Little Stars

In prep for a Quilt Guild class Saturday, I pulled out scraps - we are instructed to bring light and dark scraps, to make Wonky Stars. So, hoping to be practiced and prepared, I made a few of this version of Wonky Stars (thanks to Bonnie at Quiltville.com - directions on her site). Hey, they're like potato chips - can't stop! These finish at 6 inches - our class blocks are larger. I'm not sure what to use them for -- maybe a border? or a row in a Row x Row?

Note there is no effort at perfect points, or perfect triangles. Even better, the points do not extend to the side seam allowances! Yeahhhhh.

The fabrics are left after completing my DD Mystery Quilt top.

Batik Paper-Pieced Luggage Tags

A friend gave me these batik scraps and I've savored them, but I don't normally use batiks. Tonight they turned into these 2 little luggage tags as a Thank You gift. Aren't they cute? The auto thread cutter is greatly appreciated while working on this project

These tags are just for identification on the luggage carousel - there is no place for name/address. After a ribbon, batting, and a backing, VOILA !! (See the 2 finished blue ones?) Kinda hard to do any hand quilting on these little items. A stitch or two through the center holds the layers together nicely.

I prefer to send this kind of gift instead of a card.

Variety in feathermaking

This is another method for making feathers - by Sally Terry. She makes her feathers with a "hook". I tried it - this is my first try and it works just fine. I think you can see it well on this practice sample.
My quilting thread is a limey, lustrous green and it shows really well on this dark fabric.

Many of you know I do my quilting on a DSM. And some of you may also be noticing but politely not mentioning that I'm doing a lot more practing than actually DOING! ARgghhhh - I KNOW it! 8-( The thing that holds me up more than anything is that danged sandwiching!

Back among the living

This is inside the International Quilt Study Center (IQSC) in Lincoln, Nebraska. Friday and Saturday, a friend and I drove across the state for a meeting with the State Quilt Guild, and we had time to make this stop. The building is amazing, and the 2 Quilt showings were "Yikes, Stripes!" (visual/graphic elements) and "Broderie Perse" an amazing collection of huge, old (1700s), showy quilts. We saw about 15-18 quilts of each style. This is NOT a quilt show center, it is a Study Center. Below is a room where you can pull up digital images of quilts for study, timelines as to fabric, imports, quilt styles, people, etc., and also a program where you can design your own quilt, another place where you can 'log' your quilt story for perpetuity I suppose, and I'm sure there is more, but our time was limited. Many of our State Guilds have provided financial support to this Study Center. The gift shop had a wonderful arty book that I snatched up. Admittance was FREE for us, not sure why but ... normally, the fee is not exhorbitant.

On the way, we also stopped in Kearney at the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA), in the old Post Office. This was a lovely 45 minute stop, with a showing of photographs. The building is impressive and was another pleasant first-time visit for me. Thanks Sandy for this introduction! The drive across Nebraska follows much of the migration flyways. Sandhill Cranes were everywhere, some bald eagles, and throngs of flocks in the air. This is the season when most of the flocks are milling about, along the Platte River and gathering strength from their long journies.

I am feeling so much better - my discomfort was not lengthy, and thanks for well-wishes. DH is still crummy. I decided I'd make a few luggage tags as a Thank You to our Overnight Hostess, but I am out of practice and layered it wrong so when it was turned, even though I had an opened seam in the back of the backing, I ended up with batting on the back and no way to turn it! Duhhhh. My hand quilting is rusty also. ONE luggage tag took me about 3 hours! By the time I figure how to streamline the process, I may have 4 completed. LOL This is just ONE of my Carol Doak books - she's the best for paper piecing. There is a CD in the book but I've never even looked at, just made copies of her examples.

This last image is a reminder to myself, that I DO have talents and skills. Some days my self-confidence gets a little shakey! I sewed this 4-bordered mitered corner and it turned out perfectly. The biggest hurdle is that this mystery quilt is large and ungainly to handle, but I like how it's turning out.

My prayers are for our struggling nation, and to fire victims in Australia.

More Yuckiness 8-(

Hey, that sick teddy bear is cute, but I don't see the "bucket" next to the bed. Oh dang it - now my DH-nurse has this crud! Poor baby! But I'm on the mend.

Flu, Yuck, Later

.. this was a too-extreme method to lose 9 lbs! 8-(((

Mitered Multiple Borders, DD

This dark and murky photo does NOT do justice to this mitered, multiple border treatment, but then I couldn't climb up on the table for the best photo effect. (There are four borders.) The second photo is a little too washed out but ... You may notice one border has two different greens. I am 'making do' with pieces that were similar, in keeping with this scrappy DD. The borders are sewn together, just not sewn to the quilt.

After the center of the quilt was done, it needed 11 inches on each side to fit it to a queen size. My first border finishes at 1.5, then 2 inches, then 3 inches, then 5.

I'm liking it!