Catching Up & Paducah Photos

How is it that we are already over halfway through May?  It doesn't seem possible that summer is around the corner.  I feel like I've been doing nothing but playing catch up over the last several weeks since we were in Paducah, but then that always seems to be the case after being away!

I have been trying to get several quilt tops quilted and so far, I am only on number two.  And these are little quilts!  Here is a glimpse of this little nine-patch quilt that I've marked with an allover orange peel quilt design.  I've showed this quilting design before on another small quilt I did awhile back.  Several of you asked how I get the lines to curve and line up, so I am showing you here.

I used nothing more than a plastic circle template that I had laying around, part of a set of several different sizes.  You can use pretty much anything that is round as long as the circle is large enough to intersect the corners of the block.  This is a 4" circle over a 3" block.  You can see how I line it up, above.  You want the circle to intersect the block about 1/2" to 3/4" on each of the four sides.  Then I just draw around the edge of the template with a blue water soluble pen four times on each block.  It goes very quickly and it is an easy and effective way to quilt with a walking foot.  Click HERE if you would like to read more on how I do this type of quilting.

Since I am so behind on blogging, I am going to jump right in and share some photos from the AQS Paducah Quilt Show.  Hopefully this won't be an overload for most of you!

We stopped over in Chattanooga, Tennessee on our way to Paducah.  Of course we had to check out the antique malls across the street from our hotel.  This beauty was in one shop.  I didn't buy it, but I definitely lusted after it!  Don't you love the scrappiness and the mix of colors together?

Here are a few antique quilts that were part of a patriotic quilt exhibit at the Rotary Center in Paducah.  I apologize for not getting more details on each quilt.

This one was made entirely of yo-yos.

The following quilts were in the AQS Paducah 2016 show and are in no particular order.

Eternal by Kazuko Noto

Yumemi by Maiko Ogawa

Yumemi (detail)

Summer Stars by Cindy Behrens

Bodacious by Claudia Clark Myers & Marilyn Badger

Bodacious (detail) by Claudia Clark Myers & Marilyn Badger

Arabella by Deborah France

Arabella (detail)

Sunburst by Sherry Durbin

Sunburst (detail)

Extraneous Female:  Escapement Mechanism by Beckey Prior

Extraneous Female:  Escapement Mechanism (detail)

Arandano by Marilyn Badger--Best of Show Winner

Arandano (detail)

Ben's Midnight Garden by Barbara Korengold

Victory by Colette Dumont

Oscar the Great by Nancy Sterett Martin & Kristin Sistek

Oscar the Great (detail)

Sparkling by Mitsuko Hashimoto

Sparkling (detail)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Linda Neal & Jackie Brown

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (detail)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (detail)

In a Spring Breeze by Rumiko Ooiwa

In a Spring Breeze (detail)

A Garden for Your Peace of Mind by Kazuko Yamada

A Garden for Your Peace of Mind (detail)

Plates on Lace Napkins by Dawn Larsen

Plates on Lace Napkins (detail)

Supernova by Anapolis Quilt Guild

Tulips in a Vase by Betty Sweet

Tulips in a Vase (detail)

That brings me to the end of the first portion of my quilt photos.  Hopefully some of these inspired you!  I have more photos to share, including some of the wall size quilts, which I will post next time around. Have a fabulous week and Happy Quilting!

Walking on a Cloud

I am attending the AQS Paducah Quilt Show this week and was completely caught by surprise when I received an email the other night telling me that my quilt, Grandmother's Cabin, had won an award.  They didn't let on as to what my quilt had won, specifically, so I've been on pins and needles until tonight.  Sitting in the audience at this evening's awards ceremony was almost like attending the Oscars!  When the Home Machine Quilted Bed Quilts were finally announced, my heart began to race as they started with third place, then second place, then. . . .FIRST place. . .and my name was called.  It still seems surreal, as if it's all a dream.  I am so honored and grateful and overwhelmed, I still cannot believe my quilt won.

So here is a big thank you and hug to all of you who have sent out good vibes, kind and supportive words and ongoing encouragement over the last couple of years.  I appreciate all of you who take the time to read my blog, comment, and follow me on Instagram.  Your support and cheerful comments help make this day a memorable one.  This week is looking like it is going to be quite a thrill ride with all the events and things there are to do.  I will write all about it after I return home next week.

