Catching up

 I visited my friend Karen on Friday to play with her toys! Yes, her sewing room (and entire home) is as amazing in person as it is on her blog.

She had gotten some new dies from Accuquilt recently. I copped up a box of modern scraps into clamshell shapes.

 

I don't think I like them all up next to each other like this. I think I'll have to cut some shapes out of Kona white or snow for alternating rows.

When I got home from Karen's, I was happy to see that the red amaryllis had bloomed. It was a gift from Julia's boyfriend, Fred. Red won the race against the white one from my mother-in-law.

 

 I know you've been wondering if Bill's car is in the garage yet. I was a day late, but it was done on Saturday. There is still a lot to do out there when it gets warmer. This is good enough for now. This month, I'm focusing on cleaning out my bedroom so the carpet can be replaced. Yay!

Have you ever been out and suddenly realized you did not have your purse or driver's license with you? It happened to me on Friday. I was going to risk it and go on with my day, but I just couldn't do it. I turned around and went back home to get it. It must be the Catholic guilt.

Have a great week, guilt-free!

Sewing with Karen

 Yesterday, I spent the day at Karen's house.  If you haven't visited Sew Many Ways, go now! Karen is an organizational master! I'm so lucky to know her and call her my friend.

sorry for all the blurry cell phone pics

For our first sew in, I decided to dig out the red and white charms from the swap Karen organized in June 2011.  I chose the setting last fall, inspired by this quilt.  The white with tiny red dots is a Moda from my LQS, and the solid red is Kona Chinese Red.

At Karen's house, I was able to get all the setting squares done and laid out the top on her dining room table. I forgot to bring a flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth to roll it up in, so I had to stack the rows to bring home. I started sewing the rows together last night.

 

Karen was inspired to dig out some swap blocks of her own. These are Civil War reproduction signature blocks. I won't tell you how long they have been ripening in her stash!

We have a date next week to visit our friend Jackie at her Things with Wings quilt show!

Fun at MQX

 Next time I go to a show with Karen, remind me to leave my credit cards at home! This lovely lady from Red Barn get us every year!  She does the best demos and makes everything look so easy.  So every year, Karen and I buy whatever she is demonstrating.  This year it was cathedral windows by machine.  This is Karen buying the tote bag pattern.  She posted a photo of me being suckered in by Ms. Red Barn.

Here are a few of my MQX purchases.  The glue pen, purple thang and aqua fabric with needles and thread are from Red Barn.  The two prints at the bottom of the pile were actually from the Folk Art Quilts trip with Bonnie on Wednesday.

Another demo, another purchase.  This is my new friend, Stephanie Farrell.  In the course of her 5 minute ruffle scarf demo, we discovered we have so much in common!  We both can only knit, not purl, and we knit continental style because we learned to crochet first.  The three skeins in the bottom left of the photo are mine.  (Sucker!)

I did the most damage at the Superior Threads booth.  My favorite thread is So Fine 50 weight.  I arrived with list in hand!  I may never need to buy thread again!  I buy needles from them, too.  The titanium coated topstitch needles are the BEST!

OK, Tina.  Step away from the vendors and move on to the quilts!

I love seeing quilts I know.  Pineapple Patience was made by my friend, Pat Harrison.  She does gorgeous work!

Caught in the Act by Barbara McKie is so cool.  She uses a unique technique to transfer photos to fabric, then does an amazing amount of thread painting.

  

Randall Cook's Enlightened Freedoms.  Have you seen the documentary Stitched?  It's wonderful and features Randy, Caryl Bryer Fallert and Hollis Chatelain.

Best in Show!

America, Let it Shine by Sherry Reynolds

This is a show stopper!  Every detail is over the top.  Quilted on a Bernina!

Great Escape - Part 1

This past weekend was our annual quilting getaway, also known as Quilt Camp.

I was so excited that Karen was able to come!

On Friday night, we showed our entries in the Flora Challenge. Our challenge themes are pretty broad. Last year was Animals (at camp, you'd like to see at camp, you wouldn't want to see at camp...).

Quite an impressive array of quilts! It was very difficult to choose winners. Everyone was given a ballot to choose their favorite in 5 different categories.

The overall favorite was Betty Tucker's spectacular 3-dimensional flowers.


Since we've now covered Flora and Fauna, next year's challenge theme is Merryweather!

The witch hazel is blooming! Hooray!

Friday night, we have a midnight madness, quick craft project.

My friend and long-time Girl Scout volunteer taught us how to make felt donut pincushions.
She even went to Dunkin Donuts to ask for an empty box to put them in!

More pix later!

Road Trip!

Look where we went today!

Ryco's Creative Sewing Center in Lincoln, RI.
It's definitely worth the trip.


And look who we met!
Shellie (center) from Shellie Sews works here part-time!
And that's Karen on the right from Sew Many Ways.
Happy Rhode Island bloggers!


So, why didn't I take a picture with my BFF Janet? Sorry, Janet.

We had fun drooling over 6,000 bolts of awesome fabric and aisles of trims to die for. I bought more than I should have, but I'm happy. I started out with the green and orange fabric and ric-rac, moved on to some small-scale Christmas prints, added some stripes to play some more, waffle weave for tea towels, black gross grain ribbon for Julia, and the dresden ruler because they are "in".

There are lots of sample quilts hanging from the rafters of this old mill building on the banks of the Blackstone River. I love the strips in this antique quilt.

I'm ready to jump in and start the big projects on my list and some little projects, too. While I waited in the high school parking lot this afternoon, I crocheted two wool flowers that will be felted and turned into pins. I need to get busy on things I can sell at the holiday craft fairs!

Isn't that bag great?! Janet made it for me because she knits and I don't!

Ready, Set, Sew!

Quilters' Day Out

Where do quilters go for fun?

A great quilt shop, of course!


Rose was very sweet to take this photo of us with 3 cameras!

Karen, me, Maria and Jackie


And where do quilters go when they are finished shopping?
Out to lunch, of course!

Maria (not a blogger) and Jackie

Karen & me (pretend I'm 50 pounds lighter)

The loot:
Miscellaneous pretty fabric and a jazz band print.
A cute little paper pieced pattern.

Jackie was so sweet to bring us all a little gift- a charm pack of Moda Tinsel Time.
And she delivered my pattern purchase from her shop.

After lunch, we all had to run home for kid-related reasons.
We said goodbye with plans to meet again at another shop someday.
Maybe you can join us next time!

P.S. My post from yesterday was linked to Craft Gossip!
How cool is that? Hello, CG linkers!