Batavia Quilt Show

This weekend I went to the quiltshow of one of the local guilds. There were lots of nice quilts but I'll just share my fave five! I even won a doorprize, which I will share at another time cuz I forgot to photograph it this morning.

And then we went thru the vendor area. I only bought one pattern and a doll quilt in the boutique, which I again forgot to photograph thanks to my migraine this morning but it was very cute. The whole day only cost me $20!

Unfortunately as I was perusing the booth of a LQS I discovered something very unsettling. I was looking over their hexie wares and what did I discover but a kit to make one of MY quilts. In the kit were all the fabrics to make the top - they are different fabrics but in the same colors. There was even a picture of my quilt. This is the store that asked to borrow three of my hexie quilts to display in their booth at a prominent local quilt show and then asked me to teach a class on a fourth project.

There was never any mention that they would sell kits that would include pictures of my quilt. They didn't ask my permission nor did they ask the source of the pattern - it's not my pattern but comes from The Civil War Sewing Circle by Kathleen Tracy - and I don't recall that either is documented in the kits.

I am honored that they wanted to copy my quilt but my question for everyone is if I somehow implied permission for this store to create kits by lending them my quilt or should they have asked me?

I am calmer now and ready to write an email to the store but I am not sure what I should say to them. Help!

Feline Friday - 8/17/12

Today is a big day at sarah did it!

This is post #499, our weekly Feline Friday. However, since today is also the 17th, later today will also be our first monthly Hexie linky party!!! Yes - that means post #500 will also be today!!! And there are prizes!!!! Wootwoot.

Since it's a big hexie day here I thought I would share some photos of my hexie quality control officers. Some are repeats and some are new...

This is a typical pose for Midgie - she loves to rub her head on just about anything but she also loves to be on any quilt that's on the floor.

All three cats were close by when I was stitching sections together and pulling out papers.

Somehow Squeaks and Pepper both took turns holding down the hexie quilt while I was quilting. As I recall, Pepper stayed longer and didn't mind me swinging him around as I rearranged the quilt - I just never got his picture because I was having fun swinging him...

So there are my felines for the day - now it's your turn. Any feline related post is eligible but any link to your blog as a whole will be deleated. Let me know if you need help linking to just a post...I am working on a tutorial but not sure if it will be finished this weekend or not. The party is open until midnight next Thursday.

Remember I said there were prizes? Well FF has a prize today too!! When one of my LQS, Creekside Fabrics, in Arcade, NY, found out that I was hosting a giveaway for my 500th post, Sandy immediately offered me anything I wanted from the store for a giveaway! I was floored! Anyways, I havn't gotten the fabric from Sandy yet but I did request an adorable cat panel. As soon as I get the fabrics and make sure it's the same panel I already have...I'll post a picture and tell you more about Creekside.

But wait, I guess you want to know how to win??!! Well, let me count the ways! For every step that you complete, leave a seperate comment and I will use a random generator to pick a winner on August 31. Good Luck!

1. Leave me a comment about today's post
2. Link up to this week's Feline Friday Linky Party
3. Be a Follower and or figure out how to prove you follow me in Google Reader
4. Post on your own blog about today's give away

Yet another hexie update...

When I get up in the morning I read, but can't answer, my email on my "stupid" phone. This morning I was thrilled to get an email from Connie saying I was the featured blogger for this week's Linky Party. WOOHOO!!

At first I panicked - I didn't have anything new and exciting to show today when people will link over expecting "something." Then I realized I got FB because so many people hopped over to look at my hexie project and since I was already planning an update today they may be just as excited to see my progress. I know a certain few followers who will always appreciate that I am progressing on my hexies  :)

It's probably hard to tell from the photo but it was previously in several big sections on the design wall - those have now been attached to what Bonnie calls the "mothership." I hope she doesn't mind that I stole her terminology! I have now begun working on the section on the top right, adding sashing and...drumroll...the first of 2 outside borders!!! Ok, it's the same black batik as the sashing but it's exciting because I can finally see the size of this project with the border and corners/half diamonds in place. For the record, it's going to be 55" x 65" and I don't have a final hexie count yet but Connie's estimation of a gazillion feels about right!

This weekend I went to Breakfast Club at one of the not-so-LQS' and was able to get a lot of the previous mentioned work done. I also came across a sample block where I just loved the color combo. I picked up these four FQs that I will also pair with a neutral to paper piece this awesome star blossom kit from paperpieces.com. One star is about 13" so it's a little too big for my mini quilt stand. In other words I have no idea what this will become, but I couldn't resist the kit or those great fabrics for a fussy cutting project. Oh and check out those selvages with the flowers!

And just so you know how "bad" I have this hexie sickness...I spread out some of my different EPP papers for you to see. Some I have plans for and some I just had no will power to resist. Starting with the pink tagged 1" tumblers and moving clockwise, I also have 2" coffins, 3/4" half hexies, 1" pentagons, a chrysanthemum kit, 2" hexies in the purple package to cut up for my rose star project, 3/4" 6 pointStar diamonds, and 3/4" jewels. I also have a few other "kits" but ran out of time for photos. And now y'all know just how addicted I am :)

I wasn't sure you were willing to look at this again:

so I thought I would share some new acquisitions. One of my not-so-LQSs has a sale on the last Monday of each month - pick one item for 30% off. I don't normally head to Arcade on a Monday night given it's 30 minutes away and the weather can be nasty between here and there. *However* I did have to be at EMT class in Bliss last night and that meant I had to drive half way there anyways...

I left work as quick as possible (and I was still 15 minutes late), made quick stops for gas and audiobooks at the library and then drove to Arcade. Oh it was snowin and blowin but I persevered because I really wanted batting at 30% off!! I think I left the store in record time, ran to Mickey D's for dinner and headed back for class. I arrived with 5 minutes to spare but the weather had cleared - really weird. Even weirded is that it's currently 51F and the foot of snow from Sunday/Monday is melting. Tomorrow it's supposed to rain. No wonder I'm still sick. Oh but I digress...I'm now recertified in CPR in case you need me and you know I left that quilt store with more than just batting! Right?!

Who could pass up these cute kitty fabrics? I mean cats with hats? Or fuzzy kittens? Neither is something that I would cute to piece a block but I thought they might be cute backings for the year of doll quilts I hope to make.

The giraffes are sew not my normal fabric style but they are giraffes and I absolutely adore them. I still don't understand why my favorite bro wouldn't bring me a giraffe back from Florida's Animal Kingdom last year. He sent pictures and everything just to tease me. I mean - Hello - I managed to get one back from Africa!

Design Wall Monday - 10/17/11

This Saturday we are having Jelly Roll Races at my LQS and I started making the "place ribbons" this weekend. You know: first, second, third is blue, red, white.

maybe I should clean all the little strings from my design wall?!

I've got the hexies done for the rosette part. I am thinking of stitching some tails to hang from the bottom but I would love to hear if you have any other suggestions.

Should I make a ruffle like these that I found online? Or just make a backing? I could put a fancy button in the middle of the hexie rosette.

I don't have the satin ribbons to add. I could hand write wording on a muslin tail or just hang 2 or 3 tails.

Any ideas would be welcome! What would you like to recieve, even if you weren't expecting a prize?

Design Wall Monday - 8/22/11

Are you a list maker? I am. Having spent last week at the Fair and the week before getting ready for the Fair - I had certain chores that had been seriously neglected for a while. Saturday night I made my honey do list for Sunday and woke up nicely rested. I spent the morning picking up some hotspots (the dots are what's started) while waiting for stuff to load on the computer. By noon I was thoroughly disgusted with the computer and had completely switched to sewing - which I continued doing until I decided I should really make supper at 8pm. Thankfully sewing had been on the list and was the one item I could actually cross off!

Now this certainly wasn't a rocket science project and I wasn't really in a hurry but I finished an ok audio book and started a great one so it was a nice afternoon in my pjs watching thunderstorms come and go while working on this project. I used the "recs" ruler from my tri-recs set to make these rectangles. I had seen a quilt made in this style with various neutrals and red/green Christmas fabrics. I liked the other quilt much better and think it's because these colors are so vibrant and contrasty. There is no mushiness or even scrappiness here at all. Is that maybe why I never use my 30's repros?

Any way...I will be adding borders to the top/bottom to make this a more usable size since it's too big for a runner and too small for even a baby quilt. I'm not sure what it's for, other than to show another design with this ruler set which is a required ruler for a BOM class I will be helping to teach at the LQS.

I would love to see any design ideas you guys have for using the tri/recs ruler so I can share with my students.

UFO Thursday

I was a naughtly little girl. I didn't finish my #1 UFO this month for the Challenge.

• I finished my quilted jacket that was started almost 3 years ago
• I worked on strips and blocks for my Omigosh quilt, a lonterm project
• I made half square triangles for my rollRollCottonBoll mystery quilt that was started last year
• I worked on cutting brown and gold strips towards my sweetPotatoPie that I started 3+ years ago
• I started and completed the top of a hexie doll quilt to use for National Quilting Day Weekend activities at the LQS
• I finally started the hexie project to replicate the bathroom tile floor at work. Have wanted to do this for almost 3 years
• I started another hexie project that will be considered longterm
• I started a fruit & veggie quilt
• I finished up a table runner and 2 quilt top samples for coming classes at the LQS
• I painted the office/library
• I attended 5 non-work related meetings, including dinner for 20 at my house
• I attended 2 birthday parties and other family events
• I answered I don't know how many rescue calls
• I've chased socks all over the house (yes, the saga continue)

BUT

I didn't finish my UFO for Judy's Challenge.

What do you think my punishment should be?
Do you want to stone me with new spools of King Tut thread? Do you want to bury me under fabric cut into 1", 2" or 2.5" strips? You choose and let me know. I'll be in the studio when you decide!

ZigZapps and LQS shopping

Yesterday was the end of the month sale at one of the LQS that is about 20 miles from here. On the last day of each month, you can get one item for 30% off. They know that we quilters won't buy just ONE item and I didn't disappoint altho I only got 2 things that weren't on my list. I drove over there for the remaining yellow brick road fabric - too bad I couldn't get the camera to take a better picture of this golden fabric. This pix looks washed on out on my laptop. I also grabbed a couple browns for the Sweet Potato Pie blocks I am working on. I needed dark red thread and I found some 3/4" hexies at half price. I only bought 2 packages to get me started as I am really looking for a punch to make my own hexies. Any one have one they want to sell? Anyone?

Based on a couple comments I received yesterday, I think I should write a little about ZigZapps.
Essentially they are a tool for applique. Designs are printed on a fusible web with lines for sewing, cutting and slitting. After sewing the panel to the fabric, turn them inside out, finger press them to flatten, lay out your design and iron them to the background fabric. You can then machine or hand applique. It is not a permanent adhesion -they will peel off. This is good if you want to reposition them but I'm not sure how well it would last for hand applique - maybe you only add one or two pieces at a time. I am machine appliqueing and it worked great when I ironed on all the pieces at once.

I am using the leaf panel for the design I posted yesterday - you can see that it offers 3" or 4" leaves depending on how you cut it out. The panels also have little design ideas. I received the gingerbread panel as a gift when the most-LQS had their grand opening party. I have some brown and green tea towels that I want to add the gingerbread men to. Check out Quiltsmart for other design/panel options. At 99 cents per panel at the LQS it's not a bad idea if you need a standardized applique shape.

Design Wall Monday - 1/17/2011

Bronchitis knocks the wind out of you…really, it feels like you can’t breath and the hacking to get the crap out of your lungs is no fun either so once I got home Friday night and got into my comfy pjs – that’s how I stayed until dinner time on Sunday. I can’t remember the last 2-full-day-weekend that I just did what I want when I wanted: sewing and reading and sleeping in and staying up late. Be sure to check out my other post today to see why I really wanted to do “nothing” all weekend!

