World Quilt Show-New England - Mancuso

This morning six of us headed off at 7:00am to attend the Mancuso Quilt show in Manchester, New Hampshire. Pictured are, L-R Koleen, Helen, Sherry, Barbara, our able driver, Lois and me. Our first stop was Dunkin Donuts of course and on our way down the highway. We arrived around 10:30am excited and did the vendors first.....looked at stunning quilts (posted in above blog) It was a fun trip for all of us.












When I went to Lancaster, Pa. earlier this year some of the gals got these beautiful hand done pieces at the show. I looked at them but just could not make up my mind as to what I wanted. They were vending here in NH and I was determined to come home with at least one. I ended up with two. They are hand done by this lady and it is done from the back. It is called Hmong Pandau needle design by Nhia Lo. I plan to frame them.




I love black and white and this was stunning to me. Simple and yet striking. They both are small and I will mat and frame them.




















Of course you cannot got to a quilt show without purchasing things you just think you need. Some of which included Christmas and pumpkin designs from Pickering Farm Quilt Shop to add to my stash and Kona Snow background material. and a great piece with jungle animals for a baby quilt. (his room will be decorated with them per his daddy). I also found this wonderful tape measure for my quilter called a centering tool from Quilters Rule. It is said of quilters, produce a new tool and they will purchase whatever the price. Sometimes that is true but I do try to be frugal. (smile).

To end our day after eating dinner in Portland we saw this beautiful moon as it showed itself on the horizon as we travelled the Maine turnpike. We tried to get pictures but there were so many cars. When I got home lo and behold it was still in the sky and this is what it looked like. As we were riding we could see a indentations that actually looked like a face in the moon. Guess that is why it is called 'the man in the moon' What a spectacular sight.

Hydrangea - Spectaular View

Yesterday as my husband and I came from having lunch we drove through Hallowell and the most beautiful site of flowering Hydrangea were in full bloom. They stand in front of the cemetary bordering the road. Every year we enjoy them so thought you might like to see a spectacular sight. This morning the sun was shining after yesterday's rain so I decided to take a jaunt in early this morning as the sun was coming up and before I started my usual Monday cleaning and laundry.This is a picture of the row and of course I could no way get all of them. I took time to count and was surprised that their were 80 bushes. A company out of Massachusetts cuts them each year. You are fined if you are caught taking any. Below is a close up view. They are shrubs of the saxifrage family, with opposite usually serrate leaves and large showy clusters of white, blue or pink flowers. The color depends on the soil. These bushes do very well here in Maine and display a colorful array each year for us to behold.

Star BOM #4

Block of the Month #4 done!! We lost our power today because of the wind from Ike. What to do was the question....with no electricity or water I decided to cut this block out that I had downloaded this morning. This was an easy one to get twisted up but I used my design board to lay it out and sew piece by piece being careful as to direction....making sure to get all my lines going the same way. I am really liking these blocks...thanks Judy for the time you put into them...greatly appreciated.

Star BOM #3

#3 Block of the Month with Judy Laquidara finished!! With vacations and this 'n that I am lagging behind. But I conquered it and I am pleased with it. It has been really fun doing this. It has been great seeing all the different color combinations. I have checked them all out even though I do not comment. Great job to all!

Tacoma Lake Group

Our first meeting was held this past Wednesday. This is the finished Sampler our group worked on this past year. L-R Beth, (our great out-going Pres. who challenged us with this project), Bev and Pauline. Mine is still sitting on my quilter to be finished and there are several others still in different stages. It is amazing how different they look and yet are the same blocks. Job well done galsS

Also on the agenda was a new president, elected was Barbara Duffy, who comes with much experience and many ideas that will help us to learn new things this year. Check out her blog.

Above is her quilt 'Split Personality' and below the 'Gingerbread Jingle', these were beta tested by Barb and designed by Koleen Painchaud. You can check out her website and see the many wonderful designs that she offers plus other services.

