quilt plans and making lists

A blogging friend who I have recently met and began following at  A Left Handed Quilter posed an interesting question today.  (Her alter ego Quilter BOB has separate blog and has some even more takes on quilting!!  Some that I agree with---a lot!  But I digress.......)

Anyway she asked

If you KNEW that you had only one more day before you died and in that day you could make one more quilt, what quilt would you make?

She named several styles of quilts and oh, there were some good ones to chose from!  I don't think I am what you would consider a MODERN quilter but the reasons/rants about that will wait for another day.  Scrappy, Traditional, more my speed really.

She also wondered if you would take that day to finish up a UFO or start something new.  I thought about it for a bit.  Actually I think about it a lot---no, not the only having one more day to live part but what I want to work on next.  I especially ponder this when I am working something like binding.  (The Row QOV is done but does not look appreciably different than it did  the last time I posted it on the blog but you might check the 2012 finishes for a better picture of it)

 So, even though I stated that I had three bed quilts that I have started and would like to see completed,  vaguely, "sometime this year"  (Popsicle Sticks, My Sunshine and Cheap Trick/Two of a Kind) I selected TWO different projects.  I guess I would have to beg for another day, LOL.

My choice would be to complete my Christmas JOY quilt begun with the Collinsville Rowers as a pass-around quilt. I fell in love with this quilt featured as a series quilt in the Fons and Porter "Love of Quilting" magazine the first time I saw it.  I guess it was quite a popular pattern and they sold out of the magazines it was in as they now sell the pattern as a booklet. Poinsettia row back in Sept. 2007 and then sent it on its merry way.  We had a retreat the following August and the rows were revealed then.  I take it out every now and again but so far it has not been completed.  Basically I need to find a nice Christmas red and a cream or white to make the checkerboard bits between the row elements.

And my other choice would be to make my version of Farmer's Wife Sampler.  I have been living with this quilt in my head for about 6 weeks or more.  I blogged about it in THIS post.

I have been studying the materials from Marti Michell that would allow me to convert the templates from the book into her perfect patchwork sets.  I have been editing out superfluous lines in case I want to foundation piece some of the blocks.  I have been drawing up more blocks in EQ from other sources to use them in my quilt.  I have tinkered with the layout incessantly and will most likely tinker some more.  I have spent a lot of time in BlockBase picking out blocks that I feel look better on point than in the original.  I have dumped the blocks that I would have no interest in making at 12 inches let alone 6 inches as the sampler calls for----too many pieces for me!   I have looking at what other bloggers have done and viewing all kinds of blocks on The Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long on Flickr.  I have joined a yahoo group to get other's input as to how THEY are proceeding with this quilt.  I have considered what fabrics I might use, over and over again.  I have my notebook set up with printouts and sheet protectors ready to go.    I am ready, mentally anyway.

Now I am NOT saying that it will look exactly like this----it is a sketch and what I will follow for the layout PROBABLY.   The quilt requires 111 blocks and I have 176 blocks in my EQ sketchbooks----some are already substitutes for the ones I didn't bother drawing up.  Some others, I like a lot better.   I see a few more that will NOT make the cut or be moved at the very least.   I love baskets and want to include some basket fabrics that my mom, Maggie and Sheila sent me so a few more of them will show up.  I DO like the distribution of color more of less, so may stick to that when actually making the blocks or closely anyway.

As much as I love 30's prints I keep coming back to scrappy.  I could go with Civil War or earlier 1800's repros but I don't think it will work for this.  I have dreams of some day doing a Dear Jane too---start at 6 inch and work down to 4.5 inch??   I do not care for the quilt on the cover----not my palette at all.  I can use my stash for the most part but will probably need some more background lights and blenders but not so dark that I can figure out what to use for sashing.  The sketch is also making it look like I don't have any sashing between the blocks until you blow it up bigger. In the drawing I had three tones of that taupey, golden brown going on.  That part is odd as well since I don't normally care for browns  I tried switching out to shades of green but there is a good bit of green in the blocks so that probably won't work either.  Blue would be out for the same reason.

