Victoria's Excellent Quilting Retreat

Here are nine very Happy Quilters.

 Start with me at the back, LeeAnn, Karen, Andrea, Jackie, front row: Jessica, Helen ( no blog yet but coming soon :0) , Bonnie and our fantastic hostess Victoria.

What happens when quilters get together  all with  different ages, talents, and life experiences ?   You party!  But with quilters you create, you share your creation and talk about it, what color would add more?  How big do I make this?  You listen to what others have done that worked for them.  It all just releases a special kind of creativity being in the environment where you don't have to worry about cooking, cleaning, transporting anyone and the million of others things women do in a day. In a nut shell its being set free with your sewing machine to do as you please in a supportive environment of terrific ladies.  All I can say is it was Inspiring and a fun time was had by all!

Victoria walking us over to the American Folk Art Museum

Jessica's hand pieced star  top  in progress

Andrea cheering on Jackie as she creates her blocks

Bonnie's needled turned tile blocks.

Bonnie's paper pieced star blocks.

Victoria, Jackie and Karen enjoying one of our fabulous meals.

LeeAnn's HST creation!

Jessica's fantastic squares.

Karen's ideas coming together

Helen's paper pieced strips for a vest all made from scraps.

Kim's Owl coming together.

Victoria's creation growing and changing with colors she hasn't used together before.

Jackie's table runner coming together one tiny paper pieced at a time.

Love that sausage dog fabric in LeeAnn's HST.

And when I got home I found  the snow  melting with a few snowdrops blooming in my yard!

  I'm all recharged and inspired to do some new work at my machine!  Happy Sewing, Kim

Work it Jackie!

I'm home form Victoria's retreat with a huge smile on my face..........
I had a great time !  And so did Jackie!

And I got to do some shopping with Jackie this morning..........how much fun can one girl have in a weekend?
Happy sewing,
Kim 

Blue and Yellow

I'm off to Victoria's  for a quilting retreat......its gonna be so fun!  I'm going to be surrounded by talented quilters

all sewing together for the weekend. 

I am a bit addicted to yellow and blue quilts and here is another one I just finished made from scraps, shirts and fat quarters. The beautiful quilting is done by Debby Brown.   This pattern is called Shakespeare in the Park designed by Judy Martin from her book " The Creative Pattern Book".
Happy sewing, Kim

giveaway :0)

http://thepolkadotchicken.blogspot.com/search/label/pincushion%20giveaway

So even if you don't want to win this adorable pincushion ( more of a chance for me :0) you should still have a look at how cute it is!   good luck  and happy sewing,
Kim

Creative prompt

http://artquiltmaker.com/blog/2011/03/creative-prompt-109-anniversary/

I'll have 48 words to put into a quilt by the end of the year........

Here are my words from the creative prompt from the last 3 weeks......I've been doing them Tonya's unruly style.

Happy Sewing,
Kim

New top.."Dance Floor"

Dance floor is a Jaybird quilt pattern.        .http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/p/patterns.html

I'm really enjoying making it from scraps from the yellow and blue quilt from the Scrap Squad challenge quilt
which is also a pattern by Jaybird designer Julie Herman. Stay tuned for the reveal :0)

Happy Sewing,
Kim

New Giveaway...fabric!

Wow 7 half yard cuts of beautiful fabric being given away........
you could win......go enter over at Jaybird quilts!
good luck!
Happy Sewing,
Kim

.http://giveaways.jaybirdquilts.com/2011/02/sponsored-giveaway-fabric-quarter.html

Scrap Squad

                                                                                                                                                                   http://www.quiltersclubofamerica.com/groups/qmscrapsquad/default.aspx        The quilting is done.....Debby Brown  made this quilt even more beautiful with her freehand quilted designs.  The binding is going on now and as soon as Quiltmaker Mag. is ready to let us reveal it I will.  It is a fun pattern.

  Happy Sewing, Kim

Happy Valentine's Day!

