Weekend report

If you like quilting books, you won't want to miss my giveaway. You have till April 9th to sign up.



Friday night Shaggy didn't come to quilt with Margie and Sue. She came with her boyfriend to visit though. I love it, but we don't get any sewing done then. I enjoy it when she comes to sew too, and not just cause she brings this candy bag she made for when she comes.

I also quilted a comfort quilt for Quilt club. They go so quickly on the longarm. Maybe too fast. And I worked on some pillowcases for the pillowcase challenge. I don't really know what it is about except I guess it has something to do with a magazine and the fabric companies and either the sick or the poor. They are collecting them at Oconomowoc Ben Franklin.

I am using a new coffee cup this morning and realized I never shared with all of you the wonderful door prizes I won at the retreat a week ago. Do you believe this is my first sewing basket? I sewed lots of doll clothes and my own clothes since junior high, but I don't remember ever having or using a sewing basket. So I am thrilled to have won it. It had a few notions included. In a second drawing I won the coffee cup. Pretty good haul I'd say.

Today I am going to tackle my taxes. With any luck I will be sewing again tonight.

2 x 2 Giveaway

I just had to get in on the fun and host a giveaway! My first year anniversary blogging is coming up and I wanted to celebrate and thank you all for blogging along with me. I am calling this the
2 x 2 Giveaway because I am giving away a copy of my two latest books (2 winners), you will have 2 chances to enter and I'll keep it open for 2 weeks. Here are the rules.

1. Post a comment to this blog telling me which you would rather win, either Twin Peaks or Save the Scraps. Be sure to check out the above links to my website and to preview all the projects click the link to Amazon.com. You can only win one of the two books, so there will be two winners.

2. For a second chance, post a notice and link on your blog, then comment again here. I am anxious to see your blogs and see some of your quilts.

3. For those of you that don't blog, just send me an e-mail. I will include your name in the drawing.

4. Drawing will be the old fashioned way. I will announce the lucky winners on Saturday, April 10.

Now, back to quilting. Sew long,

Spring Retreat Report

Good day everyone in blogland.

I am happy to report I recovered quickly from last weekend's retreat. That doesn't mean it was less wonderful. I just took better care of myself. I got a walk in every day and didn't overdo it. Also, a massage therapist was there this year. I was long over due for a massage so signed up for half an hour. So many of the other ladies did too, that she came back the next day. Instead I got a 5 minute mini chair massage on Friday night and half hour on the table on Saturday night. Amazing how much that 5 minutes helped.


I had hoped and expected to get more done. But it isn't a big deal cause I didn't have any deadlines. I first had planned to finish this applique. But I only brought the one bobbin in the machine and it had the wrong color.


So I worked on this star first. I didn't finish it because I wasn't sure I was going to like how the light golden inner borders looked. We didn't have a flannel wall at our disposal so rather than be unhappy and want to rip it, I brought it home to study. Still undecided that it is dark enough. I am thinking of tea dyeing the border first. Yes I realize the fabrics for the 60" star are rather plain, but won't the quilting show up nicely?


Then I started making red strip-pieced triangles for a mystery quilt like Sharyn Craig's Strip Tease or Margaret Miller's Strip's That Sizzle. I often call a quilt I've started a "mystery" because I don't have definite plans for it yet and it is a mystery to me what I am going to do with the blocks I have started.
After that I worked on some nine-patches for another mystery. Not sure if I will set them with half-square or quarter-square triangles and won't even think about it till I have made many more - someday.

Well, I am sure that all the inspiration from this retreat will last me a while. I should have thought ahead and gotten my taxes done before hand. Now I have to stop and take care of those, and just when I was on a roll. Thank goodness they have gotten easier with the computer.

Stay tuned for a report on progress on these 3 new projects. Sew long,

Tis a season

I hope everyone had a great St. Patrick's Day. It was glorious here. I am all fired up and ready for the retreat this weekend. I managed to come up with a few more projects to work on. I realized I won't finish Gayle's Flower Garden. I thought I was further along than I am. But I will take it and 5 others. That way I can work on whatever I am in the mood for.


Yesterday I met at church with the ladies. Lots of comfort quilts were turned in. The scrap Contrary Wife Quilt was made years ago by a deceased member of our group. The family included it with a contribution to us of some of her fabric.

It's show season around here. I hope to see a few this spring. I don't usually enter shows anymore, but it is fun to go and see old friends and support the quilters. Spring and fall are the same around here. Shows, retreats and beautiful weather. I couldn't pick a favorite. Have a good one and sew long.

Preparing for Retreat

Last week I realized I was going on retreat next week and thought I better get ready. It has been difficult because I can't decide what to work on. I always like to take lots especially for this retreat cause it is 4days and I sew fast. I want to keep in mind that last Nov. retreat wiped me out pretty bad so I better plan some down time. This retreat is in the Kettle Moraine State Forest -Northern Unit so there are hiking trails nearby. If I use them will depend on the weather. Last year we woke up to snow.

So far this is what I have planned to do.
1. Blind stitch applique the swag on the red and green applique quilt.

2. a big one block quilt like this one. Different design, different colors and a pieced border.
I love these for using up old fabric fast. I have already made two and plan on doing more.

3. some pillow cases for whichever magazine that challenged all of us to produce a million pillowcases this year for the needy.

4. Maybe I will finish up the Gayle's Flower Garden hexagon quilt top. I don't want it much bigger and hope eventually to make one with black and dark colors instead. This is how far I am now.
5. I have to plan more, so will rummage through my scraps or books till I am inspired. Maybe I will take along another PHD.

I love the energy generated by these retreats. Even getting ready has me all fired up.
What motivates you?