Category: Quilting in Maine

Quilting, mine and others

My First Quilty Friends Still Retreat Together

Turkey Tracks: March 2, 2022

My First Quilty Friends Still Retreat Together

Members of my very first quilting “bee” from back in Virginia are on their annual winter retreat this week. They “adopted” me when I was a new quilter (1999) and taught me what I needed to know to have accurate blocks, for one thing.  Our local Falls Church quilt group (part of the state guild) was large enough that members were placed into “bees” made up of smaller numbers, which did work to facilitate getting to know other quilters faster. My bee often met together outside the monthly big-group meeting.

These women invited me to go with them on their annual summer retreat in 2003, and I made my first grandchild quilt that week. I’ve kept an archive of all my quilts: this quilt was my 20th. I took a picture of the picture in my archive. That sweet creature is Miss Reynolds Georgia, my beloved rat terrier who lived to be about 16.

For many years after we moved to Maine, I flew back to be with these dear friends during their winter retreat week.  And two visited me in Maine one summer shortly after we moved—and were able to attend the annual Rockland Lobster Festival, have a ride on a local windjammer that sailed out of our Camden harbor, and sight-see daily.

Back then, this small group (never more than about 5) would go on week-long retreats twice a year.  Rosie Pilkerton has a timeshare that she would get for us in Williamsburg, and the winter trip was timed around the big Mancuso quilt show that is now held in the Norfolk area’s Convention center, having had to move years ago when the show got so big that it needed more space than that provided from many separate buildings in the Williamsburg area. What a treat those weeks of dedicated quilting time were.

I face-timed with my friends yesterday, and what fun it was to see their faces, to hear how they are and what they are sewing this week.  It was a trip down memory lane, for sure. I asked them to share some of their quilt pictures, so I could share them with you. Rosie sent me several of what she called her ”covid quilts,” along with this picture of what she will work on at least some of this week—a pineapple block made with 1930s reproduction fabrics:

Rosie LOVES whimsical novelty fabrics, and especially those that reproduce 1950s-type images. You can look for those two loves of hers in the following pictures.

Paper dolls…

And a truly fun quilt:

I’ve never met a log cabin block I didn’t like, Rosie. How fun and colorful is this project.

It is fun to see the work of people who live in a different region than I do.

And Rosie has been quilting seriously longer than I have!!

Thanks Rosie!

FREE Border Creek Station Stash-Buster Challenge 2022

Turkey Tracks: February 28, 2022

FREE Border Creek Station Stash-Buster Challenge 2022

Friend Betsy Maislen sent me this link to an interesting FREE ”Stash-Buster Challenge” that uses 10-inch blocks.

It is intriguing…

Though I already have too many ongoing projects, I can see myself starting to make some of these fun blocks here and there. I always get enthralled with pulling fabrics for a scrappy block.

Here are a few Betsy has made—the pattern includes various layouts for these blocks. Sashing with corner stones—all in one color—form an interesting secondary pattern as well. I like the idea of a thin sashing in neutrals. The block centers and corner stones should likely be the same fabric. And you can see how the sashing with the red cornerstone would make a 9-patch that floats across the quilt.

I personally like the ”on point” settings—as I really like to see x’s in quilt blocks.

The 10-inch block would make up a quilt fast…

https://www.bordercreekstation.com/the-stash-buster-challenge-2022.htm

Enjoy!

And thanks to Betsy too.

“Pot-Pourri” and “Eye Candy” Quilts Land

Turkey Tracks: February 24, 2022

“Pot-Pourri” and ”Eye Candy” Quilts Land

As you know I’ve been making baby quilts. Maybe I should say I’m making quilts for children.

I mailed these two quilts to my niece in Wyoming last week—for the new baby, but with the added notion that her existing three children might like to adopt these quilts first and that that was fine by me. They are meant to be used and loved. Niece Lucy has three children (a girl and two boys) and is expecting a boy in July.

The Churn Dash block quilt ”Eye Candy” is smaller—and is probably too small for these children to use. But ”Pot-Pourri,” it’s lap size.

The fabrics are all Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society from my stash. And I pieced the back from that stash as well.

I used the ”Check and Chase” pantograph by Lorien Quilting with a ”parchment” colored thread.

For ”Eye Candy” I fussy cut the block centers and used the ”Check and Chase” pantograph with a soft grey thread.

I had such fun choosing the block centers.

And, again, I pieced the back.

Lucy sent me this picture when the box arrived. My grand-niece Willa was present and liked ”Pot-Pourri.”

Soon, this picture followed.

Can I just tell you how happy I am to see this precious child love a quilt?

Now, of course, I have to keep an eye out for quilts for the two boys. After the current crop of needed baby quilts are made and mailed.

”Pot-Pourri 2” is on the design wall and ”Eye Candy 2” will go on the longarm today.

And I saw a pattern this morning that would work well for at least one of Lucy’s boys.

