Retreat-Day 3

Well, still no sign of Margaret. 

We think she is somewhere in Wood River during the day, 

stuck in a hot, stuffy lead lined room, with  LOTS of

people coming and going.

WE MISS YOU-PLEASE RETURN TO US SOON!!!!!!!!

This is what was accomplished on Wednesday by the group:

Chris has been testing patterns for Suzn Quilts.  

Stay turned for the release soon of these 12 monthly cuties.

Isn't this black and white stunning.  

Marie worked on Infinite Variety and did her

first machine applique! 

Great job Marie--

Pat was working on blocks for a new quilt.

Love these colors.

Borders are on Edna's Irish Chain and it looks fantastic.

This border just adds interest to the chain pattern.

We found Carol yesterday, but she's gone again.

She did get more blocks completed for her

Amish With a Twist quilt.  She is now working on the Log Cabin blocks.

But-sadly-she is gone again.  Maybe she is out looking for Margaret.

Or playing hooky with her hubby.  

Me - well, I have had pedal to the medal and accomplished the following:

Civil War Love Letter blocks were finished this morning so that I could put together the 3" quilt

I am calling Gettysburg.

 Why that name you ask?

Because I inked the words of the Gettysburg Address in the alternate blocks.

I also finished all but the last 7 blocks for the 6" size quilt.

I knew from the beginning that I needed 7 additional blocks for this setting, but

until I started putting my rows together and got the this point, I forgot.

Imagine that!

The 8" version will have to wait till I get home-forgot to pack the fabric

for the cornerstones.  

Got the borders on the Quilt of Valor that my granddaughter Emma pieced the center of.

Great job Emma.

Thanks Marie for the black inner border.  Forgot to pack that as well, but was saved

by a friend.

Also got a strippy baby quilt done.  Connie-remember these fabrics from the lake?

Finally!!!

WOW.  That's a lot a sewing yesterday.

Stay tuned for more on Thursday's progress.

Jan

Retreat-Day 2

We have survived day 2 of retreat

well---all except Margaret

We are still wondering where she is, but it looks as if

she didn't weather the storm too well!!!

She looks a little ragged!

Carol is awol this morning also.  Hummmmm-wonder if they are lost together.

Anyway-this is what she is worked on yesterday.  Still sewing away on the 

"Amish with a Twist" quilt.

Marie has completed marking the inside of her "Women of Courage" quilt yesterday and has moved on to the outside borders today.  It will go into the frame for hand quilting upon our

return to reality on Sunday.

Edna is continuing to work on her borders for the Irish Chain quilt. She has completed the side borders yesterday and continues on to the top/bottom ones today.

Pat finished top #2 yesterday (in the lead so far).  This one is a prayer quilts called "Forget Me Knot".

Beautiful colors!

Chris finished her "Three's a Quilt" from Day 1 yesterday.  It will be a very special quilt

for a very special young lady who's favorite color is orange.

And me-well, I have been working on getting the last 7 sets of blocks finished for Civil War Love Letters.  

(one 8", one 6" and one 3" in each set).

 Working on the last two sets this morning and hope to show you pics of at least one of the completed tops tomorrow.  So stay tuned---

Hope we find Margaret then (and Carol)

Happy Quilting~

Jan

End of the Year Wrap Up

Breathing a sigh of relief!

Inventory for 2013 is DONE!!!!

 

Yeah!!!

Ran up to Litchfield this afternoon to present a Quilt of Valor to
Mr. Al Lopinot
Al served in the US Navy from 1943-1946 and was on major assignment in the Asiatic and Pacific Theatre aboard LST 895 and was involved in the Battle of Okinawa.

Wasn't quite sure who was doing the talking here.  It turns out I was the one being interviewed.  Seems that Al writes articles for the local newspaper and he is going to write an article regarding his presentation and the QOV Foundation.

Wow-wasn't prepared for that.  It was a wonderful afternoon with Al, his wife, daughter and her husband and granddaughter and great-granddaughter (although great grandma had her most of the time).  Great to see 4 generations together for this award. 

Al is also a member of a group of WWII veterans at his complex and I am looking forward to returning to present some more QOV's in the near future.

Thank you Al for your service for our great nation.

 

Now back to concentrating on the new 2014 projects.

 

 

I have 20 of the 25 blocks designed for Jelly Beans and here is a sneak preview of

two of those blocks.

 

 

 

 

Those papers from last week turned into this block for

the Antique Wedding Sampler.

 

 

Just have to applique it down, add the center and four corner broderie perse appliques and four small circles.

 

Working on block 2 as we speak.  You know the hardest part is

picking out the fabrics.

 

Speaking of fabrics-

my sewing room is back to a mess.

 

 

This is after picking out fabric for

January Civil War Love Letters blocks. 
Seems it is also Callie's favorite place to sleep!
ARGGGGGG

Here are three sets of those blocks.  Only 4 more sets to go!

