Quilting Class

Today I taught a machine quilting class for beginners at a LQS (Robert's Sewing Center). We had a great time! We used the "Learn To Machine Quilt With Pat Sloan" book as a guide. We worked on nine different free motion designs. The ladies made teaching the class today so much fun. They graciously agreed to let me post their pictures.

Thanks for such a great class Lynn, Jennifer and Christine! I know had had a lot of fun working with you today!

Floor Tiles

I was reading Bonnie's blog today and was reminded of a photo I took on our recent trip to Walt Disney World. We stayed at the Riverside Port Orleans Resort. When I walked in and saw the sink area I immediately thought ohhhhhhh what a quilt! I know I'm not the only quilter to do this!

There was a heat wave going on while we were in Orlando. To escape the heat from time to time DH and I would go into the different souvenir shops to cool off. You can only look at so many souvenirs. To remedy this situation DH and I took turns trying on different hats and taking our pictures in them. We got some funny looks from other shoppers, but we had a blast.

More Fabric

Today I washed and ironed more fabric. It was the blue ones this time. There is still quite a bit of fabric left to be washed. I have been acquiring fabric for my stash but not getting it washed. It had stacked up enough to fill and over flow a laundry basket. I don't think I have made a dent it it yet. I started to do something again that I hadn't done for years and years. I hate the way the fabric frays in the washer. I always feel like what I have paid for is being worn away by the washing process. I have tried the cutting the corner off the fabric to help stop the fraying but that never seemed to help. This time I zig zaged the fabric ends. I used to do that way back when I was making garments. It was nice to be able to pull the newly washed fabric out of the washer and into the dryer without untangling it. It seems like the fabric didn't warp as much. By this I mean when you line up the salvages to fold it the ends meet better. There isn't an inch or more of fabric hanging past the edge. Sometimes when you square up the ends to rotary cut you have to cut over an inch off of one layer to get it to be even. (Am I clear as mud in this description?) There wasn't as much of a problem with that this time. I think it took just as much time to zig zag over the ends as it does to cut the fraying strings off of it when I iron the fabric. I'm sold on this for now! Any other ideas out there as to keeping the fraying down as you wash your fabric?

I have been faithful with putting in some time on the monster the past couple of days. Maybe I will get it out of the living room before DH puts tinsel around the frame legs. My fingers are crossed.

The Beginnings of Christmas Block #1

Today I started the Christmas Block that I mentioned in an earlier post. I hesitated to post a picture of a block that has only been fused down, but then decided that it might be fun to have a "before" and "after" picture of the block. I am doing the raw edge machine applique method on this quilt.

Monster report: I haven't worked on it today yet, but I still have the evening ahead of me! I may just have to quilt on it while I am watching one of my favorite TV shows - Dancing With The Stars! Of course I would be quilting while the commercials are on. We all know how long those commercials can be!

Fabric

Today I washed and ironed a load of fabric. That is just the beginning of the fabric that is waiting in the laundry basket. I know some quilters hate the thought of washing and then ironing their fabric. I don't mind. I look it as another way to play with my fabric. As I iron away I like to think of what type of quilt it would look best in, what other colors it would look good with, and if it is for a current project or for the stash. I attempt to use from my stash as much as possible. I do buy fabric, but when I can pull at least 75% of the fabric for a project from my stash it makes me happy. The way I figure it, as I use it up I have room to replace it. Monster report: I did quilt on the Monster today!

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoons can be very relaxing. Today, I felt the need for a nap. What a perfect activity for a Sunday afternoon. After waking I spent a little over an hour working on the "Monster In The Living Room" until I had to leave for Choir practice. If I took a picture of it, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from the original one, but I did move down the quilt some. There was a little progress! My DH has informed me that if the Monster is still in the living room at Christmas time he won't be totally unhappy. He said he will wrap garland around the frame legs and put the presents under it. He said, "I won't have to put the tree up if the Monster is there!" Then he smiled real big. Hmmmmm that just gave me more motivation to get it out of there! If I just spend time each day quilting on it I might make it.......I think that will be my new goal.

I Confess

I must confess....I couldn't wait. I had to make a block for the Scrappy Lattice quilt. You see, I have started to get together with three of my quilting friends once a month. We are working together on different projects. Three of us, Phyllis, Cindy and myself are working on a block of the month Christmas quilt. Gloria has already made the quilt. She is guiding us, and we are using her quilt as inspiration. We got together last week and pooled our fabrics. From the fabrics we chose the ones we wanted for our first block. We will complete the block at home and take it to our next get together. I will show a picture of it when it is finished. Phyllis,Gloria and myself are making a quilt called Scrappy Lattice. We were at a quilt store in Lafayette, IN and saw a quilt called Scrappy Lattice that we liked. There was a kit for it. Phyllis and Gloria bought the kit. I chose to use some of my stash and make it too. At our get together we started to cut the fabrics and were to finish cutting at home. We agreed to start sewing on it at our next get together. I cut my fabrics and just couldn't wait. I had to make one block! I just had to! The blocks will be set on point. While my friends quilts will be in floral fabrics, mine is in Civil War Reproduction fabrics. No surprise there. Civil War and 30's Reproduction fabrics are my favorite. I hope my friends forgive me for sewing the block! ;-) Maybe they will let me post pictures of their quilts when we finish them.

Handmade Cards

I went to a card making class last night with my friend Char. We had a great time, and made eight Christmas cards. I love to make and give handmade cards. I need to do a card making session soon. In the past I have sent handmade cards to family and friends at Christmas. Last year I didn't get as many made as I had wanted. Maybe this year? Time will tell.

The Monster In The Living Room

This is what I affectionately call the monster in the living room. This is a Marie Webster design called American Beauty Rose. I am attempting to reproduce it as close to the original. I hand appliqued the motifs and am in the process of hand quilting it. I put it in the frame on Super Bowl Sunday in January. The only place in my house that the frame will fit in is in the middle of the living room. Ugh! I am quilting the straight lines of the cross hatching while the quilt is in the frame. Once I have the cross hatching completed I will take it out of the frame and continue to hand quilt around each of the appliqued motifs. I have some carpal tunnel problems so it is hard for me to quilt in the different angles required when going around the shapes. I know there is a way to use my thumb to quilt away from myself when going around the shapes but I haven't been able to master that skill. Where there is a will there is a way! I had grandeur plans. I thought I could get it out of the living room in just a few months. Well, it is now September. Now I am hoping to get it out of the living room by Christmas. I have half of the cross hatching completed, so guess I am half way there. Boy am I tired of having this quilt in the middle of my living room! I am sure my DH is too, but he is kind and never says a word about the monster in the living room. For this I am thankful!

Entering The Blogging World

I am entering the blogging world for many reasons. To name a few, to share my love of quilting, to encourage myself to finish my many UFO's and to use my fabric stash, and to make new friends. I have been reading many blogs in the past couple of months and have been inspired by what has been shared. I hope to do the same.