Hot Hexies

I think everyone knows that hexagons are the hottest things going right now. There was some hexie love going on at retreat. Check out these fun quilts:

Hexagons of all sizes!
 Cindy's cute table topper (upper left)  is from the latest issue of Quilts and More.
Terry was working on a version that can be machine pieced in rows (lower left).
My cousin Barb made the English Paper Pieced wall hanging on the right

This is Terry's quilt a little further along.  The size really shows off the fun fabrics.

Terry has information on the ruler she is using to cut her hexagons at her blog Notes from Terry Ann

Barb's amazing quilt is made with 3/8 inch hexagons. Check out the fussy cut half diamond in the upper left corner!

A close-up of some of the diamonds.

More retreat photos to come soon!!

Linking up to Help for Hexie-aholics at Sara Did It 

Green Lake Retreat

I got back from retreat today and have a lot of fabulous Show and Tell stuff that I will share as soon as I do a little photo editing.

In the meantime, this is a shot of Green Lake in Spicer, MN where the retreat takes place. 

We had some wonderful weather! Our sewing tables overlook the lake.

Somehow, I almost always end up in Room 101, AKA: The Scary Jesus Room. 

The room gets it's name reputation because of this picture that hangs in the room.
I'm not sure if he is that scary. I think he looks a little disappointed, myself.

The most important day of the retreat is Monday. After dinner, we have Show and Tell.  It  is awe inspiring and I can't wait to show some of the wonderful quilts that were shown soon. 

BUT:

This is what's in store if you don't have any Show and Tell:

Yes, you will be doomed to do the hokey pokey. You can bet that I will be sure to
always have some Show and Tell to share! 

Anita's Arrowhead block

I am just about out the door to go on retreat, but thought I would share a fun block. Last year, a friend, Mickey Smith, showed me how to make Anita's Arrowhead block (PDF instuctions for 8" block here) from charm squares. The construction of the block was figured out by Anita Grossman Solomon, who, in my opinion, is a genius when it comes to slick piecing. When you use two five inch charms squares, you end up with a block approximately 4 3/4". The blocks are so cute finished, and they look like you did some really difficult piecing when in reality, it is super easy!

This is my version of Anita's Arrowhead made from my ugliest charms. Most of the charms I used for this little quilt were rejects from my Trick or Treat basket quilt. 

To make the blocks from five inch charm squares, just change the space you leave open when sewing around the square to one inch. When you cut the sides after sewing, move your ruler into the block three quarters of an inch from your stitch-line (that will be the most accurate, because the charms have pinked edges and sometimes it is hard to determine where to place your ruler to cut one inch in from the edge).

Close-up of one block. Some of my charms were cut from border prints, making the contrast kind of  "mushy".

That's it! I squared mine up to 4 3/4 inch blocks--couldn't quite squeeze five inches out of them, but you do end up with 2 blocks.

I quilted mine with clam shells and a feather border (this is the back view).

Where Did the Week Go?

Wow! This week has gone by so fast!

 Last Thursday was an eventful day. I went to a quilt show in Walker that was held at the casino. It was a nice little show--too bad I forgot my camera! We stopped at Piecemaker's quilt shop in Hackensack, where I added a little more to my Jo Morton stash.

After I got home, and because I am so graceful, I rammed my foot into a stool at our snack bar and broke my little toe on my left foot. I have been avoiding shoes as much as possible. I'll spare you a photo showing my purple foot.

Sunday was my birthday. Mr. Moosebay made me this lovely cake.

Marble cake, orange vanilla frosting, Halloween sprinkles. I'm not sure why he chose to use this small glass pan,
as the cake was unbaked in the center and collapsed.
 It's the thought that counts, Mr. Moosebay! 

He's very good at making brownies, though. Cake, not so much!

Monday, Sandi and I were hostesses for our Pinetree Patchworker's guild meeting. There was such a great turn-out--more attendees than there have been the last few months. There was lots of wonderful show and tell--again, I forgot my camera! Oops! I made this popcorn snack mix just because I thought it looked so cute.

photo from Sing For Your Supper blog

I did manage to get another block finished. Every time I start a new block, I think it's my favorite. It was fun doing the little wonky "eyes" on the peacocks tail-kind of quirky. I like quirky!

The comb and toes were not so fun--my fabric ravels so easily  that it literally
falls apart as you try to turn it. 

Of course, I've also been working on getting ready for the Green Lake retreat that starts this Saturday. I haven't touched the projects (packed up in a tub) that I took along to last spring's retreat, so I needed to sort through them to figure out what I had on my hands. Good thing, too, since I had taken out books with instructions and rulers needed for cutting triangles, etc.

Yesterday, I got my supply list for a class I am taking at Gruber's in November. Kim Diehl is teaching applique by machine on a table runner from the Simple Graces book. We need to have the background blocks put together before class, so we can get right to the applique process. I'll be spending today cutting fabric and repacking my retreat tub so I can work on mine at Green Lake.

