String Star Quilt

It's been busy for me since Kevin the Quilter left.   Kevin left on Saturday afternoon, and we drove towards Texas on Wednesday.  Luckily, as we drove thru Oklahoma that evening, we only got in the edges of the storms that were going thru the area, not in the middle of the bad storms. 

We went to Texas to celebrate hubby's mother's 80th Birthday.  All her kids, grandkids and her 2 great grandbaby's were all there. I didn't take but a few photos while I was there.

our granddaughter and my hubby

We are lucky in the fact that my mother lives 4 blocks from hubby's parents.  We got to see my family, too.

my son, my mother and my granddaughter

It was a great trip (and very rushed) other than my oldest son and I getting food poisoning the last night in Texas.  Poor hubby had to drive almost the whole way home himself (1200 miles), since Christopher and I were too sick to help drive.

As soon as we got back, our oldest son finished packing up his stuff and hauled it to a storage room.  Our oldest son then flew off to Alaska to spend the summer with our youngest son and his family, to help with their side business.

Since we were traveling, and packing (and recovering from being sick) not a lot of stitching went on the last half of May.  My RSC19 May/orange blocks were not even started.  I DID get some machine quilting done on the String Star wall hanging before we left for Texas.

Linda at Art in Search blog mentioned a way to make sure your quilts lay flat when they are done. You use 1/4" twill tape along the edges before you stitch on the binding. This will keep you from 'stretching' the binding too tight and making the sides of the quilt wave.  I decided to try this.

stitching 1/4" twill tape on the edges of the quilt

It worked great!  Thanks Linda!  My wall hanging lays flat.

finished String Star quilt

I took some up close photos of my machine quilting.  I used the walking foot.  I'm not any good at free motion.

Of course, no quilt is finished until the label is attached.  I'm not good at attaching labels, but, I found the perfect one for this quilt.  Kevin taught the class, and Kevin loves his chickens, so, when I saw this label, I knew it was 'the one' for this quilt.

Rooster quilt label

Two other ladies from the class also had their String Star quilts finished for Show-N-Tell last night at quilt guild (several ladies were out of town).  What a fun class!

Kevin the Quilter, String Star class

It was another fun day with Kevin the Quilter!  Kevin stayed with my husband and I during his visit.  What a great house guest.  We got a couple dozen fresh eggs from Kevin's chickens.  I'd never had a green egg before.  Kevin knows from the color of the eggs, what breed of chicken layed that egg. 

eggs from Kevin's chickens

Kevin visited my little quilt guild 4 years ago.  I wrote 3 different blog posts for that visit.   The ladies all enjoyed Kevin's presentation so much that when we knew for certain that Kevin was coming to my large quilt guild, we decided to have him teach a class just for us while he was here. 

Huffman's Hotties helped start off Kevin's class.

Kevin taught us how to make his String Star quilt.

Kevin with his String Star quilt 

We had a great group of ladies at this class.

Kandy's tiara is a Hawaiian tiara

Of course, we had tons of great food for lunch.  We had it spread out all over the kitchen.  Linda got a head start adding chicken to her salad.

Everyone had some great string diamonds.

Patriotic

colorful

my diamonds

more colors

Minions

Kevin is selling his first pattern.  It was just printed before he came. 

Kevin's first pattern, Goodnight Darlene

Goodnight Darlene quilt

Kevin is a very hands on teacher.  He loves to make sure everyone is having fun and learning new things.

Kevin, teaching the next step

By the end of the class we all had completed quilt tops.

completed quilt tops

Here is a closer look at my completed quilt top.  The ladies with me are friends and drove up from downstate just to take both of Kevin's classes.  It was fun to see both of them again.

Mary Ann, Kevin, Sharon & me

It has been a fun few days with Kevin.  If your guild ever needs a fun speaker, think of Kevin.  I'd love to attend more of his classes.

Kevin the Quilter, Crumb Star class

Kevin the Quilter is in town.  He came to speak at my large quilt guild, Pride of the Prairie, and also to teach a class. His presentation last night was great!  Sorry I didn't get any photos, but I was holding up quilts (and getting to be one of the 'Huffman's Hotties' (search his blog and find the Huffman Hotties).

