34 Years!

 

That's what DH and I are celebrating today! That would have been 1979; I'd just graduated from college one month prior, and did not yet have a teaching job. These 34 years have seen so many changes. I suppose that is true for all of us, though. We've had a pretty good run so far. Today we are going to Columbus for church and then to the Ohio Theater Summer Movie Series premier. Nothing elaborate, but I am looking forward to it!

Happy anniversary, Honey!

And now on with our regularly scheduled programming.

This has been one crazy, busy month! I am ready for a serious slow down! The week of quilt camp concluded and I have much to share.

Believe it or not, though, I have to take care of some blogging business first. This is the very last day of existence for Google Reader. I have procrastinated in dealing with this pending change. I have tried to read up on the impact. To me personally, it will make no difference at all.

However, to those readers of my blog who use Google Reader, this will make a huge difference! You won't find me anymore, if I don't do something!!!

I have enrolled in both Bloglovin' and Feedly. I think both seem user friendly, so take your pick.
I have posted buttons for both over on the side bar for your convenience.

Yesterday, I joined 3 friends for a trip to the Columbus Convention Center for the NQA Quilt Show. In addition to finishing the sharing of Quilt Camp, I will also have some beauties to share from NQA.

With all this craziness this month, I am looking forward to staying home more, sewing in my own space, and catching up on the things I want to post here.

Bear with me! It will be done!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Half-Square Triangles Everywhere!

My focus for Quilt Camp sewing was to use up some Kaffe Fassett scraps. I have so many leftover pieces - particularly squares of various sizes - 3-inch; 5.5-inch; 6-inch mostly. As camp got closer and closer, I decided to make HSTs out of them. At some point during the sewing, I would decide how to use them.

Here is what I'd accomplished by the end of the day Wednesday.

I started with the 3-inch squares and made all the blocks with the 4 little HSTs. Originally I had them all laid out side by side. Two things occurred to me: one - I would need a boatload of them in order to make an entire quilt, and two - it was so busy! My eye would just not rest anywhere!

That is when I began to entertain the notion of separating them with a larger, single HST. I like how this has given a bit of order to it, and is not so overwhelming.

I will be back to camp tomorrow afternoon. I have lots of KF scraps left, and plan to add more to this quilt.

I will get pics of everyone's progress and continue to share here. I am pleased to report that one of the quilters - Linda - has taken pics in my absence, and has emailed them to me. I am able to fill in some gaps with her photos, so I do still have lots of stuff to share!

And, speaking of Linda, I don't know what kind of brain cramp I was having when I put together the last post. I completely left Linda out of the wrap-up! Sorry, Linda!! I don't know where my brain was!

See the progress in just one day? I took the top picture at around 9:30 am, and the bottom picture at around 3pm. Linda is another quilter who is going to have a finished quilt top by the end of camp.

Ok. Now all wrap-up through Wednesday is complete. I will use some of Linda's pictures to show you what went on Thursday in my next post. Stay tuned, Peeps! ;)

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Quilt Camp - Wednesday Wrap Up

It is definitely impressive what can be accomplished when quilters devote extended time to their projects. I am only a part-time attendee at camp this year, and I am thrilled with my progress. Those who are attending every day, all day are making amazing things - yes, multiple things!

Let's start with Kay. She began the week by putting borders on the yellow and gray baby quilt, and then prepping the backing for it. When that was finished, she pulled out a kit and proceeded to finish it!

 

 

 

Granted, it was an easy pattern, but she did have to cut; that takes time, you know! Anyway, Kay has now moved on to the second kit.

 

 

I am sure it is finished as I type this post (24 hours later).

 

Pam is another excellent example of getting things done. She came on Tuesday with the intention of scrapbooking. However, she found herself inspired by all the quilting, so after expressing her desire to make an "I Spy" quilt for her grand-niece, she got started on Wednesday morning.

 

Cutting a big pile of novelty fabrics into 5" squares.

Pam works really fast and here she is quilting it!

This is a darling quilt that the 3-year-old niece will absolutely love.

Here are the rest of the quilters and their projects as of Wednesday.

 

This is Anita's project. It was a kit.
I didn't have the pattern to share with you on the previous post.

Look at the progress! Isn't it a fun quilt!

I wanted you to see the crayon border print.

And also the colorful sashing fabric.

Georgia has made fantastic progress on her Stack and Whack UFO.
She had to pack everything up at the end of the day Wednesday because she is heading off to Florida.



At last year's camp, Georgia was making these stars - primarily pink, her favorite color! - and I asked
if she'd share her progress with me. These certainly give me big ideas for yet another Kaffe quilt!
 

