The Great Applique' Adventure

If you laugh a lot, when you get older your wrinkles will be in the right places!

-unknown

Teaching all day Saturday and taking a class at Little Quilts with Wanda Hizer on Sunday. I set this class up with Wanda for a group of Silver Thimble Club members who were interested in hand applique' and learning different techniques. Wanda is a fantastic teacher and her skills with a needle will make your skirt fly up. She talked and we practiced with several different ways to approach hand applique'.

If have taken other applique classes over the years and this...for me....was a great class. I learned a lot, had a ton of fun with the peeps, and remembered that I promised myself to do more hand sewing for myself! I don't do enough "for me" work which happens when the mind stays in overdrive working on new Silver Thimble designs and classes and such. I am so relaxed when I have a needle in my hand. It is even better when I'm sitting next to Quilt Dude and watching him change channels with the remote.

Here are some of the blocks Wanda put up on the design wall. You can see how lovely they are but if you could get your face nose to block you would pass out from the amazing workmanship! I told Wanda to keep practicing...she would get better. She almost made me go sit in the parking lot.




Look at the eyeball on the eagle. The dang thing is MAYBE...1/8th inch....NEEDLE TURNED. My technique for making this eyeball would be to get a sharpie and stab it in the eyeball position. Or maybe a seed bead....Now you know why I will only have mde a Baltimore Album potholder,but I have all the books and supplies to make the quilt. ( just in case )

Beautiful fruit. Perfect tiny grapes. She said that there are about 60 hours of work in each block. I don't think she has an attention problem. Focused is the word!

Cut away applique' fun!

Wanda's "Le Fleur de Jardin" quilt. I'm going to the nursery this week to buy flowers. Just so ya know!



Here is my table mate and buddy Debbie. She just rolls her eyeballs at me every time I get the camera pointed at her. She knows...GOIN ON THE BLOG!

This is Brenda and Becky working. We all had our heads down and were sewing away. I don't think I even looked at anyone. Check out their blogs and Karmen's too..(no photo), perhaps they will be blogging about the Great Applique' Adventure!

As for right now, off to sew (with a sewing machine!).

Renee's First Quilts

In every one's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.

Albert Schweitzer

I wanted to show you two quilts by Renee' these quilts are the first and second quilts for this new quilter. I'm telling you this lady and her relaxed sense of color and fabric choices is so amazing and rare in a new quilter. In the first quilt she mixed batiks with tons of other fabrics and tons of colors.. You can tell she did not agonize over every color and every placement. She let the design speak and put the fabbies together. The quilts look antiquey, old and scrappy, the way women would have put a quilt together years ago. I think she was surprised by my reaction, which was amazement and excitement. I really was impressed (ok so you got that part!)



Now lets look at these quilts. They are very old and will be getting repaired by Sue...see what I mean? Old and New...



I can't wait to see what Renee' does for her third quilt. Should be very interesting. What do you think?

I have such a hard life dealing with all this show and tell stuff...don't worry about me I'm just fine in Georgia. Please come for a visit on the third weekend of EVERY SINGLE MONTH!!!!!

Once you make a decision , the universe conspires to make it happen.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Some of the wonderful projects during show and tell at Thimbles gatherings this weekend. And some new projects yet to be brought to life. The quilts make me smile and sweat all at the same time and the fellowship of this group brings me to my knees. The way quilting brings people together never ceases to amaze me. Cyberspace,blogs, guilds, classes, retreats it doesn't matter it is all about the fellowship and closeness to each other. The actual quilts and projects are just the cherry on top!!!! I am one lucky lady to be working in this form of art and creative expression. Enjoy the eye candy and happy sewing today!

This is a project we will be doing next month. If you want this kit...call Patchwork Cottage in Lawrenceville Georgia they will fix you right up. I'll be taking my quilt on a picnic! Makes my skirt fly up.

Suzanne's baskets goodie goodie! LUV ME SOME BASKET QUILTS!

Carol and her pseudo purse. It is actually lined with that Insul Bright stuff so you can put your iron in while leaving classes on your way to get an ice cream. Another use would be to konk a mugger over the head with it in the parking lot...smart girl that Carol!

Teddy bear pinkush! Linda made this. Do not stick pins in the brains of an innocent bear. Love this and check out the key...to my heart!

Another purse...eat your heart out Vera Bradley!

Strawberry Pie..

Strawberry Pie in blue..which would make it Blueberry Pie..but then I have another pattern called Blueberry Pie. Remind me NEVER AGAIN to name a quilt after a color or food.

