Vintage Nine Progress

Slow but steady gets a quilt done. This Vintage Nine (pattern by Lisa Bongean) is one of those easy yet difficult quilts. Yes, I had measure/square issues with the first vine border, and now I am a little wavy-gravy. My fancy not-yet-paid-off Bernina decided to get cranky, so I have to take her in for a tonic. I got out the old machine and have fallen in love with it. I hadn't quite bonded with Ms. Bernina. I cannot free-motion with the New Home though, so I will be looking forward to Ms. Bernina's return. It's okay though. Tomorrow I have a tennis match (my second), a new quarter begins Monday at school, and there is plenty of handwork to stitch in the evenings. I don't need a machine at all for a while.
Kitten was hiding in a J Jill bag on the floor behind my sewing chair. She is so darn cute. She always finds a little niche to sleep in. I am getting worried about using flash photography on her. After all, she only has one eye, and what if it gets damaged from flashes? Is that even possible?
I wanted to show off the back side of "Lilly." Really, I love this quilt. The Lilly Pulitzer fabric was donated to the Spirited Quilters in Duluth, so I took some; I already had the backing (from a sale table at JoAnn's); the quilt was completed in 5 weeks and I was working full time, too. It was the first time I had ever machine quilted anything. Right now I can't even imagine completing something in 5 weeks.

Sewing roll, Lilly Lounging & Books

I finished a button roll as a gift for a friend. Kitten likes it, but I think she will settle for the ball of perl cotton instead.
I never felt like I got a good shot of my "Lilly" quilt, so I dragged it up to Mom's house where I draped it over the swing in the backyard. Yep, I like this picture of my favorite quilt.
This is the last book I read; it is a sequel to "Chosen by a Horse" which I loved. The author doesn't go looking for love, but is lucky enough to be blessed by the best true forever kind (sigh).
And here is one of the first books I ever read. I loved it enough to hunt it up on Amazon so I could have a copy for my adult book shelf.

East Cobb Purchases

I couldn't resist this wonderful vintage Japanese style print.

I went back to the show on Sunday to pick up a basket from Baskets by Dawn. Her booth had been too crowded on Friday, and I couldn't think what I wanted. I picked a large sewing basket.

When I got home, Kitten picked it as her favorite too, so I took my stuff out to give her more room. Have I created a monster? She always gets her way. I never imagined I would spend that much for a cat bed. Do you think she would notice if I substituted something from Walmart?

Water Everywhere

Forty days and nights of rain? Seven was more than the A T L could handle. It was crazy wet here. I was lucky; no damage, no death, but for many Atlanta area residents heartbreak and stress accompanied the rain. I got a few snaps of my yard only to document the drainage challenge we have.

More East Cobb Show

This (above) is my all time favorite. The designer who made "Tulip Farm" (this is the center panel) is Karen Mowery, and her blog Sew Primitive Quilter is one of my favorites. She also has East Cobb Quilt Show photos posted AND you can purchase her beautiful patterns for quilts like the one above.

I have been looking at pictures from the East Cobb Quilt Show, and I am wondering if I saw the whole show. It seems like I may have missed a few quilts. I thought perhaps you would like to see what I loved from the show (aside from the double-wedding ring).

Just look at this beautiful double wedding ring quilt displayed at the East Cobb Show! This weekend only, so hurry over. While I was at the East Cobb Quilt Show I was able to find Mom a one-of-a-kind birthday gift. I asked her if I can send it a month early, but she says she can wait. What? I can't though. I was also lucky enough to find black & white striped fabric, AND when I got home, I found the floss I had lost. Good day for quilters!

We found a quilt that my mother-in-law sold. It was made by her grandmother, exhibited in the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, and now resides in the Ardis & Robert James Collection at the International Quilt Study Center in Nebraska. My MIL is 90 years old, and she is very happy to see a picture of the quilt and know that it is in the very best of care. The museum has her grandmother's DOD wrong, but how hard would it be to get that corrected? I think I will let my husband and his mom handle looking into that. You can find the quilt's particulars at this link: Mounts Quilt and then type "Mounts" in the search box for quiltmaker. I had my husband take the picture to Kinko's to have it enlarged. I am going to attempt to make a pillow from the basket motif for MIL. I think she would love it.

AND I have lost the hand dyed thread I need for the vine embroidery on Vintage Nine. Don't know what happened to it. I hope Mom locates it somewhere in the studio.

Too Fast

The first day in Mom's studio I worked on Lisa Bongean's "Vintage Nine." I wanted to figure out how to square the three inch nine patch squares. I got the center group of patches together, and one of the wool accented side borders (minus most of its leaves; I suddenly remember).

Next, I told Mom I wanted to work on one of her patterns, so she set me to working on "Easy Stars." At first we did multicolored stars on a tan background (see below), but I decided I like the paler colored star on a blue field (above). I am not yet good at getting the seams to match correctly, but with practice I should improve.
This chair is full of the new Brannock (Mom) & Patek fabric line from MODA. She (Mom) gave me some to bring home in hopes I will make a quilt entirely of this line. Or maybe I am the one that came up with that idea. I can't remember.
The "Easy Stars" pattern also features a pieced heart, and this is mine (also the new fabric):
I love spending time in the backyard....
The visit "home" was too fast. Mom and I did more sewing this time than we ever had, but still didn't have enough time to get much done.

On Thursday I got to take the lab's staff from work out to lunch. Since it was the end of the quarter at GTC, we got to relax and enjoy being together.

And then on Saturday, I flew to Kansas City. Mom and I have been sewing all day. I have the center of my Vintage Nine together, and we are starting on something new. My camera SD card is full, so I'll get a new one and take pictures tomorrow. Also, my Dad is a fabulous cook. Take a look at the cherry pie he made for dinner tonight!

So I am working on "Vintage Nine Patch" by Lisa Bongean

I took the "Vintage Nine Patch" class from Lisa Bongean at Primitives of the Midwest last summer, but didn't get very far. Now that I am done with "Flower Shop," I am going to go back to work on the nine patches. Man, I didn't realize how many I need: 123 in all, so to work I go.

Cut all the solid/vintage pairs down to 4 1/2 inch squares. Before and after the rotary cutter carnage.

And start stitching: Lisa's pattern is pretty easy to follow so far.

And more stitching....

And after who knows how many hours, I have about half of the nine patches I need.

What I LOVE about kits is the wonderful variety of fabrics you get to discover. This kit was especially delightful in the array of reproduction prints it contained.

Primitives of the Midwest is held every year (at least for 5, so far) at Quilter's Station in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Here is the link to my mother's patterns at Quilter's Station. I love buying fabric there. They have EVERYTHING!

Bad, bad Kitten

I know, she looks perfectly innocent, but this is where she sits to tease the dogs. AC asked me "what the heck are the dogs barking at?" And here is what I found: One sweet innocent Kitten.

One smashed precious handmade bowl. A gift to me from the Arts & Sciences department in 2003.

Gouges on the top of the blanket chest from the fall of said bowl off the top of the hutch that sits on the blanket chest, both of which my father made for me in 1979.

A later discovery was the absence of crust and crumble on the rhubarb pie I'd made the night before.

I really didn't know one little innocent Kitten could wreak so much havoc. My regards to those of you brave enough to house more than one feline house deconstructor. Oh, and one more thing, they (Kittens) love to play with toilet paper as much as dogs and toddlers do. I just didn't think to get a photo of that....

Yea, It Is a GOoD day!

I love this little charm I picked up in the Unity church bookstore. The Unity wings mean alot to me having grown up attending services at Unity Village, Missouri, sometimes with my parents, but also with my grandparents. The tiny hanging charm says "believe."

The quilter's group met at Altanta Unity church today. Our fearless leader, Theoan, has been busy at her sewing machine. Under this batik beauty are TWO more quilt tops completed from the mystery task we each took on. Mine is still in pieces. My ONE that is.

I did, however, finish sewing the binding on my Flower Shop wall hanging. I am in the picture so mom can see my new short haircut. My fantasy of growing long hair again is abandoned.