Circleville Quilt Show - 2018

Well done, Good Time Quilters guild, for another great show in Circleville.

I have gone to this show for "alotta" years, and never have I been disappointed. In fact, it's better than ever as the guild now has the most wonderful, wide-open space in the gymnasium at Ohio Christian University.

This is the guild that several of my sweet quilty friends belong to, consequently many of their quilts showed up in the show. Let's have a look, shall we? First we will check out Sheryll's entries. If you look closely, you'll see three 3rd place ribbons. Well done, Sheryll!

I always love those 4-patches (right up there with 9-patches, you know?) and navy, so this quilt is incredibly appealing to me.

This is Sheryll's version of our little block-swap we did last year. Mine is still hanging - unquilted - on my design wall, while Sheryll has hand-quilted hers. It looks lovely, too. Both quilts above were pictured in this post from May when we met at Becky's.

The fact that I am in the midst of making a basket quilt makes me even more appreciative of the effort behind this beauty.

Awhile back - I don't know, a year? two? - the orange peel quilt was popular, and several in our group made it. This post contains an earlier picture of the orange peel quilt. This post is a very different version by Jan.

And speaking of Jan, she had some entries in the quilt show:

As an elementary school teacher, Jan has a real penchant for primary colors as evidenced in this crayon quilt.

This pickle dish quilt was a kit that Jan finished last spring in our '17 UFO challenge. In typical Jan fashion, the original plan to do a certain amount each month became a finished quilt in ONE month! Over-achiever! I have looked for previous pictures of this quilt, but I am coming up empty. This photo certainly does not do this quilt proper justice.

The quilt above is Susan's entry (and I'm sure she had others). This was begun at our Canter's Cave retreat a year ago when we had the Thimbleberries Challenge. (Make any Thimbleberries pattern or use any Thimbleberries fabric or both.) I have made this same pattern, and it continues to be one of my favorites.

The trouble with my doing a post of my friends' entries in the quilt show is that I am never sure I got pictures of them all. Undoubtedly, I have missed some, and for that I apologize and assure these ladies that it was totally unintentional. Sometimes I get side-tracked (who me??), and sometimes people are in the way of the quilt, and sometimes I just plain miss one.

Tomorrow I will post random pictures of quilts that caught my fancy at the show. I also did a bit of retail therapy at the vendors' booths, so stay tuned for that recap, as well.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Blockheads 2 - Pineapples

Block 8 of Moda's Blockheads 2 was a simple little thing and was really fun to put together. I still have some blocks to  make, and will definitely get them all caught up at some point, but for now let's just look at block 8.

I am making two sets of these blocks, and I must have been in a muted mood the day I stitched these up. I was worried about that bottom one, but it will be just fine, I'm sure. Not a lot of contrast, but still enough that the pineapple is visible.

The original pattern, designed by Jan Patek, called for applique. At least one other designer offered pieced alternative. I like that they do this.  Corey Yoder, even offered a coloring page along with her pieced instructions. These gals go all out!

My goal will be to finish the remaining blocks and get caught up. I'm not really sweating it, you know?

Happy Quilting, Friends!

The 9-11 Exhibit

Each summer I look forward quite eagerly to the Good Time Quilters' quilt show in Circleville. It is a long-established guild and their show is both well-run and well-attended. Since it has been in this newest location at Ohio Christian University, the show is even better than ever as the added spaciousness and ample parking are definite improvements.

Before I share all the wonderful quilts and vendors at this year's show - which is going on now, I want to share a special exhibit that is running in a nearby building in conjunction with the quilt show.

The 9-11 WTC Memorial Quilt Project filled one entire building with its 300 quilts and panels made by quilters all around the world to memorialize those who perished in the greatest tragedy in recent memory - the terror attacks of September 11, 2001. The sign indicates that there are 300 quilts and 7500 quilt squares - and let me tell you, after seeing this I have difficulty imagining the planning and executing of this tribute and then seeing it through to completion and then touring it around the country. What a great effort from so many!

