More Notes from Sparkie

Dear Kitty fans....it has been a busy several days.  It is hard to  find time to do all the things I love to do....like run around the house like I am possessed,  climb on top of the quilt ladder, jump several feet from the bed to the window sill, or fly around the  living room jumping on everything that I can.
Sometimes I like to fool mom by hiding.  Today she was calling me and looking all over for me....finally she found me hiding in her big blue denim bag.  I haven't hidden in there for several weeks, so it was funny when she found me peeking out at her.  It is so much fun to try to fool her with some of my tricks.
I like to sit nice and cozy on mom's lap, and then just take a chomp on her hand or toes.  One day I took a big chomp right on her nose.   Mom didn't think that was very funny at all.   I don't know why she got upset.  I can't climb up her pant legs anymore, so I have to find something to amuse myself!
I am almost too big to run between the washer and dryer,  too.  I will soon 5 pounds.  Mom says I get a special visit to the vet when I am over 5 pounds....for a snip-snip operation.  I wonder just what that is.  Maybe I will get a treat afterwards.
Mom says I am looking more like a cat than  a kitten, but I am still cute.  At night I like to curl up on mom's hand and sleep till I get bored.   Then I like to play and chew on her fingers.  Mom doesn't like that.  But I am so cute, she lets me stay up on the bed anyway.
Pretty soon mom  and dad might put up a Christmas tree, but I heard them talking  that maybe they shouldn't do that this year, cuz I might try to climb up to the top and play with  all the ornaments.  I hope they put up the tree, cuz I would like to see what a Christmas tree is.  I don't know what these things called ornaments are.  I wonder if  they taste good. 
Well, I guess I better let mom tell you what she did this week, and then it will be time for bed.  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I am thankful that I got such   a wonderful mom and dad to adopt me, even if I am a naughty girl sometimes.

Hi fellow quilters.....well, as you can see, that rascally cat has been keeping us busy.  I have to admit she is pretty funny at times.  I have lots of pictures to prove it!
This week was Thanksgiving, and we went to my brother's in Graham, about 1 and 1/2 hours away.  It was dry so driving was fine, and the traffic was very light.  I guess everyone was shopping when we drove home that evening.  Lots of stores were loaded with cars.
We had a nice big ham with potatoes and all the usual trimmings.  Everything tasted yummy.  We had fun reminiscing about  the days of our youth and some of the things we did way back then.
Had fun at a few fabric sales, and today made about 5 table runners/toppers.  I made mostly Christmas themed ones, but also a couple with sunflowers.  They turned out pretty neat.  I will post them as soon as I get the pictures in the computer.  I had planned to clean a few things in the studio, but the piecing got the better of me...there is always another day for  cleaning.  Lots of tops to get quilted in the next few   weeks, so have to keep at that. 
Ken took the last waterfall pump out of the pond, and lowered  it a foot or more for the coming rains.  It is also supposed  to get very cold again next week.   Can't wait for spring!
Well, guess I better go find that silly Sparkie girl.  Maybe I can coax her onto my lap for awhile.
I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving Day, too.   Tomorrow is church already, and  there will be  lots to
do this week.   Best wished in the coming days during this busy season....Love from  Judy and her Sparkie girl.
PS...still got so much to learn on my new magic phone.  Today I tried to email someone, but that did not work out...it came back to me....how does that happen??

 Freddy Moran's latest quilt....really neat with fabulous colors as usual.

 Shirley brought this yummy pumpkin  pie  to our last sew-in.

Suzanne Kalish made this beautiful Kaffe quilt in our Saturday class.

See how cute I am?  How could anyone get upset with such a cute face as this?

BIG WORK DAY!

Hi Gals...today is a big work day for me....I have a great big quilt on the frame made by one of my students.  She did some amazing quilting on it with Northwest type fish and animals.  She is very creative.  I will post some pix next time.  Her name is Dawn, and she takes my classes at Gathering Fabric.  We have class again this Saturday, so my hope was to get it done before then....I should finish by tonite I hope.
Miss Sparkie is still full of the dickens....chasing around the house like a maniac, and still biting her mom.  I guess she is teething!  She is about 3.5 pounds I think.  Tomorrow is Vet day so we will know for sure.
I think I will have the Vet clip her nails.  I tried and it is so hard.  I  get one or two per foot, and give up.  She is so wiggly and doesn't like to see me coming with that nail clipper.

