Fun Time in Houston

We have been taking classes.  Today I get to play with Judith Baker Montano and crazy quilting/embroidery.  I can hardly wait!  Yesterday I took a class on Photoshop for Quilters from David Taylor and a class on making patterns as a business.  On Monday Stella and I both took a color class from Heather Thomas.  It was wonderful.  It was hard work and worth all the effort.

This is what our table looked like towards the end of the day.  I forgot to take a photo of the floor but it was a mess, with little bits of paper everywhere even though we tried to be neat.  We learned a lot about color and a lot about how little we know.  We both bought her book and would like to continue working on learning more.  It is one of the best classes I have taken – a lot of work and a lot of fun!

Tonight we are going to the preview party so will have a very full day!

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 29, 2012

No real design wall today.  Here is the best I can do.  It is on my design bed in Houston.

It is one small EPP flower being put together.  I am going to teach EPP in a couple of weeks and I plan to turn this single flower into a pillow for a class sample.  The fabrics are batik and I pulled them from the scrap bin at the shop.  Not sure I particularly like the colors but they should look good appliqued to a background and turned into a pillow.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Evening Homework from Sampler Class

I just realized that I had forgotten to post the photos of the evening class homework.  As usual, there were wonderful blocks up on the design wall.

We spent the day at market on Saturday.  We took a class at 8 am from Linda McGehee on teaching/making a purse.  It even included a kit to make the purse so another project to add to my long list of projects.  Many years ago, I took a four day series of classes at Martha Pullen from Linda and have used what I learned many times.  She taught us some new tricks yesterday.

We have a class this morning on making a needle book from Sulky and then off to see more of the market booths.

Just to name drop, we had lunch with Kaffe, Brandon and Lucy.  Fun!

Melinda

At market

We are here in Houston. Went to sample spree last night. Here are a few of my purchases.

Blogger’s Quilt Festival

This time I think I will feature my Sampler quilt that I designed for a class at Tiny Stitches.  The purpose of the quilt is to introduce more advanced blocks and techniques to students who have learned the basics.  It is a large lap sized quilt when completed as I did.

It features some of my favorite blocks, including a grandmothers flower (it isn’t actually a flower garden with one flower).

Dresden Plate

Drunkard’s Path

I also loved the spool block but the students, not so much.

Some of the blocks I designed and some I got from EQ7.  I used a white on white background and 9 batik fabrics for the blocks, plus the sashing/border and cornerstones.  One regret is that the cornerstones don’t show up enough.  I wish they had more contrast.

It was fun making and designing the quilt and I am enjoying teaching the class.

The quilt is approximately 60 x 72 inches.

Techniques include EPP, hand applique as well as standard piecing

Designed, pieced and quilted by me

Categories:  Throw sized quilt, professionally quilted by me

Be sure to go to the Blogger’s Quilt Festival page and check out all the wonderful quilts.

Melinda

Morning Sampler Class Update

We had a great class yesterday. We worked on two of the more difficult blocks, the Dresden plate and drunkard’s path. Actually neither are difficult but they do use new techniques for most of the students.

There are still a few more grandmother’s flower garden blocks to be finished also. Most just need to do the applique and they will be done.

They have two weeks this time to do the homework and get caught up since I will be in Houston next week.

Melinda

Halloween Pillowcase

Look at the wonderful pillowcase I got from Stella.  Love it and her too.

Melinda

Another Women of Courage Block

I finished one more block for the Women of Courage quilt.  This is month 2 and there is one more block just like it to finish.  When it is done, I will have months 1, 2, 3, 5 completed and month 6 is cut out.  I still need to make the two blocks for month 4 and not only will I be caught up, I will be ahead a month or so.

Stella and I are leaving for Quilt Market and Festival on Friday morning so I don’t have much time to sew between now and Friday.  I am still working on quilting the raffle quilt and hope to get some of it done this afternoon.  Would like to at least finish the other month 2 block before I leave.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 22, 2012

I still have my blue zigs up on the design wall.  There are a few more than last week.

I have 16 out of the 42 done.  It will still take a little time.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Beginning Quilt Top Finished

One of my students from the last session of beginning machine piecing brought in her finished quilt top this afternoon.  She did such a wonderful job on her quilt.

I really like this one.

Melinda

Hexagons–yet again

I still don’t have all the hexie flowers put together.  I have two more to add and then I will put it on the background.

I still don’t like it but I am anxious to get it put together.  I plan to take a different hexie project with me to Houston.  I have to decide soon because we are flying out next Friday.

Melinda

Women of Courage

One of the block of the month’s at Tiny Stitches is Women of Courage.  We are getting ready for month 5.  I just took it over a couple of weeks ago and got the shop kit.  Unfortunately, the person who was cutting the kits had not had the time to do any of the blocks so I am playing catch up.  She had cut months one and two from the shop kit so I got them sewn together. They are actually the same block but different colors.  Each month there are two blocks to make, so I did two of each color way. 

I cut the kits for month 5 so I decided to get those made.

The two blocks on the left are month 5, the two on the top right are month 1 (I think) and the bottom two are month 3.

I have month 2 cut out and have started piecing them.  I hope to get caught up soon and would like to get the quilt put together in the next couple of months.

Melinda

Sampler Class–Fun with Spool Blocks

The homework for last week was the spool block.  I was surprised that most of the students had a great deal of trouble with this block.  Getting the intersections right is a challenge but with the help of pins, it is doable.  Their blocks did turn out looking good, especially from a galloping horse!