This is the pattern that Kelly, our lovely hostess, was working on.

The book is a Thimbleberries. This is one I don't have, believe it or not!

The quilt is a king size; Kelly intends to use it in her house. Does this not look fantastic??

Pat has made spectacular progress on her blue and yellow quilt.

This is a picture of the quilt in the pattern book. It is called Blueberry Blue.

The pattern is in this Thimbleberries book.

 

Sherrie was close to laying out her blocks as we ended our day on Wednesday.
I cannot wait to see this come together!

Her quilt pattern is called Fire Drill.

The book Sherrie is using is called Modern Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman.

Rhonda came with the intent of making a t-shirt quilt for her son;
I think this is going to be a finished top by week's end!

At the end of the day, one of the shop's customers, Pamela Sperling, came in with her newly quilted quilt. This was quilted by Cindy Henderson, Kelly's mom and shop co-owner. It is called Family Tree by Edyta Sitar. It was made from a kit purchased at Old Town Fabric Shop. Isn't it spectacular? The appliques are all of batik fabrics, and the background is from the Laundry Basket line.

Well, friends, I was a bit late with today's wrap-up; I apologize for that, but I do sometimes have to share my computer. I will share what I am working on in tomorrow's post.

 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

 

 

Way-Back Wednesday - 6

This week's quilt is 76 years old - not old at all, is it Mom? *winking*

I know the age of this quilt because Grandma pieced it while she was pregnant with my mother - in 1936. It is called Block O - and that is not a reference to the Ohio State Buckeyes' Block O. This quilt pattern very likely predates our Buckeyes' "O" by several years.

It is a big quilt - it is shown here on a double bed and there is ample overhang on both sides as well as there at the bottom.

One thing I really must do is see about getting this quilt cleaned. This is the border shown against a white pillow sham. Look at how soiled the quilt is - the muslin probably was never true white, but it should look a lot better than this!

And the interior of the quilt also has a few spots that need attention. Heaven only knows how old these stains are!

I think this quilt is deceiving as to just exactly where the blocks are that create those block Os. I tried to outline (first time to do this ever!) so you could see.

I switched to a black line to outline this block. Isn't that a unique block? I don't think I have seen this pattern in any other quilt - and I have looked at A LOT of quilts!

Well, there you have it - my 6th installment of Way-Back Wednesday. I am back to Quilt Camp today, so there will be lots of catching up in the next post.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Quilt Camp Wrap-Up -- Monday

The 2013 Quilt Camp is off and running in a very hospitable and comfortable location. The Old Town Quilt Shop is hosting us, and as expected, the accommodations are wonderful. Spaciousness is probably the most notable feature. My goodness! We could double our numbers, I do believe!!

Since so much is going on, I think I will just post the pics and offer an explanation in the captions. No need for extra narration, right??



Anita is making this fun crayon quilt. I think it will be wall-hanging size,
but don't quote me on that! I will follow up.

Before I even arrived, Georgia had finished this block for the
Mill Girls quilt along that she is in. I love this quilt.

So after finishing her Mill Girls block, Georgia pulled out this UFO of a Stack and Whack project.
The floral is a Kaffe Fassett fabric. Looks spectacular!

Kay only needed to apply the borders of this very cool gray and yellow quilt.
It is a baby quilt for Frienzie Lyn's newest grandbaby, due soon!

The back of the baby quilt will be quite a treat for the eyes!

Kelly, shop owner, was binding this patriotic quilt. All the fabrics are batiks!

Linda had this pattern out of a magazine, and began it Monday.
She is altering the instructions a bit, but looks to be
well on her way to a great-looking quilt!

Here are a couple of blocks for Linda's quilt.

Not all the activity is quilting. Maria came with a project she'd been procrastinating over. The gray fabric is the suit of a recently deceased loved one. She had embroidery applied and is framing them for the children.

Here is a close up of the embroidered sentiment.

Pat is starting a blue and yellow quilt. The pattern is from a Thimbleberries book,
but you'll have give me a couple of days to get the exact name and title for you.



Sherrie is making a quilt for a recently married niece. This blue and beige/tan quilt will be a modern design. I will have to get the specifics before the week is out.

My own work on half-square triangles went very well. I had a stack of scraps of 3.5-inch squares. So I sewed across the diagonal and ended up with a lot of very pretty HSTs - I need a whole lot more, so stay tuned for pictures later this week.

My plan for this week is to attend quilt camp on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. DH and I have a date tomorrow in Columbus, and I still have that book to read for book club, which is Thursday evening. We have decided to meet at a restaurant in Chillicothe, instead of here at my house. So reading is what I must make time for! Yikes!

Happy Quilting, Friends!