I'm Back~~~

Hi Everyone, I'm back~~~ It has been a wild year~~ I did however get a lot done since my last post in April. On my to do list I did get a few quilt done that has been UFO's for a long, long time. I got my deer quilts both finished. Husband love his~~ buzz saw quilt done, put a flannel backing on it so it now the quilt I talk along with to retreats. Split decision done and sold it. The 1600 quilt done & was given to my friend Bianca which loves it. Bits & Pieces put together now to be quilted. I've still have quite a few but at least I have some that done. I've completed quite a few quilts in between the UFO's, so I wasn't too lazy. I've been on lots of retreats this year with some great quilting ladies whom I treasure their friendship very deeply. Let's see since april add 5 more to this list, plus I have one more to end the year with. 2015 is looking like a lot of fun as well, starting in february~~ Can't wait till the next one~~ I've been learning some new online stuff with classes I've been taking. So hopefully I'll be posting more with some ideas i have swirling around in my head.So stay tuned.

Quilt Season has Begun

Well as my husband says Deer Season is over and Quilt Season begins. Got to love a man who lets his wife of almost 25 years go on as many quilt retreat as I do, and doesn't mind at all. :D I've already have two retreat under my belt so far this year. Nothing like a good retreat to get your juices flowing, get productive, enjoy great company and tons of laughs. One of the big retreats I do is right around the corner. Almost 40 women in attendance with a waiting list of 18 gals. We have so much fun up in the Amish country here in Ohio. The ladies that attend it are so wonderful, drama free for the most part, :)and so much fun. The ladies are so giving as well. The make pillowcases of every kind of fabric and this year we have 3 charities we will be giving them to which we had some great feedback as well from those charities. I believe we are blessed ladies and need to give back when we can. We gave away over 75 pillowcases last year. Hope to do the same for this one. For those who participate I give away a quilt and some prizes via raffle style. Lots of fun. Here is a winner from I believe last year.

well off to work on this years raffle quilt. i'm going to try my best to post more here.

First of October~~

Well it is the first of October already, hard to believe fall has arrived. It is so beautiful here in Ohio with all of the leaves changing, cooler days, and all the fall decor. I didn't get the quilt top from last week finished like I'd hope to have. :( but I did make some progress got the the backing on and the batting floating. At least it was further along then when I started it. My plans is for Friday to spend the whole day finishing it up. Life has been a little busy. Caleb has homecoming the weekend of his 16th Birthday which is hard to believe my baby is 16 already. He still hasn't shown an interest in getting his license yet, but I' sure that will change before long. I don't know if the accident his brother Josh was in almost 3 years ago still haunts him or when he was with me last year around this time and the deer came into the windshield of the van. I don't want to rush him until he is ready. I still believe driving is one of the most dangerous things can do in life. I've been selling on eBay and in my etsy shop. Which I'm getting ready to put some items up there this weekend. I love making all of these little blocks, helps me distress from the day. I'm still trying to downsize all of my quilting/sewing stuff. Last year when my oldest son Josh moved into his own house, I decided to take his room as my sewing room. My "old" sewing room was the 2nd garage on my property converted over after my sweet husband put up all new walls, ceiling, insulated, put in heat, air conditioning and nice lighting. So now my husband took that over, and I moved inside. But I still have quite a bit of stuff out there that I need to decide what to do with it. What do you do with all of your unwanted fabric or craft items that you've lost interest in or no longer love????

I was thinking of a way to get some of the project/quilt done. So I'm going to pick a project for the week to complete or work on and post my progress. So I picked a quilt that has been on my quilting frame for over 3 weeks now, I know pretty sad that it has been sitting there that long waiting to be quilted. I just couldn't get any motivation to do so. So I want to get it quilted and off the frame. Here is the one I picked. 

The pattern I believe is called Fire Escape, done in assorted blue batiks. It is a large lap size. I found some really pretty variegated YLI thread which I think would be perfect on it, now to decide on what to do in the large strips. I might do just an overall too with some swirls or flowers. So this is Monday lets see how the rest of the week goes.

Here are some pictures of the Quilts I want to finish and complete before April I hope. :) This isn't half of my pile of want/need to do.

