Quilt Show!

Wow!  I made it to the NQA show last Thursday in Columbus, Ohio with my sister-in-law Betty, my niece  Heather,  (Betty's Daughter) and  my grand niece Jorjia, (Heather's Daughter).  It was a fun day to be with family and quilts!  Also saw and visited with some guild friends!  The Show as very good this year. 

The quilts that made the winner's circle were exceptional.  Sharon Schamber's  'Once Upon a Time' and  Mary S. Buvia's quilt 'Once Upon a Time' were out standing.  There was a good mix of traditional quilts and art quilts,  Wall hangings and bed quilts.  Some of the quilts made political statements.  The Power Suits Quilt exhibit was displayed.  Over 100 quilters took material from mens suits and made a small quilt on the theme of "Power Suits".  These were very thought provoking and many different techiques were used in the creating the quilts.

Sue Gruber from my guild had 2 quilts entered in the show.  In this quilt, Sue hand dyed all the fabric  (see picture below) which is remarkable because she is color blind.  She had help from her hubby picking out thread to match each color for the quilting.   This picture makes the colors look primary but they were a richer color in person.  I have some scrap triangles from the edges to "play" with!

 I was looking for quilting motifs and ideas for quilting.  Here are some of the ideas I though were pretty ingenious.  Densely quilting a triangle in a plain border and then not quilting the next triangle.  It made it look pieced that way!  (Oh no,  I didn't take a picture of that!!)

 This Zig-Zag quilting in a leaf or melon shape was nice.














This heart motif was Beautiful and so detailed with crosshatching, pearls and a smaller heart in the middle.







These are some of the best Daffodils I have seen appliqued or pieced.  The ruching for the top of the trumpet just made them look real.












  I also liked how the quilter did the lily of the valleys, but I am not sure how they were done.  (Sorry for the poor picture)










Here is a picture of the entire quilt.  It was a spring garden for sure!

 I saw some really nice edge finishes. This one was hearts appliqued and then on the under side, flat cord made from fabric knotted and tacked to the heart points.

 This edging was very striking.  It consisted of  semi-circles with little prairie points  between.  There was no binding like most quilts so the edge shone and framed the quilt.  Sorry I didn't get a picture of the entire quilt. ;-(

I finished the show out with some shopping.  (Boring stuff like needles & thread.) But I did go a little, well maybe very crazy.  On an impulse,  I bought a new sewing machine.  It is the Janome Horizon machine 7700.  I am going to love it,  I loved my 6500 Janome but this one had some great new features that will make free motion quilting easier for sure.  I picked the machine up at The Red Rooster Quilt Shoppe in Dublin Ohio Saturday  morning.  I know I am kinda crazy to buy a machine in Dublin and live in BG, but I couldn't help myself. :-)


Hope many of you are able to get to a quilt show this summer.  They are so full of inspiration!

Joyfully,

Marsha

It's time to get back to some sewing!  I have puttered the last few days up in the sewing room but didn't get much done.   Mom was not a quilter, but she did sew clothes and curtains.  I  brought home  2 boxes of "stuff".  There is lots of bias tape, hem tape and even some double-knit!  (Double knit does make easy to care for tablecloths as they wash up nice, and no iron!)  I did find about 6 aprons she had cut out in the "wonderful country prints from the 1980s" and then she was going to put premade bias tape around the edges.  ugh!  I will finish the one she almost has basted, but the others will be cut into scraps via Bonnie Hunter's method.  :-)

 I am going to start back with A Lovely Year of Finishes this month.  In April, I was doing a challenge quilt for my guild which was due on April 11th  and I got it done.  Then I had to get the taxes done and on Monday the 15th, I went to take care of Mom and Dad, I never even started on the project I chose for April.  So o o o o.  I am going to make that my quilt to finish this month!  (See post of April 7th for move quilt details)

May we all joyfully finish our June projects!