I can't even remember if I told you about our retreat....we had a great time, and I made about 3 tops and did a few other things.  The girls did some fantastic projects, and we ate way too well.   This is a great retreat center near Mount Vernon, WA.  We plan another retreat this spring and again next fall.
Our winter weather seems to be starting with cold and rainy gray days.  The sun did break through a couple days ago. 
Oh, my big news...I got a MAGIC PHONE...I guess they are really called smart phones, but they are like magic to me.  I cannot believe all the things you can do with that little tiny phone you hold in your hand.  It is almost scarey!   I have soooo much to learn, and doubt if I will ever use all that it can do.  But I mostly love taking pictures on it, which is what made me decide to get one in the first place!
Now I gotta figure out how to get the pictures into the computer so I can share them on my blog...maybe you can do that from the phone too....amazing.
Well, gotta get moving.....have a great day.  Judy

 One of the tops I made at retreat.  I have added more borders, so will post another pic later.

 Sparkie working at the computer.  She likes to write on her blog.

 Opal's Edrica Huwes type  collage.....Freddy has done lots of this style too.

Our blocks at retreat for  the quilt we donate to the camp.  We just have to finish putting blocks together now.
NOTES FROM SPARKIE.....Hi all my kitty fans.   I hope you are doing fine...I know I am!  I have been  doing lots of running around the house lately....mom says I have been naughty.  I finally pulled down the quilt hanging over the chair in the living room.  Mom said she was surprised it took me so long.  I have figured out lots of new tricks in the past couple weeks....and can keep mom and dad busy trying  stop me from climbing up on top of things.  Mom says I go to the VET tomorrow for my last shots.  I don't like that, but when mom puts me in that little red carry thing, off we go.  I am too big to hang upside down in there now.  Mom says I will be making a special trip soon for a snip-snip....what does that mean??  
I will be glad when I don't have to see that VET so often.  Maybe when I get older I won't have to go so often.
Well, mom has to get to work, so I guess I better try to entertain her with one more trick.....sometimes I like to curl up under her chin just before she leaves...she says I look sooooo cute.    If you make lots of mischief, you have to at least look really CUTE!!    love, from Sparkie

Fun with Freddy and Molly

Hi all....what a busy couple weeks around here.  First, Freddy Moran and Molly Federici came for a visit.  Freddy came to teach and Molly, one of her avid students and fans came from Illinois to take the class. What a great time we had.
Unfortunately I had to teach on Saturday, so couldn't take the class, but we had plenty of fun on other days.
We stopped off at the Chilhuly Glass Gardens in Seattle on the way home from the airport....what a magnificent display of color, and an inspirational for lots of quilts.  In fact, I saw one in  a magazine that was one of the glass displays....a boat full of beautiful glass  balls.  The artist  created a beautiful likeness.
We also had fun on a day trip to La Conner and the Quilt Museum....and shopping of course!  The weather was pretty good those few days they were here, and we were able to enjoy some beautiful scenery in the sunshine.
Molly, one of the gals I quilt for, came all the way from Illinois to take Freddy's class...and it was so much fun to meet her after quilting many of her beautiful quilts.    She, like Freddy, started quilting later in life, and she does a fabulous job.  I think we will have her back next time Freddy teaches.  We had such a great time fabric shopping and sight-seeing, that we need to find some new territory to explore the next time!
We spent one day on Vashon Island at the Island Quilter shop where Freddy had about 40 of her quilts on display.  What a happy feast for the eyes.  I wish more people enjoyed color the way Freddy does....it is a good thing we work together....we both love color and fun quilting....not to mention perfection is not at the top of our list!
We said good-bye to Freddy and Molly and a day later we had our guild retreat.
What fun it is to sit and sew with your friends, have your meals prepared, and no interruptions.   You can get soooo much done.  I only got 2 tops and 1 huge back done, and 2 baby quilts bound...so I guess I didn't get as much done as I had hoped.  I always bring way more than I have time to finish.
The setting of our retreat is beautiful with a farm below our sewing center and beautiful hills and trees in the distance.  Even the loss of power on Saturday morning for a couple hours didn't stop us.....some of the gals did hand work by the windows and  others were still cutting.  We are looking forward to a retreat in the spring and again next fall.
In the meantime, I have piles of quilts waiting for the long-arm....I have done a few since I got home and plan to keep my nose to the needle and catch up on some things that have been waiting to be quilted while I was travelling or entertaining our visitors.
I hope you have had a good time these past few weeks, too.....now I will give Sparkie a chance to write her few lines!    love, judy

