Color EXPLODED in Long Beach Yesterday!

So ... I spent the day yesterday at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach. With friends. Some, medium new. Some, brand new. All ... gooooood ... new. The quilts? Spectacular, colorful, and almost mind boggling when one considers the time put into each one.

The food? Meh.

The Stuff to Buy? Salivatingly good.

Of course I came away with some dots ... and some heavenly varigated aqua King Tut thread ... appropriately called Angel Teal.

And some very sore feet.

Thank you Long Beach for the spectacular fireworks. And thank you ... my new friends.

World Oceans Day

So ... I'm not gonna lie. I had pretty much decided to give the ol' girl the boot. Meaning, The Blog. Meaning, why the heck am I posting yet again?

Because tomorrow is World Oceans Day and I felt a strong obligation to give the day a salute ... in fabric.

Thank you Ocean. I am so, so fond of your breezes.

And your never-ending inspiration.

Go here to get a coupon for a free Rubios reusable tote bag. Tomorrow. On World Oceans Day.

What's Up Doc?

So ... I have noticed an odd phenonemon every time I sit down to machine quilt on this crabby little number.

I'm feeling like I might be allergic to the batting. "Why now?" you obviously ask. Do. Not. Know.

I had noticed over the last year or so that whenever I am putting the three layers of the quilt together and struggling with the rather large roll of batting (I tend to buy it 15 yards at a time) that I get sniffly and sneezy, but that usually ends once the quilt has been sandwiched together.

Ummm, not so this time around. I'm not going to be detered, but it is slowing me up a bit.

They say that the Quilt Police don't really exist. I'm okay with that, but I would really like it if the Quilt Doctor was real and could solve my ailment.

For free.

She's still shelling 'em ...

So ... this is my first personal quilting project in my new space. Appropriately tied to The Sea, considering my new, closer proximity.

For a project that has spanned almost 2 years worth of time, I have not tired of it. In fact ... quite the opposite.

By the end of today it should be sporting a binding.

I like pink.

Of Fabric and Forgiveness ...

So ... I am not saying that I am actually forgiving Blogger ... let's just say it's on probation. However, it did cooperate with me this morning on a (private) family blog post so I am willing to give it another chance. The picture above is one that got eaten a week or so ago, of my dining room curtains. I really looooove that fabric ... so ...

I used some scraps to cover a pillow in my family room.

All right ... so I am not completely thrifty and self sufficient. This pillow (cover ... I only paid for the cover) is from Pottery Barn. But it was on sale people, let's not forget that.

In other sewing news, I am actually doing some quilting (for myself) for the first time since I moved. I cannot explain why it is that it took me so long. It seriously made me a little teary to sit down at my machine with a quilt top that I started in 2009. I am loving how it has come together and (if Mr. Blogger continues to cooperate) I'll post some pictures soon.

~ Coral Singing ~

So ... furthering my goal to keep my sewing room neat and tidy ... I have resorted to hand work.

Specifically, hand applique on these colorful blocks ... the final design/destination of which is still a big mystery to me.

I just like 'em.

And you?

No Fat Pigs were involved in the production ...

So ... you're thinking about going to Market, are ya? (I'm talking Quilt Market in Houston at the end of October, but Safeway in August works just fine too.)

If you want to be the belle of the ball and make an ecological statement* at the same time ... you might just want to pick up one of these babies for all your shopping needs. You can find them here. I mentioned my status as president of the Riley Noehren fan club here. My partiality has nothing to do with my love of her products.

I also bought this print of a masted ship in the San Francisco Harbor. My partiality toward ship prints (see here) has everything to do with that purchase.

Check 'em out before Market. You'll be doing a jiggety Jig.

* if Vespas aren't green enough for you, they also come with horses on them. Doesn't get much greener than that.

Whale Watch

So ... I finished my whale quilt. I actually finished it a couple of months ago. It took me almost a year. It's been a long year.

My whale quilt makes me happy.

How about you?

He's still a Winner

So ... you may or may not have expected this, but PDaddy won an award last week, honored once again for the great amount of pro bono legal work he did throughout his career. I am pretty certain that he is still working for others ... for free.

Also in the "you may or may not have expected this" is the fact that I finished the second little quilt in record time.

Fun, fun, fun from start to finish.

