Bonnie Hunter

Bonnie Hunter came to my guild last week.  I've been too busy to post about it, sorry. 

Bonnie Hunter

Bonnie Hunter

 I don't have photos of her quilts since I was one of the people holding them up.  Kinda hard to take pictures when you are holding the quilts.

Bonnie had two classes with our guild (Pride of the Prairie).  I took Patches and Pinwheels on Friday.  I'm making mine using some of my Christmas stash.  I have TONS of Christmas fabrics.  I started making pinwheels and cutting strips for my 16 patches before Bonnie arrived. 

some of my pinwheels

Bonnie shows me in two of her blog posts, here and here.  I'm the one on the hand crank sewing machine.  We had fun chatting about our vintage machines.  Bonnie is a really nice, down to earth lady.  Her class was a blast.  If you ever get a chance to take one of her classes, DO IT!!!! 

some of the HST's for pinwheels made during class

I plan on making more than one of these quilts using my Christmas stash.  Sew far, I've only worked on pinwheels.  I have lots of fabric cut out for the patches, but, I was having sew much fun sewing my Triangulations, that I never got started on the patches.  This is going to be my 'Leaders and Enders' project for the next few months, while I work on graduation quilts (3 are due).

Speaking of graduation quilts, here are the pinwheels that I've made this month for my nieces quilt.

I've had these fabrics put aside for a quilt for her for a few years now.  I'm going to use pinks and purples for the sashing and cornerstones, and put these on point.  I'm loving all the polka dots and stripes and plaids.  I've never used stripes before, except as a border.

I'll be MIA pretty much until the end of the month.  Family starts arriving in the next few minutes, and I'll be pretty busy.  Have a great Memorial Day, and, remember why we have Memorial Day!

 

Busy (with family) lately

I've been really busy lately.  This is just a bit of what's been going on.  Hubby's 50th Birthday party (no pictures, aren't you glad) was the end of April.  Youngest son is graduating this weekend, so, Awards night was at his school.  He received some awards, but, the most special award to him was that the Student Services Department selected him to receive their award for the year. 

Student Services Award plaque

Student Services Award certificate

Both of my sons have worked in the Student Services department during their Senior years.  Connor will have his picture in the plaque for the next school year.  The tassels around his neck are from Mu Alpha Theta, the math society group.  Connor finished both parts of Calculus during his Junior year.  Wow!  I can barely spell Calculus.  He got his math abilities from hubby, not mommy.

Connor is a super active young man.  He is in Venturing (don't get me started on how many offices he's held or currently holds), but, most importantly, Connor is very active in our church.  He is on the Worship team, and helps out in many other areas, too.  This past Sunday, he was in the church musical.  He played Simon, a blind man.  He was also the co-director of the actors. 

during his solo

most of the cast

I'm very proud of my son, can you tell?  I'm lucky to have two wonderful boys.  It'll be an empty nest here, shortly. 

I Won! Thrifty Finds! and progress!

I haven't had much time to post lately, and won't for the next few weeks.  Youngest son will graduate High School later this month, and, I'm trying to work on some graduation quilts (3 to be made) some secret wedding mini quilts (2 to be made) and getting ready for family to arrive and a graduation party that youngest has invited over 200 people to so far, just by facebook alone.  Whew!  I'm tired just thinking about all of this to be done. 

First, I won the April monthly giveaway over at Chris's blog We Love Quilting!  I got to choose which of the four Gee's Bend quilt kits I wanted. I chose Housetop Nine Block by Annie E. Pettway.

Gee's Bend quilt kit

 Well, Chris included a few other items in the box, too.

great bag with a quilt on it, yoyo maker, mirror, chop sticks, pens, needle info, key chain, nail file, extra bag, book mark, etc.

cool spider plant stick with quilt kit

One of the best things Chris included was the jumbo yoyo maker from Clover.  I purchased a kit earlier this  year that needs that yoyo maker for the finishing touches.  I figured I'd purchase one when the project was almost done (it hasn't even been started  yet).  I also love the spider plant pick.  I put it in the aloe vera plant by my sink.  It's one of the few plants that I haven't killed.  I've had that plant for well over 10 years.  Thank goodness it doesn't need to be watered very often, because, even sitting next to the sink, I never remember to water it.  I'm not good at growing plants, just dust and dog fur.  Oh well.  Thanks Chris.  Check out her blog.  She has a monthly giveaway.  This month it's a surprise box of goodies.  I'm trying to decide if it would be rude to enter, since I just won this giveaway.  I don't enter giveaways unless I think I'll use what they are giving, but, surprise boxes are like Christmas stockings.  Full of great, fun things.  I DO pass on the items that I can't or won't use.

Marilyn and I went to Sandwich, IL on Saturday.  We checked out some antique stores.  Lots of great items, but, most things were way overpriced.  We saw LOTS of quilts, but, I didn't take any pictures, sorry.  I also found a great treadle that I'm keeping my eye on.  I don't really need another treadle (need to find a home for one of my 4 treadles) but, when did need ever enter the picture?  This treadle is a White treadle, and, I need a White base for the lovely White treadle head dear hubby bought for me last summer.  I DID buy a sewing machine....

Necchi Supernova toy machine

I found the cutest plastic toy Necchi Supernova machine.  It even turns!  I need to clean it up, and then, use it as bait for a full sized Necchi Supernova machine.  I also found a jar of goodies.  I purchased it because it had several thimbles in it.

jar full of goodies with thimbles

better picture of goodies from jar

I got 6 thimbles, 3 needle threaders, buttons and LOTS of needles in this jar.  Does anyone use yarn darner needles?  I have 3 packages of them, but, I have no need for them.  I'd gladly pass them on if you know someone who could use them.  There were also 3 packs of vintage Kenmore needles. 

