Sundry Activities

Two little AAQI quilts completed and registered yesterday. Now awaiting mailing instructions.

The black and green quilt is named "Role Reversal". I watched my sister-in-law take care of her mother in their home for several years. The parent becomes the child. Two of the 4-patch units are turned so that the green is where the gold should be, representing this switch of position in a relationship with a parent with Alzheimer's.

The blue and brown quilt is named "Early-Onset=Early Retirement". Many years ago our family doctor, who was a soft spoken, kind man, took early retirement. It was a while before we learned that it was because he had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. The pinwheel blocks represent the cogs that turn, one catching another, causing movement on all of the connecting parts. One thing leads to another--like a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's led to early retirement.

I've kept Gidget busy this week quilting up a lap quilt that I want finished by the end of the month so that it can be gifted.

Just used an all over pattern, but I think the quilting is too dense--not as soft as I'd like. I'm learning.

Yesterday DD#2 and a couple of her friends came over to quilt. (You knew you'd be on the blog, didn't you?) Lots of quilting, talking and laughing. It was fun--come back anytime!

Can you believe how short this post is? I can't. But most of my current projects are gifts and swaps, so they have to stay unpublished for a while yet.
Happy quilting!
Janet O.

Oh My Stars!!

And they are my stars now, but I didn't make them. Aren't they beautiful? These were made by Karen (Log Cabin Quilter blog). Apparently she has been sorting through UFOs--shedding the projects that she no longer cares to finish. She had told me something was coming my way, but I had no idea what to expect. Two boxes arrived at my door the other day. This shows the contents! I was floored!

Not only the stars were within, but the pattern and parts to finish the quilt,
along with makings for an apple core quilt, a half log cabin, and the
beginnings of a Sister's Choice quilt. Oh, and some shirt parts.
It was an early Christmas!!

 Another piece of fun mail was this Australian magazine from Liz (quilterie blog). She is featured inside along with a wonderful quilt she designed. Isn't this great? It is a wonderful issue about traditional patterns with a modern twist. I love what Liz has done. Click to see it larger.

Aside from opening fun mail, I have mostly been working on some swap projects and birthday gifts, which can't be shown yet. But I can show you my slow progress on Bonnie Hunter's (Quiltville blog) Crabapples (aka It's So Vermonty). I  have around 1/3 of the blocks made. I've been trying to decide on a sashing color and have tentatively settled on a really dark brown tonal print. However, I am open to suggestions.

I know I said I wasn't doing any more SALs right now, but I needed more leader/enders and I had some already cut pieces just the right size for many of these, and the others were really easy to cut and it hardly took any time at all, and I just cut from the scraps that were sitting on my cutting table. Have I justified this enough? Of course, this is a SAL from Cheri (quiltsbycheri blog). She calls it "a piecework sampler." I just have three more little blocks to make and then each block gets bordered and the whole thing gets sashed. You can see Cheri's version here.
It works up very quickly and there is really no excuse not to make it--at least I couldn't find one.

I hope you have time for some fabric therapy today.
Until next time,
Janet O.

Symbol of Hope... (edited)

...on such a devastating day.

 The brightest, most complete double rainbow I have ever seen. Wish I had a panoramic camera!
My prayers are with those who have been hit by these incredible storms.

ETA: Shannon, at Pieceful Kwilter blog, stitched my photos together for me and look what she made! This is more the view I wished I could give you! Thanks, Shannon. (BTW, Shannon does beautiful quilting--check out her blog.) This really was the view from the farm yesterday. Unreal!

Pineapples and Prize Winners

While DD#1 was visiting, one of our many activities was a session on making those tiny pineapple ornaments I have come to love so well. Here are the two she created. (Ang, I was going to use the photo with you in it, but I thought maybe you are tired of being pictured on my blog.)

She caught on to this much more readily than I did when I began making them, and went home armed with paper foundations and scraps to make more!

Remember that I made a bunch of these for my Mom's birthday in February. Each one is made from the scraps of a quilt she has made. So Mom can't bear to put her little pineapples away until Christmas, and until she decides how to display them, they are all lined up on the book holder on her piano. It is fun to walk in the door and see them all in a row.

My little year-round sewing room tree is filling up again as I try to make a pineapple or two every month. The latest ones that I just finished today are from Primitive Gatherings Old Glory line, since I have those scraps handy while working on the Picnic Quilt.

I blame credit Teresa and Kris for my obsession with love of mini pineapples!

I've also got the ornament I received from Grace on the tree. Don't want to hide it away for most of the year. : )

Enough about pineapples. I know you are really here to see who won my 2 year blogging anniversary giveaway. The winner was drawn yesterday and notified, I just didn't have the energy to post it--we had planted our garden last night during a stiff wind

Sandi (kwiltnkats blog) was the Grand Prize winner. She is a prolific quilter and always keeps me in awe of how quickly she produces amazing quilt tops! Go look at this recent creation here.

