Budding Quilters

Yesterday I got to spend my Saturday with a couple of budding young quilters. Amanda and Tessa King spent about 5 hours with me yesterday.

First we talked a little about what we wanted to do.  They learned about contrasting and complimenting fabrics.  Then I gave them some time to poke through my stash of larger pieces and pick a focus fabric.  I planned about an hour for this.. and they were done in 10 min.  No brainer for them, I need to learn that trick.  Look at the wonderful fabric choices here.

Then they learned:

Ironing

Rotary Cutting

Pinning

Sewing

Trimming threads

Ironing again!

Pinning again!

Sewing again!

Tessa's First Block

Amanda's First Block

Breath....Time for a break... so we took a break.  Had a yummy snack.  Apples, beef jerky, chicken.  Went for a short walk.  

.......................................................................................

And back to make the next one...or is it two ;] muah-ha-ha!

I had them each take two squares and draw an "X" diagonally.  Then they had to sew 1/4" on either side of each line.  Wow Aunti this is hard.....after a while, Wow this is so easy!  Then we cut them apart for 16 little half square triangles.  Magic!  Sewing the little pieces together took a little helped with the pinning but they did all the sewing.

Check out those Points!  Awesome Sauce! High fives! Whoo hoo

Took a little longer to sew these together, but the girls did very good and we pressed on even though we were getting a little tired.  Around 3:30 we started looking at the clock.  

Girls:  "Are we going to finish with the quilt today?

Aunti:  "Girls, we are just getting started we've got 9 more to make!" Big toothy grin ;]

Girls:  "Ooo no!" girly giggles all around

Their Mom and Dad came back about five as we were finished up our last seams.  They got to see a little of the action.   

This is Tessa, she was student of the week last we at school.  She loves pink and blue and found some fun fabrics and even got a chance to use one of the ones she brought.  Her favorite part is the ironing part and asked her Mommy if she had any shirts she needed ironing.    Her Mom (Dawn) and I both looked at each other and said "Really?"

This Amanda.  She likes all the parts of quilting, but probably sewing on the machine the most.  She has a headband that disappears and reappears on her head right where she left it.  Apparently her sister has the ability to make it reappear.  I have glasses that do that...

Willie came in and investigated and played and hid a lot, and napped a lot.  Toward the end, Pete went into the kitchen and willie followed him and this was what we heard.

Willie:  "Mrowww"  trans. (hey dad)

Pete:  "Hey buddy, theres girls and girly stuff everywhere huh?"

Willie:  "Mroww rowwwo wowo wwow mrow" trans "Yeah you should see it, there needles and razors and hot irons and momma's eyes are all bulgy!"

So we got to finish 3 blocks.  We are probably going to make a 12 block quilt, MAYBE one or two with fusible applique.  Add a border and binding.  We are going to display their quilts in our guild show that's coming up in September.

http://www.flyinggeese.net/quiltshow.html

I hope you enjoyed hearing about our day, we sure had a great time.  The girls follow directions and were such a great way to spend my sew day.  I am looking forward to their next visit.  

Now i have to go grocery shopping and our breakfasts and lunches for the week.  Pete and I are enjoying a 28 day Paleo Challenge.  Basically Meat, Veggies, Fruit, Nuts and Seeds.  One week down and I think we are doing pretty good!  Its a little more effort and planning but the results are worth it.

Hope you all get a chance to sew this week!

Aunti Nicole

Trick or Treat?

Treat...definitely treat!  I love Halloween.

My neighbor Betty and her girls did their retreat this summer and they all did this quilt.  Each did it a little different and used different fabrics.  Betty's turned out so cute I hate to share it with you, its kind of Halloweenish.

I fell in love with this beauty at PIQF in Santa Clara.  Its called Autumn Harvest by Gayle Sheldon of Bridgeport, TX

Have a wonderful and safe Halloween!

Love Aunti Nic

Happy Friday!

Hope you are having a wonderful week.  I'm just getting back from all my travels and found a wonderful treat in my inbox.

"Hi Nicole - just wanted to share a photo of the quilt I made from your pattern.  Your directions were spot on and easy to follow - it was a joy to make and I love it.  Thanks for being creative!  Peggy Benzin - IL"

I love the way it turned out!  The hand dyed fabric is luscious!  Thank you Peggy for sharing this with me and letting me share it with my viewers.

Hope you all have set aside some time to sew this weekend!

Love
Aunti Nicole

A Harvest of Quilts was spectacular!

The quilt show last weekend was a great success.  A lot of our members turned out with helping hands to make it run nice and smooth.  The show was incredible and its such a joy to be surrounded by such increbible quilters with so much talent.  Here are just a few.

My mom is in my friendship group and we each did basket blocks for her and look what she went and did with them.  Holy smokes its just gorgeous!

Same friendship group did pineapple blocks then we drew straws and Sherilee Siebert got to quilt it and keep it.  Very fun project!

Pam Hadfield and her beautiful applique work!

