A New Obsession

Just looking at this photo makes me happy. I can't control the smile on my face. For the longest time, I was completely uninterested in vintage sheets. The spark to this new obsession began in of all places...
in my closet.

Not this organized side, but the shelf to the right. The one I won't show you:) I've been attempting to clean closets. I'm making progress, but there's lots to muck through. I was determined to keep only what we are using. Items that have not been used in the last year or two are to be donated. I was doing great on the shelf that our sheets are stored, UNTIL

 I touched one of the old sheets my MIL gave us when she moved into her  senior apartment. It was so soft and "cottony". I kept the sheet sets even though I've never put them on one of our beds.

In visiting some of the blogs for this year's Blogger's Quilt Festival, specifically Sandie's blog Crazy'boutquilts, I was totally captivated by her quilt made with vintage sheets.

Sandie has been wonderful about answering my many questions. To help me in my collection of fat quarters of vintage sheets, she mailed me some of her stash.

I'm hooked. I'm now planning visits to Thrift stores to add to my stash of sheets. The search is half the fun. 

The last time I was into collecting vintage items was about 15 years ago.

Dear Son was "INTO" the Ninja Turtles. We still have a collection of TMNT items.

Anyone else collecting vintage sheets?

Giveaways

Sofia at Frugal Ideas from the Parsonage has a giveaway that I'd love to win. It's for 21 charm squares from her collection of vintage sheets. This one ends tomorrow, June 1st.

Memorial Day 2011

" Memorial Day is about coming together to honor those who gave their all."

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

The words, "Thank You" don't begin to express the gratitude for those who sacrifed so that we know Freedom.

Announcing...Emily Jane

 Finally, I can talk about one of the new designs by my friend, Pat Wys!!! Her new patter, Emily Jane, named for one of her daughters, is one of the new designs that Pat shared at Spring Quilt Market. Because of the time crunch before Market, I was able to play a small part in getting this design ready. Pat  constructed the blocks. I was able to spend some time with her in her Sewing Studio sewing the blocks and setting triangles together with her.

 This quilt is my new love! I have a weakness for log cabin blocks, but these little babies make my heart sing. The logs are 1 1/2 inches wide.

Look how the side triangles are rose/red on one side and cream on the other. I have a copy of the pattern. Now to decide what fabrics to use for my quilt:) Any suggestions?  The pattern isn't on Pat's website yet, but should be soon. 


More Giveaways to Explore:


Randi from "i have to say" blog is celebrating the third birthday of her online shop "Freshly Squeezed" with a giveaway. Looks like this one ends this Saturday.

Kim at Everything Etsy has a giveaway for a gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop. Ends May 31st.


Tales at Wayne Manor has a giveaway for a box of fabric. Ends June 1st.

Unorganized Tuesday

I usually  have a mental outline when I begin a blog post, BUT not today. If I wait until I organize my thoughts, this post won't happen:)


Last Friday and Saturday was our monthly Silver Thimble Quilt Club sewing time. Our meeting room was packed on Friday during the day, but rather fewer than normal number of Saturday. It was definitely lots of good sewing and fellowship time. 

 The newest member of our club "Toby" the Great Dane puppy who owns Kristie and Bob paid a visit for us to just drool over him.  Toby is the calmest puppy that I've ever seen. Welcome, Toby!

 We had our first voluntary "charity" sewing project. Pat supplied the fabric and those of us who had the time made string block for our local guild Quilts of Valor program.

 Here are the same blocks after Kristie worked some of her "magic" on them.

 At home, I had cut and organized several pillowcase sets for the Quilts of Valor program (plus two of my relatives who are WWII veterans). The sewing is all complete. I just need to iron and fold them neatly:) This project was all from stash. Yahoo!

This block might look lonely. I've been working on this quilt top since October 2, 2004. I actually found the receipt from the quilt shop in my plastic project book. All the block components are finally completed. Soon, very soon, my Friendship Crossing top will be completed! I made lots and lots of progress on this project at Thimbles. 

It was also time to sign-up for Summer Stitch-In. I'm just loving these days that my son is "All Grow-Up" and I can plan to attend the entire week of sewing and fun! 

Last for today, recently with the help of Suzanne (no blog) I purchased these two antique ladders. The one in the front reminds me of the ladder that hung for years in the garage of our childhood home. On Sunday, Dear Hubby and I sanded and painted the front ladder.  One more coat of paint and it's ready to begin it's new life as a quilt rack.

