The Lovebirds

Happy Friday friends and followers - I am finally back to share my Bitty Blocks finish with you! I have been busy sewing/quilting several large (VERY time-consuming) projects that have a rapidly approaching deadline, but I made time this afternoon to bind my mini "The Lovebirds" quilt. Amazing how frustration can turn to happiness, just by switching projects...my mood has gone from "tearing my hair out" to "ready to take on the world" in one hour of time...

I started out making piles of Bitty Blocks using fabrics from my scrap bin (on the first Monday of each month during 2015, Quiltmaker Magazine will post a Bitty Block on their blog Quilty Pleasures...the blocks will be approximately 3″ or 4″ square). The Bitty Block for January is a 3" Bow Tie block....here is a sampling of my blocks....

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the monthly blocks can be sewn together to create a sampler quilt...but I thought I would do something different. I have a cute little 12" quilt stand that was in desperate need of a new miniature quilt...so I thought, why not use the Bitty Blocks to make a set of small monthly quilts. This month, I decided to use my 3" Bow Tie Blocks to make a mini Valentine quilt. I settled on an appliquéd center block featuring birds, hearts, and a flower - all cut with my AccuQuilt Fabric Cutters. I used an assortment of GO! dies and one Studio die (GO Square-6 1/2" (6" Finished), GO! Queen of Hearts, GO! Simple Shapes by Edyta Sitar, and Studio Flowers #3 (Mini). I also used the GO! Strip Cutter-1" (1/2" Finished) to cut a strip, folded it in half and pressed to make a flat flange border.

Next, I added my 3" Bow Tie Blocks as a border...I played with the layout and my different fabric combinations to find the grouping I liked best...

Next I added a small sleeve on the back and binding, so it would be ready for hanging...

So, here it is...my finished "The Lovebirds" miniature quilt...it was just what I needed to bring a smile to my face! As you can see from the photo above, it fits perfectly in my little stand...and it definitely brightens up my living room...

Now, I am waiting to see what the February Bitty Block will be...I am thinking I will *have to* make a mini St. Patrick's Day quilt next! I'm sure I have plenty of green fabric scraps...

AQS QuiltWeek in Des Moines

I actually took the day off yesterday to visit the 2013 AQS QuiltWeek being held at the Iowa Events Center (October 2-5). My dear friend Kimber and her husband Tom were kind enough to invite me along again this year to view the show with them...and it truly was a splendid day! We headed downtown bright and early, so we could see everything in one day - we actually arrived before the doors opened. We started by walking the vendor area, then we perused the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild 30th Annual Quilt Show...and finally we walked the AQS Quilt Contest Exhibit. It was sensory overload as we visited an array of fabulous vendors, then took in all the incredible quilts on display...I was so inspired by the creativity and talent, that I completely lost track of time and the day evaporated without a second thought. If you are in the Des Moines area or plan to be this week, this show is a MUST SEE. After we finished our visit to the quilt show, we headed to the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall to see the antique and vintage quilts, sewing notions, and sewing memorabilia vendors prominently placed about their booths...and yes, we did find a couple goodies. After our day of shopping, viewing, and walking, we had all built up quite an appetite...so we headed to The Drake Diner to refuel - a local favorite/landmark for a delicious late lunch. It was the perfect day off....and has quickly become a favorite annual event!

The show included an incredible merchandise mall with more than 280 Merchant Mall booths! Yes, there was shopping GALORE - aisles upon aisles of ways to spend your hard-earned money...in fact, the shopping mall was so large, it took us most of the morning to walk down each of the aisles. I must admit, I did very well at controlling my "urge" to spend and kept my purchases to a minimum...in fact, I only purchased a couple patterns (although I was tempted by MANY). I thought I would share a few of my favorite booths with you..and yes, these photos were all taken with the permission of the kind and creative vendors....

