Peonies!

About 15 or 16 years ago I saw these gorgeous bushes of flowers in Jim's sister Esther's yard. When I asked her hubby Tim what they were, he said Peonies - I never remembered seeing them before. They were GORGEOUS and three bushes totally hid their air conditioner.

Four years ago I found some in BJ's, stuck them in the front garden and expected great things. First year, bushes and no flowers. I read up on them & learned they don't usually bloom for three years - so I bought more and put them in the back garden. The next year, we had one bloom. It was gorgeous but gone too soon and the second bush still did nothing. Third year, we had two blooms and 10,000 ants on each one.

This year!

Patience is a virtue in gardening! The ones in the back garden from three years ago still haven't bloomed, I think I planted them too deep and need to dig them up. Two of the four bushes I planted last fall bloomed this year - white!

Star Quilt Update

While I don't have it finished . . . I do have the star quilt mostly quilted. If I finished the last 13 stars, all I would have left is the binding. I need two hours to myself - step away from the computer!

Sometimes you just need quick & done projects

I think they fate of all quilt shop owners who have websites is to either pay someone to maintain theirs or spend a good majority of their sewing time updating the website. Since I take care of our site, it's really cut into my sewing time. Somehow you just can't get into a zone with the computer like you can the sewing machine - if you don't keep your eyes peeled on the computer, gremlins take it over and your whole day's work goes off into cyberspace somewhere - never to be seen again!

And there are times when you just need to sew, you just need to feel like you've accomplished something. None of these projects took me longer than two hours to complete but I FEEL like I actually did something tangible - unlike the website where I kindof know what I'm doing but sometimes don't . . . .

So, last week I revolted, ignored the website & stitched samples. Quick, easy samples mind you but I want points from the quilt goddesses that all are FINISHED EVEN THE BINDINGS! You can see all of these projects & others by going to www.quiltingpossibilities.net & clicking on the bouncing beach ball on the right hand side.

This is one of Karen Montgomery's pillow patterns that I made into a small wall hanging. As one of my customers told me - the sample "looks a whole lot better in person than that picture you've got up on the website!" I hate to admit it, but she's right - I'm a much better quilter than I am photographer. You can't see the shiny silver braid I couched as the firecracker's streamers - take my word for it, they're really neat! And if you look close, you can see the quilted stars in the border.

I saw this pattern at market and loved it! It's a perfect table runner for the Jersey Shore anytime during the year but especially during the summer. I had fun with the quilting on this making the fish look like they had scales. It's a pretty simple table runner but SO cute!

This is another of Karen's pillow patterns -

it's nice to have talented friends! We had the perfect watermelon fabric for the border, but sorry to say, we cut the last of it up for the kits.

This table runner isn't done in my colors - mine tend to be of the more Easter egg colors according to my children - but I love the line of fabric and eventually this will be a Christmas present for my sister-in-law.

So, feeling virtuous about the four samples I completed, today I brought home a lap size star quilt I designed. My grand plan is to baste & quilt it tomorrow. I'd orginally thought to do it on the HandiQuilter but since I've only mastered stippling on the HQ so far and this is a star quilt done in reproductions crying for straight line, utilitarian quilting - the home machine it is. Remember, the goal is to get this done tomorrow . . . . I'll let you know how far I get.

Until next time.

Home again, home again

It's nice to go away but then it's sure nice to come home and sleep in your own bed! Pittsburgh was nice, I was just getting to the point where I had some idea of where I was in relation to the hotel - and then it's time to leave!

I did my Schoolhouse presentation on my Beginners Quilting By Machine program and people showed up, no one snored and there were nice comments after. I always worry that the room will be empty!

Someday I'm actually going to sit down and do a landscape quilt - maybe when I retire! - but until then I take closeups of landscape quilt techniques that I see and no I'll never remember without pictures. Here a few from market.

I love to thread paint and just don't get a chance to do it. I am sure that love comes from beging unable to actually draw on paper whatever it is I am thread painting on fabric.

I listened to one of the pattern designers relate how she does her patterns - she takes her camera out into the garden, snaps lots & lots of pictures & then translates those pictures into drawings. I told Jim that was the difference between her and I, we both take pictures but she actually gets them developed and uses them!

Until next time.

Spring Market First Day

This is half of the convention floor being set up for market. Think of a quilt show, about 4 football fields long - that's market. Every fabric company, hundreds of pattern designers, notion companies, you name it - they're here!

Today was Schoolhouse - short presentations by the companies on their products. I did my presentation on my Beginning Quilting By Machine class. I didn't forget anything, and managed not to say hmmm to many times, so I'm considering it a success! Karen Montgomery didn't think I'd post this to my blog - suprise Karen!

I saw lots of friends, found some new leads for patterns and notions - it was a productive day. We went to dinner with Karen Snyder and then went to Sample Spree . . .

Sample Spree is a huge flea market. Picture about 1,000 quilters in a room where Moda is selling jelly rolls and FQ packs, Hoffman is wiped out of Bali Pops in 20 minutes and it's general meyhem! Ok worse than meyhem . . . I haven't been in a few years and now I remember why! I did get some cute already made samples and I got my Bali Pops . . . .Yes I am as tired as I look in this picture! It's been a long day!

Of course Jim had time to pose for a picture with El and Sue

This is my Hoffman rep Barry who managed to snag me some Bali Pops at risk of life and limb I think.

And this is The Quilt Company's booth where they were mobbed by people buying pillow patterns. I tried to snag their firecracker pillow but didn't get away with it . . . I have no idea what the purple gloves are.

Tomorrow the sales floor opens - let the buying begin!

Spring Quilt Market

I'm off to the wholesale show for quilt shops this morning. Think of a quilt show the size of 6 football fields with every major author, designer, & fabric company having a booth - that's quilt market!

It's in Pittsburgh so we are driving and if I don't go pack, we won't get to Karen Montgomery's store before it closes!

I'll post from market and hopefully be able to post pictures.

Until next time.

Working best under pressure

Why is it that I tend to put things off until the ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE DONE? Two months ago, Karen Montgomery asked to borrow one of my samples during Quilt Market. I'd done a Quick Piecer orginial pattern & used her fabrics. Since all her samples will be in the booth at market, she asked if she could borrow mine to hang in her shop. SURE! It's good for both of us, she'll sell fabrics and I'll hopefully sell some patterns.

Now quilt market is the week after next. I KNEW I had to get that quilt and the patterns in the mail by today. When did I get it in the mail? On the way home last night. When did I finish quilting the sample, put the binding on and have the patterns run off? YESTERDAY MORNING.

I'm not sure if it's a defective gene that makes me put things off or one that makes me think that things are so much further away in time than they really are. I can't believe it's May already, can't believe that I leave for Quilt market next week, can't believe that I have to get some tote patterns ready to drop off at another booth.

WHERE HAS TIME GONE?