Sisterhood of the Traveling STASH

This is a story of a traveling stash...

This stash was born way up north in Fairbanks, Alaska... in the home of the kind and gentle Beverly Bennett - aka "Bev from Alaska". ... A member of the Sunshine Yahoo Quilting Guild, Bev made hundreds of quilts with her Sunshine friends, and machine quilted hundreds more.

Sadly, Bev passed away a month or two ago... but her stash is still going strong...

Some friends of Bev from the Sunshine Guild lovingly retreived her stash and divided it into a stack of USPS flat-rate boxes... Each box was a lovely mix of prepared blocks, fabric, and even some notions and magazines that once were Bev's treasure. The boxes traveled all over the US... and this is just part of my share::::

This past weekend, Bev's stash was being crafted into charity quilts in at least ten states, ranging from Florida, California, Wisconsin, heck, all over!

I've been having a great discovery going through the quarters, eighths, blocks, and books that were included in my box... and then I found THIS

Now I must ask you - what do you think Bev, a woman fiercely proud of living in Alaska, was thinking when she bought this???? of course - the beautiful northern lights...

I think I will keep this piece in the "permanent collection" part of my stash... it makes me smile thinking of a woman who loved fabric, loved her home, and loved to quilt.

And the next step for this fabric???? Why - of all places - Peru! The "Bev Memorial Quilts" will go along on a medical mission hosted by Rotary International - a quilt is given to each child who undergoes facial disfigurement surgery (like cleft palate) - and the quilt is theirs to keep - sweet, huh?

Happy Quilting everyone,

Kate

The Fabric Told Me to Stop

MY QUESTION FOR THE DAY: If you don't know what something is going to be when you begin, how do you know when it is finished????

So - I think this is done... I played around with putting more borders on it, but it just doesn't want any more... and so now it goes to the pile that needs to be sandwiched and quilted...

I am starting to love these small wall hangings... they are just the thing for decorating - and they are wonderfully portable to take to class, or to a friend's house!

OK - what's next???? Oh my, there's so many things half-finished, there's no big need to think up something brand new!

Happy Quilting Everyone,

Kate

Good Advice, Guys

What good advice you all gave me! Here is the compass with the geese laid out around it... you all certainly recommended the right option... I love the contrast. Now I need to get it all sewn together, and add the central circle... and then figure out what comes next! Happy Sunday, everyone, and Happy Quilting! Kate

What do You Think????

OK - I need some feedback here... I'm going to put a ring of flying geese around this Mariner's Compass... so I could do a rust with yellow geese, as at 10:00 pm on the clock of the circle...; or I could use a lighter background with geese in the fabrics of the points... what do you think???

ps - don't ask what the center will be or what the background will be - I don't know yet - just going one step at the time as the fabric tells me what to do!!!!

So - please leave a comment - which do you like best - 10:00 pm or 2:00 am ???? Many thanks and Happy Quilting... Kate

Mariner's Compass Progress Report

Progress - - the compass is done - now to find a fabric for the center!

And I'm going to put some flying geese around it..

right now it looks like it opens up to infinity................

Kate

I've Been Gifted!

WOW - it's my Birthday!!!!

And DH gifted me a Gingher box...


It's the spring-loaded scissors! I've been wanting these for a long time - I cut a lot of
denim, and my poor hand hurts - and a while back I mentioned to DH that I wanted these...

...........once upon a time I wanted boxes that said "Waterford" on the side... now I'm much happier with "Gingher".... (but I still love my Waterford, honey).


Also - a couple of weeks ago I won this lovely gift from PURL SOHO, a store in NYC that is supporting the efforts of Victoria Findley, who has organized a QUILT GATHERING for families in the city who are re-entering homes after being homeless... go by bumblebeansbasics.com to read more about it - or to DONATE A QUILT!

The book pictured is "Last Minute Quilted Patchwork Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson and Anna Williams. I am loving it AND the fabrics!


How lucky am I to get these wonderful gifts that play so nicely together? Happy Birthday to me...

Kate

Fabulous Class

What a Great Class I went to yesterday - Mariner's Compass with Judy Mathieson... a fabulous quilter who literally 'wrote the book' on Mariner's Compass, and is a great teacher as well.

Here's my design wall today - a bit more than half of my class project - - and I am off to try to add some more to it!!

