Virtual Retreat Aug thru Dec 2015 Info on first post

[wendy w.]

Boy this virtual retreat has me hoppin!!
This first piece is wool appliqué pieces on black muslin, measuring in at 4x5 inches finished. The sashings are 1/2inch wide,finished. The black border was cut 2 1/2 inches and there is supposed to be one more border of 1 inch finished half square triangles! Yikes, I'm not good at these tiny pieces, but so far, I've only redone one seam.


I can't find my 'Thangles'. I don't want to trash my sewing room looking for them. So, it's either wait for them to turn up, or get cracking and just cut and sew!! Perhaps tomorrow,,,
And tonight I finished all of the 'crazy I am!' Custom quilting on my deconstructed screen prints quilt. This was pieced very improvisationally. That made the quilting take a lot of time. Even though my machine has the computer, I still put in over 14 hours on the longarm, resizing blocks so they would fit the spaces. Remind me that improv pieces should be quilted with an overall, edge to edge design, for sanity sake! So here it is, tada!


And here's where it is now,



I'm taking a break on the screen porch.
See y'all tomorrow in the sewing room.
Luann

[Marianne G.]

Luann, your custom quilted screen print quilt is fabulous. so many lovely quilt patterns incorporated - you have really taken to longarm quilting. Your wool applique piece is very, very nice too. the flowers really pop on the black background.

Marianne

[Marianne G.]

Thanks Marianne,
I really am enjoying the longarm machine. And even though it was 'putsy', I do like how my little woolen appliqué piece is coming along.

Luann

[Marianne G.]

Marianne, that is adorable! I love that you turned 2 of the blocks over so it was reversible!

I finished my lone star baby quilt, and started the quilting on it. Also, I think I'm going to work up the nerve to take one of my other quilts to the county fair and enter it, assuming I've read the entry instructions correctly. :gulp: I have no idea what to expect, but it's a pretty good piece, for me, so we'll see.

Here's the lone star, with the "woven" (checkerboard) background. First time doing a lone star, first time doing Y seams, and I am pleased to say I didn't have to rip out any! Yay!!! This was before I pressed it; it lays flat now

[Marianne G.]

Sorry for the blurry photo; this was me on tip-toes with my phone trying to get directly above it (quilt is on the floor), LOL!

[Marianne G.]

Heather--you have made such progress! It wasn't too long ago that you were a beginner! Well done--congratulations!

[Dawn S.]

Finally finished my two small quilts for our quilt show this weekend. One is a mini (10" x 14") and the other one is a textile art quilt.
Here is Thouroghly Midern Mini: (Sorry, all of my pictures are sideways! It's an iPad thing! I need to remember to take them straight up! I hope you don't get a neck ache!)


And here is Winter White:



I am also in charge of decorations for the show, so have been working on center pieces for the food/eating tables. Most of our profits go back to the community, so we try to keep costs down. I got a donation of Mums from Home Dopot, bought some $1 place mats from Dollor Store, and picked leaves this morning. I made baskets (our theme) from the placemats. Here is my complete centerpiece for $1!





Heather, your Lone Star turned out quite nice! You have done a very good job! I'm looking forward to meeting you in Houston!
Luann, I am taking a wool class at Houston Festival this year. I and dying to give it a try! BTW, do you dye your own wool? I saw some absolutely scrumptious wools at my LQS! Your FMQ is very pretty! Looks like you are having fun!

Well, I'm off to prepare for a demo that I am giving at our quilt show, entitled Blue Ribbon Bindings. I want to make some good and bad samples.

Dawn

[Dawn S.]

Heather,
Your lone star looks great. How will you quilt it? The design/pattern of stitching?

Dawn,
Love your minis. I was asked about making some baby quilts for little boys (3) arriving in a few months. I'm very inspired by your thoroughly modern mini. Is it okay if I use it for inspiration? Or will you be selling a pattern and I would be infringing ?
I'm going to do some wool dyeing. I did a very limited amount a few years back. Mine came out very fluorescent in color! But I'm ready to try it again. I just need a good purpose. LOL
The wools I used in the little woolies piece were in the kit from Lisa Bongean, Primitive Gatheings Shop in Menasha, WI.


I'm going for lunch and then into my sewing room, so I'll be back a little later to check in on everyone!

Luann

[wendy w.]

Lovely Heather, Luann, Dawn and Marianne, every time I come on here there's a feast for the eyes.

Your art quilt is interesting Dawn can you tell us more?

I'm saying goodbye to my Kaffe Fassett brights and won't see them again until next August. Its a sew a row round robin my group is doing so I'm going to have lots of other fabric to put together. Should be fun, has anyone else done a round robin? I made up a bag and a notebook for it's journey and included chocolates and sweets.
We had to make a starter row of squares. Trust me to calculate it wrong and no time to redo. Queen of the last moment.

[wendy w.]

Wendy,
Can you share the criteria/method of the 'sew a row' round robin?
I'd like to do this with one of my smaller groups but I need some perameters and guidelines to set it up.
Anyone else that has ideas, I'd like to hear them.
Luann

[Marianne G.]

Heather, your star is beautiful - you are so brave to try this!
Dawn - love your two small quilts and your table decoration is sweet.
Marianne

[wendy w.]

Luann there are 13 of us taking part over 10 months so I won't get my hands on them all.

Each person provides fabric in a drawstring bag and each month it's passed to another person.

- The quilt is 40 x 20. (or thereabouts) Some rows are 2" and some are 4"
- The first month is squares, month 2 is log cabin and so on. Not sure when but I know there's applique and curves somewhere.
- the row must be completed that month and attached to the previous row.
-1/4 " seams throughout
-at each monthly meeting there's a tutorial on the next technique and ideas for what could be done. We're a mixed group including complete beginners.
- You can state if you other fabrics can be added or they have to stick to the ones you've provided.
- No peeping at other quilts or your own
- bags are exchanged at each meeting or have to be delivered to the next person. That'll be fun we live all over the area!
- You quilt and finish your own quilt in time for our next exhibition in Sept 16.

Does that make sense.

[Nancy R.]

Your Lone Star is beautiful, Heather! I can't wait to see it quilted! Don't be nervous about putting your work in a show. It's a great opportunity to give back to the community by sharing your work, and, if judged, a great place to get helpful hints for how to improve your work. If you're standing near your quilt in the show, just remember that all art is pleasing to some and not to others, so if you hear any negative comments, don't let it get you down. Not all of Picasso's work is appealing to me, but that doesn't make him any less of a great artist. That's really the most difficult part of putting yourself out there.

Beautiful quilts Luann, Marianne and Dawn! Hopefully I didn't miss anyone. I love everything I see, but don't always remember it all when I get around to posting.

[Nancy R.]

Wendy,
It makes perfect sense. Do you have the names of those working on your piece, or is it a complete surprise when it's finished?
I would love to do this internationally, but for most people, the postage gets prohibitive, so I'm going to see if the group of 8 at 'the clubhouse' would want to do this. I've actually always thought it would be fun to have the first person make a center block/piece and each person would add borders from fabric sent along &/or their own stash. If I put a bird fabric in the center, Then it would be truly a round robin, we'll sort of. LOL
I think I need a nap. I've been running errands all afternoon and I'm lonesome for my machines,,,,,
Luann

[wendy w.]

I don't know the answer but will tell you after tomorrow when we do our first swap.