To Dye For

So ... I have been sewing on my second sample from this book, to be taught at BC Quilter's Club. I'm not teaching it until July, but I like to take it a month early so people can start picking fabrics. Lori Smith used batiks in hers, so I did too. What a delightful process this has been. Batiks are not really my thing. (Although every single one of these came from my stash ... hmmmmm.) I have sewn on them before, but not in such an intricate project (what you're looking at here is only about 16" x 13".) They sew together like butta, I'm telling you, butta. I can really see why people convert to them in 100% fashion.

Speaking of fun things to sew, I saw this in the paper this morning. And I'm thinking ... you know ... Father's Day is just around the corner. I am always trying to help you people out. It's exhausting sometimes.

So ... weigh in on the batiks issue. Thumbs up or down?

And while your at it, any fabric ideas for the pants?

Good Things - Small Packages

So ... I am (somewhat) caught up on all of my projects that I need to do for my teaching duties at this store. This little beauty pictured above is the Club sample that I'll be teaching this Wednesday. It comes from the book, Fat Quarter Quilting by Lori Smith. All of our club projects for the next while will come from that book.

Just so you know ... this puppy is just a wee thing, measuring only about 16" x 22". But if you are thinking I whipped her up in a couple of hours, you would be sorely mistaken. That there's a lot of piecing and a lot of applique.

And a LOT of fun ... who are we kidding?

Good Morning New York!

So ... along with being a shout-out to Sonny Boy and the Mrs. who have a *New York Sunrise* in their life every single day, I just wanted to show you that procrastination didn't exactly pay, but it did eventually pay off. Remember how I put myself under the gun and full of stress when I made a last minute decision to make this New York Beauty quilt to teach? Well, I finished it in time and I must say I'm tickled pink about it.

The pattern is my own but was inspired (as was the quilting) by several quilts I saw in Radiant New York Beauties by Valorie Wells. I'll be teaching *New York Sunrise* in August at Bernina Connection. It's on a Saturday, so I know you all can be there.

You heard me. Be there.

A Pile of Pink Procrastination

So ... I have finally sewn something to blog about (I have actually been sewing my brains out, but I'm not ready to blog about that stuff quite yet) but it comes with a cautionary tale attached. Yesterday morning, while on the treadmill, I started thinking about what I would present that evening at the Teacher's Meeting at Bernina Connection. Most of the classes I teach are "Basics" and I repeat them each time ... hence no need to do anything but paperwork before the aforementioned meeting. However, it's nice to have something new and normally I would have been planning it for at least a couple of months ... or at worst a couple of weeks.

While thinking about it yesterday morning, I realized I had approximately 6.78 hours to plan, prepare and 'patch', that is if I chose not to eat, shower or use the facilities during that block of time. Despite those unpleasant odds, I still decided to go ahead and "whip up" as much as I could, knowing I do have a couple more weeks to actually turn the sample in.

It took me a couple of hours to pick and draft the pattern that I wanted and another couple to make this one measly block. I have a vague idea what it is I will do when other blocks of a similar nature are added to it, a point I was able to bluff my way around while showing off my pseudo-sample at the meeting.

I will say that my pinks and greens drew some oohs and aahs. I was also chided by a few close friends who held completed samples. I vowed (in my head ... not in public) to finish this one with flare and then go on to learn my lesson.

But you've got to admit that the pinks and greens and ... dots ... do make up for a multitude of personal shortcomings.

Right??

Happy Bird Day

So ... I have my hot little hands on this fabulous new book that I have known about for quite sometime but have just been waiting to buy. Of course I will get my copy signed by the author herself and then make it a part of my investment portfolio.

That author would be none other than my friend Renee at Liberty Star, who is also my part-time boss. (My full-time bosses are the grandkids.) As you know ... I do love me some birds and these ones are no exception.

This particular page was one of my favorites because ... well ... the birds are blue. Hurry on over here to get your own copy.

Just in case I need to keep mine in a safe deposit box.

The Blues

So ... don't get me wrong ... in my world the blues are just what I'm looking for. I love, love, love this combo of blue and white and the fact that some starfish are thrown in doesn't hurt one bit.

I put together this little number (just 14" square) for the January meeting of Patchwork Pilot Club. It hails from a free pattern from Bunny Hill and yes, I have made it before. It's a fabulous exercise in precision piecing and it is in the realm of possibility to finish the top in one 3 hour class.

But for me it's all about the color.

So tell me ... what are your favorite color combinations??