You Know You Are In Texas

When you see this:

Yes, I know there is one in AL and in FL but when in Texas, you must stop at Buc-ee’s.

When the speed limit is 85, you’re in Texas.

When you see longhorn cattle grazing, yep, it’s Texas.

When you see signs for towns named Gonzales, Goliad, and Cuero, and you remember the Alamo, yes, you are definitely in Texas.

I love to visit Texas and this trip was no exception.

The Quilt Guild of Greater Victoria invited me back and I was delighted to come. Technical assistance was provided by Regina:

Quilts laid out for display:

After lunch, the workshop began--Texas Braid, a pattern by Bonnie Hunter. There were many great color combinations.

Dreamsicle and Limeade:

 Scrappy to the max:

 Pink and Purple and Turquoise, oh, my:

Kim was a little on the wild side:

Lynn had such a beautiful palette and it matched her blouse:

The second day a lot of progress was made and they learned how to cut the long stripped panels for sewing together and how to add triangles to the upper ends so you have straight of grain there, just like at the bottom. 

When I discussed how to pin all those intersections for precision piecing, someone asked "Could you add sashing between the rows?" Why, yes, you certainly could.  That wouldn't have occurred to me but here is what you get:

Anna's laid out with the light fabrics in the middle:

How Anna chose to sew the first panel, with the dark fabrics in the middle. Of course, the next sewing will join the light fabrics, with the turquoise sashing in the middle there too:

Lynn is making a table runner--she is almost done. All she has to do is add the red sashing in the middle. She will bind it with the same red:

The advantage to using sashing is you save tons of time NOT pinning all those intersections and it is very forgiving. Just be sure you cut the sashing exactly to size so everything stays true--don't just add a long sash and whack off the excess--that will make things wonky.

Here is the group the start of day two:

Quilters work best on a full stomach. Here is what came in the morning of day two:

And here is what I had. Those black grapes were amazingly delicious:

On my way back to Austin the last day, I tried out Kreuz' Market in Lockhart for brisket. There was a line at 11 am, and you order, pay and pick up your meat in the pit area--so my clothes smelled like smoked meat ALL DAY. Boy, was it good. No pictures because if you love smoked meat, they would make you cry. I have now been to Smitty's, Black's and Kreuz', all in Lockhart. No real favorite, it's all good.

Can't wait to go back again. My trips to Texas are very special to me.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Texas Braid and Ohio Stars

Recently I taught a Texas Braid quilt class, based on the Texas Braid quilt in Bonnie Hunter's book Adventures in Leaders and Enders.  My sample is King-size:

One of the students was in this class the last time I taught it, five years ago.  She put it aside.  When she saw the class was back on the schedule she knew this was the nudge she needed to get it done:

Joyce hard at her task

Success!  The first two braids are sewn together!

She was so happy to get to this point and is now determined to keep going.  She told the other students, several times, "Don't put it away, keep working on it."

Linda came to class very organized:

She had a plan--this quilt is for her daughter and is going in a very specific bedroom so more retail therapy was required:

Ruth was also organized, almost too organized, as she agonized over every fabric, is it dark or is it light or is it both:

 Once I showed her that it is "contrast" that does all the work, while "color" gets all the credit, she was able to relax and start sewing:

Holly is not afraid of color.  She jumped right in and starting piecing those braids, doing two at a time for speedy piecing:

It was a good day and I think everyone achieved what they hoped to in the class.  I had fun too.

Now I'm working on Random Ohio Stars, a gift for an old friend.  Today it was small 6" stars:

I even made 2 itty-bitty 3" stars.  And my Lifetime quilt leader/ender project saw some action as well--it practically makes itself.

Then I started putting blocks on the wall, hadn't planned to do that today but it's like Doritos:  you can't stop at just one.  Once you start you have to keep going until all the blocks you have are up there.  Layout 1:

Layout 2:

Layout 3:

There are seven more 6" blocks to make, that's tomorrow's task.  Then I'll play some more with the layout until I'm satisfied.  It gets a border print border as well, so I think I need to put that up there too before the decision is made.  Seeing the quilt in a photo helps SO much to see things you miss with the eye.  I'm leaning toward Layout 2 but see a few 6" solid blocks I want to move...

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Teaching Texas Braid

We had a fun day yesterday.  I taught Bonnie Hunter's quilt, Texas Braid, at my local quilt shop.  The students varied from beginner to somewhat experienced piecers.  Learning the process for a quilt like this is the real challenge:  which way to press, which side to start with, how to keep organized, etc.

They did a bang-up job!  I love when the light comes on in a student's eyes and they "get it"!  I especially love to see this with a student who struggles at first, and starts to doubt she'll ever "get it".  The feeling of accomplishment for that person is almost tangible!  See how well they did:

Progress!



Come back tomorrow for Design Wall Monday--my 6 Just Take 2 blocks will be done.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara