Robin Sighting

Yesterday I finally saw my first robin of the season. It was scampering across the roof of our garage and looked pretty plump. Today we have the sun shining and the temps are a bit warmer. I'm thinking spring may actually get here.

I was the lucky recipient of a 'fat chance' bundle of batiks at our guild meeting last Wednesday. So pretty!

Last summer, I made the eight 4 1/2" blocks for the Summer Stars Sampler at Temecula Quilts. They waited in a bag while I contemplated whether a ninth star was needed. I decided a little cheddar would be a positive addition so I made the extra star block in the bottom left corner. Not sure how I will put them together yet, but it's getting closer to a flimsy.

This is the chocolate bunny from Jim Shore's Easter selection. Doesn't it look good enough to eat?

Only three more days until the Tigers open the year in Minnesota! I hope they don't get snowed out.

Quilt Show Online

Our guild quilt show from last week-end is now up at this link. Even though being there is the ultimate thing to do, I hope you enjoy viewing the pictures.

To satisfy the 'picture in every post' idea...my husband bought these cutting boards last week. The red is for meat, the green for vegetables and the yellow for chicken. Cute and easy to remember!

Success!

We had a wonderful quilt show! Our co-chairs organized everything so well and there were many able and willing volunteers. Our "Needful Things" booth was a great success! We were very pleased. So many generous quilters donated and/or bought items. Thank you! Here's Helen, Connie and myself waiting for buyers.

Best of Show was made by Joyce Jones. It was so beautiful! We've watched her stitch those leaves one by one. A photo doesn't do it justice.

More ribbons on these next quilts. Connie's lovely "Bow Ties" from Pam Buda's Prairie Women's Sewing Circle, Journey One.

Connie's "Christmas Presents". The pattern by Kate Spain using Flurry fabric was adapted for a charm pack by LuAnn Krug from  Loose Threads blog.

The pattern "Lilies for Connie" was a must make for Connie using gorgeous repro fabrics.

Helen's beautiful "Venetian Tiles" was taught in a class by Lana at The Quilted Cottage.

Helen's striking "Nan's Harvest" was made using a Thimbleberries panel and their Autumn Sunset fabric line.

This is my "Spinning Flowers" made from a Humble Bee Quiltworks pattern.

"Starstruck" I made from a Bonnie Hunter class taught for our guild in the fall of 2010. I love the blues and cheddar.

These are my two little entries made from a Lori Smith Quilt Squares pattern. I was really surprised to find ribbons on them.

Our guild website will have all of the quilt show pictures up soon. I'll share when it's ready.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Needful Things Booth

Connie, Helen and I were able to finish the set-up for the Needful Things tables yesterday in time to have a birthday lunch for Connie afterwards.  We were blessed with many donations.I hope we have many 'needy' buyers tomorrow and Saturday.

We're Having A Quilt Show!

Tomorrow is the take-in for quilts that will hang in our show this Friday and Saturday. The location is Celebration Hall on Wheeler Road in Saginaw. Friday hours are 10 - 6 and Saturday 10 - 4. Connie and I are in charge of the "Needful Things" booth which consists of items made and donated by guild members. Yesterday was pricing day. It's not easy to put a value on someone's donation, but we did our best. If you are within driving distance, come and see all of the beautiful quilts!

Here are four more Farmer's Wife blocks. Still using my scraps. (I consider a FQ or smaller a scrap.)

Honey Fork Fabrics had an ugly fabric challenge. They would send you an 'ugly' fat quarter and all you had to do was make a 12" block and return it to them. The blocks would be assembled into quilts. It sounded like fun so I sent my address. The yellow floral fabric is the challenge print. I made a couple of blocks and they are now on their way back.

The photo also shows a couple more of the envelope bags I made for the 'Needful Things' booth.

While at the grocery store today, I saw this on an end cap and wondered how many of them I would need to house all of my stuff!

It's March!

I was so thrilled to turn the calendar page this morning. March sounds much more like spring.

Have you see the Mondo Bag pattern? You can watch a video about it here. There are quite a few being made around The Cottage. Here is mine. I used only strips from my stash. The pattern uses four rectangle grids to which you iron your 2 1/2" squares. There is also a smaller size which is even cuter. Of course, anything smaller is cuter in my eyes.

Easy Street blocks are being sewn into diagonal rows. It's not easy (no pun intended) to sew without furry interruptions. Here is Jasper 'helping' me lay out the blocks.

Once a month I attend a group called Lunch Bunch. The very talented Sandie
is in charge of this and always has a project or two to share with us. Yesterday she showed us how to make an envelope bag. You can make them any size you choose and use them to hold jewelry, hand sewing, make-up, etc. I'm hoping to make a few for our guild's sale table at the upcoming quilt show on March 15th and 16th. I'm working on a few others made with double-sided quilt fabric. I bound the edges and then the assembly is the same.

Tomorrow our Farmer's Wife Club meets. It's fun to see the blocks made from so many different color and fabric combinations.