Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Another Minglewood

Hello Everyone,

I love it when quilters send me pictures of the quilts they've made from my BOM programs or from my patterns.  Penny from, Oregon signed up for the Minglewood BOM program through In Between Stitches.  Faithfully every month, Penny made her blocks and look what she has to show for it!


Here's a quote from Penny's email:
"I chose to do the applique block in the center (as I told you I probably would), because it is different from anything I have done thus far. I changed the holly sprigs of Minglewood, to oak leaves and acorns to go with the fall colors in the quilt blocks, and because, of course, we live in Oakland, Oregon among the oak trees".


Penny quilted it herself on her longarm and she did a beautiful job.  Well done!




Some of you may remember the picture I posted in December of Penny's version of my Country Charmer pattern.  I LOVE this setting!  Perfect.....just perfect. 




Penny thank you so much for sending me our pictures. Your quilt and quilting is going to be a fabulous addition to your charming, inviting home.  

We have one complete Minglewood kit left at the shop.  If anyone is interested, call In Between Stitches at (925) 371-7064. 

I'm off to start my day filled with designing, quilting, walking in the woods and enjoying life. 

Soon,

Lynn

Monday, July 30, 2012

Sentiments Panel Blocks

Hello Everyone,

And you thought I was playing hooky since I didn't post for a couple of days!  Well,  I was saving all of my pictures for today's post.  I'm naming this quilt/wall hanging Nostalgic Christmas.  The vintage cards are definitely a yearning for the simpler times of the past.  Don't worry, I'm still making pillows from this 18" block.  My vision has just expanded beyond pillows to a small/medium quilt.


This is my favorite block.  I love the combination of the pink, green and brown.  This block is perfect!  Just the right balance of colors.


This is my least favorite block.  I tell my students to never give up on a block.  Put it aside and see if it works with the whole design.  It may not be able to stand on its own two feet, but it might play well with others.  This block may be relegated to pillow status.


I like the red, brown and green block.  The polka dots are just right.


I love this block from the center picture to the plaid and polka dots.


I think they are going to play well together. But the verdict is still out on the gold block.  I'll see what happens when I make a few more to add to the quilt stew.  I haven't thought about sashing or borders yet.....but I know I'll find something.



I have the directions written for the block, but now I have to figure out the rest of the quilt.  This is definitely going to be a work in progress. So sit back and hold on while I struggle think my way through this one. I have to incorporate as many plaids and polka dots as I can, two different plaids per block.....and of course there is a flange! You know I can't make a quilt without a flange.

Soon,

Lynn  

Friday, July 27, 2012

The Traveling Quilts

Hello Everyone,

Today I'm going to post a virtual quilt show. Two of my quilts will be on display in The Quilt House booth at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA starting today.  Since I can't be at two shows at once, I'll post everything together in one spot.

Madrigal Center Section

My original Madrigal quilt

Party in the Garden #2
The next five quilts will be on display at the Pinetree Quilters Guild show in Augusta, ME in The Christmas Shoppe's booth this weekend.  Next weekend they will be on display in Harwich, MA at the Bayberry Quilt Guild show in The Christmas Shoppe's booth.


The House on Edgewood Lane

Summers Blush

The original Party in the Garden

The original Country Charmer

Madrigal #2

I hope you enjoyed the show.  I miss my quilts while they are out on the road, working hard and earning their keep. One of these days, I'll have all of the quilts back home and together in one place.

Today I'm working on pattern directions for October Magic and more pillows. I can't make enough of the pillows!  I also have to get some applique blocks together to stitch while watching the Olympics.  I LOVE the Olympics and I'll be glued to the TV for the next two weeks.  I love to learn about the host country and the stories behind the athletes. It fascinates me.

Soon,

Lynn

Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Last Madrigal Class

Hello Everyone,

Non-caloric eye candy today.  Here are some almost finished Madrigal quilts.  All gorgeous, all so different.  The first beauty belongs to Barbara.  She wanted to get out of her comfort zone and drew from the colors in her border fabric.  Rich pinks, greens, lavenders and browns. It is amazing and elegant!



 

My sister, Gail, added an extra row and almost doubled the size of the borders for her classic quilt which will now fit  a queen-sized bed.  We stopped traffic in the shop when we held this one up for a photo!  I'll be quilting this one for her.....but not for a few months!  I have time to figure out what to put in the setting blocks.....feathered wreath.....or something totally different.  Gail has embraced quilting.  She loves it! You can tell by her excellent piecing, precision and dedication. That's my sister!


