2014 Farmpark Quilt Show - First Quilt Show of the Year!

Oh, my, the winter blahs almost got to me this week.  When is winter going to let go?   Then lo and behold, Kathy called to invite me to a quilt show at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland, Ohio.  Yea!  You know I said yes!  The day started frigid, below 0, but quickly turned sunny.  Kathy, her daughter Valerie, Lynn, and I had a great time.  It was a perfect quilter's day - beautiful quilts, food and shopping!

In case you are interested, the show is open till March 28th, but this weekend is the vendor's weekend.

Kathy and her daughter Valerie.  

Lynn, Valerie, and Kathy.  This colourful quilt is Lynn's entry.  It is a bright and lively quilt.  Gorgeous!

Valerie made a new friend.

Here are more quilts.  Enjoy the show!

A feature artist at the show . . . 

Contemplation IV

Abby on the Beach

This one is for you, Adam!

Space Invaders!

"My Enchanted Garden" made by Janice Stevens 

Janice Stevens - what a pleasure to meet one of the talented quilters and see her creative quilt.  I like the English paper piecing.

"Out of the Box"  Read the story below.  It's amazing!

Cat Quilt 

Mantua Connection - this was one of my favourites!

Stop back tomorrow to see more lovely quilts from the show! 

Winter Retreat at the Cabin

We had a fantastic winter retreat at Mrs. Miller's Cabin in Charm, Ohio this past weekend.  The weather was perfect and the sewing machines were buzzing.  We ate wonderful meals, shopped at Mrs. Miller's Dry Goods, caught up on family news and enjoyed the best weekend you can imagine.  

It took a weekend at The Cabin to finally finish Easy Street borders.  I needed a big floor space to lay it out and measure.  It's my largest quilt ever, as you can tell by the picture.  The quilt holders were standing on chairs and I have to thank them for risking life and limb to get this shot.  We found the perfect backing at the quilt shop and Miss Carol is going to quilt it for me.  I know it is in good hands!

Sometimes pictures tell the story better than words can convey. 

Miss Carol and her lovely daughter Amanda.  

Mama Barb getting ready to enjoy her chilli.  Amanda made us a chilli bar and gluten free corn bread for supper.  It was so yummy!

I was sitting in a rocking chair upstairs in Mrs. Millers Dry Goods Store when I shot this picture.  

An Amish horse and buggy waits outside the store.

Show and tell quilt - quilted by Miss Carol

Tea Pot Quilt from Mama Barb

Hand quilted Tea Pot design

Leave now cold winter!
Brighten up, oh skies of spring!
Carry snow away!

Amanda working on her quilt

Debbie's Quilt for her Granddaughter

The quilting on the back added a new dimension to the quilt

We had visitors at the cabin!  Mama Barbs granddaughter, Allyssa, and her daughter-in-law, Dana

Dana brought a show and tell!  Her very first quilt!!  It turned out beautiful and I love the colors!

If you missed the first post about our November retreat at Mrs. Miller's Cabin, CLICK HERE!

As we all know, what happens at The Cabin Stays at The Cabin! 

Keep calm and quilt on!

The Invention of Wings - A Wonderful Book!

Look at those blue skies . . . and piles of snow!  Temperatures are in the 50's.  If it wasn't for all the snow, I'd think it was spring.  Not here yet, though.  Still snuggled up reading under a quilt.

I just finished the remarkable new book by Sue Monk Kidd, The Invention of Wings.

If you are a fan of The Secret Life of Bees, you will love her new novel set in Charleston, South Carolina in the early 1800's before the Civil War.  Quilters will be pleased to know that there is a quilt theme, but I won't give away much more about this novel.  I seldom read a book jackets or reviews before reading a book because I want to be surprised.  This one did just that.  So read it and be surprised for yourself.

Okay, I will mention one thing.  The book is written using two points of view; one is the view point of a slave girl, and the other a wealthy slave-owners daughter.  It's awesome!