Here are the blocks from the morning class.  Some of them were also able to finish their churn dash blocks.

Here are the evening blocks.

Not sure what happened in the evening class but I don’t have photos of any churn dash blocks.

We worked on our Grandmothers Flower blocks, Ohio Star and a Bear Paw variation last night – lots of homework again this week.  Will be fun to see what is finished next Wednesday.

Melinda

Piecemakers

I mentioned that we went to Piecemakers on Monday.  Michele taught everyone how to make crumb blocks.  Michele loves little pieces of fabric!

Here is the whole group. We have more members but several were unable to attend this month. Janice came and brought her quilt that we made for her last month.  She looks great and is doing well.

I am in the back on the right – wearing lime green as usual.

Melinda

Table Runner Class

Last night I taught a 60 degree table runner class for Barb, who is recovering from surgery.  We had a great time making these very cute table runners.

They are all so different but equally wonderful.  After each of them made one, we went back out and they each bought fabric for a second one.  They enjoyed it also.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 15, 2012

Today on my design wall I still have just a few of my chevron blocks.  I haven’t worked on it for several days and don’t see much time ahead to work on them.  I am enjoying the process but would like to get it put together.  I have been spending any extra time down in the basement quilting studio working on the raffle quilt.

I am still trying to sew blocks of zigs (four blocks sewn together) and I have a lot more to do.

This morning I am baking a sopapilla cheesecake to take to Piecemakers.  It is a recipe I found on Pinterest.  I just took it out of the oven and it looks great.

For more design walls, got to Patchwork Times.

 

Melinda

Working on the Raffle Quilt

I have been working on quilting the guild raffle quilt.  It is a beautiful quilt, using Kaffe fabrics and a Kim McLean pattern.  She graciously gave us permission to use Stars and Sprigs for our raffle quilt.

Here is a brief preview of the quilting.

 

There is still a lot of little pebbles to quilt before I start on the stars.

Melinda

Update on Zig Zag Quilt

I made a few more blocks of the zig zag/chevron quilt.  I am sewing the blocks together in fours and will then worry about getting it all together.  It will be way to large for my design wall. I am sewing zigs and the zags will happen when I start sewing the four patches together.

My Pfaff went in for a spa treatment and is happy to be back home and sewing again.

Melinda

Bee Blocks

I have fallen behind on my bee blocks and I am trying to get caught up.  Both of these are in the mail and should be arriving soon.

Melinda

Evening Homework–Sampler Class

Here are the wonderful blocks from the evening class.  They are doing a great job, aren’t they?

Melinda

Morning Homework from Sampler Class

Look at all the great blocks from the morning class.  This was their homework from last week. Today we worked on spool blocks and sewing the hexagons together.

Melinda

Halloween Trick or Treat Bag

On Saturday we decided that we needed a trick or treat bag for the shop.  I brought home some pet screen, Halloween fabric and strapping.  Here is what I made on Sunday morning before going to the shop.

I know you can’t tell the size from the photo.  I started with a 12 inch square of the pet screen.  I figured that children do not put bags on their shoulders like women do so the handles are short enough for them to carry the bag in their hands.

Now that I have made one, I need to get another made for Emilio so I can get it in the mail in time for the end of the month.  I also made him a pillowcase for Halloween.

The cool thing about this pillowcase is that it glows in the dark. All three fabrics are glow fabrics. I hope he will enjoy it.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 8, 2012

This is the latest of the Saturday Sampler that I am working on – this is actually for next month.  The yellow is a bit be a bright so I did replace it but forgot to take a photo.  Will get one later.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Melinda

Hexie Progress

I haven’t finished putting the flowers together yet – still have four more to add but I did decide on the border/background.  I had a lot of good suggestions about possible fabrics and they all sounded good.  Sarah suggested that I use a Kaffe print.  I couldn’t find one I liked but sitting right next to the Kaffe was Amy Butler and I tried one of them.  I like it.

I know it is not a traditional fabric to use with a GFG but I don’t want traditional.  I think I have said  that I don’t really like this hexie quilt but I am determined to finish it.  Now I need to get the rest of the flowers sewn on so I can applique the whole thing to the Amy Butler fabric. 

Next to come up with a name for the quilt.

Grandma meets Amy

Not Amy’s Grandmother

???

Suggestions welcome.

Melinda

Sampler Class Number Two

Yesterday was a busy day with two sessions of the sampler class.  First here is the homework from the morning group.

Here is the evening groups homework.

I love seeing all the different takes on fabric for the same quilt.  I was really impressed with the great points everyone achieved on their blocks.  Last night we worked on the Churn Dash and Kaleidoscope blocks – also started the Grandmothers Flower Garden.  Can’t wait to see the results of this week’s homework.

Melinda

Design Wall Monday–October 1, 2012

I can’t believe it is October!  My design wall today will look familiar.  I am almost done with adding flowers to my GFG.  I have the last row to finish and I am done.  I took it to the shop yesterday to explore possibilities for a background to applique it to.  I really would like something non-traditional.  I plan on using a solid color but haven’t found one that will work yet.

I tried red, black, blue, lime green, pink and white.  I still have no idea what to choose but hope to try again later this week.

If you have any ideas, let me know.

For more design walls, go to Patchwork Times.  I love seeing all the inspiration on Mondays.

Melinda