Sewing during the naps

We have been in Sunriver with Emma and Ryan, and it's been so much fun. It is a treat to have grandkids filling our Oregon house with laughter and toys! 

Especially poignant for me is that Ryan is now riding the little bike all 3 of our kids rode. It was a very amazing bike we got from Rachel's preschool--- she will be 36 this fall!! 

Ryan is loving it!

Emma has spotted a rock she likes to plop onto:

We have bikes of course (there are miles of bike trails here) and we got this trailer when Ryan was little! They both love going for bike rides. What a difference putting air in its tires makes!!! 

This leaves little time for sewing. I've been at my machine for an hour or so a day, during their naps, working on this swap from a few years ago. It is a beautiful quilt that I've found very daunting---I'm not very good at curved piecing!!

It's an Edyta Sitar pattern.

This is my one sample block! 

I'm enjoying working on the arcs though!

 

It's one of my projects for our retreat time when Lori (Humblequilts) and Claire (musing of an eclectic quilter) arrive next week after my family leaves and before the Sisters Quilt Show.

Favorite not-so-local quilt shop

I've told you before about my friend Pat's fabulous quilt store Life's A Stitch in Janesville, Wisconsin. I took pictures this trip so you could get an idea why I love it so much. From the moment you drive up, you are enveloped in beauty. Her flowers are gorgeous and she has both the outsider and inside done beautifully. Her shop is housed in a house that's over 100 yrs old! 

And now for the inside:

This fruit basket was sent by our friend Sandy Vanek who recently moved away. It was yummy!!

All the samples and kits are so inspiring!! Do drop in if you are nearby! I understand there is a Wisconsin Shop Hop going on now and of course I had to buy some Wisconsin fabric!!

More quilt show pictures

I'm going to show you my favorite quilt with a close up. I don't think the pictures will  show how amazing this quilt is. It is from Japan!

 

There was also a collection of quilts from the Chicago School of Fusion! Never heard of it but some of the quilts were amazing! I love the colors!

Then there were quilts I just loved:

Here is a close up of a feathered star within the feathered star!!

 

Of course I had to take a picture of this quilt, using Bonnie Hunter's pattern:

I've wanted to make this for years! The pieces are pretty small! I think it's called, "Oh My Gosh!"

Close up:

Speaking of small pieces, this log cabin has even smaller pieces!! 

I love baskets:

I'm not a big fan of pictorial quilts but these were phenomenal!

That's it for my pictures. It was a great show and I had a fabulous time visiting my Wisconsin sisters! I got a lot of sewing done and had lots of love and laughter!

Chicago Quilt Show

The end of my perfect week in Wisconsin was to go to the Chicago Quilt Show. The vendors were almost endless! The quilts were just amazing!

One highlight of the show was to visit my friend Val's booth, The Quilt Merchant. Val moved from Paris after buying the shop in Winfield, Ill.  This is Val and her daughter Sophie. Here is a picture of me, Val, DarLynn and Debbie! 

I took so many pictures! It's hard to figure out which to show you first!!

I will post them over a couple of days...

I'm flying back to California tomorrow! More pictures to follow!

A peak at an amazing sewing area

Some people have truly amazing sewing areas and very impressive stashes. Not to mention that they are great decorators! Debbie Dodge has both as well as a truly fabulous collection of quilts. It's time to show some of them. She is extremely prolific and talented!! She is a true inspiration as well as a GREAT friend!

She loves to collect kits and I keep wishing she'd decide she isn't going to get to all of them and decide to donate one to ME!!

Enjoy!