From Our Retreat

Here are some more items we finished at the retreat last weekend:

Here is our sample mini quilt that proclaimed our theme for the retreat.  It's so cute.  I was working on another WIP so didn't get to make one there, but I have the kit.  Then we made place mats for when we went to the dining room for meals.

This was the general idea for us to work with, but lots did it differently.

Here's mine.  Since my girls gave me all the birds they didn't use, I made a futuristic one  (no wings required) which I call
Air Traffic Control.  

My daughter's.  She had such a lovely back, and decided to make it the front and keep it simple.  She gave me all her birds.

She also made this Itty Bitty Baby Dress for her best friend's baby who is due to be born anytime now.

My DIL, Deanna, made another kit - a feather eyeglass case.

They had such neat projects for us!

I'm linking to some linky fun.  See my tab under the header.  Blessings!

Two More Make Five

On my Design floor this Monday is my completed 5 blocks for the RSC 2017 challenge.  The left and right blocks of the first row are new.  Wonder what the challenge color will be for June?  We should know soon from Angela.

I managed to use 1.66 yards finishing baby coverlet at retreat and three blocks. My destashing total is now 47.98 yds so far this year.  I may yet get to 50 yards (my half way point) in June.

What are you doing this long weekend?  We've said prayers for those who gave their lives for our safety and freedom.  Long may they be remembered.

A Veteran's quilt I made in 2011.

A quilt of valor made by me and two of my neighbors. From 2006

And then there were three

Here's my third green scrappy block for the 2017 RSC

For the quilt I have in mind the blocks have to be 9" finished. In the I Love to Make Quilts version, it is a 12" block. I've finally worked out a method to make reducing the block less complicated for me.
I see what the size of the finished pieces have to be and then add a 1/2" to the measure. For instance for the one above.  The middle of this 9 patch is twice the size of the corners, so my pieces have to be 1/4th the finished size.  So I divided 9 by 4 and got 2 1/4".  I added the 1/2" seam allowance and squares for the corners  should cut at 2 3/4".   The middle rectangle is 2 3/4" twice, but since this is a long rectangle, one subtracts the 1/2" seam allowance as there is no seam in the middle.  And so it goes...

At retreat, we do make and takes.  They give us a kit and we make it.  Most of us are usually learning a new technique when we do this.  Our first make and take was to make a name tag.  Here's mine.

We had three birds to choose from.  Here's my daughter's:

She stuffed hers and braided the feet.  Wish I had taken more pics of my Mom's and DDIL's.

I'm linking to Angela's RSC 2017.

WIPs Be Gone

I had made this top some time ago and found the perfect back for it.  I took it to the retreat and was able to finish it there.  It only has the two flannel layers. Technically it is a baby coverlet.  Should work just right for our hot summers.

The strips are from other quilts that St. Anne members made either as a tube quilt or a back. That makes it a scrap quilt, too.

I found this totally cute backing flannel. Liked it so much, bought a bunch.

My DH came up to the patio with this bouquet for me. It's an echinopsis plant. The flowers only last for a day, but oh how lovely while they lasted.

I'm linking to some parties today. You can see where under the linky tab:  linky parties.

Blessings!

Design Wall Monday

I'm back from a wonderful retreat.  I'll have pics and more to say once I relax a bit and get back into the normal routine.  In the meantime I left up on my design wall an isolette cover for the NICU:

The brown is more like the dog ears. Don't know why the photo didn't turn out. Ah, I see. Camera was set to auto not indoors.  Anyway, it is a softer brown.  The cover measures 32 1/2" by 46 - the size they asked for.  It will have a dark back to help block out the light for the preemies.  The center block is made up all from left overs and squares cut off while making Nearly Insane # 3.

What are you up to?  Go over to Design Wall Monday to see more DWs.

WIPs Gone on Retreat

I"m off to a guild retreat at the beautiful Vina de Lastonnac Retreat Center in Temecula.  It is actually a convent. 24 of us quilters will be there 3 days.  You can read about it here.  Below is the Christmas quilt I made from a 2009 UFO.

quilted

The back

Bound and set aside for Christmas.

See you Monday!

You're Invited to a Portrait Party

Well, actually the results of a portrait party - a wonderful, eclectic, contemporary collection of portraits in the book by Julia Kay entitled Portrait Revolution.  I have two very artistic adults in my family - one who always seems to have a pencil in his hand drawing portraits, so I wanted to learn more about this type of art.  Also I'm an avid quilter and as I visit quilt shows I see more and more quilts that have the human form in their design.  I was please to see needle arts represented in the book.