So back to what my blogging friend asked----if I consider it that important to me, what is stopping me from getting started on this???  Uh, maybe that pile of pro bono quilts in my bedroom and the fact that I need to straighten up the sewing room before I can cut or press or make more of a mess by pulling out fabric bins.    For now, top of the list for me!   There are 12 quilts in there and 10 are mine, 2 are group members.  I make a promise now that once I get say 3 of thm quilted, I will at least cut out the 1st 10 blocks and get started on it anyway.  That would be a terrific reward project.   It will be on-going---many people aim for making two a week and figure on a year long journey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Followup notes:
My New Balance 606's seem to be working out okay.  Even though I am not diabetic or circulatory impaired (thank heavens!) I got two pair of the socks to try out because they felt a bit thicker than the others.  A large bandaid to my heels is padding the still tender area so that helped too.   Still at 4 laps every other day but I think by Monday I am going to go 5 days out of 7.  It is just 1.1 miles and I don't feel taxed by the activity.  See how 3 days in a row goes first.

The binding on the Row QOV is done as yesterday afternoon.  It does not look appreciably different than it did the last time I posted it on the blog but you might check the 2012 finishes tab for a better picture of it.  I laundered it to get rid of the cat hair and it crinkled up beautifully.  I need to find out what kind of batting the quilt is using as I really like it.  It got a little fluffy around the edges of the quilt after I was done man handling it quilting it---maybe some sort of bonded cotton??

Supposedly there is some rain on the way in this evening.  We got a little over a half inch night before last but remain about 5 inches behind on our rain fall totals for the year.   We are in the 70's today with all that cloud cover and that kept it pleasant for walking.  Trust me, I am not complaining about that after the recent spell of 90's and blazing sun days.  So far the box fans and over head fans are keeping things comfortable in here.  Or at least it is until I decide to do something "stupid" like clean or dust!

I feel like a bit of a jinx today anyway----cleaning might be injurious to my health, at the rate I was going.  Mr. Fix-it told me I was just full of good news when I reported almost simultaneously that 1)  my right turn signal was going off like a hazard light does again and not working on the exterior of the car  2)  the blind I had just raised shirred off completely at the header on two of the three strings.    Fortunately it was just a bulb on the car and Cobb's didn't charge him for it.  The blind?  He bought the wrong size first and then we had to discuss whether the one other the adjacent window was alabaster or white. At my insistence, he got white and it IS a bit lighter in tone.  Why would I have approved alabaster when white was really cream and alabaster was overly tan colored??  Who names these things such weird colors anyway and why do we let them get away with it?  It is up and not going back.  I accept full responsibility for the color variance.  Now remind me what I said when the other one falls down, LOL.

Well, somehow I don't think my sewing room is going to get tidied up or bathroom any cleaner with me pecking on the keyboard.   Thanks for stopping by-------

catch up post

Well, it has been a few days since I posted. The first holiday of "summer" has passed. I tell you, it may not be summer by the calendar but here in Alabama it feels more like July 4th! A glance at the weather map shows a good part of the US is having a hot time of it as well. There are no effects for us this far inland from the first two named hurricanes but I sure hope that Florida got some rain and drought relief.

DJ and I basically stayed home though we did make a run down to Kohl's to find a pair of walking shoes. You may recall that I was trying to get started back with a walking program a few posts back. On Day 2 my shoes started chafing so badly that I barely made it back on the last half lap. (Huge blister on my left heel and irritation on the right.) That pair of shoes had never fit right! I had tried to pad the heel counter plus two pair of socks with some success. (If someone wants a pair of 9 Nike walking shoes these have barely been worn and I don't want to just toss them) Anyway, when DJ asked how walking went, my response was "how would you like to make an investment in me or give me my birthday money early? I need new walking shoes." We had to wait a few days till I could get a pair of shoes on first but found a pair of  New Balance 606  that felt comfortable as soon as I put them on---a little lower profile on the foot and should breathe better.   I wore them around the house over the weekend and gave them a spin this morning.  Should be okay on that gravel track I walk on.   My heel is still a bit tender so I am going to go look for new socks, NuSkin and/or large bandaids to pad it for a bit but no further breakdown.

