I take classes too!

Yesterday I took an embellishing class from Priscilla Gerard on couching threads, etc.  I wasn't prepared because I had only received the supply list the morning before amd did not get home till 10:30 that evening.  No time to prepare but had a great time and learned so much.  Charlotte was gracious and let me use her pattern.  She also promised to help me with the fit.  I'm  going to make a vest and am taking Priscilla's bead embellishing class (you know me and beads!) at the end of June, so it won't be done for awhile. 

Here are the students in the Calligraphy on fabric class I took with the Orange Blossom guild today.  There were about 15 of us and I had a great time.  The teacher, Stacy Hurt, showed us some amazing art quilts Thursday night.  She was so fun to listen to.  She always had a story to tell. 

Here are Pat and Adena working hard.  It is so good to have Adena back. You better stay here for awhile, Adena.  We missed you!

Looking so serious.

I just love Ali's smile.  So glad she could come even though she had surgery on her foot and had to keep it up the whole time.  That's dedication!

Here is Stacy and her beautiful daughter, Ellen.

And here is Linda.  It was her birthday today and Elaine told her she had to bring her own cake.  It was delicious, Linda!

I really enjoyed the class and had the most fun when we got to the fabric.  For some reason calligraphy on paper was boring.  I went to Borders on the way home and got so books.  Now to practice!

Classes

I finally get to post this quilt.  This is the Circle of Hope quilt that I will be teaching and I could not post it till Jeremy quilted it.  It is now up in the store so now it can go on my blog.  There are still three other quilts that I want to post but till they are up in the store, it's not going to happen.

I'm also teaching some other classes.

You saw Hochie Mama already.

But here are two versions of the Vintage Moments quilt I am also teaching.  I just love this quilt and have started another one that I would like to finish with my students.  This is an intense class but not hard.  Just labor intensive and you learn so much.  I hope students are signing up.  I know one student wanted me to pick out fabric for her quilt, which I did yesterday but I hope Hiley doesn't go into sticker shock when she sees how much it is going to cost.  Just the background and the border is about 8 yards!  Figure that out in today's quilt store prices!

I'm also teaching two machine quilting classes and a travel bag class.

Check out Thimble Towne's Website.

I would love to see you as my student.  I promise we will have a good time!

Happy Birthday Linda and Grace!

Yesterday our Needle Divas group met and we had such a fun time.  I don't know what I would do without these ladies! We celebrated Grace and Linda M.'s birthdays.  They actually have the same birthday (Saturday next).  Here are a few pictures.

Here is a picture of the beautiful flowers Linda B. gave Linda M. and Grace.

I also finished two little quilts for guild give aways.

Today we are working on Charity Quilts at Quilters Quarters.  I need to leave soon so will keep this short.

New projects!

The order from Fire Mountain Gems came yesterday.  This is what $90 in beads looks like.  Some of these will be for my "Tsunami Ripples" quilt.  I'm looking forward to the end result but not the hours and hours of beading.

I couldn't seem to get out of the gloom of the last few days, brought on by myself, so I spent time going through my fabric stash and really weeding out what I didn't think I would every use.  I cut anything less than a fat quarter into 5 inch and 3 1/2 inch squares but then decided that I probably won't do anything with them so I packed them up to give to two of my guilds for door prizes.  Somebody else might as well use them.  I also have a huge bag of fabric I am bring to my sweet Needle Divas tomorrow.  I hope some of them will want some of it.  I'll just keep bringing it around till it is all gone.  Who doesn't like free fabric?

Speaking of fabric here are the fabrics that I hope to use in a challenge I am participating in.  Some of it I got on the shop hop and some I had.  I have an idea in my head now if I can just get it out of there and into a quilt.  Only time will tell.  I have to have it done in August but I am going to be gone for most of July so I need to have it done before then and I am such a last minute person.  Things are piling up but I told myself I wasn't going to let that stop me from just doing what I want, like cutting up scraps.  This week is really busy so I don't know if I will have much time in the studio.  I'm taking two classes at the end of the week.  That should provided inspiration and motivation!

Shop Hopping!

Here I am shop hopping with my dear friend Thimblelina.  Actually she is a permanent fixture at Thimble Town in Visalia, CA.  The second annual Central Valley Shop Hop started today so I visited my favorite quilt store to visit friends and, of course, to buy some fabric.

Here is Jeremy, the owner, out front greeting visitors.  The theme for the store today was Carnival.  For our enjoyment there were frito boats, popcorn and snow cones.  We got a great goodie bag also.  Thank you, Jeremy!  He's the greates!.  There is so much new fabric it is overwhelming.  More was coming in while I was there.  Their selection of batiks is the best I have ever seen.  I think Thimble Towne has to have the biggest selection of fabric in the Valley.  If you haven't been there you need to go!  The shop hop goes thru Sunday, but you can go by anytime.  Warning, you will not come out of there empty handed!

At each store you can pick up a pattern for each of the blocks in this quilt.  I like the way Jeremy put this quilt together.  I won't be making the quilt since I only went to Thimble Towne and then Quilters Quarters in Hanford. 