Brother-Super Quilter

I have been asked what my super quilter looks like...I am in the process of loading a quilt today so decided to take some photo's. This is a Super Quilter Original and a Brother 1500 sewing machine. I had handi handles and used them for a while but then decided to get a Quilters Cruise Control. You cannot use both but I kept the frames and handles and it took care of the wires.






















This is where I hide myself away with my Janome 6500 and my new desk purchased from Tony's in Sanford. Very comfortable studio for me. I had a cabinet and installed 2 thread holderes and a whiteboard with one side cork so I can write or pin instuctions at eye level. I also put a shelf underneath my new cabinet. So comfy I am.....

'Flowering Green' UFO top finished

This is another UFO top finished. It was started in 2006 as a block of the month at a local shop named 'Whipper Snappers'. I started with 3 basic colors . The 13 finished blocks sat in a bin waiting for me to finish for a while. The original design did not have a border but the print I chose was too much and so decided on the navy that I used to frame the blocks with to pull it together. I really like the addition.Below - A Close up of one of the borders. This quilt was designed by Mary Ann Florek and measures about 89"x 89". It will go on my bed for now after I have it machine quilted. I have named it the 'Flowering Green'

Star BOM #2

My 1st block was posted about midnight Eastern Standard time and here is the 2nd block of Judy Laquidara Block of the Month and it will be midnight by the time I get it posted. I am real pleased with it. I have never mitered corners before. Amazingly everything matched and I have 12 1/2" unfinished. Judy said the first two were the hardest. Whew!! I am looking forward to the 3rd one. I have also enjoyed looking at all the other blocks as they have been posted. The color combinations are outstanding...Glad to to be part Judy..thank you for your hard work. I really appreciate it.

DownEast Trip - Milbridge

This was a trip we made this weekend DownEast as Mainer's call it. We went to the Milbridge area and these pictures are taken off a little place that you find when you follow some of the side roads to the ocean. It is utterly breath taking. This rock sits precariously just waiting to be 'shoved' in!! My husband went down to it but I chose to stay on the 'high ground'... several people have been known to get down where there are slippery rocks and fall and drown. Once you are in the waves it is hard to get out. This is my hubby and I...taken by a lady who was from Pa. She, her hubby and young son had been in the area for a week and had taken over 300 pictures. So I do not feel so bad with I am 'clicking away' and someone makes fun of me. This is another one of desires - photography..will not live long enough to fulfil everything I would like to do.
This is a picture of the fog that rolls in in seconds and then a few minutes later would clear....we watched it several times....in the winter they call it 'sea smoke' at least that is what a resident told us in our travels.
This picture below was taken and you could see the boats and a little later they were invisible because of the fog. You can see some of the lobster traps in the water. In one bay alone there are over 1,000 traps. There are dedicated men who work hard, long hours just so we can enjoy the delicious lobster. I had 2 lobster rolls and 1 crab meat roll this weekend. They were soooo good! My husband would have bought me a whole lobster but I said I wanted 'lazy' lobster. Which means you do not have to pick it from the shell.
All above pictures were taken Friday afternoon. And in the tradition of this summer we hit hard driving rain on Saturday as we were headed to Machias Blueberry Festival. Many drivers stopped along the road because of it. I am sure it was particularly hard on the many bicycler's along the way. We walked among the booths like everyone else and got wet. Have you ever tried putting two people under one small umbrella successfully!! I always travel with a larger one but he is always making 'fun' of me and 'chiding' me so I just tucked my little one in my luggage. Needless to say he wished I had brought another. Can I say 'I told you so', or 'Lesson learned', Well I am going on and on and need to wind this up. The Maine coast is so beautiful and we do not visit enough and enjoy it. Today, Sunday, we headed home and the day is sunny and beautiful. A promise of a good week. We are all crossing our fingers....maybe we will get to finish our haying.

