Designing Monday

It's nearly October and that can only mean one thing.  Time for more orange and black quilts.  I have had more quilts in my head since last year when I got on this kick and I think it is time to pull them out and put them on fabric.  I put together this little checkerboard to be the center of a little quilt. The squares are 3/4".

I'll add some borders and call it done.

Since I already have 3 other black and orange quilts, I'm not sure how many more I will make, but I have lots of fabric in those colors, so I guess I will keep going til I'm tired of them.  LOL!

These are last year's little fall beauties

See some more great designs on Judy's  blog.

A Beautiful Day

We are having a glorious 70 degree day and loving it.  I was driving through town today and saw this yard.  I had passed it several weeks ago and wished I had my camera.  Today I had my camera so I slowed down and took these two photos.

These folks apparently love topiaries.  There are two giraffes and an elephant by the front stoop.

Along the side there is a gorilla.  By the back door there are monkeys and a frog.

At the back of their lot, there is a topiary horse and the cute playhouse.  There is not a lot of room for grass, but they do have some flowers and hostas and some large trees as this is an older neighborhood.

I finished embroidering a dish towel this week.  I have made two to donate to the silent auction for our quilt show next spring.

 Pattern from Aunt Martha's

 Pattern from Kathy Schmitz Designs

 I also got this little needle punch picture finished and framed just in time for October.

Hope you are having a beautiful day too!

I am so Lucky!

My birthday was earlier in the month.  I celebrated with my husband and daughter on the date.  We had cupcakes and a little fancy carrot cake plus presents of course. New slippers and lip balm, a gift certificate for ebooks and ITunes, and I got a massage with a gift card from last year.   The next day I went to Quilt Expo and bought some fun things at the booths - my birthday present to myself.

This week I went to lunch with my friends and we celebrated again.  They gave me some lovely gifts --

Beautiful flowers, wine, a spoon rest, and a jar of apple curd

Doesn't that sound yummy?

This gorgeous box was filled with a lavendar neck pillow

and some lavender incense cones.  Somebody knows how to spoil me.

One of the gifts came wrapped in this fabulous tissue paper.  

The edges are all cut in hexagons.  Only a quilter

could love this and want to cut it up and make a quilt

from it. Right?

The other side.  Love those flowers.

I also received two packages in the mail.  A friend has enrolled me in a card of the month event from Stampin' Up.  The first month's package came this week.  That should be fun to try too.  

The second package was a gift from Moda and Kathy Schmitz.  I entered that giveaway on her blog last week and I was one of several chosen to receive these beautiful new fabrics that Kathy designed.  The line is called Piecemakers.  If you haven't seen these, you have to go over to Kathy's blog

 and check them out.  The fabric doesn't go on sale until January, but I can see that I am going to need some yardage when it becomes available.  The top fabric in each of these packs is covered with words and symbols about quilting.  There are two shades of tan and two shades of blue.  Just my colors.

So you can see I am one lucky duck!  But I am most grateful to have such wonderful family and friends in my life that are willing to celebrate with me and make me feel so special.  

Designing Monday

I finished the quilting on this little quilt which was the August Quilt of the Month from the Sentimental Quilter's Yahoo Group.  I had planned to hand quilt it, but I made about 3 passes across the center of the quilt and bent two needles and my stitches were not so great.  So I went back to my trusty Bernina.  I'll get the binding done this week.

Our quilt guild program for September was David Taylor.  He entertained the group in style.  He really is hilarious.  The following day I took his hand applique class.  He brought a couple of his quilts and took us through his process of turning a photo into a pattern into a quilt.  It is really quite an involved but straightforward process.  This was the pattern that we were using for the class.

We traced it out and numbered all the pieces to use as a template and a placement guide.  He gave us pre-printed freezer paper with all the pieces ready to cut out.

 Our next assignment was to cut out three of the pieces and prep them for stitching using starch.  Then we were to stitch on at least one piece to the background.  This is as far as I got and I think I may be the only one in the class who got that far.  This doesn't look too bad until you realize ...

 there is a whole sea of black that needs to be covered with pieces.  It seems a bit daunting as the pieces are kind of small.  I also have quite a few other projects ahead of this one, so it will sit awhile.

David is such a fun person and he has a million stories to tell.  ( That could be why we didn't get much sewing done.)  He is doing a 5 day workshop on Madeleine Island north of Wisconsin next summer if you happen to be headed this way.  I definitely know you would enjoy taking his class if you ever have the opportunity.

Hop on over to Judy's blog to see some beautiful designs.

Quilt Expo Part 3

Here is the final day of photos from Quilt Expo.  Hope you have enjoyed going to the show with me.  Do you have a favorite?

Sparkle The Fruitcake

by Sue Hawkes

 Can you see the detail?  There is knotted cording between each pointed pentagon, plus many, many crystals on the points ( as well as the rest of the quilt).  Gorgeous quilt.

 Willa's Wash by Kathleen Kinney

This one just goes way off the scale for cuteness.  I love, love it!

 A quilt made of hankies

 Sunshine in the Mist

by Cheryl Lennox

 Lovin' Trains

by Jean Neitzel

Can you see the detail in the quilting?  There are engine faces on the right like Thomas the Tank engine and in the blue border on the left are RR crossing signs.  So creative!

 Royal Gatherins

by Cecile Stow

 by Gail Smith ( I missed the title.)

I love the pumpkins and fall colors.

I saved the best for last.  The final quilt is the Best of Show Award Winner.  

Creation Springs Forth

by Betty Ekern Suiter

Betty came to our guild in July and brought this quilt for all to see.  She hand dyes all her fabrics, hand appliqués and hand quilted this entire thing.  It is absolutely fabulous and flawless.  I took Betty's hand quilting and hand appliqué class through our guild.  It was quite an honor to learn from such a master.

Hope you enjoyed the show.  

Quilt Expo Part 2

More photos but first this interesting tidbit:

After posting to my blog yesterday, I received a delightful email from the maker of one of the unidentified quilts from my photos.  Her name is Janet Knapp and she is the maker of My Victory Garden.  She used a Primitive Gatherings pattern and modified it to make it her own by adding an American Flag on the right hand side.  Janet was unable to attend Quilt Expo and by some fluke came across my blog and discovered that she had won a ribbon for her quilt.  She told me that this same quilt won a Judge's Choice award  at Paducah this year and a first in the Minnesota show in June.  I am so excited for her.   She also shared her feelings about sending off a quilt to a show as well as what it is like to participate in a juried show.  What a treat to hear from her!  Here is her quilt again:

 My Victory Garden 

by Janet Knapp

Anyway, here are more lovely quilts from the show.  I wish I could take photos of all of them to show 

you. 

 Delectable Mountain Garden

by Illinois Quilters Inc of Green Oaks, IL

On Target by Mary Althaus

(I love this pattern.  Anybody know the name of it?) 

 This Old Barn
by Robin Hessefort

Barn Details

Rambutan by Rita Straubhaar

 One Little Red Bird by Juleen Prose

No Place Like Home
by Gerry Fischer

Bentonville Square

by Karen Kielmeyer and

the You Go-Go Girls Art Quilt Group

Dancette by Susan Suhre

Detail

Woodland Secrets

by Freida Anderson

 Cereal Killer Strikes Again

by Phyllis Kluger

This one is so funny.  Hope you can see the detail.

Come back again tomorrow for more photos.