January Retreat week

I have been working with Sue Pelland's Hearts and More Ruler set. My rule for purchasing rulers is I have to be able to make more than one quilt with it. The Hearts and More Ruler certainly fits that criteria. I made the "He Loves ME..." quilt first. I will be teaching this at my Quilt Guild in February.

Of course, I couldn't stop there I went away for a week in January with a friend to Ocean City, MD. What does one do in Ocean City in January? We sew, and sew and shop! There are some great shops in the area. I was able to check out The Blue Hen Quilt Shop in Newark, DE. This is an adorable shop opened by my friend Erin Underwood. She is an amazing pattern designer, quilter and now shop owner. I had a lot of fun visiting with her and will definitly make this a destination any time I am in the area. Her selection of batiks is outstanding, her samples are gorgeous a delightful place to visit.
From there we checked out Mare's Bears Quilt Shop This was also an adorable shop and one I had not visited yet. We were trying to find the shop, my GPS was not cooperating. It said we had arived but we didnt see the shop. We pulled into a plaza to turn around. My friend MaryGin called the shop to finsd out where they were, turns out we were stopped right in front of the shop. All we had to do was look up and there was a larger than life sign! The staff was delightful. Very friendly and welcoming.
No trip to Ocean City would be complete without a trip to Serendipity Quilt Shop I Love this shop. They just went through a renovation adding an elevator to the shop to help folks get their machines upstairs to the classroom. We timed our visit just right as they had just reopened. This is also a delightful store and it was obvious that folks were happy to have them reopen as we were there when they opened and before we left there must have been 15-20 other ladies in the shop.
Well, That was a little about our shopping, now back to the sewing. I was able to get the background together for my Unchained Love Quilt.

Because I had only brought my featherweight, the applique chain would have to wait till I got home to finish.
Here is a pic of the quilt now that I have added the chain.

Of course I had to complete more than just one partial project while away. I found a great panel and a coordinating book while shopping and used it to put together a baby quilt for my Nephew and his wife's new baby. The baby was born the end of May so I am a little behind schedule (don't judge). I wanted it to be just the right quilt for Brynn as she is the most adorable little girl. I had picked out two other quilts but couldn't get going on them as they didn't seem right. This one is perfect!

Now to get this one quilted and off to Brynn!

Half the fun of going on a sewing retreat is to check out what everyone else is doing. My friend MaryGin from Quilting that's my Jam. Mary Gin had just taken a class the day before the retreat with Gyleen Fitzgerald and was working on a pineapple quilt. She had all kinds of fruit fabric and was using them as her center squares for the blocks. Here are some of the blocks she has made.

Since I was cutting out reds I cut extra 1.5" strips for MaryGin to add to her collection. I love the red blocks she has made. That may be a quilt all in it self!
She was also working on a tone on tone quilt that she completed the top(minus the borders) while on the retreat.

This was a great collection of fabric she got at The Blue Hen. Sea shells, sand dollars and beach stones. I love the way it is coming out. Cant wait to see it quilted!
By far the best part of the retreat, for me, was visiting with my friend, gabbing and sewing and generally just having fun. In case you were wondering, we did get to the beach one day (the day we left). We walked along the beach and watched the sun rise.

I am energized, and ready to take on a year of quilting fun... and, already looking forward to next years trip!
Enjoy your week and Happy Sewing!

Upcycled Quilts

I have been working on T-shirt quilts last week. My father in law passed away a few years back and I promised my husbands siblings to take all the T-shirts they gave to him over the years and make T-shirt quilts for them. I made the first two pretty quickly, then finished the third after a year or so. Sadly, the last two got put aside. We moved, and they got packed away. This year I am determined to finish up the bins of unfinished projects that I have packed away. Well last week was time to get these finished and off to their new homes.

Well, I finished sewing on the binding and labels late last night (really it was early this morning before I finished. I work better in the wee hours of the morning for some reason). Today they are off to the post office and their new homes. I can cross two more UFO's off my list and head on to the next one. Hope you are having a great day! Stop by later this week to see the Valentines Day Quilt I am working on.

Adorable new leggings pattern

I had the privileged of pattern testing the Wild and Free Lounge Pants for Coffee + Thread Patterns. These leggings are a great fit, easy and fun to sew and look adorable on. There are several animal appliques to chose from as well as shape appliques. I will be making more of these pants for my granddaughters!

Blue Ribbon !

So honored r=to have received a Blue Ribbon on my Tula Pink Butterfly quilt at the CT Piecemakers Quilt show.

Blog sharing

Well, it has been some time since I posted here. Fall is a very busy time for me. Quilts poured in to be quilted for Christmas. I had to do some careful planning as we were away a lot of the time from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I had to keep a tight schedule to get everything done. Of course that means that some of my personal projects got pushed back to the new year.
I have set some goals for myself for the new year. I prefer goals to resolutions as I never seem to keep up with resolutions. I will be more active in my blog is at the top of my list. I am working with some other bloggers to share their blogs with you. All other quilters who will hopefully inspire you as much as they do me.
Today I would like you to meet Peta of The not so guilty quilter
Here is her interview:

How did you come to be a quilter?
It's hard to say: I have memories of sewing and quilting that go back to 3rd grade in the 1970s. I got back to quilting during my first pregnancy (97) but became more active about 10 years ago.

What is it that you love about being a quilter?
The joy of self expression, creating beauty, and the accomplishment of a project that turns out close to what I envisioned in my mind. Perhaps more importantly, the connection I have with other quilters.
What are you most proud of from your quilting experience?