“Whirlygigs” Has Landed

Turkey Tracks: February 7, 2022

“Whirlygigs” Has Landed

I love this modern pattern. There are so many geometric shapes involved—and each catches your eye differently. Wendy Sheppard is the designer, and I got the pattern from Simply Moderne magazine, No. 26.

The fabrics are all Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society—collected into a stash over the years.

I pieced the backing and had enough of the stripe for binding cut on the bias.

AC likes quilts.

The quilting isn’t showing up so well in these pics, but it’s the Bayside pantograph and a ”parchment” colored thread.

I told the new parents of the baby girl for which this quilt was made that this quilt is meant to be used, thrown up on, dragged around, spit up on, and washed and washed as needed.

I hope baby girl attaches herself to all the color and pattern interest along the way.

But one never knows…

Playing With The Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society Stash

Turkey Tracks: February 2, 2022

Playing With the Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society Stash

I’ve had so much fun making this quilt. It’s a ”Pot-Pourri” of Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society fabrics—all in my stash.

It’s ”eye candy” for a child I think. And for me, apparently.

It’s been quilted now, and the binding is on and getting sewn down at night. Can I just say it is yummy to have on one’s lap. And this one is meant to be dragged around and loved and washed and USED.

Here’s the backing—again pieced from my stash. I lost the bottom green strip in the quilting. It’s ok.

AND I’m making a baby quilt with the Churn Dash block, which still ranks as my favorite. OK, the Radient Beauty block is also a favorite.

I started these blocks before Bonnie Hunter launched into making them as well. I was inspired by her making then ”scrappy” though. And I’m wondering how she will set hers.

I like they way these blocks look butted up to each other. The secondary pattern is interesting. BUT, one would have to plan to sew the seams so they will nest—so that is hard with scrappy blocks that get moved around before finding their permanent homes.

So, I am setting mine with narrow sashings and corner stones. I have no idea about what binding will work.

Today and tomorrow will be RAINY—on top of 18+ inches of snow. And on Friday, our temps will drop again and we will get more snow.

It is winter.

All my cleaning/laundry jobs are done for the week. There is some cooking to do today. What I thought was a small leg of lamb was actually a shoulder piece—which I realized after I roasted it yesterday and after trying to slice off the meat around the central bone—so there will be a broth made today to be used in a soup or stew. And maybe I’ll take a ride in the car so AC can get out for a bit. He’s not getting nearly enough exercise.

I mailed a baby quilt yesterday. So, more on that quilt after it arrives at its forever home.

Nor’Easter Blizzard and Sewing Day

Turkey Tracks: January 29, 2022

Nor’Easter Blizzard and Sewing Day

I’ve been waiting for a BIG snow day.

And here it is.

AC doggie is properly impressed. Other than his morning very quick pee, he’s refusing to go out.

I rounded up yummy food for the day: a chicken which I spatchcocked this morning, some fresh asparagus, some baking potatoes, and a Granny Smith apple which I’ll have for whatever I eat as a light meal tonight.

My favorite chicken parts are the drumsticks and the wings, followed by the thighs.

I’ve been eating my big meal in the early afternoon and having a heavy ”snack” which includes fruit around 7 pm. That feels pretty good for winter.

In anticipation of the storm, I put a quilt that’s been waiting on the longarm—and I hope to finish and get it off this afternoon. Then I can trim and bind. An existing quilt only has one night or two left for its binding, so I’ll night sewing all ready to go.

I’ll write more about this quilt in another post.

Now, an update on the flying squirrels presently living between my lower and middle floors—in the ceiling area. A solution is in process—and it is pretty elegant in my opinion. These critters come and go off and on day and night. Trap doors will be set where they are getting in—and they will let them out, but not back in. All the places they can get in will be off-limits via metal screening. There are lots of places where they could attempt to get in—but those places will be protected against them. My wildlife person (Ray) says they will effectively be gone in about one day once this work is done. They will move on to another habitat.

BTW, a ”colony,” like what I have can be 20 to 30 individuals. Oh my.

I have also taken down all the bird feeders. And here is why, other than not wanting the squirrels to stay around my area. Ray saw BIG tracks in the snow—right up near the house. He thinks they are likely from a coyote. And two nights ago, AC went ballistic about something being in his yard. I had a hard time getting him to come back to me—as he was sure we were being invaded by something really dangerous. A coyote? His barking and fierceness was way different than when he chases off the deer.

So, in essence, feeding the birds has set up a situation where coyote is maybe coming to hunt around my house.

How long would it take a coyote to work up the courage to eat AC? He’s definitely a tender morsel.

So, no more feeding birds. Or the squirrels that also gather.

”My Sunny” Quilt Is Finished

Turkey Tracks: January 28, 2022

“My Sunny” Quilt Is Finished

I’ve been busy.

Mostly solving problems that come up with a household. The new printer stopped working after a power outage—which usually doesn’t disrupt my technology permanently—along with my ipodtouch which I use to listen to books. That got sorted in about 20 minutes yesterday with a MAC person who came to the house.

