Almost Amish

My sister and her husband came to visit for a few days so I haven't been on the computer very much the past few days.
Getting the guest room ready gives me a chance to look at some of the antique quilts that I "store" layered on the queen size bed. It sort of reminds me of the Princess and the Peas fairytale - there are about a dozen quilts, each separated by a sheet, that have to come off the bed! This red, blue and black 9-patch came from a street-fair in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. I love the variety of black fabrics in it and from a distance it is "almost Amish" because of the near solids. I am participating in Tonyas "Liberated Amish" class - this would almost count.

Since the cats aren't allowed in that room naturally Brownie snuck in while I was working in there....note the guilty look on her face....

Today I am going to finish up a couple of wheelchair bags for our charity group and work on a new project - rughooking - for a couple of hours. I tried dying some wool last night during the superbowl for this project. Some came out good some - ah, not so good. Hopefully when cut into thing strips (worms) and poked into the linen background they will look better! Photos to come tomorrow....

Wordless Wednesday...

NOLA reunion

Faced with leaving his sick wife at home or staying home and missing his reunion in New Orleans my DH did the politically correct thing - he took me with him.
I wish I had been stronger so I could have gotten around the city more but there is a lot to be said for room service. (remember the children's book character Eloise whose favorite phrases were "room service" followed by "charge it please!) Well that was me for the past few days....

I did take one carriage ride and got in a lot of photos in a very short time...Combine the success of their football team and the upcoming Madi Gra and New Orleans was getting dressed to party! I think visiting the city before the parades is a good idea - everything is fresh and still intact...after the parade and the city looks like a sorority girl sneaking in the back door early on Saturday morning. Just a bit tired, worn and hung over.
Even though there were a few beads in unexpected places...

must have been the post game parties last weekend.
I know NOLA is famous for its blue-dogs...but I found some dogs equally as interesting...

where else but New Orleans would they put a hat like this on a Pit Bull...she was a sweetheart though!

And this black and white pup sure liked to sing...another sweet dog...

As usual the food was great. The city sure has come back a long way since Katrina. I found an Artist Co-op down near the French market, Dutch Alley at 912 N. Peters street, that I would strongly recommend visiting if you are in NOLA. Really a nice assortment of arts and crafts including a wide range of jewelry, great textiles, and wood turnings. The artists also work in the store and seemed to love talking about their works.

I just couldn't resist including this photo from the market...love the colors....maybe I need to do a NOLA quilt.....

Too much retreat...

Retreat was wonderful...lots of fun, food, fabric, friends, and general fooling around. What I didn't get was enough rest and I am so paying for it. Yup, the cold did a rebound that has laid me out flat for the past week. (don't tell my DH but yes, it was worth it!)

Just a few of the photos...

We have been called the guild that "forces" you to applique. We really don't strong arm anyone but when you see all the great applique quilts these folks make it just drives even the staunchest piecer to search out a straw needle and some freezer paper.... the photo above is a group project for a member's 60th birthday showing her garden and cats!


Can you believe two of our members each made one of these Piece of Cake quilts last year...they kept each other on track each month...right now they are working on the border (when not posing for photos....)The other was done in red...


This was out guild's 12th year holding this retreat and we had over 50 quilters attend! It is a good news bad new sort of thing...great to have all these quilters but now we may have to do a bit more planning. It was only sheer dumb luck no-one tripped over a cord or send a machine flying! We will do better next year....

A new quilter with her first sampler quilt...she finished two during the retreat!
We had some Kaffe Fasset fans there...Maggie has almost finished her top.

and it was nice to see I did not bring the most "stuff...." (good we have honest quilters though there is some great fabric in these totes!) Now it is back to guzzling some Theraflu and climbing back into bed...so glad my DH gave me lots of DVD's for Christmas...I just watched a couple of episodes of Firefly, Wild Wild West, and Cadfael....

To pack or not to pack...

This weekend is my guild's annual retreat up at a state park about 45 minutes from where I live. The way I am packing my bags you would think I was going to the other end of the Earth (assuming of course I am not traveling on an airline that charges for baggage...)

This is only one of the three "mounds" I have constructed with stuff I "need" for the three nights and four days. (You would of course think that my sewing room is stripped but alas, not the case and that is the topic for a future post titled "how did I end up with so many duplicate quilting tools....")