I did manage to get the row quilt quilting completed after I marked some "piano-key like" lines on the borders.  After talking with Norma, I used 45 degree angled parallel lines 2 inch apart but they change direction and slant the other way once you reach the middle of the 4 sides.  I doubt you can see them on the picture.  Yesterday I got the binding applied but I still need to hand finish it----that is today's task.

LOL, you can see Skyler's rump over on his perch.  When I threw the quilt on the bed to take the pictures, I half expected him to jump on it.  It already was graced on the back side with some black kitty fur but I am going to wash it before I turn it in anyway.  I wrote May 31 for completion on the label so I best get to it.

And sew it goes--------

900th post/missing quilt picture

I have reached a bit of a milestone today as this is my 900th post. No give-aways, sorry to disappoint you. Others may do that, but I haven't anywhere along the way so why start now? I figure I give enough away with all the donation quilts over the years. If you quilt, then you have no doubt have other resources for getting fabric packs, quilt books and patterns and such.  Boosting my readership has never been what this is about anyway.

I started back in February 2006 egged on my some of FAB pals. I lost the first 6 wks of my blog in a move of sheer stupidity on my part but nonetheless, that is when I started.   Here it is six years later and I am still at it. At the time one of my sister-in-laws asked me "why?"  Admittedly, it is a limited audience that I am speaking to but I have always looked at this as my journal. Read it if you want--some do, some don't.   Some, like me,  have too many people in their blog lists to conceivably follow and still get any sewing or quilting done. Hey, some people in my little quilt group don't read it either. They are seldom on the computer and don't even see the email newsletter/announcements that take me a few hours to write up, LOL.  Whatever---I do it for me. If I DON'T post occasionally, then I get calls and emails asking where I am. I still don't know if my SIL thought I didn't have anything to share or what? My life is that boring?  Well maybe it is but I still keep blogging.  I preferred not to take offense or look for hidden meanings, then or now.

Yesterday I recently put the label tags on the blog shell and spent a chunk of a rotten afternoon editing those. (I won't get into why it was rotten---I will start ranting and whining again. FB already heard about it) I guess that is how I will celebrate the milestone, fixing those little typos and organizing the titles so the list won't be quite as long.  It may make it a little easier for me to find certain things anyway.  Well, it worked yesterday when someone called needing a link to Disappearing 4 patch.  Yeah, you can google it but where is the fun in that?  I was looking at the list when she called.

Coincidentally as I was editing,  I found at least the pinned version of the missing quilt picture from the last meeting wrap up. (See below). This is Lois's Leftovers quilt that I think came from a Fons and Porter magazine. She could not recall the pattern name when I asked so that is what I am calling it on my document----which still needs updated, come to think of it, LOL.  I am proud to show you the quilts that my little quilt group has been making over the years and hope we can inspire you as well.

Thanks for hanging out with me, commenting, laughing and/or commiserating with me and inspiring me in ways one could never have imagined six years ago.    The best part of all? Making new friends who share my love of quilting.  May we all never run out of fascination with our craft and help it continue on to future generations----------

and sew it goes-------

quilt show aka quilt meeting (edited)

Actually it was Bama Belles meeting day and Lois and Bev had quilts to turn in plus Brenda had some tops to show us too.  After seeing them posted and comparing to what is on hand I figured out which one I am missed.  It is currently not at my house so I cannot nab quilt holder to do the honors.  Anyway, enjoy!  I am sure that the children that receive them will----------

ED. NOTE:  My pal Norma reminded me that she has a quilt made from this pattern which appeared  in Fons and Porter's For the Love of Quilting magazine from September/October 2000.  You can see her notes on her blog archive.  F & P called it "Simple Cross"  Good choice for all those 2 1/2 inch scrappy strips PLUS I could use them on the sections I have leftover from Faux Log Cabin!  Still no word on what to call the one in the next post above. 

