Monday, June 29, 2015

 Here's my Stars in A Time Warp star for this week- Fancy Machine Grounds. I was hoping to make it subtle and not easy to see and I think I accomplished that. I'm trying to mix it up a bit.

This week kicks off the festivities of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.


 Friday morning volunteers met up to deliver Sponsor quilts to businesses in Sisters. This is the 3rd year I've done this and it is fun to see the businesses get excited about the quilt show. Here is Jeanette giving us our directions before sending us out.
 Intake of quilts has started too. Here are volunteers labeling folding and getting them organized.
 The quilts are organized by theme. This large room is really wonderful for it.
Here I am at Sisters Art Works getting ready to hang this quilt by Kristin Sheilds. It will hang for the whole month of July.

On another note, I loved this book! You may want to put it on your reading list.

If you want to see what I was up to this weekend check it out HERE

Friday, June 26, 2015

 Many of you agreed about the rushing of everything these days. If you were one of the ones who mentioned the quilting, I didn't take offense, AT all! I'm not easily offended. Please continue to leave comments and offer your 2 cents.
Sharon summed up my feelings precisely. She wrote: Worrying about what comes next steals the pleasure of the now, both in life and in quilting. 

Here is an antique star that I appliqued onto a linen French General backing. 
I have been considering the quilting on this one and decided simple lines was what I wanted to do. If you click on it you can see the lines I drew with the frixion pen. I plan on working on it this weekend.
Doesn't our dog look relaxed? It was fairly early morning and he was enjoying the shade. His two leg surgeries are catching up with him and he is showing his age. 

I actually take quite a few photos of our dog Porter. Here's my Instagram feed in case you missed it this week.

We are heading to the mountains for our first camping weekend this year. They are going to be few and far between, so we need to get away while we can.
I hope your weekend is fantastic!

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

My thoughts on the Quilting Process

Happy Wednesday! I got to thinking after reading a few of Monday's comments. Several people asked, "How are you going to quilt it?"
The straightforward answer is, I probably won't quilt it cause it's a huge quilt!.

For most quilts, including the Ohio sampler, I don't give the quilting much of a thought when I'm piecing it. I like a challenge and I love making the tops. That's my favorite part.

I got in on the ground floor with the Jane Stickle quilt and only had a book with line drawings. I think towards the end I purchased a triangle ruler for cutting them out accurately. I loved the challenge of trying to figure out the best approach to making those blocks. The only thought I gave to quilting it was that I wanted to hand quilt it. (14 years later I completed that!)

 Blind Man's fancy is another one I enjoyed piecing after drawing up the pattern from a photo of the old quilt from New York. The piecing and the challenge was what I enjoyed. I sent this one out to be quilted for an all over paisley quilting.
Under the big top was another one I enjoyed piecing and drawing out in EQ.  This one also got an allover paisley quilting.

So, for awhile I'll feel accomplished that I actually got this top all put together, then I'll contemplate the quilting. I'm in no hurry.

It sort of reminds me of something I've seen lately. Summer just arrived, officially a couple of days ago, and people are already talking about fall! Let me enjoy summer and all its fullness! Life is short enough, let's enjoy the moments we have and stop pushing ahead to the next this, the next that, the next.......

So that's my long answer, oh it seems it sort of went into a rant! LOL!!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Ta-Da! Ohio Sampler!!

I got the Ohio sampler top assembled!! 
 It was quite the puzzle.

I hardly had space to lay it out. I assembled from the top, then started at the bottom and met in the middle...sort of.
 Here are a few closer up photos.
 I added the flag to fill in a 23x8 " space. I like it so much.



It fun, its quirky and its humble! All just the way I like it!

Friday, June 19, 2015

Friday Musings

Seriously, this week has flown by and I can hardly believe it is Friday! Here's a little from my week. 

