Community Service Day at Guild

We had our quarterly community service day at guild today.

We had a lot of donated fabric and we made receiving blankets for a local organization.  That didn’t take very long so we then worked on cutting up kits from other donated fabric to use to make other charity quilts.

We had meatball sandwiches and several deserts.  Someone brought a chocolate swirl angel food cake so I had a little slice of it (of course it is non fat).  I am still trying to stick to Weight Watchers so I took my own frozen dinner and ate that + the cake, of course.

Look at the wonderful present that Cindy brought to me.  Her daughter sent it to her along with her birthday present all the way from Japan.  Cindy had one and since I admired it, she got one for me.  Isn’t it wonderful to have such great thoughtful friends.

The handles can be put on the fork and spoon or on the chopsticks and the parts snap into the little case so you can carry your eating implements with you.  Since we are trying to urge everyone to bring their own plates and silverware for meals at guild, this is perfect.  Now I need to make a small bag to carry a plate, cup and napkin and then I will be all set.

Our theme for our next retreat is “Going Green” so things like this are perfect!

Melinda

 

Two Customer Quilts

I finished up two customer quilts yesterday and delivered them last night.  The first one is from Mary.

It is wall hanging size and she told me to quilt it how ever I wanted to.  Of course I put feathers in the borders.

Some circles ended up in the middle narrow border and then I did a dense background.

I did continuous curve in the 1/2 square triangles that make up the star.  I switched threads, using a variegated King Tut in the triangles and a cream for the background fill.  I like how it turned out.

I think this design would look great with selvages instead of the dark batiks.  I might have to try that!

The next quilt is by Kim, who is Mary’s daughter.  It is a panel quilt of Santa.

Once again, feathers in the borders!

I used several different texture stitches for the panel.  Hope you enjoy seeing these two quilts – I enjoyed quilting them.

Melinda

Beyond Beginner Class

I taught the last lesson in my Beyond Beginner series tonight.  We focused on curved piecing like in the Lover’s Knot quilt that I posted earlier.  As usual, they all had different fabrics but they all looked great.  I discovered that I need to have them cut in class as curved cutting is a difficult skill to acquire.

A couple of students did their cutting before class and had problems putting their blocks together.  We cut templates out of plastic and I think they will do better.  I did manage to take photos of two of the students blocks but didn’t get ones from the other two.

Curved piecing is a little tricky but I think it is so much fun.  I hope they all stick with it enough to finish their quilts.

Melinda

More on the Kiwi Zinger

Here are a few more photos of my Kiwi Zinger.  I took these from the back and I like how the quilting looks.

I finished up the entries for the quilt show tonight so that I can take them to the guild meeting tomorrow and turn them in.  I have decided to enter four quilts.  The Kiwi Zinger, Noah’s Ark for Noah, Pack Your Bags (Lover’s Knot) and my little log cabin quilt.

The little log cabin is only 20” x 20”.

Pack Your Bags is 59’’ x 59”

Noah’s Ark for Noah is 62” x 80”.

Hugs,

Melinda

Kiwi Zinger Quilted!!!!!!

I had a little problem yesterday while quilting my Kiwi Zinger.  Not sure what happened but I had knots all over the back of the quilt and absolutely terrible tension.  So I spent the rest of the evening taking all the quilting out.

Today, I remounted it on the machine and quilted it again.  I really like how it turned out this time.

The first photo is the one that will go with my entry into the ECQG Quilt Show.  The entry deadline is June 30.  I still need to add the binding but it is done enough for entry.  Hopefully it will be juried into the show.

Next are a few close up photos.

For the entry form I need one full photo and one close up.  I need to decide which close up I want to send in.

I stippled in the selvages and feathered the zingers.  I used an off white thread in the selvages and a lime/yellow/orange King Tut thread for the feathers.

Hugs,

Melinda

Christmas Quilt for Christmas in July

At the end of July each year, we have what we call Christmas in July.  It is an open house type of affair where we show new holiday fabrics and projects. This includes Halloween, Hanukah and Thanksgiving as well as Christmas.  Each of us who work at the shop make at least a couple of projects.  Here is my first one.

