Busy Season

Wow- this is a busy season, isn't it? How are you doing with it all?

I am feeling a little behind- I have not started my Christmas shopping yet. And I have to send presents to Scotland and Florida this year- so I think I need to get going! I am very excited that we will be heading to CT for the holiday and seeing family and friends.

On Saturday Jim and I went to the Denver Art Museum. It was great- at first Jim could not get me out of the art museum store! There were some amazing items in there. And art books. And cards, prints, jewelry, and.... just wonderful stuff.

Once he managed to drag me out, we wandered around the museum. There were two exhibits that were ending this weekend, so we made sure to go see those first. There is also a great exhibit on Van Gogh, but we need to get special tickets for that.

Have you ever done Zentangle? It is a very relaxing drawing method using structured patterns. I love doing it- I always bring a book and pens on plane rides.

Here is one of the drawings I made on my last flight.

And here is a piece of bark cloth at the museum-
Zentangle on bark cloth!

After the museum, we went to a couple of stores- a yarn/quilt shop called Fancy Tiger Crafts- love that place! and Snappy Quilts, another great quilt shop. So many fun quilt shops around here.

And then down Main Street in Littleton for a little shopping and lunch/dinner. Lunner? Early dinner? Late lunch?

We got home just in time to run back out to the park to take some shots of the sunset over the foothills.

The sky was amazing with the clouds and the color.

I will leave you with two piles of fabrics- 

both from the line Simply Color 

by Vanessa Christenson 

Version A- lighter

of V and Co for Moda:

Version B- darker

Which should I use in my next quilt? I am working on another new pattern and I love them both! Background is solid off white. 

Choices, choices- such a great line.

Good luck with all your holiday preparations- shopping, cooking, decorating... and wish me luck!

happy quilting,

Kate

Happy day after Thanksgiving!

So, are you shopping today? I am not. Well, at least not yet. I never do the Black Friday shopping thing. I love deals as much as the next person, but I don't like crowds. Really don't like crowds.

However, I may brave the traffic and hop over to a local quilt shop. They are having a buy 1 yard, get 1 yard free sale. How cool is that? Not that I really need more fabric, but...

Actually I am working on a couple of presents. I made one for my son and daughter in law and sent it to them in Scotland. I can't post pictures until it arrives there- don't want to spoil the surprise!

And I am working on a couple of stockings- they are going to be so cute! I will post pictures when they are completed.

Here is a close of the one I put piping on. I used the white so it is subtle. I like them both, but the piping adds a little something-something!












And I am working a on new Gifts Galore- can't wait to see that one done. Both projects are using Blitzen by Basic Grey. I got the bundle of fabric months ago and am finally getting around to playing with it.

Here's a link to the fabric on the Fat Quarter Shop site- really cute stuff!

And this is going to be a new Simply Santa, I think.
I need a few more fabrics...












But don't you love this beard fabric? Elizabeth and I found it years ago and I still have some left.

Wouldn't you like a little piece for your santa quilt?


















OK- off to sew and shop...

have a great Black Friday whatever you choose to do!

happy quilting,
Kate

Visit

Hi from sunny Florida!

Actually, it has not been sunny since I got here! It has been cool, cloudy  with a  tendency to feel like rain! Oh well, looks like today will be sunny, probably because I am leaving! But I did not come here for the sun; I came to see my son Scott.



Handsome devil, isn't he?
He works at Disney so we were able to go and play!
And meets lots of fun people!

The movie was fun!

Scott and Goofy.

Me and Goofy!

We also went to that "other" park.

Hard to believe I have never been there when I have been to Disney lots. Don't tell Disney Scott went!

I will be sad to leave my Scott today but I hope you all are having a good day.

happy quilting,
Kate

Generosity and a change in plans

Quilters are a very generous bunch. It is so wonderful to see how the quilting community steps up after tragedies and does what they do best- make and donate quilts.

I had someone say to me: people need food, and electricity and new houses and many other things- quilts are at the bottom of the list. True, people who have lost everything due to a storm or other tragedy need many things.

But I don't believe a quilt is at the bottom of the list- it can provide warmth, comfort and security as well as a reminder that we have not forgotten those who have lost so much.

So I am changing my plans for the week-  I figure I should step up to the plate! I have two quilt tops that I started a while ago- both were testing versions of a new pattern I am working on- well, one was supposed to be more than that, but I  cut it out wrong! Sad to say, it is not the first time!

So I am going to finish up the tops and then figure out how to quilt them.

This is one of those times I wish I had a long arm! Of course, there is no room for that in this apartment, but I am going to figure out a set up so I can at least quilt them with some straight lines. I know I could tie them, but I really like quilting so much better.

I found some fabric in my stash that I can piece together for backs- I just need one more large piece for one of the quilts. That stash is sure coming in handy!






If you want to know where you can donate a quilt, go to equilter's site and look at what they and Timeless Treasures Fabrics have set up.

