Quilt Retreat 2014

I was lucky enough to meet Valerie at a quilt guild a few months ago.    She told me about another quilt guild a few miles north of Crossville and I am now a member at both guilds.   I know, you're shocked, aren't you?   haha   Over the last couple of months Valerie has introduced me to dozens of  women quilters and it's been such a blessing to start new friendships.

A week after I joined the new guild I received a call that a spot had opened up for an upcoming retreat and I was invited to come along.   You betcha!    So, that's where I spent 5 days this week...at retreat....in a huge cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains.    It.  Was.   Awesome.

 This was our first glimpse of the cabin as we drove in on Sunday afternoon.  The porch wrapped around 3 sides of the cabin with plenty of space to sit and relax in the shade and cool breezes.  Birds were chirping and squirrels were playing in the trees as we unloaded all our sewing paraphernalia and personal items for the week.

There was plenty of parking space available and we had all the peace and quiet we could want as this cabin was remote and at the end of the road.  What a perfect place for a retreat.

The cabin had a great commercial kitchen which made preparing our meals much simpler for the 2 co-presidents of the guild.  Yes!    These lovely ladies actually cooked breakfast and dinner and desserts for us the entire week!    How much more indulgent could it get?

And here they are.....Barb on the left calls herself the organizer while Bunny on the right is the creative half of the dynamic duo.   There is no way anyone who follows them as president could outdo all the thoughtful gestures they bestowed on us.   The food was home made and fabulous...and as you'll soon see, it was "themed" every night and became part of our entertainment.  These two ladies are an awesome team.

Ummmm, yeah.   How silly are these ladies?    Julie on the left is Bunny's daughter and she was very much a part of the creative genius behind the week's events.   On Monday night we had a Hawaiian theme for our meal.   And of course, these ladies came into the sewing room to announce dinner was ready wearing these funny aprons.  Then they proceeded to go around the room putting a lei around each of our necks.  

 Each morning as we crawled out of bed and stumbled upstairs to the kitchen for a much needed cup of caffeine, we were greeted with another special surprise gift for each of us.    Above is my cute new drinking mug from morning one and my chicken pin cushion from morning two.    On morning three we all got a jar of handmade sugar scrub to soften our skin.  What a great way to have a memory from the retreat!

This was my table where I spread all my sewing goodies out and sewed for 4 days.  Yes, that is a cappuccino sitting there in a red mug.   I took my cappuccino machine with me to share with the ladies in case anyone else needed an extra caffeine surge to keep on sewing late into the night.

All the participants at the retreat (there were 24 of us) felt that these ladies had gone so far and above what was expected that we took up a collection so we could surprise them with a gift.   Then we wrapped their cash in fat quarters of fabric and gave it to them on Tuesday just before we left to go hopping from quilt shop to quilt shop.   Hey, it's not all about sewing at a quilt retreat!    A girl's gotta add to her stash, you know?   Hopefully they were able to find something to spend their thank you's on.

So, Tuesday night was Italian night.....complete with lasagna roll ups, chicken cacciatore, garlic bread and tiramisu for dessert.    Salads were served most every meal and we had more than enough snacks in between meals to keep up our energy for churning out those quilts.

Yes, you guessed it.   Wednesday night was Chinese night.   Aren't these girls hilarious?    Spring rolls, fried rice, the best boneless beef ribs and teri-yaki chicken I've ever eaten.    Fortune cookies and ice cream sundaes for dessert topped off the whole evening.    What more can I say?   It was fabulous!   And the hours of sewing was fun, too.....let's not forget that was one of the reasons I went.

Sometimes you have to step away from the sewing machine and slow down and do a little hand quilting.    The front porch had this wonderful creaking old-fashioned swing that was a perfect place to sit quietly and stitch.

All too soon it was Thursday morning and time for us to pack up and head for home.   This was our parting view of the front doors as we pulled up and out of the steep driveway.    I was really glad to sleep in my own bed once again on Thursday night.  And Molly was so happy to see me after being gone for almost 5 full days.  

 I really had a great time with all the women who started the week as strangers to me, but felt more like friends when we parted.  Thank you Valerie for introducing me to these ladies and for being my sewing and traveling partner.   I'm so grateful you stepped up months ago and made the effort to stay in contact with me.

Can't wait to do it all again,
Debbie

Just a Few More

Yes, I took some time out from canning to work on a few blocks last week. 
Here's #29, Economy (?), aptly named because it was so straight forward a block to make, I guess.
And #30 is End of Day...kinda like a modified pinwheel.

Then we have #31, Evening Star.   Ok, I can see that one.....I used kitty fabric for that block.   But I really like #32 named Farmer's Daughter.  What a pretty star!

Since yesterday was a holiday, I took some time to start something special and worked on an applique table runner for our new kitchen table.   I love the batik fabrics that are used for the flowers and leaves and it was such a fun process.  

