On the Road Again

It's finally time to head to Houston, where I will check in tomorrow to the Hilton-Americas for 13 days.  It takes a lot of planning and organizing to have clothes for 13 days but I have done it for 18 years and pretty much have it down pat.

New luggage will be easy to find at Baggage Claim:

I will NOT buy black luggage.  Not when purple is available.  The large TravelPro suitcase is new so this is the photo I will keep in my phone until the suitcase has to be replaced.  When/if my luggage is delayed, it helps to have this photo to work from at the Lost Luggage Claim department.

While I'm gone, The Splendid Sampler will reveal four more blocks so I'll have to play catch-up when I get home.  Here are blocks #71-73:

This week I finished binding Quilters Madder and Color in Black and White, 2:

I thought I would hand-quilt this one but first, I normally Stitch in the Ditch (SID) by machine. You can't see the SID, it's hard on my hands, and takes a long time.  Once I do that by machine, the quilt is effectively basted so the hand-quilting can commence.  BUT once I did the SID, I just kept going and quilted the whole thing by machine.  It was Ruler Work for the straight lines and free-motion quilting in the border, following a stencil design marked with chalk.  There is wool batt in there which adds a nice loft to the piece.  Best of all, it's done!  Quilt is from Lori at Humble Quilts.

It's hard to tell scale, this quilt is 48" wide x 44" high.  It is the small version of a queen-size quilt. It will hang in the Education office for two weeks--several of our Team bring a quilt to help brighten the office for all to enjoy.  I wrote about the large one here.

For my local friends, the Winter Class Schedule at Patches & Stitches  is being completed right now. Here are my samples and dates:

QuiltMaking101  Tuesday 5:30-8:00 p.m. Jan 10, 17,31, Feb 7, 14

3 Sessions                                                    Feb 21, 28, Mar 7, 14, 21

                               Friday 9:30-noon         Jan 13, 20, Feb 3, 17, March 3

                          

Texas Braid Sat Feb 25 9-4 p.m.

X Blocks  Thurs Mar 9, 5:30--8:30 p.m.

Antique Rose Star by Machine Sat Jan 21, 9-3

Those are 1/2" finished squares, quilt is 28" x 22" 

Teeny Tiny Two-for-One  Fri Feb 10, 24, 9-1

Smitten  Friday March 10, 24, 2017  9-noon   BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Quiltmaking 202--The Next Step Tuesday March 28 and April 11, 5:30-9 p.m.  Feathered Star will be taught in a future class.

All of these quilts are in my car to be dropped off tonight when I go to teach the Beginning class.  Here's hoping many of the local folks will find something here that appeals to them.  It is so rewarding to help quilters improve their skills and make "gifts for generations yet unborn.".

If I get a chance, I'll do a blog post or two from Houston--our days are long and full but there will be lots worth sharing, just not sure I'll have much time for it.  I will post photos on Instagram for sure so follow me there if you like:  bbquiltmaker.

Let's quilt!

Barbara