Bev's Pineapple Blossom

Lois Sashed and Cornerstoned Strings

Lois Frames and 4 patches

Brenda's Sew-in started top and new pattern for her to play with---Scrappy Trip Around the World

Brenda's Quilt Shop Sampler BOM   she will make two quilts instead of one large one

                                                                   Lois Chiclets

Lois and Belles Pineapple Blossom

Lois Scrappy Trips

                      Lois Unknown pattern on my part so it is Sock Monkey on my document 

Lois Jigsaw---pattern from quilting about dot com

Lois Disappearing Nine Patch

how goals become goals

My pal Norma is on holiday today---I think it is Victoria Day up there in BC---and we have been chatting on IM a bit.

I finished up the July embroidery block yesterday and started the next one which is an egg basket. Stitching has continued this morning.  Norma left to get her day started, that two hour time difference between here and there, after all.  I kept stitching and at some point I said this----

Linda J says

I am going to set up to quilt in a bit (meaning as soon as I ran out of thread in my needle)  

Norma says

tired of stitching?

Linda J says

no never! or seldom anyway

Norma says

lol

mix things up a bit? or you have a list of things to tackle too!

Linda J says

no, I just need to move that qov forward so I can turn it in next meeting

I have a list at least in my head I do

there are three bed quilts that I want to finish----cheap trick, pop stix and the Fab challenge

and of course that monstrous pile in the bedroom to quilt

Norma says

that never goes down!

Linda J says

and I want to start the farmers  wife sampler

those are the primary things

oh and the paint chip challenge August button up before that for sure

Norma says

your list is growing!

Linda J says

and while we are at it, more album blocks for that donation quilt

I really should ACTUALLY write it down

Norma says

it is easier to adjust if it is in your head!  lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And there you have it---stated goals though note that I did not leave a time frame for all this to get done with the exception of the one quilt I should be working on.

My mom called this morning with news that she had found some basket fabric, probably the very yardage I was looking for about two months back.  Quite the treasure trove apparently, LOL but she said my name was on it and I see a basket block sampler quilt for sure on my horizon.  Pals Maggie and Sheila had also helped me out when I needed some for May basket and Easter basket and there is fabric left for such a purpose.  Another one for the mental or written list.  OR some might go in the Farmers Wife Sampler since there are several basket blocks in it.

Also on another front, I am starting my walking program again after about a year and half of  laying off.  I have been trying to make myself get started for a month now.  This morning was it. I had tried his recumbent bike a few days ago but it hurt my knees and I would rather walk.  I am going to start slow and go everything day till I get back in shape a bit more and gradually increase my laps.  I went 1.1/4 laps this morning fairly easily so doubt I will remain at that level long.  Saying it out loud strengthens my resolve.  

I do not quite understand my husband's reaction when I came home though.  I have quilt group tomorrow so I had taken a couple things out of my car trunk so I can replace them with what I am dragging to the meeting before I came in the house.   He says "oh I thought you went walking"  I tell him I had.  He says "you don't look like you did"  not that he thought I was lying.   I guess since I didn't have my old walking outfit on and he didn't see the mp3 player around my neck past the things I was carrying.  Or I didn't look overheated and sweating enough???  I was not running nor am I ever apt to. The correct response should have been something along the lines of "Good to see that you moved beyond the thinking about it stage.  Proud of you, keep it  up"  In previous years he would be telling me that I was pushing it too much, I didn't have to go every day and get on me for being too gung-ho.  Do you want me to go or don't you?

Guess that's it---a row quilt is waiting and that flying geese row has my name on it.

some progress

Friday I pieced a bit. Two Album blocks made using the Blue Elephant granny square tutorial.   11 blocks towards a pro bono quilt.  I have a bunch more strips paired up so who knows how big it will be.  Maybe eventually two quilts even.

Saturday, I quilted on the Row QOV--last posted HERE but before I had completed the side borders--late February of this year anyway.  I got the top 4 rows done before I quit.  There are a total of 10 rows but it is far too warm in the house to want a quilt on my lap.  Mind you, not quite warm enough for my husband to okay turning on the a/c but close.  (Has to hit 80 because the thing is set at 79.  I repeat, I did not move South for the summers).  One of the Belles wants to see how I approach machine quilting so I am probably going to work on this at the meeting on Tuesday if not before.

