Here it is Tuesday...I got to spend Saturday at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. It was a long day...up at 6a.m. for a two hour drive to Sisters. The show starts at 9 a.m. We walked around for 2-3 hours...and then back to the shuttle, back to the car and home. Good seven hour trip, anyway you add it up.  The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is a big event and it has really spread out to include the entire town. Seems like more businesses participated by having quilts hung outside their business...But, it is along hike. A side note...I do not walk far or well, due to a back injury. So, by the time I have walked with the aid of my cane from one end of the town to the other and then back again, I am done. And my quilts...well, they were at opposite ends of the town. We were dropped by the shuttle behind the famous Stitchin Post Fabric Store. So, the first thing we got to view were the quilt blocks...YEAH! I got to see mine, with a white ribbon. This year, they had a top winner and four runners up. The sad part is that out of 167 blocks, there were only 70 from the United States...the rest were from Japan. Come on American Quilters, we should be able to do better than that. But, the Japanese blocks were beautiful and another look into quilting designs. My big quilts, was hanging not too far from the where that blocks were. I could see it across the parking lot. Now, where was my other one. I had decided that I would walk until I found the second one...at the other end of town. So, we stopped at Dutch Bros for a coffee and rested...then back across town. The past two years they have added a shuttle service from the high school. It is great..we don't have to drive around and around and around looking for parking. And, then the long walk into town. Park at the school, get in the van and you are dropped in the middle of the activities. But, it was such a fun day...the weather cooperated and was not blazing hot. Now, I am awaiting the return of my quilts and my winning (fourth runner up) block!

Yesterday, July 10, 2013, I got a very exciting phone call. First some background. I have never been a person that enters a lot of contest. I am just a realist and I know that winning is an over rated thing and only one person is going to win that item. Well, now that is out of the way....I entered the quilt block contest for the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, Oregon. It is a very big thing in the summer. It attract a large group of people. The week before the Saturday show (always the second Saturday in July) there are classes and activities...quilters flock to Sisters to take part.
So, this year, I entered the quilt block contest...I paid $10 for the fabric to construct the blocks. It comes in two different colorways, so what the heck...get both=$20. I was surprised when I got the fabric...a legal size envelope...I opened the envelope and to my surprise both colorways were mailed in the same envelope...looking further, I noted that I had received a 10x10 inch piece of background fabric and four coordinating fabrics that measured 6x6 inches. Now, the next question was "I am suppose to make a 9.5x9.5 inch block out of these fabrics and it is due back by June 15, 2013. Well, I hung in on the design wall....this was going to take some thinking. I wavered back and forth between a conventional block or a whimsical block...I made up my mind and I changed my mind. When the time came, that I had to make a decision. So, I gathered my tools and my heatnbond and sat down to design a block. The first one..was probably the easiest, I had to spend more time thinking about the second block. A side note; I also decided to hang two of my own quilts in the show. It is just a fun thing...no prize expected. I was also working on one of those quilts. But, I digress-back to the blocks. So, I decided that my blocks had to fit the poster of the quilt. So, the first one had contained a tree and some fish. The second one was a bit more difficult. But, in the end, I got them both done and sent in by the deadline. Now, the waiting game. Some blocks, very few, were displayed on facebook...and I kept waiting. I went back to read about the quilt block challenge and found that they were not going to pick the winner until the week of the show activities and the Quilt Advisers (teachers for the classes) were going to make the finally decision. Now, there are only four spots to fill...The top block was the only block to take a money prize, but there are still three other spots.
Too my surprise, I got a phone call from Sisters, Oregon...I better take this one...I answered and the nice lady on the other end told me that my blue block, the one I had the most difficulty with had come in fourth place. WAIT! It did what...I was beyond excitement...for taking fourth place. I will get a ribbon and I will be awarded some of the other blocks to make a quilt...how great is that! It is not about the money or the ribbon...it is about having nationally know quilters/teachers pick MY block as one of four top blocks out of 167 entries. I just felt like they would probably call back and tell me that they made a mistake..but, they did not...I cannot wait to go to the Quilt Show this Saturday. I will be taking a number of photos of me with my displayed block...I CANNOT WAIT! I am picturing my blocks below. And, I will also put in a picture of the two quilts that I sent. I am still on cloud nine....



 





Thanks for reading!

 

 







 



 

 



Done!!

For the past month....seems like longer, I have been working on a quilt that I entered, on a whim, in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. I could have just entered the one that was done and had been hanging in display. But, nooooo, I had to enter that one and the one I was working on...What was I thinking, or maybe, was I thinking. But, it is done and pictures were taken this morning, with the help of DH. He has a better concept of how to best hang for pictures. Without further fanfare, these are my two entries:

 

 

 



 

The front and the back. I have never done a pieced back before...I was really nervous that it would be straight and not all wonky. But, it really turned out just as I imagined it would. That is just a great feeling.

Oh, the other one that I am sending, I made years ago.