When I realized that my last post was #150, I decided that deserved a little celebration, too, so I drew another name to receive a bag of soap and a mini charm pack of Sandy Gervais' Posh Pumpkins line. (She always designs such great fall fabrics.)

Doniene (Now It's Just Quilts blog) is the winner of the "150th Post" giveaway (that no one knew was happening). Doniene is a hard working ranch wife who also makes beautiful quilts for loved ones with careful thought behind them. She has been teaching herself FMQ and I am floored by how well she has done.

Congrats to both ladies--your prizes are in the mail. Thanks, everyone, for celebrating my 2nd anniversary of blogging with me.

I am keeping this short. I have had very little sewing time this week and I intend to make up for it tonight! : )

Until next time, 

Janet O.

Bloggers at HMQS, and a little blog anniversary

Last post I shared some of the quilts and now I will share some of the people that I was able to see at HMQS. When Gayle (The Middle Sister blog) and I met up a bit ago I forgot to get out my camera. Not so this time. We were able to have a brief rendezvous at HMQS and it was good to see her smiling face again.

Last year I had the opportunity to meet Sandra (Textile Time Travels blog). She was there again this year doing her quilt appraising. She had a full booth, but they exited quickly when I said the photo would be on my blog. Thank you, Sandra, for staying put. : )

Sandra also did a presentation on stage while I was there. Photos from a distance are tricky when it is too far for a flash to help, so here are some slightly blurred shots of a couple of her great "Birds and Blooms" quilts.

 If you'd like a closer, clearer look
at the quilt on the left, go to her blog here.




Robin (Solstice Studio blog) was another blogger I met for the first time at HMQS last year. Not long before my friend and I were going to leave this year, I had a chance encounter with Robin in an aisle of the vendor mall. So glad we made the connection again!

This next encounter was not with a blogger, but a pattern designer. Do you recall a long time ago when I posted this photo?

This is that great Eye Fooler quilt that so many of you asked about. Well, I met Krisanne, the pattern designer. She tells me they will be getting a website soon and she will notify me when that happens so that I can pass the word along. She has more patterns, too. I'm kicking myself for not getting a photo of the quilts in her booth. This was taken in front of the "Opportunity Quilt" where she was stationed when I finally found her.

My last encounter at HMQS of note, was not with a blogger, but with her quilts. I told you that a guild from Rupert, Idaho was featured. Well, Gail (Sewnsews blog) is a member of that guild. She quilted many of the quilts from her guild, but I will just show you her two "Bonnie" quilts on display, which she pieced and quilted.

Click on the photos to get a better view.

Okay, I am having a little giveaway in celebration of my approaching second anniversary of this blog. It has been quite a ride. I have met many wonderful people, both in person and online. I have tried things I would never have attempted without your encouragement, and I have been buoyed up by your comments, insight and prayers. To show my appreciation to all of you who have been a part of that, I will be having a drawing on Thursday, May 16, the day I began this blog two years ago. This is what you have a chance to win, by leaving a comment on this post--my skinny rail fence mini, a fat eighth bundle of neutrals, a bag of my herbal soap, and a little bumble bee magnetic pin keep.

I hope Mother's Day was pleasant for everyone, mother or not. I want to share my favorite present with you. The week before, when DD#1 was in town, we had all four of our children here. They are the best and it was a joy to have them all together again for a time.

Don't forget to leave a comment if you are interested in the giveaway--and make sure you leave your email if you are a "noreply-comment" blogger. (Judy H., your comment today came up with that setting).
Until Thursday--
Janet O.

HMQS--The Quilts (Warning--photo laden!)

As we walked the many aisles of quilts, my friend and I were struck by the amount of bling on so many of the quilts this year. You won't see many of the blingy ones here because I didn't photograph many of them (sorry, Denise and Teresa). There were a lot of applique and art quilts, and not many traditional quilts. Here is a sampling of the display. You can click on the smaller photos to try and read about the quilts--sorry for the amount of blurry photos. I was not using my flash so that the quilting would stand out more.

We'll start with "Best of Show."

This was the first place quilt in the theme category.

There were about 6 Farmers Wife quilts hanging together that had been made by a group of quilters working together.

Now, for a fun little blast from the past, take a look at the quilt and label below. Every year at HMQS they feature the quilts of a guild in the vicinity. This year's featured guild was from Rupert, Idaho.

I didn't photograph as many quilts this year. Do you have a favorite of those pictured here?

I'll be back soon with photos of the bloggers I met up with and a pattern designer, too! Then there is the little matter of a giveaway to mark the anniversary of my second year of blogging.
Until then,
Janet O.