NOTES FROM SPARKIE
I have a new name...mom has been calling me Sparkie the pest....I wonder what a pest is.  Every time I climb on the dining room table, or up on the desk or some other neat place she calls me a pest.  Yesterday I dumped her plant over twice, so I guess that is pretty naughty.
She should be proud of me, I went up to 2.6 pounds at the vet visit, got my shots and had a good check-up.  Mom weighed me yesterday and I was up to 3 pounds.  She says I have a great interest in food, and I admit, that I do love my kibble.  I  like to see what mom is eating, especially if she has something called icecream, but she pushes me away.  Aunt Marilyn sent me a toy that has a little want that rotates back and forth and around and around in  a circle....it is so much fun to chase....mom and dad  put it out for me to play when they are eating dinner.  That keeps me busy so I don't bother them when they are eating!

 A funky sculpture near the glass gardens at Seattle Center.

 Freddy and Molly at the Glass Gardens.....see the great orange piece below!

 A great reflection of the Space Needle in one of the large glass balls at the Glass Garden.

 This glass was on the ceiling of part of the display....such wonderful colors!

 One of Freddy's quilts.

 A student working on a masterpiece in Freddy's class.

 Freddy, Molly, and Sue at the Island Quilter to see Freddy's exhibit.

 One of my favorites.  One of Freddy's friends made the fabric with all the stamped shapes on solids....I LOVE this one...and the orange background is pretty fabulous, too.

 Judy and Freddy!
I made the crazy lonestar below at the retreat.  I will call it Crazy Dancin' Feet.   It is pretty busy....but, I always say if I want my eyes to rest, I will take a nap!  I still have borders to figure out.

  Sometimes I still bite mom....she doesn't like that....but I am just playing with her.  I think I might be a good mouser.  I sure like to  chase things and jump up on  high places.  I can jump about 4 feet across the room or from the bed to the window sill.  Maybe I should try out for the Olympics!  I could   be on the broad jump team.
Well, today mom has lots of work to do, so I guess I will sleep on the big, soft office chair while she is out quilting.  Sometimes I can be such a good girl and keep out of trouble.  I still have a cute little face....mom thinks I am cute, even if I am a naughty kitty from time to time.
I hope you have as much fun today as I will.....Sparkie

OK...how did those pictures get in the middle of Sparkie's story......I will never figure this out.  And to think I may get one of those new magic phones...I might think that over for a bit!

Naughty Sparkie

Hi all,  today is the big day.....we go to the VET again.   I hope the needle is not too big and that the shots don't hurt too much.  Mom says we leave soon and I have to get in my little red carrier.  I think I will jump around inside and hang  upside down from the top of the carrier like last time.  It makes mom all worried when I carry on like that.
I played a good trick on mom last night.  When her friend went out the back door I sneaked OUTSIDE  to  have a look around.  She says I can't go outside, that I am too little.  Maybe a coyote will eat me up....I wonder what is a coyote??  I am still pretty little, but when the VET weighs me today, maybe I will have gained a couple pounds.  Mom says I am getting bigger....my legs are getting longer and my body is longer too.  I  think I have gained a half pound by now.
Mom is going to the airport after we see the VET....she is going to pick up a  couple of quilting friends.  One is a famous author, Freddy Moran, and the other one of her customers.  It is exciting because she has never met her customer Molly from Illinois.  Freddy will be teaching this weekend at  Aunt Mary's Quilt shop.  I guess I better start thinking of hiding so I don't have to go in my little carrier.  Mom has to eat breakfast and off we go.  I would rather go to the airport.  I wonder where I could go....Someplace warm and sunny, as I am getting tired of the foggy cool mornings.  It is a good thing I didn't have to stay outside all night long.  It has been pretty cold at night lately.
I hope you all have a great day, and I will report on my big visit to the VET next time.   Love, from Sparkie!

