Kevin the quilter classes

On Thursday a friend Mary Ann and I traveled to the Naperville, Il area to attend a lecture and 2 quilt classes by Kevin Huffman (Kevin the quilter). His quilts were amazing at the trunk show  did not think to take any pictures. His class on Friday was sponsored by the Pride of the Prairie quilt guild in Naperville  it was crumb stars. We took small pieces of fabric called crumbs and made fabric for our start blocks.
  here is picture of the fabric being made

 here is picture of our blocks made with instructor Kevin

 here is the class picture   so much fun.

The guild provided lunch for the first day class in price of class.  Thanks lunch was great.

Then we went to Cheryl Parker's house  for the evening and dinner. Kevin was staying with her so we got to spend some downtime with him.  Great meal lasagna, Italian green beans, and salad.   Cheryl's son made brownies for dessert  can not beat brownies. 

Then on Sat the class was hosted by Wego Quilting quilt guild in Oswego, Il.

Kevin taught his string star class. 

He started the class with a picture of the Huffman Hotties in the class. Cheryl brought tiaras for those that did not bring their own.   Someone started this group but not sure when and why  so google it and find out for your self.

This is Kevin's string star quilt.

Kevin is a hands on show me kind of instructor.  He showed each step then we went and did and then he proceeded to show us the next step and emphasized to us that this is how he works  so if doesn't work for us  do it our way.    But always great to try the teachers way to see if works better for you. 

There were many different color ways the everyone was doing.  Most of us used a single piece of fabric for the background but Kevin's was pieced in similar fabrics.  Then we used steam a seam on the back of our star to attach it to our background (not on the whole star just some strips in the middle and on star pont.   Then Kevin just layered it and quilted it with straight lines close together on the whole quilt. This made the star raw edge applique with out the applique..  

  One of the only classes that we got the project ready to quilt. Can you believe it we didn't. 

  So here is the pictures of the class projects.

Here is a close up picture of mine. With Mary Ann, Kevin, me, and Cheryl.

This class had a potluck lunch.  Wow what great food and variety.  Thanks so much    And donuts for breakfast snack plus other things...

Kevin thanks for such a wonderful time and Cheryl thanks for inviting us to join your guilds for these classes.   The most important thing I learned from these classes is sort your scraps into color families.   This is going to make so much difference. Yes is will take some time to get my scraps this way  but it will be worth it.  I guess could be TV watching time project.

april 2019 update

I have been busy this month sorry for not blogging. I made a customer T-shirt quilt queen size.  Finished it before Easter. Quilted two other small quilts for someone. I quilted my great grandson's birthday quilt, he is going into a big bed soon.  Even got it done for his party...

I did not get time to make his pillow case and reading pillow to go with it .

Went to AQS show in Paducah, Ky this last week with 2 great friends had a . wonderful time . We arrive late afternoon on Monday went to Hobby Lobby to get a few things for our classes and look around.  My daughter got me into doing diamond painting if don't know what this is google it  so fun and relaxing. So I got a table top easel to use with doing this. Tuesday morning we went to the Rotary club to see quilts and shop the vendors we were disappointed 2 of our favorite vendors were not there  but others were great.  Then went to Benton, Ky to visit Odds n Ends quilt shop and owner Zella  great time visiting and bought few things. Ate a late lunch at the 4 little piggy's restaurant great BBQ.  Then back to Paducah and shopped downtown and then back to hotel to prepare for next day class and hang out.

We took two classes, one on Weds with Gyleen Fitzgerald with her ruler and book Trash to Treasures. It was a pineapple quilt block made with what she called trash which were 1 1/2" strips.  This was a great and she was fun, there will be more of these quilts.  I had the book and ruler for awhile so was great to learn how to use it and she has a second book out now.  Ruler you will not be sitting on the sidelines any more...

I got these three blocks done plus 4 more ready to trim.  

The other day was Friday and it was a class with Kaye England and her Summer Garden quilt.  It is a medallion quilt. We got the center basket done and started on other parts. I got the 9 patches done. Now to make the tiny log cabins blocks.

Kaye is always a great teacher and full of information. 

Thursday we went to the pavilion and shopped the vendors Luckily started and stopped raining while we were in there   Then went to the convention center to see quilts and shop.   Also shopped the show during lunch both days of our classes.