First all the pieces get traced onto Steam A Seam and that gets finger pressed onto the reverse side of the batik.    Then the fabric gets cut out on the traced lines and you are left with a perfect shape, ready to press onto your background fabric.   It felt sooooo good to do something different from the Farmer's Wife blocks.   And this Edyta Sitar pattern is really pretty.

Now I need to stitch around all the pieces as this is raw edge applique.   Right now all the pieces are fused down after using Steam A Seam II Light.   Then all I have to do is layer the runner with batting and a backing and quilt it.   It will get a dark binding to finish off the whole project and I think the dark border will help it "pop" against our light table.   Can't wait to see it completed!   I'll show you pics when that happens.

Till then,
Debbie

Darting Birds?

Yup, that's the name of #27, Darting Birds.  I can actually see them in this block.

And #28 is Duck and Ducklings.  But I used puppy fabrics.   Just sayin'.    I mean, really, do you see a duck and ducklings?   Well.....neither do I, so, I used dog fabric.  

More in a few days,
Debbie

#21 & #22

Moving right along......here they are:

 #21 on the left is named Contrary Wife and #22 is......wait for it.....Corn & Beans!   Hahaha....so I used green and yellow to represent the corn and beans.    Ok, that one was fun.

 So, I got ambitious and actually made a few more.   Here is #23 called Country Farm and #24 is Country Path.

#25 is Cups & Saucers and #26 is Cut Glass Dish.

Alright, that's all I've got for now, but at least I'm making progress.   I'm almost 1/4 there making the blocks.   Hmmmm, this is gonna take a while, isn't it?

Getting there,
Debbie

More Blocks, Yippee!

Ok, so I think I'm back in the swing of things again.  I actually made a few more blocks and even got around to taking pics of them.   And here they are....

Block #17 is called Cats and Mice....weird name....and I used puppy dog fabric for it before I realized the name.   And the block on the right, #18, is Century of Progress.   It was a brain teaser to piece together.   Whew!   I hope there aren't too many more like it in the quilt.

At least the next 2 blocks were much easier to piece.   Block #19 is called Checkerboard and I liked using all the polka dots in the dark squares.   Block #20 is an oldie but goodie called Churn Dash.   Now I'm beginning to get excited to see what all these squares are going to look like when they are put together in a quilt.  But, I'm a long way from that right now.   Hmmmm, only 91 more blocks to go! 

Chugging along,
Debbie

More Farmer's Quilt Blocks

Finally.   I know, I know, but we've been busy in the garden and canning in the kitchen.  But I did take some time to sew a few more blocks last week.  And here they are!

I already showed you Broken Dishes on the left,.  But now we have Broken Sugar Bowl on the right to go along with it.   Don't you just love some of these names?   These are blocks number 11 & 12.

Here we have Buckwheat, number 13 on the left and Butterfly at the Crossroads on the right.   These little babies look like nothing to put together, but each of them takes me over an hour!   Good grief the pieces are small.   Remember, each block is only 6-1/2" across.

And last but not least, we have Buzzard's Roost (with the little doggie print....too cute!), number 15 and Calico Puzzle on the right is number 16.   Whew!

That's all I have for you now, folks.  Hopefully I can carve out some time to work on my blocks more frequently.   Unfortunately the garden and canning have kinda taken over my life temporarily.

Till later,
Debbie

Eleven.....not quite Twelve

You see, I really do have a good reason for only showing you one block today.   On April 15th we had a very cold day with snow blowing sideways across our farm.   Now for the last 10 days it's been mostly 70-80 degree weather and sunny.   We went from winter to summer in 2 short weeks!   That means "hurry up and plant your garden" time.    That also means my sewing time has greatly diminished.

So here is block number 11....12 will come in a few days.....I'm almost certain of it......maybe.....

Number 11 is called broken dishes and all the little pieces DO remind me of broken dish pieces.   And yes, all those pieces were a bit small to piece together and still get a square block when all is said and done.    Number 12 is called Broken Sugar Bowl.....you'll see it soon.....really.....gonna get back to it......one day next week.....maybe

Busy Gardener,
Debbie

#9 & #10

Ah, yes.   Here we are at 9 & 10.    #9 on the left is called Box.   Hmmmmm, I don't quite see a box, but that's what it's called.   #10 on the right is called Bowtie...and if you turn your head to look at the block, the blue makes up the tie and the green polka dot is the center of the bowtie knot.  Now that one I can see.

But who am I to question the names for these blocks?
Debbie

Ok, on to Blocks 7 & 8

Wow, the weeks are just flying by.    Here are the next two blocks for Farmer's Wife Quilt.

The left hand block is Birds in the air......and I can actually see how someone came up with this name.   The pieces for this block were so small, though!   Remember, the finished blocks are only 6-1/2" square.   So, all those tiny triangles were ....let's say.....interesting to piece together and still come out with a square block.