 Mom's  friend Molly's quilt.  It will be so much fun to meet her today.

 Gosh, what a cute kitten.   Look how tiny I am.

 Mom saw spiderwebs one morning at took this picture.  Spider webs are so amazing. I like to chase spiders...I can run really fast and catch them!

Dazzling Dahlia quilt from MQX...
by Andrea Brokenshire....so  beautifully done.

Notes from Sparkie

Hi all my kitty fans!
I have had such a time lately.  Mom has been gone to  a quilt show at the Museum for 4 days and left me all alone all day.  When she got home I had to run around like a  cannonball.   I had to climb up her leg...one of my favorite things to do, and climb up the quilts on the quilt ladder.  I got all the way to the top before the quilt slid off and I fell to the big pile of quilts on the couch near-by.  Mom was not too happy about that adventure.  Yesterday I tried to climb up to the window sill, but the blinds were in the way, so I was hanging by my toenails to the window sill until I finally fell down.  Being a kitten is such hard work, but around here there are so many interesting things to peak my curiosity. 
I found a great little piece of cardboard from the mail package....boy, it that fun to play with.  And mom's pony tail scrunchies are really fun too.  I have found 2 of them, and they are like soft little hockey pucks that I can speed around the wood floor.
Yesterday mom weighed me and I finally reached two pounds.  She was able to put the flea medicine on that the VET gave her.  And now she is  talking about another visit to that VET for more shots.  I hope that needle is smaller than the last time.  I wonder how many more visits to the VET for shots I will have.
I spent this morning snuggled under mom's chin purring in her ear....she loves that.  I have her fooled.  I get all snuggly, and then I run around like crazy getting into all kinds of things.   How can she get mad at such a cute and snuggly kitty? 
Well, mom will have to write about her MQX adventures in the next blog.  I will try to post some more pictures this morning.  I couldn't get anything to work last time I tried.  Mom is going to feed the fish on her way to the studio....I have not yet been outside....I am sure there are plenty of things to entertain me out there.  I hope you all have fun with your cats and dogs today.   We love to make you happy and entertained.  Love   from  Sparkie.

 These are some shots of of the quilt I did of my dad and nephew.  My nephew is over 40 years old now. I entered this quilt in the La Conner show.  It was my first attempt at a person type pictorial.  I used the photo because I wanted it to look really "real".  It took me about 6 months to make this quilt.....of course, it had been started several times over the last 15 years!  I am going to do one of my mom next.

 Who is that cute kitty?  She looks like she if full of mischief to me.

 I took a very fun class, actually two, from Claudia Pfeil of Germany.   She was loads of fun, and had some great ideas and gave me lots of inspiration to try some new things. 

This is one of Claudia's samples....the paisley above she did in class and attached the little mirror with the long-arm.  I love taking classes and getting some new ideas, or getting the inspiration to find the time to try things that have been rolling around in my head for a long time.  You are never too old to learn.

Oh, the most exciting thing was that I got a 3rd place ribbon at the MQX show.   I was especially thrilled since I am probably one of the oldest long-armers still at it, and have a 16 year old Gammill with no stitch regulator.   There is always hope!  I thought it was fun to win over lots of those fancy computerized machines!

Fun and Inspiration at the La Conner Quiltfestival 2013

Hi everyone.....while Sparkie takes a break, I will fill you in on the Quiltfestival at La Conner.....what inspirational quilts there were.  Kathy McNeill was the Best of Show winner with another of her beautiful pictorial quilts.  There were so many other great ones...I especially loved one from Iowa that was pieced and appliqued on top of an antique quilt.....big, wonderful cornstalks with leaves all around and buttons galore.
There was a great chicken, and underwater scene, and many others that made my creative brain spin!
The weather was great, which made walking around town fun, too. 
I worked all day Wed. thru Saturday......had to get the vendors set up, and then make sure they got their breaks.
Oh, did I mention the garments that were so wonderful, especially the one with the New York city skyline and prairie points small than my baby fingernail!  An artist from Holland entered a few that were appliqued....WOW, is all I can say. 
Sadly pictures were not allowed, so you will have to send for a DVD....you can find it on the Museum website.  Then you can be inspired, too.
Sparkie did pretty well with me being gone so much, but  I did miss her, and she was happy to see me everyday when I got home.  Oh, Oh,   the VET again next week.....maybe they can clip those razor sharp little toenails she has.
I hope you will all be inspired to quilt something new and exciting, too.   Judy
Since I can't post pictures of the La Conner show I will post some of the MQX show.....another awe-inspiring show with unbelievably beautiful quilts.

