Bigger isn't necessarily better, right?

This weekend, the local quilt guild held its annual quilt show, which was organized and run by my friend Claire.  She did a fabulous job!  It's not a large guild so the show wasn't huge but I was really impressed.

First off, Sujata Shah was the "featured quilter" and although I wasn't able to stay for her talk, I did enjoy looking at her quilts.  Of most interest to me was her NOT making sure her points were "pointy"!!  Right up my alley.  This square in a square quilt out of really bright fabrics doesn't have a single point!  I love it.  Makes me feel much better about my difficulty in keeping points.  Who cares?  Right??


Another "ah-ha" moment came for me when I saw this little bag made out of a mini (incidentally it was made by a woman in the small quilt group I belong to...Sharon Cooper... will have to compliment her tomorrow when we sew together!).  Isn't this a great idea for using up a mini?  And I strongly believe that you can never have too many bags.  I love making bags!


I was also impressed with this kid quilt both because she used the accuquilt for the vehicles but she also used wide rick-rack for the "roads".  Ingenious.


When I was in San Diego, I found a kid panel that could be an alphabet book or a quilt.  I cut them apart and then saw two quilts, either of which I think would make a great setting!  It's all about the setting!




Then I saw this small applique quilt which had a great setting.  Years ago, I made a bunch of Baltimore Album blocks but never put them together, since I felt I hadn't made enough.  Once I saw this, I figured the outer border would work as a way to tie the blocks I've done together.


More about settings.  I loved this star quilt.  I think Alex Anderson has one in her book that's similar.  But what I loved most about this quilt was the way she made the outer zig-zag border.  No flying geese.  Just half square triangles!




Next I was really taken with these few quilts that were made in a class with Freddie Moran.  I took a house class with her many years ago but she's now doing flowers/vases.  I think this could be fun and I could probably do this without taking the class (especially since I missed it!).  Aren't they awesome?!  I have lots of large floral fabrics, although I don't think these would use up very much fabric!



See the butterflies and the falling petals??


How many birds do you see???

The one "large" purchase I made was for a pattern of a quilt I've wanted to make after having seen it in a magazine.  And, talk about why two people are friends-- I was with my friend Anne today and she told me about the one pattern that she bought at the show. YUP... she got the SAME one!

The woman selling the pattern is a long-arm quilter and I grabbed her card because I think her quilting is fabulous.
Not sure when I'll make this quilt, but it's on my list!

Have a great week.  I'm sort of sad I'm not at the cabin this week because there has been so much snow... 2 feet since yesterday.  My husband would be in snow-blower heaven right now!  And I'd be stuck inside and would only be able to read or sew!  DARN...

A whole lot going on here...

Where to begin??

Last weekend, my dh and I went to San Diego for the weekend and I made sure we got in early enough to make a stop at Primitive Gatherings, even though it was an hour in the other direction!~  Lucky me they were having a 20% off sale and I bought fabric I definitely did not need.  Of course.

then we went to Temecula Quilts, which I thought I'd visited years ago but it wasn't where I thought it was.  What a cute little shop.  My best purchase there?  A small scrap bag, since we KNOW that someone else's scraps are ALWAYS more interesting and better than our own, right?? VBG
Heck of a deal for $6!



And inside??  A bonanza!

I immediately started playing with the fabrics to make some of the Temecula blocks of the week and the Circa 1880 blocks.  All very small but fun.

here it is mid-February and I'm happy to report that I've completed my February Pam Buda little quilt!  How do you like that, Wendy Reed??!!!  Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself??!!  This one is called "Emma"!! Perfect!

I used a bunch of the fabrics from the Temecula scrap bag;
warning:  please don't look too closely at my corners and points.  Some are definitely better than others but I'm not the exact piecer I wish I was...

And, not only that, but I finished my February mini in time for Valentine's day!  Another variation on the definition of "mini"!!




Is this not the BEST fabric ever for a little bag??  I found it on sale on Equilter!  I realized I should've put the fabric vertical rather than horizontal but I still think it's adorable!

And, to top it off, how do you like the lining??!!

How perfectly apropos of Valentine's Day to have LIP fabric!!  SWAK!!!

Then at the end of last week, I was going to babysit for my grandkids in SF and made sure to get to the de Young museum where they were having member previews of the new (and fabulous) Monet exhibit!  I do think Impressionist paintings are my favorite and these paintings literally left me breathless.

here is just a small sample.  I'm not sure you can see how amazing the colors are just in small amounts in very unexpected places.  I will show you more later this week:





This one was my favorite;  I was mesmerized.  Just look closely at his use of the colors... little purple in the bottom right corner, yellows in the upper right corner, different shards of green for the lily pads...

I took some more pictures which I'll share in the next day or so.  Don't want to overwhelm you.

One block at a time...

In addition to the other monthly commitments I have made, I signed up for the Pam Buda Circa 1880 quilt.  I received my package of fabrics, instructions and templates from Cyndi (Busythimble...favorite quilt shop) and immediately got started...

One block!  HEEHEE



I don't want to know how many of these little 2" blocks I'm going to need to make...but I've got ONE done!! 

I also made more progress on the Primitive Gatherings pieced/wool project.  I think I have about 4 more blocks to add the half square triangles to.  


And I'm plugging away on the Temecula One Block project...

I have been using the Primitive Gatherings Floral Gatherings line but I'm getting ready to branch out.  I do love these fabrics, though.

I had made this cheater quilter a few years ago and little Emma has decided that she wants to take it home because it has horses on it (her favorite!).  The hexagons are the cheater part;  I pieced the rest.


I sent Ryan home with his Triangle Gatherings quilt (I thought I took a picture but I guess I didn't) and Emma wants the hexies.  So what do you think happens now?  Jack wants to know where is HIS new quilt??!!  CUTE.