more from the retreat

I'm always amazed at the talent that lives in these women...
Sandy modeling the hamster (?) hood for her grandson's Halloween costume. (Shed fur everywhere!!!) And Sandy's serious quilting - wonderful hand dyes - this is one you need to see close to appreciate the depth of color.

Vicky C's intricate applique...shimmered like mother of pearl. Ada's fun quilt - personally, I love these colors.

Ruth's 9-patch pizazz - a little out of her comfort zone, but isn't it wonderful?

Our newest member, Sue, and her 1600 (but since it was 'half' a jelly roll, we should call it 800???) quilt. These are really fun and addicting.

Alice's Mt Rainier (Amber Wittmayer design). That sky fabric is perfect for it. Alice owns one of our local quilt shops, Running Stitch Fabrics in Kent, WA.

And last but not least, Donna's onions for her garden patch quilt.

I'll have more quilts in a day or two...it was a very productive retreat!

the 'Amber ' part of the retreat

Amber Wittmayer spent most of her retreat putting bindings on her quilts. This first one - is an old picture of just the top...this retreat it was all quilted and bound, but I didn't get a picture of that - I know - slap me.

The rest of these pictures are just some of the quilts she finished. And again, her work is just amazing. I'll let the quilts speak for themselves...

October retreat

Once again - a wonderful time at the retreat...Dumas Bay is just the nicest place to stay. This time of year the grounds are just beautiful.

Next comes the pictures of the quilts...a close second to nature.

Almost vacation time...

I know - everyone else is just getting back and heading off to school, but my vacation usually comes every year for the weekend after Labor Day. It's the annual Hill City, SD Outdoor quilt Show. Really nice if you ever get chance to go.

This year, I've sent 5 back to display. there's 2 I'm not sending that I just finished... the one to the right isn't quite finished. I want to put an inner border - and then I'm thinking of piano key border for the finishing touch. This quilt is FAST! Pattern is from Modern Basics - lots of cool quilts in there.

The next one was the MOST fun! All it takes is a jelly roll...strips sewn end to end, fold in half, sew, fold in half, sew, etc. Nan told us about it...it sounded like so fun much fun I started it right away. The first seam takes FOREVER! Had to stop and have a dinner break in the middle of it. After that it goes pretty quick. I just did a kind of zigzag on the seam lines as it accented the stripes - and the fabric ( a Bali Pop) is busy enough that fancy stitching wouldn't show much any way. the quilt is called "1600 quilt" from Heirloom Creations. Have fun!

I'll post some Hill City pictures when I get back. Extra bonus this year. Heard from a girlfriend that I haven't seen in 20 years! She's going to be there the same weekend! Can hardly wait to catch up with her!

busy busy summer

This is proof that it actually is summer around here. We've been so lucky to be on the cool side (compared to the rest of the country) but I do have flowers growing. Around to the left (where you can't see ) are some roses that make the whole are smell just lovely. But check out the lilies that just bloomed in front of my sewing room! Aren't they amazing?

At the Covington Quilt Show the other day, I won a basket of fat quarters! I LOVE fat quarters, but since I already have tons...I figured I'd better use these right away. They didn't need to be aged. Below the picture of the fabric is the start of the quilt. I'm actually almost done, but this picture will act as a teaser till I get the finished quilt in here.

I finished a little shawl this week. I think the name is 198 yards of heaven...and it was a very nice, fast, easy knit. I wish it were a little bigger, but I was running out of yarn (the yarn was a gift from one friend at work, the shawl is going to another friend at work...wonderful how the world works, isn't it?) It's blocking in these pictures. I might have to try another - this was out of worsted - I think maybe a DK and a few more repeats...we'll add it to the list of projects.

NOW - today we (some of the Evergreen Piecemakers guildmembers) took a class to make a bead holder. Given by Theresa White who specializes in crazy quilts and works @ the Shibori Dragon in Lakewood. I'm delighted with how it turned out. Might have to try one of the needle holders. Abit of embroidery, a bit of ribbon embroidery and a bit of beading...tons of fun.

Getting ready to send quilts off to the Hill City show in September..so tomorrow will be spent sewing finishing one of the projects...and playing with one or two others...Catch you later.

Amber's Modern Glass

Got to quilt @ Trains this past weekend and finished this quilt...Modern Glass designed by Amber Wittmayer. A graphic artist by profession and damn fine quilt designer in her spare time, wouldn't you say. this was our Block of the month at Evergreen Piecemakers and I'm delighted with it.

ellie the elephant

I have just had the most fun 4th of july - spent the whole long weekend sewing...

finished a 5-yd quilt:

this is one of the greatest patterns...5 1-yd cuts...and you can make it any mood you want, sophisticated, kids, modern...just fun and quick.

But this one:

Ellie the Elephant by Barbara Jones

How much fun!!!!! I can't wait to buy some of her other patterns. Got this one at Ruby Street where they're going to have a class in Randolf the Reindeer.

For Ellie, I used mostly Kaffe Fabrics and can hardly wait to get her quilted and hang on my living room wall.

I Lied...

I said I'd be back in a couple of days with more pictures...does a couple of weeks count? It's been a busy life lately. And the Western Washington Shop Hop is coming up this week.

Any way, more quilt pictures, but wanted to start off with a picture of these 2 visitors. I hope they don't mind me putting this shot in, but everyone at the show just LOVED their headgear! I think it's a hoot. And they were wonderful about posing and sharing the joke.

I will never have the patience or skill for this one, isn't it beautiful?

Love the chicken theme of this one.

More later -

Evergreen Quilt Show 2011

Well, we survived another show! The quilts were amazing. This guild always has such a wonderful variety of talents - so many different styles and tastes.
Some of the quilts...(I'll try to add a few more every day for a few days...we had around 200 entries!)

All kinds of busy lately

Biggest news! I have a new car - new to me anyway. Nerve racking! I just about threw up when I started signing all those papers. And I was nervous as this was the first car I looked at! Now - just seems to me that a person should suffer for a couple of months in the process of buying a car. I knew that I wanted one with enough room for sewing machine plus fabric/clothes/and everything else that one takes to a retreat. Also maybe an ironing board. And - maybe a spinning wheel...I keep thinking about joining a spinning guild. It couldn't be silver (my last one was silver and I never felt safe in it, same color as the roads, the clouds, the rain). And I wanted room for friends to ride and haul their sewing machines too.

The salesman showed me the Kia Rondo - and it was just exactly what I was looking for. Too much fun...now I hate to go to work, just want to keep cruising. But now I HAVE to go to work - I have car payments!
I got my flying geese quilt done in time for our guild's quilt show - the 21/22 of May at Kent Commons if you're in the area. Even if you're not - it should be a show worth traveling to see as we have some wonderful artists in our guild. The featured artist this year is Barb Frazier and her work is amazing! Mine will never be that - but done is good too!

And I joined this year's group of round robins at our guild. Only I'm in the group that wanted to do a row quilt. Terrifying! Took me ages to decide what I wanted for my starting row. Now I have worry about making something that will do justice to everyone else's work. Anyway - my starting row is below. We trade every 2 months,and there's only 5 of us, I'll keep you posted.