Karen has all of the blocks together on her quilt and the applique is almost finished!  This quilt is so cheerful....just like Karen. 



Cute little flanges, or is it flangi?


This is Karen's fabulous border fabric!  I can see this quilt all finished and framed with this paisley print......wonderful.



Sylvia has all of her red, white and blue blocks made, and started putting it all together.  Sylvia said this is her first "professional" quilt that she has made.  Sylvia is relatively new to quilting and is enjoying the process as much as we enjoy her company in the class.  Sylvia's smile lights up the room.


Yesterday the girls learned how to mark the scallops for the borders.  Then I shared a few tips on binding scallops.  We all gathered together for lunch with our take-out containers from our favorite Mexican restaurant.  We whisper-sang Happy Birthday to Karen and enjoyed a piece of Neapolitan cake.  Friendship, companionship, laughter, and quilting was the name of the game.  I like that game...no rules, no score, only good fun!

The next time you see these quilts, they will all be scalloped and quilted.  What a feast for our eyes!  Each and everyone of you did a fabulous job on your quilts.  I'm so proud of all of you and I enjoyed every minute we were together in class.  It was a special time. 

Soon,

Lynn

P.S. We all missed you Kay.  We hope you are back on your feet soon from you knee surgery.  Take good care.


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

October Magic is Quilted!

Hello Everyone,

Finally, the quilting is finished. The binding is almost done. Now what do I do with my time?  Well......finish the directions for starters. I'm putting kits together for this quilt, and they will be available at the shop in a couple of weeks.


I wanted the front yard to look like an overgrown garden needing some attention.  So I quilted pumpkin vines growing everywhere.  I didn't put any quilting in the tree, and it achieved an interesting look.


My HandiQuilter came through like a charm for me again.  I love my machine!  It just purrs along for me.  I cranked up the speakers on the computer and listened to 80's rock music on Pandora the whole time I quilted.  I listened to Boston, Kansas, Journey, Queen, and Foreigner just to name a few.  Sometimes I listen to light classical, but I needed to 'rock out' on this quilt.


Quilting around the pebbles on the walkway makes it look so real.


There is a wonderful park just south of town called Sycamore Grove.  It is one of our favorite walking routes and close to our home.  Once the binding is finished, we are thinking about taking the quilt there for a photo session in the old Sycamore trees.  It will look spooky....but not too spooky.

I'm off to the shop today for the last session of Madrigal.  I know how hard the girls have been working, and I look forward to seeing them and their quilts.

Soon,

Lynn

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Minglewood Complete Kits

Hello Everyone,

The Minglewood BOM is finished at In Between Stitches, but we have three complete kits available at the shop.  The kits are almost identical to my quilt. The swatch sheet for each block is posted HERE, so there's no guessing what fabric goes where in each block. 



I can't wait to get my quilt home so I can put it on our bed.  I took this picture back in November right after I got the quilt off the quilting machine......and it has been gone ever since!   


Everything is here, including the book to make the 101" x 101" amazing, heirloom quilt. 

I hope all of you have a great day. I'm going to chain myself to my HandiQuilter and finish quilting October Magic.  I've got to get it done so I can move on to other projects and pattern writing.  Oh joy, my favorite part of quilting! (She says with tongue in cheek!)

Soon,

Lynn





Monday, July 23, 2012

Machine Quilting October Magic

Hello Everyone,

I was finally able to string enough days together to put October Magic on the machine and start quilting.
 

I love the little spider with the growing web.  I wasn't quite sure how far I was going to let the spider spin.  This seems just about as far as this spider is going to travel.



I wanted the little blocks to look like hex signs on a barn.  Not sure that I pulled that one off, but that was the intention.


I wanted the ghost to look like it was swaying in the breeze.  But, it looks like he's doing the backstroke in a pond.....and it is going to stay that way!


All quilting stopped when our youngest son and his family showed up for dip in the pool, which transitioned into a barbecue, and spur of the moment run to the store for a birthday cake and ice cream to celebrate his 36th birthday which is later on this week.  He celebrates the whole month of July.  I don't know how that got started, but on July 1st, the celebration begins.   Our daughter's birthday is also in July, so now the two party animals celebrate the whole month together. Last weekend, all three of the kids and their families went camping together to celebrate the July birthdays.

I'm off to the shop today to see what new quilting goodies arrived since I was there last week.  The fabric just keeps getting prettier and prettier.

Soon,

Lynn

Friday, July 20, 2012

Pillow Talk #2

Hello Everyone,

One pillow completed, one more to go.


