It's a Big Work Day !!

ooh my, but I have taken on big projects today...............

First I dug out a container of old files and papers for a massive sort - Bit thought it was a fine place to take a nap - oh well, I'll finish that up later - ha!

Next I hauled out a gigantic stack of quilting books - I am sorting through these to put them up for sale on Monday as part of Bonnie Hunter's big Quilty Yard Sale - hopefully I will get a lot of traffic, and can move some of these to someone else's bookshelf - mine is groaning with just too much !  If you are interested in books, stop by on Monday... 

Are there any quilty projects, you ask?

of course.................

There's a quilt on the George quilting machine that needs to be finished - a little charity quilt for Wrap-A Smile.

 

and my most important project - the pineapple quilt is ready for sandwiching !!!

(this picture taken before I fixed the problem with the border...)

Most fun of all - there's a big box of charity quilts that are ready to be donated - but I like to get a 'group photo' before I box them up... 

So - it's busy busy here at the Quilting Professor's house...  but these projects are long overdue.

Happy Quilting and Projects!!

Kate

COLOR ME TICKLED



 

Hello, hello, my blog-world friends.  Recently I submitted a quilt to a juried exhibition , called New Quilts of Northern California.  The exhibit will be up at the Pacific International Quilt Festival in October.......It is for "Northern California's most well-known and upcoming quilters".... 

 

My sister took the photos - and we just couldn't get the lighting to work no matter how we tried, but I sent it in anyway.............nothing ventured, you know.

 

This week I got the letter...  it said:::

 

Thank you for submitting an entry to the 2013 New Quilts of Northern California exhibits..... We are sorry we could not accept all the quilts entered.  Due to space limitations we did not accept more than one per entrant....  It should be understood by entrants that poor photos decrease a quilt's chance of acceptance....

 

 

So, I figured, ok - the quilt wasn't perfect, the photos weren't good - why did I enter this???

 

Then it said... "your quilt, "Victoria I", was ACCEPTED into the exhibit.

 

Well knock me over with a feather. 

 

You have seen this before, but here is my little handkerchief quilt, named "Victoria I"..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am really, really amazed to be in this exhibit - and oh so intimidated...  I'm just not real good at this show and tell type stuff.  I can't even share my quilt at guild meeting.   My knees will go weak to see it up at an international quilt festival............

 

and now, like every quilter who's quilt is chosen for display , - I have to go sew on a sleeve!!

 

Color me tickled...........

 

Kate

CURSES - Foiled Again !!!!

oh my, oh my... for a moment, there was a giant celebration - the "Pineapple Crazy" top was finished - hooray, horray.  "Pineapple Crazy" is a Bonnie Hunter pattern, with MANY many small pieces - just what I love to do...

After much shooing to keep the kitties away, I got a couple of good photos:

 and then ......................

Blimey..................Crap...................

Expletive Deleted...

See the problem?

 

I have to take one border off and put it back on the same direction as the other three.

 

Not right now.  I have learned that lesson - when you find a major boo-boo, don't try to fix it immediately - give yourself a little breather room - then later it doesn't seem so disheartening to rip it !

 

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday afternoon.

 

Kate

 

 

 



A Fabulous Workshop with Cyndy Needham

Hi everyone - do you know the work of Cindy Needham?   If not, feast your eyes on this loveliness.   This is a piece of vintage linen and lace, mounted on fabric, then quilted and beaded...  Cindy's work is fabulous, and her classes and workshops are fantastic, too...

So, after waiting nearly a year until one of her Linen Ladies workshops fit in my schedule, we loaded up the whole family and went to Rancho Cordova, which is near Sacramento, California.

and I do mean the whole family....it was time to teach Mystic and Gloucester about travel - we know we will relocate in 3-5 years, so they may as well learn to travel and sleep in a hotel...

Here are the little darlins in the Hyatt - and no, we did not sneek them in, we paid the pet fee... 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

They were really very very good - a little bit nervous, but all in all they were fabulous!

Here are a few photos  of projects people were working on - this first one is a bit weird, but you get the idea...............

This is the project Cindy herself was working on - isn't it extraordinary?  Funny how much her blouse looks like her quilting work!! 

I worked some more on my friend's handkerchief quilt...

and then I started this piece - made from a vintage pillowcase with lovely crochet trim at the bottom...

more photos to come as this gets further along!

After three lovely sewing days, we all headed home...
and Mystic says he is glad to be back in his own cat tree!

Happy Quilting to all,

 

Kate

Loveliness, Friendship, and Memories

Oh my friends, my heart is full of warmth with this project... a small linen-based whole cloth wall hanging... this is made especially for a friend.............. my friend Virginia - one of those long-time, BFF types.

A few years ago, Virginia and I were in London together on a business trip when her mother passed.  Recently, after I learned to work with vintage linens in quilting, I asked her if she had a hankie or other linen that belonged to her mom... she did... and it was lovely.  I did not tell her what I would do with it , except that she would get it back, but in a very different form... and she trusted me.

This is what it looks like in progress...

and some close ups

 

There is more to do - binding, a bit more stitching, and then a few beads here and there for effect!   I'll put up another photo when it is finished!!!!

 

Can't wait to send it to my friend................

I do love being able to produce something lovely for someone I care about.

 

Kate

 

 



 

 

 

It's time for PETS ON QUILTS !!!

Well, it you are thinking of entering,, never mind, cause I am posting the winning photo in just a few moments...  

This is little Gloucester (aka 'Bit') on my Bonnie Hunter Quilt 'orca bay'...  such a little kitty, such a big quilt!

and here she is, chasing those pesky Flying Geese so they don't get away! 

Now, to be fair to all my furry children, I must include photos of Bit's partner in crime, Mystic...

 

Every day they play in the water - 

catching it before it falls in the pitcher, and trying to save it from going down the drain - fun, fun....

and here is Mystic in his glory on the leather couch, just perfect with his coloring, don't you think?

 

 

 

Want to learn more about the Pets on Quilts Contest this year?  Go to LilypadQuilting... here... and be sure to come back in a week and vote for your favorite!

 

 http://www.lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-pets-on-quilts-show-is-here-2013.html

 

 

 

Happy Happy quilting,

 

Kate, Mystic, and the Bit

 

 

 

Summer and Vacation

oh my, but I am having a lovely summer.  First off, summers are quieter - even though I work in university administration, and therefore have a 12-month employment - there are fewer late evenings and weekend/night events - and more opportunities to leave a bit early or take a long lunch. 

Somehow those opportunities turn into fabric shop forays!!!!

My sister is here for ten days, and we just spent five of them at Lake Tahoe... have you been there?

Oh so gorgeous and peaceful...this is a photo of Emerald Bay

 
Kittens were very glad when we returned home... 

And, I am oh-so-glad to post my August 1 photo of the Ginormous Hexagon Quilt...
 

Oh, boy, oh boy - just that little hole on the left side, and then some white edgings work, and I can't believe it but it will be finished !!!  Oh boy am I planning a big party!!!! 

 

Well, got to run - I got up early this am to do a bit of sewing - and sitting here with the computer is NOT sewing !!!

 

We're off to Bodega Bay today to see the little town where Hitchcock's film The Birds was made...  spooky...

 

Happy Quilting,

Kate