Now for the progress.  I have 3 graduation quilts to make.  My niece has already graduated.  She was home schooled, and they graduate earlier than public schools.  I'm designing a quilt for her, using fabrics I purchased a few years ago, with her in mind. 

Triangulations

I've sewn 42 sets of Triangulations for pinwheels on my hand crank.  I still need to trim them before they can be sewn into pinwheels. 

My large quilt guild is having Bonnie Hunter next week.  I'm taking one of her classes on Friday.  I need to sew lots of Triangulations and 16 patches before the class.  I'm going to use up some of vast collection of Christmas fabrics that I've collected over the years.  I'm afraid it won't even make a dent in the collection.  I have two HUGE plastic tubs of Christmas fabric.  I also have a bag of Christmas scraps that I acquired at some point.  Does anyone need a bag of Christmas scraps?  I have so much yardage and smaller cuts, that I don't need and won't use scraps.  If you want some, let me know.  I'll be adding to the bag in the next few weeks, as I start making this quilt.

April's NewFO! Connor's Quilt, so far

Barbara, over at Cat Patches, has the 2012 NewFO Challenge. 

I'm in 'crunch time' on a few quilts, and, I'm not sure I'll get them done.  I have several graduation quilts to make, and 2 wedding mini quilts to make.  Yes, I'm starting really late, since I've only started one of the graduation quilts and one of the mini quilts so far.  I thought making a quilt for youngest son for his graduation would be pretty quick, since, when I made the quilt for oldest son's graduation, I made extra blocks for youngest son at the same time.  That is what youngest son wanted, THEN.  This is oldest son's quilt.  Sorry about the colors in the pictures.  Cloudy day and bad lighting.

Christopher's quilt

back of quilt

extra block

There is a story behind this quilt.  I found this block pattern at Joann's while I was working on my second quilt.  Remember, I never learned how to sew, and, I'm mostly self taught on quilting.  I figured that this would be an easy block to make, since it was all straight lines, and bought enough fabric to make quilts for both boys (way back in early 2002).  Lots of the star fabrics are Christmas fabrics that were on sale.

Well, when I started to cut the pieces out, I kept 'flipping' them, and had to end up cutting one piece at a time.  UGH!  Then, when I went to sew it together, I had to rip out each seam at least once, some I had to rip out many times.  It just wouldn't line up correctly.  I made one block and told the boys that they weren't getting this quilt, EVER!

Jump to 2009, when oldest son was getting ready to graduate.  I offered to make him a quilt for his dorm room.  I offered several ideas, but, no, he said he wanted 'THAT' quilt.  OH NO!  I found the fabric, and even the one block that I'd made, but, no pattern.  I used template plastic and made the pieces.  I made enough blocks to make at least two quilts, and some pillow shams at a later date (nope, not made yet).  I said I would NEVER make this block again.  Yea, right!

Back in February I asked youngest son if he wanted to use these blocks, or, make something totally different for his graduation/dorm quilt.  Well, youngest son had picked out some fabric the summer before to make himself a quilt.  He decided that he wanted me to use his fabrics to make him a quilt, but, he wanted 'THAT' block.  OH NO!  I had to buy a few extra fabrics so that there would be enough variety in the block, then, I had to make 'THAT' block, again.  UGH!  Somehow I wound up cutting out 28 BLOCKS!  Yea, I know, crazy number of blocks.  That is how many center squares I ended up with when I started cutting, and, I just cut that much of each other color.  Also, youngest son helped choose what fabrics went where.  These are his blocks (no, they aren't squared up yet).

all 28 blocks

Connor's blocks

These are the main things that I've been sewing all month long.  I haven't had much time, but, you can get lots of seams done while watching Dancing with the Stars and Castle.  I sewed all these blocks on my 1959 Singer Spartan hand crank sewing machine.

1959 Singer Spartan hand crank

I just LOVE my Spartan hand crank!  I hate ripping seams that I've sewn with her, though, because she makes such tiny stitches.  Have I mentioned that I've ripped LOTS of seams out this past month!?!  UGH! 

Now to figure out how to set these blocks.  Youngest son wants the blocks in the center to be set on point.  We haven't figured out the rest yet.  Glad I have lots of material left.  And, no, this quilt won't be done in time to hand quilt it, either.  Gonna have to pay someone to quilt it.  I've never paid anyone to quilt one of my quilts before.  Oh well, he's worth it.

Quilt Show!

I've been really busy lately.  My hubby turned 50 last week, and, on Saturday, we had a party for him.  Oldest son came in from college on Friday afternoon.  I worked really hard to get everything done so that a friend and I could go to a local quilt show Friday morning.  I'm sorry about the pictures.  They moved the show this year, and, there wasn't much lighting to see by.  The quilts were hung in a dark, windowless gym. 

Loved the applique on this quilt

had to take pictures of this 'cat' quilt

I love the movement in this quilt.  Nice colors, too.

love how the quilting radiates out from the center

lovely colors

there were several quilts in this pattern. I liked this one best

very long table runner with turtles, sew cute!

loved this giraffe

look at all the tiny pieces in this quilt

made from baby clothes

she made 2 baby quilts for her grandkids

look at the zipper

ruffles and a pocket

loved this bear

small, but, really nice

hankie baskets

'Love Birds' mini quilt

Hope you enjoyed the show, I know that I did, even though the aisles were cramped and dark.