Friday, June 29, 2012

Cherry Tree and Birthday Blocks

Here are two more blocks I got quilted before leaving town!
It feels like it is going fairly fast.
I decided to go back and cross hatch before moving on to the next block. Do you think 1" apart is about right?
Here are two lovely birthday blocks. I don't know how many I have but I know I'm close to 111 that I want for the size quilt I'm doing. My sashing and cornerstones are chosen and it's packed up for my Sister's retreat. Thank you all!! I know I'm still expecting at least 2 more. It's not too late to add yours if you want to be a part of my 50th birthday quilt. Just let me know.
Sujata sent me this wonderful graphic Wagon Wheel pattern and Meredithe made this lovely needle case for me. I love extending my birthday! Thanks you so much my dear friends.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

AAQI Quilts



These three little quilts are making there way to AAQI headquarters. Kathie H. pieced the tops and I quilted and bound them. I named each of them after a town that is etched in my mother's memory.  Del Rio, Cheyenne, and Billings. Dedicated to the places forgotten by Alzheimer's patients.

Monday, June 25, 2012

A Little Porch Time Part 2

Here is my second part of A Little Porch Time, designed by Primitive Pieces by Lynda. If you didn't have your house block done then please add a link to that block too.

If you don't have a blog an want to share your block email me a photo and I'll add it to the link.

Below are the next blocks we are making.
The first one is the bee skep with bird. We will need to be piecing this section together so we'll be ready to add the water can and flowers. Be sure not to center the bee skep.
Simple basket and star flowers.
And one little 9 patch.

I think these blocks will work up fairly easy.  Enjoy!


I'm leaving early in the morning for my east coast adventure! I'm looking forward to renewing friendships and seeing eye dazzling quilts at Vermont QuiltFest!! I've got a few post ready to roll. Don't worry if you have sent a birthday block- hubby is holding down the fort and will be checking the mail. I'll be back 3 days then picking up my friend Gabe for the "Adventures of Sisters Quilt show!"

Wednesday, June 20, 2012



Here are the latest Just Takes Two blocks. I opted to not make two airplanes and substituted my own 6" block.
One more block hand quilted on Beyond the Cherry Trees. Am trying to work on it before the summer heat hits.
What do you think about cross hatching in the background? The original had small clamshell quilting but I do think my motifs would get lost with that. My original plan was to quilt the motifs, then around the applique and go back at the very end and do the cross hatching. I'm starting to think I may want to do the background filler as I'm doing each block. Any ideas or thought on this?

Happy first day of summer!!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Textiles & Linens...Oh My!

I  have a thing for textiles, not just quilts.
This is not what stayed on my table, but it sure is pretty. (minus the wrinkles)
My dresser overfloweth...
My sister and I found this over the weekend while cleaning out my moms old apartment. My grandmother made it. We decided we would have to flip a coin for it. I soaked it a bit and am having my doubts if the rust spots(?) while ever come out. There is also candle wax on it.
Anybody else share my love for linens, textiles and old aprons? How do you  display them?

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Magazines Revisited...Again!

Maybe this is the topic that won't go away....

We have at least the attention of one magazine and I appreciated Jeni's comments so much that I told her I was publishing it on my blog.

Hello!
I'm Jenifer, the Creative Director of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine, I was sent to this blog post by a nice lady at the NQA quilt show today! I just read each and every comment to my sister/partner, Gretchen, the Advertising and Circulation director, out loud! And after drinking some much needed water (haha)I wanted to post a comment to you! First of all, thank you to the many people who had such nice things to say about our publication. Secondly, we are all quilters just like you, and you have touched on issues close to our hearts. We would love to have more submissions of projects to our magazine, and it is as easy as sending us an email of a quilt or sketch of a project that is unpublished. Send them to homespunmedia@aol.com and we will consider them! Most of our projects have been primitive, but at least in every issue there has been a traditional or reproduction quilt, so we are open to that as well, for possible future publications. We will be sure to keep all of your comments in our thoughts as we plan our upcoming issues! Thank you Lori, for opening up this discussion, it is very helpful for our "new" magazine!
Jenifer, Gretchen, and Judy (even though she isn't with us here at the show!)
 


Any other magazine editors dare to jump in on this conversation?
Just had to have a photo and I thought this was a pretty unique magazine cover!


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Jubilee

 The last time I shared  my Jubilee quilt I had one pot on one corner. I don't have them all appliqued down, but I am making progress. I'm trying to stay focused.
Here are a few more blocks that came in for my Jubilee quilt. I am hoping to start adding sashing when I have a good block of time the week before the Sisters show.  Thanks friends!!


Sunday, June 10, 2012

JT2 on the Porch....

Here's my June 1st set of Just Takes 2 blocks. I decided to do Kansas Troubles instead of Buckeye Beauty.

I'm wondering how ya'll are doing on A Little Porch Time? My block is done and because I am going to Vermont Quiltfest via New Jersey I'll be posting my block and the linky about the 25th. Will you be ready with block one (the house) and block 2 (the zinnia's)? I can't wait to see them!!



Friday, June 8, 2012

AAQI

"Windows" winging it's way to AAQI headquarters to be assigned. I'll be sure to let you know when it's up for sale.
Kathie has graciously sent me these wonderful little quilts to finish and send into AAQI. I'm getting caught back up after vacation and finally have them basted. Sweet aren't they?!Thanks Kathie!!

