Peeps Retreat Day 2 - Thursday Morning

Thursday we all woke up at Jill's around 8. I felt like I was sleeping in, even though it was about the time I usually get up because of the time change. We got ready and a little after 10 we were met by Jennifer N. from Indiana. She had a mini-van, so Jill, Sherry, Cindy, Jen B, and I piled in and we converged on the Ohio quilt shops. Our first stop was Stitches.

I found a great turquoise and brown batik quilt made from the Wonder Blocks book that I loved. I bought fat quarters to make it when I got home. We took pictures with the squirrel out front which was so darn cute.

Jen B, Me, Jen N, and Jill with the Squirrel
We have Buffalo that are painted like this, but they are life size.
Then we headed over to Aunt Ruth's. I found several panels I didn't want to pass up, and I found a few fat quarters and a cute pattern for a farm baby quilt there.
I loved the signs they had outside and in the windows: (Don't let Angry White Woman know I took her picture =))

This was in the window and so cool.

We headed over to Sew Easy. Mind you I have no clue where these are in relation to one another I was just along for the ride. It was a super cute Janome Dealer and they had lots of machines my dealer no longer carries. They also had tons of Pursi nalities patterns which I adored! I also found the Kim Schaefer panel I had been wanting.

Time for the afternoon trip to Fabric Shack and to meet Regina A!...

Peeps Retreat Day 1 - Wednesday

My first peeps retreat was awesome! I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. I woke up at 3AM on Wed. April 22nd as I couldn't sleep. I hopped out of bed around 3:30 and by 4:15 I was ready to hit the road, just had to wait for Paul. We left for the airport around 4:30. I got checked in, through security and read through some paperwork while I was waiting. Somehow I lost my MP3 player in the process, so I was really bummed.
My flight left at 6:40AM and I had the pleasure of Judy's company (a fellow quilter). We arrived in Minneapolis and went our seperate ways. I waited till noon to leave and they had over sold the flight by 4 people, so needed some people to volunteer to stay behind. I made a quick call to Jill and she said go for it. So I waited for the plane to board and received a new ticket and a voucher for $300 toward another flight. Wahoo! I can go visit friends again. I took my time getting to the other side of the airport as I had three hours to waste. I read quite a bit and the time passed quickly. My flight to Cincinatti left at 4PM and I got in to Cinci at 7PM. Jill told me she was about 20 min. out, so I was finding my way to the terminal... only to realize there were 3! It was a huge airport. As I go up the escalators I see all these people with signs, until I glance at 1 and see it says my name and Peeps Retreat and had a cute purple Peep on it. Jill was on time and even had a sign. It was super cute. We made our way to her car and headed back to OH. It was like girlfriends seeing each other after a long hiatus. We chatted the whole time. We stopped at Old Spaghetti Factory for supper and it was awesome. Then on to Jill's house. We worked on putting borders on a quilt for Linda and hid Jen's quilt! Jen, Cindy, and Sherry arrived around 11 and we all visited and got to know each other. It was so much fun and we finally made our way to bed about 1:30AM! I was a long day, but so exciting to finally meet some of my blogging friends.
Day 2...

I'm Home!

I'm home. I'm exhausted. I'm still smiling and enjoyed every minute of the Peeps Retreat. I had a blast! It was everything I expected and so much more. Pictures and Stories to follow later. 400 pictures take a long time to upload.

Jill, Jen & Moneik

I arrived at Jill's! Jen, Cindy, & Sherry are here too! Lots of laughing and late night stories. Shop hopping tomorrow!

I'm Off!

I'm on my way to the airport and ready to hop a flight to visit my peeps at Quilt Retreat in OH! I'm so excited I hardly slept a wink. It was not a problem to hop out of bed at 3:30AM before the alarm went off... I'm not a morning person so this is big for me.
See you in a few hours ladies!

Here I come OHIO!

I'm leaving for retreat in 15 hours!

Mom's Friendship Quilt

Many years ago when mom and I first started quilting, she joined the Wall Quilt Guild with my grandma. They would go to classes and meetings twice a month. It was their mother/daughter time each month. The guild hosts a quilt show, classes or retreat every year. The first 2 quilting classes I took were at the Wall Quilt Show and I learned a lot. That was 7 years ago! When I moved to RC, I joined the guild, but wasn't real active because they meet during the day. Mom and I attended their retreat a couple years ago and had a great time. The friends she made through the guild are very special. Last week the guild members presented mom with a special friendship quilt they had made for her. Each heart shaped block is a pocket and they all have a special message, note, or symbol from the members. It's so pretty and delicate.

