Pictures Forthcoming

Just an update on our all-night sew. There were only two other ladies sewing besides the shop owner, Ann, Susie, and me. We got there at the same time as the Domino's Pizza delivery man...good timing!!

The evening had its ups and downs. We learned what to bring or leave home next time (for example, I should have brought ALL the pieces for my quilt...grrr...). A caffeinated diet beverage would have added to my evening. All in all it was great.

Susie completely pieced a twin-bed sized charm Thimbleberries quilt top except for the outer two borders. It was a pattern she could sew w/o ever having to press, so she had the pedal to the metal and sewed, sewed, sewed. She was fun and we had a great time together, especially the trip home, the contents thereof which are sworn to secrecy.

I nearly completed my fall quilt top. I have saved the pattern for...TWELVE years. Susie was 3 when I saw it and filed it. I will be spending some time in OH this summer and will be glad to have some hand-quilting projects to work on.

After I finished all I could on that quilt, I sewed nearly all the subunits for batik baby quilt #2, including more HSTs for pinwheels.

My only purchase of the evening was binding for a surprise quilt for someone. Pictures of that after delivery...in a couple of months.

We nearly went to the end of the evening. We stopped sewing and packed up about 11:30. The other ladies left way earlier than that. We didn't want to wear out our welcome.

As a side note, I've been going to the YMCA and doing deep water aerobics. There was no class when I was there today. Two men were doing freestyle laps for the whole 45 minutes I was there. As in Energizer Bunny men. They never even stopped for a breather, to look around, to stand up. I think they might have been Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps. I couldn't say, because I only saw the back 1/10 of them...ever.

~Mermaid Joan

All-Night Sew!!!!!!!

I am giddy with excitement for two reasons...last weekend on the way home from Asheville, my husband and I stopped at a little quilt store. I didn't even know existed until two weeks ago. They are having an all-night sew (their first) tonight. I AM GOING!!! It's from 6 PM until midnight. That's my first reason. The second is like it, namely this...SUSANNA IS GOING WITH ME!!!!!!!!

I cut out two kits last night. One is for a fall wall hanging for my kitchen (I've been wanting to make it for years...ever hear me say that before?). The second is another batik baby quilt. One of the kids said, "You're only taking two things to piece? You're going to be there SIX hours." Good point. Since I've never had the pleasure of sewing for six uninterrupted hours, I have no idea how much I will get done. There is no subcutting in the kits I made to take. Everything is precut. Will it last the six hours?? Oh, gleeeeeeeeee!

~Joan

To My Regular Readers

My computer is locked and the password is unknown. Don't ask. Please come back in a week or so when I can access my laptop. I am on a desk-top in our kitchen writing this. Can't wait to be back!

Spool Quilt Center is Finished

Here is my spool quilt center. Now to decide about borders. I have a couple things in mind. This is one of the snazziest quilts I've pieced. I need to take a minute to thank Sam, Marcie, Debbie, Julie, Leeanne, and Christine. I have a couple border ideas. Still wanting to make sure that I want this for a queen-sized bed quilt. I think I'll put it away and let it marinate. Measures 60" x 96" now. Thanks, contributing ladies.

~Joan

Maddie's Baby Quilt - Finished!

Here is Maddie's baby quilt...bound and washed! I love the way it turned out. I have enough batik strips to make a second one. I will start that soon. It will be for a boy, so I got a camo-colored green for the triangles and border.

Here it is lying on the floor. I originally put on the light purple outer border. I thought it was too light. I got some dark purple batik and decided to just use both!

When I quilted the border, I drew a wavy line on all four sides and wanted to quilt a feather on both sides of the line. I was disappointed then elated...it looks like stacked hearts! I'll just pretend like that was my intention all along. This is a good free-motion quilt design for any child's quilt.

I am nearly finished with my Grass is Greener quilt, too. Next up will be pics of my finished spool quilt center.

~Joan

Quilt Show Pic #2

Here is the first quilt I'll share from the Hickory, NC quilt show. This was displayed out in the hallway before you actually entered the show. This was such a fun and exuberant scrappy quilt. It had little surprised tucked in that we didn't notice at first. Susanna took all the pictures at the show. I'll be sharing one every once in a while.


Here's a big-mouthed monster...

Don't miss Mr. Turtle...

Here we found Peppy-le-pew!!

My own scrap quilts aren't nearly as interesting, but this is why I love scrappy quilts...the variation in the fabrics make you want to look all over the quilt to see if you missed anything. The skill needed to make this one was way above my level!

~Joan

Found the Quilt Pattern...

...it was in my basement!! It turns out that the pattern I was asking about was in a magazine I have in my basement/sewing room. Yippee. I love it when a plan comes together. Here is the pic from the magazine...

Definitely on the will-be-making-some-century list.  It is called Primitive Stars.

~Joan