Click HERE for a short video of my interview with Bonnie Browning.

Until then, thank you all so much and Happy Quilting!

Out of the Scrap Bins

It seems like every year around this time I go through this whole scrap purging and reorganizing process at the bottom of my closet, digging through scrap bins as if I was searching for gold.  It's not an intentional act that I plan for, it just seems to happen on its own, call it my version of spring cleaning.  I can't even explain it.  Before I know it, I have every bin, basket and bag organized, reorganized, analyzed and re-analyzed as to what to do with it all.  The easiest thing would be to donate or throw it away, right?  You would think I was organizing and hoarding cash!

I had seen a photo of a gorgeous pineapple quilt that inspired the thought, "I am going to make that!"  So I set on the journey of pulling lots of narrow strips, cutting dozens more, and sewing scrappy five-inch pineapple blocks, with the intention of reaching at least 80 inches each way on my scrappy pineapple quilt. 

It was fun. . . for awhile!  My short attention span soon kicked in.  Twenty blocks later, I had had my fill of pineapples!  Then I realized I still had to tear all that foundation paper off the back of the blocks.  I soon decided that a crib sized quilt was more realistic and called it a day when I finally managed to get it sewn together, along with borders.

I still love the scrappy look but am not sure if I could do a bed-sized quilt in just pineapples.  It would probably have to be something that I picked up and worked on in between other quilts, I think.  Sewing pineapples for weeks on end would turn my brain into a pineapple slushy, I'm afraid. 

And what inspired all this digging through scraps?  During two weeks in March I was down and out with a cold that I couldn't shake and just needed to do something that didn't require much thinking.  I had seen this foundation-pieced rooster online and thought it would be fun to try, once again using ONLY scraps from the scrap bin.  I purchased the pattern from Sew What Sherlock, and had a blast choosing bits of old fabrics to "paint" my rooster.  I veered from the pattern somewhat and did my own thing when it came to the background.  Now, for the record, I am not a rooster collector nor do I decorate with roosters in my house, but this was just fun to do.

I didn't really have a plan for it once I finished it, so I decided to make it into a pillow.  I'm still not sure if I am keeping this for me, giving it as a gift, or I may eventually sell it!  But I am glad I took a day off to play without having a plan or deadline for a change, and did something different.

And here is the back. . . 

Believe it or not, this fabric is real vintage 1970s.  And yes, I've had it since high school!  I am pretty sure I made a wrap-around skirt out of it back in the day when I sewed clothes.  I guess there was a reason I've held on to it all these years!  Anyway, it worked out great for this pillow.

And my final scrap busting project "in progress" is this crocheted rag rug.  I'm getting close to the finish line, probably only ten more rounds to go.   This uses up so much fabric, it's a great way to dwindle down some of that old stuff I won't ever use in a quilt.  I also love using old cotton floral decorator prints, once again, VINTAGE!  Some of this I've had forever, it screamed 1980s, so now that it's in a rug, I don't feel so guilty about holding on to it.  I'm not using a pattern, in case anyone is going to ask me, I am sort of figuring this out as I go.  I cut my strips at 1 1/4" wide and use a size L or M hook, depending on the tension I want.  This is the first time I've done a rug in a rectangular format like this, normally I make ovals like the one pictured below.

Here is one I did a couple of years ago, now very much faded since it gets direct sun on it most of the day.  But I love the patina they get after being used and washed.  And these crocheted rugs wash extremely well, they hold up for years, much better than anything store-bought, and they are pet-friendly, which is very important in our house.

I know I had promised photos from the AQS Daytona Quilt Show to share, but I apologize, I still have not taken the time to go through and edit them just yet.  With being sick and then playing catch up for the last several weeks, sitting in front of the computer on my time off hasn't been what I want to do after being in front of it all day at work.  So hopefully I will eventually get around to it and share them. 

Hope this has inspired you to dig through your own scraps and make something fun!  It's amazing to see how such a little bit of fabric goes a long way. 

Until next time, Happy Quilting!