

I have chosen much brighter fabrics than the designer. This is what I have done so far.