Well, after about 10 tries to insert image.....the computer keeps giving me a message that won't allow pix to load....will have to try again tomorrow....makes for a dull blog!  Judy

A Visit to the VET

Good morning kitty fans!   Well, I finally have to tell you that I learned what that VET thing was all about.  Mom got up early today and  put me in  that little red house with the screens all around.  Then she zipped up one end and locked me in!!   I was stuck in that thing......out the door and into that big, black, noisy car.  Gosh it was scarey.   I think it needs a new muffler as it was so noisy and every time we went over a bump my little red house would bounce up and down....how scarey is that for a tiny kitty??  Mom kept talking to me so I wouldn't be afraid, but it was still scarey.  Finally we got to the VET and mom took me out of the noisy car and into the VET....we sat and waited a few minutes until the VET's helper came and took me away into the back room.  Mom didn't come, but I pretended to be brave and went with him.  I could always scratch him with my teeny little needle claws if I had to. 
They said I weighed 1.3 pounds...what does that mean?   Gosh, that does not sound like much to me...mom said I like to eat way too much, so  I hope she keeps my kibble dish nice and full.  The VET gave me something called a shot.....it didn't hurt too much....they checked me out and thought I wasn't quite as old as mom thought.  The VET said I looked good, but, then, I knew that.  I am sooooo cute.   Mom was happy to hear that, and made another date for the VET next month....oh, nooooo......do I have to go back there again??
The Vet said I might not feel well after the shot.......I did pretty well for awhile when I got home, but pretty soon I got a fever and just wanted to cuddle up under mom's chin and rest.  Mom was so worried that I was sick....but by next morning I was my usual rowdy self.
 I have been keeping busy since then  running around the house, up and down dad's big chair by that computer, and  playing on the bed at night when they are trying to sleep.  Even though I am naughty sometimes, they love me and tell me how cute I am.  I gotta make the best of this now, cuz when I am older I don't think I will be so cute, and will not play and do all those cute tricks I can do now!
Today mom has to get busy on a quilt with a VW on it.  Later this week she has to work at the big quilt show in La Conner.  I won't get to see her much while she is working there.  I will have to think up some cute new tricks to show her while she is away working.
I hope you will check in on me later this week to see what I am doing.  I hope you have fun today climbing up the backs of chairs and jumping off the footstool, too.   I can jump about 3 feet....maybe I will  join the circus when I get older.  I could work on the trapeze!   Have a fun day....Sparkie

 See, aren't I cute???

 Mom is teaching me how to use the computer so I can blog!

WE tried a lava cake recipe...ooooohhhhh, soooo good....I love chocolate.

More notes from Sparkie

Hi kitty lovers.....Well today I met some of my aunts.   Janet came over to see how cute I was.  She is a great knitter, and I hope I looked cute enough to have her knit me some cute mittens for the winter.  She made my mom some socks, but I think mittens would work better for  kittens!  Then Aunt Opal came by too.   She is a great photographer.  She took some  pictures of me, which she put  on Flickr.....lots of people thought I was soooo cute.   Aunt Arlene, our neighbor came by, too, and she was impressed with my cute little face.  It is a good thing, since   she will be  feeding   me whenever mom and dad  go away.  
Mom got me a strange looking little red house, with screens on the sides and front.  She says it will be fun to ride in when I go to the VET....I am still not sure about this VET thing.  I am pretty little to go in the car for a ride in that strange little red house.  She even put kibble inside to  get me to try it out.   The kibble is good, but I am not sure I  am going to fall for her   tricks!
Mom finished some more quilts and went to the Post Office.  She leaves me in the house and I cuddle up under her big quilt  in the recliner  and take a nap till she comes in for lunch.  Today I hid on her, and when she came in she couldn't find me right away.  I finally jumped out and surprised her.  She didn't think it was very funny, because she was worried  that I was lost or maybe sick.  She needs to lighten up a bit!
Well tomorrow I will let you know how my ride to the VET went in that funny little red house.  Mom will be working on a T shirt quilt, so I will get a big, long nap.  She finished Freddy's modern looking quilt today, too.  Freddy's quilts are so colorful.  I like all those bright, happy colors. I think mom should make a quilt for me.....maybe with mice and birds on it. 
Well, it is getting close to my bedtime, and I have to get ready to jump around on the bed and annoy mom and dad.  Sometimes I crawl under the covers and tickle mom. 
I hope you all  have a great night's sleep tonite, too.    Sparkie

