Sunday, March 25, 2018

Long Time Gone Students Work

Long Time Gone is a wrap. A six month, once a month class, we wrapped up . They did the sewing at home, I demoed the various blocks each month, offering options for piecing where appropriate, like paper piecing more of the blocks, not just the one pineapple block provided in the pattern.

We talked about border options and the quilting at this last  class. Here are the student results, before borders are added.

Holly
Cyndi

Rhonda

Joan--she has more of this beauty at home

Ina--last section almost done

Suzanne--30's are so lovely and unexpected for this, she has more at home

Mac--not much more to go, one background for the whole quilt unites the fabrics into a cohesive design

Cheryl--one last section to go
Five students were not able to be there. They all put in a tremendous amount of effort during this time and they learned a lot. Some learned paper piecing was not the enemy, but has a place in quiltmaking. One woman said she has been quilting since she was little, very traditional, symmetrical type quilts--this quilt brought out her WILD side!  Several felt more free in choosing colors/fabrics now. Some learned small piecing was not for them. One said she now knows scrap-type quilts are not her favorite. It's always good to learn something from each quilt you make OR class you take. Even if what you learn is I NEVER want to do that again!

As for me, I have now made two of these and that's enough. My first,  made last year, to test the pattern and plan the class:


The second, made during this six-month class, using a kit ordered from Homestead Hearth. During each class I showed how the various blocks were made, offering options when appropriate. I provided paper patterns for blocks that could be done that way. My top was finished the night before the final class, after a long week of planning, math calculations and piecing and piecing and piecing. It is  now close to queen size:


The design I created in Electric Quilt 8 as I was figuring out what kind of borders I wanted to add:


This quilt is called Long Time Gone and is a pattern by Jen Kingwell Designs, an Australian designer. Here we are at Market last year:


I hope to see these students in future classes--a long time journey like this makes not just quilts, but friendships too.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara


Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Local Classes Spring and Summer

It's that time, when upcoming classes are confirmed at local quilt shops.

April 7 and 28, 2018  Two-For-One, 9-3 both days:

I love teaching this class and it's been a while since it was offered locally. It will be at least two years before it comes up again--I teach it all over the country but not all the time here at home. Don't miss it now if it's on your "list". Two all-day sewing sessions  Huntsville Sew and Vac

June 9, July 7, August 11, September 8, October 13, November 17, 2018, 10 a..m. - 1 p.m. My Favorite Things.  I will be designing 6 separate quilts using my Favorite Blocks--make small quilts or combine them all into one amazing creation you design. This is a comprehensive class filled with tips and tricks to improve all your quiltmaking. No Sewing Machine needed at class--you'll sew in the comfort of your home. Huntsville Sew and Vac

Sunday May 6, June 3, August 5, 2018 1-3 p.m. The Patchwork Barn 2018 Block of the Month
It's not too late to join the fun with the Sunday Sew and Sews. You must be a member of www.thequiltshow.com to access the FREE pattern designed by Edyta Sitar, available until December 31, 2018. Learn lots of tips to make the blocks several ways. Patches & Stitches--enrollment ready soon. Space is limited.

June 5, 2018 5:30-8:30 pm. Bonnie's Baskets. Learn to paper piece these simple basket blocks. Free pattern from Bonnie Hunter. Patches & Stitches--enrollment ready soon.

June 23, 2019 9-3. Antique Rose Star by Machine. A very popular class I teach all over the country. Completely machine pieced, you will love the tricks to this one. Patches & Stitches.--enrollment ready soon.

June 26, 2018 5:30-8:30 p.m. Little Monkey A great quilt for a child or just to use your favorite fabrics. A free pattern from Bonnie Hunter. Patches & Stitches-- enrollment ready soon.

July 14, 2018, 9-3 String Stars--Save Our Scraps  Burritt on the Mountain Folk School. More info coming soon. We will piece fabric strings by machine to create a simple star block quilt. Learn an old skill in a wonderful old environment. Burritt on the Mountain.

I hope some of these catch your interest and I'll see you in class.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Sunday, March 11, 2018

Sunday Sew and Sews Blocks

I thought you would enjoy seeing the blocks made so far by the Sunday Sew and Sews. The pattern is the Patchwork Barn, 2018 Block of the Month, FREE to Star Members of The Quilt Show. If you aren't a Star Member, I encourage you to join--so much on the site for such a small cost:  The Quilt Show

Judi, keeping the blue and white theme

Jodi, her Crystal Farms kit arrived yesterday

Brenda and Jo Anne, sisters, one blue, one mostly yellow

Joan, using the Blue Sky kit and keeping fabrics as suggested in the pattern

Diane, she calls this her "Dreamsicle Quilt"

Terri, her Crystal Farms kit is due to arrive tomorrow, she used a layer cake to get started, also added a few fabrics

Janet, Blue Sky with a few fabrics added

Cindy, very striking neutrals and a few golds
A few had to miss our monthly class today--bet we'll see more wonderful blocks in April.