Hope everybody has something fun to sew on today!!

Kate

POUTING

I am pouting today, for my all-time favorite Quilt Shop is closing - Randy's Quilt Shop in Greensboro, NC.

Randy's is a great quilt shop - lots of space, great classrooms, fabulous choices of fabric - a huge ladies restroom (how lovely) and a great staff, and owner, Randy himself...

Randy's is where I rediscovered quilting after not sewing for twenty years - I indulged my love of color and fabric during their fabulous sales... and took wonderful classes including a great one on pattern drafting from Karen Pervier...

If you are in the area, stopby - the closing sale is on and fabulous - see their website for details...

Thanks, Randy - it was a great shop - I don't live in Greensboro any more, but I will miss it even from far away!

Kate

HELLO OLD FRIENDS

aHHH the joys of moving...

So we have been in our house now 2 1/2 weeks, and DH has worked every day on unpacking while I am off at my new job. We have reached a stage of general functionality - we can cook, find clothes, and all the furniture is in the right place. I had my piano tuned, which was very pleasant, and we bought a new charcoal grill and tested it out right away...

But neat it is not... there's just STUFF everywhere - stuff that needs to be sorted or a home found for... cause things just can't be arranged the same as before.. and there are still a number of boxes to be unpacked... what on earth can be in them? you guessed it - sewing stuff!

My stash has been coming out of boxes - I have enjoyed fondling every piece...and gradually the shelves are filling with great color and pattern... I was feeling so proud of my progress in getting it unpacked...

until I went in the garage ;;;; and what did I see???

Bins of fabric... bins of yarn.............bins of notions...........

My treasure trove is safe! And one day it will all be unpacked!

Meanwhile I will just merrily sew on while unpacking...

Happy quilting,

Kate

QUILTY FRIENDS

What is it about quilters, anyway - that we always seem to get along so well?

Yesterday I met three 'quilty friends' that I have known on the web for a while... they are part of the Yahoo Sunshine Quilting Group that makes kids charity quilts...When I lived in New York, these ladies were just logon id's on the screen - but yesterday (now that I live in California), I sewed with them for a lovely day!

We spent our day on a special project in honor of a woman named Bev, who lived in Alaska, and volunteered to quilt tops for people for these charity projects - and she quilted hundreds of them over the years. We lost Bev recently, so Sunshine Group is setting a goal of 100 quilts to send on a medical charity mission to Peru in January... yesterday we assembled blocks sent in by people across the country - and the mail has just started arriving! Here's a little eye candy for you:

We had help, too, from the 'softness testers':

When quilted, these blankies will be given to children who are having surgery for facial disfigurement like cleft palate - sponsored by Rotary International... I hope every child feels the love put into each of these small quilts.

Happy Sunday quilting to everyone,

Kate

HAND PIECING FINISHED!

FINISHED !!!!


My handpieced project is finished - the top, at least. Now it needs to be quilted, which I must, naturally, do by hand as well... (sorry for the shadowy photo - my first attempt at taking photos outdoors!)

This was so much fun. Thanks to Sharon Stroud of Ithaca NY who taught this hexagon class and hand piecing.

Kate

The Fur Was Flyin'

Lots of people have asked how we managed to get across country with our cat... Well, we thought a lot about 2800 miles in the car, with a cat... that means you can't stop and eat in a restaurant, you can't do anything other than keep the car running to keep the AC on... That means drive-through McDonald's and keep driving - hour after hour.

And stopping in a different hotel every night guarantees a cat who does not sleep at night - so then neither do you...

So - we decided to ship our cars and fly ourselves - and bring the cat with us. So - here's the mighty cat George - in his very trendy Samsonite carrier - yes, it's genuine Samsonite - very very cool! That's his favorite ball of yarn in there with him to provide comfort.

Well - Seven hours later he looks a little less enthusiastic...

Actually he was a dear - for nearly 12 hours he was in his carrier. On the longest flight (NY - San Francisco), we put his carrier up on the tray table, unzipped it so he could see out, and he just lay there and slept the whole time... what a sweetie!

So - now he REALLY loves his new location... loves the California sunshine and our great back yard where he can lay in the sunshine for hours in this oh-so-perfect temperature of the Bay area... George and DH both think we are gonna like it here!

...........now I better get back to unpacking my quilting stash!

Kate