Day One Of The October 2019 Quilting Retreat

Today I started quilting a big blue quilt. I had to take quite a few breaks so my wrists and shoulders didn't get sore. As I was going out the door this morning, I realized I forgot to grab my baking. That would never do, we need the fuel to keep us energized for the day. :) I ran back in and got the food, then started to drive away. My phone was still in the house. After retrieving that, I made another attempt to leave, then realized I had to go back in and get the blue quilt. After all that, I arrived at the retreat only to realize my thread stand was still at home. I was able to manage without it.

I Just Had To Try It

Today Bonnie Hunter posted an interesting tutorial on her blog. The block is called "Crooked Courthouse Steps" I wanted to give it a try, so I went in the sewing room and made a few blocks. Some of my light strips may look too dark. One of the blocks is a little extra wonky, haha! I'll probably learn what will or will not work. I got the winter tires put on my Jeep today. We already had snow! The picture was taken on September 29. Our quilting retreat is this weekend. It can snow all it wants because I'll be inside sewing up a storm.

Getting Sidetracked Again

I'll blame Linda H for this one, haha! She's making a quilt from "Fons and Porter's Scrap Quilts 2013". Of course, I had to jump on the bandwagon and start one too. The blocks are fast and easy to make, this would be a good pattern for a donation quilt. We have a quilt retreat coming up the first weekend in October. My project is all pin basted, with some help from Igor. I'll start quilting it that weekend.

Twenty Years In The Making

This 20-year-old UFO is finally finished! In 1999 I crashed while rollerblading and broke my arm. The Quilters-Funtalk online quilt group sent many neutral coloured fat quarters to me as a get well gift. I decided to use these fabrics in one quilt, this was the result. After the quilt top was completed, it sat there for many years until I dug it out last March and started quilting it at our retreat. It was set aside for several more months until I completed it. The backing is made up of some odds and ends. I don't remember where the pattern came from for the quilt, I think it may have been from a magazine.

Friendship Star Quilt Top

All the blocks are made for the Friendship Star quilt. Now we have a quilt top. It's interesting how the blocks form a secondary pattern when they are put together.

Making Friendship Star Blocks

I've got 46 of these Friendship Star blocks made so far. I think I'll make the quilt 7 blocks wide and 9 blocks long, which will measure 63"X 81". That is a good size for a cot quilt, or I call it a "couch quilt".

Blue Skies By Linda H.

Linda finished "Blue Skies" a few weeks ago. The pattern was "Cloudgazing" from McCalls Quick Quilts, December-January 2019, designed by Kathryn Wagar Wright. The original pattern was a lap size but Linda made it queen size. It was supposed to be a donation quilt, but Linda's husband wanted to keep it, his favourite colour is blue. Now Linda will have to get busy and make a different quilt to donate. The ongoing quest to try to use up the colossal fabric stash. I am also making a quilt from this pattern, it's pin basted and I'll start quilting it at our next retreat. One of the members of Linda's quilting group has started some of these blocks, I don't know how many she's made so far. When we get these other quilts finished, I'll post pictures of all three.