Tuesday, December 20, 2011

New Crazy quilt Block

Our Monday sew group was so impressed with  my block made in the CQI round robin, we decided to challenge each other to do our own round robbin.  The group includes myself, Judy, Charlotte, Dolores, and Barb.  Starting in January, Charlotte will give her block to Barb,  Barb to Judy, Judy to Me, mine to Dolores, and Dolores to Charlotte.

This is my block.  I will post the other blocks as they appear. 

The block is a mixture of fabrics including Japanese fabrics, silks, satins, linen and lots of angles.

Monday - Sewing group

In July, I signed up to participate in a "round robin" for Crazy Quilters International.  I had never made a crazy block before, so I was totally out of my comfort zone.  Nevertheless, I did my part and finished the round robin.

After completing the process, I had learned a great deal about "crazy quilting".  It also urged me to do another block.

Above is my finished block.  The right hand lace was hand painted, the upper butterfly was crocheted by Merle in Austrialia, one put my grandson's initials (LC) who designed the block.
I love it.  I hope you do too.  I think I will put it in a picture frame. 

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012

Just registered for the 2012 Crazy Journal Project.

This is the perfect project to move my creative talents to the next level.

We start posting in January and I am already planning my 12 month project.

For the last several months, I have been collecting the tools I need to jump right into this project. 

If anyone wants to register  here is the sight:  http://www.cqjp.org/.  The rules and registration details are clearly stated.

Share your thoughts!!!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Calhoun County Barn Quilt Tour

We participated as a vendor at the annual Calhoun County Barn Quilt tour  on Oct 21 & 22.  As an ecommerce business, we do not often get to meet our tried and true customers, so when we do, it is a particularly splendid event.  So thank you friends for stopping by our booth.  For our new friends - welcome and we look forward to serving you this next year.

For those of you not familiar with Calhoun County Illinoils - prepare yourself for 70 miles of the most scenic countryside America has to offer.  Besides the scenery - the county boasts of no stoplights and plenty of home cooked food. 

We will see you next year...third week end in Oct.

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Power of Rotary

If you do not know the Power of Rotary, hopefully, this short note will enlighten you.


Shortly following the earthquake in Japan, I was approached by 2 quilt groups to make quilts for victims of the Japanese earthquake.

I passed the word to a member of the International fellowship of Rotarian Quilters, Diana Barden, who mentioned it at International. The word spread through International and to the ears of a rotarian (whose wife is the editor of Quilters Newsletter, a popular quilting magazine). His wife spread the word through all of the quilting magazines editors.

Today I received a call advising they have collected 4069 Rotarian quilts and do I know how to get the quilts to Japan. Does anyone have any ideas?

The newsletter editor wants the Rotarians in Japan to handout the quilts in Japan

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Calhoun County Quilt Block Tour

The next two weeks will be spent preparing for the Calhoun County Barn Quilt Tour.
I will have a booth at the fair - so stop buy and say hello.

(Calhoun County is a pennisula between Missouri and Illinois.  It is bordered by the Mississippi on one side and the Missouri on the other.)  Calhoun boasts of having no stoplights and only one fast food restaurant - very refreshing.

Come spend the day in Calhoun County, driving through the countryside, eating home cooked food and barn after barn sporting their quilt blocks.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

What to do with all of those left over batting pieces

A member of the Hearts n Hands quilt guild in O'Fallon, IL offered this suggestion for using all of those left over batting pieces.  She makes mattress covers.

How will I work this.  Cut batting into 6 x 6 segments and place between 2 pieces (same size) muslin, then stitch around the block and across the block.  Prepare next block and slip 1st block inside this piece and top stitch.  Continue.. 

Seems like a good day by day project.

What do you do with your left over batting.

What am I working on???

Lots on the plate this week.
  • Christmas wall hanging - designed a new Christmas wall hanging for Oct 21 show in Calhoun County IL
  • Name tag -  Designing a "heart" name tag for Hearts N Hand Quilt guild.
  • Constructed another Christmas wall hanging - still need to finish applique handwork...
  • Cornflower design by Kumiko Sudo -- preparing applique items for application
  • 2 baby quilts to quilt on long arm
  • CQI Novice Rd Robin block - ready to apply my portion of this round robin.  It really stretches me.
  • Clean house - hosting my quilt guild Thursday and really need to clean. 

Monday, September 12, 2011

Crazy quilt - round robin

Today, I am working on Sharon's block  - as part of a novice round robin for Crazy Quilting International.

Crazy Quilting is a real challenge for me - but I want to complete the challenge.  It is a way to grow.
Anyway - I need to post it to Australia for Merle to add her beautiful work .  Promise to post more pictures for this as well.

Sept 11, 2011

I have a granddaughter named Isabelle.
Isabelle is 10 years old and an artist.  She spends most of her free time drawing and writing.
On Friday afternoon, she arrived from school and showed me a picture she had drawn to remember Sept 11.  She wanted me to make this picture into a quilt for her to take to school on Monday.

I thought the picture was a great display of her affection for the flag and the memory of Sept 11th.  This morning we took the quilt to school.  Hopefully it will be returned tonight and I can get a photo to place on my blog.

Show Me Quilt Fest - June 2012

Spending lots of time working on The Rotary Club of Webster Groves  quilt show set for June of 2012.
There is lots to do and and I feel very lucky to have a great committee helping with this project.
The show will have a "School House" and today I must locate teachers for our school.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Crazy Quilt RR # 2

I completed my embellishments on Amy's block and mailed to Merle in Australia.  This is my first attempt at a Round Robin Crazy Quilt.  Really scary as I always doubted my ability. 