Professional Tote

A couple weeks ago I was sewing with my chicas from work and one of the ladies Kathy is going on a trip this week to Germany. She had taken a class and made the Professional Tote to take on her trip. She offered to teach us all how to make them, but I wanted mine before I left on my trip. I loved hers and really wanted to make one for myself. I got the pattern and thought I'd just "whip it up". This is not a quick pattern!! I started a week ago on Tues. I did 3 hours of cutting that night, another hour of cutting interfacing on Wed. night and 2 hours of pressing interfacing to the pieces. Saturday night I spent 3 hours putting the front and back pieces together. Sunday I spent 6 hours sewing the lining, all the pockets and getting it together. I had bought the wrong cord and it was just too flimsy, so last night I bought new cord, took the top apart, re-did the cords on the sides, put it back together and then finished the top casing with the zipper. Two more hours! I have between 15-20 hours of time in this bag, but it was so worth it! It's awesome.
This is the front:

The back with travel strap: There is a pocket on the back with a magnetic snap, two side pockets with insulbrite in them (my own add on) to keep water bottles cold, and two pockets on the front, the zippered one, and the one above it.

This is the inside, key holder, 6 pockets, one with zipper. I also added a board to the bottom for support and the center pocket is thus not attached to the bottom seam like it is supposed to be.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I can't wait to pack it tonight with lots of surprises for my peeps and fun things to do along the way. I'm off to retreat tomorrow morning!

Horse Sassy/Runaround Combo Purse

Friday night I made this purse for my trip from a combination of the Sassy and Runaround bag patterns. I liked the flap and pocket of the sassy and the curved edges, but the zipper of the runaround, so I combined for my own version.

I have it stuffed full (need a new checkbook cover and wonder wallet). I'm hoping to get those done tonight before I leave tomorrow!

Quilt Retreat week!

I thought it would NEVER get here. Back in October when Jen, Jill, and I started talking about the retreat I didn't think it would be possible for me to go, but in Jan. when we talked about it, it became a little more feesible when the airline ticket went down considerably. By Feb. I had decided I was definately going to be going to OH to the St. Jude's Quilt Retreat. I figured I had plenty of time to get ready. Then April 1st came around and like a bad April Fools Joke I realized I was no where near being ready for retreat! I had planned to send a package of supplies/kits to work on at retreat and I wanted it send so it had plenty of time to arrive. It arrived last Thurs. at Jill's.
This past week I have been working on bags/purses to take on my trip. I made a sassy bag, didn't like it, so it went to the store as a sample. Then I made another one that was a sassy/runaround combo. I went to upload photos last night that I had taken and realized I didn't have my camera. It sent me into a bit of a shock, since i thought I had lost it. Mom checked and it was still at work, so I'll pick it up tonight. It's a purple horse themed purse and while I'm not 100% sold, I still love it and it will work great for my trip. I just need to finish making a wonder wallet and checkbook cover to go with it. The ones I have aren't the most functional.
I also have been working on a Professional Tote, It's made out of the same purple horse fabric... and yes this will be the final project out of it. I have made 2 Mirandas, a smaller purse, a sassy, three wallets, 1 checkbook cover, and now the Professional Tote. I'm finally to the end of most of the fabric. The one purple I have 2 yards of, but it is going into my thangles quilt, so it has a purpose now too.
I packed my suitcase last night and I just have to finish my Professional Tote and I'll be set to head to the airport at 4:30 Wed morning. I'm so excited to meet all my peeps for the first time!

Park City Girl: Quilt Festival - Spring 2009

Check out the Virtual Quilt Festival by Park City Girl!
Park City Girl: Quilt Festival - Spring 2009

Blogger Quilt Festival

Over the last 10 years I've made a lot of quilts, but by far the most special quilt is the one my mom, aunt, and I made together in memory of my grandparents and their parents. We each made a couple of the cross blocks. Mom put it together and added the applique, and a friend quilted it.
It was donated to my parents/grandparents church St. Mary's in Milesville, SD in memory of my grandparents. The quilt is double size and hangs right behind the altar. The church changes the banners with the season, but this was the first quilt to hang there. It hung at my brothers wedding and then I made a new quilt for the church when Paul and I got married their last year. This is the church I grew up in, so when we are at my parents we always go there.

Ruler Rack and lots of rulers!