Today was Kevin's Crumb Star class.  Kevin taught us how to 'make' fabric from our tiniest scraps.  Remember that large bucket of scrap fabric I sorted?

large bucket of scraps

Lots of ladies used fabrics from the bucket, but it still feels pretty full.

Here are some of the pieces of fabric I made.

orange blocks before trimming

orange blocks after trimming

center blocks before trimming

center blocks after trimming

Here are some of the ladies that attended the class.

Here is Kevin, teaching.

Kevin, teaching

Here is my finished block. 

Kevin and me with my finished block

We even got a group photo.

All of us holding our blocks

What a fun class!  Tomorrow is another class, with my little quilt guild, Wego Quiltin'.  We'll be learning String Stars from Kevin.  Guess where that bucket of scraps will be tomorrow. 

A Finish and a Ton of Scraps!

I've not had much time for sewing this month.  I've been going thru stuff, trying to figure out what to keep and what to get rid of.  I came across a project that I found on the freebie table at my large quilt guild earlier this year.  It is a purse.  Whoever  gave it up, had already cut out all the pieces except the pockets of the purse, and even had the fusible interfacing in the kit.  All I had to supply was the fusible fleece.  Easy for me, and as a bonus, I used scraps of fusible fleece.

Since I'd finally cleaned off the area where a 2nd sewing machine would fit in my sewing desk, I set up Betty Sue, my purple Featherweight, and started stitching.  This was the first time I've made pleats since Home Ec. in 9th grade.  The pattern made it super easy.

Betty Sue, the purple Featherweight

The pattern is the Carrie Bag. It went together easily.  I may make this one again.  I did add a snap to the top of the bag, that wasn't in the pattern.  Here is the finished bag. 

Carrie Bag

My mother needs a tote bag to carry her stuff when she works (volunteer's) in the ICU waiting room.  This will work great for her. 

Years ago I was given 2 large boxes of scraps.  The were put in the basement and forgotten.  I brought them upstairs and sorted them out.  These boxes were PACKED (compressed).  I've spent time each evening, while we watched TV, and finally finished sorting them last night.

just some of the scraps, sorted into colors

I put each color into gallon ziplocks (some colors have 2 bags of scraps).  The ziplocks full of scraps are now in a large plastic bin.

large plastic bin full of sorted scraps

These will be great for Kevin's classes on Friday and Saturday, at both my quilt guilds.  Yes, I'll be sharing, since there is no way I can use all of these scraps. 

Going thru some of the fabrics in the basement, I pulled out 3 large trash bags of kids prints in flannels and cottons for my little quilt guild.  The ladies are planning on making lots of baby and kids quilts for different groups.  Marilyn picked up the bags, and I can't wait to see what everyone makes with all the fabrics.  I've been collecting these for years, since this guild used to make preemie quilts for a local hospital.  I'm glad they will be used now (and out of my house). 

I have lots more to do. 

1st Finish of May

I finished another Vintage Miniature Sewing Machine block yesterday.  This is the 4th block in the series of 12.

block #4

I've already started the next block.  Some people have asked me if I'm doing these blocks on a machine (machine embroidery).  No, I don't own an embroidery machine.  These are all by hand.  Here is the block I started yesterday, showing my needle and embroidery hoop.

block #5

I've stitched a lot on this block, since I took the photo.

Colette, over at What about Rheema showed her cup holder attached to her ironing board, holding her spray bottle.  Well, I've had a cup holder similar to hers for several years now, just attached to a bookshelf.  I decided to attach mine to the end of my ironing board, like she did.

screw on cup holder, holding my spray bottle

Do you see my misting spray bottle in the cup holder?  I love it!  I got it over at IHAN (I Have a Notion) from Beth.  Beth also has a blog.  Beth will be coming to my large quilt guild (Pride of the Prairie) in August, and will be teaching a thread painting class. 

Kevin the Quilter will be at BOTH of my quilt guilds in May (2 weeks from now).  Info here.   I can't wait!  There are still a few spaces available in both of Kevin's classes.