What’s the one piece of advice about quilting that all new quilters should know?
No one knows how to do everything. It's a learning process, and the joy is in growing. Even bad projects help a quilter develop. Be fearless, you can do more than you ever imagined.

Who’s the quilter(s) that inspire you at the moment?
Karen McTavish, Robbi Joy Eklow, Angela Walters and every one of my fellow Chicago Modern Quilt Guild sisters.

What quilting challenges would you like to conquer in the next 12 months.
Entering a juried quilt show/competition.
Be published in a major quilting publication.
If you weren’t a quilter, what other creative endeavour would you like to master?
I've ways been curious about glass blowing: I think it's the colors.

What is your favourite kind of pie?
Apple, hot. With a side of vanilla ice cream,cold.

What holidays, traditions or religious occasions do you celebrate in your family at this time of year?
We celebrate the Jewish holiday Hanukkah ( or Chanukah) which is an 8 day event. It is a minor holiday with regard to religious significance, but falls during the Christmas season. With all the fan fare and hoopla, we sometimes feel a little left out, and definitely different from the crowd. So, this year I curated a Hanukkah post for SewMamaSew’s Handmade Holiday series. I think it was really appreciated, and the feedback was wonderful. I'm working on finishing up a really great table runner I designed. I love it.

Do you listen to music, watch television or prefer the hum of the sewing machine when you sew?
Movies, or music. My tastes vary from popular hits to reggae, the Grateful Dead and tacky 80s pop.

What’s your favourite colour combination to work with and why?
I try to stay away from favorites, actively go the OTHER way. I made a black-white-red project as a gift, colors I'd never personally use, but it turned out to be simply stunning; that really changed the way I approach colors. Now, I try to play with contrast, high vs. low volume, combinations that create “pop” or calming harmony. Otherwise, all my projects would be purple!

Do you prewash your quilting fabrics?
No. I'm pretty lazy. It bites me in the ass from time to time.

What are you hoping the festive season will bring for you?
Peace, and a ProStitcher.

I hope you enjoyed the interview and will take some time to check out Peta's blog as well as her
Instagram : Petaquilts
Facebook : Peta Minerof-Bartos
Pinterest: Peta Minerof-Bartos
Flicker: Peta Mineroff-Bartos

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Blog Around The World Tour

This is my Blog Around the World Post. Kymberly, my Super Nova Block Swap Partner and asked me to participate and I am happy to share a little about myself and my work. Kymberly of Peas in a Pod Creations and I were unknown to each other until matched up in this swap. It has been fun getting to know a little about her. I love to watch the progress on her Farmers Wife project. Maybe someday I will get to those blocks as well.
As for me, I am a longarm quilter, I have designed a few patterns and am continuing to work on designing more as the inspiration strikes me. My mom taught me to sew when I was very young. I loved making clothes! I have made wedding gowns, bridesmaids gowns and custom clothing for folks. I have tried my hand at many crafts along the way but it wasn't until I started quilting that I found my true passion. Something for which my husband is very grateful...he is so happy I have stoped buying all these supplies for projects only to have outgrown my desire to do hat type of project.
Now for the questions in this tour.
What am I working on?
Well, I can't show you too many pictures here as I am working on many Christmas presents for family and friends. Suffice it to say, I will be working right up till Christmas eve if I don't get a move on. I am also working on the blocks for My Super Nova Swap with Kymberly.

These are the blocks we have completed so far.
I am finishing up he binding on a few quilts for my Guilds quilt show October 4&5. That is my biggest priority right now. I work best under deadlines.

I am working on my IGminiswap project. Gathering the fabrics now and hoping that will inspire the project.

I am trying to make up a few outfits for my grandchildren. They all need a few winter items made by me.

This is my oldest grandaughter, Harper. She is 1 1/2 and so much fun.

These are the twins, Olivia and Lydia. They are 7 months old and so sweet. I do love making clothes for all of them.
I have many machine embroidery projects going on. I love the fact that I can multitask. I set up the embroidery machine, go and quilt on the longarm (non computerized) and come back for thread changes. This is how I will get many of my holiday gifts done in time.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I wouldn't say my work is different. I try to make it unique. Even if I am following a pattern, I allow myself to add my own creative flair to the project. That may be embellishments or a different layout than the pattern. I don't want my work to always be the same as someone else. I want people to be able to look at it and know that it was made by me.

Why do I write/create what I do?
I enjoy the process of quilting from start to finish. Picking out the fabrics, the piecing, the quilting, every part of the process is fun. I never know exactly what I will end up with till the end as here are creative decisions to be made throughout the entire journey.

How does my writing/creative process work?
For me, the writing is my least favorite part of the process. I am trying to get better about taking notes throughout the process. That certainly helps me with the writing. The tools that made the process easier, the tips for making the piecing simpler, these are all things I like to share. I really enjoy teaching. working with students in the classroom setting or private lessons at my home. To see the joy when a student completes a project makes it all worthwhile for me.

The bloggers that I have nominated to join the Blog Around The World Tour are:
Heather from Heather Kojan Quilts. She is the founder of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild. She is an amazing quilter and an inspiration to me. I hope you enjoy her work as much as i do.

Sarah from Pitcher Family Adventures. Sarah is a part of the Quiltspiration 365 blog, a group of Quilt Bloggers who share their inspirations.
Watch for their posts on Monday, September 22.

SuperNova Swap Progress Update

Making progress on my Super Nova Swap Blocks. I wasn't sure how I was going to like the two different background colors but I am loving it! I want to make my quilt for a king size bed and since we are only swapping 9 blocks I will have to figure out a layout and add a few more blocks. I can't wait to see what this month brings from my swap partner! Have a great weekend!