Walking through this maze of red, white and blue quilts all made with stars and patriotic fabrics, becomes overwhelming after awhile. Patriotic music plays in the background interspersed with sound bites of news reports and survivor's accounts. Upon signing in to the exhibit, guests are offered both a plastic glove to use if one wants to touch a quilt, and a tissue for the inevitable tears.

The lobby of the theater building was full-to-brimming with the displays, and an adjoining music room contained even more. After seeing all these quilts, visitors move into the actual auditorium to see hundreds more! I tell you, this is simply the most impressive display I have ever seen - a monumental accomplishment! Not only are more quilts hanging on the stage, but having run out of room for the hangers, the remainder are draped over the auditorium seats.

Each block of each quilt included the name of someone who died in the attacks, and the maker of the block. All of this information is cataloged and each quilt is numbered. The entire project is huge, but very well organized and managed. There is even color-coding for distinguishing those who died in the Twin Towers, those who died at the Pentagon, those who died on the planes, and those who died in the rescue efforts. It is a massive display with hours upon hours of work; the size and scope is staggering.

So many details can be learned, and I did not absorb even a smidgen; here are a few tidbits: the panels (two  of several shown below) at the front of the stage are all tributes to each rescue group that responded on 9-11 - firefighters, police, military branches, and so on - even the recovery dogs have a quilt.

One quilt was quilted with the words from God Bless America, which I would never have noticed had it not been pointed out. That quilt is shown below. One final tidbit - blocks came from all 50 states and many countries around the world - it is truly a global effort.

The project began immediately after the attacks. According to literature provided, Amy Sue Leasure, an avid quilter, mother and police dispatcher from Arizona decided to create quilts dedicated to victims of the attacks. She got the ball rolling by asking for donations of 12-inch star blocks in red, white and blue. Her intention was to have a block for every victim. Ms. Leasure did not live long enough to see her dream come to fruition, as she died of cancer in 2002. Others stepped in, though, and the first exhibit of the quilts was on the third anniversary of the attacks.

I took many pictures, and I still don't do justice to the awesomeness of this exhibit. If you are planning a quilt show, try to get a group in your area to bring this exhibit to you. The group has a Facebook page with all the pertinent information. I heard that the local fire department assisted in setting up all the displays - hanging the quilts, etc. Can you imagine the devotion to this that these volunteers have?!

I hope I have conveyed to you how amazing this exhibit is. I am so glad I took my time while here to read names and sentiments. It is quite moving and thought-provoking. I am sure it would take many more visits to actually absorb it all.

This last picture contains all the catalogued data on each block. This further emphasizes the massiveness of this endeavor. The current president and keeper of the exhibit is Beverly Kuemin of Niles, Michigan. She can be reached through the FB page.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

40 Baskets

My basket block production is moving right along. I now have 40 made, with 60 yet to go. It seems like I am really slow at doing these, but if I can just stay steady at them, they will eventually all be done. I am certainly not going to quit! The pace is what I can handle at this time. If I can do more, I will.

Here are some shots of the growing stack of baskets.

I do enjoy making them. I press after each step, so that slows down production. I also don't really do strip piecing as I am laying out an entire little basket one at a time so that I am sure the triangles are all going in the right direction. That slows things down, as well.

I do love that I have three varieties of baskets going here, and I change them up every so often to keep things interesting. I am keeping a tally, as well, on how many of each basket I have made, although what difference it would make in the long run doesn't really seem like it would matter. Just so long as I end up with 100 baskets, I will be fine with the random variety.

Short and sweet today, Peeps! I have the card girls coming over tonight. I need to get to the store and make my final preparations. Tomorrow morning we have quilting at Becky's and after that I will be going to Circleville for the Good Time Quilters Quilt Show. It is always a delightful show with lots of fun stuff to see and buy.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Welcome August!

Hey! August first - another month! Inconceivable! (Queue: The Princess Bride movie, right?)

