Other misc stuff I've been working on

I've been having fun doing some smaller projects........I need to post more frequently....seriously.


hand stitched labrynth

Checkbook cover

Business card case

a little bag

A new stole for Mary

I have been working on a stole for Deacon Mary for a couple of months. That would actually mean that I've been thinking about working on a stole for Deacon Mary - but not actually work on it much. I used flying geese - a paper pieced method - very time consuming - will use the regularly pieced method next time. In any case, the end result is excellent. We added beads on the bottom and along the tie that holds the two sides together and they really add a lot to the finished product. Here are a few pics.

Pictures from Long Beach International Quilt Festival

Long Beach - after the show

We went to the Long Beach International Quilt Show the 25th. We had such a wonderful time. We took two classes and did the Saturday night sampler. Since we arrived Thursday we were able to walk the Vendor booths on preview night - much less of a crowd than Friday and Saturday. The quilts on display were amazing. I took lots of pictures, but I need to figure out how to link to an online album rather than putting them up individually.

The Long Beach Convention Center - as the show was winding down.
Machine Quilting with Mary Mashuta - sample 1
Sample 2 - such an easy way of machine quilting - I'm so glad we took the class

Accidental Landscapes taught by Karen Eckmeier - this is my class project
This was another excellent class. So much fun.
Janelle - my travel buddy
Long Beach harbor
The lighthouse (remember this you'll see a version of it in my final landscape)
Random pic - we passed 23 trucks filled with tomatoes on the way home....in the heat. How do they ever make it to our stores not crushed and ruined?

More quilt show day

It was a beautiful day - colorful quilts, good friends, good music (the Gee's Bend ladies).

Sisters - Quilt Show Day

Here are a few pictures from Quilt Show Day. My batteries died (bad planning on my part), so it's only a few.

Friday at Sisters

We had a lovely day today. We went to Camp Sherman for the Pine Needlers Quilt Show in the morning, then Katie and I headed off to Bend to look at sewing machines - on sale. We had a great time looking at things. Then on the way back we stopped at Twigs and the Stitching Post and picked out some wonderful gifts for Angie for her birthday.

Katie took some pictures at the Gee's Bend presentation last night, as well as some pictures from the Camp Sherman show today which I will put up at a later date.

Katie at Camp Sherman

Katie and I - trying to take our own picture
This was the best of the lot.

The musicians (in the background) at Camp Sherman

A few quilts from the Camp Sherman show.

Then back to Rosemary's where Katie did some sewing on her new Janome and I cut out fabric and provided support. Then it was Pizza from Papa Andreas in Sisters and now, a lovely piece of chocolate cake from the lodge.

It's been a great week and I can't believe the time is nearly over. We'll head in for breakfast at Angelina's Bakery in the morning, spend a couple of hours at the quilt show, meet up for lunch - somewhere, and then it's in the car and on the road for both Katie and I - heading in opposite directions.

Can't wait for next year.

How can it be Thursday already/

I started the week with a class: Collaged Journal Covers with Kathy Shaker. It was a great class where she taught us many new techniques - and a few I've already done. The journal turned out really well. It's amazing how much you can add to a piece of cloth and what it does to the finished product.

The camera just doesn't capture the color well at all, but you get the idea.

Here's a shot of all the painted fabric from the class - outside drying

Tuesday I took my car into Sisters to get the check engine light fixed. Luckily it was simple and cheap to get fixed. Then I headed over to the Llama Farm to look at their wool. Oh my was that fun. Here are some pictures from there.

I just thought this one was so darn cute.

Sunday - July 5th

Another lovely day. It was great to have gotten so far yesterday as I was only 40 miles from Bend with another 20 from there to Sisters. I managed to fill the morning and early afternoon with visits to BJ's and Sew Many Quilts in Bend. The once I got to Sisters I checked in at the Stitchin Post to get my tote bag and goodies for the week. The only traffic I hit was heading in to Sisters. It is just one main road through town at 20 miles per hour, but it was really slow. It allowed me to take some great pictures though.

This is one of my favorite spots, with the "flat horses" in the foreground and the mountains in the back - gorgeous!!

The mountains - lots of snow still on the tops.