Now for some finished work.  This is the table runner I made for Katrina to take to Iowa when they go to stay with Eric's family this June.  I hope they like it.  I do.  I used just what I had and that is why I have a stash.  But after making this I decided to clean out my stash so I am cutting 5, 3 1/2 and 2 1/2 inch square from anything that is smaller than a fat quarter and giving away stuff I don't think I will ever use.  I don't know if I will use these squares but I can always give them away.

Family

Keira (3), Daniel (1), Ephram (5), and Becky (3)

 

Lexi (2) with her Grandpa Jo (Robinson in Penn.)

 

We celebrated Ephram's 5th birthday and Becky's 3rd birthday Sunday at our house.

Here they are with their ice cream cakes.  Just because we celebrated together doesn't mean they don't get their own cakes.  (I made them take the rest home!  Too tempting!)

We bought Ephram his first big boy bike.  He was a little afraid to ride it but I hear by the time he got home he thought it was the best present he received.  You better take care of it, Ephram, and wear your helmet. 

Today I'm feeling a little at odds with myself.  Maybe it's because I only got about 4 hours of sleep last night but maybe it's because I am not sure where my focus in my quilting life and quilting friendships are right now.  Things have been changing and I feel as though I am drifting away and sometimes I feel like I am the odd man out.  Talk of retreats, get togethers, sewing day, Party Party, Shop hops, Quilt shows and road trips circle around me and I seem not to have a connection with any of it anymore.  Maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself and a little overwhelmed but no one really reads these things anyways so I will just write to feel better.  I have just quit working at my secretary job and have gotten my schedule for teaching and realized I won't have much money.  I didn't get all the classes I wanted but then again I wanted more time at home to work on developing into an artist (that's suppose to be my goal) so why am I complaining.  It must be a hormone thing. I did have a nice lunch with my three sister-in-laws yesterday. Thanks a lot for noticing I lost 60 lbs. (That's sarcasm for not noticing but I guess it's not apparent yet since I have so much further to go!)

I guess I should get back to the studio.  I'm going to make a table runner for Katrina to take back to Iowa this June for the family they are staying with.  Maybe some mindless quilting and a Jesse Stone movie will help my spirits.

But I have to leave you with this picture of Stephen helping his son ride his bike.  Is there anything  more precious than this.  So stop complaining, Anna, and get to work!

Loose Threads Current Project

I missed last months meeting due to a board meeting but Janice taught Thread Painting on water soluble stabilizer and gave us the word "Rejoice" to put into a quilt.  Well, I don't see the point in doing it on stabilizer when you can do it directly on the fabric.  But I did it anyways.  After seeing Janice's and Karen's I can now see when this technique can come in handy.  I forgot to take a picture of Grace's butterflies she made but when she gets it into a quilt, I hope to take a picture of it.  I'm trying to remember to take my camera and use it so I will have pictures for my blog.  Maybe it will be more interesting to more people.

Barbara Sawyer did hers directly on the fabric.

Barbara Sindlinger made a little one (about 6" x 6")

Janice Minyard suspended hers in the center (open all the way through)



Karen Taber layered hers with chiffon and inserted free floating stars.




This is Sara Kelly's which she did not put into a quilt.




But Sara decided to cut up some blocks she had and make a new quilt out of them.




And here is mine. 
This wasn't the original orientation and I planned on having more beads on it but I guess this is the way it is going to stay.  Have to change the sleeve on the back!



Loose Threads Waves and Tucks

Barbara Sindlinger



Grace Hoya




Karen Taber




Sara Kelly




Mine which you have already seen.
Next time you see this it will be different.  It was decided at group last night that the "tassels" don't work.  All those hours and hours of beading.  Out of some brain storming, a differnt option was agreed upon which means more beading and a lot more beads.  Jeff's not going to like that because I need to order yet more beads.  I sure hope this is worth it.



Grace's Birthday Strips from Loose Threads



From Janice Minyard




From Karen Tabor




From Me




From Barbara Sindlinger




From Barbara Sawyer




From Sara Kelly and this is the only one I can remember the title to: "Wine in the Garden"

Happy Birthday, Grace!

Something to Show!

I finished my wave quilt.  It's called "Tsunami Ripples".  Hours and hours of beading.

I also finished this travel bag I am going to teach.

The classes are finally on Thimble Towns Website.  It's a great website!

Remember all the fabric coasters I was making last fall for my daughters' Mop Group.  Well, hear are the rest of them.  I hope the ladies like these.  They receive a set of four and some other things for their birthdays. I wish I could remember how many I made in all.  It should be around 100 sets.  There are 24 sets here.

Now I have to get started on our next Loose Threads project but today is "run around town and get everything done at once so you don't have to spend more money on gas" day.

Radomness

This is part of the entry to the Museum of Art in Bakersfield, CA.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  This is only part of it.  We went to see the California Fiber Artists exhibit that my friend Sara's work is in.  It was an amazing exhibit and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Here is Sara with one of two pieces she had in the show.  I believe this is the one which sold.  The artist side of me wants to be Sara when I grow up. (The wild side of me wants to be "Abbey" from NCIS when I grow up.)

You all know what a Jelly Roll is?  Well, my granddaughter got a hold of this one and when I asked her what she did she said it was a present!  So, she opened it!

Well, the huge quilt for Jeremy is done and I can't  show you it yet.  When he gets it quilted and hanging in the store I will post a picture.  Meanwhile, here is what I am working on now.  Can any of you from Loose Threads venture a guess?