Marsha

A Tribute to my Gentle-man Father

         It has been 2 months since I have written on the blog or sewed.  April was a daze of a month.  My Dad died.  He was a true gentleman.  Holding the door open for Mom and me at Wendys until the end.  He found out he had a tumor on/in his stomach/esophagus on Friday the 12th and on April 28th in the morning he left this world to be with Jesus in Heaven.
         Dad grew up during the depression and lost his father when he was 9 years old.  Fought in World War II and came home and married his sweetheart (67 years they celebrated). He started his family (3 children), and he provided for us and build a house which became a home that developed into a great neighborhood to grow up in.  Family get-togethers were many and he loved to celebrate Christmas!   He made sure we were involved in church, 4-H and  scouts.  That we played (or tried to) a musical instrument.  
          When he was 47 years old he quit his job and started a manufacturing company that made metal parts for many other companies.  Just two years ago he turned the company over to his sons.       
           Dad adored Mom.  In later years as Mom's memory failed, he became her caregiver.  When he found out about the tumor, he told the doctors,  "I have to get well to take care of my wife."  Even though he also had bone cancer, they were willing to try to see if they could give him more time with Mom.  I have to think that he was taking care of  Mom until the end. He was moved from the hospital to skilled nursing in a community home that had respite care for Mom in the  assisted living wing.  Now she is living there and doing well. 
            Dad lived 89 years on this planet and he lived it well.  His love will live on in each of his children and grandchildren.  Love you Dad!

Marsha

        Here I am down to the wire in posting my goal for April in  "A Lovely Year of Finishes".  This first week has been a busy one.

        A great thing happened today.  The temps outside hit 70 degrees!!! and one daffodil bloomed today in our garden which I can see from the kitchen sink window!! Tomorrow there should be more blooms!  I love daffodils and their yellow color.  They make me happy!

        The project I picked for this month is another layering, basting, quilting and binding of a quilt top I did last summer.  I wanted to sew a lasagna quilt (Also know as the 1600 inch quilt or a jelly roll quilt)  I went into my box of strips and found some I thought would 'play' together nicely. 

            Some were the width of the fabric and some were 22" and some were longer.  I collected what I guesstimated as 1600" and started sewing.  ( really think there are more that 1600" inches)

This is a super fast way to make a quilt! 

 I put a border of white and them some extra scraps and white for the outer boarder.   I think, I will bind with the white.   

I enjoy looking at projects everyone posts.  May we all finish our projects with Joy this month.

Marsha

       It is Done!  I made my goal for March to  "A Lovely Year of Finishes" with the dishes, wash and housework put on hold! 

I wasn't home 18 days this month and during that time I got sick too, so not much was done while I was gone.  So the last week I was sewing at lunch, sewing waiting for dentist appointment, sewing each evening and sewing at Easter family dinner and I got it done!

I put my own spin on the pattern.   I left out the "Liberty Garden"  at the top.  Wool leaves were added at the bottom instead of just stitched leaves.  I used buttonhole stitch around the "daisy" flower stems and a running stitch around the tulip leaves.  I also used 2 shades of green when I was doing the stems and the lazy daisy stitches. 

The blue flowers had to be cut out with sissors, because the hole punch I had wouldn't cut the wool.  It went fast though. 

On the tulips I added stitching to add a bit of detail.  You and see the V shape I stitched in the tulips.

I just have french knots to stitch in the center of the "daisy" flowers. Then to layer and bind!  I plan to finish that this week along with doing our taxes, (ugh!)

Wishing all a joyful finish to March which is going out like a Lamb here. 


Marsha

I have been away from my sewing machine this month and away from home too!  I have been taking care of our son in Florida after he had foot surgery on the 8th.  I took my project for this month's finish but didn't work on it much.  He is getting along very well and he 'sent' me home this past Saturday! 

I think why this project hasn't been done is that I didn't know how to place the appliques on the background and mark all the stems and leaves.  One day, after I had cut out all the items, and was placing them on the back ground, if I pinned them, the pins would stick me which didn't seem like fun ;-0.  So  I remembered tailor tacks. I used these years ago to mark the circles on my garment sewing pieces . The tailor tacks worked great!  I could stitch down each flower without getting poked! and pull out the 'tack' once I was finished. I  have  all the tulips sewed down and now on to the white flowers! 

I tried to take a picture, but the tailor tack thread was white and so wasn't the flower and it didn't show!  I will try later to get some pictures to show what I am talking about!

Marsha

On to March!  We had sunshine Sunday afternoon and all day yesterday!  It was a glorious gift as we haven't seen the sun in Northwest Ohio for weeks!

 I have chosen a hand sewing project for this month's A Lovely Year of  Finishes hosted by Sew BitterSweet Designs and Fiber of All Sorts. This pattern is so sweet and patriotic too!

