Quilty Retreat - Final Day !

Oh, my friends, what a fun three-day quilty home retreat I have had!  It was cold outside (ok, not like Minnesota, but for the Bay Area, the forties is really cold - so fun to snuggle in the house and sew. 

I ran around like a hummingbird in a garden of red flowers - a little here, a little there.... 

Three charity quilts were washed, boxed, and are ready to ship to an organization collecting quilts for Midwest relief.  These have been ready to give away for a while, but I wasn't sure where to send them until the Midwest tornados hit... now I know.  The middle one has a bit of a holiday theme - hope it finds a hope just in time for Christmas morning... 

Let's see what else I can show you: 

 I finished Clue 1 of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery quilt,

sandwiches a couple of charity tops that were made by a friend; 

and my Jade plant BLOOMED.   I had heard they bloomed, but had never seen one do it...  WOW. 

 



So, now it's back to work tomorrow -  better go make some money to support my quilty habits!!!!

 

Kate

 

 

Quilt Retreat Day #2

Oh, fun, fun.... quilty retreat day 2...  Let's see how I did with yesterday's goals:
1.  Finish two kids charity quilts and wash - DONE
2.  Finish the binding on an adult heartstring charity quilt - Done, and in the washer.
3.  Pack up the "Mystic Glacier" quilt for shipping to Road to California - PROGRESS BUT NOT FINISHED.
4.  Clue 1 Bonnie Hunter Mystery - STILL PLUGGING ALONG.

So - here's what's 'doing' today:

1.  Charity top, made by my friend Valeria - QUILTED

 2.  Clue #1 Bonnie Hunter -  50% of Clue 1 is Finished...

3.  Extra quilting books put up for sale on eBay - DONE

4.  Quilt packed up for shipping - PARTIALLY DONE.

hMMM, that doesn't look like a lot for today, does it?  Well, some days are just like that...  you plug along, but nothing finishes... it just 'plugs along'.  And there were those other things like cleaning out the refrigerator of all the last vestiges of Thanksgiving, and a few other household chores.

I'm off to hear a choral holiday concert, then will sew some more tonight and tomorrow. 

Perhaps tomorrow will be a big finish day !!!!  well, probably not .... but I will have fun anyway.

DH ordered pajamas for one of the kitties who is struggling with the chilly temps -  that should be interesting - anyone putting a bet on whether the cat will wear pajamas???

Kate

Class Cancelled - Quilt Retreat !!

Well - my class was unfortunately affected by the 'big storm', which in California means that the foothills and Sierra Nevadas will get snow.  The class was to be held in an area in which snow is predicted, and some of the ladies don't go out in snow, so it was shortened from two days to a half day class - which isn't worth it for me to drive to ... so I opted out and will

QUILT RETREAT AT HOME!!!   fun, fun

Let's set some goals...  hmmm

1.  Finish a couple of charity quilts that needed binding and washing (ok, I am cheating, I did these last night:  

 The first one is made from Lotto blocks won from the Sunshine Quilt Guild  the second is a Mystery Quilt I did online last New Year's Day - anyone else remember doing this?  I really thought it was ugly ugly - and way too bright - but now, quilted and bound, I like it a lot - isn't that the way it goes!






2.  Package up my "Mystic Glacier" quilt for the Road to California show - just need a label, and to do the paperwork - I hate doing the paperwork and packing...

3.  Sew down a binding on a heartstrings quilt that will get shipped to the group collecting quilts for the Illinois floods - have a set of three almost ready to ship -

4.  Clue 1 (and start Clue 2) of Bonnie Hunter's mystery.

OK, let's see if I can get those things done before I go nuts and set a whole list of goals I have no chance of completing (but I enjoy doing that so much!)

All day - quilting only - soup is in the crockpot - it's a bit cold here and a great day to hide in and quilt. 

Everybody stay safe from the cold and storm.
Kate

It's Off to Class I Go

Oh, I am getting very excited - I'm going to a CLASS ! 

I have two fabulous days in the town of Paradise, California (yes, there really is a town called Paradise) with teacher and quilter extroadinaire Cindy Needham.  I have studied with Cindy before, and each time I come away inspired, informed, and improved! 

Here's just one small example of the work Cindy does on vintage linen: 

 

 

The class is on machine quilting heirloom feathers and backgrounds - more than anything, I just need a couple of days of retreat - am so looking forward to it!  I'll be taking a camera, so will have some things to share, I'm sure.  

