I'm working like crazy trying to get the binding sewed down on a couple of quilts I need to finish before our guild meeting on Thursday, so nothing exciting to show yet.
I did get another DMBOM from The Fat Quarter Shop and completed it. I think this is my favorite block so far.
Note: This block is messed up! The side pieces are reversed! New kit is here and repairs will be made. Oy--when the ADD types sew and watch TV at the same time!
Last weekend I whipped up a kit given to my by my dear friend Nancy, NP. I selfishly wanted to keep it, but since Scott and Erin announced their engagement on Halloween and as of this writing, intend to marry next Halloween, I felt a little seasonal gift was in order.
Nancy sent me this darling kit from The Fat Quarter Shop that included a pattern, some backing and binding, rick-rack and a charm pack for the line "Pumpkins Gone Wild." Sandy Gervais designed this line, and I just love her funky, happy fabrics.
The kit worked up quickly and I liked that, so I may order another charm pack and make one for me!
Feeling relieved and at peace this election day Presidentially speaking.
I'm sorry about the expected passage of Proposition 8. Marriage is marriage, regardless of gender. I've been married three times, twice to men who didn't seem to grasp the concept. In my not-so-humble opinion, if a same-sex couple can find the happiness that I finally found this time around, well, more power to 'em.
Well, it's that time of year again, and the Sew-A-Rows are rolling in. Here are a few that I just photographed that were late (and two of them were mine!), along with the starter rows.
This project was started by Pat and finished by me (top row). Pat donated some lovely Hmong reverse applique bands to go with her squares and though I was able to use a long piece, there is still one more for the other end if desired.
Pat also contributed these lovely pieces of Southeast Asian cross stitch and Veline, Marguerite, Diana and I all added other bits of imported textiles from Guatemala and South America.
Finally, Joyce started this Christmas fabric Log Cabin and was joined by Earlene, Elizabeth, Genie and Meri Kay to make this darling Christm
as wallhanging. The embroidery on the lower set of birds is done by hand and this picture does not do justice to this piece.
As always, my fellow guild members continue to ama
ze me with their creativity. The Sew-A-Rows will be starting a bit later this year so I can hopefully get some really creative starter rows without the pressure of getting them turned in before the holidays. They better look out because I'm going to start bugging them this week.
Stay tuned for more pictures!
Son Scott just called and after several months of teeth-gnashing and worry, he popped the question to his longtime girlfriend Erin and she said YES.
WooHoo! Color us excited!
Note to "Anonymous":
Yes, as a matter of fact, they do lean left, and proudly so,
Best wishes of the day. Must go get ready for the influx of goblins. It rained off and on today and while we need the moisture, I hope it doesn't keep the kiddies home. I love Halloween!
Which, by the way, is an excellent book by Ray Bradbury, but also a great description of my sewing room these days.
Yesterday, I accomplished most of the top assembly of the Verna Mosquera BOM. The bottom row is not attached yet because I have a wee bit of embellishing to do as well as appliqueing down some of the small areas that overlap after the blocks are sewn together. My goal was to finish the main part of the top by Halloween and I've done it! The borders are applique as well and those will be next.
Here is my progress on the kit I bought at PIQF, a Day of the Dead quilt. Cutting out all of these little spaces from the white fabric after bonding the Steam-a-Seam II was tedious, but it's done! This quilt will not be finished for this year, but I've managed to make a pretty good start on it.
As a reward to myself, I signed up for another Halloween BOM, this one Baltimore Halloween by Pearl Pereira and Amidon Quiltworks. This one is a bit more complicated, but I'm up for it.
The question is, how many Halloween quilts can you make before you have too many? Is it possible?
It has been a busy week with the Snooze-You-Lose mini group and The Lunch Bunch getting together (isn't having quilty pals the best?), but really people, I haven't even unpacked most of my PIQF booty except for one thing. Oh, and the sleep study follow-up. Maybe once I get the breathing machine (CPAP), I'll get enough sleep at night to give up naps which will equal more sewing time!
Sadly, I didn't sew as much at PIQF as I'd hoped, but I did manage to start a NEW project that I purchased while I was there. I think I'm more of a handwork person when it comes to travel on short trips, so will plan accordingly next time.
I did, however, run into a blogging pal from Down Under! Tara, aka Tazzie, was visiting the US on vacation and was hanging out on preview night with my old buddy from way back, Marilyn! I knew she was going to be there, but didn't dream I'd get to mee
t her in all the hubub that is PIQF. We are pictured here right near the Bonnie Blue Quilts booth where a bit of damage was done by one and all. It was great to finally meet Tazzie as I'm using a cute sewing mat I bought from her under my travel machine whenever I use it. She's a sweetheart, just like you'd think from reading her blog.
I've finished all but the final block for the 1800's sampler and most of the lattice stars are done as well. I'll be putting them up on the design wall tomorrow (maybe) and asking your opinion on arrangements. The next installment of the Designers Mystery Block of the Month is done as well.
I got a couple of quilts back from my Sistah Becky that she'd worked some magic with and now have them to bind before Thanksgiving. Because they are a semi-secret project, I won't post pictures until they are delivered.
Applique Skeleton Update: 2 ribs left and then the dentition!! (It has been suggested by my Sistah Kathy that one tooth is just enough and I'm thinking she may be right!)