 I just love the pattern and saw that it had stood the test of time by being published again in 2008  in the "Better Homes and Garden Fast and Fabulous Quilting Ideas".


 I purchased the wool in kit from a local quilt store over 8 years ago.  Back then I couldn't figure out how to mark the wool and there wasn't much info on how-to and blogs and surfing the computer for info never occurred to me back then! Lol! What a shame!


My goal is to get the entire top appliqued and embroider.  If I get it backed I will be happy.









 I have a busy month ahead and will be out of town most of the month.

Look for the Joy of Living!
Marsha

It is Finished!!  I did  the happy dance when I got the binding finished during "Castle" on Monday!.  #2 for  2013 - A  Lovely Year of Finishes hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts,

          I like how it turned out and hope the woman who will receive it, gets a bit of joy during a hard time in her life, as I am donating it to the local women's shelter here in our county.  Our quilt guild donates quilts to the women's shelter and makes youth and baby quilts for the Children Resource Center.

           The pattern is Bonnie Hunter's "String X", found in her free patterns.  I didn't use a foundation for the strip.  I just pieced the strip and then trimmed the ends with the template.  I only had a few places not match by doing it this way.  I  had picked up a lot of the scraps from the guild's free table and added some of my own.  I did have some trouble quilting as I quilted all of the straight lines first  but got some creases when I was quilting inside the area I had stabilized. 


I had fun doing the flowers in the green part and decided to change up my 'go to' flower

and try some squared off petals

and then some narrow petals.

 These daisy blossoms were fun to do.    I put them around the edges.

 (Sorry for the too light pictures!  I will try to do better next time. :-) I quilted the border with straight lines of stitching.  Each time around, the the line of quilting was wider then the row before.  I think the border could use a bit more quilting as it does have a  little wave in it.

So glad this project is finished.   Have tried some new quilting designs and learned a bit about quilting borders! 

Thanks Melissa and Shana for the deadline!

Keep the Joy!
Marsha 

Three Day weekend to Sew!
        
I have a 3 day weekend and have been making some good headway into quilting my quilt for this month's goal for  "A Lovely Year of Finishes". 

Friday night, I starched and ironed the backing, and top and got it sandwiched and pin basted.

           Saturday, I didn't get to do any sewing but it's ok.  I had a great day with hubby and son.  We celebrated son's 27th birthday by taking him to a movie  (Argo) and then dinner at Granite City.  The movie kept you on the edge of your seat,  and while I was a young adult during that time in our history, I don't remember anything about the 6 who came home before the other hostages.  The meal was wonderful.  I had the best hamburger with toppings! I couldn't pick it up so I ate it with a fork! 


             Sunday,  I did get to sewing and made some headway on quilting the top.  I decided to outline the lattice work and then do a design through the lattice work.  In the green squares I am going to freemotion  a flower design.  The thing that drove me nuts last night was getting "lost" in the maze of outlining.  I didn't want to go over lines twice so I would get stuck somewhere.  At the end.  I took the quilt and marked every seam I need to quilt with painter's tape. 






(I hope it sticks on until I get to that place)  Today, I am planning to finish up the outlining and then start the quilting.  So onward I go.


Marsha!

Wow, it's the 6th day of the month and I haven't had time to link up with A Lovely Year of  Finishes! 

 I have been sewing, piecing really;  working on an old Block -of-a-Month.  I finished block 7 and now working on block 5.   These 2 blocks also have pieced blocks for the first border.  It is 'Northern Skies' from Thimbleberries.   I will have some pictures, once I find my camera.  I was using it on Sunday, but now can not find it. LOL!  It drives me crazy some times.

            Anyway!  I decided  what project I do want to finish this month.  It is a quilt that is all pieced with bright pinks, purples, yellows and lime greens.  I love how happy it it.  It is a Bonnie Hunter's pattern from her blog.     Here are 2 blocks

 but to be fair, I have the entire top pieced and the back ready to go.  Just a good pressing/starching, pin baste and then quilt and bind.   Whew!  that sounds like a lot to do, but,  I am going to try really hard to get it done this month.






Best wishes to everyone to meet their February goal!

Joyfully sewing along,

Marsha

I just sewed the last stitch on the binding!!  It's Done!  My first finish for "A  Lovely Year of Finishes" hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts .

 I did choose the 'funky' green-gold thread to quilt swirls over the entire quilt.

 I had never tried the swirls, but they were fun to do.  Do a few big ones, and then a small one, then maybe a loop to get somewhere and then more swirls!   

 The yellow green thread works good with the white stars too!

Really liked seeing everyone's progress this month.   Thanks Melissa and Shanna for the 'push' to get it done!

Seize the Joy!

Marsha

Saturday's Sewing Room Tip

Today, I have been busy binding 2 quilts. One quilt needed black binding.  I used the 'square method' (That what I  am calling it, I don't know what it's called) where you cut a square of fabric on the diagonal and sew  it back together into a tube and then cut into bias strips,  I couldn't remember the formula to know how big a square to cut.  So, I had a 27 inch square of black fabric and ended up with 312 inches of binding!  After binding the quilt I was left with a 108 inches of binding.  Well, as I rolled it up, to put it in my "binding box", I realized I always had to measure the pieces to use them.  So,  I wrote the length and width of the binding on the fabric tie.  Now the information won't get lost!

So, use a scrap of fabric to gently tie together your binding, and write the length and width on the tie!  Easy does it!

Marsha

Look for Joy in your Day!

Local Quilt Shopping
 
I'm a day late, but I did make it to my local Quilt Shop for some "Fabric Therapy" on 'Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day' yesterday January 24th.  I am so lucky to have a quilt shop just 1 1/2 miles from home.  It is The Busy Thimble and is a great little shop.  There is a nice selection of fabric and books, and it keeps up with what's new especially with the Civil War fabrics and fabrics.  I love that I can get a spool of thread when I need it and they even sell Blendables from Sulky .  Yesterday, I wanted some solids.  This Modern Quilt movement has gotten my attention, and I want to try my hand at it.  A beautiful shade of aqua and then white which seems to be a necessity in the Modern Quilt movement came home with me.   I hope you were able to make it your local shop.  What did you purchase?

Marsha

It's the 15th of the month!

            It's the 15th of the month and time to check in with "A Lovely Year of Finishes".  I was really pleased to get it all pinned together with the backing.  The backing was only 2 inches bigger than the top so it was touch and go at times to make sure all was covered! I think this sandwiching the quilt is one of the places I 'stop' the process of finishing. 

           I also have taken a look through my threads to find a good one to quilt with.  I have some light patches but most are mediums.  What do you think of my choices?  I know, It's hard to tell.  One is a 'funkie' gold & green varigated thread,  another is a blue varigated and then the orange varigated.  I am leaning towards the "funkie one or the orange.

I hope everyone is getting there quilts finished for January. . .  Now on to quilting!

Keep finding the Joy!
 
Marsha

  A new year brings new beginnings

This weekend, I got my sewing room put back into use after it reverted back to our older son's bedroom  at Christmas time.  It was great to have him home and to give up my workroom for a bit!

In 2012, I made a list of all the projects I had started with the hopes I would finish most of them.  (40+ projects)  Well, I did do a lot of quilting and mending last year.  I started more projects, (some getting finished)  and finished only 2 of the projects on the list,  my Vegetable Garden quilt, from a pattern in Quiltmaker Magazine  and a quilt for my husband that was a mystery quilt.

 Soo. . . that wasn't going to well in getting old UFOs finished.

Well I stumbled onto a blog "bittersweet designs" and Melissa was blogging about  " 2013 ~ A Lovely Year of Finishes".  Well I though about it for a week and decided, maybe, if I put a project out there for all to see, I will finish it in the month.  It's worth a try, right?

So,  This month, I am quilting 2 quilts.  One is the 2012's Black Swamp Quilt Guilds mystery quilt.  It is so bright and joyful, Aqua, Yellow and White.  It makes me smile.  And I want it done for a meeting on Thursday. (I better work fast)






 

The other one which is for the "Lovely Year of Finishes" is the 'Robot Quilt'.

I pieced it over 5 years ago, the backing is finished, and the binding is made.  Why it never got finished, I am not quite sure.  I love the quirk color combination, and while there isn't a robot in the quilt, the words,  describe robots.  I made monkey wrench and friendship star, and 9 patch blocks because you need a wrench to make a robot :-) and this robot is going into space!  This quilt needs sandwiched, quilted and bound.

Ready to have some quilting joy!