Starting a Medallion Quilt

Hello Everyone,

I'm just in the beginning stage of designing a medallion quilt.  I've always wanted to design and make one.  The time is now, I'm not getting any younger.  There will be bunches of basket blocks....every color of the rainbow.  I won't tell you the size of this block.  If I did, you'd go fleeing from the room and refuse to make this pattern!  Trust me on this one.....they are going to be adorable.

This basket will be filled with flowers, leaves and some embroidery.  Of course there will be ribbons too.

There has to be a flange......a red and beige check. I would have stitched this down, but I didn't have the right color of red thread.  My mountain friend is off RV'ing at Pismo Beach, so I couldn't raid her thread cabinet in her quilting studio.  Kaaren I needed you yesterday! 

I guess this is going to be a mystery quilt since it is still a mystery to me.  I have the first 56" figured out on graph paper.  I'm old-fashioned when it comes to designing quilts.  I always start on paper first. I have used EQ, but I really need to sit down and master the program.  For now, paper and a sharp pencil with a substantial eraser works for me.

I'll be changing my mind at least a hundred times on this quilt.  I'll know when I get it just right.

I love red.  My kitchen is painted what I call "farm implement red".  The trick with this quilt will be selecting reds that play well together.  I'm excited as the medallion journey begins and I'll be consumed with ideas, fabric swatches, and up to my elbows in applique and tiny little blocks. Gosh that sounds like fun!

Soon,

Lynn

Nine Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate.......

Hello Everyone,

When I was at the Georgetown quilt show, I sold all of the stands that Mr. Joe made made out of a wine stave and dowels that hold my Mittens with Moxie.  The stands sold out very quickly.  Needle Nellie Lynda bought one of the stands and sent me a picture of her creation the day after the show!

These pumpkins made me smile.  They are just so darn cute!  As my friend Lisa would say, they aren't just cute, they are 'stinkin' cute'. Now, you know I'm a dog person, but I love the kitty pumpkin.

A couple of days later, Lynda sent me a picture of her mittens.  She had some log cabin blocks left over from a project and put them to good use by making mittens.

There were so many ladies gathered around the mitten table coming up with ideas and uses for the stand.  One lady suggested making decorated garden gloves for a summer display.  I want to decorate mine with hearts at Valentine's Day. Some other ideas were Santa hats, snowmen, and bells for Christmas.  Witch hats, candy corn and, ghosts for Halloween.

When Mr. Joe has some free time, he's going to make more stands and they will be down at the shop for sale.  It will be a fun decoration for any time of the year on a long table or a fireplace mantel.

I've started a new pattern and I'll show pictures of my progress tomorrow.  This is going to be a looooonnnnnngggggg project.  I've always wanted to design and make a medallion quilt.  The time has arrived. 

Get those creative juices flowing today and send me some more ideas that I can make and use on the stave holder.  Thank you so much Lynda for sending me pictures of your darling or "stinkin' cute" creations.  I welcome pictures and love to see everyones creativity.

Soon,

Lynn

Quilting in the Garden - Part 2

Hello Everyone,

Here are the last pictures from Quilting in the Garden.  I took so many, that I had to distill it down to a manageable amount.  The inside of the nursery was decorated for fall....

,,,,,and Christmas.  My friend Virgina, made the Santa quilt.  So sweet and cute. 

 

The Newark quilt guild was selling raffle tickets for their version of my Party in the Garden.

 



I bought a bunch of tickets for the green basket quilt made by several of my friends from the Amador Valley Quilt Guild.  I know I'm going to have to buy some more tickets the next time I see the girls.  I wish I'd taken a better picture to really show you the quilting.

Here's the In Between Stitches booth just after set up and before the crowds arrived.

My contribution to the show was Buttonwood, Winterset and Toyland Tree.  The ladies were pointing out the flange on Winterset.  It only took me nine months to finish the pattern directions for Winterset, which are now available at the shop.

It was an amazing show filling every pore with inspiration. As you go about your day, try to be an inspiration to everyone you see, but first you have to inspire yourself. Get out a UFO and start working on it or make a charity quilt. Decorate your home for Fall and get in the mood for the chilly evenings by a fire. There are so many things to do and see......so get started TODAY!

 

Soon,

 

Lynn



Quilting in the Garden - 2012 - Part One

Hello Everyone,

Quilt show time this morning over your morning coffee.  Quilting in the Garden was this weekend and I think it was the best one ever!  (I say that every year.....but this one was amazing.)  One of the featured artists was Judy Mathieson.