I could further identify with the setting since I had just visited Charleston, SC last September and walked by some of the stately homes close to the waterfront.  I could picture them and smell the sea air as I read The Invention of Wings.

This book offers a greater appreciation of history in the South during slavery before the Civil War.  Make sure you read the author's note after you finish the the book.  Sue Monk Kidd tells which factions of the book are based on research and which parts are her invention.  In her author's note, Kidd writes how she was inspired  by this quote from Professor Julius Lester:

"History is not just facts and events.  History is also a pain in the heart and we repeat history until we are able to make another's pain in the heart our own." 

Earlene's Table Runner

My daughter Earlene's disappearing nine patch table runner.

She has been practicing.  Nice job!

Not so "Easy Street"

Attaching the last corner!  Yea!

Bonnie Hunter writes a fabulous blog, Quiltville, and each year on Black Friday presents a mystery quilt on her blog.  While everyone else is shopping, Quiltville fans are starting their mystery quilts. I am so grateful to Bonnie for sharing her talents with the rest of the quilting world.

 In 2012, I started my first mystery quilt, Easy Street.  As you see, by the date, it took me over a year to finish the top.  However, as Bonnie always says, it's not a race.  I learned so much about quilting and piecing from this project and have now started her Celtic Solstice.  Hopefully, I'll finish that one before next Thanksgiving.

On January 27, this year, my blocks were all completed except for a few half blocks.  Click here for that post.

January 27

Yesterday, I finished joining the blocks and putting the rows together.  There were lots of seams to match and after all that pinning and concentration, I have taken a break from quilting for the last two days.  I am very pleased with the look and size of this "Not So Easy Street."  It's the biggest quilt I have ever completed.

It really brightens up my room.  When the borders are added, it will be almost queen size.

I was very careful with this pattern and cannot see a mistake in the picture.  I did find some mistakes before I sewed the blocks together, but fixed them.  If you see any, don't tell me!

Link to Quote

I am so happy that I made the decision to try this quilt, and equally happy that the top is finished - except for the borders, backing, binding and quilting . . .  I'm not going to think about that tonight; I'll just enjoy the accomplishment.

Baby Shower Quilts

Gathering of Women

 Mothers and grandmothers and aunts and friends,

Sisters and nieces and love to no end -

Come shower this new mommy with wisdom lifelong,

And show her she’s capable, caring, and strong.

I love baby showers!  For one thing, It gives me a good excuse to make a quilt and go to a party with lots of tasty food.  I was not disappointed.  The expectant mom, Robin, and her husband did not want to know the gender of their baby, so planning a quilt was somewhat difficult.  That did not stop the dedicated quilters.  Robin and her baby, boy or girl, received four gorgeous quilts!

Robin is a huge Mickey Mouse fan, so you can't go wrong with Mickey!  Below is an adorable Mickey quilt made by my daughter-in-law, Lori, and her mom, Cheryl.  It was perfect!  Along with the quilt, they made Mickey pillows and a soft cloth Mickey baby book.  Since Robin is also a quilter, they included the extra Mickey fabric with their present.  So thoughtful and so cute!

Do you like the rick-rack, Miss Carol?

Robin's mom Mary is also a quilter.  She wasn't taking any chances, so she made two quilts, one for a boy and one for a girl.  I so admire them because they are hand embroidered and "hand quilted."

For Robin and Baby, I decided to make the Nursery Rhyme quilt that was one of the ten quilts on my goals list for this year.  

Mitered Corners

The Nursery Rhyme quilt "required" mitered corners.  I have never done them before, so I tried to ignore the directions and just do the borders like I always did.  However, that would NOT work at all because of the pattern on the border.  I cut the material wrong and ended up sewing the borders back together and fudging the mitered corners.  The only way I finally got the border lines to match was to baste the corners together before I sewed them on the machine.  That worked.  Still, I hope Robin does not look too closely at these corners.  See what I mean? . . . 

 Ah, well!  This is how we learn; trial and error.  Just drape it over a chair and you will never even notice the corners.