Great job, ladies!

Let's Quilt.

Barbara

Projects in Progress

I am hard at it, working on Long Time Gone #2:

The six sections are joined together, only the borders remain. When I made the first Long Time Gone, I completed the borders as the pattern suggested, only enlarging the last set of strips:

This one I intend to enlarge to queen size, from the 60" x 61" it is now. Here is the plan:

This quilt is being made with a kit from Homestead Hearth. There is a lot of fabric left from the 12 months of kits so I figure it's time to use it, so I don't have to store it. And I usually make a project harder than it needs to be so, go figure...

While working on this quilt, I am working on smaller projects. Here are the Temecula Quilt Co. 1880 sampler sew along blocks:


I've kept up with the Temperature Quilt  but have decided this will be a 6 month project, when it finishes to about 26" x 30" before whatever border I decide to add:


My Lifetime Quilt is getting done each week too. More info on it is here and here. I do plan to have it finished this year--then find a NEW Lifetime quilt to make:



The Patchwork Barn Quilt is keeping me busy and I'm doing the Block By Block 40th anniversary quilt from Patches & Stitches. No photos of them yet, I need the design wall for that. Soon...

Next up is quilting Little Monkey:

The outer border is marked for hand quilting, the middle part of the quilt I will machine quilt, some stitch in the ditch, some free motion. That is how I quilted Stella's baby quilt--this is the quilt for her new brother or sister, joining the family this September. We are very excited and so thrilled--another baby to love!

I am teaching quite a bit and have a few new irons in the fire--more on that soon.

What are you working on?

Let's Quilt.

Barbara


Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Illinois Quilters Inc--Stars All Over

I recently spent time with the Illinois Quilters Inc.in Northbrook, IL. Their program person, Sue, saw me in action at Spring Festival in Chicago as I gave Open Studio presentations the last 3 years and booked me to come teach for them.

A great hostess, who took care of everything, Sue:



Flying into O'Hare with very minor time delays, I was met by two great hostesses, Sue and Martha. They  have the airport run down pat--Sue came into baggage claim to help with the bags, while Martha circled or went to the cell phone lot--no parking permitted at the arrivals area unless you are loading your car. They keep you moving. As soon as my bags arrived, Sue texted Martha and she pulled up to the curb as we exited the building--very smooth.

After dropping off my personal luggage at the hotel, we headed out for a lovely meal and conversation at a Market/Deli. Quilters always feel like they've known each other forever--these women quickly felt like old friends.

Then we headed to the church were the meeting was held to get the technical stuff done--connecting my Ipad to their projector worked perfectly--we felt so smart but were probably just lucky. The lecture was "How to Make an Award-Winning Quilt" and it was well-received.

The next day we gathered back at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, for our first class:  Feathered Stars Precisely Paper Pieced. This is usually a 9-12 hour class but the guild asked if I could do it in one day. As long as everyone had all their pieces cut out before class, we could give it a good try. It was pedal to the  metal all day and they got pretty far along. One amazing student, Nona, worked really hard and got 2/3 of her star pieces made: 
This was helpful for the rest of the students to see--it's like a jigsaw puzzle.  Here is some of the student's class work:

Vickie, I think

Bill, the lone gentleman in the class

Martha, I think

Lynne--don't you love the orange against that blue?
All in all, they did great and most figured out why it's usually a longer class. But they all know how to finish their stars once all the "parts" are pieced.

Day Two was a new class with a few students staying on and a some new ones joining the fun. We made String Stars--Save Our Scraps, here are a few:

Barbara, with a Christmas theme

Diana, with plans to make an "exploding" star

Vickie, very scrappy and happy

Mary with a beautiful scrappy red, white and blue star

Lynne, determined to use up lots of bright kids fabrics

This time we remembered to get a class shot
Everyone got their block assembled, or very close--a successful day.

Nona, from the Feathered Star class, was the class "hostess" for the second day but did not take the string star class. Instead, she worked hard to complete her Feathered Star, in between taking lunch orders and going to get lunch.

It is helpful for students to see how all those paper pattern pieces come together--the jigsaw puzzle. Here is Nona's before she assembled it:

And, ta da! Nona and  her beautiful block--thanks for keeping at it for most of two days, Nona:


I had a great time with these good folks. They fed me well, showed me around and did their best in class. Too soon it was back to O'Hare the 4th day to head for home.

A few days later, Bill posted his completed block on Instagram--beautiful block, Bill:


I hope to see more Feathered Star and String Star blocks from this group in the future.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara