Feline Friday - 10/20/17

Last Friday Momma had a sew day at her house with her friend Cathy.

Can you believe they took up all the table space?
No space left for me!!
Auntie Cathy used the right paw table - where the snacks were handy!
Momma spread her zipper bag parts on the left paw table.

I helped Momma sew...of course!

Aren't I helpful to keep her chair warm?

Don't worry, I let her sit on the chair too - that's her red sweatshirt.

I can't wait until the next sew day. Auntie Cathy wants to learn how to make Seminole Quilts.

An InLinkz Link-up

Design Floor Monday - 2/8/16

I just finished a weekend of quilt retreat and I was able to finish my goal for the weekend. Woohoo!

I didn't take a before picture of the actual hexies but I think you'll get the idea with this:

This is my layout in EQ7. Each hexie in the picture is actually what I call a small rosette such as this partial one I was working on:

I've been making large rosettes by encircling a monocromatic small with 6 other mixed color rosettes.

Back to the EQ7 screen shot... As I attached large rosettes to each other I blackened the hexies. I was trying to balance the monochromatic rosettes so those where colored instead of blackened as they were attached. Make sense?

Over the weekend I was able to attach 6 more large rosettes!!!!

My diagram now looks like the next screenshot which I would say is some dramatic progress!

I've got a pile of small rosettes and a pile of fabric cut to make more. My week's focus will be to make more small rosettes. I have another quilt retreat next weekend - I'll either spend the time finishing the fabric pile to make more small rosettes or start making the pile of small rosettes into large rosettes. That decision will be made Friday before I leave for work and not a second sooner.

Oops, almost forgot - here's the real deal with QCOs checking it out...

Other than Squeaks was mad with Z for getting too close, I think it passed inspection and has been properly furred...

Linking to Design Wall Monday.

HeLP for Hexie-aholics!!!

Howdy and welcome to another rousing edition of Hexie Linky Party for Hexie-aholics!!!

All y'all have your hexie nail polish on for the party, right??!!

This past weekend was retreat #2 for the LQS. Luckily I get to attend in a work capacity, running the on-scene store, answering quilting questions and what not. When the girls don't need me tho, I get to do my own thing!!

Thanks to a lot of this:

Windchill of -32F = -36C

I was doing a lot of this:

Which resulted in this:

I had to get more of the black to finish the last block in the 2nd row and I have parts of the third row made. I had gotten this far at the end of retreat on Sunday and, while I could have continued with the rosette Sunday evening and Monday (federal holiday), I chose to work on some other hexie projects for a change of pace. Nothing exciting enough to share, just making progress on smaller projects that fit in ones hand...  :) This sucker is HUGE! About 36" across!

Now, if I could just get over this bronchitis, I would be a happy woman. Today my right lung hurts from coughing so much. I'm gonna leave it up to YOU, my bloggy friends, to take my mind off being sick: please link up to a specific blog post showing any hexie project you would like to share. As always, it can be a current project, a UFO, an antique you came across and everything in between!

An InLinkz Link-up

Almost Wordless Wednesday @ quilt retreat

Busy at Work

 

Shuffling thru crispy leaves

View across Camp Asbury and Silver Lake

Baskets Galore!

Look Ma - no hexies!
Janet - you're gonna like this one!

This is probably the last sorta-retreat related post. One of the projects I continued to work on was my 4" basket blocks. Some were made as leader-enders and some were just an easy sewing fix to keep me sane. I'm so easy to please.

You can see the blue unfinished block is on my little design board. It's just a small clip board with  a piece of batting that has been attached at the bottom with that elastic stuff that ties new shoes together. High class!

When the blue one is finished I will have 59 baskets.

Maybe this view is a little more impressive? I now need a bigger box to store them in!

Ok - here is where I need your help...
(1) My goal with the baskets has always been to make a bed quilt in either of these styles. But do you like the vertical or horizontal zigzags better? Try to discount the pink and green alternating zigzags cuz mine will just be one color.
(2) A lot of you know that I can't stand pink - what color should I use for my zigzags? Solid or patterned? I have really used *every* color of the rainbow in the blocks so any color would really work, it's just that I tend towards the same colors given the choice.  You probably do the same. I'm just looking for random suggestions. I thought about using a neutral for the zigzags but I don't think they would show up since the blocks are neutrals as well.
(3) Anyone have a good way to draw this up in EQ7? I have tried an onpoint setting but it just doesn't look quite right yet and I have yet to get the zig zag sections drawn the way they will be sewn (they draw as half triangles instead of full triangles. I'm sorry I left that graphic at home...

