Quilt Show Post 1

I have a bunch of pictures to share with you from our Quilt Show.
I had a long 4 days but after it's all done, I think it was worth it! Not to toot my own horn but I think it was the best show we've ever had. We had so many quilts that it was hard to pick a favorite but I'll show you a few that caught my eye.

Diane Evans. This is all appliqued and she won a 1st place ribbon in the judged category. 

Betty Sweet. This is a quilt dedicated to her eye Drs.

Read her card, it's an amazing story

Our past President, Jill Ramsey. A quilt she made from the blocks we gave her.

Tina Wilson and an amazing Flower Garden.

Barbara Michels. Check out the quilting. She received a 3rd place ribbon for judging.

Pat Roth and her Judges Choice along with a 1st place ribbon.

Millie Lofgren and her 1st place ribbon

Another by Diane Evans. 2nd place

Hand quilted and sequined

Lynne Pillus with a 1st place ribbon

Loretta Kleinsasser with her Best of Show.

Sue Kurtz with a beautiful scrappy quilt. I love how she used reverse applique on the border.

Donna Greenwald and a FABULOUS "Koi Party".

Look at this detail!

Blogger Jo from Moonbear with her cute sew along.

Blogger Esther with her GORGEOUS "Chocolate covered caramel apple storm at sea".Also with a 1st place ribbon!

Just take a look at her quilting. Definitely an award winner!

That's all for today. I need to go remind myself how to do laundry and dishes!

Take care, Brandie

Scrappy 3

 Two more. If I can keep this up, this quilt could be done next week. But I know this can't last specially with the quilt show starting soon.

I finally added some cheddar! I'm so happy with the cheddar but I'm not sure about the stripes though it does look better in person, not so pink.
I'm going through all my scraps to see if I have enough orange to have all 16 pumpkins a different fabric. I would be a shame to buy a piece or two when these have started out so scrappy.
Today is probably the last day I can work on these. Tomorrow we will start measuring and taping the floor for the quilt show. It'll be a fun and exciting show. I'm anxious for it to start and worried that it'll be a long weekend.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
Take care, Brandie

Scrappy 2

Two more pumpkins. These are becoming really fun. Not so difficult as the first one. I really was out of practice!
Last night I uncovered some cheddar triangles in the scrap box. They will be making an appearance in this quilt. I had forgotten how beautiful cheddar was. It's such a warm orange. I should make sure to add more to my stash at this coming Quilt Show.

Speaking of, THIS weekend is our Quilt Show. Anyone in the Chico area please come! Saturday 10-5, Sunday 10-4. At the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds.
 If you do come, please introduce yourself! I'll be there all weekend just ask and someone will know where I am. I hope to see you there!

Take care, Brandie

Scrap Therapy

This weekend I started a Fun new project just perfect for Fall weather. Weather appropriate but maybe not brain appropriate. I'm having sew much trouble with piecing! I must be really out of practice.

This is a Thimbleberry pattern. There are 16 blocks, 8 the same just with different colors.

I bought a kit BUT I'm picky and will be using many of my own scraps.
Hopefully I can make 2 blocks a week. So far so good, just tiny pieces and pudding brain at work here.

On the home front, my Brother moved in this weekend. This will be new for all of us. Again, so far so good! He's even doing dishes... so no complaints... yet.

Have a happy Monday!
Take care, Brandie

Visit

Yesterday cousin Linda and I spent the morning with my SIL. So far this has been the best visit yet.

She hasn't spoken in months

, she doesn't use her right arm but she is writing and that's a huge improvement. 

It was really encouraging to see her communicate with us writing with her left hand. She isn't left handed but the fact that her brain can translate to her left hand after her stroke is amazing!

As usual, it's very hard to leave her and this time even harder as she wrote out "I want to come" to us. So sad. But I wanted to share this great picture of her. 

Have a wonderful weekend and may you all be blessed!

Take care, Brandie

Ready for the Post

 They are finished! And today they go into the mail. BUT I'm still planning on stowing away in Hubby's luggage.

 Ellie got her ear before the quilting and washing.

She even has a tiny little bug who stowed away behind her ear. That'll be me soon!
I put Minky on the back of both quilts for the cool evenings in France.
I liked the Minky so much I might make it a staple for all my baby quilts. I liked it so much I just might put it on MY next quilt!

I also finished the binding on my Quilt Show quilt and I washed it. It's now being blocked in an upstairs room. I sure hope it comes out with no more waves in it. From what I could see it looked flat but I'm still worried.
Now that it's all done (except the label) I have a desire to start something fun. I've been sketching out a few more patterns and I'm hoping to play with some fabric today. And I wish the same for you!

Take care, Brandie

Fabric Fun

I needed to have some more fun and I had a pile of little girl fabrics all ready to go.

Bad light!

