When I started this blog in October of 2007, I posted weekly, if not daily. I loved having a place to jot down random thoughts and share pictures with my mom of the things I made or did. (Mom was actually the reason I started blogging, so thanks mom!) It was a private blog for quite a while and then I made it public, feeling rather foolish to think anyone would actually read my drivel. It's been 12 years of food, quilts and nonsense - and while I don't post as often any more, I still love the simple act of blogging, especially when it comes to posting pictures of quilts my dear friends have made. Recently I spent some time going back over my posts - I have many more food posts than quilts - and when I finally ended my traipse down memory lane, I was struck with one thought accompanied by a giant forehead slap...I am SUCH a glutton! The mister and I have enjoyed many, many, many fabulous meals and desserts over the last 12 years! No wonder we're fat! If only I spent more time quilting than cooking/baking! Well, what can I say? It's so much faster to whip up a chocolate mousse than to finish a quilt! Now that we are well into September, also known as chowder, soup, stew, chili, pie, bread, pumpkin everything and quilting season, I'm going to get back to posting a bit more because there is no end to the delicious foods that one simply must make if only so one can collapse at the end of the day, stuffed to the gills and wrap herself in a soft, quilt to help ease her caloric guilt.
Now...on to the show!
Stephanie made this beautiful brown, tan and green quilt for her newest grandbaby. (The little triangles of green make this quilt more interesting, no?) It's the perfect Fall quilt, if you ask me. It just says warm and cozy, I love this a whole lot! You just can't go wrong with a half-square triangle quilt, feel free to quote me on that.
Diane made this beautiful quilt with Moda Fabrics. It speaks to me. I love everything about this quilt - the pattern, the colors and especially the pale blue fabric and I'm not even a blue person! But the blue just makes this quilt even more amazing. It's lovely Diane, way to go!
Sorry, not a great picture - but the feet are cute! This is Helen's quilt; I posted a picture of it last month before she put the binding on. To me, the binding not only finishes the quilt but it "makes" the quilt - it can really make it pop, like the binding on this quilt of Helen's does.
Helen brought in her other star quilt - you can see what a difference fabric makes - two totally different quilts with the same pattern. I love them both and while Helen has mastered the star block, I have yet to make even one - so I need to rectify that soon! If you'll notice, the star block Helen uses doesn't allow even the smallest chance of cutting off the points! It's the perfect block for beginners or for people like me who have quilted forever but still don't have a clue!
Helen finished up her "log cabin" Christmas quilt. It's not a traditional log cabin pattern as there isn't the same fabric in the center of each block. I love this quilt - so happy and fun, almost Dr. Seuss-ish! This just screams jingle-all-the-way and as you know, I'm all about the jingle!
Helen brought in this quilt to show us how a simple block can be sewn into a fabulous quilt. She made this one quite a while ago - it's another variation of a log cabin block - rail fence meets log cabin, no? Love this one! I'll get to the bag pictured in the foreground in a minute...at our meetings we just go from one quilt to the next so there usually isn't a lot of time for me to get a good picture...well, there probably is but then I never worry about things like that!
Don't you just love the border fabric on this quilt of Helen's?? It's Kaffe, of course. I think Helen said this was for a grandbaby, and what a wonderful gift it will be. I love the simplicity of this pattern, which doesn't look all that simple. And how fun is that inner border?! And gray as a neutral! Who knew?!?
Stephanie is so darling - hope she doesn't mind that I included this picture of her modeling the Christmas tree skirt Helen made years ago and brought to our meeting to share. It would make for an interesting cape! Or skirt...if one was so inclined. Helen said she was going through some boxes and discovered this tree skirt - it's too cute to throw out or donate so Helen you just need to keep it and I hope we see it under your tree come Christmas!
My friend Marilyn came with me to my quilt meeting and I asked her to bring some of her quilts to show and this is one of them. It's all machine embroidery. Marilyn has one of those "big-dog" machines that is computerized and does everything but make dinner...if only! This quilt is very impressive in person!
These two little purses were also made by Marilyn. Her workmanship is quite amazing. The embroidery on these bags is really something, all done by machine but Marilyn has to operate the machine! And here's what's even more amazing...Marilyn is 86 years young. She not only learned how to use a new computerized sewing machine but she learned how to order software for her machine online and then how to use it to make these beautiful things!
Two more beautiful things created by Marilyn...a small tote bag on the left and a toilet-paper-hanger/holder on the right. I might have snickered just a little when she told us about the toilet-paper hanger because in my heart of hearts, I LOVED it and I could see myself making and proudly displaying one of those in my bathroom one day even though I do think that crosses some imaginary line that the Quilting Police like to enforce. It would be like wearing clothes made from quilts, or so I'm told. At first I thought it was a Christmas card holder - which would be perfectly acceptable to all Quilting Police I know!
Marilyn uses a washable stabilizer to make the embroidered Christmas ornaments pictured above. The machine does all the work, what's not to love about that?? Stephanie, once again, was our model and posed with Marilyn's handbag. The great thing about this bag, aside from it being adorable, is the strap. Notice those big rings the strap goes through? Well, the strap is actually one continuous piece so it moves freely through those rings, which means the strap could be longer, so it could be worn as a cross the body bag. Very clever, no? And 86-year-old Marilyn figured that out all by herself! When I thread my sewing machine I have to pull out the manual to figure out how to do it and Marilyn is over there pushing buttons and changing threads and creating all kinds of wonderful things without a second thought! She is truly an inspiration!
I'm tempted to say I saved the best for last - but I wouldn't want to offend anyone...so I won't say that...but really though, just feast your eyes on Mary's quilt!!! Those background fabrics! The beautiful blues and purples! The QUILTING!!! Which Mary did herself!!!
Look how close the quilting is - mind boggling to me! Mary is relatively new to our group and it has been fun getting to know her. It's even more fun getting to know her through her quilts! This one just blew me away - point by perfect point!
This is the back of Mary's quilt - I love how the words go in different directions and how the quilting makes them appear to move. Mary doesn't have a long-arm, but does have a quilting machine that moves around the fabrics. A few people in our group had a machine like that but gave up on it, they found it too difficult but Mary has mastered it.
Pretty fabrics do make for a pretty quilt. I really like the hand-writing fabric and wouldn't it be SO fun to make your own hand-writing fabric? Either with permanent fabric markers or on Spoonflower? Think of how great it would be to really personalize a quilt by writing out a story on the background blocks. I would love to do that...maybe in my next life.
Thanks for stopping by - hope you enjoyed the show. We still have summer in the Northwest so it's time for me to get outside for some Vitamin D while I can. Enjoy what's left of your summer, we all know what's coming!