First up, Yellow Creek Quilt Designs...I love this vendor and their gorgeous designs! I seriously could live in this booth - each and every one of their quilt designs is incredible and every single one is on my "must make" list. They have a brand new book called "Kindred Spirits: Celebrating Pieces of the Past", and many of the projects were on display (BREATHTAKING!) - this book is another "must have" for me. One of the things I admire about their designs - you can use traditional fabrics (their style) or switch it up and use modern fabrics to give each piece an updated look...making them perfect for just about any quilter! They also had the most incredible hexagon quilts on display...using teeny tiny hexagons...the ones in the photo have hexagons that are 1/4" and 3/8"...but we were shown even smaller paper pieces (yes, they were itty bitty!)...I was awestruck by these models and their intricacy (I feel very blessed they allowed me to take a couple photos to share with you). Yellow Creek Designs has a quilt shop in Pearl City, IL...or visit their website for their online shop...you won't be disappointed...

Another very favorite vendor - From my heart to your hands: Quilt Designs by Lori Smith. I have adored Lori's designs for years - so much so, that there are a bunch (and I mean a bunch!) in my personal stash (and I hate to admit it, but I have purchased some of her designs twice, because they speak to me and I forget what all I have in my collection). Walking up to Lori's vendor booth, my eyes were immediately drawn to "Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler Quilt" (pattern shown right and model shown in the top photo below)...it is incredible...and was one of the two purchases I made in the vendor mall...I can't begin to tell you how much I love this quilt...it is so very "me". I can hear each and every one of her models calling my name and I could spend hours in this particular booth admiring each design...love, love, love! Visit the From my heart to your hands: Quilt Designs by Lori Smith website to see all these beauties and Lori's online shop...it is FULL of eye candy!

Finally, the Millie P's Quilt Shop booth...the fabulous models from this vendor stood out to me from the very start! It looks like I have a new shop to visit when I am in Minnesota in a couple weeks (even if I have to drag my husband kicking and screaming!). Millie P's Quilt Shop is located in Anoka, MN and is a "must visit" for me. I jut love their color and fabric choices...and their models make you want to purchase every pattern they have for sale. I also adored the white fixture holding fat quarters...it was such an inviting display. Everything was cheerful and beautiful and made me happy...

Up next...my view of the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild 30th Annual Quilt Show (through my camera lens, of course)...I truly took hundreds of photos - but here are some that stood out to me. This year's annual show was titled "Our Quilting Legacy" and included over 400 quilts made by guild members. The show also included a silent auction with over 100 small quilts...here is a slideshow...visit my Flickr page for sharper images and details of each photo (including entry information and quilter's names)...

Created with flickr slideshow.
Now for the 2013 AQS QuiltWeek Contest Quilts...and these were spectacular - there were over 170 AQS contest quilts vying for $44,000 in cash awards! One of my favorites was "On Your Mark" created by Barbara Barrick McKie in Lyme, CT...it was in the fabric art category...and it was a SQUIRREL quilt...and it looked completely realistic and 3D - the squirrel was jumping off the quilt - and although it was not a ribbon winner, I thought it was incredible! Take a look at the slideshow below to see all the quilts (including the squirrel)...and again, visit my Flickr page for sharper images and details of each photo (including entry information and quilter's names)...

Created with flickr slideshow.
I know I have given you plenty of inspiring images today...and I still have some more to share in the next several days...check back in a day or two if you would like to see more images from my day off!

Sewing and Sunflowers

Sewing/quilting time in my studio has been almost completely absent in the last month...and I have been itching to fire up my machine! The great news is, I am feeling much better...the problem is, the puppy has taken over most, if not all, of my sewing time (right now she is Puppy 2.0). When my husband is home, I try to sneak away and get in a little studio time...and over the last several weeks, I managed to create several handmade birthday gifts. Thank goodness I was thinking ahead while I was in California and picked up a bag full of stitching gifts from Elegant Stitch...so my handmade gifts didn't need to be nearly as labor-intensive.

For my fabulous friend Robin, I made a small table topper/candle mat...it is the "Crossing Ohio" block...I had fun working with some patriotic cotton quilting fabrics (Quilts of Valor by Minick & Simpson for Moda Fabrics)...and this interesting traditional block is always fun! It measures 12" square...and although this is not the best photo, it did turn out as I envisioned!

