Strip Poker

It was strip poker night. I went with such high hopes! All the ladies gathered and the poker playing commenced. Hand after hand, and I was not a winner. Finally, I won a hand, and was able to maintain my dignity! Well, that didn't last long. My elation was dashed by yet another loss. The door was open a bit for some fresh air. I hoped no one would be walking by and look in at our play. I did not want anyone else to see me in my state of loss, of frustration. Finally we switched tables and I hoped that my luck would change. But that was not to be. I realized I do not know how to play poker, with my clothes on or not. I decided that I must research winning strategies so that I could go home a winner, maybe, next time. What a sad tale of whoa! (Paragraph) Actually, you can see what I did win. All the blue strips and the one beige star strip on the top of my bin were the only ones that I did not have in my bin when I went in to play. I had a full bin of strips, pretty, bright, colorful strips. Someone, who shall remain nameless, won all my pretty, bright, colorful strips. Those strips were to be my Scrappy Trip Around the World quilt. But alas, no yet. I lost half of my bin! It was so full I could hardly keep the cover on the top! (Paragraph) After I lost all my strips, we brought out our sewing machines and started to sew. What did I have left to sew, you ask yourself? In some small dark part of my brain, I told myself to take along a community quilt project to sew, and fortunately I did. I sure wasn't able to start my Scrappy Trip Around the World without my pretty, bright, colorful strips!!! I had my mind set on beginning my Trip, but I sewed together some Half Log Cabin blocks that I made years ago for our Community Quilt Group. They were made so long ago, there are no pretty, bright, colorful strips in them. I am not even sure there is any purple in there either. I used Sharon Craig's Half Log Cabin book and made 50 or so blocks in blues and burgundy. I wanted to make a quilt that a man could use, or like. But, it does have some florals in there, I realized Friday night. It also has a fairly bright burgundy (pink?) swirly strip in there as well. Maybe the gentleman who may receive this community quilt will not have great eyesight and just love the feel of a quilt, rather than the pattern of the fabrics. I can only hope! I have not accomplished any additional sewing this weekend other than mending a hole in a pair of pants. The weather has been beautiful, and I did manage to walk around the park today. I also have been reading Emilie Richards' book Lover's Knot. It is very entertaining so far. I am over half way through. I am very proud of myself, too. I have not read the ending yet. I am trying to hold out until I actually get to the ending in my course of reading. I am well noted for going straight for the ending, then reading the middle, then the beginning if I don't really understand what is going on. Then I will read it all the way through, from beginning to end, usually one more time. If I like the book a lot, I may read it a second or third time before I pass it on to someone else to read, or return the book to the library if I borrowed it from there.

I learned a big lesson this weekend, I do not play poker well, and do not like losing! So, all in all, some gain was achieved for me. I may have lost my strips, but I now know I don't like playing poker!

Happy Quilting

Round Robins

This picture is of the first Round Robin in which I participated in 1994. I made the center block, then it was passed around for others to add borders. On this project, we had limits to the size of the center block, and how big the quilt should be when it was finished. The last person did the quilting. The members of this project were all from our quilt guild. Members who wanted to participate signed up and names were drawn for each group, so all the members did not work on everyone's quilt, only the members in their group. I believe there were five in each group, if I am counting correctly.

This quilt was also a Round Robin. Again, I did the center block, then it was passed around to others to add borders. There were no guidelines for this project. We did this in a monthly quilting bee in which I attend. Not all the members participated, and those who did not, in the end wished that they had participated because all the quilts turned out great.

These projects were so challenging because you did not know what you were going to get from month to month. With the second group, we decided that if we did this again, we would allow two months for the borders because some of them became quite large. Both of these projects were fun, especially when we saw all of them exhibited together.

One of the prevailing thoughts I remember for myself was that for each project I was often working out of my comfort zone. Some of the other quilts were in colors that I usually do not work in, or with styles that were different to mine. I wondered if the person would like the colors I used, and would they like the pattern I choose? We were all committed to finishing the quilts, and almost each time they were done in the timeframe allowed. I think that, in itself, was amazing!

There seems to be a color theme going on here, yes?

Happy Quilting

Finally Finished

Finally finished and delivered! My fingers are so sore from sewing, sewing, sewing. My six quilts are bound, sleeves applied, labels on, and delivered to a quilt show person. What a relief! I was so excited, I came home and made a batch of chocolate chip cookies (CCCs) to celebrate. I saw some beautiful quilts tonight that will be exhibited at the show. Now I am really anxious for May 2 and 3. I cannot wait to see all those beautiful quilts hanging up for everyone to see.

As you are well aware, putting on a quilt show is no easy task. I give thanks for all the ladies who are giving their time and effort so generously to see that this show is memorable. I have not exhibited any quilts for the last couple of quilt shows. I have become more active in my guild this last year. I realized how much I missed seeing the folks, and taking and giving classes with the guild. It is so much fun. I had a great time at our Ohio Star class.

Now that I have my quilts finished and delivered, I can get back to some other projects. There are so many to choose from on, under, and around my sewing table. My room has become so small. There is so little space in which to work. I must solve this nagging problem. I want to finish some UFOs, and get backs made for a few quilts that need quilting. With summer break coming in a few weeks (actually, in 40 school days; of course, who besides me is counting?), I should start organizing right now so that when that time comes, I can make the best of the my summer break. The theme for this summer is PRODUCTION.

If I am diligent, and really work at it, and plan carefully, I should be able to do everything I want to get accomplished! But then, I always over plan my summer time, and never get all of it done. I figure that if I don't plan a lot, I might not get anything done at all! Last summer I practiced being retired, just to find out if I would like it, and I did! Maybe this summer I can practice producing finished projects, and see if I like that, too. Who knows?

The picture in this post is a picture of me with my new purse. Barbara made it for me at retreat. She is such a sweetheart! But she is a bit of a scamp, too. She is one of the pranksters who provided a lot of fun for all of us that weekend. Even though this post is about FINALLY FINISHED, I decided that I better include a picture or no one would read my post.

Happy Quilting

Almost There

DH and I spent the day at the hospital surgery waiting room. Our daughter-in-law had some surgery. I took the day off work and we went to hold our son's hand while he waited for news. Things went well today, so hopefully, there will be no need for further surgery. I took quilt #5 with me to sew binding. It is almost done. I have part of one side to finish. There is one more quilt left to bind...the BIG one! It is a queen/king size measuring 104 inches square. It has 64 batik blocks, and it is heavy. It has been like a monkey on my back for almost a year. It has been folded up in my sewing room, calling to me to apply the binding and get it on the bed.

The picture above is a few blocks of this quilt. I have not gotten a good picture of it yet. I hope I can remember to take my camera to the quilt show and get good pictures of all my quilts. This quilt is too big for any wall in my house to hang it so that I can take a full picture. It is heavy, too. My hands are very sore today, and I must get this last one done if I want it to hang in the quilt show. Although, I have not gotten the okay that it will be accepted, but if it is not, feathers will fly!!! I'm not sure whose feathers will fly, but someone's feathers will go! I have not received an okay on my purple and orange quilt either, now that I think about it.

This quilt is called Whirlygig. It is another one that has the positive-negative blocks. When I cut the pieces for one color scheme, I actually cut pieces for both blocks. There are two blocks that are not the same. That seems to be a problem for me, getting all the blocks done without screwing up one and having to make a substitute. I originally thought it would be a smaller quilt, and I would need an odd number of blocks. But I put so many color combos together that when I finished sewing them, I had exceeded the original number. So, I decided to make a bigger quilt. Then I realized that I needed to make more blocks to get it to the size I wanted! I love the creative process! The quilting is absolutely beautiful, by the way!

I started this quilt before my mother passed away, and then I sort of stopped doing anything creative for a while. When I finally got back to it, that is when it grew to be king sized. Of course, I was still collecting fabric at this time, just not doing anything with it. That is when my fabric collection grew, and grew, and grew! Now I don't have enough places to store all the fabric, notions, patterns, books, etc. I seem to be excessive about anything I am really focused on. (Oops, is that a dangling participle?)

I am not working tomorrow, so it will most likely be spent sewing binding down on the BIG one. Then the sleeves will be next, and the labels for the show. After I get these quilts delivered, I should finish the two (now it is three) baby quilts that I promised myself I would get done before Christmas! Or maybe I should finish my feathered star, or make some more Ohio Star blocks, or read a couple of the books that are stacked in front of the book case (because the bookcase is full of stuff and no room for any more books).

Happy Quilting

Is It Purple, or Is It Orange

I was asked to post a picture of my "claim to fame" purple and orange quilt. This is a quilt I made from a Margaret Miller class called "Angle Play". I took her class in Flagstaff, Arizona at Quilt Camp in the Pines. She is such a dynamic teacher. She is very positive and encouraging. She is so vibrant, and her personality is reflected in the quilts she creates. She also came to a local quilt shop to teach for a few days the next summer. I took this class a second time. At this class, I signed on to make a quilt for her upcoming book, Angle Play Blocks. I worked so diligently. I used a pattern that I designed in her workshop using her Angle Play templates. I imagine someone else probably came up with a similar design in one of her other workshops. It was such fun. I finished the top, quilted it, and sent it off to Margaret just in time to have it photographed for the book.

It was months before I knew if my quilt actually made it into the book. Margaret said that the editor had the last say, and sometimes things would get edited out, and she had no control over the editor. So I waited, somewhat patiently, for six or seven months for the book to be completed. Then one day, I received a package from Margaret in the mail. When I opened the envelope, there was an autographed copy of the book, and my quilt was featured as one of the three quilts on the back cover. It is also inside in the Gallery. I was so excited. I screamed and danced around. You would have thought I won the lottery! I went to my quilt guild the next meeting, took my book and my quilt, and told everyone that if they bought a copy of the book, I would autograph my photo! I am not sure if I sold any books that day, but it was fun sharing my "claim to fame". I know there are many more quilters with stunning quilts that we all see in these beautiful quilt books. Mine is not one of those stunning quilts, no beautiful applique, but it was fun to make. It was fun to participate in the classes with Margaret, the sewing, the sending, and the final discovery. I encourage everyone who may have a chance to participate in a project like this to go for it! It is such a high! I am exhibiting this quilt in the quilt show. I think it needs an outing. It needs some oohs and ahhs from purple and orange quilt lovers.

I see that Margaret has another Angle Play book coming out soon. She has her templates marketed in packages, which I think is a great idea. When I bought mine, we bought the entire set. I used two of the 30 or more templates I have in my set.

Well, I have procrastinated long enough today. I must get to my binding.

Happy Quilting

I see I have lost my paragraph settings again. My last few blogs have been without paragraph spacing. If anyone knows how I can fix this problem, please let me know. Leave a comment or email me. Thanks.

Another project to finish

Yesterday I took a quilt guild class on Ohio Stars. The teacher was Linda Wagner. She taught us to make Ohio Stars without sewing triangles. It was done with the Fast Patch method by Anita Hallick (I am not sure I spelled the last name correctly. I apologize Anita.) I made a quilt years ago from Anita's book, Fast Patch. I counted the times I cut and sewed the original strips of fabric, and if I remember correctly, it was seven times. Since then I have learned many different ways to make squares from half square triangles. The unique thing about the method Linda taught us, is that when you finally make the unit and cut it up for the last time, you end up with enough triangles to make two blocks, a positive and a negative type system.

Linda shared a beautiful quilt she made with red, white and blue (one of my favorite color combinations). It was 90 Ohio Star blocks all sewn together without sashing. She used different center squares for each block. Each block had a matching "sister" block made from the same fabrics, with different centers. I managed to get six blocks done. I put these on my design wall with the sister block underneath the first block. When these blocks are spread around a quilt, you do not realize there is a set of two matching blocks in the quilt. They all blend together so well. I like to see these quilts at a show and read the comments about the quilt. DH likes these quilts, too. He will search and search to find the companion block.

Today I must get busy and sew the last two bindings on my quilts that I want to exhibit at our quilt show next month. I need to get them finished this week because they must be delivered to the guild members who are receiving the show quilts by the 14th. I still need to sew on sleeves on the six quilts that I hope to exhibit after I get the bindings done.

Linda said yesterday that Alex Anderson says every quilt guild should have quilt shows. It is motivation to finish our quilts (instead of leaving them as UFOs). So, I must stop playing with Ohio Star blocks and bind, bind, bind.

Happy Quilting

Retreat Post #5

This is Janene's batik top. She pinned it to the curtain, and the light was showing through the fabric and made it look luminescent. This is Janene's Sister's Choice top. This was a block exchange. As you can see, she has her blocks sewn together, quilted, and now bound. Mine are still under my sewing table in a bag. But I have taken them out several times and have planned my setting!

There were so many projects worked on, and finished, and even started at this retreat. Lots of laughter and even a few shenanigans happened. Ladies found bugs and other unmentionable things in their beds, on their quilts and in their sewing bags.

If you have a chance to attend a quilt retreat with friends, please do it. You will make memories as well as quilts.

Happy Quilting

Retreat Post #4

These are three projects Janene worked on at retreat. She started with the little sewing box, then went on to binding quilts, then she finished with sewing together a beautiful batik quilt. I have only three pictures in this post. More to follow!