LONG BEACH INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL

My ECQ Guild chartered a bus and 50 of us went to Long Beach, California, last Friday, for the International Quilt Festival. OMGosh but their Convention Center is HUGE! We walked until we dropped. lol.

"The Quilt Show" by Carole Corder

The vendors were fun and the quilts were gorgeous! Unfortunately many of the quilts had "no photo" signs posted so I can't share those with you. I do understand the policy, though, as these are quilts that are entered in contests and/or have a copyright attached to them. But, I was successful at getting some pictures. . . and here they are:

"Totally Insane" by Loretta Duffy

"Mrs. Lindberg's Neighborhood" by Martha R. Lindberg
[part of the special display of "Text On Textiles" exhibit]

"Dixie Dingo Dreaming" by Susan E. Carlson
[ribbon winning quilt]

Detail of above quilt - note the many many small pieces layered to get the colorized effect. Amazing!

"Sunflower Heart For Alice" by Danielle Reddick
{all made from recycled shirts and clothing bits - great!}

Log Cabin - maker Unknown

A Blue Ribbon Winner: "Ethel's Diary" by Eileen Campbell

Thank you for stopping by for a visit. Hope you enjoyed this little virtual quilt show.  I hope you will come back again. Until next time. . .

LINKING UP WITH: Connie at QuiltingByTheRiver

Quilty Hugs,

KNITTING SOCKS - A good use of my "waiting time"

Yesterday I spent several hours in a waiting room. The light wasn't good enough to sew. What to do? KNIT. I don't know about you, but I cannot stand to just sit and do nothing. Drives me nuts. Besides, one can always use another pair of socks, eh?!

SockNeedle Holder for DPNs

I really like the little tubes that hold my work-in-process safe and protect the tips of the DPNs [double point needles]. With these tubes on I can just stick a pair of socks in my purse. Great!

Notice the needles "slide" into the slots and then the other tube closes everything up.

CloseUp of stitch: Looks like a 'cable' but is ribbing with incr/decr + M1.

I love this simple stitch pattern [see close up pic above]. It looks like I'm knitting cables, but actually it is ribbing "posing as cables" by using Left and Right increase/decrease, plus a "made" stitch to keep the stitch count correct. So easy but looks complex. Gotta love that. Besides with all the ribbing these socks will actually stay up and not droop. Love that, too.

Yarn by the South West Trading Company

The yarn is TOFUtsies by the South West Trading Company. Lovely, soft yarn to knit with and it holds up and wears well.

Until next time, I hope you have fun knitting, crocheting, or stitching up something that makes you happy.  Please leave a comment if you like posts about knitting.

Quilty Hugs,

WOWZER . . . I WON!!!

OMGosh... I won the wonderful group of "Rich and Muted" Batiks over at Connie's recent give-a-way! What a thrill -- surprise doesn't even come close to how I feel! lol.  Thank you, Connie, and thank you Connecting Threads for sponsoring the goodies.

Until next time. . .

Quilty Hugs,

MORE EQ7 & some fun plans are underway!

The EQ7 class I'm taking from Fran Gonzales at Quilt University is so much fun! I'm learning a ton - much more than I ever did on my own and I am one of those "manual-instruction-book-reader" types.  Just give me a manual and leave me alone for a little while and I'll get it. Well it hasn't worked that way with EQ7 and it didn't work for EQ5, but I think it is because I never really applied myself. Now only 12 practice hours later, I feel comfortable with EasyDraw! Wow, that's saying something.

Today I went a little -- ok, a lot! -- wild and used the brightest, wildest fabrics I could find in the EQ Libraries... above is the result.  Below is a crazy block I drew. I like the lines, the fabric is so-so, but it would look better if I had put some do-dahs and embroidery on it. Oh well, I think we learn how to do that next week.

Until next time. . .thank you for popping in for a visit. Oh, by the way, if you are not a Follower [and I hope you are!], would you consider adding yourself? As soon as this blog hits the magic number of "100",  I will have a give-a-way to celebrate.  Now what could be more FUN than FREE quilty stuff? Nothing I can think of.

Quilty Hugs,

QUILT UNIVERSITY and Sometimes we just go MIA

Yup, title says it all. Sometimes I just go MIA for awhile. This week it was mostly at the computer working through some EQ7 lessons at Quilt University. I am taking a class with Fran Gonzales: "EQ7 Sampler". She shared a ton of info in her first Lesson plan and it took me most of the week to work through it. Lesson 2 will be posted in about an hour. Hopefully now that I have my feet wet with the program, and how QU works, I will be able to get through the material easier.

