Quilt Guild Yard Sale--Yippee!

After many years, my guild is doing a yard sale again next month, July 16.  I signed up immediately--this was just the nudge I needed to go through my closets, book shelves, bins, boxes, tote bags, everything, to find all the "excess" I can bear to part with. 

The first run through:

 

 Queen bed covered with books, notions, fabrics, quilt tops and small quilts.  More to come...

 

One very large bag full of fabric--I confess this was culled from the closet last summer when I last did a clean-up. Read about that here.  It's been waiting for this event to be folded neatly.  Much more fabric will come out of the 220 square feet of closet space in the next 3 weeks.  For now, I'm pleased with my good start.

And I've only been through the bookshelves once--there are more than 350 titles still there so it needs another go-through.  If there is a classic you seek, I just might have it. 

For photos of the studio space when it's ready for guests:  click here.  That would not be what it looks like today--sheesh!

 I hope guild members come prepared to buy--there are some real treasures here.  And I have more than a dozen tote bags--free with a $25 purchase until they're gone. 

Now I have to sew something--found the perfect fabrics for my latest Stars in a Time Warp during this clean up.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Celebrate!

There is always something to celebrate and that's a word I particularly like.  Recently, I was the guest speaker at our guild meeting and my talk was "Celebrate the Ruby Jubilee". 

 

 

 

 

 

I  started with a little history of the International Quilt Festival, and how it began in 1974 as a "thank you celebration" to customers of Great Expectations Quilts.  Then I discussed how quilting was growing in popularity thanks to the Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, the growth of quilt guilds and quilt shops, and some of the differences in the quilt world between then and now. 

 

I had been asked to focus my talk on my Red and White quilt experience, so I talked about how I came to make the Red and White--By the Numbers quilt, in 2012-13.  And how it came to be chosen as the Commemorative Quilt for the Ruby Jubilee.  There was a call for entries to a special exhibit of red and white quilts, I submitted my entry for that exhibit, the quilt was chosen for the exhibit and ultimately, selected as the Commemorative quilt to represent the show in all the advertising, the catalogs and the Pins/Tote Bags. 

 

 

When I got home from Houston in November 2014, I wrote about what the experience meant to me, as best I could explain it at that time, find it here: Red and White Wrap Up.  Much of my lecture came from that post.  I finished the talk with photos of just a few of the quilts from the 2014 show, the Best of Show winner, the Viewer's Choice winner, quilts made by friends of mine, and my two quilts that hung in the 500 Traditional Treasures special exhibit:

 

A-Round With My Friends

Joyful Journey

It was a fun presentation to give, reliving that special time in my quilting journey, and sharing the fun with my guild, where I have been a card-carrying member for 27 years.  Many of those women have taken classes with me and many are close friends.  They were very supportive of me last year when all these good things were happening in my life.  Quilting friends are the best!  And more than a few of them made the trip to Houston for Festival, some for the first time. 

 

I ended my talk by saying "I came home from Houston with even more determination to make as many quilts as I can and teach as many people to quilt as I can.  Quilting is my Passion and my Legacy".   There was one last slide, however, my OTHER legacy:

 

 

My sweet baby grand-girl, Stella LeAnne Wilkins.  Oh, the quilts you will have, dear child!  And the fun and wonder you can look forward to on your Joyful Journey through life.  What a reason to Celebrate!

Let's quilt!

Barbara

 

 



Post # 200--it's all about that Stella!

This is post # 200, having begun my blog on January 1, 2012.  I enjoy writing it, but obviously don't do it as often as I thought I would.  Sometimes I don't have new quilting stuff to talk about.

This post is about my new granddaughter, Stella LeAnne Wilkins.  She was born June 2, 2015, after 39 hours of labor by her awesome mom, my daughter-in-law,
Lauren.  Our son, Andy, was by her side the whole time and we are so proud of both of them.  Stella was 6lbs. 10 oz., 19.5" long and perfect!

My husband and I got to make a quick trip to St. Louis last weekend to meet Stella.  It took 9 hours up and 8 hours back 2 days later but it was worth it.  My husband has been waiting for grands since Andy graduated from high school, 16 years ago.  He is over the moon with his "Princess".

Little Letters for Stella, made by me for her first quilt
 

 

Welcome to the world, sweet baby girl!  We love you to the moon and back.

BB and Granddaddy

Here is a cute video our son did to celebrate the baby bump that was to become Stella.  Enjoy!

Now, let's quilt!

Barbara

Stars In a Time Warp and More

I love making these 6" blocks from Barbara Brackman.  Called "Stars in a Time Warp", each week on Wednesday Barbara's blog talks about a specific type/style/color of historic fabrics.  We learn a lot this way and the block is every easy to make.  I am making 2 each week so I really use my stash, or at least really get to search through it, as the blocks don't take much fabric.

Here is this week's style:  Neat Stripes:

 In addition, I started reproducing the antique top I bought in Minneapolis--read about it here.  A few blocks so far, being made as leader/ender blocks:

Four Economy Blocks with sashing

 

It's been fun digging through my stash looking for blues, double pinks, plaids, reds, similar fabrics to the original.  No rush on this one, I am always eager to get a project started then let it sit for awhile as I finish something started before it. 

I'm off to meet my granddaughter, Stella.  Can hardly wait!  Until then,

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Baby Stella--Welcome to the World!

June 2, 2015

June 3, 2015

June 4, 2015

After 39 hours of labor, Stella finally made her entrance into this world.  We got the text Monday morning, June 1 that things were moving and our son and daughter-in-law had gone to the hospital.  Great, it's my birthday and I was eager to share it with my first grandchild.  Alas, it was not to be--Stella arrived Tuesday June 2, at 5:12 p.m.  Being 8 hours drive away was hard for us, particularly as Monday became Tuesday and Tuesday dragged on and on.  BUT:  ALL IS WELL and mother and baby are doing just great and daddy, my baby son Andy, is doing great too.  We will meet her this weekend and can hardly wait to see this new precious child in the arms of our precious children.  Oh, happy day!!

To all grandparents everywhere, it's a NEW day!

Let's quilt!

Barbara