 Hubby and I will not be going into the Bernina repair business. But we figured out the problem and are close to a solution. I could not see me driving one hour, one way for them to tell me I had a short in my cord. I hope to have it back in my sewing room this weekend.
 A friend sent me a box saying the Civil War is over in her sewing room! It fit nicely in my fabric drawers. Thank you again!
And two adorable thank you gifts for doing the swap. Just know I appreciate it wholeheartedly but never expected!
 These little squares look die cut! Mine would never look that neat.
 I'm a fan of patriotic anything and LOVE this for the center.
 Look at this great little pin cushion in my favorite colors! 
Thank you generous friends from the bottom of my heart!
Here's the Stars in a time warp. White ground chintz.
 And blotch ground chintz. (I think!)
 Was a beautiful night in Bend, Oregon to enjoy an outdoor concert of the Doobie Bros. A fun time, not so great music.
Here is my instagram feed from the past week. You can find me at loridej

I let Karen know I am bowing out of the Old Voices, new Impressions sewalong. I'll work on it when I can, but feel like I have other pressing things going on and do not want the pressure of keeping up. 
I was starting to stress and for me piecing and quilting should not be stressful. 


With that said, I hope to sew this weekend! Whoop! Whoop! Enjoy!


Monday, June 15, 2015

Doll Quilt Swap Linky Party

It has been fun to see the swap quilts on facebook, but I do like seeing them all in one place. Look HERE for last years swap linky party. 

The day I have been looking forward to!  Not everyone has a blog to link up but if your partner has one she/he can post it. (you can post two links if you need to) 
I have photos of many of the quilts. If neither you or your partner have a blog let me know and I'll post your little quilt.
Let's link up the blog post on the quilt you received.   Please link up the blog POST not just your blog. If you aren't sure how to do that let me know and I'll help you out.


Once again here is the awesome quilt I received from Pam Leonard.  I just love it!
Thank you so much!








Friday, June 12, 2015

Classic and Vintage - Delectable Mountains

I participated in Fat Quarter Shop Classic and Vintage series blog hop with the bears paw block and now I'm part of the Delectable Mountain blog hop!

Their video series and directions and so spot on, I was thrilled to be a part of this!
When I thought about this block and the name I was drawn to what I see every day.......

And chose this faded blue paisley. 


Using the directions they provided, the block went together so slick! Here is what I have so far.

You can get the block pattern FREE right HERE as a pdf.

And to help you along, here's the YouTube video. I find these particularly helpful as I am such a visual learner.

I want to make my quilt bigger but with the machine problems I have been having I didn't get them all completed. But I will! Very soon!

If you want to purchase the complete pattern with 4 different sizes click HERE.

And if you are interested in a kit using the Evergreen fabric click HERE.

I am looking forward to seeing all the creations using different fabric. If you want to see them and be inspired click HERE for Jolly Jabber blog!

Have a wonderful weekend!



Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Old Tom....

Now that I am showing these again as I assemble them you can see the embroidery I've added. 

I opted to add a frame around the peony rather than an extra strip between the blocks. 

Looks a little goofy.....


But it worked....... (for now!)

And here is what you missed on Instagram these lat 2 weeks. 

Thanks again for the positive response to the Facebook group! As of Tuesday evening we have 246 wonderful quilters! You can check it out HERE.

I'm hosting a Linky party next Monday so we can see all the little quilts in one place. You will be sharing the quilt you received! More about that on Monday.
As far as I know we have one little quilt lost from New Zealand to Washington state. I hope everybody else at least knows your quilt is on the way.

I have a fun project to share on Friday!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Stars and Samplers.....Again

 Here are my Stars in a Time Warp blocks- "neat stripes" this week. I'm not sure how neat my stripes are though! LOL  The pink and red on the right was cut wrong, so I went with it.

I'm attempting to get some some of the Ohio sampler blocks sewn together.




 I had to make these  basket blocks.
 The deer was substituted and it was supposed to be 12 tall and 10 wide, instead I did it the other way around.
So, I trimmed it and gave him some grass. 

So, I was downstairs getting organized for the graduation party and I hear a strange noise. I followed it upstairs and it was my sewing machine!! I had left it on and it decided to sew FAST speed without me! I have it ready to take in and am getting reacquainted with my first machine- a Viking. Do they even make Viking sewing machines anymore?

Happy Monday!!