WHIMSEY - finally finished

Doesn't it feel good to finish a project? I have so many unfinished ideas in plastic bags, that when I FINALLY get something finished, I'm just that much more inspired to get them all done! ( dream on little girl, dream on! )

This is called Whimsey

All 30's fabrics that I had, so I didn't have to buy anything!
It is from a book I have called "Granny Quilts" by Darlene Zimmerman. There is a bunch of great patterns in it... if you're into 30's prints!
I learned somethings about my quilting with this one. I put the final borders on and they were w.a.v.i.n.g. in the wind, you know, that lovely ripple effect (( I was saying not nice words )). So, off they went and when I layed the quilt down without borders, I discovered that I had been a little heavy handed with the iron... some of the blocks had stretched. eeeiii !

I put it away. For awhile. But it bugged me.

So out it came again and geez, how to fix this.

I cut new borders ( just the solid blue ) out of fabric the LONG way,, that way no stretching. I also found out I put the wrong size border on first ( duh, 2-1/2 is NOT 3 ! ). This made the sawtooth border fit better ( another big fat DUH ). And putting the last border on, cut again on the long way of the fabric,, made it all just about right - well as right as it will be.

Think I'll quilt this one myself, just straight line stuff, super simple.

I like the quilt - it sure isn't a prize winner - but I think I can cozy up with it this winter just fine!

HOUSTON - the return

The Houston Quilt Festival was great fun -- I'm just now getting my energy back,, my house back in order,, and my credit card tallied (( EEEGADS!!! )). My friend tirane and I drove down ( Dallas to Houston, about 4 hours - depending on how fast you drive! ). We arrived Friday afternoon and after checking into the hotel ( we got lucky and stayed at the Hilton next to the convention center! ) we went right to the show.


These are shots from the second floor windows that overlook the vendor floor. If you have not been able to attend,, I'm so so sorry! You can't imagine how big this is... but OH the beautiful quilts!!! I will NEVER, EVER, Never be able to be as creative or as talented, or as precise as those quiltmakers who had quilts on display. EVER. NEVER...

This is the view from our room at night,, gee, the Houston lights are pretty!

I really did pretty well shopping. I'm still on my kick of not adding to my stash, and so far I have done really well! Fab Fanatics is a vendor from Dallas that is always at the Houston show with absolutely wonderful batiks at absolutely wonderful prices. I always save my pennies to show their booth -- see the gorgeous colors! I don't know what I'm going to do with them,, but I'm sure I can find something!! I also picked up some more of the rayon thread that I like to use for satin stitching machine applique... hhmmm,, haven't done a lot of that lately, but I have the thread!!!


I bought 3 books, too -- now that I'm a stay-at-home non-working woman for awhile, I think ( that's the secret word, "think" ) I have all this time to do stuff,, sure,,,

I didn't really take a lot of pictures of the quilts,, not sure why??!! But I have been browsing around the we, and lots of people have them... go surf - they were just beautiful!
This is one I really liked and I got lucky and was able to hear the artist talking about her quilt, Gail Thomas said she received a black and white picture from Alex Anderson and made this quilt from that picture -- the little blond girl in the corner is Alex Anderson, her sister, and Ms. Anderson's grandmother.
Ms. Thomas was telling us that Ms. Anderson said that from about the age of 3 she started sewing and new that this was what she wanted to do. Cool story, huh! I found this site describing it http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/blog.php/blog_id/1940. You might remember Ms. Thomas from the 2007 show, she had the quilt "Three Sisters" in that show,,, quite remarkable! You can see it here http://www.quiltinglife.com/ThreeSisters.html.

Since we drove, tirane had the idea to bring our machines and have something to do in the evening. Neither of us are big bar people and downtown Houston isn't really the place to hang out. So I took my Tar Baby - the Featherweight and she took hers and we put together a charity quilt. Between the two of us, ( she brought some fabric ) we decided on the pattern, got it cut, sewed, pressed ( thank goodness for the in-room iron and board! ) and VOILA!! This is our Houston charity quilt!



So we had a good time,, saw lots of awe inspiring 'objects d'art', spent some money and enjoyed ourselves.

aahhh,, back to reality!

Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe: It's a Happy Halloween Giveaway!

Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe: It's a Happy Halloween Giveaway!


WOW! this is a great way to feel like a princess and get some goodies for your stash -- a wonderful giveaway of a bundle ( yep! a BUNDLE ) of fat quarters, just right for Halloween. Go here,,, http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-happy-halloween-giveaway.html

and see whats up!!
( Hey! I never win anything,, but you might! )

HOUSTON QUILT FESTIVAL

Going to Houston,, Going to Houston,, Ok I'm getting excited - Going to Houston Yipee!

