DWM: Good Cheer!

I caught the sunrise over Lake Michigan at 5:16 a.m. Friday -- the summer solstice.


On Saturday Irene and I went to the Quintessential Quilt at the convention center in Rosemont.  It was Quilts Inc.'s return to Chicago after two years off.  Some of the quilts on exhibit were jaw-droppingly magnificent and others were less so. 






The "ChiCOWgo" exhibit was based on a cow design by Mary Lou Weidman. The Crime Scene reminded me of my sister's dogs.

There didn't seem to be as much traffic as in previous years and I wonder how the vendors fared. I did my part to keep them happy: batiks, black & white FQs, and the wonderful Da Gama shweshwe (some red, some brown, some indigo).

And, finally -- here is my design wall. The blocks fit together very nicely.   I know I want the letters in the border, but I may rework them. The words are out of proportion to one another and the letters in "good" aren't very wonky. I'm considering how to make the other three borders. The flying geese are cut from the quarter-square-triangle blocks that were the "seeds" for this project. 

 My birthday on Sunday began a "prime" year. I hope it will be! My husband gave me an iPad (technically, I bought it and he reimbursed me ). I don't know if I will be adept with it by Thursday when I go to the ALA annual conference.  

 

 

See what dozens of other quiltmakers are working on at Judy's Patchwork Times!

Raindrops on roses in the front garden

 

Finished: Maple leaves

Just in time for the summer solstice:  an autumn quilt!   In October, 2006, we did a Road Scholar  (then called Elderhostel) program at the Highland Center Lodge at Crawford Notch, New Hampshire.  On our free afternoon I checked out the quilt shops in North Conway. I bought the purple/red/gold/orange fabric as a souvenir and, remarkably, created this flimsy just after we returned.  The pattern is by Judy Laquidara. As I recall, she used 9" blocks. Mine are 6" -- this is 54 x 66. 

The flimsy languished in the box for 6-1/2 years.  I couldn't decide how to quilt it, and in fact I came up with the straight lines in the leaves after it was basted and I had the stitched the  straight lines in the frames.  I think that the curvy meanders and leaves are a good contrast for those straight lines.

This is finish #20 for 2013!

 

DWM: Progressive Swap

 The AAUW finance files have been transferred to me.  Two of the boxes are records from prior years and two boxes are supplies, in addition to a laptop and printer.  I'm grateful that the previous finance director had everything in good order. Next task is to set up so I can easily stay on top of things!



The Progressive Swap is complete. Lori A. asked for 9" blocks, each with "something" in the center, and sent a tan-with-swirl fabric to be used in each block. Since I'm the last person for this round there wasn't much tan fabric left. I turned to Marsha McCloskey's Block Party with 120 9" block patterns. (I made these: Turkey Tracks, King's Crown, Peaceful Hours, and Prairie Queen).
   
And here are my Progressive Swap blocks!
I sent red/white and green/white hourglass blocks as "seeds" for larger blocks. 

I put 'em all up on the design wall......

and here's a very rough draft. I think I will use light blue to sash/set/frame the blocks. I will need to rework the corners.  As I consider these design decisions, I think I will name it "Good Cheer," as in "Christmas comes but once a year and when it does it brings...." 

Thanks to my four companions in the Progressive Swap -- Lori A., Cassandra, Lori K., and Teresa!

I'm linking up with other quiltmakers at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Father's Day

July, 1952

  A first-time dad may be hesitant, but he catches on quickly.....and by the time he's a grandfather, he's got it down.

July, 1952

Mackinac Island, 1957

Back to college, 1971



Oregon, 1988(?) (my niece)

DWM: tulips, a tote, and maple leaves

As I was driving to the parking lot at Illinois Beach today I saw these iris in the meadow.  Obviously they're not flags (wild iris) which need to keep their feet (rhizomes) wet. (I checked. The flags aren't in bloom yet.)  I understand that cultivated iris do grow from seed.

These are wildflowers:  tickseed (coreopsis).  

On the beach: a washed up tree trunk that has a new role as a planter. (Looks like ikebana on a grand scale.)

 
 And at the other end of the planter: a dragon!












At Wednesday's guild meeting I won half the blocks for the block-of-the-month.  As shown, they are 12.5 x 12.5.

I got to thinking about settings and decided to try something different.  I separated each tulip (is this like dividing bulbs?) and am in the process of removing the top white rectangles (short flowers) and bottom green rectangles (long flowers).

Mindful of my Magpie friend Carla's statement that "noisy is good," I rootled in my stash to find a suitably noisy print for sashing. This one turned up. I may change my mind and use something else, but it is a starting point.

 I transformed another vendor totebag this week. (The innards of this are an Ebsco tote from a 2004 conference.)  I'd been about to use a gold print for the lining when I came across a yard of the blue/gold geometric visible between the straps.

And here's what I'm quilting:  a flimsy from 2006. I bought the gold/orange/purple prints used in the leaves when we were in New Hampshire that October. 


The pattern is by none other than Judy Laquidara, who generously hosts Design Wall Monday !

Flowers, flourishes, a finish....and new fabric

Today's letter is F.

Flowers: 

Poppies in our back garden: so pretty, so fleeting.






In early June drifts of phlox Dame's Rocket brighten shady roadsides and, here, the bank of Dead Dog Creek Ravine.  (Thanks to Janet for providing the correct name with this link explaining the difference.)







Ravine restoration continues this season: this netting shades dozens of native plants (sedges, grasses, and wild flags (that's another name for iris)) to be planted along the creek.

Flourishes: on Saturday my guild hosted a workshop by Jan Krueger of Hearthside Quilters Nook. The subject was Borders, Too . I don't go to many quilt classes because it's hard for me to devote an entire day. I'm glad I indulged this time, because I learned some great design ideas!






A finish: Little Dipper, pieced in 2008, is finish #19 for the year.  It is 64 x 64. Back and binding used 3-1/8 yards.   The smaller picture shows the "almost-feathers" design I like to use in borders.   (The HSTs in the middle border are the cutaway triangles from the blocks. They are 1" finished.)

New fabric:  on Friday I went to a P.E.O. committee meeting in Oak Brook (50+ miles away). The meeting ended early and since I was in the neighborhood*  I went to Pieceful Heart Fabrics in Lisle (see my May 12 blog post).  The retirement sale prices were 40% off.  When I saw the Nancy Drew fabrics last year I wanted to get some, but I couldn't  choose among the colorways offered and then I couldn't decide what quantities to get.  At Pieceful Heart my dilemma was resolved: they had four of the prints. I bought the book cover panel and yardage.  I don't know what I will make but when inspiration strikes I will be well-stocked. ** (And as a result of Saturday's workshop I can try something imaginative.)  * Oak Brook is 7 miles from Lisle.  **I preferred Trixie Belden to Nancy Drew, but they haven't made Trixie Belden fabric. Yet.

I'm linking up with other quiltmakers for Design Wall Monday at Judy's Patchwork Times.