Today Jen and I were discussing rulers to take to retreat. I told her my most used one is a 6x12 and hers is the 4x12, neither of us own the one the other loves to use. I cleaned my ruler rack off tonight and made a list of the rulers I have. I know I'm still missing a few, but I have the ones I use most. One year I asked for several rulers for Christmas... I got 12! My little brother Ed gave me the ruler rack two years ago and I absolutely love it.

My rulers include:
4x36 lip
8.5x24
6x24
1.5x36
3x18
8x14
6x12 - 3
4x14

15 sq

12.5 sq

9.5 sq

8.5 sq

6.5 square - 2

6 sq
4.5 sq
4 sq
3.5 sq
2.5 sq
60 degree corner cuts
1x6
1x12
2x18
12 Add a quarter
6 Add a quarter
6 Add an Eighth
F&P Easy Diagonal Sets Ruler 12" block Triangle
Strip Tube Ruler 9.5 Triangle
60 degree 8.5 Triangle
45 degree 6 Triangle

I also included my Gypsy grippers which are fairly new. I haven't gotten the middle size yet, but someday I will get it too.

I layed them out on my rotary cutting mat. My standard size mat is a 24x36, which I have on a board of the same size. I have the first mat I owned, a Fiskers 18x24, which is a bit warped and only used for paper, an omnigrid 18x24, which I use for classes, a 12x18, and a 12 sq rotating mat. I also have the omnigrid mat/pressing combos in size 12x18 which I use for classes, the 8x11 and the 6 sq which are my paper piecing mats.

My two absolutely favorie rulers are the 8x14 which is new and the 6x12 which I have 3 of and use most of the time. These are the most used ones and I have already worn my first 6x12 out.

Thinking I could use this triangle for a strip club pattern, I bought it, but it didn't work the way I wanted, so it's hardly ever used. I'm wondering if anyone else uses it? It looks like I might be able to use it to get the corners right on my star block. Why did I buy a ruler for HST's?? I'm still wondering that!

I have the strip club ruler too and I have a project I would like to make with it in the future. It's more an idea in my head and we'll see if it ever develops.

The 60 degree ruler is one of my newer ones and also one of my favorites. I love using it to make the border tablerunners.

So I'm trying to think of what new rulers I would like to get. I would love a 6.5x24, a 4x12, 7x14, and 20 sq. I'm also going to get a new 24x36 rotary cutting mat. Mine is about warn out since I use it all the time. The green is starting to come off with the rotary cutter. Those will have to be another post. I still have my first one, but there have also been many in between.

So what's your favorite size of cutting mat and ruler? What do you usually use?

Sassy!

In the land of Lazy Girl bags, I'm made a lot of the patterns. I probably own over half of the patterns. This was a new one to me and it caused me to stop and think several times. It's called the sassy and it fits next to the body. I started last weekend, but had to quit twice and come back to it a couple times. I just couldn't wrap my brain around it. Finally tonight it all sunk in and I finished it in no time flat.

The pattern calls for 3 different fat quarters, but I had 3 different 1 yard cuts, so I kind of did a little of this and a little of that. I only made this one and I'm not sure I'll make another, at least this week.

Broken Record

My April Quilting list is starting to look like a broken record! I have almost all of them cut out, but only a couple things done. I have sent most of the projects to Jill so next week I'll be working on them and plan to get quite a bit done. In the next week before I go, I have two goals. I plan to finish my sassy bag and the professional tote to take with me. I have both cut out and now I just need to work on them at night.
Last night was bag ladies. We had only a few ladies, so I did get a bit of cutting done. I also picked out fat quarters for a new baby quilt class I plan to teach. I'm thinking I'll give it to a friend after who is having a baby in the next few months. She doesn't know if it is a boy or girl, so I picked out a primary colored clown print.
By this time next week I'll be in the Minneapolis airport waiting to jump the next flight to Jill's house! I am so excited and can't wait to meet Jill, Jen, and the rest of my peeps.

Star Block

I'm working on star blocks for a couple friendship quilts. I need to make 4 RWB blocks, preferably stars. While mom was helping me pack my stuff for retreat yesterday, she helped me design this block from a picture in the quilt pink book. The problem we had was getting the half square triangles to be the right size. Once I got it made it's only 10.5", so I started over and made another one, only it turned out 16"+, so I have to start over again. I think I'll look for patterns online today.

My NEW Quilt Rack!