So I have spent several days debating what projects to bring...I mean there is a lot of sewing time in four days and three nights! I am working on a witch's hat with my friend Paula and we kitted that all up back in November - bag one. Then I have by old Baltimore Album blocks with the border fabric - bag two. My sister Jane's "Elvis meets Morris" quilt - box three. Then I may just want to quilt so now - box four. And what if....so that mound has 7 bags/boxes. Check....

Then there is the general stuff - ironing board, cutting mat, electric teapot, box of threads, sewing machine, and sewing supplies with lots of different needles. Do I bring a back-up sewing machine? Maybe not this time....Check....

On to the kitchen...banana bread is in the oven. I have packed lots of coffee, tea, sugar, creamer crackers, peanut butter, three bottles of wine and two boxes of chocolate. The ingredients for the apricot biscotti are on the counter waiting for the b-bread to get out of the way. A large batch of spaghetti sauce is on the stove so DH doesn't starve while I am gone. Check....

So why do I feel like I am forgetting something? Duhhh, clothes! My car is almost filled and I don't even have one change of clothes packed!

So not you...

Have you ever had another quilter look at what you are working on and make the comment "that is just so not you." Wow, that could just mean so many things?If she thinks I am a good quilter does this mean this particular piece is not well done? On the other hand maybe she has hated all the quilts I've done and finds herself in the awkward position of liking my work this time? On the other hand (woops three hands?!) maybe I have already wasted enough brain-cells wondering about that comment and should just stitch-on!

Do you have a piece of fabric in your stash that "isn't you?" I have a really wide range of fabrics on my shelves. There are a lot that I love but rarely use (like my Kaffe fasset) and some that were for specific project that didn't happen (my robot fabric collection) but few that just aren't me...except maybe this Elvis fabric that I don't remember why I bought (though I am sure it was a really good buy and a really good reason!)
Today is a good fold fabric day...I am worried about my Mom who fell and broke her hip and is having surgery today. I was going to fly up to Boston to see her in the hospital but woke up this morning with a 103 degree fever and an ever-worsening cold/flu. I don't think they would even let me in the hospital parking lot - unless of course I pass out which doesn't seem that remote a possibility at the moment.... Also, in a moment of fevered lunacy I decided to square-up my Baltimore Album blocks - somebody please come and take the rotary cutter away from me until the fever breaks - one block is now 15x16....duhhhhhhhhh.

So I have been pulling scraps to make my sister Jane quilt. Can you believe she sent me photos of quilts she liked and they were all really basic scrappy quilts. Big sigh of relief here! So I am making piles of squares and rectangles and just randomly sewing them together...Elvis will make and appearance in this quilt as will some robots, William Morris, and civil war. This will be a fabric melting pot (sounds so much nicer than garbage bag quilt!) And it will be so me...

It is cold outside!

It is so cold the birds are eating an entire feeder worth of seed each day! Tonight we are supposed to get freezing rain so I put out a suet and seed block...it is like tapping a keg at a frat party! Birds have surrounded it!

I really have been trying to organize my sewing room the past few days. Not making a whole lot of progress but the floor has been sighted and the good news is under all that fabric, magazines, and baskets - the rug is clean!

(string quilt from Alabama with fun Pop-eye fabric)

Last week I got a call from my LQS asking if I would look at some quilts for a customer. Her father-in-law passed away and they were going to have an estate sale. The family was unsure if the quilts were "good."

Now there weren't any "museum" quilts but were nice sort of shabby chic and very typical of what we see in this area. There were several that I thought the family should hold onto. (I have nightmares after days like this that my husband will bag up all my quilts and put them out in a yard sale...) It was a fun afternoon. My DH even came with me to help...he was impressed that I was able to name the piecing designs (though he is really fast using Brackman's Encyclopedia!) After seeing me go through 50 quilts he decided I should get my appraisal certificate and "hang out a shingle."
Amazingly enough one of my favorites was this bowtie quilt made entirely from Polyester! That is right...the thick 1970's poly that never ever loses its color and is more likely to melt than disintegrate! It may sound crazy but nothing photographs like poly. The bowtie quilt is so well made...and as Tonya reminded me my "Noah's Ark" collection of quilts does not have a polyester one yet....