Long overdue quilt show pictures

I've been traveling quite a bit this past month so have not been able to post. I went to a great little quilt show recently where I saw the most amazing quilts! I'm going to post some of the pictures here. I have many posts in my head so I will hopefully be a better blogger!!

Isn't that a great story!!

These are the quilts of the featured quilter, Sylvia Gegaregian

These other quilts really caught my eye. I don't necessarily want to make them but they are still interesting!

This one has a great story too:

Great use of hexagons!!

Great integration of piecing and embroidery!

This is a Piece O Cake design and the quilter was standing there when I took the picture.

Very simple block with great effect!

I have more from the show and will continue the posting in the next day or so!

Seat cover

I sew on an office chair that I've had for years. It's been asking to be recovered for some time so I finally did it:

No idea how it got so dirty!!

This is what I made:

I added elastic but didn't pull it tight enough. It works though:

I'm thinking I may need to do the back, too! Oh and it didn't make a dent in the bag!!

A four patch masterpiece

I saved this for its own post. My friend Debbie Dodge gladly accepted DarLynn's "reject" 4-patches (they were extras, actually) and put them together into this wonderful quilt. Debbie does amazing appliqué!!

I love it..

I went to Claire's this week and brought along a bag of salvages to sew into something. I'll bet you'll never guess what I'm making!!! If someone comes up with the answer, you'll win a couple of patterns!! Hint: it's not huge!!

Hopefully I'll get it done by Sunday night!! 

I babysat all 3 darlings yesterday and finally got a picture of all 3!! It's not the best picture but Atleast it's one picture!!

Couldn't resist Emma "talking" on my phone!!

Retreat time

I went to Wisconsin last week for a retreat with my friends there. It's always so awesome to hang out with such a great group of women who always make me feel so welcome! This time I even had a bucket of ice dumped on me but more on that later!

This group of women is very talented as well as prolific! I have trouble keeping up with them.

Here are some of the things they made, which I suspect you will find very inspiring!

Close up of Peggy's Under the Big Top. Lori did a sew a long of this block recently. This was a swap with my friends-- mine remains in baggies but I do know where they are!

Peggy is a doll and has the best sense of humor, next to Bonnie, who can be seen here with a can of whipped cream down her throat-- yes there is a story but it's too long to relate here:

Back to quilts:

Bonnie made this top from a swap we all did last year. I love how she sashed it.  Here is mine, which I just finished (and am crossing it off my list):

Amazing how different sashing and borders change the appearance!

Here is part of a quilt DarLynn was working on for Pat's booth at the Madison Expo. If you are near Madison, don't miss the show! Wish I could go!!

It is a variation of the bullseye pattern...Pat designed this pattern, which I'm pretty sure she'll have kitted up and selling at Expo!

This was a mystery we all did last year. This top was done by a darling young newlywed we call Winnie. She's young and sews us all under the table!! Vbg. Mine is in baggies, too!! 

Tamra got challenged to be dumped with ice water and proceeded to challenge Pat, who proceeded to challenge Debbie, DarLynn and I. I felt like we were lined up for execution!! It was fun and honestly it was so darn hot and humid, I didn't mind the cold water!!

I got to meet Lori on Friday in Bend and we needed something to drink after a hard morning of shopping!! It's always so great to get together!!

I thought you'd enjoy this new picture of the darling Emma: she's now 2 and is talking more and more! In fact, she tore apart a little book and when her sitter asked her who had done it, the darling girl said it was "Nana"!!!! Hahaha

Lots to recap

We had Emma and Ryan with us for a wonderful week up in Sunriver.  It was great fun!! I did find a small quilt show during naps one day and saw some fun quilts!!

I loved all the flying geese!!

You know I'm partial to barn quilts!!

This was so clever!

Cute, don't you think??

Of course I love Mt Bachelor, which is very near us

I've always loved Halloween quilts! Look at all these hats!!

This was an antique quilt.. 

More my style

Then there was a silent auction item with NO bids! It was a Singer Rocketeer which I won with a $70 bid!! Woohoo!! I felt like I got a good deal and it was for the guild's funds. I picked it up yesterday and was pleased that it sounds great! Now to figure out how to use it!! 

Next up will be pictures from my retreat in Wisconsin last week!

A little bit of sewing

We are spending the week with Emma and Ryan up in Sunriver! What a treat!! Lots of bike riding and swimming! We feel so lucky to be able to take them with us for a week's vacation!

Baby Jack is still a little too young but maybe next summer!!

I started these blocks ages ago and am working on them during nap time!

I love brown and blue together!!

do you Pay it forward ???

This seems to be the expression that is currently in use to describe when people do things for others.

Remember when I didn't have my purse at Whole Foods and a woman paid for my $16 in groceries?  Same concept.

I'm presently trying to be more mindful of how good it feels to do for others.  I've recently tried to do that.

I'm curious to hear your stories of the kinds of things you're doing or have done for others.  Do you pay it forward??

I'm also trying to de-stash and reduce some of the excess I have so I will draw a winner by Wednesday! Please include your email address.

We are taking Emma and Ryan up to Sunriver for the week so there will be no sewing for me... kiddie time instead.

What's bad about that??? ;-))