Friends Swap Received

I got my Friends package yesterday from Melissa and didn’t actually open it until this morning.  What a great package.  Here it is before I opened up the packages.

and here are the wonderful things in the packages.

I got a water bottle with Crystal Lite packages to put in it, a small journal with graph paper – great to carry in my purse for quick sketches of quilt ideas.  Chocolate covered edamame, green note cards, a green mug with Chai tea to have in it, sea salt chocolate and dark chocolate Chex mix.  Lots of yummy things.  The best is the small quilt/mug rug she made for me.  I love it!

I forgot to take photos of what I sent her but hopefully she will post about it on her blog and I can share with you then.

Melinda

Almost Halloween

Here is my favorite quilt from the Allatoona Guild’s Halloween challenge.  It was made by Lisa and is wonderful!

There is so much to see in this small quilt.

Off to the quilt shop for a busy Saturday!

Melinda

Blogger’s Quilt Festival

Here is my entry for the Blogger’s Quilt Festival.  It is a quilt that I designed to each this summer in Las Vegas.  It is a variation of a disappearing nine patch.  I used five inch squares to make nine patches and then slashed them, added sashing and sewed them back together.  If  you look closely, the sashing weaves across the quilt.  After quilting, I used leftover strips of the sashing to make a colorful scrappy binding.

I really enjoyed making this quilt.  In Las Vegas, I taught a group of 35 people how to make it.  I learned a lot from that experience about trying to write a pattern that is understood by a lot of people with different levels of experience.  The most difficult part of this quilt is to make sure you follow the pressing directions so that the blocks easily go together and that was the hardest part to communicate.

Don’t forget to check out all the other quilts here.

Melinda

Evening Beginning Machine Piecing Class

We had quite a weather day here in the Atlanta area yesterday.  It rained lots of times but not long each time.  Of course, it was raining at the beginning of each class.

Here is the homework done by the evening class.

For last night we first worked on Square Dance blocks.

Then we moved on to friendship stars.

Lots of good work was done yesterday.

Melinda

Morning Beginning Piecing Class

First photo is the homework from the last class.  Lots of log cabin blocks.  Today we worked on two different blocks.  First was the square dance block and then we started making friendship stars.  Of course making friendship stars means making half square triangles.  Everyone did a great job.  Here are their blocks.

Only one more class where we make blocks – flying geese and then we will put them together.

Melinda

Allatoona Special Projects Day

We had special projects day today.  There were three small projects taught – all good for small gifts.  I taught a variation of the tape measure bag.  Here are two that I made today.

I forgot to take pictures of most of the projects but here are a few of the ones made today.

The other projects were a coffee cup sleeve and a loyalty card wallet.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday – October 25, 2010

I have a design floor today.  I got all the blocks for the brown and white quilt and laid them out on Danielle’s floor today.  This is one of my sister Robin’s patterns called Five, Ten, Twenty.  They still need to be sewn together.

For more design walls, go to Judy’s blog and check them out.

Melinda

Prize from Fall Into Fall

In yesterday’s mail was this prize I won from Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  I have looked through the book and need to decide on what project I want to make out of it.  There are several boxes that are tempting me.

Thank you Sarah!

Melinda

How to Plan a Quilt Show

Here is the quilt show committee at our first meeting yesterday.  Putting on a quilt show takes a lot of people and time and these wonderful people have volunteered to work on it.  Our show will be held next September and it is time to get going.

We have almost all the jobs filled but still need a couple more people to head up   committees.  We made a lot of progress yesterday and are on the right track for success.  With this wonderful group of volunteers, I will have an easy job of chairing the show.

Melinda

Quilt Show Planning Meeting

Today is the first official Quilt Show planning meeting.  Our guild show is next September and most of the committee positions have been filled.  It is time to really get to work.

The photo today has nothing to do with the quilt show but it is the sample for the class I will be teaching on Monday night – curved piecing.

Melinda

Beginning Machine Piecing – Class 3

First here are the nine patches that were done last week and for homework.  The first one is the morning class and the second one is the evening class.

The lesson yesterday was log cabin blocks.  Again the first photo is from the morning class and the second one is the evening class.

The log cabin blocks are wonderful.  They really concentrated on all aspects of cutting, sewing and pressing and the results are impressive.

