Virtual Retreat - Ongoing (started January 2019)

[Eileen K.]

If I'm going to do one of Caryl's patterns, it's going to have to wait until after I participate in Esther Aliu's BOM. It's an all applique quilt. I'm overwhelmed right now :blink:

[wendy w.]

Wow it's amazing flowers and ribbons, birds and houses. Yes forget anything else you're going to be absorbed. Lovely way to get back into sewing.

[Geneva C.]

Happy 13th day of the month everyone! My lucky number is 13.....

I was born on November 13th, and turned 13 and 30 on Friday the 13th. I was raised in Southern California and after marrying my husband, BC, almost 36 years ago, I've lived all over the country. Indiana, Northern and Southern California and now Eastern Washington. We live on the far right bottom corner of Washington. It's a desert landscape where all those lovely apples, wine grapes, hops and so much more are grown. We've also lived on the "wet side" a couple of times. When it cam time to retire, we wanted a slower pace, not so much rain and cheaper cost of living. So we picked the Tri Cities. We love it here. We have 4 children, 3 with spouses and 6 granchildren. Here's a picture of all of us. (Sadly our oldest daughter and her husband pictured here on the far left are divorcing.)






2018 was a year of caring for my mother and then dismantling her life after her death. It's a bittersweet process as many of you know. My siblings are not at all helpful due to their own difficulties. Thank goodness for my family and all of you! So 2019 is the year for me to get back into what I want and need to do. Besides family, that would be quilting! I just finished sewing down the bindings on two projects. Thanks to the impetus of needing to write on the 13th. Thanks for the kick in the rear!

First I'll show "Direction". "Direction" is made with the last bit of 24 hand dyed fabrics I made in August 2016. I figured out that if I use up all the hand dyes I get to dye more! Yippee! Here is a picture of those 24 fat quarters.




Here's "Jolly Rancher" the first quilt I made from the hand dyes. You've seen this already.




Then I made "Straight to the Heart". Again, you've seen this.




Here's the newest from that batch of hand dyes. "Direction". Background is a wonderful Kaffe Fassett print.




Here's the back.




And here's what's left of those 24 fat quarters! So I'll be dyeing some new fabric next summer!





I belong to a small group within the Tri Cities Quilt Guild. We call ourselves The Gang of Five. There are 6 of us. Funny story, but we are a fun, varied group. Last January we decided to make a small quilt from a photograph. We choose and received permission from Randall Nyhof to use his photo "Snow Fence at Sunset". Here's a picture of his photo.




OOPS! It looks like I'm only allowed to load 8 photos. I'll post this and continue with another post.

geneva

[Geneva C.]

Ok, continuing on...

Here's the photo of Randall Nyhof's photo.




I had the 5"x7" notecard enlarged to 20"x28". I then placed freezer paper over it and traced the design. I had iced dyed some fabric last summer and wanted to use it for this project. I pressed the freezer paper over the particular piece of fabric I wanted the fence made from. Here's what's left of that fabric.




And here are all the little freezer paper cut pieces that I carefully placed onto the background I had chosen.




I had a lovely red piece of ice dyed fabric I used for the sunset. I carefully "built" the fence and added it to the top sunset portion. I quilted along some of the pattern of the background to represent the snow drifts. Here is "Technicolor Snow Fence at Sunset".





I had this wonderful piece of dyed fabric I used for the back.




I found a good tutorial on making a facing to finish off the quilt. It's from We All Sew, Robbi Joy Ecklow https://weallsew.com/make-quilt-facing/. I changed it a bit by cutting my facing strips 1 1/2" instead of 2 1/2". I was afraid the bulk would be too much. I'm glad I did it this way. Sewing through the corners was tough. In any case, I really like this facing technique and will use it again.

So that's what I've been up to. I'll start on our Guild's challenge project next. I'm so glad Luann suggested writing on our birthdates. It has kept me focused and it really isn't all that much to do once a month. I really look forward to hearing from you all. It's been 12 years since I joined TQS. I have received so much from my membership. Of course all that I have learned from the BOMs, shows, etc. But most of all, all of you. Thank you!

Hugs to you and may you have a lovely month ahead! geneva

[Geneva C.]

Geneva, I’m glad you showed all the quilts that you made from your hand dyed fat quarters. And your snowfence at sunset is very appropriate at this time of year. I’m so glad that you’re getting ‘into the creative side of your brain once again”. I was just looking at the back of one of the two mug rugs that sit on my table most often. You and Wendy are with me daily. Maybe we’ll do another swap in the future. For now, remember that without the rain we’d probably not appreciate the sunny days. I’ll hold your oldest daughter in my prayers. I’ve been through it and it isn’t easy for anyone.
Have a great week.

[Eileen K.]

Geneva, your quilts are wonderful-I love your hand dyes! I've done it once or twice, but didn't enjoy the process. I'll keep those who do in business. I'm so sorry about your daughter's divorce. The effects radiate throughout the entire family. I'll keep her in good thoughts. Our son divorced after 6 years of marriage. It's been a long road but he's seeing someone and I pray he'll find happiness. We do have our little man, Tyler, who will be 10 in April and is the light of our lives.
Looking forward to your next 13th post.

[Beverly C.]