In other updates, I put together the next two blocks in our block exchange.

This is the July block:

And this is the August block:

I am waiting to get back the blocks for Sept and Oct and then I have to make the next three months.
Here are my packets with the fabrics all picked out.

But these will have to wait.
We interrupt this program to make some quilts for who have had a rough time. Seems like a good plan.

happy quilting,
Kate

p.s. Update: One quilt top finished and the back is pieced. On to the next top, then the quilting! Progress!

p.p.s Update #2- Second top completed. Back is pieced! Time to put the feet up- tomorrow is another day!

Market Goodies

Did I mention I won a couple of things at Quilt Market????

No? Oops! But look what showed up at my apartment today!

Arrow Sewing Cabinets was so generous- they were sponsoring a giveaway at Market- and not just one! Each day there were 4 or more drawings to win this great Gidget II sewing table. You put a business card in the jar, and then you had to be present to win. 

So we kept going back, hoping to win this adorable table! And we did!

They actually drew Elizabeth's card, but we wanted to win it to give it to my daughter. But with her tiny one room apartment,  she doesn't have room (even for this) yet! So I am going to give it a whirl!

It comes fully assembled so all you do is open the box, pull it out and pop open the legs. 

Ta-done!

It folds down flat so you can store it, say under a bed. 

(And yes, my daughter already has a ton of stuff stored under there- 

plus it is where the kitties like to sleep!)

We just had to adjust the chains so the machine 

was at the right height, and Viola! 

I was ready to sew in moments!

We asked Miss Lily to help, but she was not interested in all the exciting goings on!

I am hoping to work on my bag from market this week- so here is the question:

Green on the outside or yellow?

Please comment below with your vote! 

Please Vote! 

Thanks!

happy quilting,

Kate

p.s did anyone notice that I said I won a couple of things? I will post more when item #2 arrives!

Market

We got back from Market Wed afternoon and what a great time we had in Houston!

We flew in Sat and walked the Market floor. There is so much to see! I wish I had taken more pictures but you get the idea. rows upon rows of booth filled with amazing stuff!

Sat night we took a class on being a good exhibitor at Market from Shelly Stokes of Cedar Canyon Textiles- we were looking for tips for the spring when we will have a booth at Market in Portland. She had a great lecture and we did pick up a few tips! It will be great to do something different with our booth. We also met up with some old and new friends including Kathleen from Mountain Patchwork.

We took a class Sunday morning on zippers from Linda McGee of Ghees - Elizabeth hates zippers so you know who picked this class! We did not get to sew but we did get a lot of good tips. And we were given a bag project ready to sew together. How nice! Don't you love the two color zipper?

The fabric is pre quilted- now I just have to decide which is the outside and which is the inside.

Ghees has a great little book on zippers with tips and such called Zip Couture.

Then more wandering on the Market floor- more meeting up with people- quilters are such a great group of people!- and then on to get an updated photo of the two of us. Looking good- well, actually Elizabeth looks good- I look OK. I played with my hair, and forgot to fix it back before the pictures! Then again, that is more my style- not quite put together!

We got up bright and early Monday morning to take a class on Organization for Creative People with Julie Moberly. I am one of those that seems organized on the outside, but don't look in my sewing room most days!

Monday night we took another class. This time I took a class called Wonky Table Runners with Heather Scrimsher of Fiberosity. She gave us a kit- some of the gray fabric was already cut out, we had to sew strips together, then cut out shapes using the Accuquilt Go! Cutter. It was fun, especially for the ladies who had never tried a Go! cutter before. I have the Go! Baby cutter- so much fun!

I was able to get my runner sewn and quilted- not bad! I just have to do the bright red binding!

My last class of Market/Festival was illusions with Caryl Bryer Fallert. Oh my! 

(If you don't know her quilts, pop over to her website- it is so worth it! She is amazing!)

First we had to pick a kit- there were quite a few color choices. I had such a hard time! Then it was off to cutting the paper pattern, listening to directions, sewing, pressing, more sewing... and viola!

This is my top:

I will sew black borders on next (I have it sitting on black) and then a print border. Love it! And it really is easier than it looks. I could have put on my black borders in class but I was having fun chatting and playing with all the beautiful fabric she brought! 

The really fun part was comparing my top to some other ladies who took the same kit- they all looked different! It just depended on which fabric you choose to put with the black and whether you had more lights or darks.

See how different this one is from mine?

Elizabeth took some great classes as well; one on machine quilting, an appliqué class with Karen Kay Buckley and one on creating the perfect studio. Sounds good, huh?

I love taking classes- there is so much to learn and they provide such inspiration to get back in my sewing room and create.

All in all, a great trip.

I am off to put on a border, or to plan how to quilt my Illusions quilt, or to sew on a binding. Options! They all sound like more fun than laundry and grocery shopping, don't they?

happy quilting,

Kate