 Jelly Belly Quilt, all snowball blocks.

 Americana Quilt Done in Kansas Troubles

 Indian Summer Flower Quilt

 Clyde's Deer Quilt #2

 Online Mystery Quilt

 Double Duty Quilt in Kansas Trouble Scraps

 Got this out of the Quilt Shop Magazine & was from Quilts Plus online Shop, can't think of the name of it.

 Buzz Saw Quilt

 Split Decision by the Teacher's Pet

 Raspberry Truffle Quilt was a kit from Quilts Plus and online swap with Ohioquilters

 Clyde's Deer Quilt #2

 1600 Quilt done in Batiks

 Frost Bite needs finished and bound

 Snowman Top

Spider Quilt done in Kansas Troubles fabric scraps.

 hand pieced 2" 1930's reproduction fabric quilt, on going

 BOM of Kansas Trouble Sampler

 Pinwheel quilt, have this for over 8 years, i know that is sad

 Bible Quilt done in sayings, not sure how I'm going to finish this.

Bits & Pieces taken out of magazine.

 

Gosh it has been 9 months since I last posted. Life has been so busy. Went to a Quilt retreat in Feburary, April, a week long one in July, and just got home from another one. It has been such a busy year, but so much fun~~~
At this last retreat a few of us were talking about our stashes. So my friend Bianca & I came up with a "plan" to reduce our stashes, get motivated at getting our tops done, and our UFO's done. Well here is what we've come up with.
 No buying Fabric Challenge~~~

  going to go on a No Buying Fabric Diet~~~ ( ok I just broke out in a sweat typing that)

here are the "rules":

No buying fabric unless it can justified as in a backing, background to finish out a partial done quilt etc.

If you purchase fabric you need to post it, how much & why you bought it.

You need to post pictures of unfinished quilt tops before and after they are finished if your wanting to get motivated to get those tops into quilts.

Work completely out of your stash to complete new projects if possible use 100% of your stash.

Dates are today September 15, 2013 to the Date of the April Retreat. Post pictures of the quilts made with your stash only.

 Anyone want to join us?? We've got a few joining us at the Ohioquilters FB Page, the private one. :)

I hope I can stick with it. 

New Years Quilt Retreat

I got to live a quilters dream, getting snowed in a quilt retreat!! How awesome is that?? Since I live in Ohio the weather is always, always changing they were calling for snow, no biggie, but we ended up getting around 7" of it. I couldn't leave, I know so sad I had to stay another night. Which was fine, I mean I had a fire if needed, fabric, sewing machine, a few projects, friends and some good food, so I was set. We had such a wonderful time, I didn't stay to ring in the New Year with my friends. I ventured home to celebrate with my husband. I did get a couple of tablerunner/toppers made including quilting them, just didn't get around the binding part. I know a big surprise to those who know me, not so much a surprise. I also got 3/4 a top completed all I need to do is add a couple of borders to it, then it will go to my "to be quilted" pile.

I love attending these retreats with a great group of ladies, we just have made so many wonderful friendships with almost no drama~~ I know I get asked what do you do at these retreats. Well we sew, laugh, share stories, sew some more, make/eat some wonderful food, and even throw in a puzzle or two to put together too. We also nap if we want, shop if we want, and basically relax. So if you can go to one, GO, I mean RUN!!!! 

Sewing Room Organization

Well it is that time of year already. Get your Sewing room in tip top shape, LOL  here are few tips to get you jump started. 

