Wednesday, October 31, 2012

October Magic Class is in Session

Hello Everyone,
 
What a perfect day to post pictures of my October Magic class that was at In Between Stitches yesterday.  A couple of the girls couldn't make it, but the three of us that were there, had a fun day. 
 
Barbara added the borders yesterday and her quilt top is done!  We ooohhhed and aahhhhed, so did the customers that happened to stray into the classroom.
 

Her quilt started the day like this.  She mixed up a potion of flanges and flying geese and her borders were finished.


After it's quilted, Barbara is going to add some embellishments, from pumpkins on the fence...


to a button body for the spider.


Little ghosts made from cheesecloth will be hanging from the tree.


Home, sweet, home.



Mary is brand new to applique.  She is well on her way to becoming a master.  She had all of her pieces prepared and got them all in place.  Now she's all set to work on the stitching.  I am so impressed by her first attempt.  She's a girl after my own heart.....love her plaids!


Her geese are all finished.


Now she's working on her blocks.  I'm really looking forward to seeing Mary's finished quilt.


Now here's Nancy!  Nancy "virtually" joined in on the fun from Idaho. She set the mood for her day beginning with her socks and broom.


Throw in a few scary movies....


......and just like Practical Magic, blocks began to appear!  I have a feeling that Nancy was happier than a witch in a broom factory.  I'm delighted that Nancy joined us in spirit, and I encourage more of you to quilt along with us and send me pictures.


If you are interested in brewing up a little October Magic, the patterns are available at In Between Stitches.  When I was at the shop yesterday, I noticed that there is one kit available.  The rest of them flew out the door on Nancy's broom!


Have a Happy Halloween.

Soon,

Lynn

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

More Little Blocks

 
Hello Everyone,
 
I've been busy making more cute little 6-1/2" blocks out of my scrap box. 
 


The blocks don't  use up much fabric, so I'm not making a big dent in the basket.....but they are so much fun to make.  I love to select the five different fabrics that it takes to make the blocks.  They are addictive. 


My first thought was to arrange them like this....

 
 
Yesterday I was playing around on my design wall, and I came up with this arrangement.  I could surround my little basket blocks with Lil' Orphan Scrappy stars.  The blocks all work together since they came out of the same scrap basket.  (Instead of keying in scrap in the last sentence, I typed crap basket.....so I'm sitting here chuckling at myself and my inept fingers that just don't want to work this morning.....maybe it's my brain and not my fingers!)
 



This process will continue until I have an AHHHAAAA moment.  This layout may be that moment.
 
I haven't been quilting too much over the past few days.  A pinched nerve in my neck just about did me in over the weekend.  I'm so much better now and I can actually lift my right arm higher than shoulder level.  I can reach for these stars today!
 
Soon,
 
Lynn

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Blogger's Quilt Festival 2012

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my blog if you are joining me from Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival for 2012. Welcome back to all of my regular readers. Thank you Amy, and all of the sponsors for giving everyone the opportunity to enter quilts, view quilts from around the world, and have the chance to win some great prizes. Click HERE to see the quilt show.

My entry for the show is Toyland Tree .


The quilt specifications are:

Quilt Measurement:  64" x 76"
Special Technique:  Applique, blood, sweat and tears
Quilted by:  Me
Best Category:  Applique
 
 
When I was designing this quilt, I tried to incorporate toys from my youth.
 



Toys that are now considered vintage and in antique shops!


Everyone has a teddy bear so this block doesn't 'date' me.


I loved to listen to Gene Autry sing Frosty the Snowman on my old 45rpm record player.  I was always sad when Frosty melted.  My snowman will never melt away.


Isn't it funny that we knew Jack was going to jump out of the box and we still looked forward in anticipation and squealed with delight.


I received a new doll every Christmas.  I still have all my dolls and their complete wardrobes.  Some of their clothes were made by my Grandmother.  Of course she made a doll quilt too.


I never had a marionette, but I do now!

 
 
Under the specifications, I mentioned blood, sweat and tears.  I agonized over the selection for the background fabric.  I completed four blocks with a green background and stopped working on the quilt.  Several months later, I switched the background to black and I was much happier with the overall, dramatic look.
 