Poinsettia Pot Wall Quilt

Christmas in July, a project that I started with my group 'Casey Quilters' is finally finished ! Poinsettia Pot Wall Quilt from the book 'A cozy Quilted Christmas' by Kim Schaefer. It is 29 1/2" x 36 1/2" Wall hanging.
I used many techniques, iron on, machine and hand work. I will finish it off with binding that is finished by hand. I really enjoy decorating my house at Christmas time with different quilted pieces.

Rain in Maine

Rain , rain go away ..

Come back some other day!

This is what the kids use to sing...it has rained for at least 2 weeks....and yesterday and today the sun did shine but there was a shower each day...it makes for dreary days....

Friday was cleaning day...my granddaughter Allison helps me but it is so hard when it is dark and dreary so I put all the lights on in the house to brighten it up and give the feel of sunshine.

Saturday my husband spoke at a men's meeting in the morning and then we were off to the Skowhegan Fair....we watched the truck and tractor pulls and ate dough bread and sausage sandwiches...you know the junk food you have once in a while that tastes good when going down but makes you feel yucky afterwards. The deal for me was that if I could go to quilt store first I would go. He wanted to go to the farm store so it was a swap off. I bought 5 yards of light grey with a swirl pattern in it, a quilters rule with markings for 16th inches and a product I have not tried before 'Mary Ellen's Best Press' it is a clear starch alternative. I had seen it at the quilt show and the lady assured me it worked wonders on bias. So of course, I said I had to have it..at least I will try it.

After church today we rode to Camden...it is a pretty little village and the clouds in the sky were pretty amazing as they are bringing in another storm and of course, I did not have my camera so needless to say there are no pictures.

You can see I have been busy and have not done any quilting but tomorrow I will try to conquer some things.

If you want to see what the flooding looks like...Sue, my friend has a link on her website and it will show you what a road being washed away...pretty amazing.


http://www.wmtw.com/video/17144859/index.html

Strippy Quilt

I copied this pattern 'My favorite quick donation quilt' by Mary Johnson online and not sure where. It is one of those things you see and know you would like to do and place in a stack 'until'. I visited Marden's recently...'all Maine girls know where that is'...you can get great fabric...great prices....if you hit it right and know your material...so bought 1 yard each of focus fabric...tone on tone and an accent piece. A lady ahead of me was purchasing these and I simply said 1 yd each...easy purchase...no struggle....don't you love it.. Below is a close up...it was fun to do....I bought some tiger prints at our local quilt show and will do some for my twin grandsons (10 years old) and make matching pillow cases...they are something they do not have to be careful with.
I have 6 tops ready to be quilted..just purchased a Quilters Cruise Control for a short-arm and practicing some different designs...practice makes perfect...Right!!

Pattern is:
1 yard of a focus fabric - cut 5 strips 6.5 inches by WOF
3/4 yard of tone on tone - cut 6 strips 3 inches by WOF
(1 yard if you use this fabric for binding)
1/2 yard of accent fabric - cut 10 strips 1.5 inches by WOF
(1 yard if you use this fabric for binding)

• Assemble as shown in the picture above - please note that the top and bottom strips do not have accent strips sewn on the outside edges of the quilt
• If focus fabric is directional, pay attention as you sew sections together.
• Quilt size is approximately 41 x 56.

This is the basic instructions but you can add to them ...change width etc...lots of options.

If you choose to make one have fun and it is so quick. My friend Sue has made some also and you can check her blog out...

http://northwindsquilting.blogspot.com/2008/07/bug-strippy-2.html

Star BOM #1

Well it is midnight here in Maine and I have conquered the #1 Block of the Month that Judy Laquidara is posting. Realized after I took picture I did not take it straight on but my points are there. I had never worked with 1/16 of an inch before...I think this is going to stretch me a little....most everything is on 'bias' .....but I will conquer...Also was not sure about the colors I chose but I think it will give it punch when done... thanks Judy for the challenge.

It is Monday August 11 and I decided that I did not like the background I had chosen as it was too directional ....so I purchased the same light gray but with a different dynamic to it...I also used 'Mary Ellen's Best Press' The clear starch alternative on the bias pieces and had a much easier time doing this second one...I used the same center and the green I had used previously.. I think I am finally pleased with it...

