Tuesday Tip

Lea Anne of Podunk Pretties is sponsoring a day each week of tips for sewing and quilting.  I don't think of myself as too inventive when it comes to sewing, but I do like to be efficient when I can.  So here is my little tip ( and I do mean very little ) :

 I keep a ruler taped to my sewing table right in front of me so I can measure things quickly when I need to.  Sometimes I sit down to sew and I question whether I have cut a piece correctly or whether I have sewn my 1/4" seam well.  I quickly can measure while I am there in front of my machine before I waste time sewing something that is incorrect.

I sometimes have to remember the words on my ruler when I do make a mistake!!

I purposely keep my cutting area and my ironing area across the room to force myself to get up and move vs. having everything in arm's reach of my machine.  It does take a little more time, but keeps my joints happier.

I am linking up to Lea Anne's blog today.  Please hop on over there to see some more good tips and ideas.

A Weekend of Fun

I went back home this last weekend to Indiana for my class reunion.  I always have so much fun when I go to one of these.  One of my oldest and most cherished friends was there and I had not seen her in years.  We both had teary eyes and could not let go from our hugs.

While I was home, I went to a birthday party for another childhood friend who turned 60.  I knew I had to make something special for her.  I saw Luann's tutorial for a cute table topper and I knew that was it.  I was shooting for fall, but ended up closer to Halloween with the fabrics I chose, but I was determined to use stash.  She loved it and that is all that matters.

Thank you, Luann, for this wonderful idea.

Designing Monday

I got all the blocks sewn into rows in my Crabapples quilt.  This is a Bonnie Hunter design and I am really excited to be getting it put together.  Each step makes me a little happier.  When I finished each row I put it back on the wall.  Somehow they got all crooked and running uphill.  At first I didn't even notice it, but then I walked by close up and got a little vertigo and my tummy started doing back flips.  How weird!  I hope I can get it sewn together soon so I can get back on an even keel!

I have been sidetracked the last week doing sewing for church for fall.  I am working with a group that made two very very large banners ( about 4 ft. x 8 ft.)  Then I sewed 5 flag size banners out of fall materials.  They are just a front and back panel, so not really any piecing.  Each has fall leaves on one side and a different solid on the back.

Hop on over to Judy's to see more beautiful designs.

My husband made an overnight trip to Dayton, Ohio with a friend this week and they visited the National Museum of the US Air Force.  While he was there he spotted two quilts on display and took photos of them for me.  I found the following info on the blue quilt.

In January 1997, the 50th Anniversary Office received approval for the creation of a special anniversary commemorative quilt. Production of the project was funded through the Air Force Services sponsorship, and all 85 Air Force installations worldwide responded to participate in the project. Guidelines were established to ensure size, material and color were standard in each square. Dependents, volunteers and various individuals associated with the Air Force assisted in making the squares. Contests were held in some locations for the design and theme of the squares. A "Grand Quilting Bee" was held in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 22, 1997, where quilting students and volunteers could contribute the final touches of the quilt.

This distinctive quilt, "Fabric of the Air Force," was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United States Air Force. It contains 100 hand-made squares from virtually every Air Force installation throughout the world. Each installation provided a 16-by-16-inch custom-made square reflecting its mission. The quilt center features a 36-inch Air Force seal and is surrounded by seals representing each major Air Force command. The four corners of the quilt are dedicated to installations that have closed in the continental United States, Asian Theater, European Theater and other worldwide installations. The top border is embroidered with the Air Force core values and flanked by the 50th anniversary logo of stars and wings. Measuring 20-by-20-feet, the quilt contains more than 180 yards of Air Force blue material. Thread used to join the squares together was flown aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on its Sept. 22, 1997, mission.

Final assembly of parts and pieces took more than three months to complete. The hand-embroidered lettering took more than 500 hours. After its unveiling on Dec. 5, 1997, "Fabric of the Air Force" was placed on display at the Pentagon before its transfer to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Since both my dad and brother were Air Force members, this quilt was special to me.

Based on the symbols in each of the blocks, I am assuming this quilt is part of the Holocaust Exhibit at the museum.  I could not find any info on the Internet regarding its history or maker.

Designing Monday

I finished the little Sunflower square I was working on.  I want to do some embellishment on the brown centers, but I have it hanging for now so I can enjoy it for a few weeks.   Then it will be time to decorate for Halloween.

I am back to working on my forest of trees.  I found a fun fabric to sash it with that has marshmallows on sticks.

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

Designing Monday

I sewed a little more on these sunflowers.  Made a third Dresden and added the centers.  Now I am auditioning some greens for leaves and stems.  I was on my way somewhere and had to stop and check out the leaves and stems of real sunflowers and looked them up on the Internet to see if I can duplicate them or make a reasonable facsimile thereof.   We'll see.

The Quilt Expo was the highlight of my week.  If you didn't see my last post, be sure to check out all the photos.

Found out this week that I will be in Florida when AQS introduces a new Quiltweek show in Daytona.  Guess where I will be that week.

Have a wonderful week and hop on over to Judy's blog to see some beautiful designs.

Quilt Expo

Yesterday was the opening of Quilt Expo at Madison, WI.  We loaded up the car and headed south for a day of laughter and beautiful quilts and shopping.  I took lots of photos of some of my favorites.  Hope you enjoy them.  Credit is given for the quilts that I remembered to take photos of the accompanying ID's.

 Closeup of rusching in flower centers and tiny crystals inside the circles

 BEST OF SHOW - Red Feathers by Claudia Myers and quilted by Marilyn Badger

 Closeup of Marilyn's quilting

 The space wasn't big enough to stand back and view this quilt.  Orange was big this year.

More Orange.  

 Benedict Cumberbatch deserves a quilt this big.

 I love this shade of blue.  Kind of periwinkle.

 One of my all time favorite quilts from an old time Marie Webster pattern.

Beautiful quilting

 ORANGE!!!  Gorgeous compasses and flowers

 I'm a sucker for irises

 1000 Points from me for Cuteness.  Love this quilt.

 Another fabulous quilt.  I want to make one of these.

 I think she used Texture Magic to get a crinkly 3D effect on the centers.

 Loads of little strips joined together with some fussy cut flowers at the bottom.

 This was everybody's fave.  The buildings were printed on fabric.  The stone bridges were cut from stone fabric.  Everything else appeared to be thread painted.  The people were threadworked on a separate piece of cloth and then cut out and applied to the quilt.  The horse tack was stitched leather that was applied.  There is even a tiny metal horseshoe attached. The fur muffs and collars were needle punched to give them more depth.  I wish I could have gotten some closeups, but there were people clustered around constantly.  You can see more about this quilt and Nancy's many other award winning quilts on her website.  She is one talented lady.