 
I never had a train when I was growing up....but I do now.


The stocking always came first for me on Christmas morning.  It was so much fun to look for the treasures buried in the bottom of the stocking's toe.  What fun!


I used specialty thread and quilted snowflakes around the tree in the crosshatched area.


I quilted swirls in the body of the tree to give it movement and the look of swirling snow and added a fun, colorful border.


I used crosshatching to define the outline of the tree.


Pour a cup of coffee and head on over to AmysCreativeSide.com and enjoy the show. 

Thank you for stopping by my blog. 
 
Soon,
 
Lynn
 


Friday, October 26, 2012

Decision Time

Hello Everyone,
 
I'm always looking for new techniques to learn and show my students in class.  I saw a free pattern called Pathways to the Stars on Homestead Hearth's website.  Click HERE for the pattern. 
 

The blocks go together very quickly......once you figure out the correct way to use the Tri-Recs ruler.


I pulled my first attempt out of the garbage so you could see my dismal failure.  I quickly figured out what I was doing wrong.  The directions on the package were very sketchy, almost none existent.


I put the new blocks next to the basket blocks.....hey, not bad together.  But I have other plans for my basket blocks.


On December 9th, In Between Stitches has their Preview Party at the Purple Orchid Inn.  All of the instructors, and that includes me, preview the quilts that we will be teaching the first quarter of the year.  So I have to get busy and decide what three classes I'm going to teach and have at least a flimsy completed in time for the party.  So will it be Pathway to the Stars or.....

I've been playing around with these block.  Trying to decide on the best layout.  So I may teach this design.


Which layout should it be?


I'm for sure going to teach Sallie's quilt by Bonnie Blue.  I'm always moving this quilt from the house in the city.....

 
 
,,,,,,to the cabin. 
 

 
 
Or I can teach Eldon by Laundry Basket Quilts.  I love this quilt, but there is no possible way I could finish this by December 9th!  Maybe I could just show off a few blocks and have the quilt finished by March.....maybe.
 


On another note, check out Lesley's blog HERE and see her Nostalgic Christmas blocks. I love her blocks and the plaids she used to frame the centers.  Thank you Lesley for all of the kind words. Lesley's blog is on my sidebar because it's a good one.  She's a great writer and a prolific quilter.

So I have some decisions to make today on what three classes I'm going to teach.  Then I have to put it into high gear to get them done!

Soon,

Lynn

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Scrappy Leaves Class is in Session

Hello Everyone,

There was a leaf explosion in the In Between Stitches classroom yesterday while the girls worked on their Scrappy Leaves quilt.




Everyone started out by selecting background fabric then fabric for their leaves.  Susan started on her purple row. 


Genny started with her brown row.


Patti started with her green row and selected all of the backgrounds and leaves for her first two rows.


Then the leaves started to decorate the classroom walls.



Here is my selection and demonstration row.  Just pretend the sun is shining down from the left side through the trees.  The backgrounds get progressively darker.  I decided to have my leaves all different colors of the rainbow.  I get so carried away with this quilt.....I just may have to make another one!

 
 
So, IF....and I do mean IF I make another one, I would make it brighter and lighter than the first one.
The girls were all in agreement that this quilt is much easier to make than it looks.  Just decide where you sun is going to shine, select your background fabrics from light to dark, then add the leaf fabric.
 


After class yesterday, Mr. Joe and I grabbed a bite to eat at home, watched the first few pitches of the World Series to give our Giants absolutely as much support as two people can give over the airwaves, then hopped in the car and headed for the cabin.  I can't remember the last time I listened to an entire ballgame on the radio.  We weren't exactly a Norman Rockwell picture, you know the one with the family gathered around the old tube radio with large lighted dials.  But we let our imaginations carry us away to AT&T park and we were there!  I didn't have my fabulous crab sandwich on sourdough bread that I always get at the game, but we were there in spirit.  We hooted and hollered our way up the mountains and possibly had more fun in the car, than if we had been in front of the TV at home.  We'll support our team tonight, in front of the TV with Zinnie curled up at our feet.  We'll hoot and holler again, but last night, listening to the radio was so special,  old fashioned, and meaningful.  Go Giants!

Soon,

Lynn