 

Well, that is how I have spent my last month...Now, into a shipping box, tomorrow and away. And I am on to my next project...Can't say, just yet...but, I am excited to get into this one! Pictures, soon!



Bibs, bibs....

Why am I making bibs? Well, the oldest daughter is involved in a large project. And, since she is so busy, she gave me the pattern that she developed for children's bibs. The catch was.....she need 6 bibs as soon as possible to fill an order. Yikes...I was and still am in the middle of a project that needs to be finished before the end of the month. So, I got thru the design stage for my project and started in on the bibs. The daughter, conveniently supplied the PUL..slippery, slimy stuff. A lot different that working with cotton. But, I am also working with cotton...So, I cut out one, these cannot be that difficult, right? It took me most of an afternoon! So, the next day, I made another....still took me longer than usual. I was spending 30 minutes on the binding and ANOTHER 30 minutes trying to get a pointed end to look "just right!" So, I did it that way again...before I said, enough is enough. I altered the pattern...no more points, flat ends..easier to put together and I can finish an entire bib, after the fabrics are cut, in less than 30 minutes. But, in the long out come...they are the cutest bibs. Easy to make, once I figured it out! And the colors and patterns are endless!

Now, back to the project that needs to meet a June 28th deadline! But they were so fun. Been a while since I have made a children's project!

Friday again. And it does not seem like I have finished enough projects this week. Stuck on a quilting issue. I hate to load something on the big machine, when I am not exactly sure what I am going to quilt on it. I have part of the pattern, but the other part is just evading me. It will come with time, but time is not what I have a lot of. Because I have to have this quilt done. Quilted and bound by the end of June...that means four weeks from today it will be ready to mail....
But today, I have to just look at the quilt...because I have some mending to do for a friend....and I have some bibs to make for another friend....and I have a wall hanging to design (already started) for another friend...so, that is my weekend.
The weatherman is finally forecasting the correct weather for the weekend. The garden is going to love it. I am really an Oregonian. I love the rain, the clouds, the temperatures..friends of mine think I am crazy (maybe I am), because I love the rain and the green so much. But, this weekend I am enjoying the sun, before it becomes too warm!
Hope that everyone has an enjoyable weekend!

Here I am....I got so caught up in the projects I have been working on that I have neglected to write any posts.
I have finally finished my appliqued tulip wall hanging. Even though it was a free pattern from the magazine, American Patchwork and Quilting, I could not leave it as they published it.

So, I added some more petals to the flowers. Replaced the word "flour" with some hearts...liking it a whole lot more, now. I goes to show, that just because it is a pattern, does not mean that you cannot add your own embellishments.

So, that is handles..will post pictures of the finished project at a later time. But, it is already finished.

Now, I am back working on the red woven quilt. I have decided this year, that I am going to enter a couple of quilts in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. It is a big deal in Oregon. Check it out on their website. Anyways, I was already committed or maybe I should have been committed, because I entered their quilt block contest. I read all the rules, but was totally surprised when the fabric came. One 10"x10" main color block and 4, 6"x6" coordinating colors. What was I suppose to do with these small pieces of fabric? It was obvious that is was going to have to be something whimsical. I just had to decide....WHAT! I wavered between creating a block and applique...the applique won out. I had looked back to last years blocks and they were whimsical...so, go with majority. So, I have now finished those and got those sent in...



So, while I was working on those blocks....someone or something took control of my brain...because I decided that I could enter a quilt in the show. It is only a view type of hanging. Not, to be judged. And, oh heck, while I am in this frame of mind...I entered TWO. Great...what was I thinking...one is already done, but number two is not...and with other things that are floating in the brain, I can see the list is being shifted.

I am now heading back to the sewing room to work on finishing the backing for that second quilt. It is going to be the woven one at the top of this blog. But, as with comedies...this is one. Needed a backing fabric. figured out what the minimum would be for the length. To the fabric store, choose the most wonderful fabric to match the shade of red and the beige color background. Needed 4 yards, but at the very minimum 3.5 years. Found this great fabric...measure to cut....only 3 yards, 11 inches......NOOOOOO! It is the perfect fabric. So, I purchase the fabric and piecing some of the woven blocks into it...I dislike doing quilting the matches the front and not the back...but I am going to attempt to please myself...in my dreams. More needs to be said on this subject, but I need to sew. So, this subject will be finished at a later time or place or date....whatever... 



Grumpy, have not found the time to sew in two days....:(
Believe it or not, I do other things besides sew! But, in the mean time, I have to think about what I am going to use for the back of the wall hanging I am presently working on. I will post a picture. I am trying to decide how I am going to sew the applique down. Choices, choices and I still have not really decided...straight stitch or applique stitch....hmmmm. That is tomorrows desicions.

This is not my usual design. I really prefer to make my own designs, rather than work from a pattern. The leaves were a bit difficult to apply. I even took pictures when I thought I was finished. That way I can study it without having to be in the room staring at it.  And I did end up adding anothe leaf. It was an area that looked, empty.