As always - your thoughts and opinions are appreciated :)

Retreat digs

At long last, some pictures from retreat. After the fact, I should have taken pictures of the bedrooms, dining hall and the grounds so maybe after October's retreat I can share those...

Camp Asbury consists of 3 main buildings. At the top of the hill is the building that we sleep and sew in - great for late night sewing sessions where we can change in to our jammies at any hour. At the bottom of the hill is the dining hall with a work room down stairs and another building with bedrooms. We walk or drive to the dining hall for 3 squares a day and while the hill was a little icy this time, it was also gorgeous and a good way to work off those cookies!

Actual picture

Somehow this snowy version showed up in Picasa - wish I knew how to do this on purpose.

Obviously there are lots of trees on the grounds that can block views, but being on a hill the view across Silver Lake also allows for very pretty sunsets.

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to stay up late sewing. A lot of the girls were making disappearing pinwheel blocks and some where having more trouble than others!

Even worse, when you frog out the wrong seam, it's time for bed...

Luckily the block fairy came after everyone went to bed and fixed this poor block before sunrise. Surprise!!

Technology was a given all weekend: ipads were used to take pictures, look up patterns online or give lessons on The Evil Website. Phones were used to catch up with family or check email.

And on Sunday mornings we have show & tell. There are 2 sewing rooms in our building so we take turns going to each other's room to see how much has been accomplished. As you can see there is a lot of sewing space for each person along with separate ironing and cutting stations. There are leather sofas to relax or do some handwork and if you are a bit chilly go visit the other room which has a gas fireplace! The kitchenettes are stocked with coffee, tea and snacks!

I hope you enjoyed this little slice of retreat and if you are local, please consider joining us in October. It would be fun to meet some of my readers!

Stupid setting triangles!

Who picked this design anyway??!!

This setting triangle and the center/similarly pieced square were the bane of my existence at retreat last weekend (pictures next week!).

I double checked the math and used my companion and easy angle rulers to cut the bits but the pieced sections are too long for the center purple on both the triangle and the square. I measured all the bits again and again, tweaking seams but I still couldn't get them to fit.

I finally threw the whole project into my bin and started working on my Celtic Solstice borders. The only part I didn't remeasure was the purple triangles/square - I'm saving that for another day. You know, whereas that was where most people would have started when having trouble with this block. Oh well!

Design Wall Monday

Sew...retreat #1 is over. Sadly, I neglected to take any pictures of the weekend - maybe this coming weekend when I help out again. I was able to spend a couple hours there Thursday after work and then late Saturday morning, overnight to late Sunday! Did I finish everything I brought with me or even work on everything? No but I think I made quite a bit of progress.

Over the course of the last week, I've finished 4 of these rosettes.

I made 8 more of these birthday blocks...I'm waiting on 1 more from a friend and then I have all 16 of these done.

I made 8 of these connector blocks. They probably look a little dull but I am going to put pieced hexie rosettes in the center. Next weekend I'll start work on the pieced setting triangles, center block and finish the pieced borders.

I also finally got back in to my leaderEnder basket blocks. Hard to get many done when everything can be chain pieced so I admit to cheating a little and just out and out piecing two of these. Promise not to tell!

And someone, altho Zorro shall remain nameless, was a little unhappy at my absence. I cringed Sunday morning when I remembered I hadn't locked up the box. It wasn't a lack of food issue as I had left out enough for 2 days (I was gone a whole 26 hours!) plus more "hidden" about the house that could be hunted down. The regular bowls were empty but the extra was barely eaten. I don't think any of this pile was even eaten so I'll go with Claudia's conclusion that he just needed the challenge. Someone is just too smart for his own britches!! Silly Dude....

Thursday mashup

It's a mish mash of photos today...

Have you ever eaten Monk's Bread? Well, this is the Abbey of the Genesee where it's made. The facility is in Piffard and can sometimes be woven into my errand route as it was last weekend. The store is to the right - they sell bread, jams, cookbooks, notecards, pottery and fudge. The church is on the left in what Denise calls the ski resort. I popped inside to see if I could get a better photo of the stained glass windows but it was rather dark inside and out. The church is open from 2am to 7pm if you are ever in the area and need some solitude. There is also a retreat house on the grounds but I haven't been there since 12th grade. BTW - I got the sunflower bread and the cinnamon bread was BOGO. Not bad: 3 loaves for $4.20!! At least half the price found in the local stores.

