OUR ANNUAL PILLOWCASE DAY

For the past several years, my southern quilt group has sponsored a sewing day for Ryan's Case for Smiles.  The Tampa Bay group is very active, with many scheduled sew days at various quilt shops, and with private groups.

Last Wednesday, three coordinators arrived, loaded down with sergers, fabric, and sewing machine kits.  We began at 11 am, and with the help of many friends and neighbours to tackle the non-sewing jobs, such as pinning, turning, pick up and delivery to the various machines, and folding the completed pillowcases.

We completed 290 pillowcases by 2:45, and another 200 almost completed ones are heading off to the next sewing group!

On Thursday, DH and I headed to the Atlantic side of Florida.  Our first stop was in Rockledge to visit The Quilt Place - what an incredible quilt shop!  I picked up 2 yards of Hallowe'en fabric for my grandson's quilt.  Then we continued to Cocoa Beach, to visit friends who were visiting while on holiday.  After a great lunch and a short tour of the area, we headed north to Ormand Beach.  Then on Friday morning, we attended the AQS Daytona Beach quilt show!  What inspiration!  We took our time, looking at all the quilts that were exhibited, and the only shopping I did was choosing 4 large spools of a variety of orange shades for my Hallowe'en quilts' quilting.

Fabric used this week  4.5 yards

Fabric used year to date  23 yards

Fabric added this week  9.5 yards

Fabric year to date  25.125

Net used 2020  -2.125

FINAL VISIT WITH THE GRANDS......

Last weekend was our final visit for this year, as we head south soon.  We had a good time, getting lots of hugs and kisses.

DH walked to our grandson's school with our son, to pick him up, and he was full of information about his day  - he loves school so far!  During the weekend, he sang lots of different songs for us.  He sings on key, and always seems to know all the words.

Our granddaughter is almost walking.  I think she could, but doesn't have the confidence to trust her balance yet.  She is pretty good playing by herself, and has a different favourite toy with each of our visits. 

We visited the Waterloo Quilt show on Saturday.  Our son stayed home and finished clearing out their veggie garden, but the rest of us enjoyed the show.  Our granddaughter rode in her stroller for a while, but then wanted to walk, and she put on a mile or two while we looked at quilts.  Our grandson was playing "spot the animal on the quilt" with DH.  When they were looking at some quilts in one of the vendor booths, the shop owner gave him a small wall hanging with a space theme - I guess it was for good behaviour.  Since the show was held at the huge community center, we stopped to watch the figure skaters practice on our way out.

I'm thankful that we live in the computer age, and can Skype with our grandchildren regularly.  We told our grandson that he could call us any time.  We often have "dinner" with the family,  having a video chat at the table.   We still miss the kids, and I have a better appreciation for my parents getting re-aquainted after 6 months away each winter - we only wrote letters, and long distance phone was only for dire emergencies.

I'm getting in extreme packing mode soon.  Right now I am deciding which projects I want to work on over the winter, so I can take some of the fabric required - I'm really trying to use my stash.  I think it will be another scrappy winter!

MISSING IN ACTION!

I can't believe that I have been "missing" for two months!  Where has the time gone......
Our quilt show was a huge success, thanks to all the tired volunteers who helped fill the many positions.
DH and I have been spending a lot of time with our f

amily.  DS2 and family had some important jobs to do to their home, so many hours were spent helping.  Also DDIL2 is expecting a new family addition soon, so we also helped keep our grandson busy.  He spent almost 2 weeks with us in July, and is returning for a week in September.  He has moved into his new "big brother" room, after DH painted it GREEN, his favourite colour.
We also had a visit from both of my brothers and their wives - a first for us.  We had fun sharing information about growing families, eating and relaxing.  We hope to repeat the visit at my middle brother's home later in the fall.
I have been quilting too!  I finished the machine quilting and added the binding on 5 quilts for my guild's community quilts program during the past 2 months.  I also finished my wall hanging that was started during the early months of 2018.
H This is my version of Diamond Hill by Esther Aliu.  I made some minor changes, and omitted the appliqued border.  The green print was leftover cotton from my neice's bridesmaid dresses from the 80's.  After making 5 dresses, I had lots of off-cuts from the gored skirts, and have been whittling away at it ever since!