So what am I doing today?  What I wanted to do yesterday actually.  I have barely touched my embroidery lately.  Now that I have to take minutes at guild meeting, there went some of my stitching time and I was dismantling quilt blocks at  my last doctor's appointment.  Seems like I am always doing something else and don't pull it out to work on it.  I have forgotten just how many of these that I have completed but they are up in my facebook album and on here too.  This one is about done, mostly a gob of french knots that accent the star shaped cookies.  Patterns are free from Bee Tree Designs on her flickr pages.

Hope you have found something to trip YOUR creative trigger today-------

Fight Like a Quilter "Many Hearts" blocks

Yesterday's output----Block 1

I don't know if you can see it or not but the little nine patch at the bottom was my first attempt.  The yellow with the whitish splotch on it must have been mis-cut a hair because the seam finished a bit too small in both spots that I used it.  I wrote a big old NO on it and then didn't bother to un-sew it.  Parts of it could have probably been re-used.

They asked that yellows, teals and blue be in the block but we could add stuff from our stash.  The blocks I saw on the shops facebook page look a good deal more yellow, LOL BUT I didn't get a fabric kit.  They get what they get, right?

Wouldn't this be pretty done up in 30 reproductions as well?

Here was my 2nd attempt so maybe it is a bit lighter.

The pieced part of the block finishes at 10 inches but the sashing bits bumped it up to 14 inches which looks huge to me!  If I were to make this again using my own stash or cut squares I would be tempted to go with 2 inch cut instead of 2.5.  My Bama Belles pals might well recognize some of these scraps from the Spring Sew-In since we were sharing from our strip/cut squares containers.

My friend Maggie told me this morning that the quilt shop (Fabricate in Bar Harbor, ME) had met recently to assemble some of the donation blocks into the first top.   They will be selling raffle tickets throughout the summer and fall with the drawing in early November of this year.  By making a block I get 5 automatic chances at it.   They had received 70 blocks to this point and it looks like they used 24 or 25 in the first one.

So what do I want to do this afternoon?   My low back is squawking at me a bit so I don't know that I feel like wrestling a quilt around and quilting.  I enjoyed sewing yesterday so maybe do a few more album blocks, last seen HERE.    I started those at the sew-in last month and set it aside for the FAB challenge log cabin which also was set aside.   I have two bed sized quilts essentially half done that I really should allow myself to finish.   I can also think of a couple of things I would like to do as a reward once the tops are done.  Think that is why I got stalled out??  Well, today I'll just sew some blocks and not think past that, other than just how many do I need for a pro bono top???

Journey of a thousand steps.................

There have been a little progress around here in the "preparing to sew" department.  I pulled the two main fabric bins out that contain my green fabric stash and tried to what I had that would work for the Paint Chip Challenge.  When I found the light colored tones and couple darks that possibly work, I knew that my idea to proceed with the August Button Up was probably the way to go.  The light greens are for the watermelon rind area and darks for the rind itself.  Even if some of these are not quite the "right" shade for the paint chip deal they WILL work for the overall project as there are 6 different blocks.  The notes on the paint chip card are the shades of Moda Marble that I thought were close if I had to buy some yardage.

The pattern shows a black with red and green print for the sashing that I in no way can duplicate.  Either of the bits on the top would work and the top one probably more so because there is some red in it.  That choice will depend on what I use as the background in the block.  (They show 6 different light and dark greens, red, creams, etc in the pattern photo.)  I was light on rosy-pinky reds so I ordered some of that but refrained from any more than that preferring to use my stash where I could.   I can use some of the same colors in the May basket button up when I get around to it.   That last swirly piece on the bottom of the stack may be the backing. 