Vickie's killer blue and green quilt. It is big enough for Omar the Tent Maker and so spectacular. When she first started it I could not wait to see how this one turned out. ooohh baby baby baby!

If you come to my house and IF...big IF you find me sitting down you will find me under this quilt. Autumn Ridge. Yup..are you smiling at this quilt?

Yes! and the border has some fabric that has hints and touches of red which is unexpected and it really works. When I said that I loved blue and red they all jumped on me as if I did not see that it was blue and yellow. Well duh...sometimes my brain and mouth just are not in sync.

The Karinanator's Glace' quilt. Jelly Roll diamonds. Christmas...Thank you Santa! But it is not sooo Christmasy. This quilt has some challenges as Karin and I discussed but oooh so worth the effort.

Next post a couple of very special quilts from a brand new quilter. And some antique quilt tops.

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I was teaching this weekend at A Scarlet Thread in McDonough. To say it was fun is an understatement and I would just be repeating myself AGAIN!

They gave me this little baby to play with, a Baby Lock Quilters Edition Aspire.... Which was so MEAN. What a sweet machine. The thing sews laterally. AMAZING. You could quilt your brains out with this little baby. The machine did NOT come home with me. I don't think they should give me toys to play with. That is like taking an alcoholic to a BAR...

The three projects for second quarter (April, May, June) were completed and ready for the big reveal. Wow I like them all. In our club the members can choose to work on the project of the month and order a kit or they can work on other projects, UFO's etc. They sew for 5 hours in each session so they can really get some good sewing time in. Eating is involved too. hmmm.



Off to finish my Big Stitch Quilting..My fingers are so sore! I'm not in hand quilting shape apparently. I quilt with my credit card.

Smooches,
Pat

Friends and Big Stitch

Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.

-Joseph Campbell

Having a lovely sewing day today and thought I would take a little break and show you some of what I've been up to.

Yesterday I was going to have a quick lunch with this fabulous personage. QUICK? just look at her hands..talking...laughing..both of us we complete each others thoughts and half the time we talk in code cuz we know what is going to come out of each others brains. I'm tellin you I couldn't get a good picture cuz we were both talking with our hands! Scary huh? Lunch lasted 3.5 hours. And I'm not one bit sorry! to heck with the TO DO LIST. She plays "A" level tennis. She asked me to be her tennis partner but I think she would be embarassed cuz I would probably beat her. So I'll stay home and make homemade marshmallows instead.

I finished this red work Long May She Wave by Kathy Schmitz..I love her artistry..and I love her too. I am going to make a pillow out of this with some half square triangles around it. I'll show it again when I complete it...in about 2 years. When I was at my first fall market Kathy was so kind and welcoming to me. I consider her a valued friend and look forward to seeing her at Quilt Market again this fall.

I am doing some big stitch hand quilting for a secret project..you may be seeing this in the fall..I am loving this big stitch stuff..well my normal hand quilting is kinda big stitchy anyway but with this I actually have permission to do crummy quilting. PERFECT. I'm using two strands of floss. My friend Shannon said she uses Pearle Cotton. It is so much fun I can't wait to finish this post so I can get a cup of tea and go back to my Inglorious Quilting...LOVE THAT TERM INGLORIOUS! cracks me up.

And look who is my constant companion. Miss Sophie!! puts her head on the sofa and looks at me just like this about every 10 minutes. She is hoping for a treat or a cheeto or just room on the lap, she would like for me to put the stupid quilting hoop down.

Later my friends

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition what you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself.
-Alan Alda

Sewing with friends yesterday. My small group buddies meet twice per month on Tuesday rotating in and out of all of our homes..So much fun! Our hostess fixes lunch, we tease and say she has to wait on us non stop...Yesterday Cathy made a delish meal a la' Pioneer Woman (my hero). We stitched and talked and laughed and ate. You know typical quilter style. I must admit the entrance of the young man below was so much fun. Just look at that pie whipped cream! No giving up sweets for him this lent!!!teehee. We all love Austin and we love his Grandmommy Anne too.

Suzanne had the cutest bag that B.J. made her for her birthday. Applique' by hand. Here are photos of the front and back. Dang I now have bag envy! That bag makes my skirt fly up!

Got home about 4 ish and then it was off to Brenda's at 5:30 for more sewing and fellowship. It's a tough life for me I know but I will push through!

