Sorta quilting

While we were on the Guild Shop Hop early this month, I saw this nifty wall decoration. It was so beautiful outside today that I just had to have a reason to sit on the deck for a little time between quilting and exercising. If I go exercise, the I can "quilt without guilt". I have to remember that one of my reasons for adopting another hobby (other than knitting) was to help keep me away from food. Anyway, back to my deck time. In one of the shops they had an old Scrabble board hanging on the wall. I loved it and now I have one for the quilting room. I am missing some tiles (thimble, pin, rip, triangle) but I am going to watch for a garage sale and snap up another game so that I can add more words and fill in my blanks. I made 13 boutique burpees for Allison today. She has numerous friends having babies and I love the fabrics she selects for me to stitch. More handstitching than anything.

What a beautiful surprise

Tonya from North Carolina just brightened my day with my mini-quilt arrival in the mail. And four fat quarters as well. What a fun way to share some happiness in this world. I love the colors.

Had to include a picture of "the girls". We have been keeping Allison's two dogs for two weeks while they visit family in Michigan. I just love the attention they give. Bailey is the big Golden Retriever. She is by far the best behaved and loving animal I have known. Elly is the small beautiful "muttress" Allison adopted when she was at Clemson. Elly is on Grandpa's "sh__ list" for her trips to the basement and her misbehaviors. Then there is our own Abby that is hyperactive, ADD, and as Vince names it, TDD (too d---- dumb). She does love unconditionally however.

Giveaway at Quilt Qua

I sew love Holly Taylor and her Moda fabrics. Was glad to read about this on Sara's blog. I would love to win this and really enjoyed looking around this web site.

A wonderful giveaway

Kaaren has posted a giveaway on her blog. The Painted Quilt is one of the blogs I follow. You better go check it out!

Mini Quilt Spring Swap

Today was a productive day in quilting and I did a good deal of hand work while watching the College World Series in Omaha. I wish I was there!

I finished my mini quilt to send to Polly. I think it is quite pretty.

The detail in the center white square are tiny yellow crystals. I quilted the edges with tulips as that it is the flower on the border.

I also quilted a table runner for Christmas. Yes, I know, it is a last year's Moda panel but I think it turned out quite well. I used a snowflake block pattern on the Q-bot. It was fun to do. Different sizes and it looks sharp. One project done and many to go.

Follow Tonya

I have been following Tonya and now she has a giveaway. http://tonyassewingroom.blogspot.com/2009/06/100th-post-giveaway.html Sew nifty! I will post a picture of my finished mini swap quilt tomorrow.

Quilt Guild Trip

The trip was fantastic and we had a great time. The first shop we went to was Heart and Hand Dry Goods in Sioux City, Iowa. http://www.heartandhand.com/ It was not a large store but just full of wonderful projects. I especially loved the pillowcase kits they had arranged and the napkin kits were splendid. I bought a pattern book for Big Blocks and the layer cake to do a quilt of that sort. Low and behold, when we got on the bus, I realized I had selected the Moda Christmas Wishes layer cake that made one of the patterns in the book.

We then went to the Omaha Quilt Show at UNO sport center. It wasn't as large as I had expected but the quilts displayed were exquisite. Many art quilts that I appreciate but don't want to make. My favorite quilt was an applique masterpiece. At the quilt show I bought a pattern for a triangle bag I hope to make soon.

After the show, we went to a very nice shop in Omaha. They were demonstrating a crazy cut block that I just had to have. Sunshine Stitches http://www.sunshinestitches.com/ was a beautiful store with many choices. It was very different from the shop in the morning. I found a darling Christmas panel that will be on my list of projects soon.

We ate at the Cheesecake Factory on the patio. It was a lovely evening and the company was divine.

On Saturday we went to Plattsmouth, Nebraska to Seams To Be Quilts shop http://www.seamstobequilts.com/index.htm. Plattsmouth has a neat main street with many antique shops. I bought a Bohn marking pen the owner had shown to me at the Quilt Show. Again the shop was unique. More panels than you could imagine. I found a birthday present for Marilyn in the coffee shop across the street. We left Plattsmouth for Papillion, Nebraska and the Country Sampler Too http://www.countrysampleronline.com/index.php. Needless to say we found some beautiful fabric but I loved the placemat template and will have a tutorial next week on this blog. The Quilted Moose http://www.quiltedmooseonline.com/ in Gretna was probably my favorite. Beautiful quilts on the wall, kits everywhere, wonderful children's fabric, and I will definitely return. The last shop was certainly not the least, three floors, County Traditions http://www.countrytraditionsonline.com/ in Fremont was a real find. I bought a significant amount of sale fabric.

It was a great trip. Met wonderful new friends, relaxed with some of closest friends, and picked up loads of ideas and material for gifts.

Mini Quilt Spring Swap

A sneak preview of the piece I am working on for someone special. She likes spring flowers. I have never done a scalloped edge so I am in the middle of binding the edge. I love the pattern. Hope she does also.

Leaving for Omaha on a quilt trip tomorrow morning. Such fun!