 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I did do month 3 of

Colorful Tropics

 

 

So here is the shakedown of my list for this week:

Block of the Months in Progress

3” Civil War Love Letters – 3 out of 7 blocks done

6” Civil War Love Letters  - 3 out of 7 blocks done

8” Civil War Love Letters – 3 out of 7 blocks done

Colorful Tropics – Month 3 completed

Repro Hexies

Scrappy Hexies

 

UFO’s

Dance by the Light of the Moon (Embroidery)

Sadie’s Keepsakes – Pieced section cut out

Let Freedom  Ring – Rip out and re-quilt border

Threads of the Civil War – Needs appliqué and embroidery

Blue Toile – piecing

Tree of Life – needs appliqué border

Water Lilies – Finish appliqué block 9

Oak Leaf and Reel

Mini 9 patch Blockswappers

Modified 9 patch

Savery Friendship Star found this one and added to list

 

            New to start for 2014

Gingerbread  Square – NEW for Feb

By Thy Hands – February and March pieced, quilted and bound

Antique Wedding Sampler – Block 1 pieced but not appliqued

Jelly Beans – Month 1 (2 blocks) pieced + 20 of 25 blocks designed

Holiday Houses – NEW for May

Toes in the Sand – NEW for July

Nana’s Sampler II – NEW for August

Civil War Diary – NEW for September

Infinite Variety – Month 1 (6 blocks) pieced

Cabot Cuties

Glacier Stars

Fiesta Mexico

Also:

·         Bound Quilt of Valor, labeled, made pillowcase and presented in Litchfield

·         Quilted my Christmas Trees Quilt

·         Quilted 2012 Mystery “Berries and Cream”

Now to start on a new week! 

Keep sewing and I hope your New Year is wonderful!

Be safe!

Jan
 

 



Slow progress

Rest time over and now back to business.

 

 

Finished up the first of the August Civil War Love Letters block,

People and Peaches

 

and now on to

Pleasures of Sweet Home

paper pieced (not my favorite technique)

 

 

Can't wait to get these over tonight and the on to

the rest of the stack

 

of course, I couldn't get thru the paper piecing without

these

 

 

My hand project has been trying to finish embroidering

the next block for Sadie's Keepsake

and

starting on my flowers for Tree of Life border

 

 

I just love these little 1/2" hexes

Think I will make about 20 flowers to start. 

 

Oh, guess I should mention the next winner in the

Summer Sew Challenge

 

Donnie drew out the number and it corresponded to

drum roll--------

 

Linda M's post on 7/23

"made two different blocks today"

 

Linda you may pick up your fabric squares at the shop anytime.

 

Remember to keep sewing and posting

 

Our last winner will be drawn next week!

 



 

 

 

 

 



Still Rushing!

Went to the cabin Sunday to work on the dreaded inventory and bookkeeping while Donnie mowed and fixed a few doors. 

This is what was wondering thru the yard.

 

Would love to just meander around at a nice slow pace

stop to nibble on a little grass

belly full-nap a while

then mosey on down the road!

 

Have managed to get a few blocks done for Wednesday nights Civil War Love Letters

 

If you are in the club, you may want to close your eyes - OR NOT!

 

 Application for Leave, Delayed Mail, Burning of the City Gate

and Benefits of the Sick and Wounded

 

 

Working on Back Home

 

and have Travels ready to sew

 

saving Conditions for last-paper pieced-yuck!

 

 

You remember the strips I was working on

ok-just cut out

 

Here are a few of them I quilted for customers this week.

 

Nice and feminine ~

 

 

very masculine~

 

 

and this one has a border

 

 

Also just finished these for Sharon L

Made from Moda-French General reds

 

 

close up of borders

leaves in inner border

rose surrounded by hex in outer border

(mimics the snowball blocks)

 

roses in the snowballs

four leaf design in the corners

 

 

 

and yes Sharon, I stayed over a few minutes to get this one off tonight.

 

Love these prints from Kansas Troubles

 

close up of the feathery designs

 

TV is back on (out from the storms passing thru)

so back to the sewing machine!

 

 

 

 

Time Flying By

I can't believe it is Tuesday evening already.  Only 2 more days of retreat left. 

 

All of the girls have been busy sewing on projects. 

After a short jaunt to Mascoutah to a fabric "house" we returned to get right back to work.

 

Margaret is busy putting her Farmer's Wife blocks together. 

 

 

Marie finished this fabulous batik quilt (debating on borders)

 

and here she is working on the next project

Loraine finished this quilt late last night-a 2004 Thimbleberries UFO

 

 

Despite going on the road trip with Margaret and I she managed to finish this

 





 

 

Loraine watches as Edna is auditioning sashing strips for embroidery blocks

 

 

and Carol is working on borders for Venetian Tiles

 

OK where is Carol?

 

Busy enjoying the massage chair (I think she is spending more time here than the other chair)

 

 

and me--well

 

sampling of Civil War Love Letters blocks in sizes 3", 6" and 8".

 

 

and February Mystery Sunday

The Breakfast Club

 

You really didn't think I was going to show you the entire quilt did you now?

 

As retreat runs down, so does my list~two day left, two chores to do

 

·         Tree of Life (Blue Colorway) - Complete 3 blocks and then sew quilt together to applique border. DONE

·         Tree of Life (Cheddar Colorway) - Complete 5 3 blocks and then sew quilt together to applique border.   DONE

·         February Breakfast Club Mystery - Follow the blog and you may just get a glimpse of the Mystery quilt. DONE

·         Amish With a Twist 2 - Start this (don't know how far I will get, but I would like at least 2 months)

·         Women of Courage (2nd quilt) - I need to get 2 months done for this to be caught up DONE + EXTRA MONTH

·         Women of the Bible - 4 months to be caught up DONE~but did 3 extra (total of 7)

·         Our Town - Our newest BOM starting in March - 1 block DONE

·         Civil War Love Letters - 3 blocks in 3 sizes to show at Farmer's Wife this month DONE

·         First Ladies - 4 blocks for the February 2nd Saturday DONE

·         A Quilt of Valor top