 Sewing storage doesn't have to be boring! Dress up boring drawers with
pieces of punchy wallpaper. Stash buttons, ribbons, and other sewing
notions in candy dishes or small bowls for easy-to-rifle-through
storage.
Sort your precut fabrics in clear-plastic storage boxes so you can
always find the right size you need. These boxes stack easier so you can
hide them under a bed or in a closet. Label the boxes for true
efficiency.  Get those plastic drawers that you put your smaller squares in from say 2" and up. Cut those scraps into sizes you sew with the most.
Clear, resealable bags can hold a pattern, fabric, and supplies for a
project you're working on. If you need to stop the project before you're
done, just stick it in the bag and store it away for another day. Make your own kits so when you need a quick project or heading to a retreat makes packing a lot easier. You could even go as far as already have everything cut out.
Take old shoe boxes fix them up on the outside. Then cut a piece of fabric of a specific color
and gluing it to the outside. Put all your scraps of that color into the
shoebox for easy storage, and easy to find that great "red" to make your project Pop..
Plastic over the door shoe organizers are a great option for storing your patterns by say size of the quilt, all purses together etc plus Keep your ribbon and rickrack in line by winding them around
uniform-size cards. Store them in a pocketed, over-the-door hanger meant
to hold shoes or toiletries. This technique works great for keeping
leftoever embroidery floss untangled, too. Back of the door is such a space that doesn't get used quite as much.
You know those wooden divided shoe holders, you could store rolled up fusibles, all kinds of notions in those cubby holes. Fat quarters could be stacked in them. Pieces of leftover batting rolled up and labeled as in the size. 

Have fun with it
Carolyn ~~~

Stitchin 3" Finished Paper Pieced Blocks

 Well I'm stitchin on a lot of 3" Finished Mini Paper Pieced Blocks. I've been selling a lot of them on ebay ( id is antiques4me2) or on Etsy ( the Ole Country Quilt) and have tons of fun of them doing them. If you have never paper pieced give it a whirl it is quite fun. A friend of my the late Nancy Watson taught me years ago, and I started getting back to it. Below is a selection of some that I've been doing in Civil War Reproductions, Kansas Troubles, and 1930's reproductions fabrics. There make up into some really cute reproduction small quilts.

Been Baking & Sewing

Well I've been so busy with going on quilting retreats, my last one is next month for the week before New Years Eve. Then they start allover again come February!! Love going on retreats that is for sure.
HHmmmm lets see what else have been going on, a deer hit me and tore up the drivers side of my van, but we were ok, which is all that matters. It was a huge 8 point buck, he decided to try to come thru my windshield and lost. But my baby is back from the shop, so she is all shiny & new.

I've been baking today to get ready for our Church's bake sale. Today made up some loaves of Pumpkin bread, which it so moist and yummy~~~ probably because it is made up with butter instead of oil. This recipe after the bread cools, freezes so well. I wrap my breads up with plastic wrap, then put in a freezer bag. Good to go for 3 months, I pull them out and defrost usually the night before I need them. Don't they look beautiful!! I could have made two large loaves but I split up it up so have some smaller ones.

On a quilting note Here is a quilt I did up at the last retreat done up in civil war reproductions. I love it!! got it quilted out and now to put on the dreaded binding, but I will say with my new sewing machines (Janome 7700 ROCKS!!!) I enjoy doing it a little better. :-) This was so easy to make up. I love quilts like that. I used charms to make those four patches. Made up to a 63"x67" quilt, nice and snuggling under this winter. I love the old fashioned look.

Heading back into the sewing room and sewing up some 3" paper pieced blocks I'm selling on ebay. I sold all the ones I had on there, now to make up some new ones. My ebay id is antiques4me2.

Have a blessed day~~~

Small Quilt Finished

I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted. Been such a busy summer with just life in general. Lots of sewing going on, been on a couple of quilt retreats, working in the flower bed and the garden. I did make a really small quilt for a sample in the local quilt shop ( Creation Sew Clever). I had so much fun making this quilt. The pattern is called Martin's pennies, from the book civil war legacies. Right now I'm getting ready for a yard sale and parting with lots of fabric/book/patterns and more. got to make some room for new stuff plus I'm downsizing. It is a hard thing to do but praying they go to a good home.

Pink & Brown Quilt Done

Well finally I got it done. I started it at the Ohio Quilter's Retreat this past April. I got the center done there and got the piano keys all cut out. So I got around to finishing it this weekend. I wasn't sure about using the light tan with those darker browns and beautiful pinks, but I do love it. This is a pattern by Sew Unique Creations called Mother & Daughter. I can't wait to see this all quilted out with a dark chocolate binding on it. It was fun to make and very easy to do. 

Now to get started on a another little quilt to hang in my sewing room. One of my favorite books is The Civil War Sewing Circle. I'm doing the 1" across hexagon Grandmother's flower garden pattern. Using some civil war reproduction fabrics in browns/blues. I love doing some handwork while "watching" tv with the husband, and this is perfect for just that.