I'm super excited to have this to display some of my quilts in our front entryway. Just one more coat.....


Fun Giveaways:


Rae Ann from Cutie Pinwheel has a giveaway associated with her friend Lori Holt's new fabric line Sew Cherry. Ends at midnight May 31st

Jennifer from the blog "Sew...It's Midnight Mama" has a giveaway for all 21 fat quarters of the new Denyse Schmidt fabric line found only at Joann's. Ends this Friday.


Don't forget to visit Pat's giveaway and the many giveaways at Sew, Mama, Sew. Most of these end on the 25th.


Please vote for my sewing room on the Bernina Makeover Your Sewing Room page.  Still time to vote today and tomorrow. The contest ends tomorrow evening. Thank you!!!!!

Miscellaneous Monday

I admit it. I have no shame. I've entered the Bernina Sewing Room Make-over. I'm begging you to vote for me. I've "outgrown" my bedroom sewing room. We have a finished room in our basement that I could use, BUT it needs heating, cooling, lots of lighting and storage. Here is my room:

Here's the link to vote for my room.  My entry is number 403.  You can vote once a day until Thursday. Thanks so very much!!!!!!




Giveaways - Don't miss them!

Linda at Stray Stitches has 2 giveaways in progress. Her birthday giveaway for a fabric bundle ends  Monday, May 30, at 7:00 pm PST and a gorgeous pincushion for the Sew Mama Sew giveaway which ends Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 7:00 a.m. PST. Linda is a phenomenal blogger. Definitely check out her blog.

My friend, Pat from Silver Thimble Quilt Company is celebrating her upcoming book, Spotlight on Neutrals with Martingale Publishing. She is giving away four books published by Martingale. Put her book on your calendar for October. You will want this one:) Her giveaway end this Thursday May 26th at midnight Eastern time.

Jocelyn at Happy Cottage Quilter has a giveaway for some wonderful Denyse Schmidt's new fabric line. Her giveaway ends on Thursday, May 26th. This fabric looks wonderful. You don't really need to go and add your name:)

Edit: 2 additional sites I meant to post.
Gundrun of GE designs has a book hop this week and is giving away copies of her new book. 
Table runners and recipes! Yum!


Visit Sew, Mama, Sew blog for a MANY, MANY, MANY, giveaways. It started today and ends on Wednesday, May 25th. Good luck!

Tic Tac Fabric & Kit Winner

Today was a wonderful day spent in my sewing room. The Tic Tac kit is now complete with the solid strips cut and enough '30's prints to make the quilt. I used the Random Number Generator to choose the winner. The winner is commenter #17,

 Deb said...

My absolute favorite thing would be the people. I'd try to meet everyone there who I know from blogland! It would be splendid! And I'd check out all the booths to see quilts for inspiration.

May 13, 2011 9:56 PM

Deb has responded to my e-mail. She has sent me her mailing address. Hope to get it in the mail to Deb in the next day or two. Congratulations, Deb!

Bloggers' Quilt Festival - Spring 2011

It's that time again. Time for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival hosted by Amy Ellis from the blog Amy's Creative Side. I love sharing one of my quilts during this Quilt Festival. It's a way to meet new to me bloggers, blogs, quilters and quilts.  I was not sure which quilt to share this year. Most of the quilts that I've recently completed have been on my blog numerous times. Last weekend I decided to hang a small quilt in my kitchen area. It dawned on me that this is a completed quilt that I have not shared. 

Don't you just love the bright colors in this quilt? Each time I walk pass this quilt hanging on the wall in our entryway, I smile. It's a Happy Quilt!  The pattern is Giggles by Tammy Tadd. I had the opportunity to make this quilt as a shop sample for a local quilt shop, but was able to keep the quilt once it was no longer needed.  I don't normally make a Bright quilt. This one has taken a long time to grab me, but I'm loving it more and more now that it's displayed.


There is still time to enter one of your quilts in the Bloggers' Online Quilt Festival. Amy has awesome sponsors who have donated generous prizes. Check here to learn more.

Spring Market and a Giveaway

Many from the Quilting Industry are gathered in Salt Lake City, Utah to participate in Spring Quilt Market 2011. Designers have been working frantically to get their newest  designs  completed to display in  their booths. Blogs have been filled with sneak peaks of new stuff for Market. It's exciting for the designers and shop owners who attend. It's not so fun for those of us who remained at home. We have to wait for our friends to blog, tweet or post on Facebook. 