 Here are some close-ups of the blocks to show the quilting.

I plan to update my 2018 page soon, and add all the additional projects that have been in the works while I have been MIA.

 DH and I have been attending many of the plays at the Thousand Island Playhouse in Gananoque ON.  We have friends who have season passes, so we usually tag along with them.  Our group ranges from 4 to 8 attending together.  Good thing our old van has seating for 8 adults!
DH and his friend have also been entertaining at local nursing homes, and senior residence around town, billed as Three for a Quarter.  The have fun playing a big variety of music from the 30's on to today, telling jokes, and visiting with the residents.  They love to see people singing along.  DH says they don't have to be really good, as many people remember the original music when it is being played/sung!  I think they do an awesome job!  I joined DH on July 4th as we entertained for a resident's 100th birthday.  She had many relatives and friends visiting to share her day.  I played my flute along with DH on the guitar, and even sang along on a couple of songs.  It was a great way to spend the afternoon!

 

DAY 2 - READY, SET GO!

Our second set-up day was busier than the first one!  The kitchen crew arrived with the first load of groceries to feed all the hungry visitors when the show opens on Friday.  The dining room tables were cleaned and decorated with table runners.


The quilts arrived, and were hung in place in the morning.  The afternoon was spent making sure all the quilts were hung at the correct height,  and level as well.  The judges arrived just before 5 pm, and were making their rounds of all the quilts, taking notes etc.

I'm looking forward to see the ribbons on the winning quilts tomorrow!

 
The boutique crew had a busy time, sorting through all the lovely items that will be for sale over the next 3 days.  The tables are full, and there are quilts hung around the perimeter of the room as well.

The vendors started arriving and were busy setting up their booths with lots of lovely items too!

It looks like Friday will be a beautiful day, so come out to Quilts Kingston 2018, at the Royal Kingston Curling Club on Days Road!

DAY 1 - SHOW SET UP

Today we started setting up our quilt show.

A crew headed to the storage lockers, to load up the quilt stands.

The dining room where the boutique will be located looked pretty lonely.....

Our show is held in the local curling rink, and this will be our show floor area - just a few stands in place....

Another load of stands arrives...

By 4pm, there were items waiting to be displayed in the boutique.

 

The quilt stands were all in place, some with cloth backdrops waiting for the quilts to arrive.

And the first quilt is hung!

By tomorrow night, all the quilts will be in place, and the boutique will be ready for customers.

Our lunchroom crew will have the kitchen stocked with food to make lovely lunches, and over 250 quilts and quilted items will be on display!

Kingston Ontario!

 

THE MAKING OF A QUILT SHOW - INTAKE DAY

Yesterday was the deadline to bring our quilts into "registration", for our upcoming quilt show.  Each quilt had to be folded "correctly", have a label, and a temporary label with the owner's name, address and phone number, as well as a cloth bag (or pillowcase) to hold the quilt, with another label, with quilt name, owner's name etc.

Upon arrival with your quilt, it was removed from the bag, and a temporary entry number was attached.  After it was returned to the bag, another entry number was attached, and it was place with other quilt that will be displayed in the same area.

During the day, loads of quilts were taken to be stored at a member's home (complete with an alarm system to keep all the masterpieces safe). 

While all this was going on, DH and I were set up to photograph the remaining quilts that were not brought in on either of the scheduled days.  Some people were away, and others live a distance away and didn't want to make the trip twice.  Our final day of photos was not as busy as the previous two, but we managed to capture almost all the quilts.  Now I have to get busy editing all the remaining pictures, and get all the files ready to burn the CDs for the quilt show.

 ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, WE'LL BE SETTING UP THE QUILT STANDS IN PREPARATION FOR

EDITING AND MAKING A FEW SMALL ITEMS

Last Thursday was our first photography day for the quilts that will be displayed at Quilts Kingston 2018 in June.  DH and I set up 2 quilt stands in the sanctuary of St John's Portsmouth Anglican Church, one with a black backdrop fabric, and one to hang quilts.  We had a steady procession of quilters arriving with their quilts.  The Kingston Heiroom Quilters Guild was having a day-time meeting, and pot luck lunch in the church hall, so many of their members brought their quilts along, but as usual, there are many sewing madly to get things completed in time for the show!

I've spent most of the weekend, editing the 150 or so pictures that were taken, to show each quilt to its best advantage.  I also received the files with the quilt "artist statements" that will be displayed on, or next to each quilt in the show.  These all had to be re-formatted so that they could be loaded onto the CD. 

I was feeling stitching deprived, so I pulled out a bag with some cotton cord, wrapped with selvedge edges, and stitched a couple of baskets - I didn't want my machine to feel neglected!

This small basket was made with mostly black and gray fabric selvedges.  I added some buttons to hide the end of the join.  It is 8 inches across, and 4 inches high.

 I used a heavy "jeans" thread in the bobbin, to add a colourful surprise to the outside.

The second basket was made from blues to white selvedge edges.  I like taking advantage of the colour along a white edge to create stripes.  This basket also has a selvedge that had a fuzzy thread edge, making the final edge of the basket more interesting.

I decided to roll the top edge of this basket.  This one also finished at 8 inches across, but is only 3 inches tall.  I used Superior Twist thread, in a light turquoise colour in both the bobbin and needle.

 This basket is 9 1/2 inches across, and 4 1/2 inches tall.  Most of the selvedges used in this basket, came from a quilt that I made for my son and daughter-in-law.

When I was nearing the end of the stitching, I stopped and made a small disc from the remaining wrapped cord.  Then I returned and stitched the final row, reinforcing the stitching where the curl began.  It makes a neat finish (just visible on the picture above).

I don't keep track of how much fabric goes into these, as the selvedges would have ended up in the trash.  I sit and wrap the cords while watching TV with DH in the evenings, and then it only takes a few minutes to stitch each basket.

QUILT SHOW IS APPROACHING

I am and member of the Limestone Quilters Guild in Kingston Ontario.  Along with the Kingston Heirloom Quilts Guild, we are having a quilt show in June.

I've been busy with meetings, and all the jobs leading up to a successful quilt show.  DH and I are photographing all the quilts  and producing a CD for sale during the show.  We have three photography sessions scheduled - one during the day, one evening, and one on "intake day", when all the quilts have to be handed in to the show organizers.
At home, I've been adding hanging sleeves on all my entries, and have to make a cloth bag for each, labelled with my name, address, phone number, name of quilt and entry number.  I also have to make an additional label for each quilt.
DH and I signed up for several various jobs during the show set-up, the show, and the final day when all the stands and other gear heads back to our guild's storage locker.
I took some time today to make more tablecloths for my son - he works in a mental health department, and they have a lounge area for their clients.  The tables look more welcoming with a cloth on them.  I picked up a 15 yard bolt of fabric, so I can replace them when needed.
I hope to be back to a more normal blogging schedule soon!

WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE????????

I can't believe that I haven't posted since the end of July!

We've been busy, with family, DH has been entertaining at nursing homes and senior residences in our area, along with his friend and bass player, I've been machine quilting more quilts for my guilds community quilts program, and we have been on the road frequently.

Here is the picture of the finished "Autumn Orphan" quilt.  I've also added some close-ups of the quilting.

In early August, our son and family came for a visit, and our grandson, age 2 1/2, stayed with us for a week after his parents returned home.  This is the longest that they had been separated, and the adults didn't do as well as the little one.

He loves construction vehicles, and we picked up 6 small ones for him to play with.  Lucky for us, just a block away, the city was replacing a storm drain, and every day for the length of his visit, he and Grandpa walked over to watch the excavators and dump trucks at work.

We had a great visit!  

When we returned him home, we went to see my middle brother, who was in the hospital.  He was supposed to have a 2 1/2 hour surgery, but it lasted 8 1/2 hours after they detected cancer.

