Largo, FL Quilt Show

I've haven't been sewing or blogging since we've started doing some work in our kitchen.  I was able to sneak out for a few hours on Saturday at the last minute to catch a peak at a quilt show within driving distance.

The Largo Cracker Quilters Guild began in the 1970's with a few quilters that hand pieced and hand quilted.  Today they have 70-80 members with all levels of skills and quilting interests.  The many beautiful applique and hand quilted quilts on display reflect the guild's origins, while many wall hangings and whimsical works reflect their varied interests today.  What a fun show!

Installment 1 of the photos I took - these are some of the applique quilts:

Two Finished Quilts

Well, it rained most of the day on Friday and I was able to finally get some tops quilted and finished since there was no thunder and lightning.  These will go into the box to be sent off to the Wrap Them in Love Foundation.  This great group has a mission to collect donated quilts and distribute them to children around the world, so they can be wrapped in love and comfort.

The first quilt finish uses blocks that I won in the Sunshine Quilt Guild’s block lottery – the color scheme for that month was red/white/black.  I’m sure an older child will appreciate these more sophisticated colors.  The back is black and white polka dots.  I took the pic when the binding was still pinned, but it's done now.

This quilt fulfills two of my 2011 Challenges:

   First, it was number 18 on my list for Judy Laquidera's UFO Challenge from her Patchwork Times blog.  I had more than 12 to put on a list so I doubled up and #18 was across from #6 which is the number she selected for January - I have already finished my #6 - read about it in this post.

  And Second, it is #3 of my 11 in 11 Challenge for WTIL - I'm making progress on making 11 quilts for that group this year.

Photo when almost finished

Detail showing polka dot backing

The second quilt finish was made with some fabric that I received when a dear lady passed away.  I fussy-cut some of the whimsical animals and framed them in the Attic Windows setting.  The borders have butterflies in the same colors.  The backing is an orange tone-on-tone.  A younger child is sure to latch on to this cute top that is soft and cuddly, even if it doesn’t photograph well (the camera operator, I’m sure)!

This is #4 for my goal of making 11 quilts for the 11 in 11 Challenge for WTIL.  Woohoo!

 

Detail with backing showing

National Popcorn Day

Since there's no recent news on the sewing front, I thought I'd better let you know that today, January 19, is National Popcorn Day so you don't miss it!  Pop on over to Gilly's Place (horrible pun intended) for her famous pizza popcorn recipe:

Cute Snow Puppy Alert

I have to admit that I occasionally check in at the Daily Puppy ... doesn't everybody?  This little girl in the snow was just too cute!  This is Lulu, the Wheaten Terrier.  What a doll ...

Fortunately, it's not snowing here in Florida, but we sure did get hit with a powerful rain storm.  The lightening and thunder made my dog hide in the closet and all of the ponds filled back up - they have been very low for a long time, so we can't complain.

And on the quilting front - I have finished #2 of the 11 in 11 Challenge for Wrap Them in Love.  This is the H-Blocks quilt with a second pic that shows part of the cute, girlie backing (Lulu, above, would probably love to take a nap on this one - it is just so soft).  I love the colors and it was definitely nice to make a girly top for a change.

Auditioning Borders

I am still working on the blocks that were on the *design floor* in yesterday's post.  I didn't like that dark block standing out all by itself so I made a few more darker blocks to spread around.  Then, since I added another column, I thought I'd just put on a simple 2 inch border around it all.  That way I won't have to piece the back (yes, there usually is a method to my madness!).   I think I might have liked a few more darks, so I reserve the right to add another row tomorrow - we'll see what develops.  This is how it stands tonight (I think I'll use the fabric on the right for the border):

Quilting Done & Design Wall

I have a new project that I've started laying out on the *design floor* ... these H-blocks came from a block swap way back in July 2009.  Since they were very easy to make, and the swap specified pastels and white-on-white that I had a bunch of, I made a bunch to swap.  I then ended up with enough blocks to make two children's quilts - and it's about time that I got around to making them.  It will be fun to make a more *girly*  quilt since I've made so many *boy* quilts recently.  I will try to be creative with the borders, but I make no promises (sometimes I poop out and just go with what's easiest)!

Some of the swap blocks

I also finished quilting and binding #2 of the fraternal triplets that I showed in this post (one of those has already gone out in the mail).  This one will become #1 of my goal of 11 in 11 for Wrap Them in Love.  It was also on my list as #6 for Judy Laquidera's 2011 UFO Challenge, so I've completed one UFO for that!

Finished quilt with back showing

Detail of meandering quilting and backing

Attic Windows Top is Finished

I finished off the Attic Windows top with some border fabric that I had leftover in my stash.  The butterflies were all of the right colors and almost as whimsical as the other focus fabric.  The white background calms the extremely bright center down a little.  Once again, I'll say that I shouldn't take these pictures at night,  because I don't know how to use the software to make the color corrections, but someday I'll learn that.  The closeup detail picture that shows the border butterflies is closer to the true colors.