Geneva, thank you for showing your process for the fence quilt challenge. How very neat! You are right about learning so much on this website through the years. It's just a GREAT meeting place. And your other quilts are awesome too. I love Kaffe fabric of all kinds - whether I have a project for it or not! Our son divorced ten years ago, and it was awful at the time for him and his then 10 year old son. But, God had a plan, he met someone he is very happy with, and our grandson has grown up and is about to marry a wonderful young lady. Prayers for your family.

[Beverly C.]

Twiglet, have found my kit and am going to begin working on it after I watch her videos again. The challenge is on! What pattern do you plan to do? My kit is the pattern "Feather Study 28" and is a 20" x 24" wallhanging.

[wendy w.]

Its the Illusion pattern, I've ordered 4 gradation fabrics and hope they work together. It's hard choosing online and the colour examples she gives aren't available here so fingers crossed. Your choice is going to be gorgeous I love the colours, don't envy you the piecing but I know her instructions are really good and detailed. Its the little tips that make the difference.

Wow oh wow Geneva that scene is truly stunning. I love the snow fabric and how you've sewn round the blocks to reflect the blockiness of the snow in the picture. The fence is amazing and the sky. I'm trying to work out if you applied the fence to the snow or the snow to the fence. Just gorgeous. Your other quilts are as well. I'm going to start dyeing again as well.
I used mine and some I'd bought to make a fibinacci quilt yesterday afternoon as an exercise to get me started in abstract quilts. I hated it most of the way through then at the end I suddenly saw the beauty of it and can't stop looking at it. Beauty is the wrong word but it holds me following the colours and trying to make a pattern. I'll post it next month. It's the one from Caryl's show on TQS.

[Sharon E.]

Hi all,
I said I would post on the 13th, and got busy with my mom, but here I am today. As some of you know I like to enter shows and actually did very well last year. I have 2 quilts to show that will be in Road to CA and entered into Paducah. Some of you may know I LOVE to make miniatures, and this was a free pattern on AQS blog, so we will see if they accept it. It is silk with double batting, 12" x 12". Not too many enteries into the miniature division, so crossing my fingers. My spinner quilt is going to Road and also I entered it into Paducah and will hear on March 1st. Love seeing everyone's creativeness. Geneva your quilt is awesome and thanks for showing the process.
This one is called Twisting Ribbons



Enjoy your day everyone. Sharon in Colorado

[Beverly C.]

Wow, Sharon, those miniatures are great! Good luck at the shows!!

[Eileen K.]

:cheer: :cheer: Sharon!! I can't believe that Spinner is a miniature! I love the Twisted Ribbons too! Good luck with entering the shows!

[Eileen K.]

Sharon,
Those miniatures are fantastic ! ! !
Can you help me with the concept of miniatures. Just to what extent do you need to reduce from the original pattern? 50% would only make a king sized pattern into a lap size? So I know that’s not how it goes. I think I asked this one a year or so ago, but I forget what was discussed.
Have you been a member of AQS for a long time? Is the pattern only available to members?

Thanks for doing our ‘challenge’ post this month. I think we will all enjoy this forum more deeply with sharing a bit more often.

[Eileen K.]

Recently I was told (by a loved one) Just keep your pants on!!! It was about buying some boots that had dragonflies and owls painted on them. Really, I want to be a Hippie and maybe those would do it, right? LOL So, getting the laughing part out of the way,,,,

WHAT WAS I THINKING??? When I agreed, no, actually, I VOLUNTEERED, not even asked directly, just saw that the position needed filling.... Block of the Month Coordinator for 2019 for the Cobblestone Quilt Guild. Last Monday I met with the President. We discussed doing it in a ‘virtual method’. In the past they would cut kits, print out directions, and after signing up and paying in advance, each month you rec’d your block. That’s a lot of work if you have to write directions, or request copyright ok’s. As we chatted, it was decided, we’ll send out a link to a ‘block on the web’, give color suggestions, and encourage the use of one’s own stash of fabric. I’ve gotten this underway and here is January and February blocks. 12” finished is what we are going for. My January is shy by 1/16th of an inch and February got the same amount trimmed. Scant 1/4” isn’t my best friend,, Lots of laughter going on in my sewing room.

January

February


I’ll keep you posted as this progresses. If any of you want to follow along, let me know. I can always include the link to the directions if you need them.

[Eileen K.]

Recently I was told (by a loved one) Just keep your pants on!!! It was about buying some boots that had dragonflies and owls painted on them. Really, I want to be a Hippie and maybe those would do it, right? LOL So, getting the laughing part out of the way,,,,

WHAT WAS I THINKING??? When I agreed, no, actually, I VOLUNTEERED, not even asked directly, just saw that the position needed filling.... Block of the Month Coordinator for 2019 for the Cobblestone Quilt Guild. Last Monday I met with the President. We discussed doing it in a ‘virtual method’. In the past they would cut kits, print out directions, and after signing up and paying in advance, each month you rec’d your block. That’s a lot of work if you have to write directions, or request copyright ok’s. As we chatted, it was decided, we’ll send out a link to a ‘block on the web’, give color suggestions, and encourage the use of one’s own stash of fabric. I’ve gotten this underway and here is January and February blocks. 12” finished is what we are going for. My January is shy by 1/16th of an inch and February got the same amount trimmed. Scant 1/4” isn’t my best friend,, Lots of laughter going on in my sewing room.

January

February


I’ll keep you posted as this progresses. If any of you want to follow along, let me know. I can always include the link to the directions if you need them.