Blogging Frustration!

Is it my computer, my internet server or blogger?

It can take what seems like ages to open a post from the blogs I follow and another eternity to try and leave a message.  Since I do not have much patience, I have not kept up with reading and commenting.  I have tried, believe me! So please forgive me for not leaving a comment.  I know their importance and will keep trying. 

In the meantime, I have been busy.

Finished piecing Paris in the Fall by This and That, a BOM available at TOWQS.

A small group of gals all worked together to each make one and we had a little party Thursday to celebrate its completion, but that is a story best kept to myself. LOL! 

Who knew almond flavored champagne was so tasty!

I did manage to complete 1 more CW block, but I am still 2 behind. 

I am anxious to make a red and white quilt!  I have loved seeing all the pictures and reading the articles about the show in NYC.  Wish I could have seen it in person!

Wordless Wednesday...a day late!

A Giveaway with a Cause!

The call has gone out to the quilting community to lend a hand to the devastated peoples of Japan. My friend, Merumo, at Pleasentree, has organized her own fundraising project to help her home country.

She is holding a raffle for 4 fabulous quilts donated by 4 talented and generous quilters.

By donating to the American Red Cross, you can buy your tickets to enter the drawing.  But the drawing will be held on March 26th, so hurry over to Merumo's blog for details on how to enter.

Remember Calico Comfort?

I have decided it will be my donation to the Quilters Newsletter campaign.

Visit their blog post for more information, but here is how you can be part of this important worldwide response:

• Send quilts of any size from baby to adult to:

Dana Jones

Quilters Newsletter

741 Corporate Circle, Suite A

Golden, CO 80401

• Mark your box: “Quilts for Japan.”

• Send quilts as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2011.

• Enclose your name, address, phone number, and email address with the quilts.

Hope you'll join me!

Doll Quilt Exchange

I received my doll quilt from Lisa of Stray Threads yesterday.

I simply adore it!

She even took the time to hand quilt it.

I don't have a doll bed, so the only doll I have from my childhood (she is a Hawaiian doll given to me by my grandmother--her grass skirt has disintegrated over the years) proudly took possession of the quilt.  Since she is lacking in apparel, the quilt will keep her warm and I will be shopping for a doll bed for the two of them while antique shopping this summer.

Thank you, thank you Lisa for this lovely doll quilt and thank you again to Christine for organizing the exchange.

This is a lopsided picture of the quilt I sent Lisa.

It was my attempt to reproduce a doll quilt in the Mary Ghormley collection from a picture I had seen.

Now back to the sewing machine.  It is National Quilters Day and I am 2 blocks behind in my Barbara Brackman Civil War BOTW.

I'm a guest blogger over at Sew We Quilt @ Stash Manicure

Yes, even though I had to endure bonehead English in college, I am a guest blogger over at Sew We Quilt @ Stash Manicure!

Probably the scariest thing I have done in recent years, besides get my scuba certification.

Big hugs to M. Samm for even considering me for this honor!

And a bigger hug to my editor-in-chief, Rosie, for giving me my lead in lines.

My focus is charitable donations and the tutorial I provided is geared towards FAST, FUN, and NO FUSS quilt piecing.  I know, so out of the box for me, the precision piecer, but I did have a blast putting the quilt together.  I had so much fun that I have started another one that is red, white and blue and will go to the Quilts of Valor organization. I would encourage you to collect those orphan fabrics and make a quilt designated for a charitable organization of your choice.  There are so many of them out there that would love your contribution, no matter how humble.

In other news, I finished a doll quilt from Kathleen Tracy's new book, The Civil War Sewing Circle.  It is her Shoofly Doll Quilt.

I also bound my Calico Comfort quilt and can take it off my UFO/WIP priority list.

Now on to the next project~

perhaps my album quilt, now that I have all the 'out of town' signatures collected.



Flickr Group for 1880 Sampler Blocks

I created a Flickr group for sharing everyone's 1880 Sampler block pics.

If you want to join, go here.

Marge from IA recently joined in the fun and sent me a collage of her blocks.

From now on, you can share your progress by uploading your blocks to the Flickr group. 

I will probably still do a monthly update with collages of everyone's blocks.

If you would prefer, you can still send pics to me and I will upload them on the site.

Now I have to get back to drafting them, because you are slowly catching up to me!

I'm seeing blue!

Last night was the opening night of the Arizona Quilters Guild Quilt Show for 2011, Along the Desert Highway.  It is always an inspiring show full of beautiful quilts.

The state is full of artists who express themselves through the use of fabric and fiber, as exemplified by the Best of Show quilt by Karen Fisher from Tucson.

There are still a few traditional quilters in the state and I am one of them.
I was thrilled to capture a blue ribbon for my quilt, Autumn's Bounty.

I hate to be photographed, so I am clinching my teeth as I post this picture, but I am very proud of the award.
For those of you who follow me regularly, you will remember this quilt from last spring.  My dear friend, Lin, brought a quilt to my attention at that time and the wheels started churning.  The quilt was Fall Harvest by Ann Seely and was published on the cover of QNM back in October 2000.  I wrote to Ann asking her permission to reproduce her quilt in small scale and she graciously consented.  That is why Lin's name is on the label of my winning quilt as part of my inspiration.
Many have asked about the pattern.  I will be publishing it in April and it will be available only at The Olde World Quilt Shoppe where I teach, but I have to get a copy to Ann first.  That was her only stipulation.

Just in case you are wondering, Serendipity Found, my large applique quilt from Kim Diehl's pattern Serendipity Sampler, won a 3rd place ribbon as well. Baltimore album quilts made a big comeback this year at the show and took some of the top honors. 

I hope this post makes it to you all as Blogger is getting quite obstinate.  I have been experiecing lots of difficulty uploading photos, reading other's post and leaving comments.
Frustrating for a true blogaholic!

Just One Star and other things

Moda and their designers, Minnick and Simpson, have joined forces to piece 100 quilts in 100 days for the Quilts of Valor project, Just One Star.

I've made my block and you can also participate!

Go here to find the block instructions and where to send your block.

Lincoln's Platform may be my favorite block so far for the Civil War Quilts BOW.

I got the idea to use a stripe when I saw another participant's block.

Great way to spruce up a simple Churn Dash.

Sashing and setting triangle cutting dimensions can now be found over at my 1880 Barbara Bucher Sampler quilt blog.  Would you like to see a Flickr page for posting everyone's blocks?

1880 Barbara Bucher Snyder Sampler Quilt Update

Charlene from New Hampshire sent me a beautiful collage of her 1880 sampler blocks.

She is doing a great job and the fabrics she has chosen are so true to the original quilt.

Life happened over the last few days, so the setting and sashing instructions are coming sometime this week. 

The AAQI auction is going on the first half of this month.

Go here to bid on the wonderful quilts.

You will also find a free pattern for one of the quilts that is being auctioned.

The pattern will only be available until the 7th, so hurry over.

Lucky Charm

Here is my Shamrock.

More like a four leaf clover and a little anemic.

Could have been more dramatic in a poison green, but I didn't have enough variety in that color way.

Here is the layout:

To set it on point, I cut two 5"x 8" rectangles and with the right sides facing up, cut them in half at a 30 degree angle.

Applied these units to all four sides of the 7" twister and then...

squared it up to 8.5" x 8.5".  Made a 1/4" bias stem and appliqued it on.

Enjoy!

Jeanne over at Crystal Creek Quilts is designing one too.

Keep your eye on her blog for when she posts hers.

Had a heck of a time trying to upload pics today.

Madame Samm recommended adding them in HTML, and viola, it worked!

Thanks for the suggestion.