And today a wildlife person is coming today to address the flying squirrels who have gained access to the ceiling on the first floor. AC’s right on that problem as his hearing is so much better than mine. I thought it was chipmunks. It is NOT. So I’ve been reading all about flying squirrels. Turns out they are VERY social—with each other and with humans. Some have them as pets even, but the text I read said that flying squirrels are also very demanding about spending time with their humans, which involves interacting with them.

Anyway, I did finish ”My Sunny,” which is the first project designed by Tara Faughnan for season 4 of Sewtopia’s The Color Collective. Mine is the ”classic” version, but I am inspired by all the different and very creative layouts I’ve seen others do now—and that is part of what I really love about this online class. Note that the straight line quilting—done on my domestic as doing this work on the longarm is still a learning curve for me—is not showing up well in these photos.

I really, really like the backing I used. It just seems so modern and so perfect.

Here’s where ”My Sunny” lives for the moment—and you can see the quilting rows better here.

And here:

As I’ve said before, I want to play with this block some more—and maybe I’ll set what I do in one of the more daring ideas I’ve seen. I definitely want to try some red and orange—and darker—backgrounds.

Maybe a wall hanging???

“Whirlygig” Quilt Top Finished

Turkey Tracks: December 31, 2021

“Whirlygig” Quilt Top Finished

I had such fun making this very modern quilt top.

All the fabrics are Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society from my stash.

The geometrics here just make the eyes sing: the ”whirlygigs,” at the center of each block, of course, but also x’s and o’s and squares with a tiny square in the middle, and crosses in the narrow sashing down the middle of the big blocks. The interruption of the eye using the neutral to break up the flow is so interesting to me—and is a challenge the eye easily overcomes as our brains look for the patterns and start ”to see.” Wendy Sheppard designed “Whirlygigs,” and it can be found in Simply Moderne magazine, issue #26.

A friend helped me install the groovy board adapter that Urban Elementz sells for the Innova, so I can now use the two traditional patterns that I have and that cannot really be done by hand or with a pantograph. The groovy board is sitting on a pantograph I’ll use for ”Whirlygig”—it’s called ”Bayside” and will put down a lovely texture. (Thanks Wendy’s Quilting.)

The screws at the top turn bolts inside that have to turn from flat, to go into the groove, to upwards, so they catch the edges of the groove. I couldn’t make the bolts get into the right position—which my friend did in under two minutes. So, another lesson learned about using tools. I thought it might be pretty simple, which it was.

DIL Tami sent me this picture of ”Calm” last night—working its magic.

I sent her this one back:

We may get a little snow tomorrow to start the year off right.

“Calm” Quilt Has Landed

Turkey Tracks: December 30, 2021

“Calm” Quilt Has Landed

“Calm” landed in its forever home yesterday. I took these pics of it before mailing it.

The backing is a stylized version of ”daisy” petals—at one time the favorite flower of my DIL, whose birthday present this quilt is. Tamara Enright, with founding help from The Savanna Bee Company, has pioneered The Bee Cause, which now has bee hives meant to provide safety for this species in all 50 states. There is a Facebook page if you care to check it out.

The Innova quilting stitch is awesome—and the pantograph is ”Feather Grande” designed by Bethanne Nemesh—and seen by me on the blog wendysquilting.wordpress.com. Wendy lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, and we have become online friends—a friendship I treasure. Wendy is an awesome longarm quilter and quilt maker. I purchased the pantograph from Urban Elementz.

”Calm” provided so many lovely quilting hours. She was so fun to make.

A Sunny Morning

Turkey Tracks: December 29, 2021

A Sunny Morning

What a beautiful day we have today—as we all lumber toward the New Year 2022.

But, it’s too warm for the thin layer of snow we have on the ground to last—which is too bad as the Snow Bowl ski area had made enough snow for at least half of the mountain to be used.

On Monday, AC and I were able to visit the athletic field, and I took this video of all the activity at the ski area.

Note the father helping his young daughter learn to ski in the foreground as they return to their car. This way is how parents help the little ones learn to ski at early ages.

Yesterday was rainy and dreary, so it was good that I had house cleaning and laundry to do. And today is beautiful, so AC and I will try to throw his ball at the Snow Bowl athletic field, which will work if the snow isn’t too wet and mushy.

A Quilter’s Table blogger Debbie Jeske posted her most popular blog entries this year the other day—among them was the ”Liberated Wedding Ring” quilt she made—which started me on my own journey with this quilt block. That quilt now sits on the back of a chair that I see as I come down the stairs from the upper floor. It never fails to make me smile.

*To remind, the block is a ”Liberated Wedding Ring” designed by Freddie Moran and Gwen Marston and can be found in their book FREDDIE AND GWEN COLLABORATE AGAIN: FRIENDS.

I had some triangle ”outcuts” from a top I’ve now completed (more on this quilt in a future blog), so I sewed them together to get more parts for the ”parts department” bin.

The joke on me is that I intended to sew them with the colors in the triangle—but somehow I pinned them or sewed them so the white part made the triangle.

It’s all ok. I like them both ways. Apparently the universe had a different project in mind for me with this task.