Judy has a very distinct style which is mind boggling.

The quilts are all displayed from 100 year old oak trees and gently sway in the breeze.  The weather was perfect, no rain and it wasn't 104 degrees!

Now that's a lot of flying geese.

Many quilters enter their quilts into the show from all around the area.

This show is great for my double chin since I'm always looking up!

I started my Saturday early to help with set up at the show, then we headed over to the sports park for our grandson's baseball-themed 5th birthday party.

Auntie Caren made some of the treats.  This was such a cute idea and they tasted good too!

After the party, I zipped back to the quilt show so Gail could see the quilts.  Then Mr. Joe and I headed to Patterson to watch our granddaughter cheer at the Pop Warner football game. It was a full day full of quilts and good family fun.

Sunday I worked at the shop and had the opportunity to meet lots of quilter's that came to town from all over the state.  It was a great weekend. 

I'm off to the shop this morning to help put everything away that was in the booth at the show.  Then I'm sure my to-do list will include getting ready for the next show, Pacific International Quilt Festival in October.  That show also is a must see. 

Attending a quilt show is so inspirational, colorful and just plain makes me happy.  I appreciate all of the workmanship and the hours upon hours that it takes to make a quilt.  This is quilt show season, so get out, get involved and support your local quilt guilds by attending a show.....it will make you happy too.

Soon,

Lynn

Putzing Around

Hello Everyone,

I've been resting up after the whirlwind of quilting for the past few months.  We came up to the cabin after class on Tuesday......I left my sewing machine at home!  That's a first for me.  I call this quilt Lil' Orphan Scrappy.  It was one of my tablecloths at the quilt show.

About all I've done for the past two days is move quilts around the cabin and clean.  I can move the quilts much easier than I can move the log beds.  It takes two men and a boy to move these beds, so  I'll just stick with the quilts.  I moved Sallie's quilt into one of the guest rooms.  I also plugged in all the electric blankets to get ready for winter.

I brought Minglewood up to the cabin and this quilt precipitated all of the moving.  There is one more complete Minglewood kit left at the shop.  It is almost identical to mine.  Minglewood went on the bed in the master bedroom.  This quilt is so big, I could do away with the dust ruffle. 

I worked on and finished the pattern directions for the Nostalgic Christmas quilt this week.  I'll have to print copies of it when we return home.

I hung the quilt outside and I was able to get some good pictures of the quilting.

Mr. Joe found these great Ziploc bags down at the little Ace Hardware store here in town.  They will make great carriers for taking quilts and projects back and forth to the cabin.  They have probably been around forever, but they are new to me.

They come with handles, air vents and a zipper.  I think this one will hold at least four quilts.  They measure 2.2 feet x 16 inches x 12 inches high.  They seem very durable and will keep the quilts nice and clean.

If you are in or around Livermore this weekend you should plan on attending, Quilting in the Garden, an outdoor quilt show at Alden Lane Nursery that is a 'must see'.  Some of the festivities actually yesterday with quilting classes.  This is a wonderful outdoor quilt show.  The quilts are displayed from the majestic, old oak trees.  I'm going to get there early, then we are headed to our grandson's 5th baseball-themed. birthday party, then to Pop Warner football game to see our granddaughter toss her pom poms in the air.  It is going to be a full day of everything Americana, quilts, baseball birthday parties, and youth football.

I still have to respond to lots of comments about the show. I'll get to it.......maybe tomorrow.......

Soon,

Lynn

Georgetown Quilt Show - Love is a Quilt

Hello Everyone,

This is my last round of pictures from the quilt show in Georgetown.  It was hard to whittle the 125 pictures down to a manageable amount.

This is Madrigal.  Oh how I love to see my patterns made by other quilters.

Love the quilting!

Pictures just don't do justice to the incredible amount of details in the quilts.

The trucks were the Fire Chief's Choice this year.  Talk about detail!  Amazing.

They start them young in Georgetown.  This is Casey's first quilt.....she is 5!

Morgan is 8!  Both girls have a great sense of color.  You girls rock too!

I'm finishing off this post with a Christmas exchange quilt made by Lynda for Fely.  Yes, Love is a Quilt.  You could see the love throughout the whole park.  Not only in the quilts, but in the genuine feelings the Needle Nellies had for the each other and the warm hugs and attention extended to Gail and me.

My sister and I had a fabulous time at your show.  We adore all of the Needle Nellies, and look forward to seeing you again over a large plate of Wiener Schnitzel! Thank you again for everything!

Soon,

Lynn