There was a complication on the day after his operation, and he ended up staying in the hospital for four weeks.  He lost almost 40 pounds by the time he returned home.  He is recovering slowly, and still has to undergo radiation and chemo, but has a positive attitude, and a wonderful wife and family to provide him with the support that he needs.

In early September, we had our grandson for another week!  His parents managed better the second time, and discovered that they could get lots done when he was away.  They even had time for a dinner out!   We seem to be constantly packing and unpacking, as our family lives 4 1/2 hours away, and requires us to drive across the city of Toronto each time!  Not for the faint of heart.
We also attended our good friends' daughter's wedding, and we gifted them the double Irish chain quilt.

Since then, I've been busy catching up on my quilting projects, including working on my guild's block of the month project.  Our guild is having a quilt show in June, and I found a few items, and made some more to donate to the boutique.

I made this quick table topper for my guild's Christmas dinner, even though I won't be attending.  I have a large stash of Christmas fabric, and I'm trying to use more of it.  Unfortunately, this only used  1.75 yards.

By the way, I've used 60.25 yards of fabric this year, after deducting the 52 yards that I've added to my stash.

Today I looked through the quilts that I have made since the last show, trying to decide which ones to enter.  Since the entry pictures need to be in by February, (when I'll be south for the winter), I need to select a few now.

Suddenly, it is time to pack for our winter in the south.  I've already sent a notice to be published in our community newsletter, letting everyone know the start date for our weekly quilt group.  Now I just have to plan some projects to take along!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

 Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date   31.25 yards

Added this week  7.5 yards

Added year to date  7.75 yards

Net used 2016  23.5 yards

There is a shop hop in my area this month - 22 shops!  You have to visit 5 to be eligible for any of the medium prizes, and all 22 for the larger prizes.  DH and I attended a quilt show in New Port Richey on Friday - lots of great inspiration!  There was a shop nearby, so that made #4 on my passport.  I found a great stripe that I had to have, along with a lovely black, red and white print.  Then on the way home we stopped at my favourite shop, Quilts on Plum Lane in Dade City, and I found 2 more stripes and also bought backing for my latest scrap quilt!  That made shop 5, so I handed in my passport. (There is less temptation this way!)

This Wednesday, my quilting group is dedicating the time to make pillowcases for Ryan's Case for Smiles.  I cut pillow cases and cuffs from my stash before heading south for the winter, and I have 38 to stitch on Wednesday!   That should help my stash report next week!

Check out all the progress shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 0 yards

Fabric used year to date  134.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  63.75 yards

Net used 2015  70.75 yards

I spent most of the past week preparing some appliques for a blue and white wallhanging.  I also spent a day at my guild's community quilt workshop, and have started the quilting on one of the three quilts I brought home.  I have another one being delivered tomorrow!

Today, DH and I headed to Upper Canada Village in the Morrisburg Ontario area.  This weekend was their celebration of an 1860's fall fair!  They had a tent with exhibits, farm animals being shown, entertainment, including a beard contest!  There was also a quilt display, with quilts from 4 or 5 area guilds (mine included).  The had snacks for $0.50 - whole wheat bread, and cheddar cheese made in the village, along with fudge, lemonade, apple cider, etc.

We have visited this living historic site many times over the years, and it was fun to stop in at our favourite places - the schoolhouse, the broom maker, and the tinsmith.  I found out that they have summer camp for kids there in the summer.  They dress in period clothing, and attend school for 1 hour each day, then do chores in their "home" or at their "farm", sleeping in dormitories at night. I think I'll keep this in mind for our grandson in 9 or 10 years!

Check out everyone's progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  105.75 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  63.75 yards

Net used 2015  42 yards 

 

Nothing to report this week, although I have finished 94 half log cabin blocks - my goal is 140, so I had better get stitching!

 

DH and I attended the AQS show in Syracuse NY on Friday.  Lovely quilts, and I had great sales resistance at the many vendor booths.  I did buy some Superior Threads, and DH won a pack of squares from Northcott!  We had a wonderful day, did a bit of shopping and stopped for a meal before returning home.  I had decided that I wouldn't buy any fabric unless I have a real need for an upcoming project!

