More Spring

The crabapples, magnolias, forsythia, every flowering tree or bush have been beautiful. This is my favorite time of year. The daffodils have come and gone, the tulips are on there second wave. Violets, and bluebells where at their peaks.

This is a lilac that we have in our yard. It really does have those white edges. It is beautiful. The lilacs are at least 2 weeks early. I am afraid there won't be any left for the festival.

Cherry blossoms. It has been the most awesome Spring so far. The flowering trees have been just gorgeous. I keep taking pictures of everything I see. I could keep uploading pictures of flowers. Thank you Mother Nature!!!

Selvages

This is not the greatest picture, but I did make 2 pincushions out of selvages this week. I have begun saving my selvages, like I needed to save anything else. Why is it we keep finding cute things to make with all this fabric we have??

This has been a busy week. Monday we had scrap quilting. We are working on some Bonnie Hunter patterns. I got 20 9 patchs for the "Scrappy Sister's Choice Blocks". I have the neutrals and my triangles ready to start adding.
I got so inspired from Mondays talk about using scraps, that I organized more of my stash. I started strip piecing on 5 1/2 pieces of paper with the odd sized scraps I had. It was like I had to start a couple new blocks just so I didn't forget what we learned and talked about.

Friday 18 of us are going on a shop hop on a bus. We are traveling through Wisconsin, to Minnesota to visit 8 shops. We will stay 2 nights at a hotel in Rogers, MN. While we are gone, those same 8 shops will be sending buses to the quilt shops in our area that sponsored this trip. We are so looking forward to this trip. We all have projects and reading material ready for the bus ride. Camera have been charged and ready. Maybe I better take an extra tote bag for those extra special purchases!!! Will report back next week.

The week in pictures April 19 to 24

I got 12 Klosjes done this week, and cut out a bunch more. Using stash, Some of those 2 in strips I have been cutting. I am going on a bus trip starting Friday, and like to have handwork ready and waiting.

Monday I got this quilt put together. It is another Daffodil Hill. This is a great pattern for a big print. I was able to pull so many colors out of the main fabric. It was fun. All the fabric is from my stash. Have borders and the back to finish.

Farmers Wife. I had to start puttting it together so I could see what fabrics I have used and what colors. I am doing mine in 30"s and am loving it. Agailn, the blocks are being made from my stash. I did have to purchase the fabric for setting triangles. and will probably need border fabric. I have 28 more blocks to add. The quilt is 7 rows across. We get the assignment of 9 or 10 blocks a month. We have 5 months to go!

We are working on string quilts using a diamond shape. Each month we have been exchanging 1 1/2 inch strips. This month we were working on different ways to set and sew them together. I have at least 20 diamonds cut. Have a lot more strips to sew together. Don't know how big this quilt may turn out. It is a lot of fun making these. Now here is another stash buster!!! You aren't limitedf to 1 1/2 inch strips, they can be any width.

Here we are at the quilt shop blowing bubbles.You need to have fun, and what better way then to be a child again. What Inspires You?? What do we see in our daily lives that makes us want to design a new quilt!! So many ways to use our stash.

Klosjes (Saturday)

Well here they are, my first klosjes!!! I got 11 done this week. I was fiddling around with the templates. I tried a couple different ways to do the templates. I am going to use whatever fabric is handy. I need to mark a bunch of fabric this week for hand stitching. It has been years since I have hand pieced a block. Once I got the hang of it again, they went together well. Eleven down and how many more to go?

Also, got out my hexagons out and organized them. Now I am ready to work on them. too. I think I have lots of different kinds of handwork ready. Lets see, there is applique on a tulip quilt, wool for pincushions, pillows, and mats. I think it is time to get some small projects done. Several are started

Worked on my sewing room some more. I have been cutting the odd pieces of fabric into strips and storing them according to size. Yesturday I sewed 36 4 patch blocks, using my 1 1/2 inch strips. In my cleaning up I found a small applique kitty quilt I had made several years ago. It is in 30's fabrics and just needs a few yo yo's for flowers and some applique leaves and it will be done. Tomorrow is sewing day!!!