I live in Dallas, about 5 hours from Houston,, an easy day drive going and coming. My friend and I are leaving Friday morning,, coming back sometime Sunday. That's a lot of shopping and looking time.... And we got a room at the Hilton ( I think that's the one attached to the convention center ) We can take all our purchases to the room when they get too heavy !! ( last year I checked in stuff at the little check-in place for a $1,, it was a life saver! )

I want to go see Fab Fanatics,, they always have batiks on sale for a great price ( like I need any ), I want to see all the fabulous quilts that are on display,, I want to see all the new, latest and greatest stuff that the vendors have... I want to play on the new machines ( nope, not in the market, just want to play ) ,, I'm sure there is other stuff I want to look at but I can't remember right now.

I'm doing the excited dance !! Are you going, too? Is there anything that I need to hunt down that I just have to have?



PS,,, any ideas on what to do with stuff that I bought last year and the year before that I haven't done anything with??? What have you done with yours? ( and you know you have them! LOL )

INTERNET QUILT FESTIVAL

I am WAY behind on reading blogs, the net, or anything of any substance.... I just heard about the 2009 Quilt Festival held right here, on the Net by Amy of ParkCityGirl,, What a cool thing to do! Go visit this site http://parkcitygirl.blogspot.com/2009/10/quilt-festival-fall-2009.html or click on the block to the left. Therre are about 340+ entries -- OMG!!



get a cuppa and enjoy!

I'm submitting my quilt Random Blocks,,, see the post here http://quiltramblings.blogspot.com/2009/09/random-blocks-finished.html...




Share with me what you find out in the great Netland!

SEPTEMBER RETREAT - a little late

Our bee had a retreat the end of September at Create-Away-Cottage ( http://home.earthlink.net/~neldaquilt/ ) where we always go. ... lots of fun - good food, good fellowship and a great time to get some sewing done. The weather was just beautiful and we got to eat meals outside on the deck ( until the skeeters decided we were their dinner ). There was a beautiful sunset ( no picture though ) and a full moon ( no pic of that either ).

Being the little photographer that I am, I was always walking around taking pictures of what everyone was working on (( I'm supposed to be sewing, not taking pictures maybe that is why there is nothing here about what I did ( or maybe that was by design?) )) There were about 14 of us,, not too many, not too few.

Isn't this beautiful! All in batiks. I think she said that some of the blocks were from a birthday swap at the quilt shop where she works ( not sure which blocks were the swap and which were hers ). I didn't get a final picture but she used a really pretty blue batik for the setting triangles. I thought this one was really cute and so easy to make!! The flowers are chenille strips that she sewed on and then brushed like crazy to get them to be soft and fuzzy. Amazing to me that she made most of them herself! Geez, that's why I like retreats.... I learn so much! It is quilted in the ditch and I just might have to try that chenille trick myself!

Somebody was making houses for our block exchange -- it's a tropical beachy theme and we are going to swap 12 house blocks,,, then the rest is up to us. This is one version,,, I have all my fabrics picked out - should be fun! ( doesn't the door look like it fabric waving in the tropical breeze!?! )

Here are some quilts I fell in love with -- Great job ladies!!
My Oh My -- I do have some talented friends!

I walked around taking pics of what was on their machines, too... she finished quilting this one ,,, I'm still trying to figure out that pattern! )

I think this speaks for itself LOL!
and this one too! I do alot of this kind of sewing!

Have you seen the fabric that is the old fashioned paper dolls? I can't remember just how she did this, but the fabric is fused to something and then it will stick to the "paper" doll. I have two granddaughters that will just love this! -- I see a Christmas present in the making... hhmmm...

Looks like some half square triangles and the orange and red is Hawaiian applique,, SO pretty! That would take me a life time to finish! ( still working on some applique I started about 4 years ago! )


this is the pile of stripes that became part of this,,, she SAYS she made a mistake and threw out a block.. we couldn't find the mistake - until she pointed it out. Do you see it??


what is that saying about idle hands??

She saw this purse, made out of strips of fabric so she made herself one! DANG! I didn't get a picture of the finished purse -- it was lined and everything!

This was a kit we saw at the local quilt store, I was tempted! But I was such a good person that I left my purse at the retreat - no money, no buy... I'm such a good girl ( gosh that was a hard thing to do )

And lastly,, I think this is really my favorite (( I loved everything that was done over the weekend but I really really like this one )) It is a stack and slash,, My picture doesn't do justice to the colors,, the yellow really makes it pop.

So, that was our retreat. Hope I remembered everyone and got all the pictures up. Our next one is the first of December -- can't wait!

RANDOM BLOCKS QUILT PATTERN

Several people have asked for the pattern for the Random Blocks quilts that my friend tirane and I did,,, she is a good hearted soul and posted it for all..

http://tirane93.wordpress.com/random-boxes/

If you make one, please give credit where credit is due... enjoy!