I also worked on a couple fun pieces for my dear friend Terri's birthday. I had no idea she was a sunflower fan, I was just in a sunflower mood when I started working on her project...turns out she adores sunflowers, so it worked out wonderfully. The first piece I made was a small applique wall hanging/runner...I had a kit from Country Traditions in Fremont, NE (they have a whole collection of Skinny Mini Wall Hanging Quilt Kits)....but in true Belinda fashion, I had to make it my own and change it up a bit. I wanted the appliqued sunflower to match the sunflowers in the border fabric, so I cut out a completely different flower and leaves...and I was thrilled with the result! I also played around with the quilting - I had seen a video where you adjust the tension when you "quilt as you go" (when the applique stitching is also the quilting), so you can see your top color thread/applique stitches on the back of your quilt, giving it an artistic look...this was my first time trying this technique and it turned out rather well!

While I was putting together the wall hanging, I thought about a machine embroidered sunflower pincushion I made a couple years ago...I knew it would match perfectly. I was so pleased when I pulled out the machine embroidery pattern (Pin Cushions by Smith Street Designs) to find I had kitted fabric with it from when I made my first one, so I had everything I needed already gathered...that was a happy moment, as time is so limited right now!

I can't wait until life gets back to normal and I can get back in my studio...I have so many projects in the works and on my to-do list. The next project is to finally finish something very special for my California friend...she has been very patient, as I have been working on it for quite some time...hopefully it will be worth the wait...

I'll be back tomorrow with details and photos of my class project design for the New England Stitcher's Retreat...I am very excited to share it with you!

A Day With Girlfriends...

What's an outing with girlfriends without cupcakes??....
Salty Dog, Cinnamon, Turtle, and Tiramisu

I have been so busy trying to catch-up after my bout with the flu, that I have barely been out of my studio/office...there are about a million things on my ever-growing list....but yesterday, I did take a little timeout to go on a short road trip with my girlfriends Lorrie and Mary. We made plans over the last couple months to drive out to Winterset, Iowa (the birthplace of John Wayne...and known for its covered bridges) to visit the Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting Quilt Shop, the Ben Franklin (yes, they still have a Ben Franklin and it is a treasure trove of fun stuff), and have lunch.  We left bright and early and arrived in the Winterset town square at 9:00 - perfect timing, as Ben Franklin opened at 9:00. After taking a few photos, we headed inside and began shopping - it was quite the "blast from the past" and we saw all sorts of items that made us smile - they have a full service crafting/sewing area, so we were all right at home. I picked up a few fun fabrics, some ribbon, two itty bitty wooden embroidery hoops, and of course some Scotch pink Hair Set Tape that is almost impossible to find (I use it for needlework and machine embroidery).

After an over an hour perusing the aisles of Ben Franklin, we walked a couple shops down to the Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting Quilt Shop. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting television show seen on PBS stations or their fabulous quilting magazine(s). The two-story building is on the town square and has a grand view of the Madison County Courthouse...it houses a retail shop and mail order business on the ground floor and Love of Quilting editorial offices upstairs. This is a quaint shop - and we really enjoyed our visit - the customer service was wonderful - they allowed me to take some photos and gave us wonderful advice on where to have lunch. If you are looking for a specific Fons and Porter publication or quilting tool, than this is the place...although some of us (who will remain nameless) have pretty much all of their special tools and accessories. We all managed to find some treasures to take home...and I found some great bargain fabrics...and we each found an issue of Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting magazine in with our purchases (a gift from the shop!). Although this shop is a small space, it packs a good punch and we had a wonderful time!

We stepped inside another shop on the square and did a little looking, then we were off to a recommended place called "The Cellar" for lunch - a coffee house that serves lunch from 11:00 - 2:00. It was a windy and cool outside, so we all had soup and a sandwich...and the soup was Savory Portobello...yummy!  After lunch we headed back to West Des Moines...and I just *had to* stop to take photos of a barn quilt, just before reaching Bevenington, Iowa. Once back in Des Moines, we visited a couple favorite shops (and a new shop called Hinge) in Valley Junction...then of course went to Scratch Cupcakery for cupcakes (where I got to open some early birthday gifts from Mary). It was a perfect day....

Today, it is back to work (and reality)....I have charting to do....photography to take care of...a pile of paperwork and correspondence....and more items to list in my Etsy shop...part two of the mystery sampler is in printing production....and my embroidery machine is humming. Tonight, I am taking a painting class at The Social Canvas with my dear friend Lorrie - this is our first time visiting this new local artistic business, where you can enjoy an (adult) beverage while doing an acrylic paining project - they supply all the materials (canvases, paint, brushes, easels, and aprons)...and the class lasts about 2.5 hours. We are taking the "Love Tree" class and I plan on enjoying a glass of red wine while I paint my Valentine tree....

