An old UFO finished!

What may have been the oldest UFO in my quilting room is now a real quilt!

I started this Baltimore Album quilt in a year long class with Mimi Dietrich back in 1992.  I lived in Baltimore so it seemed like the right thing to do!

Anyway, over the course of a year my fabric choices changed significantly and after my "real" quilt was finished I had almost a dozen blocks that didn't make the cut.  They traveled with me for many years.

Last year when I was packing to move I debated letting them go but instead they went to the top of the "to-do" list!  This is hand appliqued, hand and machine pieced, and hand quilted.

Goldie...my 18 year old quilt cat

Quilts and photos...

This year I signed up for an online photo class with Ricki Tims (yes, the quilter Tims!.)  It helps keep me focused on learning and trying new things with my camera.  Most of all it gets me out taking photos!

My week 5 photo - Shape

We are in week 5 of the class.  It sort of alternates with a technical lesson and then an "art" lesson.  We then take and post a photo using what we learn.  So far so good!

Last week it was a technical photo...long distance "tack-sharp."  Almost got it.  These are the "love locks" at the Savannah Lock and Dam.  I was trying to get the locks and both the smooth and rough waters behind them in focus.

The 2017 guild donation quilt is finished!  (except for a sleeve and label...)  The quilt was inspired by a quilt in Indigo Quilts by Kate and Lori Lee Triplet.  It is an Irish Chain with a Birds and Flight border.  I drew the 6 applique blocks.  The quilt is queen size.  We used a lot of different Indigo fabrics in this quilt!

This week I am trying to finish up the quilt for my friends silent auction.  Also working on a quilt inspired by one that came out of the $5 bag of quilts!  And when I have a minute I'm cleaning the sewing room...ya, it will be a busy week!

Snow day in the South!

We don't get snow often here in this part of Georgia so when the meteorologists forecast the white stuff things go just a bit crazy!

My After Christmas Sales Santa....

Me...I'm from New England so my emergency cabinet is always stocked!  I have water, extra batteries, a coffee maker that I can use in my fireplace, lots of pet-food, and canned soup/stuff.  So if need be I can hunker down for a good long while.  Of course...here in the south snow only sticks around a day or so...maybe I've overdone it?

But just two years ago we had an ice storm that left us without power for 5 days!  So maybe I'll go check on my vintage hand-crank machine that allowed me to still sew on those cold, dark days!

A photo of my Mom on skis sometime in the late 1940's in Dorchester, MA

As of yet...no snow.  Lots of rain, lots of cold winds, but no snow.  I'm ok with that.

Today I'm taking it easy...tracing some applique shapes off onto freezer-paper so we can kit up our next donation quilt and maybe fold some fabric.

or maybe just dream of future quilts...I got this new book "My Quilting Legacy" for Christmas.  Wonderful book.  Great quilts, beautiful photos and what looks to be good instructions.  I'll let you know on the latter when I finally make up my mind which quilt to make first!

Donation quilt top finished!

It has been a crazy month already here in Georgia....heat has been over 95 degree every day...had to have a procedure to take care of some aneurysms before I could have my gallbladder surgery...and we had to finish the guild donation quilt.

The first two are really not interesting (except for the fact they are cutting into my photography time...need to learn to like studio work more!)  The donation quilt however has really turned out nice!

My guild makes a quilt each year to raise money for Camp Rainbow, a medically supervised camp for children with cancer.  The inspiration for this year's design came from Indigo Quilts, by Kay and Lori Lee Triplett.  In their book they have a an antique "Irish Chain with flock of geese border."  (love this border but it isn't for the faint of heart!)

Since we have found that applique quilt tend to raise more money we added the applique.  I drew the 6 applique designs myself based on traditional motifs.  The fabrics include yellows to orange, dark indigo to powder blue, and a few browns and tans.  There are at least 100 different fabrics in this quilt!  Most of the fabric came from members's stash...we purchased the background and a couple of fatquarters of indigo.

So now it will go off to be quilted by another guild member...

(Just a note...this is in no way soliciting ticket sales for this quilt.  We offer tickets at an Art event, a Home Show, and at our Quilt Show.  They are also available from guild members sometime after November this year.)

Some Denim in the driveway!

It looks like my love of textiles has extended into my choice of vehicle!

This is the stock photo of my new VW "jean bug."  It is actually a bit bluer in real life...

It is a blast to drive and I love the retro feel!  And it drives so much better than the VW's of the 70's!  Though I doubt I could change out the engine in this one like I did with my college roommates in her '72 beetle!

I'm wondering how the project on my design wall may have influenced my choice...

lots of Indigo on that wall!

