Another Birthday Quilt day

Today was another Amazing Quilt Babes birthday stitch day. Since it's been a while since I've explained how my stitch group does this, maybe I should explain it again!

There are 6 of us in the group. Usually in December, we set our calendar for the next year, planning a stitch day about every 6 weeks (none in the month of December). Then we draw names to see who gets which stitch day for their "birthday" gift. The birthday girl chooses the pattern, makes sure to bring instructions for everyone, and might even teach a new technique or review and old one for the day. She also brings everything already cut and ready to sew - it is susually "kitted" up in baggies for the subsets of the larger blocks. For example, today, we had log cabin block baggies, and flying geese baggies.

We begin the morning about 9 AM or so, and sew until lunch time. We all bring our own lunch; the birthday girl brings dessert. Today it was a Baskin Robbins chocolate mint ice cream pie! Then back to sewing again until we run out of parts or out of steam or out of time. Today we got all but 16 blocks completed, and about 1/3of the quilt sewn together.

This is what Ibby brought as the diagram to show how the log cabins were constructed. She was REALLY prepared! And we even got a new phrase to use when pieceing; as in "I've got a 1230 here". This means that one of the pieces in the baggie was cut at 12:30 at night, and probably was cut the wrong size.

Here's the group, once again in our usually places. The birthday girl is wearing RED.

Not bad for having several 1230s along the way, and numerous re-takes on some blocks that weren't sized quite right. Lesson learned for today? Check the size of the block as you go, instead of waiting until you have almost 100 of them done! LOL! It made for a lot of chatting as we unsewed some of our early pieces. This quilt pattern is Double Duty by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company, 78" X 78". Most of the fabrics used were from Jo Morton's line. It's a great fat quarter project, too, as it takes 6 Fats for the geese, 10 Fats of lights for the log cabins and 18 Fats of mediums and darks, plus yardage for the setting triangles, backing and binding.

Now, I've got to get the suitcases out and get them into the room for packing. I'll pack my gear until the NCAA basketball game starts in about an hour then, I'll be in front of the television rooting for our KU Jayhawks! Then back to packing, and hopefully to bed early. Out of here bright and early tomorrow morning for Asilomar, near Pacific Grove California. See you in a week with tales of circles, ovals, un-paper piecing, and wavy gravy (my term) from Dale Fleming's class!

Another little quilt

Just a quick entry today. We've woken to the NOAH weather radio warning us of storms with quarter size hail, so I couldn't get back to sleep. Just a normal morning in KS in the springtime! For Margaret - the Welcome Spring wallhanging is 44" long by about 40" wide.

I haven't been feeling too "maverick" lately with all the finishing up projects I've been working on. Here is the 4th of the 6 charity quilts promised to Caritas Clinics by June. This quilt is 44" X 60" - a nice small lap quilt.


I also have a piece due by May for my annual Kansas Art Quilter's work, "Altered Views". (If you go to the web site, I've three pieces in the Covers Blown exhibit.) I've been toying with an idea with my mother's, my daughter's face, my grand daughter's face and mine all jumbled together. I'm leaving Saturday for Empty Spools seminars for a week with Dale Fleming of "6 minute circles". I'm thinking that some of the techniques I'll learn there will lend themselves quite nicely to my thoughts of "altered views". Empty Spools is at Asilomar State Park near Monterey CA (Pacific Grove). A wonderful retreat for me each year, too. I almost didn't go this year because of my mother's illness, but she insisted that I need to the time. Isn't that sweet of her?

Gosh!

Has it really been 2 weeks since I last posted on this blog? How time flies!

We've had crazy weather, just like everywhere else in blogland, but I think Spring really and truly will be here this week. In honor of that auspicious occasion, I finally finished the quilting on my Spring wallhanging. It's completely bound and ready to hang on the official day now.
Bonnie and Clyde had their annual trip to the vet yesterday. When I went to get Clyde, I found him here, sleeping as usual. It looks as if he is getting measured. He is longer than my 24" ruler, but I don't think that proving he is "tall" will keep the vet from telling him he is not tall enough for his weight.

The trip to the vet was uneventful for Bonnie, but Clyde got his spring haircut. Here he is showing off his clean tummy. I figured it was too much information to show his back side (under his tail). But when he is walking away from you, he looks like he is wearing riding pants! LOL! And yes, Dr. Gary told him he can only have 1/2 cup of the low-cal food a day, and Clyde is not a happy cat these days. He lays in front of his food dish, and looks at me as if to say "Don't you love me anymore?"

Stephen and Opa got the Gator out and checked out the flower beds. This picture was taken about 10 minutes before he conked out and fell asleep on the ride around the yard. He loves turning the key on for Opa...I'm afraid it won't be long before I look out and see him driving it around the yard on his own!

Two (of 6) 2007 Charity Quilts DONE!

I finally got the two quilts done (pieced), done (quilted), and done (bound) for January and February. I also have the March and April ones done, and waiting now for the inspiration for the second done to happen.

This blue/red/gold one is the last of the Carpenter's Star (or whatever it is) that will be done for Caritas.

We are going to use a Single Irish chain pattern for the 2007 quilts since it is quicker to piece and far quicker to quilt, too. I don't care much for the fabrics used in this quilt, but it IS bright and cheerful.

However, with that said, the next two (not shown yet) are NOT either one of these patterns LOL! I used the Minnesota Hot Dish, and discovered that I didn't care that much for my color choices and I knew I wouldn't like them any better by making them any larger. So, they will make great lap quilts in the necessary 45" X 60" sizes we need for the Clinic's purposes. Not only will I be making the March and April goals with these quilt tops, but also decreasing my UFOS. Such a deal! Once they are done and done, I'll post them, too.

When my friend Carolyn and I went to the Caritas fundraising auction, the I Spy Quilts sadly didn't generate much interest. So Carolyn won the bid on the pink one, and I won the bid on the blue one. Now, I don't have to make my little Stephen an I Spy quilt! Here he is inspecting HIS quilt!



Such is the life, isn't it? Nothing could be better than a spot in the sun, and a stack of quilts. Clyde thinks so!

I AM SO EXCITED!

First!

For the anonymous poster who asked about the 6.5" blocks in my friendship exchange in the last post: I always use basic blocks, and I think most if not all of these blocks came from either The Quick and Easy Block Tool by C &T Publishing or Barbara Brackman's Block Base. There are a couple of paper pieced ones done by my two friends, but since I DONT paper piece, I don't have a clue!

Also, someone way back when I posted my Beach Kitties asked me where I found the pattern. I have to admit that I put that question aside, then forgot about it while I was looking for the pattern so I could tell you about it. I still don't have a clue where the pattern went, but I CAN tell you that it was about 5 years ago that I got it. A note is on my design wall now, reminding me that if I find it, I will post the designer.

Now, about the news of why I am so excited!

I belong to the Kansas Art Quilters Organization. Each year, they earn a grant to further our artistic endeavors. And for the last couple of years, I have been fortunate enough to get one of the 15 or so seats in the classes. I've studied with Rayna Gilman, Rayna Gillman & Jette Clover on personal mark making and Jan Myers Newbury on shibori dyeing. So, imagine my surprise when one of my "sheroes" is going to be here in May AND I GOT A SEAT IN THE CLASS!!


In the event that you don't recognize this woman, her name is Jean Ray Laury, and she is FANTASTIC!!!!

So now, I am off to pin a couple more quilts to be ready for quilting, and take some pictures of the two charity quilts that are finally done! Tonight is one of the charity auction events where the I Spy and my friend Carolyn's quilt will be auctioned. Semi-formal, no less!