Really!?!

Well the holidays are over and I spent a wonderful week in San Diego with Leigh. We rented a cottage on the beach on Coronado Island and it was heaven. Nothing better than having your morning coffee in your jammies with your toes in the sand.

When I got home it was time to get to work on the next Kim Diehl Simple Whatnots session. I only had a week to make the first quilt. It went well and the girls in the class thought it was just as cute as always. It is "Barnstars" and the pattern makes a very nice little star block.

I won't be leading the club in February because we will be doing a little travelling. After some discussion (read: no one else wanted to make the February quilt) I happily :) offered to make it for whoever would be teaching. I had even less time to get this quilt done, 4-1/2 days to be exact. Power sewing here I come! "True Blue" turned out beautiful.

Wrong!!!

It was pieced, quilted and bound....I took this picture of it and immediately saw THREE, yes 3, glaring mistakes. How could I have done that!

Now what to do? I'm the class leader, I can't  show my girls a sample that has three blocks turned in the wrong direction. But, friends assured me it would be OK. After all, the quilt was completed and what could I do?  

I knew I couldn't leave it as it was, that was just not happening. After sleeping (well actually not sleeping very well) on it. here is what I did.

I picked out the quilting stitches.

I ripped out the three offending blocks ending up with holes in the quilt top.

I tucked the blocks back in...and pinned them in place.

I hand sewed them in almost using a reverse applique technique.

I put it back on the quilting machine and "filled in the quilt pattern". Thankfully I had just done an allover meandering. If it had been a pattern my goose would have been cooked!

And now....I think, hope, pray that it is right. If additional mistakes are noticed, please do not let the quilter know. A small quilt that I hoped to have completed in a day has taken me four days to finish!

So much for being in a hurry! 

 I think I'll go to South Carolina now and enjoy the slow pace of the south!

My last two UFO projects for Country Threads

It seems like I had lots of pictures to post and things to talk about. Then somehow, life got in the way and I can't recall what all I had for you. So.....here is a small peace offering, my last two UFOs for Country Threads.

In August, I finished making the Barbara Brackman reproduction quilt using her then latest fabric line, Ladies Album.

In September I made Betsy's Baskets. And I absolutely love it!

October is going to be very busy but perhaps I can be more organized. Nothing should get in my way after November 6!

August Update

Just a quick update on a few things going on.

I was pretty excited when my Acorn and Reels quilt (Country Threads UFO for July) won 2nd place in the wall quilt category at a local quilt show over the weekend. I custom quilted it, which those of you who know me know, I don't like to do. I am still very low on the learning curve so don't attempt custom designs too often. I did some meandering, echo quilting, ruler work and freehand oak leaves on this quilt though and almost didn't put it in the show because of all that hand quilting. Sure glad I did!

Maggie's Prairie Flowers quilt from last year's Jo Morton BOM won Third Place in the same category.

I taught my wool mat class, Sunflower and Bittersweet, last week. It was a small group, but we had a lot of fun. Such good students, too. Everyone got the main design fused down and my over achiever, Maggie, even started stitching on hers. She motivated the other girls to keep working and everyone was very happy with the progress they made during class.

And, hooray, our tomatoes are finally getting ripe. Here are the first of the season.
BLTs and corn on the cob from Didier Farms for dinner last night. Yum!

 

 

It's been awhile...

Summer has gotten away from me - I have been very busy starting a lot of things. Maybe not so much finishing.

June started with Grande Old Flag at the Country Sampler in Spring Green, Wisconsin. I always enjoy the retreats that Jeanne and her shop girls put on. Relaxing, fun, good food, great teachers and projects. This year we spent it with two fun girls we met there last year and had a great time again. This is us along with Linda L. from Chessie & Me.

We were there almost a full week and this is what I made.

Ha. I know, a whole week…

But here is my bag of unfinished projects.

On to some finished things. I have two Country Threads UFOs to show you. The first is the June project. It is a Maggie Bononomi wool mat that I got at Country Sampler's Star Party last fall.

And here is the project for July. It is Acorn & Reels from Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine. The kit I used is from Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop

Lastly, I'm off and running with Kim Diehl's Simple Whatnots Club at Pieceful Gathering.

Our first quilt, Meandering, is very cute and was very quick and easy to make.

 

Here is a sneak peak at the next project. Piecing, applique, hand quilting, 

and some pretty teeny tiny yo-yo's! It has it all.

And, as promised last month, a picture of my hydrangeas in bloom.

It's June!

I'll start with spring and some of the fun projects I did this month. This little quilt is from "Prairie Women" from the Country Loft in San Diego, CA. It was originally called Bathhouse Blues (but done in browns in creams?). Leigh gave you an option of making "May Baskets". Cute, cute, cute.

I finished my Peony mat designed by Kathy Cardiff just in time for my peonies.

And while I was sewing flowers decided some blue hydrangeas would be nice.

 


Mine are not blooming yet. It's been a slow start to the growing season in Chicago. Hopefully I will  be able to show you a picture of them soon. They are beautiful.

Maggie and I finally had the opportunity to attend a class at Primitive Gatherings in Menasha, WI  taught by none other than Lisa Bongean. We have been trying to do this for years. Literally, years. We had a wonderful day of sewing this cute star and penny mat, touring Lisa's warehouse and shopping at Primitive Gatherings. And bonus, the class was too large for her classroom so we were able to have it in her studio. A very inspiring day to say the least. My friend Kathy was also at the class. That was a fun surprise. She and I and Leigh will be getting together soon for Grande Old Flag at the Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI. Very anxious for that to happen.


Continuing with the Americana theme...

I quilted this for Maggie. It is a darling quilt and has inspired us to make this blue and white quilt Maggie found on Pinterest.  Isn't it a great tablecloth for the 4th of July!

And, I finished my Country Threads UFO for the month of May. June is actually done too but I don't have a picture of it yet. Here is the quilt I finished in May. Pattern is Savannah by Paula Barnes and it is made from her Olde Savannah fabric line (with a little Jo Morten thrown in).

Happy May Day

I just wanted to wish you all a Happy May 1st!
In France, it is a tradition on this day to offer a sprig of lily-of-the-valley ("muguet" in French) to loved ones. It is a lucky charm and a token of luck and prosperity for the coming year! So here is some from me to you!

 
So, OK, I totally stole this from The Quilt Merchant's email today. I did, however, attach my own photo of lily of the valley. And even though it isn't an original thought, the sentiment is just as heartfelt. Happy May Day!
And, thank you, Valerie.

April projects just a little late

I know, I am very late with my April 1 post but I've been busy. So quickly, here's whats been happening on my ranch....

 I finished my Downton Abby quilt from Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop retreat. While I am not a great fan of purple, it turned out OK. I quilted it using a wool batting which was a bit different, but gave me some good practice. Lots puffier than warm and natural!

We went to Atlanta and I took hardly any pictures. I did manage to snap one at Jack's in Nashville. Yum, great barbeque and in front of Bridals by Lori in Atlanta.

I finished by Country Threads UFO for March. Another easy peasy project left over from Star Party at Country Sampler last fall. A pinkeep designed by Blackbird Design which features vintage pins given to us by Barb and Alma! This pinkeep used English paper piecing, a little bit of cross stitch and a top of wool applique.

And I'm sure you've seen this everywhere but it is a close up of Sunflower and Bittersweet designed by Kathy Cardiff and taught by me at Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop coming this May.