While we're waiting, let's have a GIVEAWAY! Members of the Silver Thimble Club, my sewing community, are rooting for our Head Thimble, Pat Wys. 

We've seen her new designs and can't wait to get our hands on the new patterns to sew our own versions of her designs. Pat has graciously donated a copy of one of her "older" (meaning not brand spanking new) patterns for my giveaway. Her Tic Tacs pattern is jelly roll friendly. It's great for beginning quilters and fun project for sewing with other quilters, sewing that doesn't require intense concentration. 

This is Pat's original Tic Tac made with '30's fabrics. 

Pat's daughter Mary Beth sewed her very first quilt using the Tic Tacs pattern. She made not one, but

four quilts. She created one 

for each of her  college friends.

This is Marilyn's version (right, Marilyn?)

 Kristie used a jelly roll for her quilt.

     This beauty hangs at Sweet Home Quilt Shop. The Tic Tac pattern is available on Sweet Home's website.

So you get the idea that this is a pattern with many possibilities. 

I raided my box of '30's fabrics and pulled enough strips to make a '30's version of Tic Tacs. Some of these fabrics are quite "aged" and no longer available.

I'll cut a strip of each of these solids purchased in Paducah for the actual tic tacs. The Pattern, '30's fabric and the solid strips comprise the GIVEAWAY to celebrate Spring Quilt Market. One lucky person will win the pattern and fabric to make your very own version of Tic Tac.

 The giveaway will end on Monday, May 16th at 6:00 pm EST. Most folks at Market will return home on Monday. Let's make this one easy to enter.

This giveaway will be extended until Wednesday, May 18th at 6:00 pm EST. With the problems with Blogger, it only seems right to leave the giveaway open a bit longer.

 Just leave a comment on this blog. In your comment include what you would most like to see and do if you could attend Quilt Market. Good luck, friends! Back to reading Spring Market posts:)

Paducah - Part Two-Best of Show

 Best of Show - Paisley Peacock by Pat Holly

Pat Holly graciously posed for photos and gave permission to post photos of her "Paisley Peacock" quilt.

I absolutely adore this quilt!

The current issue of Quilt Life magazine has a phenomenal double page photo of "Paisley Peacock."

This AQS video from YouTube has an informative interview with Pat Holly.

Visit the AQS site for photos of other winning quilts from Paducah

On Sale Today

Not only do I love books, but I've always loved magazines especially Quilting Magazines. Today, two of my favorite special issue quilt magazines are available for sale. The Quiltmaker's Blog Tour last week was great fun. I didn't post to my own blog, but sure did enjoy exploring and discovering new blogs and quilt designers. Each issue of the 100 Blocks has been better than the last. 100 Blocks Volume 3 has blocks that I'm anxious to construct. 

Quilt Sampler magazine is now issued twice a year by the folks at American Patchwork and Quilting. I began collecting this magazine before I actually began quilting. I still have all the issues. I actually found both of these publications at my local grocery store, but quilt shops and bookstores are a great place to check, too.

Paducah - Part One -The Flood Waters

 Where to begin? The American Quilt Society 2011 Quilt Show in Paducah was FANTASTIC! This was my very first time to the Paducah show. Folks from Paducah kept apologizing because of changes in the venues for the show, but I thought it was wonderful. Everyone in the town was kind and helpful. Every effort was made for the Quilt Show to be successful in spite of rising flood waters. To the folks at AQS and the town of Paducah, THANK YOU!

 This photo was taken last Thursday from downtown Paducah. The flood gates were installed around the Convention Center. All activities planned for the Convention Center were moved to the Pavilion (folks on the shuttle bus called it the Balloon or Marshmallow) or the First Baptist Church.

 Vendors and quilts first scheduled for the Pavilion were moved to two empty stores near the Mall of Kentucky. On the AQS website, a webcam is set up to view current water levels of the Ohio River.

 Our hotel was in Metropolis, Illinois. It was a "dump", but at least we had a room. The folks with room reservations at the Casino in Metropolis received a call on Sunday that the Casino was closed because of flooding. I think rooms were located for them. We tried to visit the Superman statue in Metropolis, but couldn't get there because of road closings.

This "lake" is actually a state park across the street from our hotel.