A tree, ribbon roses, beads and seam embellishment were added to this block.  The best is that my confidence level is growing.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Show Me Quilt Fest

I am currently organizing a quilt show for The Rotary Club of Webster Groves.
The show date is June 9th & 10th of 2012.
This is a lot of work but, I am excited about the possibilties.

Contact showmequiltfest@gmail.com for more details.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

French Braid Tree Skirt

The above is a Xmas tree skirt is in a French braid pattern.  The neckline was done in a deep purple to hold a presence on the quilt.  All that is left to finish this masterpiece is the binding on the neckline. 

The pattern was from the book "French Braid Obsession" by Jane Hardy Miller.  The skirt measures 56" in dia. and only took me a year to complete, not because it was difficult, but because I have a problem with completing one thing before jumping on my next project.

Although, this was my first French braid, it will not be my last.  There will be another tree skirt, a wall hanging, a table runner and I think I will try using the French braid as a border on a Japanese wall hanging, I have started.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

1st Block .. Crazy Quilt - Novice Round Robin

Not sure if anyone is a "crazy quilter", but I decided to give it a try.  Crazy quilting is so out of my comfort zone that my heart races just thinking about it, but I decided I had to give it the full college try.

To start, I joined a Yahoo group known as Crazy Quilters International.  This group has round robins where a group of 5 CQI'rs make a naked block, pass it on in a predetermined rotation, crazy quilt the block and mail it to the next CQ'r to add more embellishments.  After the 5th rotation, the block is returned to it's rightful owner complete with the love and care given by each of the 5 CQ'rs.  This is my naked block.

Friday, my  block was mailed to Australia and then Saturday I received my first naked block to embellish.  OOOHHH, the pressure is so intense.  I can do it..

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Internet quilt groups

I have recently joined another quilt club on the internet.  It is called "stashbusters".  I am not sure my philosophy fits theirs, but, what the hey, I like what they do.

They are a group designed to use their stash and cut down on their buying.  I love my stash and can not wait to buy something new to add to my stash.  Then, again I own an online quilt shop.  So this philosophy does not fit me.  However, they are really encouraging to create and finish a quilt.  They have "cut it out Sunday" "what are you working on" also known as WAYWO and of course, my favorite, "what have you finished". 

I believe there are 4000 members around the world, with great ideas and lots of enthusiasm.

So far, I am loving this group...just not sure about "busting the stash".  Besides, as a quilter is that even possible????

Monday, June 20, 2011

Baby Quilts for Sendai

Our quilt guild, Meramec Quilters Guild, pulled together to make 8 baby quilts for the area devastated by the tsunami in Japan.  Clara Asnes organized the project and relayed today they have arrived in Japan.
We hope to know when they are delivered.

Quilts can be seen at:  http://s753.photobucket.com/upload/albums/foxy8631/?location=Sendai+Japan++Baby+Quilts+2011

Monday, June 13, 2011

Webster Groves Rotary - Quilt show

The Webster Groves Rotary Club is organizing a quilt show for June 10  2012.
One featured speaker will be Toby Lischko.
Cash prizes.
Save the date.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Hearts N Hands Quilt show

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I am a new member of the Hearts n Hands Quilt Guild in O'fallon, Il.  This past week end, they put on the best quilt show I have ever attended.  It was a huge show with anything and everything a quilter would love to see in a quilt show.  The above quilt is being raffled until Dec 13th and you can buy tickets at http://www.foxyquilts.com/.  Throughout the show, quilters demo'd a variety of quilting skills.  These included, applique, handquilting, machine quilting, and much more. 

The featured quilter was Nancy Eisenhauer, a nationally accredited quilter.  On display was her future entry into the National Quilt Musuem contest for 2011.  We were spell bound by her creativity, use of color, fabric and texture, artistic abilities and quilting.  I can not wait to see the finished project. 

Be sure to put this show on your calendar for 2012.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Memory Quilts

Plans on in progress for a family memory wall hanging about my parents - wedding photo.  Having never copied photos onto photo sheets, I set out to find some information.  I found the attached instruction and thought I would share it with my fellow quilters.  If you have an interest in memory quilts, maybe the information will be helpful for you too.Memory quilts

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Choosing a pattern

With so many terrific patterns to chose from, actually deciding on my next project is a difficult one.  Maybe this is why, I have 4-6 projects in progress at any one time.  Should I pick the Dresden Stars, which boasts a easy technique for the Dresden plate.  Or, should I make "Crazy Baby" and use my scraps.  Or, I could go on and on. 

Owning my own online store places me in constant contact with patterns and designs.  Thus, I am constantly being tempted by patterns.  I love it.

I just finished Brownstone and loved it.  Hope to post it soon for your review.

Do you have a favorite pattern?  Share it.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Marsha Bray - Instructor

I recently interviewed a quilt instructor in my area, named Marsha Bray.  During  the interview, MS Bray showed me a quilt her grandmother had made.  It was a quilt made during her participation in a church devotion group.  Each week the women were given a Bible verse to memorize.  If they memorized the verse they received a colored piece of fabric to add to their block.  If they did not memorize the verse, then, they used white in the block.  Every woman wanted her block to be a colored block.    No one wanted a block with white pieces.

Seeing this quilt reminded me of my childhood and my mother's devotion groups.  I believe our church had a similar devotion quilt group.

Review the attached photos.    

Happy New Year - 2011

It has been a while since I last posted on this blog.  I think about blogging everyday, but, just do not sit down and write.  I have not been very busy. I purchased a long arm machine, made 7 quilts and much more. 

Also, my business is keeping me busy.  However, the New Years resolution is to blog at least weekly.
I hope you will follow me and send in your comments.

Visit my website  http://www.foxyquilts.com/, we would love to have you.  I have a big sale starting Thurs.
If you are in the area, we participating in a quilt show in Oklahoma City on 1/13.  Stop buy and see us.