So, it has been an interesting 12 days since returning from vacation. My brother had volunteered to be the one to tell me mom she was moving, but anytime he hinted at it she was adamant that she was not ever moving. She went as far as to say she would sit in her chair and never leave it! lol

She wasn't that way when I talked to her (we think she was being extra nice because I had been on vacation and she missed me) so I ended up being the one to tell her. I picked her up the next morning for a tour and a full day of drs appointments and intake interviews.  Last week was hard. She didn't take the news well, but lovingly we kept moving forward and by the weekend she was ready.
Wednesday evening I was telling her that they would come and clean her apartment once a week and do her laundry and her response was , "That's included in the rent?"
I wish I could get Wells Fargo to include that in my mortgage payment! lol

Moving day is TODAY! I'm looking forward to seeing her in a safer, healthier and more social environment. I hope all goes well.

Have a wonderful weekend.


 PS from Ami

This blog post will go out at 1am eastern time on June 6th. Feel free to scoop me and send this information (word for word if you like) out right away. Daniel J. Andoni, a local attorney here in Flint, Michigan, pledges 3% of his net profits to a local charity each month. Instead of deciding which deserving nonprofit gets his donation, he uses crowd sourcing: visitors to his website cast their vote for one of five charities. The one with the most votes at the end of the month wins the donation.
The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative is one of the charities listed for the month of June! We are off to a fabulous start, but it's the charity with the most votes at the END of the month that counts. To pull this off, we need to keep growing the numbers. Every vote counts.

PPS from Ami
June auction is going on now...bid once bid many times!! 



Thursday, June 7, 2012

Magazines Revisited and some Housekeeping

Good morning! It looks like I am not alone in my feelings for quilt magazines.

One of my readers went so far as to direct the editor of AP&Q to my blog and here is her response:

Thank you for taking the time to write us and share your comments. I am sorry we failed to meet your expectations with this issue of American Patchwork & Quilting, and I would love to hear from you regarding the quilt designers or types of patterns you’d enjoy seeing featured in upcoming issues. If you are like many of the posters on the blog post you’re referring to, perhaps primitive projects would be something you’d like us to include more of? Sincerely, Elizabeth

Maybe it is time we start a email campaign to our favorite quilt magazines and let them know what we want.

I found this online as well: I design quilts and would like to submit ideas to your magazine for possible publication. What process do you follow? All submitted projects must be original, never before published. If the quilt has already been constructed, please send a photograph and 2" square swatches of the fabrics used in the quilt. If you are still in the design stage, please e-mail or send a sketch or computer drawing, a description of the project, and 2" fabric swatches of the fabrics you may choose for the project. Please do not send the finished quilt or instructions for re-creating the quilt until a contract has been offered to you. Do note any special techniques or tools needed to complete your project in a cover letter.
 Please send all submissions along with your mailing address, telephone number, and mail to:
 American Patchwork & Quilting® Project Planning Mtg.
1716 Locust St., LN-418
Des Moines, IA 50309-3023

 It is possible that same-O, same-O quilt magazines may start to be as obsolete as a newspaper subscription?

I loved hearing the variety of comments on the subject.....

Speaking of comments. I made it so I can reply directly into the comment field as a reply. So many of you are on "no-reply" and then ask a question. This is where you may find my response.

Also,  this is "my" blog. I do try and be sensitive, but I've never been one to be politically correct.(never claimed to either!) If you leave a comment it is my prerogative to publish, respond, or outright delete.
Thank you and have a nice day... This concludes my  service announcement.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Quilt Magazines

Anybody else finding the quality of quilt magazines lacking lately? After many years I am letting my subscription to American Patchwork & Quilting go. I guess the bottom line is there really isn't anything "new" in quilting. Although....

I love Primitive Quilts & Projects! It's not just quilts and it fills a need for primitive style projects, projects made with wool, home decor, dolls, bears and much more.

Do you still subscribe to quilt magazines?

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Colors of the Caribbean

I had to do one more post of my trip. I picked a few of my favorites.
I couldn't resist this lovely and sort of wild looking girl. "Who has time to fix your hair! There are 4 ships in port. We gotta make some money!" (Barbara- no reply, sorry you have taken offense at my comments. My niece lived with me for 5 years and many days her hair looked just like this because I didn't have the time to fix it- it takes a lot of work and time! I speak from first hand experience. Also, these people do not have much money and they work hard when the ships are in port-I appreciate that and purchase from them because they have families to support)
View from Great Bird Island, Antigua, BVI
Saint Stephens Anglican Church, Antigua, BVI
.
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Cane Garden Bay, Tortola BVI
Yellow and Blue- lovely!
I hope you liked them!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Surrounded by Love

It thrills me to no end to see wonderful creations my friends have given to me.
A prayer flag made by Libby.
The Wine Fairy aka Rum Runner made by my good friend Judy. You must check out her website Rustic Garden!
Wonderful birthday blocks, including the Danish flag. (my heritage) Debra I couldn't find an email to thank you properly- thank you!!
Wow! Julie sent this and no photo online does this beautiful necklace justice. It is so precise and so tiny!! 


Thank you so much dear friends!! You have no idea how I've been touched by your friendship and generosity!!
 Fabric in the Caribbean!!
I had to take a photo as it was quite the accident that I found these.

PS, I've been wanting to add a couple of book recommendations, in order of preference:

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana : five sisters, one remarkable family, and the woman who risked everything to keep them safe by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon. 

Life in a Jar : the Irena Sendler Project  by Jack Mayer

Wild : From lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail  by Cheryl Strayed.