I also stopped at a not-so-LQS for their 25% off sale. I think I was a pretty good girl to only get 10 FQs and 3 remnants. The oranges are for my Salt&Pepper project, some of the fabrics are "fussable" for the Patchwork of the Crosses I want to make and the others are just for stash re-building.

And this is the twisted hexie I finished at lunch today. I also finished one at home this morning but forgot to take a photo. I tell ya - having a separate hexie project bag at work is so much easier than carting stuff back and forth every day. Retreat #1 is this weekend so I hope to get a few more finished...

Design Wall Monday and Celtic Solstice

Once again another busy weekend means I didn't do any sewing...other than hexies while watching Breaking Bad season 3 on DVD. What I did accomplish was more prep for the retreats coming the next 2 weekends.

In the left basket is the all essential chocolate (don't worry, I'll bring more snacks too). I also cut the tons of strips I'll need for my birthday quilt. I need to make 9 more pieced blocks, 8 simple background blocks and then I can work on the pieced borders. I think I'll work on the pieced setting triangles and center pieced block next weekend. I think I can do them with my Companion and Easy Angle rulers but I'll have to make sure.

In the right basket is a box of twisted hexie parts and parts to work on Celtic Solstice. I looked up pictures packing for last year's retreat and it looks like I'm hardly taking anything to work on this year. Of course, it's just that I am making blocks this year instead of putting blocks together. I am sure there will be more than plenty to keep me entertained. And if I'm really bored, I'll pick up another project when I run the whole 3 miles home to feed the kids.

I hope to work on these HSTs for Celtic Solstice this week - If get them all pressed I can take them to retreat too.

OMG - I almost forgot to announce that tomorrow is going to be our first Book Report linky party (name is in progress - any suggestions??). Some people are participating in reading challenges and some people are just reading whatever is on their nightstand or quilt book shelf. Please pop in and let us know what you are reading!

Design Wall Monday - 1/27/14

It turned out I wasn't home much this weekend and when I was home it was pretty much about the hexies...for lack of deciding what else to work on...

I'm still plodding along on my twisted hexies. I'm at a point where I need to join up some of these rosettes to free up half hexie papers to make more rosettes. In reality, I bought more papers but I want to get this batch joined up to see how many more rosettes I need to make a bed sized quilt. I do hope it's a decent amount or I'll have a lot of fussy cut batiks in a box. LOL.

I also started prepping for the 2 weekend retreats run by our LQS next month. I'll be helping/sewing at both the retreats and the store but I have to have projects to work on!

I started by cutting the rest of the 288 diamonds I'll need for the tree skirt that I'm making. Took a little longer than I felt like pending yesterday but it's done and now I can just keep basting. I think I have a whole dozen diamonds basted so far = only 276 more to go!

I'm pretty sure, between the twisted hexies and the diamonds, I'll have plenty of hexies to work on for the retreats and beyond...

The last Birthday Party Post

I promise these are the last party pictures.

I neglected to get a prettier picture of the purple hexie sugar cubes so this will have to do. I made this dark purple batch and with the dark sugar that didn't fit in the mold, I added a little more sugar and a tiny bit more purple to get a light purple hexie as well. Each cube is about 1 teaspoon which is equal to 2 cubes bought in the grocery store.

This picture shows Michele on the left who is relatively new to quilting - she must have been concentrating because I can see her tongue in her cheek. LOL. In the back is Morgan who is new to quilting also and it was the first time using her new (purple!) sewing machine. Morgan is the daughter of The Quilter's Daughter owner Claudia, standing to her left. Cathy in the middle and Nadine in the back at the ironing board are both "old hands" who helped the newbies immensely.

To the right is another newbie, Kim, who had borrowed her mother's sewing machine for the day. She had such fun she made two more blocks the day after the party. I don't think her mom is getting her machine back anytime soon! Hey look - I finally got Nadine's face in a picture!

And this is the design that I am going to make with my blocks. I designed it before my copy of Ring Around the Hexies arrived so it is similar - I changed the main block and the borders (ok, I think I changed the borders...can't find a pic of the whole quilt online). I really don't completely understand copyright so I hope this was enough of a change to declare it my own design and post it online. I haven't picked a pieced hexie design yet for the rosettes but it will probably be something from the new book! 