Speaking of the May Button Up, yesterday I found something that I like way more by the same designers.  The  Martingale Publishing blog  had some free summer themed patterns offered from some of  books of their stable of authors.  Of course, the Freebie #4 Liberty Door Panel Quilt caught my eye because it is from the Joined at the Hip gals.   Whats more, it is just 4 inches narrower than the button up panels so it would need only a few minor adjustments on the vertical sides to bump it up.  So a click on the book title Folk Art Favorites  and it shows more images shows.  There is  that same house but #3 in the slideshow has a cool harvest quilt and I LOVE #4 Bloom better than the May Button Up.    Bloom could cover BOTH May and June but again, would need the width bumped up.  Harvest could cover the rather plain September Button Up for September and October.  That is, IF I go that route.  Just scheming at the moment or rather imagining the possibilities.  Sometimes that is all it takes for me to get out the sewing doldrums.  That and giving myself permission NOT to quilt on that stack that is taunting me right now.  Journey of a thousand steps................

This is what I am actually preparing to sew after spending some time cutting yesterday and some time this morning when I laid hands on the WOW I had tucked away "in a safe place".  Fabricate quilt shop in Bar Harbor, Maine that is the home shop for a dear long time online friend is sponsoring a Fight Like a Quilter "Many Hearts" quilt block.  The local participants purchased a kit for a $5 donation, every cent of it,  to raise funds for those fighting ovarian cancer and off set their travel costs for treatment.  Maggie had done me some favors recently and this is one way I can repay her for her kindnesses.  Being so far away, I did not get the quilt kit with their fabric strips but believe I can come close to the feel of their blocks in spite of that. The organizers emailed me the pattern and I'll send the donation with the block or blocks.  They plan to raffle the quilt(s) throughout the summer and fall and every block maker will automatically be entered in the pot 5 times.  I over-cut so they may get more than one or I'll keep the one that did not turn out near as well. 

And sew it goes----quilting waited this long what is another day ---or two?  Next time I post it will be an actual quilt block, not a sketch!

standstill

Once again I have come to a screeching halt for sewing, quilting, piecing, whatever but that is not to say that it has not been on my mind.   Just the execution has stopped, LOL.

I can show you what I was piddling with the other day. I finally laid hands on the misplaced pieces of binding corners that one of the Belles had lent to me but I had not had time to explore yet. I thought I would make my OWN set so I could return hers plus try out the technique. This method eliminates the need to slip stitch the miter closed---turn it over and it is already mitered by machine and supposedly a nicer finish. I can bind fairly well but my corners always look a little sloppy to me so why not try it, was my thought.

First off let me say that this idea has probably been around since at least 1993. Linda Goodman Emery designed a mini-miter thing called "Corner Mark-It" way back when as it says so in the insert of the one I bought and stuck in my "carry to sewing events" basket. Never used it, never tried the technique. Must have considered it at some point or why buy the tool?  I had some problems mostly because I cut my strips 2 1/4 and not 2 or 2 1/2 inch like the ruler suggests but had hoped I could make some adjustments.

Also Rosa's examples some doing a variation of a mitered corner that I am used to doing but you don't start the seam at the folded edge as you normally do. I took some pictures that might explain it better than my words.

Goodman Emery and Deborah Manlove both use straight strips for binding---folded back out the way to add into the quilt sides and then a pointy seam thing. Manlove uses her own tool called "The binding Thingy" but it looks very similar to the Corner Mark-it but narrower and few more lines on it but it looks similar.  Yep, I bought another tool only to find it I had something very much like it.  And it doesn't work any better than the other one because my strips are a tad too narrow.   Manlove has a video on you tube if you want to check it out---maybe it will work better for you but as for me, till the cut binding is used up it is the old way for me!  I need more practice, LOL.

Here I am trying to make my set like Rosa's------up to that point business as usual but I hope you can see that the stitching did not start where it normally does.

Below shows the angle marked with the tool.   My problem was the extra wide seams on the machine to attach it in her example set and the wider binding to accommodate it.

But it did work if you look at the example below----I got mine to work but poked a hole in it trying to get the corner to lay down right. I also may have trimmed it incorrectly.

Then I switched over to doing it the Tangled Threads "Binding Thing" way.  I think I get it.

It did work but I see a few stray threads on the front and the binding folds over a bit more than it should.  She suggests adding a bit of batting to fill the corner and mine would need it especially since I probably trimmed away more than I should  have.