I haven't used my Bernina to machine quilt in years.  All I wanted to do was some stitching in the ditch on this pillow and I thought I can do it!  First a practice session.  It was just like riding a bike, it all came back to me......even the ache across the shoulders while quilting.


So under the needle went the pillow for real.


Here's the back....pretty simple.


I used the post card fabric for the pillow backing.  I don't think I should have used a light fabric.  I don't like the fact that you can see some of the backing from the front of the pillow. Back to the drawing board!  But I love this post card fabric.
 



I also made the backing for October Magic yesterday.  I had two blocks that I made months ago in Autumn colors and never used them on the front....so I saved them for the back.  Maybe THIS week I'll have enough time to get it on the machine and quilted!
 


Tomorrow we'll be at Ruby Hill Winery for the day.  My hubby will have a booth showcasing the items he makes out of wine barrels.  From barrel bars, to game boards, he's busy in his workshop from dawn to dusk, crafting his items.  If you live locally, stop on by for a great winery experience.

Soon,

Lynn



Thursday, July 19, 2012

Pillow Talk

Hello Everyone,

I've been having fun making these pillows for Christmas.  The 5" x 7" panel is from the Sentiments Christmas fabric by Moda. I've been raiding my stash from other fabric lines to make the rest of the pillow.  I think I will make one more with a dusty green border to complete the trio.


The bolt of this tone-on-tone red lasted exactly one week at the shop.  The owner is going to try to order some more.  Don't look at me....I didn't buy it all!  But I did buy three yards.  A good red, (just like a good man) is hard to find.



I was thinking while writing the pillow pattern, that you could customize this pillow very easily by replacing the 5" x 7" panel section with a family photo.  When I get home I think I will give it a try by printing out a picture on photo transfer material.  The same kind that I use when I make quilt labels.

I put these 18-1/2" blocks together out on the bed.......I think I see another quilt in my future.  They looked great together.  Do you suppose I can talk my sister into making a sample?  (I can hear her groaning right now.)  I emailed pattern directions to Gail yesterday for October Magic to proofread.  She's very technical and has written many technical documents. 

You are probably wondering why I'm working on Christmas so early.  I have an answer for that one.  I'm preparing everything for my little booth at the Georgetown quilt show in September and I want to have a cozy little Christmas section.  The next eight weeks of my summer will be devoted to making my booth a good one.  I've never done this before, so I have a lot to learn and plan.  Gail and I are going to do a road trip to Georgetown and she will be helping me with my booth.  Girls weekend, here we come!  We'll be just like Thelma and Louise.....or.....Oprah and Gail.....or......the dynamic duo of Lynn and Gail!  I better sign off before I get too carried away.  Too much coffee this morning.


Soon,

Lynn






Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Swags and Yo-Yo's

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday I made a bunch of these yo-yo's.  I still have more to make.


Then I made a bunch of these swags.  I still have more to make.


.....and they are going to go together like this.  Is it a border?  You'll just have to wait and find out what I'm up to next while I'm playing in Toyland.

While I've been engrossed in Toyland, Mr. Joe fixed his car.  Miss Vicky is now tucked safe and sound in her garage much to her, and our relief. 

Years ago, our son bought a brand spanking new truck and parked it in front of the cabin.  A bear used the truck's back quarter panel for leverage while raiding the garbage can.  The brand spanking new truck ended up with a large bear behind dent in the back quarter panel.  Our son was not happy with the wildlife at Wilder's Last Resort.  He has since forgiven the bear, and he still has the truck.  So much for the bear-proof garbage can cage!

Soon,

Lynn 

Monday, July 16, 2012

Piecemakers Quilt Guild Show

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday, Mr. Joe and I went to the Piecemakers Quilt Show in Newark, CA.  Their guild made Party in the Garden as their opportunity quilt.


All of the applique flowers in my original design were replaced with ruching.  They looked very pretty.



The bottom hexy flowers were replaced with this cute bunny scene.


Again, it is so much fun for me to see my design made by someone else.  The Piecemakers made this quilt their own and it is lovely. 



We almost didn't make it to the show because of this.....Miss Vicky became a "trailer queen" yesterday.  Classic cars are either a driver, or they are trailered everywhere.  Miss Vicky is a driver.  She has never failed us on our adventures up and down the state of California until yesterday.  I know what Mr. Joe is going to be doing this week. 




More on this story tomorrow.  It's a long one and I have to go to the shop this morning.  If you don't hear from me, it's because my computer is acting up.  It needs to be taken in for a thorough going over.  If I'm silent for a few days, just know that I'm working on my projects and I'll have lots and lots to show on the blog.

Soon,

Lynn