Friday night was the last night of our trip and we always go to the Ricky Tims concert after having a nice dinner downtown this year two other friends joined us. He is always very entertaining  this year was the 35th year of the AQS show so Alex Anderson joined him in remembering the previous show winners and what was going on in the world that year.  His special treat this year was bringing his pipe organ and playing it for us and 3 new arranged songs for us.

It was wonderful.  

Saturday we checked out of hotel and went back to a couple vendors in the pavilion that we decided we wanted to purchase something then headed home.

Yesterday I unpacked suitcase and sewing bags. I did very well on not over buying this year.  Got some things I was looking for and a few I wasn't but not a lot.  Few patterns and embroidery designs. 

Then I went to the embroidery machine to try making a bag.  First one is always the hardest. It turned out ok,  I will use different stabilizer next time. I bought some cork at the show  to use in some bags glad did not try it with first bag.  Then put daughter's name on her pillowcase from Xmas she brought it back for her name. 

 Made great grandson his pillow case.  Need to put his name on it today.

 then cut up the small pieces of fabric left from his quilt ready for scrap quilts. 

3 1/2"   2 1/2" 2" and 1 1/2" strips  string strips and selvage pieces for a friend plus some left over border strips from his quilts for something not sure what yet. 

Well off to make something else today.  Might get the borders on my embroidery quilt. Also start making another t-shirt quilt for a customer due in couple weeks. 

Happy quilting

Sharon J

cutting up scraps

well I went to a friends house for a few days to get help with new embroidery machine.  I have a quilt to finish that had 2 big blocks left to do and they needed to be re hooped. So the new machine has bigger hoops, but still needed to re hoop them due to the design being made to re hoop.   I got them done. Well as things will have it I ran out of the green thread I was using so we went to one store but they quit carrying that brand.  so nest morning went to another great shop and they had it, but bad news is that the thread cost me 100.00  since I had to buy some great sale fabrics!!!   then since we were close to the other great show had to go there too and another hundred dollars late left . I had been seeing special fabric on internet  that I wanted and they had it so just bought it to make a special quilt.   Went back to her house and finished the blocks.  I just need to make the border for these to blocks and add them to the quilt will post a picture when top is done.

Then we played with the machine making a in the hoop bag with a zipper, it turned out great. I am going to make some more hopefully for Easter.  Also made some bunny lip balm holders they are so cute.

I took a over-sized bag and  another plastic bag of scraps and I cut them all into 2 1/2 inch squares with her accuquilt go baby.  this was fun and fast also they are perfect.  Now I need to start my next leader and ender making 9 patches.l 

Well back home and back to working on customer quilts this week. 

Happy quilting,
Sharon J

Not much sewng

I have not done much sewing this last week due to having the grand boys for spring break. I sorted scraps and did some cutting of scraps too.

I also tried something new today . The grand boys were doing diamond painting and showed me how to do it. When met their mom  so they could go home she had one for me. I worked on it a little today so much fun and easy. It is all I did today except look through some quilt  magazines but I feel better this evening.

Hi,
I got a project started on my new embroidery machine this last week. This is so fun being able to do bigger projects.  I have the blocks made for a table runner hope to get it sewn together today. 
Snowing here so not going out.   headed to sew when finished posting this.
Yesterday went with hubby to his United Bow Hunters anual meeting and banquet in Springfield Il.  A another friend came with her hubby too.  We went shopping  We hit the hobby shops.  Went to Tuesday Morning and found some rolls of 2 1/2 inch strips  some were Benertex and other had no name on them.  I got 2 xmas ones and another one with browns plus a bundle of fat quarters.  Friend got some too.   Good deals.   rolls were $7.99 each with 20 strips  and the Benertex roll of 40 strips was $22.00

then we went to Joann's  and found 5 inch square packs for $8.99 but had buy 1 get 1 free.   so I bought 2 packs and got 2   of off white. great background   also went to Micheal's but did not find anything.   had a great lunch at Panera's  soup and salad.  

Then met back up with husbands for the evening meal  great food and speakers and auction.  Mine won an auction item and we each won a silent auction time. Mine was Cubs steak knives and his was fishing flies.   Mine will be a gift and he will use his when weather gets warmer.

