Insane times

Good Morning,

It sure has been a long time since I published anything.

Thought with all the craziness going on, maybe I should put pen to paper and put down my thoughts.

2020 started out pretty good.  Lots of anticipation for all the fun things that were going to happen this year.  Several trips, retreats, plans to get together with friends.

In January I hosted a fun quilt retreat up in  Racine at the Siena Center.  This is one of my favorite places to be.  Nothing like being in a place of peace and quiet with lovely surrounds and wonderful friends.  

It did not take long for us to get right to work. Diane dug right in.

Kathy has started a new project using 30's fabric.

Diane was working on a baby quilt.  Sounds like she has a couple of new 

grandbabies coming this year.

I decided to work on this economy block project. "Tell me a story".  You select an image for the center square, then surround it with a fabric that adds to the story.

I had also brought along a bunch of UFO's that I could get ready for handwork in the car when we would be going to Florida in February.  It always feels so good to get things done.

Jan was working on a project using the hexie flowers she has been making for quite a while.

It was fun to see it coming together.

 We had to go to our new favorite restaurant one evening, Hob Knob in Racine for dinner.

We got there right after they opened so we were able to sit by a window and watch the lake.

It did not freeze this year as it has in the past.

The one thing we had noticed is that the lake water was higher then ever.  It is said it has risen to 16 inches above previous years.  That means not a lot of beach.  Are we going to find any beach glass?

There was enough snow and ice that it was prohibitive to walk down to the beach.

I really wanted to try it, but figured I would not be able to get down the hill to the water, let alone back up.  Getting too old!!

The iconic tree is still there. Afraid one day it will be gone. It is always neat to see it through the seasons.  Even though the days were gray, it is still a wonderful sight.

This is as close to the beach as I could get.  It was interesting to see water this year instead of sand built up on the large rocks, like last year.  

 Kathy got her quilt top blocks put together.  What a fun quilt this is going to be.

She is pretty dedicated to getting it done.

Diane chose to work on making project back as raffle items for our upcoming quilt show.

It was a good start to the year.  We bring our own food, go out when we feel like it.  There is always shopping and restaurants to try.  It was a great time.

Good thing we had no idea of what was coming.

Mary

Another great retreat in Racine

In the beginning of October, it was once again time

for a quilt retreat at my favorite place, in Racine, Wisconsin, at

the Siena Retreat Center.

I enjoy coming here, as it is a place where you can find peace

and energizer among friends and the beautiful scenery.

This time Kathy and I had decided to do something special

for the sisters that reside here.  We had talked about making

mug rugs for them.  I ran with the idea.  Kathy provided ideas, fabric

 and some of the hand sewing..  In all a little over 100 mug rugs were made.

We were still finishing them up when we arrived.

Here are a few of them.

This was great fun working on this.  The ideas became endless once we got started
making them.You could use orphan locks, paper piecing technique, string piecing, and applique.
It was a great way to use up extra one patch designs that you had already cut,
like squares, tumbler blocks, flying geese. 
The above picture show all on display.

We gave them all to one of the administrators for distribution.
We knew in advance that we needed 78, but had decided to make the extra.
This way if there was a variety for the sisters to choose from.
This was our way to pay it forward.

The weather was the warmest we had had for October.
Lake Michigan stayed calm the whole time we were there.

Sea glass is always one of our top things to do beside sewing.

It is so nice that we each get our own space to work in.
We do manage to bring a lot of projects and things to work with.
Amazing what we can all accomplish while we are there.

Down on the beach, sometimes to meditate, sometimes to just sit and enjoy
the scenery.

It just does not get any better.

I checked out birds. There are a lot of great walking trails
through the property.

You just never know what is brought to the beach by the lake.

It was a great few day to get away and enjoy the company of quilting friends.
I hope you got to have a few days like this for yourself.

Mary

Sewing

With all of the traveling,  I have found some time for sewing.

I did get another tuffet done.

Princess gave it her approval!

I had the makings for 3 more. My friend Jo wanted to make one, too.

It took us about 3 Thursday's of sewing putting together.

I am sorry I don't have a picture of Jo's. Her's got out of my house before

I could take one.  She did her's scrappy in Civil War fabrics. It turned out

so neat.  I had this Jelly Roll by American Jane.  I think the fabric line is 

"Pot Luck".  I love how mine turned out.

I have to say Ron still likes the batik one that I made first!

I have the makings of still one more.  This time it will be in blue, and

scrappy. Actually, I have the top sewn together, but the stool is not put

together yet.  

Princess on her throne!

The other thing I have gotten into is making mug rugs.
I will be going up to Racine, to the Siena Retreat Center the beginning of
October for another quilt retreat.  Kathy and I decided it would be
a nice gesture to make mug rugs for the Sisters.

It happened that I had several already made, you know that "just in case".

I also had several paper pieced blocks made, so just had to finish them
up into rugs.

I love to do handwork, so made up a few partial Dresden Plates, sewed
them down then hand quilted.
I also found some orphan blocks that would make up into the right
size mug rugs with a little added fabrics.

To date I have 60 completed.
These all still need binding hand sewn down.

I do have 18 more to finish up.  When I called  Siena I found out we would
need 78 for the Sisters and the staff.  As of right now, I have all I need.
But, you may remember, I always make more.  I would like to have a total
of 100.  That way there will be a variety for them to choose from. Oh, I
did have to get some Brewer's fabric.  There are a few avid Milwaukee
Brewer's fans among the Sisters.

I will say this has been a wonderful way to pay it forward, and
use up more scraps from my stash.  Once I got started, I came up
with all sorts of ideas for the mug rugs.  It is fun making them.
Once I get them done, I will take more pictures to show you some of
the other ideas I came up with.

Hope you will have a great weekend.
Happy Sewing.
Mary

Quilt retreat in Racine, Wisconsin

We are back at my favorite quilt retreat spot.

Siena Retreat Center, in Racine, Wisconsin.

The nuns are always so welcoming and our accommodations, 

are wonderful. Everyone arrived on Monday at various times, and set

up their work spaces. Everyone works at their own pace. The only time

that is structured is meals.  I and a couple of others always have to go for

walks along the beach or through the wooded area surrounding the center.

There is always the quest for beach glass, and stones.

I always like to bring home a pile of stones that when wet look so pretty.

Here are some of the fun quilts that were worked on.  Love the kites.

I think this one is going to be for her husband, all the fabrics have
bicycle on them.

This lady worked on a star.  Great fabrics.

I am finally putting my Steampunk quilt together!
It is still not done, forgot to bring a 14 inch square for the setting
triangles.  So close!

Sister Jean brought her "Starry Nights" quilt to show us it was all done.
She put it all together, and hand quilted it. It is beautiful.

I got another top done.  This was started on the last quilting cruise in February.
Gyleen Fitzgerald was our teacher.  It is called "The Quilt of the Century".
I don't usually make quilts with pastels, but was using a lot of fabric from my stash.
I did add a couple pieces to add a bit of variety to it.  I have used up almost all that I had.

The Blue Bird of Happiness was watching over us.

Trout Lillie's were beginning to bloom.  The forest area was filled with wildflowers beginning
to bloom. I was in heaven.

This top had gotten to just need the last border and back to be done.
My goal was to make the backs for three tops that were done.
I had hoped to get the Steampunk put together and the back.  Well it
almost got done.  The three backs did get done, now there are
more quilts to be quilted.  The blocks for Steampunk have been done fore several months.
The tulips is another one that was stuck away.  I had finished the tulips earlier
this year and got most of the top together in March. I think this one may be from
2010.  Another one bites the dust!
It really does feel nice to have gotten so many tops done this past year.
Which box am I going to pick up next to work on??

Hope you are having a great week.
Mary

Update on Antique Stars

It happened!  The quilt has a new home.
Sister Jean is now the owner of the quilt I made from her antique stars.
She is very pleased and happy to have received it.

I am pleased and proud to have made it.
Sometimes you just know in your heart there are things you need to do.
This for me, was one of them.

The beach on a cloudy day.

Same spot on a sunny day.

While we were at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, the wildflowers were out in full bloom.
Once again we had a great 4 days sewing and being with friends.
More to come.

Mary 

Antique Stars

Remember in October when I was at the quilt retreat

in Racine, one of the sisters brought these star blocks to our sewing area?

She had been given them, but did not know what to do with them.

Knowing we were quilters, she thought we would know what to do with them.
No one could really decide what to do with them, have them appraised, and sell them. or
make something with them.
Well I decided I would work with them, and see what I could do.

This is what I did!
I found some antique muslin at a quilt show in October that was only 36 inches wide.
I had to figure which way I would get the best use of the fabric, as those stars are large.
I then, hand appliqued them each to a square, squared them all up, and sewed them together.

This turned out to be a pretty big quilt.
I am so proud of how well it all came together.

My friend and longarm quilter, Wendy Yates did the beautiful quilting.
I was lucky in that the stars were all hand-pieced and laid flat.
She made sure that each star was quilted, and would be stable.
I am in awe with how beautiful the quilt turned out.

Because the stars were definitely old, I wanted to no have a flowery back.
I went to my plaid stash and pulled out what I had to make the backing.
The red plaid is what I used for the binding.

This weekend there is our Spring Retreat in Racine, and the quilt is going up there with me.
I am going to give it back to sister that had the stars.
I hope she will like what I did.

I will let you know what happens.
Have a great weekend.

Mary