I had this pile sitting around for a couple of months. But I had plans for it. I was going to make a baby quilt for Hubby's co-worker. Back in May when Hubby went to the office to work, all the way to Beaune France, he came back and told me his co-worker was excepting. He knew I'd be interested and knew I'd want some time to get a quilt thought up and made. Because I believe every child should have a quilt.

I came up with a plan and I cut into those cute fabrics. I started with big bold pinwheels.

More bad lighting!

Then I made a few stars. I have to say that the pinwheels were much easier! This one star took me an hour to cut, layout and sew. It was so confusing! But the other 3 stars only took an hour. It was just my old brain learning a new trick. Those stars wouldn't have been so bad except for the different colored points.

Then I took those pinwheels and put them together and it came out like this!

My favorite elephant Ellie is featured front and center. I didnt notice that I forgot her flappy ear till I was taking the picture. Don't worry, she has an ear now.

I got it sandwiched one day and finished the quilting last night. Today I'll trim it up and add a binding.

And remember those stars, those also turned into a quilt too. This one will be for the older sister.

I was going for an toddler look for this quilt, not a baby look.

The secondary background pieces to the stars were just as confusing as the stars. That pattern almost kicked my butt! But I'm going to blame it on my lack of sewing for the past 6 months.

Sooooo, my plan is to finish these up this weekend AND ... I'm hoping to hand deliver them. This time I will stowaway in Hubby's luggage if I have to!

Have a Wonderful and Productive Weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Super

I was looking for a little fun. What could be more fun than a super hero cape!

My little nephews were bored with towels that were too big and Mom was afraid they'd choke themselves or each other with something tied around their necks. So Aunt Brandie came to the rescue!

Now we have Super Parker and Super Cameron flying at the speed of light. Can't you tell by the blurry picture?

In retrospect, I may have spent too much time at the machine yesterday. Last night was the worst my back has felt in months. I need to be on a timer! But I wanted to be finished! Oh the struggle within my own head.
Anyway, lots of stretches and less machine time planned today. I need to re-teach myself how to care for my back or I won't be sewing at all.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Take care, Brandie

Good thing I made a pattern for any future capes!

Edit: Having being asked where I found this pattern, I looked and can't find the specific pattern I used. While going through my computer history and searching Google, I saw that there are many patterns out there in, I just cant find the one I used.
BUT I can tell you what I did.
Take a 31" piece of fabric. Fold in half long ways. With the selvages together.
Mark a line at 12" inches (this is the width at the bottom) and a line at 7" (for the neck).
Connect the lines so that you make a taper.
At the neck area, line up a plate or 12" bowl (half the plate) and mark a quarter circle cutout. I made sure that I had a 2" tab on the side of the plate.
Then I just hemmed it. (In the original pattern, she used 2 pieces of fabric and turned it right side out)
Sew velcro on the neck tabs.
For the emblems on the back, I started with a diamond shape. Then I had my Husband draw out a square-ish letter for each boy.
Easy-peasy and they only took about an hour to complete.
And just so you know, if you turn the cape backwards, it makes an excellent bib!

Crossed the Line

I did it! I finished the last border. I did the happy dance yesterday evening and then I celebrated with pizza! Well it wasn't really a celebration, it was more like I had to feed the men. I had been sitting at the machine all weekend and they were having to fend for themselves. But I did have to say that having a finish under my belt made that pizza taste all the more better! Yes, more better!

Again, just ignore the white chalk lines. These will come out in the wash which this quilt needs!

This is the backing and a view of the quilting in the orchid.
Disclaimer:  I'll have you know that I tried my best at designing a flower without turning into Raymond's Mom. If any of you have seen that episode of "Everyone Loves Raymond" where his Mother takes an art class and sculpts a "female" shape and is convinced that she's a lesbian, well that's me too. I can't seem to draw a flower without having that same problem. But if Georgia O'Keefe can get away with it, I really hope I can too.

Anyway, I protected your eyes to keep from offending you.
Really I just want to surprise my friends at the show.

Next I need to trim it up, add a binding, a sleeve and a label. I'm so close! Then maybe I'll have some fun with a few baby quilts. They are fun, quick and refreshing. Something I desperately need!

Have a wonderful Monday!
Take care, Brandie

Thread Shortage

I'm approaching the finish line. I'm so close! But I ran out of black thread again! Yup another 1200 yards of thread went into this quilt. That's 2400 yards of thread so far.

Black always attracts lint, fur and everything else. I spend just as much time lint rolling as I do quilting!

Most of that thread went into the scribbling around my feathers. I used 11 bobbins on that part alone!

ignore all those white chalk lines

I had just enough thread to sew on my last border. First I drew a triangle border and of course I had to fill those triangles or geese with feathers. I love feathers and seem to find a place for them in every quilt.

I should be back in business soon but I have been keeping busy with a few things (mending) that have been piling up. And I did do one fun thing but I can't show it to you yet. After it's delivered I can show you.

I have to say I'm really looking forward to starting something new and fun again. Fall is just around the corner and I find that the perfect time to sew. Come on fall!

Take care, Brandie