Another wonderful retreat

What a great weekend! I went to a quilting retreat last Thursday and returned yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. What a great time! There were 16 of us there. The weather was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I love to walk around the grounds and listen to the birds, walk along the creek and listen to the sounds of the running water, and just enjoy the outdoors in the quiet setting. We are within walking distance of town, but at the retreat center it feels like we are out in the country.

Everyone was working on various projects. Two of the ladies were making strip pieced blocks. There was a pile of fabric strips on the table behind them all weekend, and they were grabbing strips and sewing like crazy. Between the two of them, I think they made sixty or seventy blocks. Machine quilting was being done, bindings were being applied, blocks were being set into quilt tops, baby quilts were sewn together, tote bags were being made, exchange blocks were sewn, and so many other bits and pieces of the quilting process. Of course, there were also trips to the local quilt shops, and trips to the dining hall, too! It was a wonderful time of sharing ideas, jokes, and so much more.

The batteries on my camera died, and I missed some great finishes, but I have a few pictures to share. (We just had a small earthquake!)

While I was there, I finished a tote bag on Thursday, sewed the last two borders on my Valentine's quilt on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday I sewed up 12 blocks for an upcoming block exchange, and made two blocks for quilts to be donated to two quilters' family members who are ill. I took some knitting and embroidery. Other than being shared, they did not come out of their containers. Of course, I also cruised around the two rooms at various times everyday looking at, and discussing, all the projects being sewn. Some of the ladies were marathon sewing, and others were getting things done (like me), but not pushing it.

It is so exhilarating to be together with other quilters for an extended period of sewing. The sharing and bonding are phenomenal! For me, that is what it is all about. The secondary pleasure is getting a lot of sewing done! I hope you can all get together with sister quilters very soon to share and sew, sew, sew.

Until then.....

Happy Quilting

Almost there

I forgot to do a post on St. Patrick's Day. I am posting a picture of my shamrock quilt that is displayed in our living room this month. I made this quilt a few years ago. I had this goal of making a wallhanging featuring the theme of the month. I did February and March at that time. I have fall covered, but nothing for January, April, May, June and August. I had less space at that time on the wall for display. Now that we do not have a sofa any longer, there is more accessible wall space.

The other picture is the latest version of my bear paw quilt that is in progress. JulyL should be sending the next step this coming week. I know from the first picture that it will be a round of HSTs, then the last strip border and then the top will be completed. I had some problems with this installment, though. My final measurement is not the same as what was posted. All my components went together correctly, so I am not sure what I did different to make mine 1/2 inch wider and one inch longer. When I know the measurements of the finished row of HSTs, then I think I can adjust my last border (which I did not put on yet) to accommodate the row of HSTs. But I love the way it is coming together.

I wanted to use the bright uneven stripe. When I saw it at the quilt store, it fell off the shelf into my arms, so I knew I had to buy it! I have had it a year or so, maybe longer, and then this project came along and I knew right away that I wanted to make it with the bright stripe. Since it doesn't have much purple in it, I am working out of my favorite color zone, but it is fun to work with anyway. I have managed to work some purple into the design, so that makes me feel better.

Have a wonderful, productive week (or an easy, comfortable week). Stay warm, healthy and happy.

Happy Quilting

Thank you all for your comments on the colors for my bear paw blocks. I decided on the purple for the middle of the blocks, and the blue for the outside of the blocks with the red as the corner squares. I have a couple more plain borders to apply for this step, then the next step will be a round of HSTs, and then the final plain border. It is looking very colorful, which was my goal. I love working with all these bright colors. It helps me feel cheerful even with the gray skies outside. We did have some sunshine this week, but the winds were still cold. Today it is overcast. The weather person has predicted warmer temps and sunshine for today, but not yet.

I am in such a sewing mood. I feel like I could sew up a storm today. I have a couple of errands to do, then I can get back to my machine. I have some projects that I want to finish ASAP. I also want to get back to my purple and green project. I think I need six more blocks and I will be ready to assemble the top. It is going to be so awesome!

I am also in the mood to sew up a scrap quilt. I have wanted to do Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trip Around the World quilt, and I really want to do some string piecing. Sharon is working on some string pieced blocks. I saw them on her blog. I have a pattern for some string pieced blocks similar to the one she is sewing. There is a pattern that I have seen that is called Picket Fence similar to her blocks. I have sewn together a quilt in my summer quilt class years ago that was called Picket Fence. My first Picket Fence quilt was with cut strips. The other pattern I saw is string pieced, and uses the color white. If you place the white in the right place, it forms a star when the blocks are sewn together. I really like the secondary design that the white color makes in the blocks. I love it when you sew a pattern together, then when all the blocks are sewn together for the quilt top another design appears. That is what I call more bang for the buck!

Well folks, I must get my errands done so I can get back to my sewing. Take care, stay warm and stay well.

Happy Quilting

Sashing choices

I am trying to decide which color to use for the sashing between my bear's paw blocks. It will be one inch finished, with a red square in the center, as in the purple sashing picture. I originally thought the lime green fabric would be good, but now that I have bear paw blocks made with my bright stripe, I am not so sure. I like the orange, but what you see is all I have of that fabric. I am sure it is not enough for all the sashing. I like the blue, and I certainly like the purple. There is some blue, and a little purple in the stripe as it blends from color to color. I want to use the red as the corner square. It will finish one inch. I could use a different color for the corner squares, but I like the red. I thought of using it as the sashing, but then I decided that was too much red. There is a lot of red in the stripe. I liked the red when I put it there between the blocks. It plays well with all the colors. I think purple plays well, too, with everything! What do you think (not about the purple playing well, but the sashing color)?

Yesterday, hubby and I took off to Manteca for their annual quilt show. It was a nice show with lots of different quilts. I saw three quilts with the same design as my mystery quilt. One was finished with the border treatment I want to use with my Valentine's quilt. I need to get back to that quilt and finish it. Time, it just takes time. I also need to get some other gifts finished as well.

I have so many things partly finished. I don't consider them UFOs yet because I am going to finish them soon since I have a purpose for them all. I consider a UFO (for me) a project that gets put under the sewing table, or in a box or bag in the closet. When it has aged a bit, then it becomes a UFO. I also have completed quilt tops under my sewing table, and various other places in the house. I don't really consider them UFOs because they are "finished" tops. They may never get quilted. But if they do, then they become another "finished" project. They get two chances to be "finished" in my sewing space!

But I digress, back to reality - before we arrived at the quilt show, we stopped at our favorite eatery in Livermore, the Railroad Cafe, to eat breakfast. They moved locations in February since the folks who owned the space they were in decided to evict all the businesses and build an open amphitheater (?) in the middle of town. The quilt store, In Between Stitches, had to move as well. They moved over to Main Street, just on the other side of the parking lot where they were previously located. After breakfast I stopped in there to pick up a couple of BOMs that they had for me. I failed to remember that this is a "Shop Hop" weekend. The store was packed. I almost decided not to go in, but we do not get out that way very often, so I braved the crowd and picked up my Block of the Month packets, as well as a few yards of a light batik (with purple).

After we went to the quilt show, we stopped at a new little quilt store in Manteca, Ladybug Quilts. I had not been there before. In their bargain area, I found some more of the Hungry Caterpillar fabric that I could not find anywhere in my area when I was making my three baby quilts earlier this year, so I bought some more. I have three Hungry Caterpillar panels left from my flurry of Hungry Caterpillar quilts. When my daughter saw the last quilt I made, she said, "Oh mom, save me one. I really like this quilt". Well, those words were all I needed to go on another hunt for Hungry Caterpillar fabrics! From the fabrics I have left, I am sure there is more than enough for a couple more quilts!

This weekend we lost an hour to "Daylight Savings Time". Most people consider it an hour of sleep lost, but I consider it an hour of sewing time lost, so I must get busy sewing. Have a great week. Take care, stay healthy, stay happy. Most of all...

Happy Quilting