Years ago my grandpa started making this quilt rack, or at least the ends of it. We found them in the garage when we were cleaning it out. I took them home figuring Paul could build me a quilt rack. He's been working on it and finally got it put up today. Since Jen has been working on my quilt, I've been bugging Paul to get it finished so that I have a place to hang my new quilt. It's a beautiful Golden Oak and it's super sturdy.

MIL Birthday Purse

My MIL is celebrating her birthday tomorrow and she asked me to make her a purse. I used several patterns, but used the elements I liked the best and made this purse for her. Paul cut a piece of plexiglass to go in the bottom. Here's a picture of both sides. I didn't know how I was going to do the top, but I made it work. It's not perfect, but I love it. I think I may have to make one for myself when I get back. The girls at work would have taken it home with them if I'd have let it out of my sight today.

MIL Purse

My MIL's birthday is on Saturday and months ago she asked me to make her a new purse. She wouldn't tell me any colors other than peach/blue spring colors. I really wanted to use the new Object of My Desire charm pack and coordinates we got in, so I picked one up and a yard of each of two coordinates. I figured if nothing else, I'd make a tablerunner out of the left overs.
The last purse I made her was the Towne Purse from Lazy Girl Designs. We both love the size, but I hated how the zipper went in and didn't like the pocket on the front. I love the Miranda and the Mini Miranda, but both are too big for her and she wanted a zipper. I looked through all my other books, patterns, and couldn't come up with one I really thought was perfect, so this is a conglamorative effort of patterns and my own playing. It's not done, but I thought you'd like a sneak peek.
I used 16 charms, cut in half, with a couple cut in quarters and offset them like I did in the Mom and Me bag a while back. I sewed each row, then used fusible fleece and pressed the first down, added the second and did quilt as you go for both sides. I cut them down to 11x15, the size of the town purse. I added 5 1/2" pockets on the front and back, leftovers from the piece of lining I cut. Those will be for keys and cell phone.


Then I made pockets similar to the Miranda bags and added those to the lining. I sewed the zipper in between the lining and outer edge. I do have extra lining to cut off after I figure out how it will all come together. I'm next going to figure out how to cut out squares on the top to square it off as I did on the bottom, then I'll sew it all together like the Miranda. I was too tired and didn't want to mess it up last night. Then I'll add handles from the same fabric as the pockets below. In a few days I should have a picture of the finished purse.

Blizzard Day #6

Today was another blizzard day for me. Paul got up at 1:30 and went to work to clear snow. He called me around 3:00 to say he had plowed through drifts with his bumper and had to have it in 4-wheel drive to get out this morning, so there was no way the car was getting out. M called to say we weren't opening the store this morning, so I was glad I wasn't the only one who couldn't get out. I cleaned house, rearranged the living room, did laundry, made chili, baked 3 loaves of bread, and put binding on a quilt. By the time Paul got home at 4PM I was tired, but he was ready to clear our driveway, so I went out and shoveled. Here's what it looked like before we started shoveling. He spent 2 hours yesterday getting his pickup out, but now it has blown back in and he can't get in. He spent 2 more hours tonight clearing it out. My pickup is buried and I won't be using it until say May... There's a 20 foot wide drift 5 feet tall behind it. Tonight I worked on hand sewing binding while we watched the ACM awards.

Happy Blogoversary to Me! & Blizzard Day #5

Happy Blogoversary to me! I started this blog in April of 2005 when I was teaching in the middle of nowhere. I had gone to the state English teachers conference and blogging was a new and upcoming thing at that time. I blogged through the end of the year and I had several of my favorite students who also blogged. They all quit when they went to college as far as I know. I moved over to the quilt blogging site, but moved back here when that site was going downhill. I can't believe how much I enjoy blogging and the great friends I have made. In just 2.5 weeks I'll be meeting my closest blogging friends for the first time. I'm so excited!
Today I was scheduled to work at the shop. The first Sat. of the month is Strip Club and a very busy day. I was also going to do the presentation with M... So we were doing an M & M theme. This morning we got another blizzard, the 5th day I haven't worked in two weeks! So it was postponed until next weekend.
I had gotten up at 6:30AM to finish the quilting on the quilt I was working on. I really wanted to show it at strip club, so I finished it, took it off the frame, and promptly found 2 rows where the quilting tension was bad. So I took them out, put it back on the frame and re-quilted. I cut out the binding tonight, but am too tired to put it on, so I think I'll work on that tomorrow. So I relaxed, watched movies, and enjoyed the day.
Paul went out and plowed for a good 2.5 hours tonight and got it so he can get out in the morning to go plow snow.