The Tie Challenge

At the Orange County Fair our Guild was asked to demonstrate quilting. Many people come up and ask about the quilting displays and what we are doing. These two guys came up and were really interested in us and they went on to offer our Guild a bunch of men's silk ties. Apparently, they manufacture ties and wanted to recycle some of their seconds. Our Guild ended up with boxes upon boxes of men's ties. We promised they would not end up on EBay or being sold in their original format. 

Here is the ties I ended up with.

 This is the first purse I made - shown here with the button I think I will use as a closure

The inside has a zipper compartment, a couple of separators and a place for credit cards.

My second one with the button choice

My third one with 2 button choices..... I think the triangle is the one I will use.

This has been a fun way to use the ties. I hope to make a bunch of these for Christmas presents.

#ElephantsOnParade

Elephants on Parade

Got To Make It

Here are the first few blocks lining up for the cutest baby quilt ever. The design is so simple, these blocks are fun to make. Sew Fresh Quilts offered this free on their website and I must say that I really enjoyed the way the instructions were written especially the cutting part. In the beginning Lorna gave complete cutting instructions along with sub cutting information. Cutting is probably for me a tedious part of making a quilt and having these instructions was a blessing.

I pulled all the fabric from my stash and the quilt went together quickly. 

#ElephantsOnParade

I haven't done the side sashings yet. The boarders are pretty plain and I am thinking of adding colorful pinwheels in the corners to brighten it up.
I have already reserved a long arm at Bear's Quilt Shop  - Can not wait to get this one loaded on the longarm!

Kits and Long Arm Quilting

It had been along time and I am going to try to get caught up with all I have been doing.For one thing I have been takeing long arm quilting classes on Mondays lately at Bear's Quilting Store. Sometime I will go into detail about Bears - it is not your normal quilt store experience..... BY ALL MEANS!!

This colorful quilt (46" x 63") was a quilt I bought as a kit. I usually do not buy kits. My friend Ann and I went on a quilt run and this kit was in the greatest sale stuff. I (under duress) broke down and purchased it. The quilt looked easy with its' large panel look pieces - I thought it would be an excellent way to practice my newly acquired long arm quilting skills.

The quilt went together quickly. I loved all the beautiful colors. 

There was so much fabric left I decided to piece the back.

Here is a close up of the front quilting.

Here is a view of the back. The quilting is obviously a beginners work, but I am proud of it. No computer programs, only a pantograph to follow. I think my skills are improving.

 The quilt is not bound yet... who knows if it will become a UFO?

Water Color In Lodi

It has been a very long time since I have made a post but actually I have been very busy - quilting, enjoying life and vacationing. I just haven't gotten around to posting much. I will show you shortly the two projects I have been working on... more of.... Fiesta De Flores and a cute little 3D baby quilt my friend Ann and I both have been sewing together.
Today I want to tell you about water color painting with my sister in Lodi. Each year we accompany our husbands to a military vehicle show in Lodi, CA. They collect WWII stuff and we being the great wives we are, endure their hobby (kind of like they endure ours). My sis is a great painter and she wanted to do some plein air painting and she took me with and gave me a little lesson.
In Lodi there are many, many wineries. One of the conditions we make with the hubbies is to take us wine tasting one day of the trip - usually we will take a WWII Jeep and travel the back roads with the wind in our hair but this year it rained.  In any case  in the past we had visited Jessie's Garden Winery and my big sis chose Jessie's Garden to paint.
Jessie's Garden has a great barn and lots of beautiful trees, roses and animals for inspiration.

The barn at Jessie's Garden

This is me enjoying the moment.

This is my sisters version

And here it is my first attempt. I think I had a pretty good lesson from my sis... wouldn't you say?

Scary Monsters and Happy Birthday Complete

My quilt guild, The Orange County Quilt Guild is having their annual quilt show April 10th and 11th, the theme is "Echoes of the Past"

I have never entered a show before but I am up for it so I pushed and pushed and completed two quillts this weekend. 

Scary Monsters
Quilted, Bound and Labeled 

I started this back in December 2010 as  a block of the month with a pattern from Quakertown Quilts, Inc., Houston Texas. When I saw the pattern, I just had to have it. I love the whimsy, the colors and the wonderful poem:

There are big scary Monsters under the bed

but, I'm not afraid, I just laugh off my head!!!

The monsters stare in surprise at me... 

But then they giggle and laugh with glee!

We laugh 'til we're tired, then sleep through the night -

And dream sweet dreams 'til mornings light.

There is an alternative poem that is cute too:

There are big scary Monsters under the bed

And every night, they must be fed.

They love to eat fabric; it's their favorite food -

It puts them in the very best mood.

So the lesson is clear: consider your plight -

Keep buying more fabric... or be dinner tonight!

One of my favorite parts was all the half square triangle sawtooth borders around the poem. My favorite monster is the purple "Mr. Big Mouth" (1st block) followed by "The Green Machine" ( the dragon first block second row)  This took me 4 years and 4 months to complete, it was the show that gave me the incentive to get the button eyes on and get it labeled. I am glad to have a true finish! Yea for me. 

Happy Birthday 

I have had several posts about this quilt and finally I finished it today. This quilt was started January 2014. It was a block of the month, free on Riley Blake's website. I enjoyed having a sewing project each month and posting it on this blog. I started it as it looked like a good stash buster. I did not purchase any new fabric for this quilt - oh except the backing. I think it turned out great.

It is 74" x 84.5".

Happy Birthday

Quilted, bound and labeled.

I can see this quilt as being used on "YOUR BIRTHDAY" -  

What better than being wrapped in quilt love on your birthday? 

All in all, I see I really compete quilts under pressure. The guild gives me great incentive to get them done. I enjoy showing my work to them at meetings and now at a show. 

I think this guy looks like my husband, but

I can not imagine him saying this.

Hugs to all,

Julie

Thanks for stopping by!

Fiesta de Flores 3 More Blocks Done

 These are 8" blocks machine appliqued in batiks. I have 12 blocks completed. 

The sashing and boarders for this quilt is quite complicated. I am going to have to get some coordinating fabric - yea a reason to go fabric shopping. Planning to attend the Pomona Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival this weekend. 

Hope you are well!

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Jules

Linking up with Freemotion by the River: Linky Tuesday

Click Here

Applique Sunday

I have so many projects, which one to choose.......the Fiesta de Flores projects called my name today and I got 4 blocks done. I love working with batiks, they are so exotic and every piece is unique. I have a big bin full of all kinds of colors and patterns. 

These blocks will finish at 8".  I now have 9 done. As you can see the quilt on the right, it uses 12 blocks and an intricate border. I and not wait to finish this one. 

Looks like I am finally getting back into the groove.

Hope your Sunday is wonderful - mine is!

Thanks for dropping by. 

Julie