Just for fun, here are a couple of blocks I drew and colored using the program's palette of fabrics [above and below]:

The next series of blocks I drew after these are all colored in some bright and wonderful African fabric. I'll share those next time. It is so fun to work outside my normal palette and try something new. It's easy in EQ, because I am not cutting fabric or sewing, but I still get to see what it would look like. Love that.

My poor QAYG project still isn't finished yet. Perhaps next week. Meanwhile it is sitting in a lump in the living room. I better go fix that as I will have visitors in a few hours. My DDIL Donna and sweet DGC Sid are in the air as I type this, winging their way here from Hawaii! Can't wait to see them. So... if I am MIA again, you'll know why -- I'll be doin' the Grammy thing!

Until next time . . . I hope you have loads of time to stitch up something that makes you happy.

Quilty Hugs,

UFO Time... QAYGo Crazy9P

How did it get to be Wednesday AGAIN ALREADY???! I didn't realize when I bought that last 2012 calendar that I had bought a "fast one"!

It is definitely UFO time around here. The QAYG Crazy Nine Patch quilt - below -  has been on the back burner so long that I don't even remember when I started it ... 2006, 2007, 2004? Who knows. Long enough that I no longer remember my orginal "plan".

QAYG Crazy 9 Patch

So far it is set with 7 rows of 5 blocks each. The piecing is totally wonky and deliberately hap-hazard. This was a fun and liberating group of blocks to make. The blocks are layered and machine quilted across the seams with a serpentine stitch. Each block is made as a separate unit. Then the blocks are joined with sashing strips. Very easy and a good technique when one's space is limited as mine has been. The borders will be added the same way.... now I need to get busy and do just that. It is July's project.

Crazy stitch closeup & Green border backing fabric

Missy cat-napping on one of her afghans

That's all for today. Thank you for stopping by for a visit. Until next time. . .

Linking to Connie at Quilting By The River

Quilty Hugs,

PS: Good news: Received a lot of "atta-girls" from my doctor at this week's visit. Have lost >6 pounds, and my lab results have improved! This has all happened just since June 20th! I have been almost 100% compliant with the new plant-based eating regime. I'm having fun with it.  THANKS again to all of you who have written to me with support and encouragement... it has been a HUGE help!
More "menu fun" and pictures to follow next time.

LONG MAY SHE WAVE - Happy 4th!

Few things give me goose bumps as quickly as seeing our Flag fluttering in the breeze. Wonderful.

Happy 4th of July.

I have my fireworks shirt all laid out ready to don for tonight's festivities. Hope all of you are having a wonderful day and can spend it with Family, Friends, and Neighbors...

Until next time. . .

Quilty Hugs,

TOOL TIME: Mini-Stubby Screwdrivers for sewing machine ...

How many times do you swear under your breath when trying to get at the screws on some of our sewing machines so maintenance can be performed? Even the smallish drivers that come in kits or included with our sewing machines has a handle that is always too long! Nuts. I found a SOLUTION!

Tiny Screwdriver fits perfectly!

Tiny screwdriver comes in a set of 4 - different sizes/types

On eBay I discovered some really great and very SHORT screwdrivers. They are just the perfect size, easy to handle, fit perfectly under s.m. arm, and also fit perfectly into my sewing machine feet accessory box. How cool is that? I am Happy Dancing! Maybe now I will clean out my bobbin area more often as it is now sooooooooooo easy to get to! Yippee Skippee! More good news: they only cost $5.99 and that included the s/h. You might even find them cheaper at your local hardware or "Harbor Freight" store.

Hard to reach screws to clean and maintain bobbin area

That's all for now. Hope you will return soon for another visit. Until then. . . [MenuFun is below]

Linking with: Connie at Quilting By The River. Go check out what all the others are doing!

Quilty Hugs,

MENU FUN:
Lunch today was a gi-nor-mous fresh raw salad. It had almost everything but the kitchen sink in it! lol. The TIP of the Day is: Try SALSA on your next salad instead of regular salad-dressing. Yummy and only 10 Calories for 2 big Tablespoons! I found a great Organic Salsa at "Earthgrown" a few days ago. A pic of the jar is below:

The "Kitchen Sink" salad w/ Salsa for dressing

Salsa found at "Earthgrown Market"

COASTERS & MUG RUGS . . . DONE!