And I was just folding an early carpenter's wheel with lots of indigo...and it is the indigo that is holding this 1848 quilt together!

or maybe it was my photo visits to Sibley Mill - a local mill that dyed and wove material for blue jeans until the late 1970's...

This is a quilt that has a back made from mill scraps photographed by a friend on the steps of Sibley Mill!

A few more quilts in my collection with denim.  Guess I just love my indigo, jeans, denim...

What is on the design wall...

In addition to going to workshops I have been trying to do some sewing and even a bit of "designing!"

My sister requested a quilt for her cabin up in Maine.  I started to make a Scrappy Trip Around the World from Bonnie Hunter's website.  I've made that pattern several times and I knew it would work up fast and use some of my overflow of 2-1/2 inch strips.

But of course midway I thought...why not put these blocks on point?  And maybe turn them different directions...oh no, then I have to piece the sides

ok, so I made a very simple project into a real pain!  But at least it is almost finished!  (btw...Goldie my cat is not making this process any easier...one block went missing and still has not been found!)  Thought for sure once I remade it the block would show up!

The other quilt I'm working on is just starting!  Each year my guild makes a quilt to raise money for a local camp for children with cancer, Camp Rainbow.  This year the quilt is based on an Irish Chain with flying geese borders in the Kate Triplett's Indigo Quilts book.  Of course it was only a photo so I had to draft a pattern (with Kate's permission.)

Then the committee thought it would be good to have applique in the open blocks...because my guild loves to applique.  So I drew some designs.  Now the blocks are starting to come in and it is sort of exciting to see them!  Saturday is the deadline for them...should have a photo of an "almost quilt top" then!

Sue Haidle Applique Workshop

This weekend my guild had an applique workshop with Sue Haidle of Apple Blossom Quilts.

I think we all had fun and certainly learned a lot!

Sue has her own approach to back basted applique and some other unique techniques.  I think no matter how long you have appliqued there is always something to learn or a slightly different way of doing things.

Even learning about a new needle is worth admission!

Our group was mostly intermediate and we were certainly challenged!  (She does do basic or beginner classes too!)

What Terriers do...

Amazing how much one week of quilt show activities can wear you out!

Still in recovery mode...of course Watson's adventure this morning didn't help!  He and Jake the dog next door have been barking for months.  With all the rain the past week the ground was ripe for a tunneling under the fence...because that is what Terriers do...

To make a long story short...Dobby came into the quilt room in a huff...I heard the barking...tried to call Watson back but Jake couldn't decide if he wanted to play with Watson or eat Watson.  Either way he wouldn't let Watson near the fence.  So I had to go in...both dogs are ok but I'm a bit banged/bitten up.  Yikes.

That and a totally muddy bathroom from both Watson and I trying to clean-up...what a day.

When this all happened I was trying to put away my new Quilt Show acquisitions!  I bought a lot of threads, wools, and even a couple of holiday kits.  One vendor had fatquarters 20 for $25!  What a deal!  And since we don't have a local shop carrying wools I always stock up at Shakerwood Woolens and Auntie Ju's.   The stitched golf ball is from Garage Art...will make something for my husband with that!

Pieced and Appliqued, pattern from Collector with a needle

some more photos from the show...

From left to right, Best Hand quilting, Judges Choice, and Best of show...

My friend Shannon made this for her husband...

and also this one above from Piece of Cake that she appliqued got a first place ribbon!

and of course we had a lot of kaffe...

Quilt Show!

My guild had its biannual quilt show this past weekend.  The show looked great!

Our judge this year was Scott Murkin from North Carolina.

I entered three quilts for judging.

My Harvest Moon and Pumpkins got a second place.  the pattern is from Blackbird designs (with alterations.)

Raspberry lemonade (which should have been Strawberry Lemonade for those of you who also did this blog project!) received a third place ribbon.

My Pink Spider Web didn't get a ribbon but it is still my favorite quilt.

I also entered my little shirtings wallhanging "Augusta in April."  These are all recycled shirts in colors we see here in spring.  I machine quilted it in the wavy modern style.  Learned a lot!

And also in the non-judged category I put my Halloween tumblers.  It was a just a fun quilt.  I also quilted this myself on my domestic machine.  Just went through the photos and realized I don't have a good one of this!  duh...will post a photo later!

We also had great vendors at this show...lots of wool, baskets, storage systems, machines, and of course fabric.  Our local quilt shop had a fatquarter special of 20 FQ for $25!

The guild tried something new this year.  Instead of door prized they had drawings on special baskets...$1 a chance.  These were great prizes.  Both of the local shops donated a sewing machine!  There was a vacuum cleaner, several baskets with sewing items, a dog care basket, a coffee basket, and a tourist in your home town basket with tickets to various museums.