Fun Crazy thing

I have some friends who do crazy things.... and they asked if they could come do there crazy things out in the middle of nowhere....and we watched... and took pictures... and ohhed and awwed... want to see??

Its called powered paragliding... although this time they were just setting up and practicing. If the wind comes up to hard it makes it very rough, so they just did some practicing and checking out the area.... it was cool!!

They set up their own windsock... is that not cool? Lil bit and I hung out by th windsock - we thought that was a safe place!!


Can't wait till they come back and fly!!!

Design Wall 1/30/12

Saturday was our Colorado Quilt Council meeting, and I went, and the speaker was Lois Hallock. She has written a book about organizing your quilt room, and making it ergonomically correct. I came home with lots of ideas, and frustrations.... I wanted to organize right then!!! And finish everything I had out.... so Sunday afternoon, I finally got to it... sort of... and now I can never buy fabric again *sigh*   


Okay not really, pick yourself up!! Its okay - I will buy more, its in my DNA....  LOL

I reorganized my piles... there are only two in open containers, the rest are in zip lock bags. I think this will help keep the dust off, ( and in the summer the millers). Lois has you put them in these really cool boxes, but I didn't have any of those, and I live too far from town ( and had no energy) to go and search... so this will have to work.... plus I am not spending any more money,..... so I am saving it for fabrics!!!! 

These are my Works in Progress.... Animal quilt, Layer cake quilt, an mystery to you quilt, and the Mystery over at persimmon quilts.com.... I actually worked on each one for a tiny bit tonite!!! 


And if I touch them that keeps them as Works in Progress right???

And finally!!!! My design Wall..... These blocks are made from the cut off ends of the Pineapple Quilt   I am thinking that this will be a table runner.... I only have 12 9 inch blocks....




to see other design walls head over to:
http://www.patchworktimes.com

Stash Report 1/29/12

Well.... for all my good intentions.... the quilt shop lured me in.... it enticed me.... but I have a good excuse..... we had to go to Cheyenne.... and it was cold... and windy... and we had to go inside someplace warm.... and the warmth just wore me down.... and so did these little goofs ( brother didn't want to be in the picture)!!

These animal prints were just adorable... little bit asked if we could get them, and middle bit said - oh we could make a strippy quilt, with cool blue borders, and I went - well  OF COURSE!! Lets get the entire line..... oh sheesh.....

And they are so adorable!! We want to start on it right away ( so maybe my stash report will look good NEXT week LOL)

And they had these eagle panels... you all know I adore Fred ( our eagle) so I was just tickled with these... I have no clue how or what I will set around them.... but it will come!

Oh - and all of the above fabrics came from The Quilted Corner in Cheyenne. I am pretty sure if you google them they have an online shop.

and then..... see I was bad.... I ordered a Jelly roll to match my Layer Cake Quilt  and they were having a sale on Layer cakes... can you believe it.... and its all outdoorsy fabrics. I am sure I can find a person who would LOVE these fabrics - at least in my house!!

These came from Green Fairy Quilts.

So - my report - ready?

Fabric Used this week:     0 yards     ( ackk)

Fabric Used YTD:           79.79 Yards

Fabric in this week:              14.92 Yards ( those layer cakes are tricky to measure)

Fabric In YTD:                       21.42  Yards

Net Fabric BUSTED:   58.37   Shew - still in the red.... 

For more stash reports go to: http://www.patchworktimes.com

2012 QOV Challenge update

Remember our challenge at the first of 2012 - to piece or quilt or to do a mix, or to even do both and finish 12 Quilts of Valor for the year?   Well - lets link up to them and encourage each other with our progress... whether its just a start of a quilt, or a finish of a quilt - lets see them all and push each other on!!!


I am trying the inlinkz website - and I sure hope it works!! So bring em on.... I'll even sweeten the deal  a little bit.... We will drop all the links in a hat and pull one out on February 5th.

Whoever's name is drawn will get a $15 gift certificate to Equilter.com - hows that????

Lets link up!!

Quilted

I committed to Quilting and Pieceing 12 Quilts of Valor this year, but I never promised they would be the same ones LOL --- I think I meant it that way, and it may still be that way - but I did not make this quilt. It was made by Jessica in Denver,... and I have fun quilting it. I wanted to try some new things, and I think they look pretty good!!  

Notice there is still some chalk marks on there, but I will wash it after it is bound and it will be gone....

It looks puffy - but its not, I think that is wierd! I quilted in each block, and when you carry it its not to fluffy.... I guess I like the effect tho!!