As you can see, this is not a traditional Christmas quilt in Christmas colors.  The fabric in the upper right is the background.  On the lower left is a panel that forms the middle of the quilt and next to it is the charm pack of all fabrics from the line that I cut using our Accucut.  It only took me a few minutes to cut 8 set of 5 inch squares.  I tied them with scraps from the cutting.

I think this will be a fun quilt to make and especially to quilt.  If I quilt between each of the blocks in the panel, I don’t think you will be able to tell it isn’t pieced.

Hugs,

 

Customer Quilt Finished

I finished another customer quilt today.  It is a very nice log cabin quilt and I like how it turned out.

The backing was just muslin but it let the quilting show very nicely.

Hugs,

Melinda

Lover’s Knot Quilt Completed

I finished quilting the Lover’s Knot Quilt this afternoon.  I did a spiral swirl on it in pink variegated thread and I like how it turned out.  I got Quilter’s Dream Request batting instead of Select.  I didn’t really mean to get Request but it looks nice in the quilt.  I am taking it to the shop tomorrow so Maetha can show it as my class sample for the next Beyond Beginner’s class at the end of the month.

I will bring it back tomorrow night and put the binding on it so I can take back on Sunday. I picked out the fabric last Saturday and it is done today.  I am impressed with myself.

Hugs,

Melinda

 

Blooming Nine Patch Classes

I taught two blooming nine patch classes today.  All of the fabrics are cut and we focused on cutting and organizing.  I made labels for the baggies and most of them got almost all of their cutting done.  They have almost a month to make all their nine patches.  We will lay them out on flannel-backed tablecloths for them to finish at home.

The way I teach this class is that we don’t actually sew in class at all.  First we pick fabric and get organized, then after they sew at home, we lay out the quilts and then they sew again at home.  It works out well.

Here are the fabrics that will turn into lovely quilts.

I also cut fabric for a non-traditional Christmas quilt to make for our Christmas in July at the end of July.  I had to cut charms and make kits.  I will get photos of that to show you tomorrow.

Hugs,

Melinda

 

Carrie Nelson and Miss Rosie

I went up to Cartersville yesterday evening to see Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie fame. 

Her trunk show and presentation were great.  She had a lot of quilts to show and each one was nicer than the last one.  I bought this pattern during the Georgia Quilt Show that we vended at last year and have been trying to decide what fabrics I would like to do it in.  I am not a country colors type of person so know I have to brighten it up.

Here are a few others that I particularly liked.

Maetha was also there and here is a photo of her with Carrie.

Lastly, we sat with Pat and Melissa (Sweet Home Quilt Shop).  Maetha took this photo of me and Pat.

Today I taught the third session of the Beginning Machine Piecing Class and forgot my camera.  We made log cabin blocks and they both did a great job.  This afternoon I finished another customer quilt and started a second for the same quilter.

Tomorrow is two classes of Blooming Nine Patch, one of my favorite quilts plus I hope to finish putting the lovers knot quilt together.  I need to buy backing for it so I can get it quilted and in the shop.

Hugs,

Melinda

 

BOM Day at Allatoona Guild

We spent the day working on our block of the month quilt at guild this morning.  I have gotten behind (what else is new!) so started working on the first of many star blocks.  This wasn’t the one that was taught today but instead I started with the first one taught a couple of months ago.

This block is a double sawtooth star and I made two very scrappy blocks.  Scrappy blocks take more time because you have to cut so many different fabrics just for one block.  I started scrappy so I guess I need to continue scrappy.  Of course I thought I could make several blocks today but no way.  These two took me until lunch time and slightly beyond.  At least they turned out nice.

Several people were working on their center feathered star block.  I haven’t started it yet but it is on the list.

Tina has been teaching this block over several months with just a small part being done each month.  I am planning on making it all at once when I finally get around to it.

Part of the fun of going to guild each Tuesday is seeing what other people are working on.  First Chris brought a 1930’s quilt in that she had purchased on vacation.  I love the applique, colors and quilting on this.

We exchanged black and white 10 inch squares earlier in the year and this is what Barb did with them.  Doesn’t it look great! I still haven’t decided what to do with mine.

I also got a photo of her block for the BOM.  This is the block we were supposed to be working on.

Tonight I am going to see Carrie Nation and listen to her presentation and see her trunk show.  Should be fun.  I am taking my camera so hopefully will have something to show later.

Hugs,

Melinda