Monday, September 01, 2014

Retreat Recovery Mode



All you quilters know what it is like to go on retreat.  You look forward to it for months, you get projects lined up that you want to start.  You get what is needed to finish up a project (aka UFO), then the big weekday (or weekend) comes and you sew and sew and sew some more.  Well, yeah, we do some eating, talking and margarita drinking, but we do a LOT of sewing.

I was with several longtime friends, Barb, Linda and Sharon - all original FML members.  Linda has moved to San Antonio, but she always makes time for us, and we get artsy input from her.  I think this is the first retreat where I finished more tops than Sharon.  I don't think she took it too well.  She has been reigning TOP FINISHING DIVA for several retreats now.  She did bow down at one point!!

The three quilt tops pictured were all quilted and completed shortly after we got back. 

 I think I ended up finishing 5 quilt tops.  Not all are pictured, (a few were customer quilts).  Sharon finished four.

This third picture is what I have name 'Dream Quilt"  I guess finishing it is 'in my dreams'.  One day I will finish it.  It is one of my oldest (but most favorite) UFO's.  All she needs, is a border and quilting.



Oh, we were at Diane Anderson's Quilters Cabin TOO (the log cabin just down the lane from the original Quilters Cabin.   This place is great, because there are no minimums on how many people you have - it is per person - per night.  Book early, because she fills up quickly...









Sunday, August 31, 2014

First Quilt, Last Quilt

First Quilt - 1979

My first quilt - 1979While looking for pictures to update my website, I ran across a picture of my first quilt that I finished in 1979. You know, the one that you make all of the mistakes on. It was definitely a learning experience. We were in upstate (Plattsburgh) New York. 

I had never heard of a quilt shop, no Cloth World or Joann's. I had a McCalls quilting magazine, found a pattern called Aunt Sukeys quilt. The picture at the left shows it shortly after it was finished. It has been washed a gazillion times, and 'does' look the worse for wear. BUT, it was hand-quilted, in spite of having the thickest poly batting that I could find and a 200 thread count sheet on the back.

Chasing Chevrons Quilt

Last Quilt  - 2014

This next quilt is the last 'big' quilt that I've finished recently. Had it in the Tri-county Quilt show in Feb. 2014. Proud to say it won a ribbon. This one is called Chasing Chevrons, and is done totally in Flannels. If you look through my quilts you will see that I love working with flannel. These quilts end up being the softest, warmest quilts ever.

Just did the math - 35 years! Maybe I know what I am doing by now...

Thanks to my buddy Carla for taking the photo.

Thursday Bee - March Meeting


I've been a member of the 'Thursday Bee' for almost 10 years.  Each year we come up with different ideas for celebrating birthdays.  Since there are 12 of us, you would think everyone would have the courtesy to spread their birthdays out one per month, but no, several of us share many months, so we celebrate quarterly.  We decided to make a pot holder from chosen themes to honor the birthday gal.


The first of the "birthday" potholders were given to Connie B., Michelle M. and Linda G..  What an amazing and creative group of quilters.  No two potholders were alike--themes, sizes and fabrics were very diverse.  Our next reveal is in June--the anticipation is growing!


Monday, February 17, 2014

UFO's Multiply Like Rabbits!!

Hubby and I have been on a purging binge.  When we moved a little over a year ago, a LOT of stuff landed in HIS barn.   The last couple of weeks, we have been going to Goodwill, local antique shops, listing stuff on eBay and Amazon.  Oh, also donated a bunch of stuff to Tri-County Quilt Guild for the upcoming quilt show  and had a hugely successful "Fabric By the Pound" sale fat my buddy Sharons house.

Why is it that now I feel like I have even MORE 'stuff' than before?  My quilty UFO list is now up to a grand total of 50 items - although I do have 13 finishes for 2014.    But, 2 steps forward - one (or three) steps back!   already have about 4 or 5 NEW STARTS for 2014.
  • We had our first Blockbuilders meeting of the year last week, and swapped blocks, and decided on next swap.
  • Saw another pattern that I just HAVE to do.
  • Found out having a new grand baby in August
  • Pinterest - OMG.  Need I say more?
Always need a break after the new year.  Going on a quilt retreat next week at Quilters Cabin in Tomball TX.  Yeah, yeah, I know, I took a break for a couple of weeks after the Christmas Holidays.  So what??  I work hard, I deserve it.   Of course, Hubby thinks every time I leave the house I am going to a retreat.  I'll still keep him - he does treat me like a queen - or is that a Diva?  Have a bunch of projects lined up to work on.  Always take way more than I can possibly get done, but you never know what you might be in the mood to work on.

Speaking of UFO's and finishing.  Did finish up a couple of UFO's - got them submitted for the upcoming Quilt Show, so can't show pictures yet.  Literally, finished the binding and ran them over to the church to turn them in.   Will get pictures of them hanging.  We have a great venue for the show, and last I heard there were 187 entries turned in.

The cold stuff has finally moved to the areas of the country where they expect it to be.  We have had 70's temps the last few days.  Even turned on the A/C in the car over the weekend.  Ready to start planting.  Hubby made a couple of new flower beds, and Houston Garden Center and even Lowe's did not have bedding plants out yet.  Hope that does not mean we have any more freezes coming.  SO ready for spring.