Again, I need practice and properly cut width strips before I try it again.  Operator error, LOL not the fault of the designer at this point.

~~~~~~~~~~~
I had switched out machines after Bama Belles met last week thinking I would start quilting.  As I said that did not happen and may not happen today either.   I did not feel well on Thursday and spent most of the day down in bed.  Friday was feeling better but it still didn't happen.  I was uploading music to I-tunes so I could donate the CDs and DVDs----less is more after all.   Saturday Friendship Quilters guild in Pell City.  Yesterday, grocery errands and typing up minutes for both the guild meeting and the executive board meeting plus dealing with some of my own home matters paperwork.  I have the usual Monday errands to run---post office, bank and another run to Walmart for my own purchases plus get my hair trimmed in an hour across the lane, two meals to fix and husband who needs HIS hair cut too.  Always something!   I promise I will be back, Eric the Red,  just not today. (I quilt with my Viking).  I may try to cut out the "Fight Like a Quilter" heart block I need to have turned in to a quilt shop in Maine by mid June though.  Sewing it would be "gravy" on a day like today.

Also under consideration---------
Shelia has issued a paint chip challenge for Friendship Quilters with a small project of any type in time for the Christmas meeting.  Here is the one I pulled---she had them fan folded like an upside down deck of cards and we drew one.   Mine ranges from "Clear Spearmint Frost through Fine Pesto and ends with Raw Winter Spinach"   Who thinks up these wacky names???  But suffice it to say, it is a nice shade of green, fairly clear toned and not overly grayed to the sage end of things.  I think the Moda Marbles card matches at least three of them fairly closely but I need to take it out in the sunlight, if that ever comes around again, to be sure.  We are to use two colors minimum of the 7 on the card.  So far my existing stash does not show any matches.  Maybe I should mail one of these paint chip things to my mom and see how her stash matches up?  I won't need much!!

 Participation is voluntary but it might be fun especially since the field is so wide open as to what to make.  It could be anything from a mug rug, purse or wall hanging and any points in between.  If I am really clever I could kill two birds with one stone too---combine challenges. Or come to think of it,  these tones may work in the August button up when I need to come up with greens and pinks for summer watermelons.      Hey, I am liking that idea!!!    HMMMMMM  Image is from the Joined at the Hip button up website and this is BU#8 for the month of August.

I also like the Monica Solorio-Snow from Happy Zombie blog's "Bubble Runner" shown in the October 2011 American Patchwork and Quilting magazine----fun brights that might work for this idea.  Picture of it seen HERE.  Inspired by that cake plate shown next to it, says in the article.  HMMMM again.

I can keep up the surfing all day.  Googling "paint chip challenge" and see what pops up might be dangerous when I have other stuff to do.  Got go get this day rolling starting with getting dressed and making my bed!

Hope you have a good day and thx for stopping by---------

Golden Springs Baptist Quilt and Car show, part 2

Bev who belongs to Bama Belles and the Lick Skillet Quilt Guild in Oxford, AL made 10 Quilts of Valor tops in 2011. Some were quilted by Craig Heyer of Birmingham or Margaret R who is also an active member of Lick Skillet Guild. I won't identify which ones as in some cases that is not known.

This last one was entered by Ann B, 2010-2012.  "This quilt was made to decorate a room in the Americana theme"

Golden Springs Baptist Quilt and Car show, part 1

A few of the quilts that caught my eye at the quilt show this past Saturday-------they had a program printed up so I will use the descriptions provided.

1-12  Mountain Mist pattern by Doris Swanson 1942-1944.  The woman who owns it submitted the following:  "My grandmother made many quilts during her retirement years.  Each of the four granddaughters received two at the time of her death.  My sister and I stayed in their home during months of High School.  I was privileged to watch her as many were being made on big quilting frames"  I believe it is type of dahlia pattern as the petals were raised.  I love the yellow!

1-26  Emily's Quilt "made by her great-aunt Linda Stedham for her newly painted lavender bedroom.  Emily's favorite color in 2010 was purple."