Its a perfect Valentine's Day!  The sun is shinning , the snow is melting, and I'm baking cookies for my husband!
I hope yours is perfect too.
  Happy Sewing,
Kim

Want to vote on pretty quilts?

http://www.genxquilters.com/2011/01/love-nest-quilt-contest-at-gen-x.html

Okay, I'm number 21....but vote for your favorite :0) !

Have a great weekend and Happy Sewing,
Kim

Scrap Squad

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Large snowflakes?  No, the snow has gotten so heavy and the ice dams so bad we had to hire our roofing guys to come clear the snow load.

Meanwhile at the sewing machine I've been working on my next Quiltmaker Scrap squad assignment.....it is really delightful.......can't wait to show you :0)
Happy Sewing, Kim

giveaway :0)

Aneela Hoey is having a giveaway......she has a new fabric line out with Moda and is giving some of it away :0)
http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/comfortstitching/2011/01/pips-pillows-and-a-giveaway.html

It is so darn cute.......check it out :0)
Happy Sewing

Another giveaway

Okay so can you tell I've been blog surfing.....but honestly there is just so much fun stuff to see!
http://meandmysisterdesigns.com/blog/?p=4124

Barb is giving away her new line of fabric in fat quarters "Dilly Dally" over at  " me and my sister designs"........
Oh is that fabric ever delicious!

Happy sewing and good luck ;0),
Kim

katiemaytoo quilts (and other stuff): i wish my kitties helped like this!

katiemaytoo quilts (and other stuff): i wish my kitties helped like this!

If I had kitties I would expect them to carry their own weight around here!
I couldn't resist...... how cute is  this?

Happy Sewing,
Kim

Another giveaway

Oh yummy soft vintage sheets cut into fat quarters........
jump over to Flekka  for a chance to win :0)
http://www.flekka.com/words/fabrics/and-now-the-giveaway/
Good luck and Happy Sewing :0)
Kim,

trickle down scraps and fun sites to visit

I pulled these fabrics from my stash in November 2009 to start a new Bonnie Hunter mystery called  "Carolina Christmas.                                                           

  I quickly realized the yellow had to
go!   It was replaced with a nice bright white.  Yes, that made all the difference.

A year later the quilt was completed down to the binding with machine quilting done Debby Brown.                   

This spider web quilt was made from the selvages from the red and turquoise fabrics, again machine quilted by Debby Brown then donated to Quilts of Valor.


This little art quilt went to  Ami Simms Alzheimer's  fund raising efforts and brought in $45.00 for Alzheimer's research.  I pieced it from the left over salvage pieces of the spider web quilt and machine quilted it myself.

This little quilt went together in an afternoon but is not completed.....I used the back side of some of the turquoise fabric to give the effect of two solids fabrics........Ho Ho Ho  :0)











..and with a couple of extra blocks I made a few of these mug rugs for a Christmas gift.

This little house block was given to everyone that participated in Beth's neighborhood challenge.  It may get some unruly words added.








Which brings me to the latest use of the red and turquoise fabric....."Rhapsody in Bloom".  This pattern will be available in the March/April '11 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine  which will be  available soon.......
Have you seen the  Quiltmaker blog called Quilty Pleasures?

And have you seen this site yet?
Quilters Club of America?  It has tons of free stuff (or you can buy a premium package) where you can see more of the Scrap Squad quilts.

So is there any more turquoise and red fabric left in the scrap basket?

Happy Sewing,
Kim

New Giveaway

http://thequiltrat.blogspot.com/search/label/Zentangle%20Fabric%20Arts

Oh look what  The Quilt Rat is giving away!
While you are there check out all her interesting art work, fabric dying and doodles! 
This is one of my favorite blogs.
Happy sewing

Rhapsody in Bloom

http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/2011/01/28/qm-scrap-squad-interprets-rhapsody-in-bloom/

 Rhapsody in Bloom is designed by Doug Leko of
antlerquiltdesign.com   Doug is a high school student who loves to design and teach. His pattern is featured in the
Quiltmaker March /April '11 issue.