 

My work with the Bonnie Hunter mystery hit a wall when I realized I didn't like my colors, after making around 70 units...  hmmm, why couldn't I see it sooner???? 

 

Well - here's the original colors:

 

So, back to the drawing board - the reddish brown became a camel brown, and the green became a bright blue... 

and now I am much happier to move forward on the mystery !   Wonder what I will find to do with those other squares?   Hmmm, charity quilt... 

So, better run and pack up my class stuff - see how little I can forget this time!  

Happy Happy Quilting,
Kate

A World Gone Mad

My mom, who is 92, seems to dislike a lot about how the world works these days - Black Friday drove her over the top - even just watching it on tv - -  "too commercial",  "people acting like fools"... 

and, while I clucked and thought 'ok, she's 92", I had to agree with her to a point...

and then, in the midst of the world gone mad... 

Bonnie Hunter offers her annual FREE mystery quilt.  And she goes to the trouble to offer two sizes, and all the instructions made for a special ruler, and not made for the ruler, and templates, and Inklingo.... next year she is just going to make the quilts for everyone. 

Thank you, Bonnie, for your generosity, and for resisting the "what's in it for me" mentality of our world... for just a bit...

My parts - well here they are.  not sure about the colors, but here I go...

I am trying to use mostly 'soft ' colors, with the brown being the single dark color.  Can't tell yet if this will work.   Am also using a couple of non-scrappy colors, since I tend to like things a little more controlled... 

I'm not finished with clue one, but am already eager to see what clue two is!!!! 

Happy Quilting,

Kate

PS - IMMEDIATELY AFTER POSTING THIS I REALIZED I HATE THAT BROWN... TRIED A COUPLE WITH A SOFTER CAMEL COLOR AND IT WAS LIKE SAYING "AHHH"... so much better!  Oh well, better to change now than after I did them all !!!!

I GOT JURIED IN !!!

Happy Friday, everyone... 

The quilting Goddesses have once again been kind to me... my small quilt, "Mystic Glacier" has been juried into the Road to California quilt show in January.  Oh I am so honored.  

"Mystic Glacier" is made from a vintage damask napkin, mounted on a piece of Radiance fabric, and then quilted a WHOLE LOT, following the pattern in the original linen as a guide.  I also found some vintage lace on eBay to edge it with... 

This is the second year I have had a piece in Road to California - and I was simply dumbstruck when I got the acceptance...  oh this is really fun!

 

Of course, now I must put on a hanging sleeve, a label, pack up to mail, fill out forms, etc.  But that is fine - so fun. 

 

 

Besides getting this ready for mailing, everyone at my house is trying to relax.  So far, Miss Bit seems to have mastered relaxation more than anyone else!  

I did score BIG this morning at Jo-Ann's - a very early morning run to see what the Saturday Doorbuster's were - and they had ArtBins at the fabulous "Buy ONE, get TWO free" - so I got SIX bins - the better to store unfinished projects in!!!! 

 

I truly hope you have all had a fabulous holiday, and have found both some laughter and some rest.  One more day - let's see how much quilting I can get done!!!! 

 

Happy Happy Quilting!

 

Kate

 

 

 

Afterglow

Oh I do love Thanksgiving...  a perfect holiday - a few traditions, but not so many that you are overwhelmed like Christmas.... 

DH and I did not travel, thankfully - it is both too hectic and the airfares simply overpriced at holiday time.  So we had a quiet day with some good food and some relaxation.  He worked on his hobby (stamps) and I worked on mine!

Tomorrow I will drive to Tracy, CA, to hand over a box of charity quilts that will go to Wrap-A-Smile.  Here is a photo of all the quilts on my porch fence - aren't they bright and cheery?   Many were pieced by friends in the Sunshine Guild, and I did the quilting.  Some are all mine - but I love them all equally.

I have been working very hard on my "Linen Quilts", and making progress.  This first piece is now bound - there is still a little bit of work to do in some of the gridwork, and then I think I will add some beads... but it is one of my favorite pieces, and I love having it all neatly bound.   

I am also working on this larger piece.

Still lots to do on that one !   Hallelujah, three more free days before going back to work on Monday!

Happy quilting to all,

Kate