Scrappy Argyle

Finished piecing this top today. I have been complaining about it for several weeks over on Facebook. All of the bias edges just about did me in. Add to that the fact that I wanted it as a wallhanging and I just could not seem to figure out how to put it together. Oh well, now it is together and I really do like it. Hope to get it quilted sometime within the next year or so.

Now, to get to work on getting things together for May Mester!!! One week from tomorrow we will gather at the Gravatt Conference Center and classes will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday. This is going to be lots of fun. I have a great group in both overnight and daytime students. Two fantastic teachers and a great place to be during the month of May. I will try to check in while we are gone.

As Pat Sloan would say:   "LET'S GO SEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

What fun I have had

I just finished a beautiful quilt. This was a very soft irish chain top and we used a beautiful Dream Wool as the batting. Superior Lava Thread in the top and So Fine in the bobbin. Absolutely no tension issues. I am so happy with this. It was a dream to do.

This really shows the color better than the other pictures.

Look at the trellis quilting pattern. Awesome

This top now looks like a beautiful, well taken care of antique. Lovely and so soft. Love the wool batting. Dream Wool is wonderful to work with.

Now to go and put this one on the Customer page. Have a great day.

New Quilts off of the Frame

This is turning into a fun week.

On Monday I put this quilt on the frame and finished it up rather quickly. Mary Ann had pieced this top during a New Years mystery weekend at Carolina Quiltmaker in 2001. So glad to see her finish it.

Tuesday we had a 'FART' day. That would be Fabric Acquisition Road Trip. Beth, Judy, Pat and I rode to North Carolina. In Charlotte we went to the Container Store and to Ikea. Love both of them.

This is what I wanted from the Container Store:

I still have tons of thread on the wall:

However, I was having a very hard time seeing color with this set up. So, I thought I might try some of the elfa products. As it turns out, I can get just as many spools of thread in the shallow drawers as I can in the deep ones and really see thread color. I can also roll this in and out of the studio as I need it. (Or into the grandchildren's bedroom, if I need to hide it) I plan on adding more of the shallow drawers to this unit. I have also added a basket to the side to hold may favorite reference books and a set of hooks for hanging stencils on. Now I can keep most of this 'stuff' together and have easier access, but not keep it all in the studio.

We ventured on to Gastonia---of course--------- for lunch and fabric acquisition at Mary Jo's. Of course we did not want to waste any time, so, we worked our way to QBee Quilts just the other side of Carowinds. Diane has a beautiful shop and we always enjoy seeing her.

Then it was home to Columbia. We had planned to eat at the Blue Fin resturant in Sandhill. The food was VERY good. (The wine wasn't to bad either).

What a day. Lots of fun, food, and friendship. I love it.

Wednesday I put Jodi's top on the frame and worked with it all day. Finally finished it up this morning so that she can now pick it up.

Not sure what will be next. Unfortunately, I do have to wash some clothes and clean up a kitchen. However, I think that Rosemary's top is up next. I need this to finish so that I can deliver while at 'May Mester', which is only 10 days away. We are using a wool batt on this one and you know how much I love wool. It will be beautiful!!

Guess I have spent enough time here. Better get to work. Have a great day!!

Catching Up

Gracious!!! It has been a long time since my last post. I will try to catch up here just a little.

Since we last talked I have done a few quilts for customers. I will work on getting them posted on the Customer Quilt page.

Registration closed for May Mester and now I am getting everything ready for that event. I had first thought that we would just go 'bare bones' and not do door prizes and stuff, but, the closer we get the more surprises that I want to add. We leave for Gravatt and May Mester in 15 days and I am sooooooooo looking forward to the two classes and all the 'Frayed Knots' being there. I do need to decide what fabrics that I want to use for my Lone Star. I will just be doing a regular star, not spiral. I might have to make a trip to Mary Jo's for some inspiration!!!

Visited Threads of Time Guild and enjoyed June Fish's program on appraisals and quilt history.

 Then spent a full day in the studio with Karen Kendo. We had a full day of feather quilting. Learned so much and have a top that will go on the frame tomorrow that I intend to 'feather'.

Teresa had a supervisor

Callie was not sure she wanted her space invaded

Karen watched over us as we practiced

Teresa was a little tall so she sat down

We practiced hearts and wreaths

These feathers were a lot of fun.

I had a day trip to Mt. Pleasant with Beth and Sue. We had a class with the Cobblestone Guild who had invited Jane Godshall to teach a class on Paperless piecing. I had been wanting a class in that technique for a long time and this was my chance. We did stop and eat at 'Queen Anne's Revenge' on Daniel Island before we headed home. Great place. Visit if you get the chance.

Finished up the center of the 'Argyle' Quilt. This piece is currently 35 x 45 inches. I am including that information because Pat thought it was a full size quilt when she looked at the pictures on line.

We have started the garden. More on that later.
Mr. OLT has been quite sick with bronchitis, but, is much better now and back to work.
I will take sometime later to put up customer quilts that have been completed over the past few weeks. It has been fun working on some different types of tops.
Have a good week.

SEWING !!!!!!!!!!!! At Last!!!!

I actually spent the day sewing. It has been weeks since I have been in a position to do that. While I was at a quilt show this spring I picked up a new 'tool' and pattern.

So, I have spent the day trying to understand the instructions. Would you believe that if you concentrate and read and follow instructions one step at the time that you 'might' be in a position to understand them?
For some reason I could not wrap my brain around the on point setting for this quilt. I could not start at the upper left corner and work down------------on noooooooooo--------------I couldn't understand the setting until I started with the blocks on the lower left. FINALLY!!! I was in a position to start setting the rows.

This is what I am coming up with. I wasn't sure that I was going to like this, but, the more I get together, the better I like it. I am keeping this small and setting only large enough for a wall hanging. Almost half way there. Once the interior is pieced then a small border and a wider border will be added.

It's been a fun day and I look forward to more just like it.

Have a good week.