I can’t wait until next week when we work on half square triangles and friendship stars.

Melinda

Oil Cloth Obsession

OK – I confess.  I have become obsessed with oil cloth.  When I was in California this summer I bought 14 half yards of oil cloth.  Have I used any?  Of course not.  However, when Fabric.com had a sale last week, I bought some more.

Since free shipping required a $35 purchase, I had to get enough to qualify.  Not sure exactly how much is here but the largest piece is only one yard so it isn’t as much as it looks – at least I hope it isn’t.

I guess I better get going making something from oil cloth.  I think I will stop by the sewing machine store today and pick up a teflon foot.  It makes it much easier to sew on oil cloth and vinyl.

Melinda

Wacky Devine Nine Class

Last night was a Wacky Devine Nine class.  There were four wonderful quilt tops made during the class.  Here they are.

This is one of my sister’s patterns and can be found here at her website.  You can also get the pattern from Tiny Stitches.

Melinda

Binding Class

I taught a binding class yesterday.  We had five students and we made a placemat.  It is a perfect size to learn binding.  They each get a kit to make the placemat, along with fabric for the binding and thread to do the hand sewing.  In the kit is a piece of pre-quilted fabric cut to 14 x 18 inches.

They cut the binding at 2 1/4 inches, join the strips together and apply it to the front of the placemat using their sewing machine.  We then connect the binding ends so that the join is invisible.  After doing this we turn the binding to the back and sew it by hand, carefully mitering the corners.  Good size to practice on.

I love teaching.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday – October 18, 2010

Here is about 1/2 of my brown and white quilt.  I still have 10 blocks to piece but they only take a short time to do.  Big pieces that allow the fabric to show off.

I still haven’t decided what to do about the backing – I am teaching another class tonight so will try to find something.

For more design walls, check out Judy’s blog here.

Melinda

Back Home

The Georgia Quilt Show closed at 5:30pm last night.  We were able to disassemble the booth in record time and I was home around 7.

I really enjoy working the booth for these types of shows but I am always so happy when it is over.  When I got back to the hotel Friday night, I made a little progress on my brown and white quilt.  Here is one block.

I have always had a problem with brown.  It just doesn’t move me.  I am trying to expand my horizons and when this line of fabric came in, I decided I would make a quilt from it.  I am liking it a lot.  I still am not fond of most brown – especially muddy brown, but I like this clear, bright brown.  The line has turquoise along with brown and I have thought that I might use it on the back but on the other hand, perhaps I ought to just stick with brown.

I am teaching a binding class this afternoon and will choose backing fabric.  I also need to pick up backing for the red Saturday Sampler quilt.

Melinda

Friday at the Quilt Show

Just a brief photo of the class I taught last night.

It was a long day yesterday.  Started with the show in the morning and ended up just after nine in the evening with the end of the class.  Today should be easier.

More later…

Melinda

Thursday at the Georgia Quilt Show

 

Here is what the booth looked like at the start of the day yesterday. 

Here are a few photos from my first class – also yesterday.

Here are all the kits they were able to choose from.

More about the Friday class soon.

Melinda

Winner

Here is the winner of my Fall Into Fall giveaway.

kakd2384 has left a new comment on your post "Fall into Fall":
I love fabric of any size, shape or color. I am currently finishing a throw for my sister, it is for Christmas. Am hoping to make wedding ring quilt next so these charms would be perfect.

I have sent her an email and hope to hear back soon so I can get the squares on the way to her.

Here is what she will receive

Melinda

Giveaway Day

I am working at the Georgia Quilt Show again today and teaching a class this evening so I will draw the winner(s) from the Fall Into Fall giveaway later tonight.

I took photos of the show yesterday and of my class but somehow lost them when transferring from my camera so no photos today.  I will have some to share tonight.

Melinda

Beginning Machine Piecing – Class 2

The morning class was yesterday and everyone is doing a great job.  Two new students joined the class and are catching up.  I haven’t heard yet how the evening class did but I am sure it was great also.

Here are the homework blocks from the previous week.

After admiring all of these, we moved on to nine patches and here they are.

You might notice the rail fence blocks – those are from the new students.  Everyone else made a couple of nine patches and you can see one nine patch variation.  There are several other in progress.

Later this morning I will be teaching at the Georgia Quilt Show – I am looking forward to it.

Melinda