Don't hold your breath on when I will finish this - Just 2 seconds ago I decided it would be fun to take to retreat next month but I am not sure what else I'll be bringing. Y'all know I'll get bored if I only work on 1 project. I suppose I could work on the project I started last year at retreat and you know there will be hexies also :)

Ackckck - I almost forgot - today is the very last day to enter both of my giveaways. You'll need to go back to this post and enter either the Hexie Linky Party or the Feline Friday Linky Party in order to be eligible for prizes. Good Luck!!!

Retreat Report #4

I promise this is the last retreat report and it's kind of random leftovers at that...

In response to several comments yesterday hoping to see my Easy Street border fabrics:

The border colors are so rich that they should pick out the same colors
in the quilt center which kind of recede behind the lime green.



The retreat was held at Camp Asbury on Silver Lake, a whopping 3 or 4 miles from my house, but there were people from up to 50 miles away as well as an attendees friend from Florida - she had fun in the snow! My previous experience at Asbury had only been for 3 rescue calls - and 2 of those were for quilt retreats. Luckily we didn't need an ambulance during our retreat!

Another project I worked on was my 4" leader-ender baskets. I kitted up quite a few blocks before the retreat but 90% of what I was working on was kind of self-leader-endering (new word!!) so I didn't get many made during retreat. Instead, I have been trucking away at them since and now have 10 more blocks done for a total of 40. Once I figure out how to do the layout I want in EQ I can determine how many more I need to make. I hope it's a lot because I really enjoy making them...

Ok, you know I had to bring some hexies with me but I didn't make much progress...and I didn't even take a picture for you because it's the same ole hexagon puzzle project. Tomorrow is hexie night at my LQS so I should make some good progress. My goal is to have this project done by the end of March. Keep your fingers crossed.

Quilt Retreat Report #3

Not much to add here other than I seem to be posting projects in the reverse order I worked on them at retreat.

You may recall that I had this in 3 large sections so it didn't take much to get it to this stage.

You may also recall that I was debating  between pieced or plain borders. As much as I liked the pieced border, I am more likely to get this finished faster with plain borders and so it shall be.

Sadly I didn't think to take a picture of the border fabrics so you'll be pleasently surprised when you see my fab batik choices. I do hope I bought some extra cuz my next hexie project will be scrappy batiks!!

Retreat Report #2

While packing for retreat I told myself that I just HAD to make some progress on UFOs and Friday night would be dedicated to such a task.

I finished my Easy Street center (which I'll show tomorrow) and then I worked on Sister's Choice . Not sure how many years ago I started this quilt but I only needed four more blocks. I had cut the pieces at home so it was easy to bang them out. 

The sashing was even already on the other 26 blocks so it was also easy to get the rows put together. Of course by that time it was 2am and I had been working alone for almost 2 hours (didn't these people get the point of working in to the "wee wee" hours?) and said that was enough until I got home. Sunday evening I pressed the rows and got them sewn together. Wootwoot!!

Now on to my nemesis...borders! I have enough of the purple cornerstone fabric to either do an inner border or maybe binding. I was thinking of doing all 9-patches for an outer border but I wasn't sure if that would then be too many colors. I suppose I could do a colored inner border and then all neutrals for the 9-patches. Why can I only think of these things as I post to the blog? What do y'all think cuz I am really liking this idea!!??

Design Wall Monday - 2/25/13

Sew...here is report #1 from Quilt Retreat which already feels like a lifetime ago, yet we are already planning next years. I knew I wanted to start one NewFO at retreat no matter what and this hunter star was going to be it.

I had bought the blue and green batiks back when I lived in Miami after finding a pattern in a magazine. I had barely started to cut out the bits way back but then it sat in a drawer for years until I found out about Deb Hunter's Rapid Fire Hunter Star on youtube and then found the ruler itself at a distant quilt store.

I have half of the 120 required blocks already done...just this last bit needs pressing open.
And the other 120 halves are half done.



I cut out 75% of the pieces I would need before retreat and was just a stitching machine...which has continued in short spurts since then.  There was a lot of cutting/trimming with this method but the strip piecing method was very frugal with my batiks and there is plenty of fabric left so I might be making this quilt a smidge better so it hangs over *my* mattress better.



Option #1 - traditional HS

 Anyway...my dilemma is layout. Side by side on the table I find the fabrics have a lot of contrast. I don't feel the same way once I have made the blocks. Which of the layouts do you like better?

Option #2 - large blocks of color

BTW - I've decided to just completely forget the forgotten February HeLP - We'll be back on March 17th. I hope y'all will be wearin' the green on that day...