  Eight ladies have made this pattern with their own scraps and Quiltmaker has named us the Scrap Squad....you can read more about this pattern and the scrap squad at  link the above.

 My quilt was made from my red, turquoise, black and white scraps.
 Later this week I'll show you what else I have made in this color group.

My Rhapsody in Bloom was quilted by Debby Brown and together we will donate it to Quilts of Valor.

Happy Sewing

unruly letters and more snow

Only 5 new inches of snow........oh well it is winter right?  Happy sewing, keep cozy and warm.

Little house

http://lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com/2011/01/plans-change.html
This little house was sent by Beth for participating in her neighborhood challenge earlier this winter.
I can't decide if I will add words and make it larger or not......stay tuned...

Happy Sewing

Winter sewing

 While the weather is bitter cold I am making the most of my  indoor time at my sewing machine.

 I finally finished the binding on "Christmas Lights" a three part mystery from Bonnie Hunter and Quiltmaker Mag....I added some unruly letters from Tonya to make it my own.  Debby Brown quilted it for me to make it look like a million dollars, and it has a snugly flannel backing.  My first gift finished for 2011 Christmas :0)

 I continue to make progress on RRCB another ongoing Bonnie Hunter mystery.

And it looks like I'll have time to finish before Spring is here......we have another snowstorm on the way :0)

Happy sewing!

traffic control

Here is a new way to control traffic...just pile up snow about 10 feet high in the lane.....I'm sure folks will go around :0).

Happy sewing

The prompt this week was "vision"

the art challenge continues...
I put two little kitty faces peering out  
: 0)  Happy Sewing

New Giveaway...fabric!

http://giveaways.jaybirdquilts.com/2011/01/sponsored-giveaway-featuring-green.html

Go over and check out this great giveaway at Jaybirdquilts......
Happy sewing

Scrap Squad

Coming soon...... Scrap Squad!

Look at this fun quilting by Debby Brown!

Happy Sewing

Queensland Australia flooding

The flooding has left many homeless.....what can we do to help?
http://www.quiltville.com/bedquilts.shtml
Here is some information if you want to donate to help out.

Thanks for helping.

Em

Wednesday wink not always Pink Day 2011
see what Em is talking about and enter her giveaway.

Happy Sewing

http://www.wonkyquilter.com/2011/01/wednesdays-winkand-its-not-always-pink.html 

"Quilt Dad" is having a giveaway

http://www.quiltdad.com/

Quilt Dad is having a  giveaway......fabric from designer Patricia Bravo.......
get on over there and enter :0)
Happy sewing

A new challenge for me

http://artquiltmaker.com/blog/2011/01/creative-prompt-101-pink/

Okay so I took it pretty literally!

Happy sewing!

Book giveaway

http://selvageblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-giveaway-picture-this-by-marcia.html

I love a good giveaway.....and hey I have won a few too!
check out  Karen's Selvageblog and while you are there enter for a chance to win!
Good luck!

Birthday Gifts

 My VBF Debby Brown made me some terrific birthday gifts.....a matching cosmetic case and fully lined laundry bag,  from my favorite color combo of  yellow and blue, for traveling.  Plus 30 bobbins of  Invisifil thread to use for hand applique.  How cool is that!  I know!  She is my friend and you can't have her :0)......  but you can visit her at
http://higheredhands.blogspot.com/

She is a talented lady!

Happy sewing

I won a Brooch

I won this adorable brooch that was made to go on my red cap. After I  won Katie let me pick what I wanted from her Etsy store.  Thank you Katie!  Drop in and visit her at her blog:
http://katiesredumbrella.blogspot.com/

Roll roll cotton Boll

This is clue seven in the Bonnie Hunter mystery.  I'm doing one in pink and one in purple......and I'm rolling along with it!
One more clue to go.
Happy Sewing