 

Check out all the reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  8.625 yards

Fabric used year to date  102.375 yards

Fabric added this week 1 yard

Fabric added year to date   63.75 yards

Net used 2015  38.625

I can't believe how tired I've been after the quilt show!  My age is showing, as 6 days of odd hours, physical labour, meals at odd times, etc., has made its mark.  I'm still running at half speed!

I finished stitching the binding on my latest project today - picture to come. 
Nann suggested calling my pink, black and white quilt "Good n Plenty"!  I like the name - they don't sell the candy in Canada, but I've had it when I'm in the US.  Love licorice!  
I was going to take a picture of the finished quilt outside, but the sky turned really dark, and we were having huge raindrops falling, so I guess the photo session will have to wait.

I made pink "piano key" borders, and I've finished it with black binding.

I even added some pieced blocks to the back, choosing ones from my orphan basket that had pink.

I was good and only picked up 1 yard of fabric at the vendors over the past weekend.

Check out all the comments at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

OUR QUILT SHOW IS OVER.....

Our two local guilds just finished our joint quilt show yesterday.  In some ways it seemed like a long week, and in others, I can't believe it is over!
Things began last Wednesday, with all the quilt stands and poles, along with tons of other gear had to be transported to our local curling club.  We spent the remainder of the day, getting all the stands in place, making sure that the correct height pole was in each location, and that the bars for hanging quilts were ready in place.  We also hung backdrops according to the plan, and several steamers were there to help with wrinkles.  Supplies were delivered for our lunch room crew, and boutique as well.
Thursday morning, we were waiting for the doors to be unlocked at 8am.  The serious work of hanging the quilts began.  DH and I helped the hanging crews for a while, then began finding the 80 or so quilts that needed to be photographed.  We held 4 photo sessions during May, and were able to get almost 200 entries photographed with professional lighting - much easier that at the show venue.  We continued to help with hanging quilts, but our part was finally finished by 3:30, so we headed to home so I could edit the final pictures, compile the file, so that we could begin burning CD's that would be sold at the show all three days.  The rest of the crew continued to hang signs, add labels, set up small vignettes in various areas around the show, and tons of other small jobs that needed to be done.  Our kitchen crew were making sandwich fillings so they'd be ready to serve.  The boutique ladies spent lots of time making the shop area inviting, and finding ways to display the piles of books and magazines that arrived to be sold as well.
Friday morning DH and I arrived by 9am.  We set up the CD sales table, with a tablecloth, sign and our rack full of CDs.  I also provided 2 copies of the CD to the curling club manager, and he set them to run as a slide show on 2 overhead monitors in different areas of the venue.  It was remarkable to see the change that had happened overnight.  We had various volunteers selling CDs throughout the show - it was a good "sit down" job for those who wanted to help, but couldn't stand for long periods.
For the next 3 days, I was a "white glove" person, patrolling the quilt display areas, talking to our guests, answering questions, giving directions to our various show areas, all while being surrounded by wonderful quilts!  I ended up organizing the "white glove" teams at every change-over as well, and even sold lunch tickets for a shift.
Once the final draws were made on Sunday afternoon, and the final 2 quilting awards were announced, the show was declared over for this year.  All the helpers for "take-down" met in the lunch room four our final instructions.  Amazingly, it only took 1 1/4 hours to take the whole show down!  The quilts were carefully folded and returned to their bags or pillowcases, being organized on tables alphabetically by last name of quilter.  Poles and stands were taken apart, and stacked near the loading door, and various tables, chairs, accessories, plants and too many things to mention, were packed and loaded into cars.  Finally, at 5:30 the doors were opened so that quilters could pick up their quilts.  Everyone had been given a receipt when they handed their quilts in, so they were very careful returning the quilts.  DH helped to fold and stack the rented tables, and we finally arrived home by 6:30.
This morning we were back at the venue at 9am.  A parade of trucks, trailers, vans and cars arrived with volunteers to load all the gear and transport it to the storage lockers.  My guild had rented a larger locker, as we had outgrown our former one.  Everything was divided up and returned to its storage home.  The old locker was cleaned out, and it was a great time to sort the remaining contents.  Some went home with our guild president for further sorting, and a whole lot went for garbage or recycling.
We managed to sell 170 photo CDs, and I'll be selling a few more over the next week or so.
I'm anxious to hear how we did financially, but our treasurer is taking a few days off, as are we all!