This is the table runner we will be appliqueing: Cottage Garden

Although I love doing my applique by hand, I will never be able to get all of the projects done that I would like to if I don't speed up the process. I'm hoping I will like the method that Kim teaches (edges are turned, then sewn in place by machine) so I can get through some of those "some day" patterns started.

The Calico Garden Quilt

I've always admired the circa 1950 Calico Garden Quilt from the Shelburne Museum collection. I love the little flowers tucked in between the on point nine patches--so cute. There are so many different versions out there, but I recently purchased the pattern published by Hoopla which is pre-printed on freezer paper. How smart is that!?! I'm thinking that this will be my next project when I finish my "A Bountiful Life" quilt.

This is a similar version from Primitive Gatherings. Love it!

You have to check out this version by Judy Mathieson--especially if you are a dog lover-it's a hoot. Follow this link and hover your mouse over the quilt to see it close-up. You will be surprised at the fabric choices--so fun!

Twilight Zone?

Imagine, if you will, a strange universe. A universe where you do not own a sewing needle. A universe where you do not own any thread. A universe where you have not only never learned how to stitch, you don't even know what stitches are named. I encountered such a universe on Sunday.

It started out as a beautiful sunny day--an unseasonably warm day. My brother Bill  and sister-in-law Lisa came over by boat with my niece Hannah and nephew Logan. They also brought along a couple pair of these:

These are ordered from Russia and each pair comes with a long pink satin ribbon that must be cut into four pieces, hemmed and whip stitched inside of the shoe by hand--nothing can show on the outside of the shoe. There is also a piece of elastic that needs to be sewn to the inside of the shoe and fitted across the ankle. I only know this because Lisa played me some YouTube videos on her iPhone showing this procedure. I raised boys--what do I know about pointe shoes? It is up to the Mom's to sew the ribbons and elastic into the shoes, but unbelievably, Lisa doesn't own a needle or any thread or know how to sew.

 I was amazed! How could that be possible?? I guess I was so absorbed into my own little sewing universe, that I couldn't imagine there was anyone that had zero to no interest at all. And I can't believe that in the fifteen years I have know her, that this hasn't come up in conversation. Wow! 

Thankfully, with the help of YouTube, we figured out how to fit Hannah's foot after several tries to get the elastic right, and Lisa felt confident enough to take home some needles and thread to do my other niece Skylar's shoes later that night. I got an email that all went well, which was a big relief--cutting that ribbon up was nerve-wracking!   

My sixth block completed

Seventh block--do those hummingbirds look like flowers to you too?

Busy Weekend!

Saturday,my friend Sandi and I attended the Chaska Area Quilt Show. Of course, we had to stop at Gruber's  to check out the bargain room as we traveled through St. Cloud. I needed to add a few more Jo Morton greens to my stash because I am running dangerously low. Have you noticed how many leaves are on the A Bountiful Life quilt?

See--only 2 yards total! I had to get more of my favorite from the Crimson Bouquet line. The fabrics in the center look tan, but they are more sage-like. 

I also got to visit the Eagle Creek quilt shop in Shakopee for the first time. I found another Jo green (the one on the left in the photo) and resisted buying more since I am still trying to stay on my Fabric Diet (I didn't cheat too much!).

The show was wonderful! I mostly take closeup photos of the quilting for inspiration, but there were several that caught my eye that I will share. We were wishing these two Pennies From Heaven quilts had been hung next to each other in the show.

This brown version was very soft and pretty.

The black version was very dramatic.
They were both exquisite and the quilting on them was fabulous! 

I always love 30's influenced quilts. This one was part of the guild's I Remember Mama challenge.

This one was so much fun--fans and hexagons and rickrack! 

All of the quilts were enhanced by little vignettes made up of antiques, etc.  This display with a Kaffe Fassett  striped quilt was especially effective. 

This is a small version of the guild's raffle quilt from their last show.You can check it out by clicking the guild link above and scrolling down a bit. That was a spectacular quilt--too bad my name wasn't drawn. This year's raffle quilt was inspired by Sue Spargo--the show's special guest. It was also spectacular and again, my name wasn't drawn.

Even though there were tons of spectacular quilts, I was really taken with this humble brick quilt made from the quilt maker's leftovers of her husbands shirts. 

We were able to get back from our shopping in time to catch the Sue Spargo lecture on finding your creativity. It was very inspiring and being able to get up close and personal with her fabulous quilts was awesome. She is so creative and imaginative with her designs and embellishments. I've decided I  really need to add some poison greens to my stash and Sandi is going to track down some Heishi beads to avoid appliqueing circles!

Okay, I have to confess. I did cheat on my fabric diet BIG time. I bought this bundle of  Jo Morton blues and  browns off of eBay. Since I have a huge stash of blues and browns, I definitely did not need them, but I did want them!