View from the Attic Windows

The Attic Windows blocks are growing.  They still need the hot pink sashing and then borders and then maybe I'll have to put out a sunglasses alert because it will be so bright!  The cute kiddie fabric is from Helen's stash at Wrap Them in Love.  I had the blue fabric on hand and scored the matching orange and pink at wal-mart at 50% off (yep, our store's fabric section is going out of business, too) - this is the thicker, better fabric and I'm going to miss the wal-mart prices on that.  I've heard that in some areas of the country people have been successful at petitioning to have the fabric sections put back in the stores, but that is unlikely around here.  Oh, well. 

Had to shut down due to thunderstorms with lightning in the area - can't take a chance on the surge protector failing and being without my sewing machine ...  more Attic Windows tomorrow (or later today if the weather clears).

Progress to Date

Detail 1

Detail 2

Mailblocks Lottery

I am in an on-line quilting-related swap group called Mailblocks.  This month's lottery (where you win the whole kit and caboodle - it's not a swap) is a very easy block and is to be done in black and black-on-white.  You just cut two rectangles, each is 3 1/2 x 6 1/2, and sew them together.  You can make up to 16 blocks and you get an *entry* into the lottery for every block you make.  These 16 blocks will be my lottery entries:

You can lay out these blocks to make a number of different designs.  Good thing I wasn't sewing these together because I laid down some wrong!  These all will get mailed off to the winner of the lottery (maybe I will get to keep them if I win ...fingers crossed) at the first of February.  Good luck, Mailblocks members!



Third of the Triplets is Done

The third of the triplets is now a finished top.  I though I was going to have fraternal twins, but it turned out there were enough blocks to make 3 children's tops.  One is a finished quilt that went in the box to WTIL already and here are the next two:


1 of 3
Donated Already
I've been playing with cropping-
haven't gotten it right yet!




2 of 3



3 of 3

Each has a little different personality.  This is the last of the blue/white blocks and I will finish quilting these two to complete the January challenge.  I'm already looking forward to the February color selection.

Meanwhile, I have started fussy-cutting some blocks for an Attic Windows top - here's a sneak preview (the colors aren't accurate - I'm better off taking photos in daylight):

Box Taped Up To Go

I just finished taping up a box with four quilts that I had ready to go on their way to Wrap Them in Love (WTIL).  These are the last of the 2010 donation quilts to go out - ok, I'm a week late but they're going out so that's good!

A few members of the WTIL yahoo group have jumped on board with a catchy goal that sounds like fun and I know I can make it!  It's to complete and send in “11 in 11” [2011].  I already have some quilts in the works for that ...

I think I've posted most of these before, but these are what’s in the box that I will get to the post office tomorrow.

Blue Scrappy Is a Top

The blue scrappy (see the Rainbow Challenge on my sidebar) that was a UFO is now a finished top.  I guess it's still technically a UFO until I get it quilted, but it's next to go on the frame so it certainly has a good chance to be completed in January!  Now I'm working on its fraternal twin (it will be in columns instead of squares).

All sewn together.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Over at SoScrappy's blog, there is a Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  The color selected for January is blue.  And my luck is holding in the New Year because the number 6 was selected in Judy Laquidera's UFO Challenge.  For me, the number 6 is the blue scrappy monkey wrench blocks ... Boy!  Two projects are gonna come together and get done this month.  I'm keeping my projects simple in order to make sure they get completed and sent out the door to the various children's charities that I support.  In January, I should be able to finish two that will be similar to this one on the *design floor* (grin):

First UFO and Design Wall of 2011

I've almost finished the pieces that will go into the first top that I'm making from the purple/yellow blocks that I won in the Sunshine (on-line) Quilt Guild's lottery.  I decided to split my winnings into two groups and then added some blocks of my own to the darker of the two sets.  This is the layout that I've selected:

I love the little basket block that a Sunshine member made.  The top still needs top and bottom  borders to make it more rectangular (and the pieces aren't sewn together yet), so the finished top will look a little different; but I'm making progress in 2011 already!

Jump on over to Judy Laquidera's Mr Linky list to see more design wall UFOs in progress for her challenge (see button on my sidebar re: the UFO Challenge).  Tomorrow I'll show what I'm thinking about for the Rainbow Challenge - this Challenge's color for January is *blue*.

Another Challenge

In keeping with my "I will not make New Year's Resolutions" resolution, I am taking part in another Challenge to make sure I keep on track with getting things done next year and using up the fabric in my stash.  The last challenge that I posted about was Judy Laquidera's UFO challenge and this challenge is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

See this site (and I have a button on my sidebar):

http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2010/12/rainbow-scrap-challenge.html

Superscrappy will post a different color selection each month and regularly post suggested designs to work with - no quilt police and no hard and fast rules!  If you have enough stash to sort some scraps by color, go ahead and get started.  I have some limitations (like I don't have much orange), but I can work around that. 