Brenda showed two stellar quilts quilted by Leisa. They are wonderful. The first one was a trade done with some of the Thimbles gang. They named the quilt Amazing Grace...why..because it is amazing that the quilt got done...WHY because some blogger,designer, teacher person YOU ALL KNOW...that would be me managed to loose/misplace some of the baggies with their fabbies in them. Alas, what was once lost..WAS FOUND. Get it? I don't think that is so dang funny either... they however think it is just hilarious. I'll find a way to pay them back you betcha! Amazing Grace..and it is LENT!

The second quilt is Glory Bound. I need to make this quilt. I need to make it now...I will place this quilt on my BUCKET LIST.

Becky was knitting. Ok what is up with that? All these quilters who are knitting. I think I may have to ponder this for a while. It is so alarming. Think of it as INGLORIOUS QUILTING. I'm not over the Oscars yet.

Later my friends, I'm off to have lunch with Debbie and then sewing all afternoon and into the night. Ok so I need to be working but a girl has got to eat lunch.

If every day is an awakening, you will never grow old. You will just keep growing.

-Gail Sheehy

Weekend

Friday Night: sewing and packing materials for teaching. Better get to bed early busy weekend ahead.
Saturday: Teaching two classes Beginners and Beyond the Basics Classes. Wowweee that was terrific.

Run home cuz this beauty was home for the night (bringing taxes to dad). Missed her sister BAD BAD BAD...I need to see her face too.

Wanted to show her this photo of these adorable rompers but she would PUNCH ME!


Dinner: Mexican, holey carb overload with Beautiful Girl and Quilt Boy and Neighbors, yum yum (margaritas were part of that too!)

Sunday: breakfast with Quilt Boy and Beautiful Girl and then off to teach Hunters Star class.

BIG FUN terrific people, wonderful class.

Sunday night: tired watched Oscars (remind me never to do that again...)
Monday: coffee, blog reading, blog posting, time 7:19...off to sewing room....quiet...BLISS!
Busy life, good times, tired but happy would not have it any other way.

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

-Will Rogers

Home from the Red Top Mountain retreat...ZOWWWEEEEE what a fun time was had by all and what a great group of quilters! I had a ball and hated to leave. The teaching was a total blast for me and the eye candy the group producing was amazing. Here are some fun photos for you to enjoy!

This is the ginormous facility everyone was sewing in! Holey Moley ya need skates to get from one end of the room to another. I walked my legs off but it didn't count cuz there was candy everywhere!

The theme was "Going Green" so everyone made name tags with fabric and other goodies that were recycled or reused. They were all really creative. I liked Lisa's and tried to steal it but...then I would have to change my name..or have a baby or something like that that is never going to happen...so I returned it.

I taught my "Wrapped in Comfort" body pillow. Mine is done with neutrals...this one is NOT. And dang isn't it going to be terrific???


I also taught my "How Does YOUR Garden Grow?" pattern and machine applique'. Here is a sample of one of the ladies getting ready to sew her stack and slash sections together.

The guild is doing these little applique' monthly banners as their project this year. Aren't they adorable??? Oh BTW Lots of the retreat participants put up flannel table cloths using Command Hookie thingies so they had their own personal design walls by their work space. Smart and very decorative.

This is a quilt that was designed by guild member Dave. He is a great guy and a terrific quilter. I hope Dave is reading this blog because I think I forgot to tell him how much I liked this design. Way to go DAVE -OOOO...

And this is a block of the month from the past that Dave also designed. I love the way they often choose BOM's designed by members of the guild and then everybody chooses their own fabbies and puts their own spin on the BOM. LOVE IT LOVE IT.

Last year's BOM designed by member Tina...picture does not do the quilt justice...Wowzzer! I peed in my pants when I saw this baby!

And here we have Tina's work station. She is into the plastic tub system I'm not kidding you. She is adorable and soooo creative! She has a new IPHONE...very connected...Wavying to you Tina! Tell Dave I said HI tooo.

And here is a Boston Commons wall hanging.. It is beyond gorgeous. Beautifully made...and is getting ready to be machine quilted. That is where I would certain screw up a good quilt. I have machine quilting envy.

There were sooo many other quilts but I didn't get them all photographed. I was busy teaching and working with my new friends of the Allatoona Guild. Thank you so much for two terrific days!!!! Ya'll check out Melinda's Blog. She is Presidente' of the Guilde' and a blogger (thank goodness) She is getting all the good photos of the goings on up there at Red Top Mountain!

Later dear friends,