Heavenly Sunshine II in process

I Quilt Because:

I love the big laugh I get when

people ask me why I cut big

pieces of fabric into little

pieces and then sew it back

into a big piece.

The truth is only us quilters understand the process and the reward it brings. Here is 'Heavenly Sunshine II' top finished. This is for my niece who lost her mom, Tracy, last year. I had made 'Heavenly Sunshine' and the older niece will have that. It is not exactly the same but I did use blue and yellow's and gave it a similar look. I was fortunate enough to find the same material as the first one for the back. If you scroll down through you can find the first one I did. This is my design I used on both quilts;.

Hurrying does not pay!!

This morning I was up at 5:45 a.m. and I thought 'it's a good time to sneak upstairs to my studio and sew for a little while'...I wanted to finish the top to 'Heavenly Sunshine' and so decided to do a little bit before I went to work....well, I finished a couple of strips and put it on my design wall and it was askew....well, lo and behold I had forgotten to set my 1/4" on the correct setting. It was ever so slight but it sure made a difference...well, that was wasted time and I got my seam ripper out and began to take it out and finished it when I got home and have finally got back to the point I had reached this morning or 'thought' I had reached. Valuable lesson: SLOW DOWN!!! Check all the settings before proceeding. I always tell people that are moving fast to stop, sit down and get a cup of tea, and relax....need to listen to my own advice.

Yucca Plant Named

Thanks to Beth ....my flower has been named...It is a Yucca plant....see info below...copied from encyclopedia...I was given a bunch of them and this is the only one that survived (in my last post)...you do not see many around...there is one in Gardiner that I have enjoyed watching and produces many spikes although this year there is none for some reason.

The yuccas comprise the genus Yucca of 40-50 species of perennials, shrubs, and trees in the agave family Agavaceae, notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal clusters of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of North America, Central America, and the West Indies.
Yuccas have a very specialized pollination system, being pollinated by the yucca moth; the insect purposefully transfers the pollen from the stamens of one plant to the stigma of another, and at the same time lays an egg in the flower; the moth larva then eats some of the developing seeds, but far from all.
Yuccas are widely grown as ornamental plants in gardens. Many yuccas also bear edible parts, including fruits, seeds, flowers, flowering stems, and more rarely roots, but use of these is sufficiently limited that references to yucca as food more often than not stem from confusion with the similarly spelled but botanically unrelated yuca.
Dried yucca has the lowest ignition temperature of any wood, making it desirable for fire-starting.
The "yucca flower" is the state flower of New Mexico. No species name is given in the citation.

Flowers

I added these today, Sunday- 20th...they are fuller and also you can see the full plant. It is being held up by stakes because it is so tall.
My husband said come and see...4 beautiful blossoms...

Can you Name it? I have been watching this plant and in one day, Friday, 18th..this is what happened. The blossoms were there all of a sudden...It is so pretty....I thought someone said it was a Yucca plant. But not sure of spelling or if that is right. I did try to find it online but was unsuccessful and I should have take a picture of the bottom so you could see. Maybe someone can tell me... It was pouring rain and I was afraid it would not stay so went out and took this and captured the rain drops...how amazing is that!!

We, in Maine, are getting ready for the Maine Quilt Show to be held in Augusta July 24-27 by the Pine Tree Quilters Guild. Today was the day that quilts were dropped off at several points all over the state that will be displayed at the show. I was blessed to be part of a team of gals receiving 50 beautiful quilts. They are checked in and made sure they have a 4" sleeve on the back and in a cloth bag, and that there is no damage or straight pins and they are then marked. And the wonderful part is seeing the work close up that women and young girls have put into them. We have some awesome artisans. I will be posting pictures after the show.