The cover itself drew me in to the book.  There are so many mediums and styles.  It really is a wide representation of what artists are creating all over the world. The 450 portraits really captivate one. My 6 year old grandson was over one day. We spent over an hour looking at these works.  I was fascinated by drawing blind.  Alan saw one and said, "I can do that," about an abstract done by Timothy Schorre entitled Patricio, Chile and made on an iPhone with the Sketji app.

Here's his version (looks very much like the one in the book):

"Why don't you give him ears," I said handing him the light brown crayon again.  "Nope, Grandpa doesn't hear and he doesn't have hair".  He's right.

Now my drawing blind.  I used my statue of St. Jude Thaddeus for my attempt.

This book is a keeper. It's so interesting. I think I'll give it to my son - just his kind of book.

I received this book (Watson-Guptill Publications) from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. And I’m so glad I did.

Moving It Forward Monday

Made an RSC challenge block - last of my teals.

I'm linking to Em's Moving it Forward Monday and at Beth's Monday Making. Stop by and see what everyone is working on. Blessings!

Some of this; Some of that

Our poinsettias are lasting forever! We were gifted these a couple of weeks before Christmas, 2016 - and look how colorful they still are.  A bit dusty, but beautiful.









Now that the green leaves are starting to come out, I'm trying to think of a place where I can set them into the ground.  It will have to be near a hose and some shade, so that our hot summers don't fry them.  Maybe I'll just find a huge pot to put them in.

Now for my stash report.  I found a back for the NI #4, made 4 pink blocks for the finished St. Anne's top and then sewed the outer border, added borders to the left overs isolette top and started a RSC challenge block for 1.75 yds to give me a grand total of 46.32 yds destashed this year.

I hand stitched on my Anna's Garden applique block while I was at the doctors. Just one more bud to go and I can start stitching another prepped block.

Will you get to sew on this lovely Mother's Day?  I'll be joining some linky parties - see my tab under the header.  Blessings!

WIPs Be Gone

I used the wrong setting.  That orange border is a nice peachy color. Oh well.  This St. Anne's top came from the book Quilt for Joy  by Barbara Brandenburg and Teri Christopherson.  I just made a smaller version.

Finished at 36" square and is now being sandwiched by another St. Anne's member.

Climate change did a number on a couple of our fruit trees.  We have a wonderful Pomelo tree that usually gives us a crop in January - February. Don't know this citrus?  Go here.  Our tree, shown below, usually gives us a good crop.  I usually send packages to family and friends as a Happy New Year gift.  In fact in Southeast Asia if you eat some on New Year's Day you'll have good luck.  This year we had two fruits.  One fell prematurely from too much rain and burst.  The other we got to pick.

Compared to a 6 oz cup - you can see how big this is.

Then you peel it - you can see how thick the rind is.

Once you finish peeling it you have this luscious pink fruit.

And the tree?  It's loaded with another big crop but way out of sync - It usually blooms in June and the fruit is ready in middle of winter. Now we don't know.

We have a grafted pink pommelo and it is delicious.  It's work to get to the flesh, but worth it.  What does it taste like?  Just like a naturally sweet grapefruit with no astringency.  Yum.

Hope you get to sew today.  I'm linking to some parties - you can see the links under my tab above.

Design Wall Monday

Left on my design wall is the exploded Nearly Insane block #9 (actually my 4th) which is now a quilt top.

I must have measured wrong somewhere because I had to add that small inner border to make it to size (my size that is of 30"). Now to decide on a back and it can come down to be sandwiched.

And here's my finished top.  I'm hoping to sandwich it in the next few days and get started on the quilting instead of adding it to the Ready to be Quilted pile.

Are you quilting or sewing?  I've done my 30 minutes today.  I'm participating in Annie's Sew 30 Sew Fun challenge.  Join us.  Anything to keep me motivated.  Linking to some parties.  You can find them under my tab Linky Parties above.  Blessings!

Some of This, Some of That

Mom and I spent Friday at a local quilt show - the Inland Empire Quilt Guild's show in Norco, CA. It was a small show but very enjoyable and of course, had some great quilts. Here are three we liked (click on the photos to see them enlarged) :

a gorgeous One Block Wonder quilt

My Mom's favorite - a Pearl Pereira quilt - Fantasy Flowers made by
Cheryl Giovenco, quilted by Sheila Osbrink.

The label is below.  My favorite - The row of quilts opposite this beauty
kept me from getting back far enough to take a complete photo. Learn
more about it here.

A fabulous version!

Not much sewing done during the last two days.  This past week I used about 1/2 yd among my WIPs to add to the year's destashing total of 44.57 yds.