Omaha Quilters' Guild Quilt Show 2012 - "A Piece Rally"

Here is one more post from my recent prize-winning AccuQuilt trip...I know the others have been a little lengthy, so I will do my best to keep this one short and sweet and let the photographs do the talking.....but I just had to share about my visit to the Omaha Quilters' Guild Quilt Show. I was able to attend this special event after the Barn Quilt Unveiling last Friday - it was held at the LaVista Conference Center, just down the road from AccQuilt's new headquarters.The show itself was quite impressive and I enjoyed leisurely walking the aisles and aisles of breathtaking quilts. The bright colored carpet and the lighting in the building made it a bit of a challenge for photography, so the colors may be a bit off - but as we all know, photographs never do this form of art justice...and you can click on any of the photos to get a closer look at the details. Let me start by showing you the big award winners....

Best of Show
New Year's Dragon - Sandy Bernasek

Best Hand Quilting
Blue Birds and Blooms - Leslie Halbleib

Best Machine Quilting/Large
Starry Path - Carol Nish

Best Machine Quilting/Small
Victorian Floral - Karen Hradec

Visual Impact
Georgia - Merna Bowman

Judge's Choice
Let's Ride - Judy Unrein
The embellishments on this piece are amazing - check out the feathers in the witch hats...

Best Scrap
Pieces of Dear Jane - Patty Kennedy

Best First Quilt Entry
Twisted Bargello - Greta McClellan

Aren't ALL the quilts you have seen so far AMAZING?! Well, now I have to share with you some of my personal favorites...although I could see the beauty and craftsmanship in each and every quilt on display (the entire show was stellar), these next few quilts all spoke to me and had a little something special....

First Place Professionally Machine Quilted/Bed
Lollypop Trees - Lorraine Stenoish
This was incredible in person - bright and cheerful!

First Place Bed Quilt, Hand Quilted
Nebraska Winter - Susie Jorgensen
The quilt front is wool and it is backed/binded with flannel - LOVELY!

First Place Professionally Machine Quilted, Kit or BOM
From The Heart - Dorothy Lange
BEAUTIFUL center medallion applique...
and a wonderful assortment of 6 1/2" blocks....

Honorable Mention Professionally Machine Quilted/Bed
Wildflower Sampler - Barbara Wagner

....and here is my VERY FAVORITE QUILT of the show - I absolutely adored this - I love the whimsical houses and trees around the the border...and ALL the circles you see in the pieced center and on the trees are yo-yos that are hand appliqued in place. I know this photo does not do it justice...if you click on it to see the enlargement, you can see a little more detail...

Second Place Bed, Mixed Technique, Machine Quilted
Sew Many Yo-yos - Karen Hradec

There was also a lot of great shopping at this event - the merchant mall was extensive....and I think I found my new favorite quilt designer! I fell in love the second I walked into the Cozy Quarters booth (Quilt and Applique Designs by Phyllis Paul). OMG - I could have bought every single kit/pattern she had in her booth - her style is so very "me"....she does a beautiful job of embellishing each design - adding wool and beautiful details - every single quilt was a treasure....and she had the best miniature quilts. Not only was her booth warm and inviting, but her quilt kit packaging is WONDERFUL - she does the most unique packaging for each of her kits...I was blown away by her creativity! Phyllis was kind enough to let me take a few photos in her booth to share with you...she was just delightful (I wonder if she needs a new best friend?). I purchased two kits while in her booth (and let me tell you - I had a hard time narrowing down my selection...but after almost a week in quilt heaven, I had to show some restraint!). I already have two kits picked out to purchase from her online shop for gifts...and well, I could buy her whole entire collection for me...

The two kits I purchased...
The "Tiny Baskets" kit is in (what else) a tiny basket...
and the "A New Day" kit is in an a small black gift bag
embellished with a strip of the focus fabric and a wool flower.
ADORABLE!

So there you have it - some of my favorite things from the 2012 Omaha Quilters' Guild Show...I must remember to put a visit on my list for 2013...I'm sure it will be worth the 2-hour drive. For more information, visit the Omaha Quilters' Guild website at http://www.omahaquiltersguild.org/.