The Eagles Have Landed!!

Oh....this morning I was looking out my front windows when I spotted several eagles soaring. We live about one mile from the Stillaguamish River, so don't often see them, but there they were!! I watched them and then one huge guy landed in the top of a huge, tall tree. There he sat for some time...I couldn't get him to fly away for a good picture, in spite of the neighbor's dogs barking like crazy. I thought it would be so great to be sitting up there surveying the countryside as that great and majestic bird was doing. He finally flew away, but dropped to the far side of the tree, so I couldn't get a good picture. Maybe they will return. I guess it is eagle season here.

As for quilts, yesterday I finished Klota's paper-pieced beauty...in golds, oranges, yellows...and then a smaller birthday cake quilt...very cute and cheery. Last night I pinned up one of mine!! It is a funky little chicken quilt that I made at the retreat. I made it up as I went, so there is no set pattern. I love to piece that way.

Today my sweet friend Stephanie is coming for lunch...she is the most creative gal....we make a great team with her piecing and my quilting. We are both Freddy Moran groupies too.

Well, gotta go eat some breakfast and get to quilting on my chickens....more later...Judy

Gloomy Day...Perfect for Quilting!

Good morning, Friends. Today is dark and gloomy outside, not like the brighter day of yesterday. I peeked into the pond yesterday afternoon, and some of the fish were having a swim near the top. That is not really too good, as they cannot be fed for a number of weeks, yet. Hopefully they will go back to "sleep" for 6 weeks or so. I am getting pretty excited about working on the pond and weeding in the garden...still too wet and gloomy for that yet.

Today I work on Klota's quilt. It is a bright and sunny piece in yellows, oranges, and reds--a huge paper-pieced creation. I am still working on my paper piecing project as well as getting things ready for our up-coming show in Monroe, WA....the Quilter's Anonymous show in March. I will post pictures after so you can see our wonderfully, creative quilters in that guild. In the mean-time I better grab some breakfast and get to work. Judy

Fabric Weaving Class

Hi again....just a note about our fabric weaving class at Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop in Arlington, WA. Saturday I had only 3 students, but their projects were fabulous. We had fish, sunflowers, and a sort of jungle theme. When finished they should be spectacular. These woven quilts are always great, and much easier than they look. Check out the quilts in progress....I hope you try this method, too.

Garden Show Fun

Hi Friends....

Last week I went to the Seattle Garden Show with friends Klota and Liz. We had a great time. Klota had a quilt in one of the Garden displays. Actually, I thought that display was the best one of all. There were several quilts and great patchwork themes presented, including a patchwork garden area. It was fabulous, and done in conjunction with the Gathering Fabric Quilt Shop in Woodinville, WA. Check out their website. I teach there now and again. It is a great shop.

This is the last Seattle Garden Show, so it was fun to go once again. Check out some of the pictures! Of course, on the way home we had to eat at Marie Callendars...one of my favorite places to eat. Try the Oriental Chicken Salad! And don't forget a piece of pie!!

Home Again! A Successful Retreat

HI folks....back home again from a terrific retreat in Gold Bar, WA. What a view outside our big dining hall....a beautiful mountain with a bit of snow still there. Actually, the parking lot and grounds still had quite a lot of snow and ice when we arrived, but since we are all quilting our brains out, it is not too much of a problem. After a day or so the weather warmed and snow melted quickly.

I love the retreats, because I can usually get lots done on my super speedy Juki. Great for high speed sewing. I finished 3 tops, started a sweatshirt project, dug out my 10 plus year old storm at sea, and fiddled around on a couple other little things. I will try posting a few pictures for you to see what we did.

Now I am a veteran of my first colonoscopy on Tuesday last. I would encourage all of you to keep up with these screenings...especially your mammograms. It is a small inconvenience for peace of mind. We all know too many who suffered because they did not take care of themselves by having these simple tests.

Our spring is still a long way off, it seems. Frost every morning, but sunny by afternoon. We enjoyed the Seattle Garden Show yesterday, especially the display with quilts. My friends Roxanne Carter and Klota Underwood had their quilts on display in this beautiful garden setting. I will try to get pictures posted as soon as my hubby gets them in the computer. I don't know how to do that yet.

Anyway, suffice it to say, I am really getting the gardening bug. I can't wait to get at those weeds and work on the pond project.

Hope you are all well and looking forward to spring as well. I will post a few pix and get to work. Today I quilt a beautiful tumbling block with star points. My friend Becky from CT made this with her hand dyes. I think I already posted a picture of it in progress. Have a great time workikng on your projects. Tomorrow and Saturday I will be teaching some classes. Happy quilting....judy irish

Some more Pix

Thought I would post a few pix for fun. Judy

Quilt Retreat Coming!!

This morning is packing day! I leave with my friend Klota for a 3 day quilt retreat in Gold Bar, WA. This is a beautiful setting where we can sew our brains out and report for meals and snacks......all these great perks...and we can just sit and sew and schmooz with our quilting friends. How fun is that??

As usual I packed more than I will ever complete, including a storm at sea I started in CT about 15 years ago....I have forgotten how it goes together and what was planned for what. It is red, white, and blue, of course. Then, there is the nearly finished one block wonder....a whole new chicken quilt, the guild challenge, and my paper piecing project which is nearly half put together. THis should keep me plenty busy.....oh, the row robin in pieces and parts. I have my Juki just serviced, so can sew a zillion miles per hour.

It should be a fun time. I will post some pix when I get back so you can see where we have our retreats. I hope you all have a productive week as well, and will write when I get back. Judy

Back Again!

Greetings! I think I am back to writing again....it seems that a rough bout with bronchial asthma and coughing my brains out knocked me out for over a week. So I am glad to try to start again.

I hope to add some things this next couple weeks when my helper Sharon has a bit of time to give me some more blog lessons.

I pretty much laid low in quilting, altho I did work a bit on my paper-piecing project and my sister-in-law's wonderful applique.

I will post some pictures of my paperpiecing and some of the classes I managed to teach last week. We had a great time weaving some pieces and making One Block Wonders.

Last night at guild we had Lee Fowler come visit. Check out her things on the web.

The beautiful victorian house is the La Conner Quilt Museum in La Conner, WA. I have the great good fortune to live only about 30 minutes away. I hope you all get a chance to visit sometime. It is wonderful.

The woven quilt was done by one of the girls in the fabric weaving class...not complete!

Well, guess that is all for now....gotta get back to some quilting. I will be glad when I am my normal speedy self! I think spring is coming....I have seen a few hints. Can't wait for that. In the meantime, have fun quilting. Judy