Another very busy second week of the month coming up.  I hope you have time to quilt. Blessings!

WIPs Are Going ....

... but slowly.  

NI #3 is quilted (terrible photo, but had to take it last night)

Here's part of the front - had fun following the pattern in the fabric

Made the units for 4 more blocks for the St Anne's quilt

Half way done with  the last border of my April UFO

Working on a bird for Lori's QAL

Quilting the Christmas quilt - just the grid work done so far.

Lastly - enjoying my amaryllis that are in bloom across from my kitchen door.

Tomorrow I'm taking mom to a quilt show for her birthday.  She turned 91 last Saturday.

Before I forget - last week's winner of a fat quarter is Karen Martin.  I've sent her an email.  Can't link this Friday - I'll be logging quite a few miles this coming week (200 this weekend).  I hope you have time to quilt in the next few days.  It would be nice to know what you're working on while I'm so busy with my other life.  Blessings!

Some of This; Some of That

The fat quarter giveaway is still open until next Thursday.  See previous post for details and linky.

People have asked me about the quilt in my header.  Here's the story:
    Back in 2009 (I think) a good friend of mine who was the after school program teacher where she worked, asked me to have a session once a week teaching 3rd - 5th graders how to sew.  I said yes.
    We first made a needle holder. They learned to couch yarn making their initials on their felt holders.  On the inside they learned the running stitch to hold the little pad in place.  I gave them each a pin, a needle and a safety pin and a bit of history.  Once we were done with those, we made tissue holders to give to their moms.  They were really keen to do more hand sewing.  I decided they would make blocks for a quilt.  So I brought a huge bag of scraps and taught them to make simple log cabin crumb blocks.  They used the back stitch and away they went.  Next I brought this rose fabric to which I had ironed on fusible web. They cut out the roses and some butterflies. In the mean time I added some leaves and stems. They put their cutouts on the borders and ironed them in place.  I took the borders home as well as the blocks and sewed the top together.  They were thrilled!  As we were running out of time - I went ahead and sandwiched and quilted it for them, but I had every confidence they could have done the hand quilting (big stitch of course),  too. The quilt measured about 42" square.  At first we thought to raffle it off and give the money to the library to buy books, but all the proud parents wanted it to be hung in the library to show off their students' work of art.  It's still on display.
     One thing I learned from all this fun we had was kids just need something to do - boys and girls.  In the group I had was a boy - the Dennis the Menace of the school.  He was very skeptical about being in the group, but once he tried it he was one of the best 5th graders sewing.  He never missed.

As to my destashing, I used .68 yds to make a St. Anne's top, 3 leader and ender blocks and one side of my UFO challenge quilt - not such a productive week as I'm still enduring that pain in side which isn't a kidney stone, but may be an inflamed bile duct - sigh. So energy draining.  My new YTD is
44.07 yds.

I'm still hand stitching my applique block and have cut out a few hexagons, but not much progress there.  I hope you get to quilt this coming week.  Blessings to you, kind readers.

WIPs Be Gone Almost

This Quilt Along WIP that was my April project for Judy's UFO challenge is almost done.  One more side to go.  I started this in 2014.  My "to be quilted pile" is getting a lot bigger!

One of the reasons it isn't all done is that I stopped to finish another Nearly Insane top. Can't seem to get enough of these.  Here's my fourth one:

In actual fact, it is the 9th one in the book of 98 blocks.  However those between 4 and 8 were too much the same and I wanted a few more pieces in the top, so that's why I made #9.  I call it my Lady Bug top - it will be a 30" quilt for the Neonatal unit.

We've had a return to cooler days - low 80s; upper 70s.  As a result, my one remain rose bush bloomed. Yippee!

Here's a close up of one of the lovelies

What are you up to?  I'd love to come by and see.  Link up and leave a comment.  I'll announce the winner of last week's book giveaway Sunday.  Want a fat quarter?  Link up and maybe you'll be the winner.  This giveaway ends next Thursday near midnight. Blessings!

Some of This; Some of That

First, the giveaway is open until Thursday.  You could win a book.  See the previous post.
I'm back to working on my hexies.  This will be my hand stitching in front of the TV for the week.

Onto stash report:  What with leader and ender blocks, a Stars and Stripes sampler block, and two baby quilt tops and one backing, plus a charity bag, I used 3.45 yards from my stash.  The YTD total is now at 43.40 yds.

I leave you with a view from my garden.  These are Mexican primrose that despite my neglect came up and bloomed for me.

Blessings on this second week of Eastertide.  Christ is risen! Alleluia.

Keep lighting your Easter candle during this season.