Civil War History Block #46 Sour Apple Tree

Thought I'd better get going on these blocks again, as Barbara Brackman is taking her Civil War block- of- the- week for 2011 blog down on July 1. She is publishing a book of this project which is due out at the end of the year.

Getting Ready for Retreat

There's an LLQA retreat coming up, I've been thinking about what to take to work on. Today I got out "Happy Day" WIP (formerly Roll Roll Cotton Boll designed by Bonnie Hunter) and cut pieces for more blocks and sashing. Using Easy Angle ruler method to make the half square triangle units.

Decided to take "Hop To It" also. Hoping to whittle down the UFO list.

Selvage Basket Weave progress

I have basted Selvage Basket Weave and have been machine quilting it. Just doing straight lines in the ditch and through the blocks to keep the basket weave effect.

Guild Trip to Cincinnati

a bus trip to Cincinnati for International Quilt Fest. Sooo much fun with quilty friends. The quilts were stunning, the shopping was wonderful-vendors galore! My favorites were Primitive Gatherings, Back Door Quilts, Homespun Designs, Heaven on Earth and Sew Batik. My resolve to not buy any more kits went right out the window; it only took 20 minutes after the show opening to pick one up at the Primitive Gatherings booth. Oh my they had so many pretty things. Lots of wool applique. I also saw a demo by the gal at Amidon Quiltworks on Pearl Piera applique technique using starch, freezer paper, glue, etc. I bought the supplies and have been using the technique to prepare a block of the Spring kit by Lori Smith that I bought. It has small blocks 5 1/2 inches.

Wool kit I got from Primitive Gatherings and have started.

After I got the shopping out of my system, I spent time looking at the quilts - WOW, I'm always hit with emotion seeing all those beautiful quilts that hold all those quilter's life stories. Saw the Dear Jane with trapunto triangles, an Omigosh quilt, and the Last Supper with thousands of half inch squares. I've seen them in magazines or online and was happy to see them for real.

Quilt Show Report

I got the Friendship Medallion quilt done. It won second place in the large wallhanging category at Decatur Quilt Fest! The other two quilts I was aiming to finish for the show didn't get finished because I had to deal with a family emergency. Thankfully that turned out to have a happy ending.

I also entered Cottage Basket table runner which won first place in the "potpourri" category. Summer Solstice, Redwork Sunbonnet Sue and Witchy Poo were my other entries.

Countdown to Quilt Show

Our guild's quilt show is at the end of March, and there are three projects I hope to finish up for it. Above is the Friendship Medallion quilt that I am machine quilting; made from the half-square triangles I received from the exchange on The Quilt Show's website, after Edyta Sitar was on the show. I also want to finish the Rainbow Star wallhanging from the Jan Krentz class - it just needs to be quilted, labeled and bound. I ordered some black batting for it because I didn't want bearding on the black background. The third project on my March goal list is the selvage quilt. That just needs 4 more blocks and the borders.

February Free Motion Quilting Challenge

This month's lesson was by Diane Gaudynski. Here are my feathers. I love feathers!