I am not even going to review the July goals because I don't think I fully accomplished any of them. I did work on several - which means I totally did NOT work on some - but you know what? I'm not stressing about it in the least. I mean, I did a lot of stuff that wasn't on the goals list - and that's all good.

The way I see it is this - I just miscalculated the types of tasks and activities I would be taking on this past month. One can plan for a month to go in one direction but then as that month unfolds, the trajectory is headed in an entirely different direction. One can't possibly anticipate the unexpected. I had no idea, for example, that a completely unplanned and spontaneous project would appear out of nowhere. Of course I had to follow through, right?

To prove that I did get something accomplished, let's take a look at this adorable little table topper I made of scraps from one of the Blockheads blocks. This was something I created sometime mid-month, as I recall.

I haven't yet finished Blockheads2 block #5, but I did make the flying geese units, and the resulting cut away corners left me with the tiny triangles used in this little cutie. I then took some neutral and made a checkerboard-type setting I was thrilled with how it looked.

Are you noticing the border situation? I didn't have enough! I pieced together some bits, but still could not make enough to fill the final 3 or 4 inches. So I dug out "something close" - as our grandmothers would have done - and "made do."

Since this little table topper is just my own creation, I had no desire to make it perfect - actually, I think I like it better because of its imperfections! Ha!

Now, about July -

**I worked on Blockheads, but did not stay caught up - still need to finish #5, #6 and now #9.
**I worked on the Roman Holiday basket quilt - nowhere near being finished.
**I worked on Lake Effect.
**I blogged 15 times.
That's about it. We won't even tally the things I didn't do. Hmmm...

Hey, August!! I'm taking you by storm!! And I think I will do it without a goals list!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Twins' Back Packs

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to spend a day with my twin nieces - now 10! - at my sister's (their Aunt Sandy).

We played a game of Hangman - which they won without making any mistakes. Their interests are drawing, reading, science, math and about a gazillion other things. To say they are smart would be an understatement. They are so advanced; they seem to simply absorb everything they see or read or hear. Mary Jean is on the left; Anna Rose on the right.

When they were very little things, I made them identical backpacks - I suppose it would have been about the time they were beginning preschool. Anyway, they came carrying them filled with swimming stuff - suits, towels, sunscreen, etc. I was so happy to see that they are still getting some use of them now that they are grown-up fifth graders-to-be.

Still very little going on here in terms of sewing. We are getting ready for my DH's garden club meeting which will be here at noon tomorrow. Today will be cleaning and cooking! After tomorrow's meeting, Sharon is coming to sew. We will get our day one way or another - even if we have to start late!

And, perhaps you'd be interested -- today is Sharon's birthday!! We will celebrate with gift-giving tomorrow!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Looking Back

Since I am not making huge, blog-worthy progress on anything at the moment, I have spent a bit of time looking back through my blog to see what I was working on at the end of July in previous years. Here are the highlights:

Just last year I finished the UFO known as Wishes, a pretty quilt made with early Fig Tree fabrics of Joanna Figueroa. I have since purchased backing for this quilt and nearly gave it away as a wedding present last fall. However, I found I could not part with this quilt, gave the newlyweds a different quilt, and have this one still waiting to be quilted.

In 2014, I finished this sweet table runner. I use it all the time on a table in our front room. I made it at Mary's Barn, a sweet quilting friend whose cancer took her from us far too soon.

In 2012, we were about to enjoy the Opening Exercises of the London Summer Olympics. I had the quilt shown below set up in the quilting frame for easy access while watching the games. It is now finished and being used.

In 2011, I was attaching the borders to this lusciousness, Economy Blue by Kaffe Fassett. Gosh, what a beauty! Like most of my creations, it still hangs in the closet awaiting quilting.

This has been sorta' like a Throwback Thursday, except that this is Friday. I might do this every so often, when I lack any good current material to use.

Happy Quilting, Friends!