Pat, Rosemary and Merry Lee - my house mates for the first part of the week.

With all that's going on in the "real" world, it is a real treat to be here, staying at Black Butte Ranch and relaxing with friends. I have class tomorrow that should be a lot of fun, then the rest of the week nothing planned but hanging out at the house and quilting. A little bit of heaven on earth!!

Oregon or bust - July 4th

I made the drive to Sisters in record time (especially since I was on my own with no help driving). I left home around 9 on Saturday and arrived in Crescent OR at 4:30. The weather was beautiful and traffic was not bad at all considering it was July 4th.

Mt. Shasta

Welcome to Oregon

I had planned to stay in Klamath Falls, but arrived so early that it made more sense to continue on. I'm glad I did. I stayed at the Woodsman Lodge, like last year. Such a nice place, wonderful folks who run it, and a great value. I had dinner at the place with all the taxidermied animals. Not nearly as overwhelming on second sight. All in all a great day.

On the road....

I head out tomorrow for Sisters, OR and the wonderful Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. I'm taking a class on Monday which should be fun. I'm hoping to keep this updated with pictures and commentary from my week away.

new quilts

I seem to be in a blitz of sewing. I took three quilts to be quilted, finished two others, put the binding on one, finished a "sweet treat" from the shop in Davis and used the leftovers to make a fabric folder from a tutorial on the C&T publishing blog.

Here's the "Sweet Treat" quilt. I really have to figure out a better way to get pictures of the things I do. These aren't the best, but it gives you an idea.



Here's the inside of the folder (in pieces - needs to be finished):

And here's the outside:


I don't know what I'd do if I didn't quilt.......

Napa

A couple of weeks ago I took my monthly trip to Napa for the Napa Valley Quilt Guild Meeting. Luckily I had my camera with me and caught these pictures.

A birthday present

I never found the cord to download pictures from my camera, but I did purchase a thingy that I can put the memory card in and download pictures. Hooray!

This is # 3 daughter's birthday present. The second picture is a closeup of the stitching.
More pictures on the way.

Now it's really been awhile.

I'm finally back in my sewing room and have finished a couple of things. I've been waiting for some sunshine to be able to take some pictures.

it's been awhile.....

It's been awhile since I've posted. Work has been hectic and I haven't felt much like getting in to the sewing room. I'm hoping things will be calmer this week and I'll have some things to share.

New Header

Look what my geek daughter did!! I love the font she found for the header. Yeah Katie!! She wants to do some more work, so there will be more changes to come.

Another bag

I finished Mary's deacon stole Friday night, just in time for her to use it this Sunday. I don't have a picture of it yet as I was in a bit of a rush to give it to her, so hopefully we'll have pictures by next weekend.

Meantime, I used the leftover bits and pieces to make myself a little lunch bag. I love how it turned out.

Birdie Sling

Birdie Sling - Amy Butler Pattern

I went over to Janelle's today and she helped me put this together. I can follow quilting patters, but sewing patterns, not so much. All in all I'm happy with the results.

Note to self

It is not a good idea to edit pictures and blog while your breakfast is cooking. My hasbrown ended up pretty darn crispy......

Mary's Deacon Stole part 3

The angle on this thing is going to kill me. I have another of Mary's stoles to use as a pattern and I've still taken this apart twice and will need to do it just one more time at the join in the middle. Frustrating, but...the end result will be worth it.

Journal Quilt #4 - a little late

A Little Darkness - much light
stamped, apliqued

Here's what the writing says
Friends are angels who lift us up to our feet when our spirit has trouble reembering how to fly

I like this one - finally. One of the things I am trying to do with this is only use scraps in my scrap box. I may not always be able to because it doesn't have that many larger pieces in it, but that's part of the challenge.

Mary's Deacon Stole part 2

Mary's hoping this will be done by the 14th of February. I'm thinking the chances are good. Here's a small sample.

5" square quilt

I picked up two sets of 5" squares that just happened to go together beautifully. I was a little short to do the size I wanted, so i added the inside panel and will do some kind of applique in there. It's not my usual type of fabric choice, so it may sit awhile till I figure out what belongs in there.