There’s something big goin’ on….

 

I have a huge (read into this queen size bed quilt) project that I have on the "TO DO" list with a very, very, very (read into this by the end of September) short deadline.   

 

 

 

 

I have made a goal calendar for where I should be every day when I close my eyes.  I am going hard on it with a stepped up due date of Sept 25th.  I work best when I leave wiggle room at the end. 

 

I can't wait to share this with all of you as I am loving it.  (read into it my Civil War Repros loving heart is singing).

 

I ask that you just hang in there with me and as soon as a cover is decided (oops there's a clue) and the nod is given for release I (and someone else...another clue)  will let you in on what we have been working on.

Now back to your regularly scheduled quilting.   Carry on.

Brews4Drew Quilt is Done!

Thanks to everyone who sent in a block or two (or four!) for the Brews4Drew Quilt that will be auctioned off on September 8th at the Brews4Drew Fundraiser.

I am happy to say that Drew had his stem cell transplant yesterday and now he is on the flip side of this horrible nightmare called cancer.

He will be pretty much in isolation for the next few months so unfortunately he won’t be making an appearance at the fundraising event but if the reason is he is recovering and building strength we are good with that.

The quilt is awesome.  It measures 84x 84.  Much love and thanks to Cathy Boo for not only helping me put it all together but for also helping me binding it on Monday.

 

 

And to Debbie Van Kuiken/Warm & Tender Quilting of Oak Forest, Il for the spectacular freehand custom quilting job!  You rocked it Debbie and I will forever be grateful for your helping me out when time became an issue.

Here’s hoping that the Bears Fans at the fundraiser will go crazy for it!

 

I can’t believe I have been home already for a week from my adventure in North Carolina.  Still so many pics and stories to share.

I did return home to this this little beauty in the mail.  I was bidding on it on ebay while away, and when cellphone/internet coverage was not available the auction ended and I had lost.  But then two days later I got a second chance as the original buyer flaked out and the seller offered it to me at my highest bid….uummm YES!

And it beat me home. 

Isn’t she a beaut.

BLOCK: Improved Nine Patch

and it has been modernized into an english paper piecing pattern.

(Look here and see -scroll to the bottom of the page)

And that 30s bubble gum pink.

sigh.

 

 

 

 

 

The original maker didn’t finish one edge with pink melons so that actually makes my decision easier.

I will trim the entire quilt down to straight edges and add an inner and outer border.

 

I am thinking a turquoisey blue solid for the 1” inner border.   And another shade of pink or robin’s egg blue for the outer border.  In fact I think there might be a trip to buy the kona solid today.  hmmmmm…..

Enjoy the day,

Oh My Missouri Stars!

Yesterday one of the things on the “to do” list was take the Brews4Drew quilt to a local longarmmer for quilting. 

Normally I do all my own quilting but three factors are now part of my life and well it’s time to tap someone else’s talents and ease the stress.

a) No time…this is in part to the before mentioned book manuscript deadline AND all the bookings for teaching/lecturing.  As much as I love to machine quilt…well I love traveling and meeting new quilters more.

b)This bum ankle of mine is just not happy with the reverb of the foot pedal yet on my APQS George machine.  Thus giving machine quilting a break until late November when I am “done” for three months and can easily sit for a day with the ankle up if need be.

c)With travel comes many airport hours with the ebay app.  Let’s just say the vintage/antique quilt top collection has grown. And it is my personal goal to get this tops done and quilted so they can live even longer lives!

My good friend Cathy B. introduced me to her longarmmer and she was gracious enough to take on quilting the Brews4Drew quilt in the short time frame and thus saved my ….well you know.

Cathy and I have been spending Monday’s together quilting (a vow we made in June) and she had some tops to take in to Deb (longarmmer) too so off we went together.

After getting my quilt out of the way Cathy pulled out her tops.

 

 

I just about keeled over and immediately ran for the camera in my purse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now Cathy has quite the collection of antique quilt tops and quilts.  And I have see some but not all even though we have known each other for well over a decade.   Owning a multigenerational farm she has ample storage space and things kinds get tucked in all over the place.  But she is working on getting all the quilts together and I can’t wait to dive into the collection with her this Fall and begin documenting.  But that is another blog.

As Cathy is pulling out this top she explains it is a relative of a friends quilt top that the family just discovered and want finished.

OH MY!  Those are 4 inch Missouri Stars!!!  And it’s 30’s scrappy.  Can it get any better?!?.  Well not for me.  These are my most favorite quilts of all.   All hand sewn.

(just to be clear I am going to make a generous offer to the family just in case anyone wishes to let this treasure live with me)

Let the picture fest begin.  Trust me this is just a small portion.  I could of spent hours photographing each star.  And maybe I will on the flip side of quilting.

Dare I say another “quilt to make in my lifetime” has just been added to the list.

 

You can buy your EPP pieces for 4” Missouri Stars at www.paperpieces.com.

Let the madness begin.

 

 

 

Enjoy the day,

Twin A’s Quilt

It looks like my camera problem has been solved with the “reset to factory settings correction” so I am blogging again. 

And just in time to share Pauli’s quilt before he flies the coop tomorrow to his new apartment and job in Madison Wisconsin.

He is going to be missed.  But at only 152 miles from our door to his I hope he will surprise us everyone in awhile and head here for an evening or two and some Rosie’s pizza. 

I got the binding on his quilt and it will be off with him in the morning. 

A simple quilt of Triple Nine Patch blocks.  Nothing fancy.  Just made with love.

I made both Paul and Em the same quilt but dramatically different colors.   I will have a blog on Em’s in a week or so.  The quilts are named Twin A and Twin B.  Their legal names for the first 4 days in the hospital until the birth ceritificate lady finally got to my room. 

The quilts aren’t big at 68 x 78 but they are good lap size.  I plan to make them each a queen size quilt now that I have a feel for their style and colors of their apartments.  Yes apartments…Em is out the door on Saturday to her new abode. 

 

 

 

I think Molly is going to miss Pauli.  She just loves jumping up and snuggling him when he is on the couch. 

 

 

 

I am so proud of Paul.  He is ready to take on the world. 

Early Mornin’ Strip Piecing

As usual I am up at the crack of dawn.  No exception today.   And I brushed my teeth and hurried down to the studio for a few hours of strip piecing before Paul got up.

We usually run all our “together errands” on Wednesday’s so I had until 7:30am to play.

I started strip piecing some 6.5” squares yesterday after making the pillowcases.

I had looked over at the strip bin and it’s overflowing state and decided that I would tackle it a bit.   This would cover the need to start another something new (the pillowcases alone did not quench the thirst of new project syndrome) and clean up a getting to be unruly part of the studio.

I got a few squares done but the fire was lit inside me and I wanted to tackle some more.

I was sewing away and gabbing with friends on Facebook.  Such a nice way to start the day.

 

The strips were dumped on the floor behind my chair for easy access to pick and choose. 

 

I brought over my BIG Rowenta iron right after taking this picture.  All the better to press those strips into place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sew – Sew – Sew  

 

Finally it was time to do some trimming.  I heard Molly come down the stairs.  Her tags jingling as she walked behind me.  I thought she was headed to her doghouse area in the studio.

 

Imagine my surprise when I returned to my machine and the strip pile was snoring.

 

 

While out and about today I dreamed up the quilt for my 6.5” squares.  And sketched out the plan.

 

I am going to be doing some more sewing.   A lot more.