Via Malagueta's blog. She was my recipient for last winter's Four Seasons Quilt Swap, so I check her blog as it updates. For a $10 donation you can win a "Yes We Can" quilt by renowned quilt artist and designer Denyse Schmidt. And even if you don't win the quilt, you can still support a winner!
A description from the Obama website:
Renowned contemporary American quilt artist Denyse Schmidt and friends have created a quilt inspired by Barack Obama’s message of hope and change. Long before women had the vote, they created quilts with political and commemorative themes. We are proud to participate in this honorable tradition.
Help us support Barack Obama’s campaign! Make a $10 donation and you will be entered into a drawing to own this historical heirloom. Contribute any amount in increments of ten to increase your odds of winning (in more ways than one). For instance, donate $50 and you name will be entered into the drawing five times.
The 50” x 52” quilt is 100% cotton, hand-appliquéd and machine-quilted.
Make donations now through midnight on election day November 4th. One lucky winner will be drawn randomly from the pool of supporters.
Time is short and the stakes are high. A donation to Barack Obama is an investment in our future.
Spread the word – the world will thank you for it!
It was newsletter week for the S.R. Quilt Guild and a bit of my time was taken up with that endeavor, so machine time has suffered. I have been hand-sewing a lot on a secret project that cannot be divulged at this time. I'm going to photograph it today so I can post pictures after it has been sent away.
In the meantime, I received this wonderful block from my pal Kathy B--her second for this project. She did a wonderful job on Judy's Star, didn't she?
I made a couple myself this week, Peaceful Hours, a block I'd sent to Moira for the swap, but the copies I sent of the templates were wonky and she made 3--count them 3--trial blocks without success. I was able to make the block by tracing exactly the templates in the book, and even then, I had to remake one star point section. I certainly appreciate Moira's above and beyond efforts and the replacement she sent.
Finally, here is today's block, named Ohio Trail by Marsha McCloskey. I likt the little four patches in the corners and how they completely change this otherwise plain old Ohio Star.
I now have 14 blocks with one still out, so I'll be making about 4 more. Looking at my blocks, I just realized that Molly made this block as well--d'oh--but with the colorways being pretty different, it won't be easy to tell. Sheesh, all the record-keeping on who-got-what color and patternwise was a real effective system, wasn't it???
Scratching head in Santa Rosa,
I may possibly have mentioned that I love Halloween. Just a little.
Now, its October and the countdown is on. I took my Halloween quilts out of the closet and have to figure out where to hand them this year.
This is the first Halloween quilt I ever made, back in 1998. I used the old bug jar pattern with Spooky fabrics and because I was pretty pissed off about the Clinton impeachment hearings, I took a picture from Time magazine of Ken Starr looking like he'd sucked a lemon and made it into "Starr in a Jar " (next to last block, top row). I took various pictures of Newt Gingrich and made and "Eyes of Newt" jar as well (second block, second row). Finally, I added a quilter in the last jar of the bottom row. I used a wood-textured black tone on tone and call the quilt "Dracula's Pantry" and if you enlarge the picture you can see the "D" I quilted at the top.
Now, to go finish machine quilting some sweet, pink, baby girl quilts!
Seasonally yours,
And the metatarsals and metacarpals and let us not forget the ribs, incisors and canines. In other words, the skeleton is the last man standing as it were. I finished the embellishments on the shoe full of candy last night and did a few more ribs and metatarsals (toes).
Here's a sneak peek at the skeleton so far. I need to re-size the lower tombstone and make it a bit smaller before I can applique it down. The cauldron needs some embellishment and instead of the plain bubbles I'm using the new Clover yo-yo maker to make 3/4" yo-yos. (yes, we are missing a phalange on one foot and need to cut another)
Also on deck are some quick panel baby quilts backed in flannel for baby girls born in the San Joaquin Valley during August. Babies in that region don't need their quilts right away if born in the summer, but time is coming soon when they will. Daughter Kate's friends keep this Nana very busy!
Arrived today from my friend Karrin. I now have only 2 blocks yet to arrive, but Sistah Kathy B. has informed me that her top is done with 9-inch blocks, 13 total, and that I need to do 5 more to make the top bigger. She wouldn't lie to me and has already told me that she is making one additional block, so I guess I need to get with the program, eh?
Here is a peek at all 10 blocks I have to date.
And, I got the 4th block of the Designers Mystery Block of the Month from The Fat Quarter Shop and it is
now history. I also finished my SR Quilt Guild Challenge just in the nick of time for the meeting last week. The theme was "Vote 2008" and those words had to appear on the quilt. Mine was a fairly minimalist effort and done at the last minute even though I'd beeen percolating the idea ever since the challenge was announced in February. Photo tomorrow.
We just got back from a week at Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii, enjoying the fun and sun, but not the humidity. Being a lifelong Californian and living in a pretty dry climate, I didn't do too well with the heat and humidity. I did love swimming in the ocean and actually not freezing to death. Oh, and the fresh pineapple and Kona coffee. Delicious!
While I was gone, I got some more Lotto blocks from my girlfriends, and that was almost as good as sewing them myself! Sunday, my friend Sandi and I will go to the Napa Quilt Show where we will meet up with our friend Kathy B. Good Times!
