Pointless Quilter

Here's a picture of me, my two sisters and my niece. I made a quick trip up to Ripon yesterday for a meeting at the rest home about my mom. All the kids and my dad were there. My little sister (the one on the left) came from Seattle last Saturday and my other sister Brenda (the one in the denim jacket) is here from Boston and her return trip home has been put on hold. She is able and feels she needs to stay there for a while which I am very grateful. I know it's hard for her. Emotionally and I'm sure she's homesick too. She's was gone on a trip before she came to California. Since we were all there, and my dad found a turkey in the freezer, the sisters decided to have a turkey dinner. Anyway...that's not the only reason they are the best sisters ever, but look what they made and/or got me. For those times when I need a little help. To use when those creative juices are working. Those are from Brenda. And when Beverly was here earlier this ...

Just a warning. This will be a photo heavy post. This past week I got the privilege to attend the Cindy Needham Design Workshop with 2 of my best quilting buds. We learned so much and had so much fun. Cindy is an excellent teacher and well organized. Each morning we started with show and tell, and then a lecture. The first day was her thread bar class. We got to play with all these lovely threads. Any of them. All of them. We separated a piece of practice fabric and was encouraged to try all the different types of thread, thread she told us all about. She showed us samples of what the threads would look like and how to use them. This is my practice piece. Look closely. I see an owl with a graduation cap. (If the photo was turned around.) After we played each day we stopped at 4 and had design time which I really found helpful. People brought in tops and we sat and discussed different options for machine quilting. After design time we were on our own and could sew howev...

I bought a layer cake, a panel and some yardage to make these two. I think I could even get one more if I have time. Off to a Cindy Needham workshop. I'll keep you all posted. So excited. Still need to pack. Thanks for looking.   Posted with Blogsy

Our local quilt store is celebrating 20 years and part of the celebration was a quilt challenge using 1/8 yd cuts of some bright colors from their logo. (You had to buy the fabrics for $5). Since I'm always up for a challenge I bought the fabrics and made this fish quilt from a paper piece pattern I picked up on our cruise to Alaska in 2005. The challenge fabrics were perfect for the quilt and the rest all came from my stash. In case you can't see what was on the paper it's a certificate that says I get 20% off anything in the store for ONE YEAR! Can you believe that? I'm thrilled. Thrilled that I won 1st Place Overall. There were 41 quilts turned in for the challenge. You can see pictures on Thimble Towne's Facebook page . I had some pretty stiff competition. Thanks to Jeremy and Greg and the staff at Thimble Towne for a great place to shop. Love you all! Thanks for looking. Posted with Blogsy

The art group Loose Threads met last night where we revealed the quilts from our latest quote challenge. The quote this time was, "If it wasn't for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song." Carl Perkins Here's Anna's. She wasn't quite sure how to finish the ragged edges and wanted input on whether she should bead or add any more. I suggested she use it as an area rug but she wouldn't do it. I really like it. This is Graces piece. She's also not quite finished either. She's going to add some of the black rocks that was the inspiration for the quote challenge. These rocks. Grace actually cut a few open and warned us there are actually rock in each rock so don't use an saw to cut. Sara's piece is interactive. She downloaded and got a QR Reader tag so when you scan the code, it opens a video of water trickling. As you can see I didn't get a project done. I have been traveling a little more these last few weeks...

After finishing the Christmas BOM I had this pile of beautiful fabrics. Our guild is having their second annual boutique in October so I thought I'd 'whip up' these little placemats. Except they aren't so little and they didn't just whip up. They took a little longer than I thought. But I think they are very pretty. This is a picture of just one but I made a set of four. I try to make things for the boutique that I would like because we get back whatever doesn't sell. Thanks for looking.   Posted with Blogsy

The CEO of our company had his third little girl last month and I'm just getting around to finishing the quilt.  I used a charm pack of Giggles with Kona White and a couple extra 5 inch squares that I needed to make up the pattern.  The idea for the stars with the squares was something I saw on Pinterest and the flower and name band idea I got from Gingham Girls Season's Best pattern. I used the rosette minkee that I picked up at Hobby Lobby - it's adorable but super messy.  I should have waited until after I made this to clean all my floors today.   No good news on the mother home front.  Please keep her and my dad in your prayers.   Thanks for looking.

Finally finished  I had two more to complete by the end of the month.  I did it.  I also finished the Fat Quarter Shops Block of the Month block.  Here are the 9 blocks. And here they are 'in' the quilt.   They are not perfect.  But they are done. I'm heading to Ripon again for the afternoon tomorrow.  My Uncle George and Aunt Sue and cousin Laura are coming to visit my mom and I want to see them too so I hope to get there about when they get there, and come home after dinner. I have completed the top of the little girl baby quilt and just need to pin and quilt it.  It shouldn't take long since I will probably only do strait stitching.  Just need clean floors to pin it so it won't be done until Sunday afternoon.  :) Thanks for looking.

This is a Shabby Fabrics block of the month program except me and two other friends bought the entire kit at one time. We made two blocks each month. I turned the center using Ricky Tim's fusible and I turned using glue. Finished the bead/button work tonight and I can cross this one of my list. I love this quilt. I love the fabrics and the pattern and we are contemplating their new fall block of the month. I quilted each block differently and put some holly leaves in the sashing and feathers in the border but added some holly leaf shapes in the place of some of the feathers. (I can't get a good shot of the quilting.) Now on to cute girls. First... Such a happy pretty little girl. My step-daughter sent this to me just when I needed to smile. And this weekend I went up north to visit my folks. More of that later. But my aunts were staying at my folks so I stayed at the Hello Kitty Tweety Bird Inn (aka my brothers house). My niece made it like a hotel for me. I was...

Yea!!! The first one finished was this little baby boy quilt. The top has been done for a while, I was just waiting for the baby to be born so I can embroider his name and birthdate on the top. It is for one of the guys I work with. He and his wife just had their first baby. This next one started with two charm packs and a free pattern from Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts http://mrsschmenkmanquilts.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/charming-butterflies-tutorial-addendum/  and then I added a border from Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins Aunt Millie's Garden pattern. Would love to say it was all hand appliquéd but I used Ricky Tim's washable stabilizer and turned using school glue stick and then hem stitched it all down. I think it's quite cute. I have a list of things I want to get done for August and this was one of eight items on the list. I did cut all the pieces for the next Farmers Wife quilt blocks which I'll sew together at Party Party Party at Thimble Towne on Frida...