It is the first Monday of the month and that means a sew day with friends. I belong to a group called Quilts Etc. in Charleston ill  we meet on the first Monday of the month and sew on our projects, visit, and lunch of course..  today we decided to pick a simple quilt pattern called Summer Salsa and each make on by our Christmas party in Dec.in our own fabrics and see how different each one looks. This should be fun and interesting.   Also going to do a birthday block for each member  this year we decided to each do a block pertaining to a month of the year  there are 12 of us participating so put the months in a box and each drew out a paper and we will make a block for each other pertaining to the month we drew example Dec  person will make a Christmas block for each of us and we will get them in our birthday month...  going to be fun.  I have the month of September, so need to put on my thinking cap for ideas to represent September..

I worked on my basket blocks got all but two sen into blocks, hope to finish other 2 tomorrow then to design wall to arrange them and sew together with setting blocks. will post picture when they are on design wall.
Here is the picture of the tulip fields quilt I made for sample for class at Stewart's I will be teaching this on April 18, 2013. this was a fun quilt and loved using my scraps. I used a constant red fabric and the blue for sashing strip rest was from scraps.

Here is a picture of the tea cup mug rug that I am teaching at Stitch n Sew on Feb 15th  this is fun and fast.
I made many of these for Christmas presents.  there is a pocket in the tea cup for a card and tea bag.

Hi,  well it has been a trying end to the year, lost another family member that was 102.   I created three T-shirt quilts and quilting a embrodiery quilt following the blue dots  in Dec for customers to give as Christmas gifts.  here are 2 of the t-shirt quilts.well won't let me upload pictures will do it later.

 I have been working on samples for the quilt shops for my winter classes.   Check out the following shops for my classes, Stewarts in Mt Zion, Stitch n Sew in Arthur, and Main Street Quilt Co in Shelbyville.   there is variety of classes hope one interests you.  See you in class.

Well off to work on a basket quilt, I have the basket part done now appliquing the handle on the top have of the blocks.  then need to start quilting on the long arm this next week.

Happy Quilting
Sharon

Wednsday's progress

A few friends got together to sew, have lunch, and visit. We hadn't gotten together this month and we needed a day together.   It was a therapy day for all of us with the things that have been happening in our lives lately.   One friend helped another make a cushion cover, two were making blocks for quilts, another putting together a block exchnage quilt. and I worked on making a purse fro a xmas prestent. I finished it before quitting for the day, can't show a picture yet since don't want to spoil the surprise.
Then in the evening worked on another lacey scarf. Will take picture of these soon.  They are also xmas presents.    I am off to put a customer quilt in the machine and quilt. 

Happy Quilting,
Sharon

catching up with posts

Well I haven't posted lately due to taking care of family situations and didn't sew for couple weeks.  So this is what I have gotten done in the last week.  

I worked on the blocks from the Pat Speth's class that I took the beginning of Nov in the evenings. The pattern is in the More Nickel Quilts book called Woodland Clover. I have 19 blocks done. I am really liking these blocks. Not sure what size I am going to make this yet, I thought the lap size but that isn't very big and I don't want square, so I think I will just make more blocks until decide to quit and put it together. I have plenty of 5" squares and this is using them..

I also am going to do the Bonnie Hunter 2012 mystery she has just started. I have selected my fabrics had to change out a couple of her colors since they had to come from stash or at least almost all of it. I didn't have purples so using oranges, had almost enough limey greens bought couple fat qtrs to have more variety, using dusty blues instead of teal,  and using gold for my constant instead of grey and had black/white fat qtrs set back for another quilt so decided to use them and if get to that quilt I will buy more..    I had to try a few 4 patches to see if going to like my choices and I do.  Not going to do any more thinking about fabrics I have them picked and just going for it.. will work on them in the evening as leader and enders.
here is my fabric choices and my 4 patches.



I also got a customer t-shirt quilt done and ready for the quilt machine yesterday. I will be off to get a back for it today and hopefully get it into the machine today. then just have 2 more to make for customers before Christmas and do my shopping..  got to keep focused....

 

Oh I forgot that I learned how to make the lace scarves, they are so much fun and fast and easy  making few for Christmas gifts.  They are so soft..

 

happy quilting,

Sharon

retreat weekend

I am getting ready to host a quilt retreat this weekend. I have 6 quilters coming for 3 days. Since this is a holiday weekend they can get an extra day.   I have the menu made, grocery shopping done, house almost ready. Tommorow I will make several of the meals ahead.  Looking forward to the weekend. Get some friend together and book a retreat they are productive and fun.   No cooking, cleaning and answering the phone.... 

I finished making the other block for my scrappy Irish chain quilt. Here is the block, now it is time to start putting it together.  need the design wall for that.

Happy quilting,
Sharon

Wednsday's progress

Hi,   Had a great day sewing today.  It was Weds sew day at my house, several friends came over to join me. Everyone worked on their own projects, ask opinions on projects. Had great conversation and food.   I worked on quilting a tablerunner and 2 table mats.  They have Happy Birthday on them with cupcakes.   These were from stripe fabric.  So much fun. Will use these when we celebrate birthdays at my house.

This evening I turned on the Quiltcam with Bonnie Hunter and sewed 10 scrappy irish chain blocks. this is a total of 44 blocks done out of 66.  I am getting there couple more sessions and I will have these done. Then one more set of blocks to make and will be read to put them together.

Also Bonnie H released her fabric requirements for her new mystery quilt that will start Friday after Thanksgiving.   Looked for some of the fabrics but not sure what I am going to use.  I don't have lime green fabric that she used and not much purple fabric.  I have pulled out some dark orange fabrics and some medium browns may use them..  Will need to do some more digging and thinking..

Happy quilting,
Sharon

On Sunday I quilted on a customer quilt in the  longarm machine.  I got all but last row done before dinner, I should have finshed it before supper because couldn’t make myself go finish it. 

Monday progress report:
I got up and finished the quit in the machine and put the binding on it. Just need to hand sew it down.  Then made a stripe table runner and table mat.  these are easy and fun. Once you start making them you see stripe fabric everywhere.  Great for all holidays. 
here is a picture of one set.

Then I made another set from happy birthday stripe fabric:   I have them made and ready to quilt.  that is for another day.   Then switched projects and started putting tegether a T-shirt quilt for a customer. I had the shirt stabilized and cut to size, so I sew them into rows with sashing between them. While doing that I started the embroidery machine on making the centers for our quilt show ribbons.   When I am home alone I sure can get busy and get some things done. 

I used 3 yards of fabric from my stash for the back of the tablerunners and table mats. this is a good amount for one day.

I watched Bonnie Hunter on Quiltcam tonight for about half hour and made 4 more blocks for my scrappy irish chain.

Happy Quilting,
Sharon