Happy almost 4th of July everyone. I am in the mood as I have been working with Red, White and Blue fabrics.  Finished the Mug Rug project for DD and her office crew... except it turns out she wants Coasters, NOT MugRugs. OK, I'm easy. I made Coasters - finished the last 13 today. Plus... I made one Mug Rug anyway so she could see what one looks like.

For Lori and others who haven't made these before,

here is a link to a tute I wrote in 2010:

http://cynsquiltedtravels.blogspot.com/2010/08/mug-rugs-small-quick-project-fun-too.html

Of all the coasters, the 3 above are my faves. And below is the one lonely Mug Rug. The red looks almost pink in these pictures, but it is RED.

Today I have included two dishes for "Menu Fun."  They are below my signature. I think this is a good idea to put them there. This way those who are interested can see them and those who are not won't be bothered. Good?

That's all for today. Until next time. . .

Quilty Hugs,

MENU FUN:

Note: The pasta is whole wheat. The 'saute' is accomplished with either water, veggie juice, veggie broth, etc... NO oil.

GIVE-A-WAY Happening at Quilting Lodge

Hurry on over to the Quilting Lodge - a

GIVE-A-WAY

is just beginning. Lots of chances to win, just follow the easy rules. The drawing will be July 4th and winner announced on July 5th.

 Good luck, everyone!

That's all for now... until next time. . .

Quilty Hugs,

CROCHET SCRUNCHIE & 2 Menu Ideas: Soup n Salad

Spent most of today working on files. Yuck. But it is a task that must be done from time to time. Isn't it amazing how the "paper chase" can drown a room?

It's almost bedtime, but wanted to try a quick crochet project: A little scrunchie for a twist, or ponytail, or any similar style that holds hair out of our faces when we are playing sports, or just scrubbing the floors. Easy peasy: DblCr + Ch1 over hair band all around, sl st to join. Optional "loopy" round: Sc in first space, Ch5, Sc in same space; repeat all around and join with sl st and fasten end. Ta Dah. Takes about 15 minutes - tops!

The menu ideas are: Split Pea Soup cooked with a few veggies and Amaranth. Amaranth is an ancient grain that is chock full of nutrition and fiber. Yummo! The salad was made from diced cucumbers, red bell peppers, green onions. A little sprinkle of herbs, garlic, and rice vinigar. Served over red-tipped lettuce. Made for a nice lunch.

Dinner was a dry-saute [no oil] of veggies on hand that I turned into a Marinara Sauce and served over WholeWheat Pasta. I was sorry not to have had any mushrooms to add. A sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast [in lieu of cheese] and voila! Dinner.

That's it for tonight. Thank you for stopping by for a visit. This weekend I will be busy making about 25 MugRugs for DD's office crew..... if anyone has ideas to share... now's the time! *g* Oh... and they must be finished by Sunday night, but there's no hurry or pressure, right?!

Quilty Hugs,

TA DAH! I FMQ this little sucker...

TA DAH! I did it - FMQ'd this little Dish Mat. Is it perfect? NO, but it's a beginning. Just need some practice. I usally 'cop' out and use my walking foot to machine on a grid, or just do simple wavy lines. Not this time. I bit the bullet and did some meandering! I can't wait to finish another top so I can try my hand at FMQ again... you know, while the thrill is still with me. LOL. Sorry for the bad picture. Note to self: must practice photo skills, too.

D9P Dish Mat, FMQ and Machine Sewn Binding

Today - for the second time - I put the binding on totally by machine. Again, it is not perfect, but it is acceptable and I don't think the pots n pans will mind as they sit on it to drip dry!  I missed the "ditch" in a couple of places, but with practice and patience that should improve also. I am happy with the corners. I'm a corner nut! *g*

Hmmmm, I'm wondering if . . .

Free Motion Quilting = FMQ

then Quilting with a

Walking Foot = FMQWF.

What do you think?

The backing is just a recycled towel. It was a little needle resistant, but I took it slow and - yippee! - there are no eyelashes on the back.



Big THANK YOU to Elaine, for the push to do this. Elaine said something wonderful to me the other day: "Give yourself the right [or permission] to play". Excellent advice!

Thank you for stopping by today for a visit. Until next time. . .

Quilty Hugs,