1-28  Mother's Handkerchief by Mary Ann Lipham, 2012.  "While cleaning out my mother's home after her death, I found a bundle of old handkerchiefs she had kept.  I made this quilt in memory of her."

1-31 Christmas Sampler by Beverly H and members of the JOY Quilt Guild, 2008.  Beverly said "Some members of quilt guild made squares, then we traded squares.  I participated two years until I had 24 squares.   I had to make several to have enough.  I put the quilt together and it was quilted by Susan Walls".   Beverly is also a member of my little quilt group.

1-44.  Lotsa Potsa by Brenda M, 2009.  "This is a quilter's rendition of floral topiaries in an attic window setting."  Brenda is also one of my Bama Belles.

1-59  Drunkard's Path---maker unknown.  Shawnee wrote "I bought this quilt top for $65 in 2000.  It is hand quilted and appeared to be old.  I am sad for the family of the person who made this quilt that a piece of their heritage is lost to them but happy for me that this quilts has a found a loving home."

2-16 Log Cabin by Brenda M, 2007.  "This is a color wave Log Cabin pattern."

2-17  DeColores by Brenda M, 2009.  "DeColores is the greeting to others when you have attended the Walk to Emmaus or Vio de Cristo.  It means "All the Colors" in nature and under God."

3-2 Friendship Quilt of Valor by Shawnee W., 2011.  "This quilt was made for a veteran at the new veteran's facility to be opened  in 2012 in Pell City.  A thank you for his/her service to our country.  Quilted and pieced by Navy Veterans, Shawnee W and Margaret R."

Our friend Bev had a bunch of QOV tops but I will post them in a separate post---part 2 if you will.

Meeting Day

Job one today-----wind 66 yards of batting onto two cardboard cores.  I had dropped one box of our shipment off last week when I was delivering my quilt entries across the street from our meeting place.  I unboxed it so was not surprised when the storage closet was almost pushed  open by the batting roll on the other side of the door.

Bev and then Lois lent a hand in getting this rolled off the giant roll.  Since Lois had three tops to pin we just rolled off what her quilts required while we were at it.

Here is a boy themed rag quilt that Bev had turned in for the kids.  Cute, huh?  Teresa has one as well but hers still needs to be clipped and laundered so I told her I would wait to take the picture for our photo album.

We were missing a few of our regulars today but Nancy and Julie stopped by.  Later Aline came with her little great-grand Lilly.  Lilly just turned a year old recently and was charming all of us.  Aline had an adorable Turning Twenty top that we pinned---lots of dots and bright colors.  Apparently sewing is a bit challenging when Lilly keeps her hopping as she does.  Go figure!  For that reason I am going to quilt the top up.  She may get it back for binding detail though.

And this is a quilt that Teresa made for her son and daughter-in-law as their wedding present.  I believe she used a pattern from Maryquilts but I am not sure what Mary called it.  It is a double rail type block obviously---endless stairs, maybe??  The red and black were the theme colors picked by the bride.

We had pinned this recently and Teresa quilted it herself.  She is fairly new to quilting but is doing well.  I showed her how to do the blind hem applique stitch on the binding today.  As I am incessantly saying it is NOT a hemming stitch like a skirt---you hide the stitches!  I had to drag over a lamp I had left at the meeting site so we could see, LOL--dark red/black print backing and black binding!  As soon as she gets this finished up it will be presented to the bride and groom so I DID take a shot of it though it is not quite done.

I had planned to sew a bit more on "My Sunshine" today but I ended up helping to pin and just did not get to it.  Even had my sewing machine with me but never did get around to threading it.  That's okay though.  I can sew at home and it is better to stay flexible on meeting days.  Help out where I can or provide instruction if asked, whatever needs to be addressed.  A couple of us headed out to lunch after we got the meeting room back in order and went on home from there.

That stack in the bedroom is getting so high that I am thinking about setting up to quilt instead of piece.  The machine I use to piece is packed up so it would be easy enough to swap things out.  I count 13 quilts---1 QOV, 12 kids pro bono quilts ten of which are me generated.  Several of the gals have asked if I have any binding that they could help with----nope, not till I get them quilted.  It may be time.

And sew it goes---------