Pat showed me how to make a new star *deallie* and I wanted to try it - so this solid block gave me a great place to try it.

See the chalked star? I did that in the borders even with each block.

Weave like quilting in the small border

And another star - just cuz I was so tickled they worked!!! And looked equidistant from each other ( thats a math term, and I am just throwing that in there... it sounded good LOL)

Saturday - I thought I would host a Quilt of Valor progress link up.... so if you have finished a top, quilted something, bought new fabrics, cut something up, made a new block - go ahead and share it.... Give us some inspiration!!

More Quilts and a delivery

Four more Quilts of Valor were delivered yesterday - they went to a PTSD Group....

This is not the reciepient - she is one of the counselors.... but look at the smile. It makes her as happy to wrap our veterans in love as it makes us to make them!!

And NOW for the quilt show of the day!!

This quilt was made by Pat in Colorado Springs

And she kills me!!! Can you see the dragonfly in the corner.... I want one SO bad and she tortures me and puts them in these Quilts of Valor, and makes it so I CAN NOT cut them out :-)

Just beautiful!!

This strippie was made by Marlene in my quilt guild, and was quilted by Donna in Colorado Springs.  She worked on her swirls - and I think they are Awesome!!!

Hope you all have a great day!!

A Quilt Show!! Of Quilts of Valor

Did you know its already Wednesday? Seriously ! What happened!!!

First off - I had a conversation with my Chaplain last night - he said some things that really touched me, and he said I could share - so here you go!

He said he is amazed at the conversations that he and his *guys* can have, as they are wrapped in there Quilts of love. He says there must be something so comforting in them, that they are able to break down barriers.


And that by breaking down the barriers, these guys have a chance to heal - both physically and emotionally.


*By Guys - he means all of them in the wounded battalion - not just the men*


That really touched my heart, and he said I could let you all know of the good work we are doing ..

Back to the Quilt show... get ready...

This first quilt is made by Helen H in VA. She sent it around and got a ton of signatures in the white blocks. It is really cool.

This one is sent in from Becky over at http://sarcasticquilter.blogspot.com/  I LOVE this one - I think it could probably be made with a layer cake or two . Thanks Becky!!

My St Croix connection is working!! This quilt above and below are both grom Grace P in St Croix. Karen is my *sister* living there and she is spreading the word... seriousl - when it is 4deg and snowy - I am going to go visit!!

Oh Look!!! Its Fred!!  I think he smelled the steak and thought I was cooking for him... he is just gorgeous!!

This is from Sue in AZ - it was her 12th quilt for 2011!!! Way to go Sue!!  It was both pieced and quilted by Sue!  Its called Hatch and Windows and was a part of a mystery quilt at

MysteryQuilts4Military - a Yahoo group.

The quilt above, and the quilt below - both were made by Dianne K in Colorado, and quilted by Kathy R in Utah. Fabulous quilts!!! The one up top looks like it took forever - but I LOVE it!!

And the last quilt for today is a mystery! It came from Franklin Kentucky with no name on the box or inside. And no label.... but this is one cool quilt!!  So thank you!

Hope you enjoyed this little quilt show this morning....

I am off to start my list of to - do's. especially since it Wednesday!!

QOV Sunday Sew In Stats

We had a sew in on Sunday for Quilts of Valor and oh man!!! 23 ladies showed up, we ran out of tables, and had to borrow the picnic table outside!! It was awesome!!

So our stats:

18 Quilts were bound there, 7 were taken home to finish.. and bring back
4 Quilt tops and backings were done
11 Pillowcases were brought
1 Quilt top with its backing was delivered
1 finished quilt ( all started and finished at home) was brought

A lot of binding was made and used

one bag of chocolates, one box of fancy chocolates, and 1 bottle of Dr Pepper. I think everyone was working too hard to consume much of anything.... and they are awesome!!

This is the one that was done at home - all by Sharon!!

Rachel is starting a new quilt - the drunkards path in Batiks - yummy!!

This is Paula and Jody - hand binding!!!  They were almost as quick as the machine binders.... who knew you could go that fast?

Harriett Machine Binding...

And I am glad they are prepared - I have A LOT of Quilts out to Colorado Long Armers.... I am so tickled. And I ran out of batting - I LOVE it!! .... I have an opportunity to by batting at pretty low prices every once in a while, so I do it, and share the batting with our LA'ers. Helps defray the costs....