QUILT SHOW IS GETTING CLOSER!

Tuesday was the day to hand in all the quilts for the show.  The registrars were busy pinning number and location cards on each quilt and bag, and handing receipts to each quilter.  They had others collecting the quilts, and organizing them by location code, and then they were loaded into waiting vans, and taken to be stored until the set-up day.  By the end of the day, they had MOST of the quilts.  Some of the out-of-town quilters were coming for my guild's annual spring dinner on Wednesday, so they were set up early to do more intakes.  Now they are trying to locate the remainder of the quilts.  A few had been in other shows, and won't be arriving until set-up day.
I spent Wednesday editing the "artist statements" (printed labels), turning them into a format that can be used on the photo CD.  I've also been making changes to all the lists, etc., as a couple of the quilts were withdrawn from the show.
Wednesday night I headed to our meeting hall early to help set up for the spring dinner.  The executive members do the catering, and my job was to make bean salad for 100!  We had a huge selection of salads, cheeses, ham and roast beef, homemade pickles, and wonderful pumpkin rolls.  The social committee for June provided a great selection of desserts as well. 
Our guest speaker arrived, and presented a slide and trunk show about the Modern Quilt movement.  She is a member of the new Modern Quilt Guild of Ottawa.  There will be pictures on our website in a few days.  There weren't too many show and tell quilts, but community quilts had a large display.  
Next Wednesday the work begins - we'll be picking up stands and other items from the storage locker and setting them up.  Then Thursday all the quilts will be hung, the boutique set up and the kitchen loaded with supplies for the show.  We'll be photographing the rest of the quilts (about 80), and I'll spend the day editing and compiling everything for the CD. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I'll be at the show working, and DH is helping to take down the show on Sunday evening.  Monday we'll return to transport everything back to the storage locker.  Lots of fun!!!!
I guess I'd better get busy!!!!!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY WEEK 21

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  89.875 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  62.75 yards

Net used 2015  27.125 yards

DH and I had two photography sessions this week, and we have hit the half-way mark of the quilts entered in the show in June.  Our final session is Wednesday evening, and I'm hoping we'll be overwhelmed with quilts!  Quilters are just like everyone - leaving things to the last minute!  There are also quilts out at other shows, so they won't be available until set-up day.

I hope to have some fabric usage to report next week, as I have to make fabric bags for all my quilts, along with a label for each.  I was hoping to begin my next hand-work project, an applique one, but haven't found the time yet.  I also have 2 more quilts to machine quilt for my guild - the remainder of the BOM blocks from a few months ago, (disappearing 9-patches with novelty fabric squares).

I still have to collect my consignment items for the boutique.  The guild earns a 20% commission on all items sold, although the majority of the items are donated.  There are also quite a few quilts in the show that are for sale.  The purchasers have to wait until Sunday evening to pick up the show quilts.

 

Then there is our neglected garden - small, but still needs work.  We haven't picked out any plants yet, although DH has planted pole beans to cover the arbor.  I have a few irises blooming, with more to come, the lily-of-the-valley by the front door is lovely, and the day lilies and clematis are growing quickly too.  We had frost on Friday night - quite a shock after having some warm, humid days, so I guess waiting until May 24 to plant is still wise!

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see how other quilters are progressing during gardening season!

SECOND BORDER ADDED

I'm pleased with the flying geese border - it really adds to the quilt top.  I've added the third border - using the wider flowered stripe, but haven't taken a picture yet.

My king batting arrived from Connecting Threads today, so I "booked" DH to help me pin baste quilts tomorrow.  I have my Grand Illusion, the victory garden, shown above, and I've added a baby quilt panel lined up to baste!  I love having an assistant - helps the work go more quickly, so I can get to machine quilting!

DH took me to the quilt show at The Villages today.  They have a huge guild, with 18 chapters and around 1000 members.  They were selling a photo CD at the show, so we only took a couple of pictures.  I looked at all the vendors' wares, but came home empty-handed, although there were several fabrics that were crying to come home in my tote!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  143.25 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  36 yards

Net used 2014  107.25 yards

Didn't accomplish much this week.  DH has a virus, with wracking coughs, fever, etc.  Our two sons and one daughter-in-law came for a visit for 3 days, so our time was spent catching up on all the news, chatting, eating, playing games, cooking, doing dishes, watching movies etc.  We had a good visit.

I received a call from the conveners of the community quilts program at my guild, and then have some more quilts for me to machine quilt - they should be delivered in a day or two!

After our "kids" left today, DH and I drove to Wellington to attend the Prince Edward County Guild's annual quilt show.  I didn't buy any fabric, but stocked up on some Superior Thread from a vendor.  I saw some cute panels, but the one I wanted was all sold - they only had the sample......

Check out the stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

 

A BUSY WEEK

I've spent lots of time sewing log cabin blocks, hunting for strips the right colours, then finding fabric for borders - all from my stash!  While I was rummaging through my brown/rust pile, I decided to re-fold the fabrics, and I also took the time to organize them by value, from darkest at the bottom to the lightest at the top.  Since I had them all out to find pieces large enough for the borders, it seemed to make sense to reorganize it.

Tuesday was spent at the community quilts workshop.  One of the members is lucky enough to dedicate the entire basement of her bungalow to quilting, so there was lots of room for 12 quilters to work.  She also stores all our donated supplies, and her DH makes a pot of soup for each monthly work day, to add to all the pot luck goodies that everyone brings.  Three of us pin-basted 9 quilts, trying to make a dent in the many tops that are completed by our guild members.  We had a visit from the organizer of the "Hugs" program at our local hospital, and she left with a huge bag of baby quilts for the program, and some to be sold in the gift shop, with the money going to the program for other items.  I brought home 3 basted quilts to finish in time for next month's meeting. 

Wednesday there was a food bank drive, so I dropped DH off at our friend's home, and they went door-to-door, collecting donations.  Then I headed off to the monthly meeting for our next quilt show.
Quilts Kingston 2015 is next June - Friday to Sunday, 12th-14.  Our show is hosted by both guilds in Kingston, so we have a fairly large committee!  We had some lively discussions, but things are moving along nicely.  The above link will take you to our official website, and our publicity convener will also be providing updates on the Quilts Kingston 2015 blog.

 Weekends mean laundry and baking - since we are charged different rates for electricity at different times of day, most of my dryer and oven use is saved for weekend, which are charged at the lower rate.  DH started the laundry, and I'm getting some "oven" style meals planned, and I have to bake so I have some goodies for friends dropping by for tea, and to take to they guild executive meeting this week (we take turns bringing refreshments).  I've also started machine quilting the first quilt from Tuesday's outing. This one has some large, plain blocks - perfect for some quilting opportunities!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  47.75 yards

Added this week  2.5 yards

Added year to date  12.5 yards

Net used 2013   35.25 yards

DH and I attended the quilt show in Orlando today.  They had 40 vendors!  After a long hunt, I found a perfect charcoal grey tone on tone fabric to round out my collection for the next large quilt project.

Tomorrow I hope to get the fabrics serged and washed.  

I  have promised myself that I would finish a few small projects before starting another big one!  I also picked up some embroidery floss to complete the final three embroidered sections for "My Wish" Christmas BOM that I was working on over the summer and fall.  It fell by the way side while other projects moved to the front of the list!
I also discovered that when packing to head south, I left one of the applique pieces behind, so I'll have to finish this one in the spring when I return home.

I was working on a quilt top, and just as I was about to add the first border, I noticed  that one edge section of  a block was turned upside down, so I've been picking out the seams......

Check out all the stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.