Friday night I hit the LQS after work and came home to dinner and time in front of the boob tube. Saturday morning the sewing marathon began. I won’t show pictures of everything so I have some fodder to talk about later this week but this is what I accomplished over the weekend:

1. Remember the pink alert? I finished 6 little treat bags for my tea party that got postponed until next weekend.

2. The center of my t-shirt quilt (UFO #6) is finished but I didn’t have enough border fabric so I’ll have to go back to the LQS. Will post more on Thursday…

3. Remember DWM last week with the experimental windmill runner? I finished the top but I think it leans towards failure. I just don’t care for it although I am sure someone else will. It was a good study to see how a row of all of the same fabric charms works - maybe that is the problem: one row might have worked but not the black and cream rows. It will be a good sample for class but I won’t do another with rows. I like 2 fabrics, but not rows. I am not sure if I will bind it in the brown or the cream color...leaning towards the cream to pull it in more (it does match the wheat fabric).

4. I finished the last 2 green and cream Turning 4-T blocks. This was supposed to be for my b-day so I’ll work on it some more tonight. I am designing this quilt myself and it’s turning into a design as you go kinda thing so I have to decide how I want to proceed. I’ve only changed it 3 or 4 times so far.

5. I also worked on 2 sections of my Roll Roll Cotton Boll blocks…will post more another day….

Design Wall Monday - 1/2/1011

Welcome to 2011!!

There are a few older projects on my design wall this week. They are soooo last year (sorry but I couldn't resist). I finally finished the binding on this windmill runner. It was a Christmas gift for mom so it's about time. It just needs a good wash to get to the crinkly stage and then she can use it on her new dining room table. Like my freehand fans? They are catholic fans - we don't do baptist in our house ;^)

This little table topper is for a class I am teaching at my LQS. I bit the bullet and actually stitched feathers in the borders. I learned from Patsy's DVD series but this is the first time I have actually quilted them. I was very impressed with myself, especially since the border was so narrow and confining. Can't wait to let loose on a larger quilt with the feathers.

This is the other topper I made to time how long it would take for the class. If you remember from previous posts, the middle was very "smooshy" color-wise but I think the red flange and the blue border does actually bring the green fabric out. I need to quilt this and then I can use the new curved corner template my friend Liana sent me for Christmas. I can see it needs a good ironing before I quilt it...it's been folded for too long.

Finally, I did pull out the UFO I will be working on this month. Judy drew #6 and that is my t-shirt quilt. From a brief glance it doesn't look like it will take much to get the top together. I hope that really holds true. I am thinking that I will try to post weekly updates on Thursdays...

Oh BTW - our 5 minutes is up. Yesterday was 25 degrees and snowing and OHHHHH did it feel bitter after 2 days in the low 50s. This morning was 18 and I was outside in my pjs to start the car and get these photos. Not so bitter today.

Design Wall Monday - 11/8/2010

Woohoo! School tax collection is pretty much over – just piddly little changes and boxing everything up when we are sure it’s done. This means that I can get back to sewing more and posting more!

The best news is that we now have a truly LQS - The Quilter's Daughter - it’s just a couple miles from my office and while that can be trouble, it also means that I can teach quilting classes to offset most of my purchases!! They are working on their website but I will post it as soon as it’s online.

My first class will be in a couple weeks on making the windmill table runners that I am addicted to. In January I’ll be making a table topper. Did you notice the same trend I did??!! Someone called me the tablerunner queen and it seems to continue...

I started by making these 4 blue and purple blocks from a pattern in the latest Quiltmaker magazine just to see how easy the pattern was. They are sewwww easy and just 2 FQs! Claudia saw them and wanted me to teach a class so I’ll be adding a flange with the dark purple pictured and a scalloped border of the dark blue. It will finish around 25” square. To make sure that we could complete all or most of the topper in a 3 hour class, I have started a second one and I’m timing myself. The colors seem to have more contrast at home so I hope that contrast eventually transfers to the final product, if not in the pictures.

Then, at a recent quilt show I found this fireman fabric. Really, who could resist and I only bought a yard. I’m making these red white and blue blocks and will somehow fashion those blocks around the fireman. I had originally thought of putting them on the back but that’s no fun. And no, I’m not cutting them up – they will serve as a “panel.” This baby is for my bed  ;)