Until next time! Happy Quilting!!

Spring in Illinois

Can you believe we have lilacs blooming!! We are probably 2 to 3 weeks early. We have had the most incredible Spring so far. The Magnolia's have been and are just about done blooming. They did not get frozen this year. They were beautiful. Now the lilacs are coming into bloom. We were visiting two small parks today, Wilder Park in Elmhurst and Lilacia Park in Lombard. The parks were spectacular.

This redbud was in Lilacia Park. I kept taking pictures of flowers at both places. Our evenings and nights have been cool, but the daytime has been in the 60's to 80's. The tulips and daffodils are so pretty. I can't get over how beautiful it has been.

Dad and I at Lilacia Park. Those really are lilacs behind us. The lilac festival isn't until the first weekend in May. The smell of the lilacs was heavenly. It was a beautiful day.

International Quilt Festival Part 3

My friends from Michigan. L2R, Pat, Gail and Kathy. They came from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on a bus to the show. It was so good to see them. Pat and I have known each other for quite a long time. We spend a week together in the summer quilting.

The antique quilts were fabulous. It is hard to believe they are old. The condition of these quilts is remarkable. The colors as if they were just made. I love to see antique quilts. It is amazing what quilters had at their disposal then compared to what we have now.

International Quilt Festival Part 2

Ice Princess, from the "O Canada 2010" exhibit

This looks like you are going down this trail in the woods.

The faces on the child and animals was incredible.

"Butare Star" from the "Hands All Around XXV, International Quilts." The colors were so vibrant.

International Quilt Festival

What a great time at the Festival. There is so much to see! It is awe inspiring. This is the back of the next quilt. It was beautiful. Remember when we were younger and Mom always said the back of your handwork should look just as good as the front, she ment it. This back was just as wonderful as the front.

Here is the front. The quilt was displayed so you could see front and back.

The quilting here was incredible. The daffodils looked real. Daffodils are my favorite flower.

I got to talk to Karey Bresenhan, Founder and Director of International Quilt Festival for a few minutes Thursday evening. I expressed my sorrow that the quilt show was leaving the Chicago area. It has had a great run as far as I am concerned. I loved going each year and seeing the spectacular quilts, and of course having the chance to shop and see what is new on the quilting scene.

Next year the Festival will be in Cincinnati. I think I better start planning now. There is just such an energy at this show that inspires you to try something new. There was even a display of prize winning quilts from Illinois guilds. I got to meet up with so many quilting friends. The bee I belong to, got together for lunch at our favorite restuarant, Carlucci's. We have a mini show and tell of what we have already purchased.

Stash Manicure

Today I got to show off my version of the mystery quilt we have done through Prairie Stitches. I am pleased with the way it turned out. I like it so much I have cut out another one. I have another large print that I think will look good using this pattern. Stay tuned!!

I am going to start making klosjes, or spools. Several other ladies have started to make them. They look so cute and another project I can do by hand. I have my little "take along" box for klosjes and one for hexagons. I use baggies or small boxes for my handwork. I love to applique, and work on small wool projects too.

I find there are too many projects I want to do. A couple of weeks ago I started to go through the projects to do. I decided to let go of a few things. The fabric went back into the stash and the pattern went into a bag to be donated to one of the guilds I belong to. Prairie Star Quilt Guild has a show coming up in October. The used magazine, books and patterns are good sellers. This is a great way to recycle and lessen the "to do" list. There are always new ideas, patterns, and fabric coming out to entice us. We want to do it all!!!

Happy Quilting

Mary

Happy Easter Happy Spring

Just want to wish everyone, Happy Easter.
We have had two 83 degree days and everything is starting to blossom. Forsythia, star magnolias, daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths. They are beautiful. Enjoy the beautiful day!!