Goodies

The Zen Quilter: New Blogger's New Block Blog Hop Tutorial - Mod Pi...

The Zen Quilter: New Blogger's New Block Blog Hop Tutorial - Mod Pi...:   Here is my finished square for the Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop.   I’m calling it MOD Pinwheels. Mod Pinwheel, 12 1/2" x ...

Online need

It's truly amazing what you can find online I went on Flickr and found a group that did a scrappy be trip around the world so I thought OK I might be able to do that so I signed up matching seems still a little bit of an issue for me but I had a great time doing it-hope might be buddies like their blocks!

One more to go

Yuna - Live Your Life (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO) she sings the theme of my life

"Teki" Dericho - I Don't Know Why But I Do,- old co worker.....

Thoughts on quilting

Why do I quilt?  Why do I spend serious money on a sewing machine that could be a house payment or two?  What makes quilting fabric different than the fabric in the big box stores?  Why do I buy so much?

I will attempt to answer these questions....and more!

I like the idea of creating something, sometimes with guidance (and a pattern) sometimes just whatever comes to mind.

I started with an inexpensive machine from Walmart.  I did not know that a craftsman (or woman) needs a good set of tools for quilting, just like anyone who creates starts off with basic items and then as their skills increase, so does the quality of their toolbox.  I managed to purchase a used Bernina on sale.  From the time I started using it, I loved it.  It was as though I had gone from a VW to a Lamborghini.......

I have attended quilting classes, joined a quilting group and found a whole new world!

Perfect Circles

Ups and downs

We have those days where you experience the good and the bad.  Today I went to the dermatologist about a cyst on my inner thigh. After getting the physical, he told me there was some kind of mole that they wanted to remove and do a biopsy.  Talk about shocked?  I will find out the story on that in two weeks.  The cyst however will be removed in two weeks in an outpatient procedure so I did feel a little bit better.

The good?  My son Holly received notification from a research library that they wanted to double the scholarship they were giving him and increase the time he would spend there from one to two months!  Between the fellowship he was awarded by his alma mater (University of Iowa) and this one from Philadelphia it will be almost 10,000!  Vindication again that his research is valued!

I have been a bit behind with quilting so I have to get on the needle again........

But I will do that after tomorrow......going fishing!

Scrap Plus Quilt Along: Week 1

Scrap Plus Quilt Along: Week 1

Surprise In-Flight Performance on US Airways by Black Violin

I

What's goin on.....

Let's see.....I am working on a BOM, finishing a candle mat for a swap, sorting out all my QuiltCon goodies and trying to make a quilted postcard.  I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew this month!

Added to the goings on, we are having a class with the fabulous RaNae Merrill on Saturday.  She does the most INCREDIBLE Spiral blocks.   I will write more in detail over the weekend.

The Sewing Cowgirl

yee haa!!!  One of the quilt stores in Austin decided to make a really cool prop to draw people into their booth.  As you can see it worked for me!

Low Volume swap

Looking to do an easy swap?  Check out craftbuds......
I am going to work on this and perhaps do 30 blocks (which would come out to a lap size quilt)  That will work for me!

http://www.craftbuds.com/swap-low-volume-plus-blocks/

Some QuiltCon 2015 pics

I took about 400-500 pictures of quilts and just too many to post here.  I have them on my Facebook page under QuiltCon 2015 albums 1 through 5 or 6.  Beautiful,inspirational, quirky, thoughful....just some of the words I could use to describe them.  I will put some pics of some of the swag I received for free and some I purchased.  If you really want to have a great time, get lots of useful info, be overwhelmed with creativity?  GO GO GO!  The first six pics are all freebies....I won the big stack of Michael Miller fabric!  The very last pic was a freebie from Cotton and Steel.  Lucky me, I received one with lots of selvage strips and I want to use them to make my first bag.  I also have a watch that Bernina provided so I have to add that pic.  The other pics are things I bought......

Preliminary QuiltCon

Can you say excited?  I could barely sleep because I was so hyped about being at QuiltCon.  I decided to fix myself some breakfast before going to the convention center which turned out to be a good idea.  Never go to volunteer anywhere on an empty stomach.  One thing I have learned about Austin, the traffic here is absolutely HORRIBLE.  It took us 45 minutes to go from the camp to the center which is approximately 5 miles......

Anyway, I helped hang some of the display quilts most of the day today.  There are 400 quilts on display and I wanted to take 99% of the home.  Could not take pictures during setup but will be able to take some tomorrow so I will share with everyone.Was able to catch up to some quilty peeps from the guild and we went to a really cool restaurant called Wholly Cow...outstanding burgers and sweet potato fries!  As we left the restaurant, I spotted some priests across the street giving out ashes!  I forgot it was Ash Wednesday! And to make it even cooler...they had a sign saying "Ashes to Go!"  You betcha we ran across the street to get ours!

  Registration went very quickly and I think I received the best swag bag from a convention ever.
I have met a few bloggers that I follow and look forward to meeting even more.

QuiltCon...here we come!

Dan and I have spent the last week doing preventive maintenance on the truck and the fifth wheel.  It has been expensive but when we think of how much more expensive it would be to break down on the road....shudders....

BUT we are in fine shape.  Everything is packed (we think) and ready to go.  It will certainly be great to be around other quilters who are of the same mindset.  It does get to me sometimes that I get classified around other quilters as "the modern one".  Hmmmm....isn't that quilting segregation?  Anyway I hope to make a lot of new friends, have numerous fabric orgasms, enjoy the road trip and just have a great time with Danno!  Off to bed!

First real swap

Working on my first swap outside the guild 

Lauren Austin - art quilter in Shanghai

Lauren Austin - art quilter in Shanghai

OMOQ Meeting

wow....I won the block of the month for the guild.....now I just have to figure out what to do with them!  We talked about some of the members going to Trenton to the quilt shop there, saw some outstanding creations and had a great time.  There are a few of us going to QuiltCon this month and we are all verrrrry excited, especially me as a first timer.  Dan is working on the truck and the fifth wheel trailer to make sure we are good to go for our trip next weekend!

I am also working on a BOM quilt kit for the first time and am showing the first "shop" and what I  have done on the block so far....

Things that caught my eye at the Zora Festival....and I did get a couple of necklaces created!