Pillow & Flowers

This was my project last night. I decided I needed some more color in my living room. I had a red and gold covering that I did not like. So I went shopping in Waterville at the Yardgoods Center. They carry hundreds of bolts of material. I went armed with my curtain and a bouquet of tulips to match. I found exactly what I wanted. I bought the main fabric and a complimentary one to use for the sides and back. I covered the chair on Saturday and by midnight last night I had the two pillows covered and hand stitched at the opening and on my couch. I am pleased with the result. I really am enjoying the display of flowers this year. My son and daughter-in-law gave me this hibiscus plant for Mother's day. I brought it home and the flowers kept dropping off. I thought that was the end of it. House flowers and I do not do well together. I put it on the porch and began to water every day and lo and behold the buds started forming. I decided to add it to an outside pot and these are the beautiful flowers appearing. The buds only last 1-2 days but they are loaded.
Isn't this a beauty!!!
Life is fast paced but the beauty of a flower can slow one down and allow us to give thought if we will just take that moment of time.

BOM - Judy L

I am participating in the BOM with Judy L. Today I finally chose the fabrics that I will be using. This is probably the weakest part of my quilting. I am not good at choosing and I can always change something if I find it does not work...I have never participated online so am excited about it...thanks Judy for offering this..

Christmas in July Group Pics

Christmas in July finally arrived yesterday, as nine of us came to Casey Quilters with sewing machines, projects and food in tow at 10:00 a.m. Each one of us had an agenda. Some of us were working on the Poinsettia Pot Wall Quilt from the book ' A cozy Quilted Christmas by Kim Schaefer. It is 29 1/2" x 36 1/2" wall hanging. While others had Christmas projects they were working on. Following is a picture of the pattern we were doing.

Kay is our hostess who opens her home to us twice a month just to get together and quilt, knit or we can just hang out and read etc. We meet from 2-7 approx. and have pot luck 'supper' as we call it here in Maine. We always eat well!!

Kay with her center section of the hanging. She used light fusible and a satin machine stitch done in gold...Very Pretty!!
Janice who was working on a table runner. Following is the layout. It is always exciting as you see it come together. Nice job!!!
Group Pic....now remember we came 'as we are' comfy and relaxed!!!
Barb, who is a fellow blogger, working on a project that she is hoping to finish....looking good!!!Sue who is working on a Christmas project for her son....background is scrappy ...made of 3" squares in off whites....Very nice!!!!!!

Chris is our knitter and always has something in hand that she is doing to donate. She is working on a hat...she is so skilled and a blessing to so many....Sherry who is working on this beautiful red and white quilt. The center was all hand work and these are the blocks that will surround it....it is so pretty.....she did about 18 blocks and never iron pressed but just used her finger and they came out perfect every time...a Kay England technique that Barb learned at a workshop she attended recently. Of course, we were trying it and it was amazing. After years of sewing, then pressing and then back to the machine...what a time saver....you will be hearing more about it on our blogs.....
Pam who was also working on a Christmas project but I did not have my camera ready before she left..but I did get a pic of this beautiful quilt she has been working on for a long time...each block represents a different month and she has done extensive handwork embellishing it plus using the blanket stitch mainly. She is donating it to a worthy cause. Whoever gets it will be blessed and will have fun searching out each picture as they are unique. Sherry did the machine quilting.
Close up of the one that most represented Maine. You can see the technique Sherry used quilting the border. It looks like stones....Beautiful!!

Laura who is doing a satin stitch around each poinsettia in gold....she figures she can do one a week as it does take a long time.....and of course, she has other projects that fit into that time schedule. It is stunning!!!And lastly, this is mine.....I finished the scrappy outside strips first and then the Courthouse Steps (which is a variation of the Log Cabin block). I use parchment paper to make a pattern(shown) and then place this on top of material to place my pieces. It works a lot easier and is more accurate for me than drawing directly on my material. Our day started at 10:00 a.m. and we finished around 7:00 p.m. It was a great day for all of us and we felt like we accomplished a lot. Thank you Kay for opening your home....it is always such a relaxing time.