Design Wall 1/23/12

I don't have much on my design wall as I spent most of Sunday at our QOV Sew in.... but once I get my car unloaded I can give you the stats of what we did there. 23 people showed up!!! This has certainly grown from the first time!!!  YAY

I bet my design wall will have more by the end of today... but this is it right now....

And Rice Man!!! Little Bits dinner creation!!

For other design walls head over to http//www.patchworktimes.com

Stash Report 1/21/12

Holy Buckets!!! I used a lot of fabrics!! I made forty two batrillion backings for Quilts of Valor... okay just kidding - I made 7 backings.  And I cut up pounds of scraps into 10 inch squares and 2 1/2 inch strips.  The 10 inch squares are for our QOV Layer Cake Quilt Class in February.... but I know me, if I procrastinate..... I will be up all night the night before.....

And I count my fabric used as it is cut, especially since the backs go with some cool tops, and go out to AWESOME local Longarmers - who ROCK,... and help get these Quilts of Valor into our Veterans hands much quicker than I alone could do!!!  

As far as backings go - I am about out of solid fabrics to make backings, and will have to start piecing them a lot more than before... I'll have to figure out a good way to do that..... ( suggestions are welcome!)


So for the stash report

Fabric In this Week:   0 yards   ( the jelly roll i ordered hasn't shipped yet  - tee hee)
Fabric in YTD:            6.5 yards

Fabric Out this week:   ( ready? )   47.65 yards
Fabric out YTD:                           79.79 yards


Total Fabric busted:   73.29 yards   Yay

A little note about the out fabrics - I measured the backs - cuz that was easy. But all the scraps I cut up I wieghed. I used 3.5 yards per pound, altho I think it is really closer to 4 yards per pound, but all the scraps - if they were big enough went in my string bucket, and if they were too small went in my pound puppy bag..... there is a lady in our guild who makes pillows for adult dogs....

To see other stash reports head over to
http://www.patchworktimes.com/

Friday....

I have finished the top I was working on... but I think it needs more. I have thought a little about it, and then ordered a jelly roll of the same fabrics - so I can *audition* some ideas!! 

I ordered this book a little bit ago - and it came to me!! Yay - so I have been perusing it to see if there is a border that stands out to me, that will work on this quilt.

The book can be found Here  if you are interested. ( its cool!!)

I also finished making a back for Quilt of Valor. I used all the extra pieces of my other backs - so I can't even count it in my stash report - but I LIKE it!!!!

And!!

I finished this quilt for a customer. She wanted it really puffy looking, so we chose a polydown batting, and minimal quilting.

And Hearts!! Lots of Hearts!!

Aren't these blocks neat? They are all 1.5 inch pieces!!

This woman has patience ;-)

And that is my week....   to see what others have finished you can head over to
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/   and http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/

Working working working

On my QOV Mystery quilt. The clues can be found at http://www.persimmonquilts.com/ .... I think its pretty cool so far!!

And!! I have been cutting up more fabric!! My stash report will look REALLY good when I am all done. In February we are have a QOV sew in, and I am going to teach the layer cake pattern that I used to make This  Quilt top....

And 15 people have signed up so far!! So I have a million 10 inch squares to cut - YAY!! More QOV's will be made!!!  Off to cut... and Quilt..,,

From Harriet in CA

Harriet in California made these two! 

Isn't this cool? It kind of reminded me of looking thru a paned window. And such feminine colors. It has already gone out. It went to the Combat Veterans Group. They usually have about 3 new females a month join in. They are both physically and psychologically wounded. So you know it will be cherished.

This one, when I layed it out, got a lot of attention. Remember I have all boys here!! So I know it will be greatly loved.

Thank you Harriet!! Great quilts!! I so appreciate your help!

A Quilt from Robin

Robin In TN sent this Quilt of Valor in -

Isn't it cool?  Some of these blocks look very very complicated... I studied them! I think you can click on the picture and enlarge it - then you can study some of these blocks!

Thanks Robin!

Quilts from Margaret

Margaret in Ohio sent in these to beautiful Quilts of Valor. I really enjoyed checking them out. They have been sent on to Fort Carson and I am sure they are being loved on!!!

I was asked to rotate my pictures.... so I did - I rotated them and SAVED them - why does blogger want you to look at them upside down?  

This one was so so soft!! It was fun to pet the fabric ;-)

And this yummy yummy log cabin quilt!! I love the stars in it - itsn't it wonderful?

Thank you SO much Margaret! I love these quilts!! Thank you!

Thank heavens for dear friends - I apologizze for misspelling Margaret's name in the title... and have changed it!!!!