Got home about midnight and a few snowflakes were starting so did good. 

OK off to sew

Happy quilting until next time

Sharon J

progress report for last week

I have been busy sewing and quilting this past week thanks to the weather being so cold and ice and snow.. I just stayed in and got many things done or moved farther along.
I quilted 2 charity quilts  they need binding but found out that we needed couple more boy quilts and these were definitely girl quilts so they can wait for binding.   will show pictures when they are done and ready to go to new home.

I finished the top of my grandson's quilt  now to find or make a back and get it quilted.I have the binding so will pin it to the top so it does not get lost or used for something else.

Then I quilted a table runner that I have had done for awhile. I was going to teach english paper piecing to a group so made this as the sample but that did not happen so it just got set aside.  Put is in the long arm and meandered all around the flowers then used a circle ruler to do the designs in the flowers.  I had the binding clipped together setting on my cutting table for same length of time and kept wondering what it was for  good thing I did not use it for anything else.

sorry picture is before binding. It is done.
I made and quilted  a t-shirt quilt for a customer and it was picked up over the weekend.  The side pieces were from the sleeves of the shirts.

 Then decided not to put a border on the diamond tile block quilt from Bonnie Hunter's block and just quilt it and bind it.   It is going to a special medical assistance in our doctor's office baby boy, she was so good and caring to my mother-in-law and to us. Baby is here and hope to take it to her next week and see the little guy.

In end of December I received a box in the mail and got a nice surprise. I opened the priority bos and found it stuffed full of scraps.  One of the ladies that was on the quilting cruise the year before remembered I did small scrappy projects and sent it to me.  It was great timing for a love box of fabric .Need to use some in my pineapple crazy blocks.

  talking about them I made 2 blocks tonight while watching Bonnie Hunter on quilt cam.  I just take a handful of neutral and handful of color fabric scraps on start making the blocks   each block has 45 pieces  using small pieces about 3/4 to inch wide little bigger for the corners.  These are so fun I have about 30-35 of them done. I don't think mine will be a big quilt like Bonnie's  but hope to get it to throw size by next winter for me to snuggle under.

Well I better close for the night and go to bed.  Another sewing day tomorrow. Hope to get a customer quilt sewn together and make decided on for grandson's quilt. If I get more than that done it will be a bonus.

good night  and happy quilting
Sharon J.

update for the new year

hi,  I have been out of the loop on blogging for a few months. My Mother-in-law moved in with us on Oct 7th and need care.  She passed away Dec 9th so in the time that she was with us I did not get much sewing/quilting done. Then the holidays came and went. 
I hosted a retreat Jan1-4, 2019 which was great to be with friends and just relax and sew.  I worked on a quilt for my great grandson for his birthday in April.

Ran out of fabric so I had to order some more to do sashings.  It has arrived so now need to finish it soon.  I also made this small piece from a kit by Pam Budda.  It was great to finish something.

I finally got back to quilting last week. I got the first of several customer quilts that had to be delayed until now done. Thanks for their understanding.  Here is the first one.

I just finished quilting another customer quilt today and since I had same pattern and thread still on the machine I am quilting a donation quilt so it is ready to deliver at next quilt meeting.

These are our new year project to lower the cost of electric bill and provide more light  in my downstairs sewing area. Boy has it made a difference.  Cut the wattage down by 2/3rds.  

This month is a special month for my husband and I  we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary  with a dinner out with our 2 daughters and their families. Also my 3rd Wednesday quilting friends  brought a cake to celebrate.  

This last weekend I host a quilt retreat at my house for 7 wonderful ladies from Moweakwa Il.  I got enough pieces from Bonnie Humter's mystery quilt done so that I could put 1 of each block together to see what they looked like.  I am going to like this quilt when done.

 I also got a quilt top finished that my mother-in-law had started for my daughter.  She had most of the blocks done just need to change a couple of pieces and sew it together.  Now to find a piece of fabric in her stash for the back. 

I guess I am back to sewing/quilting after a rough start to the year.  I am planning to quilt most of the week to at least get one or more quilts done. The weather is way to cold to be out so this is a good thing to do.

well I think this is long enough for now.  Need to go finish supper and then back to quilting this evening.

Happy sewing

Sharon J