Stash Report & Giveaway links

Like Judy, I came home from Paducah with a "few" yards of new fabric. It is almost all from Jo Morton's latest lines. Connie and I had a wonderful time on our 17th trip to the AQS Quilt Show. The dogwoods were in full bloom this year and were as pretty as the quilts! More about our trip soon.

Nancy in Norway wants to see your thimble collection and has prizes. You still have time to win.

Kerry from My Favorite Things is giving away a pattern. Tell her I sent you there.


A gorgeous quilt is being given away here. Tell her you read it here.





Have you seen the quilting smiley face that Jo Jo at Home Sweet Home has on her blog? It's the cutest and I may have to copy it.




Since I have no quilt pictures, here's Annie showing her displeasure with our recent departure from the house and some of my tulips and grape hyacinths from the back yard.

The Graduate

Yesterday our youngest son, JJ, graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.A. in Telecommunication Management. We are very proud and happy! He will be working for a company called Serotek doing programming and web design. Congratulations, JJ!

We're off to Paducah

Connie and I are ready to leave for our 17th Annual "Once In A Lifetime" Annual Trip to Paducah, Kentucky (Quilt City, USA). I've heard the dogwoods are blooming and the town is ready for thousands of quilters from around the world to gather. And on Saturday, I'll be in Kalamazoo, MI for our youngest son's graduation from Western Michigan University. It should be a great week! I'll catch up when I get back and will have pictures to share. Jasper knows I am leaving again and is not happy about it. It looks like he's saying, "Now, where are you going?"

Two Jo Morton Classes & Daffodils

What a whirlwind week this has been, but so much fun. Yesterday was the Emma's Quilt class with Jo Morton. She demonstrated how to prep applique pieces using heat resistant mylar templates, starch and a paintbrush. Then we practiced machine applique using tiny zigzags that caught both the background and applique piece. The prepared pieces could also be sewn by hand. This is Jo's version of Emma's Quilt.


We also learned her clipping technique which gives you options for pressing similar to hand piecing and how to make perfect flying geese units.

Today's class was called Rebecca's Baskets. After cutting out pieces for the basket, Jo showed us how to applique the basket handle using the back basting technique. It worked like a charm. She talked about choosing colors, settings and pressing and so much more. Jo likes to know as many ways as possible to complete a task. Then she can choose which method would work best for her with each new project. She was very patient signing books and posing for pictures. I hope she enjoyed her stay here as much as we enjoyed having her with us.

Pictures are Jo, Connie, Mary and I holding quilts, Jo and I with my basket quilt, Jo demonstrating backbasting, my basket block from today's class and a prepared leaf, pinwheels, flying geese from yesterday's class, and my daffodils. The daffodil pictures were taken at 8:30 p.m. last night. There are more open today.

Windy Wednesday

Although the temps are up and the sun is shining, it's one of those days where you need to watch what you have outside. Articles from next door neighbors could land in your yard and vice versa. Spring has definitely arrived.

Tonight at guild, Jo Morton will be our guest speaker! I'm so excited. Tomorrow and Friday I'll be taking classes from her and on Sunday, Connie and I leave for Paducah. Life is hard. *s* April is one of my favorite months.

Here is the yardage required for the Orange Crush mystery from Bonnie Hunter. It took me longer to choose these than it did to sew the 150 four patches. Step 2 was posted today.

Home Again & Stash Report

What a wonderful time in Shipshewana! There were over 80 quilters from around the United States, Canada, Norway and Belgium who gathered at the Farmstead Inn. We laughed until it hurt. I got to meet Hanne in person and see her amazing Nearly Insane quilt up close. I have pictures to post, but it will take awhile to sort through them. The 150 four patches for Bonnie Hunter's Orange Crush Mystery were completed. I almost finished a screen tote bag and I started on my Broken Star wallhanging. More soon.

My stash has increased. Who can resist with Lollys and Yoders in town?

Retreat

Connie and I are leaving in the morning for the Dear Jane Retreat at the Farmstead Inn in Shipshewana, Indiana. I'm all packed and anxious to go. I'll be back this week-end.

Would you believe three more crocus flowers popped up yesterday?

Challenge Results

The projects are finished and delivered for the Habitat for Humanity Auction. We had lunch today at Jane and Linda's church where the auction is held and then were interviewed by the local newspaper about the challenge and auction. There were four pairs of fabric medleys and one single medley used. On the wall is group one - Jane, pictured on the right, made a sailboat quilt and Tam, on the left, made the cat quilt behind Jane. Tam is holding my quilt and in front of it is the tote bag that my cousin, Mary, made with the same fabrics from group two. Group three is the sewing machine quilt made by my sister, Connie, and the cat quilt made by my other sister, Judy. They really did use the same fabrics. Jane is holding the group four results. My sister-in-law, Lori, made the dahlia quilt and our friend, Linda, made the hobo bag. The single fabric medley was used by my niece, Amy to make a beautiful tablerunner. We had a lot of fun with this and hope it brings a good return for the auction.

I received a lovely thank you gift from Joan at Keeping You In Stitches for sending her pieces of Moda fabrics for the applecore quilt she is piecing. She sent a pretty card, flower seeds and a recipe for apple dumplings that sounds delicious. Thank you!

Stash Report

Very little use of stash this week, although I did cut many 2" dark and light strips for Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt - Orange Crush. I also threw out a box full of fabric pieces so narrow I don't know why I was saving them. On the other side of the stash, I bought two fat quarters for possible background use and 1 1/2 yards of a sale fabric for possible OC use. I guess it was a wash this week.

Yesterday, I noticed my one lonely crocus and Jim saw a robin.


I won't even discuss the Tigers tonight.....

Quilting Post

Really, I'm still working on my projects even if the progress is slow. Today I finally have a finish! The border isn't as dark as in the picture. Remember those applique blocks made from the challenge fabric package? It is finally done and will be turned in on Monday. The local newspaper is going to use the challenge slant for the Habitat story this year. On Monday, I'll have a chance to see all of the projects made for the challenge and hopefully can share pictures.


We were at Comerica in Detroit yesterday for the Tigers game with the White Sox. Jim, Connie and I shivered a bit and cheered a lot, but still no win! And another loss today! It's a nightmare...please wake me.

Annie and Jasper have been spending some time outside with Jim since the weather has been more like spring. They are tuckered out when they come in and sleep the rest of the day. I caught Jasper 'exploring' in the cherry tree. He looks like he's saying, "What? I didn't even notice the bird houses!"

Opening Day at Maklmerica

Okay, so we've lost the first three games of the season. I'm not worried, just really anxious to get some cheering in for a winning game. Opening Day was perfect in every way except for the outcome of the game. Nick and Connie went all out for the party including Tiger give-aways between innings and take home bags of peanuts and crackerjacks. There were Kogel hot dogs, brats, and a wonderful buffet of salads and snacks. We had baseball cookies, baseball candies and a baseball basket holding chips. Connie embroidered towels with the English D and made coasters using Tigers wrapping paper. Nick and Connie both made the valances in the Tigers Room. Blue is for Home and orange for the Visitors. Abe, the official mascot for the day wore a very impressive Tigers tie. Here are a FEW pictures from the day.