 

Another Ohio Quilt Retreat

Here is the welcome table. Those goodie bags were filled and they were thrilled with everything inside. I had to donate a bottle of best press as a Thank You to them all for being the awesome ladies they are. And yes that is a quilt I made, I need to put on a border to frame it and quilt it out. Lots of scraps in pink, brown and blues oh creams as well.

 Sue F. winning on of the raffle items. She fell in love with this wallhanging. Kathie C told her she had the winning ticket and she did. !! Congratulations to you Sue, your an awesome woman.

I finally got home from another Wonderful retreat in Amish Country in Ohio. We had such a great time. There was great friends, yummy food, lots of eye candy being sewn together, tons of laughs and a lifetime of memories being made. I love, love putting on this retreat. There was a time when I thought about putting it to bed, when there was drama going on, now we are just about drama free get together. Nothing like a bunch of women sharing our passion of quilting developing into some great friendships & memories. Sue F. did a class on the Lollipop bag and was so much fun. The bag was made in less then an hour, and I think Sue has the patience of Job. She is an awesome teacher. Then you throw in Kathy N. hosting a new game and I laughed so much watching them gals lose their fat quarters, and two gals winning the whole pot. The last but no least all of these women that attended made the whole weekend a ton of fun. They donated pillowcases over 63 ( last count) to be given to a charity. They also raised $600.00 which will be divided between the Arthritis Association and Women's Heart Association. Lots of hand claps to them all. I can't wait till next year. I believe I got some of my sewing mojo back too. 

 Beverly H. won one of the raffle quilts. She loved it and I had fun making it to donate.

Above is Pat Chambers winning a quilt. She and lots of others was put in a drawing for the quilt for donating pillow cases. She looks pretty happy~~~

Back From Retreat

I'm back from another awesome retreat, well rested, jaw hurts from laughing so much, and probable gained a few pounds with all of that wonderful food. Everyone seemed to have way too much fun at this past weekend. We shopped some, sewed some, slept, and laughed a lot, which I think all was well needed for a few of us there. I finished up quilt top, made some thread catchers, plus a few other things. The picture is entering my sewing room, where my sweet son unloaded my items for me. I'm truely blessed because he loaded my van and unloaded if for me, of course i brought home a few treats for him as payment. Isn't it amazing how much you take with you on a weekend getaway. You just can't pack one thing, No that isn't possible, you have to take a few just in case what you get done early with your project ( now wouldn't that be a blessing) but mostly because you get bored with what you brought. :-)

I'll never forget my husband comment about what all I had on my list to pack for my first retreat. I mean I had on my list sewing machine, peddle, electrical cord/surge protector, sewing machine feet etc, pincushion, projects, rotary cutter, extra blades, cutting mats, rulers, iron, ironing board, snacks, drinks, design board, hand project, ott light, and the list goes on..... One of the gals at the retreat said she is getting everything she can on wheels to make it easier. I was thinking about her comment I may go out and get me a large suitcase on wheels to carry all of my projects in, then another one to wheel my sewing machine around, and another one to carry all of my accessories. I may have to look into this a little more.

I have another retreat come April, I can't wait. I counted a total of 5 more retreat to go this year with some awesome ladies.

It was a Challenge

You look at this quilt and think oh so simple, WRONG~~ it was a challenge for me. This is the first really really bright quilt I've done. I struggled with this and it was such a simple top. The pattern is called Mirror, Mirror by Cozy Quilt Designs. The pattern in itself was a joy to make very simple easy to put together, well the fabrics that were picked out for me to use was the hard part of putting it together. I've always worked with country/primitive colors, dk. muted colors or 30's reproductions even civil war reproductions because they make my soul sing & put a smile on my face. Well I figured out the problem, I had such a hard time to see contrast between the fabric colors since they are all so bright. It was good to get out of the box so to speak & work with other beautiful fabrics. I've love and appreciate those bright fabrics but never felt the need to make something with them until I volunteered to make a shop sample. So I learned watch what you volunteer for, LOL. I'm an glad I did since life is about learning, better yourself, and to grow as a person in all kinds of areas.