The right hand block is appropriately named Bouquet.   I think this one speaks for itself.   And I'm still loving the fun fabrics from the 1930's.   Hope you enjoy following along with me as I try to stay on task and make these blocks every week.   Soon, I should be able to lay some out to see what they look like all together.

Till then,
I'll keep on quiltin',
Debbie

F. W. Q., Blocks 5 & 6

This is a quick post....just a pic of the blocks...

Block number 5 on the left is called Bat Wing.....funny name, wouldn't you say?   And the right hand block is called Big Dipper.   I love the crazy daisies on the blue and the tiny green and white check triangles.

Ok, that's it.  Told you this would be a quick post!
Deb

Farmer's Wife Quilt; The Basket Blocks

Ok, so far, so good.   Blocks 3 & 4 are completed and I love the way they are turning out.    Each block for the quilt has different templates that need to be traced and then cut out of template plastic.  After that, choosing the perfect fabric for each block is so much fun for me.   These blocks take a bit of time to put together, despite the fact that they are only 6-1/2" square.

Here are blocks number 3 & 4:

The block on the left is simply called a Basket block, and the one on the right is called Basket Weave.  The handle on the Basket needed to be hand appliqued in place using a narrow bias strip of fabric, which was actually fun to do.   Sometimes it's nice to sit still and do a little hand sewing.

Stay tuned for more,
Debbie

The Farmer's Wife Quilt

Sometimes I am waaaay behind the curve when it comes to current trends.   Apparently, I have been hiding in a hole because every quilter I talk to knows about The Farmer's Wife Quilt book.   About a year ago, I saw the book in my favorite quilt store....but it had already been out in the stores for several years. 

An interesting part of the book is a compilation of letters written by farm wives who entered a contest back in 1922.   The popular magazine, The Farmer's Wife, offered several cash prizes for the best answers to this question:  "If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in light of your own experience, want her to marry a farmer?".   Over seven thousand readers responded and 94 percent of farm wives stated that they would, indeed, want their daughter to marry a farmer.

The Farmer's Wife Quilt book not only has included the best answers to this question but it also has 111 six-inch quilt blocks with instructions  for piecing the blocks on an accompanying CD.   The blocks in the book are a treasure trove of quilting history and aptly capture the time period of the 1920's.    Originally, when the book caught my eye I bought it for my friend, Barb, a fellow quilter who lives on 22 acres in northern Alabama and is "farming" her little slice of heaven on earth.   It wasn't until 4 months ago that I broke down and bought a copy of the book for myself.

The colors of the blocks in the book are more primitive and darker in tone, ie: browns, greyed blues and creams.   My color choices tend to be more vibrant so I decided to break into my stash of 1930's fabrics with the reds, pinks, teals and soft greens.    I'm so glad I choose those fabrics to make my quilt.   Because there are so many different blocks, my goal is to try and make 2 blocks per week for the next year so that maybe I will have all the blocks necessary to complete a quilt by next Spring.  

So for the next year, my challenge to myself is to try and sew and then post on this blog the 2 blocks I've made for that week.   Here goes:
Block 1 is called Attic Windows and is on the left and block 2 is Autumn Tints and is on the right.

As you can see, these are not your Grandma's browns and blues......these are happy colors!!!   I hope you'll enjoy following along as I attempt to make all 111 blocks.

See you next week,
Debbie

Keepin' the Pooch Warm

Yes, I realize it's been months since I've added a post here.   To find out what has been happening in our lives, just go to my other blog, www.threadsofmind.blogspot.com and you'll see why it's been a while since my last post.   Anyway, I'm baaaack!

We have moved to Tennessee from Florida and during the month after the move we struggled to find a good groomer for our Cavachon, Molly.

Here she is in all her fluffy cuteness.   Well, because she hadn't been to a groomer in over a month, her coat had become hopelessly matted and she needed to be shaved.   Poor thing.....she is completely bald except for her head and tail and she gets quite cold in the mornings when we go out for our walk.  

So I got online and found a cute puppy coat made of fleece.   Ha!   That's why sewers keep a stash!   I had a whole bin of fleece just waiting for the right project.     To see the pattern I used you can go online at http://compulsivecraftiness.com and download the pdf file and print out the pattern for yourself.   Too.  Cute.  And it was easy, too.  In less than an hour Miss Molly had a new coat to keep her warm until her hair grows in again.

After printing out the pattern on separate pieces of paper, you simply cut them on the lines

and tape them into one pattern piece.

 The collar is sewn first and attached to the top of the coat and 2 pieces of fleece are then sewn together following all the curves.  Once sewn together, just turn right sides out and topstitch.  

Attaching the velcro to the tabs is the last step and you're finished!   Very easy to make and it fits really nice.   I adjusted the pattern by making it 1" longer in the back as Molly has a long body and it worked just fine.

Here she is in all her naked glory sporting her new coat.   I think now she will stop shivering.

Dog Mom,
Deb