Kathy Keefer and her marvelous applique and hand quilting.  You go girl!

Hilary Field, love the 30's fabric on black, beautiful.

Arlene Somerville, 3D wool project.  Yummy!

Denise Nelms, gorgeous applique, congratulations Denise!  I don't know where she find the time.  

Pam Hadfield again!  Simply beautiful and awesome quilting by Mike Qualls! 

Pam Again, wow she is all over this show!  More ribbons and bows on this mixed technique with wool and cottons.

Sorry I did write down what each ribbon was for, shame on me ;P  But the beautiful ribbons were made by Cindy Cooksey,

 The end,  I forgot to get the name of this quilter but I had to share this with you all.  These booty beauties are on the front of the quilt.  What a creative way to spice up a traditional scrappy quilt.



On my may to Chicago for business and then to PIQF in Santa Clara for our yearly mini-treat with Natalie of Beyond the Reef.


Have a great week and hope you all get to quilt.  Put some stitches in for me, would you?

Love Aunti Nicole

The Road was Packed!

I consider Road to California 2010 in Ontario California a big success, people everywhere!  Wonderful quilts hung end to end.  I am so proud to see that quilters and quilt admirer's are doing their part to boost the economy!

I walked in the front doors and what do I see, Beyond the Reef, right in the first spot...location location location!  Lots of bright and colorful fabrics and some new patterns to boot.  Natalie and friends were so busy and the booth was packed.

My friend Liz Isom's asian version of Tic-Tac...Oh! is hanging in the corner of the booth with some lovely asian fabric bundles....had to get one of course.  I bought some other fabric, but I'll post it later this week.

There were so many beautiful quilts in the show!  http://www.road2ca.com/2010winners/road/winners.html

The creativeness of the quilt community never ceases to amaze me.  I am astounded that I still see new ways to do traditional style quilts.  I didn't get everyone's names but most of them are described in the link above.  I took over 350 pictures this time, but figured I'm better trim it down.

I took some pictures of some things that caught my eye, but there were so many quilts I could not get everything.  So here are a few little pics and things I found interesting.

I love this quilt, I saw it online and the story about the creation of it.  It is just amazing up close.  The whole 

Thread Tails & Vapor Trails exhibit for the The 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation.  

 Ok this picture is not very good quality, but the blow up turned out great.  See how the  fabrics transition.

Say Cheese!  Hey, that's my friend Dione.   She is a writer and editor and working on some big projects, more on that in the near future.  We had a great time and I'm so glad we got to spend some quality time together at the show.

Oh my gosh the detail on this quilt, 1st place...no surprise there!

Its a tea party don't ya know! This one was so sweet, I stood there staring at all the detail on this one, spoons and tea bags and all kinds of sweaties.  I even dragged my friend Micki and her Daughter over to look at this.  So much going on, applique, embroidery, embellishments.  

Julia Renaud of Tea for Two would just love this one!





This one reminds me of the project that I have been working on for the last couple of months.  Very cool.

Wow my husband walked by while I was posting this picture and he said "Wow!"  Pete's a man of few words.

I love the subtle change of background fabric.  And of course I appreciate the amount of work. 

More delicious appliqué.  Wow just amazing work.

One of my favorite has always been Dear Jane, but I have to say this is the first time I noticed the settings triangles are all different too.  I wonder how I missed that...probably because I have never made one myself. 

I have been working on a dutch treat another favorite traditional style pattern.  Mine is in the traditional indigo blue, but this... holy cow...this one has an beautiful bright asian print behind it.  It is just fabulous.

Yeah...ok really?  Who thinks of this stuff!

And the one I call the big fuzzy flutter-bye quilt. Just dynamic and the look at the detail on these flutter-byes.












Ok, thats enough, I'd better get busy.


Hope you were all inspired to be part of such an artistic group of people.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Aunti Nicole

The Joy's of a Friendship Group

Every month for the last 5 years I have visited with the EZ Quilters.  We are a friendship group in Orange Country, about 18 strong now.  The women in this group are all wonderful quilters and so creative and talented. 

One very special EZ quilter is Joan Rossen.  This woman never complains, is always encouraging and does some of the most beautiful work I've ever seen.  She has allowed me to show her most recent work of art here.  This double wedding ring is for her daughter and while it took her a while and many great hurdles to climb during this time, she has completed it and done a fantastic job.  Her hand stitching is exquisite and colors beautiful and vibrant.  I wish you all could see it in person.  Maybe we will get her to put it in our Bi-Annual guild quilt show.  

Love you Joannie, I know your daughter is going to absolutely love this quilt.

If you are a lone quilter, join a local group or get into an on-line group, guild or start one yourself.  Even if you may not feel you have the time.  Take it.  You will be inspired, encouraged and constantly challenged to step up your skills.  

I am so honored to be involved in 4 such groups EZ Quilters, Wool Gatherers, Flying Geese Quilt Guild and Bee Splended online bee.

Have a great week!

Love Aunti