With both of these complementary challenges, I should be getting some projects completed and using up some stash, too.  I'm getting organized for a fresh New Year!  I'll keep ya posted ...

Taking On the UFO Challenge

I've decided that after the holidays I will put some more structure in my life (but in a fun way, of course).  This is not a New Year's Resolution because I don't do well with those ... LOL!

I have decided to get on board with Judy Laquidara's 2011 UFO Challenge.  See her blog and a description of the challenge over at Patchwork Times:
http://www.patchworktimes.com/2010/12/13/ufo-challenge-2011/

I've put a button on my sidebar and hope to keep updating my progress on the UFO finishes.  It should be interesting to see if I stick with pulling the number out of a hat and working on that designated UFO, but that's the fun part!  I'm going upstairs now to count my UFOs (and try to find where I've hidden them all ...).  Here's a peak at the first couple that are in zip lock bags or in the basket waiting to be quilted:

Blocks from block swaps

Waiting to be quilted

And, BTW, it is cold once again in Florida.  This is the frost that was on the ground still at 10:00 this morning (this side gets the afternoon sun).  Even with the frost, this little iris just keeps blooming ... what a cheerful plant.

This post is now edited with my first 12 UFOs for the Challenge:

30s Sampler

Trail to Treadlonia

Batik Squares

Pink/Green Antique Tile

Mary Englebreit Panel

Blue/White Monkey Wrench

Green Swap Blocks

Fall Square in Squares

Scrappy Strips

30s H Blocks

30s Scrappy Hearts

Bears in the Farmhouse



Christmas Presents

Like most quilters, I was lucky enough to receive some quilt-related Christmas presents.  I can't wait to read the book ... I have trouble with just pulling scraps from my stash and making an attractive top, and this book gives you tips and pointers that will make your scrap quilts sparkle!  This is what I got:

Merry Christmas

What's On The Agenda

I’m sure you can guess what will be going on at my house this week … this is what I picked up at the grocery today in preparation for what'll be happenin' in the Kitchen soon:

So go ahead and laugh along with these fabulous (and TRUE) Cookie Rules:

Christmas Cookie Rules

1. If you eat a Christmas cookie fresh from the oven, it has no calories because everyone knows that the first cookie is the Test Cookie and thus calorie free.
2. If you drink a diet soda after eating your second cookie, it also has no calories because the diet soda cancels out the cookie calories.
3. If a friend comes over while you're making your Christmas cookies and needs to sample, you must sample with your friend.  Because your friend's first cookie is calories free, Rule No. 1 means that yours is too.  It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and being the friend that you are, that makes your cookie calorie free.
4. Any cookie calories consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move.  This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Any calories consumed during the frosting of the Christmas cookies will be used up because it takes many calories to lick excess frosting from a knife without cutting your tongue.
6. Cookies colored red or green have very few calories.  Red ones have three and green ones have five - one calorie for each letter.  Make more red ones!
7. Cookies eaten while watching "Miracle on
   34th Street", 
   "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
8. As always, cookie pieces contain no calories because the process of breaking the cookie causes calorie leakage.
9. Any cookies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate.  We all know how calories like to cling!
10. Any cookies consumed while feeling stressed have no calories because cookies used for medicinal purposes never have calories.  It's the rule!

A big *Thank You* for this list to:   http://lavieenrosie.typepad.com/
 

Please go visit this great quilting blog site and be sure to stop by Miss Rosie’s Quilt Company (no affiliation – just like her stuff!).

Pillowcase Gift

Let me say right up front that I do not like working with satin!  Satin just slips and slides and ravels and makes your life miserable.  Now that I have that out of my system ...
I just finished making a set of satin pillowcases for my mother.  She likes them because she says her hair-do lasts longer.  Whatever.  Anyway, I now have a greater appreciation of photographers who take photos for catalogs and make everything look great.  A cream colored satin pillowcase does not photograph easily!  Here is one finished and a detail of the decorative ribbon.  I  must admit, they did turn out well, but I'm glad to get back to my quilts and cotton fabric.

Merry Christmas, Mom (no, she doesn't read this blog).

Antique Quilt

Since I've been too busy to sew, I thought I'd post a picture of an antique quilt that I own.  This quilt was made by one of my great-grandmothers, but, since it has no label, I don't know which one (several of them were known to be quilters).  My mother has changed her story three or four times about who made it (her memories are no longer reliable) and there is no one left who can confirm it for me. 

It was made in the 1930s (or maybe early 40s) and it has more than a few worn places where the batting comes thru, as it was used heavily before I got it.  It was made in the days before queen size beds so it just covers the top of one in this picture.  The blocks are string-pieced diamonds making the spider web design that uses up every scrap - very modern - I guess quilt designs tend to return in cycles!  It also is bound in the method that brings the backing fabric forward onto the front (in this case, muslin).  It is hand pieced and hand quilted - I just love it.  Enjoy!

Shows the pieced diamonds



Close-up of some of the fabrics



One of the bad spots that needs repair - batting coming thru.