P.S.   I cannot get my picture to work tonite on the computer.   I will post some pictures tomorrow.

A Note From Sparkie

Hi  kitten lovers!
My name is Sparkie, and I have  recently been adopted by my new mom and dad, Ken and Judy.  I was the perfect choice, even though they thought another black cat would be perfect.  When Judy came in to look at the kittens  in my house, she picked me right up....I guess it was the beautiful sparkly eyes that spoke to her!  They were blue last week, but I think they are changing a little more to green, just like the sparkly green eyes that were in her cat dream last month!
I had to stay with my other family till Tuesday night when "mom" got home from Whidbey Island.   They already had my new litter box and food dish, food and such necessary items.  I just looked so cute, they couldn't help but love me right off, and I felt right at home from when first got to their house.
I didn't hide under the couch or try to play hard to get at all. 
I  chased toys, ran around looking cute, and  ate out of my new bowl and used my litter box without any coaching at all.  Of course mom had to mash up my kibble a little bit.  Even for kitten food it was pretty big,  so I guess she figured it needed tinier pieces.  Meow Mix, my favorite.
The first night was pretty good...I guess mom was afraid she would roll over on me in bed, so she got up about 1 am and slept in her recliner with me right on her tummy and snuggled under her chin.  The next night I slept in the recliner all by myself, snuggled up in  a great big quilt.
Of course the next day I had to be as cute as possible so she would really love me and  give me lots of kisses and hold me whenever she could. I love to climb up her jeans leg and try to see what is cooking in the kitchen.  I even tried to climb up the drawer pulls, and made it up to the third one. 
I love to follow their big feet around the house and jump out to scare them!  Climbing onto their lap when they are busy is great fun, too.
I love my kibble, so mom will have to watch that I don't get too fat like my cousin Obie...he is 25 pounds...yikes.   I don't want to have to on the treadmill or give up my kibble allowance.
I love to play with my toys, and even use my scratching post.  Mom thinks I am pretty smart and brags about me all the time.  Right now I am climbing up her leg to take a quick nap on her lap while she is  helping me type this blog.  What is a blog, anyway??
I will have to learn how to be more technically literate in the 21st century.  Being a cat used to be so simple....just eat, play, look cute, and sleep.  Now I have to know how to do the keyboard and write blogs.
This morning I woke mom up  early trying to crawl under her chin and into her hands.....she gave up and sat in her recliner.  I guess I better stop for now, and let her give me some hugs.  I know she has to go back to work, and I will take a nap in her chair all snuggled up in my quilt.   She says I have to go to something called a VET.....I wonder what that is.  I hope they have   toys and treats.   with love, Sparkie

QUILTERS ON THE ROCK.....ROCK!

Hi all....well, another fabulous group of gals at the Quilters on the Rock guild  with a trunk show and class made for a fabulous two days on Whidbey Island.
I stayed with a great gal, Dorothy, who was just about the best handquilter I have ever seen.  It makes we wish I could hand quilt, but it just makes me so frustrated.  All I see is a big blank quilt in front of me, with miles of handquilting to go.  They have a great guild, and it was nice to see a few gals I already knew from here and there!
While at Dorothy's I met her cute and cuddly Corgi dog, Maggie.  She was smart as a whip, and minded so well....Maggie, go to your room!   And off she went.  Her husband, Bill, makes great airplanes out of pop cans, and they are so realistic.  Hobbies are so wonderful, and I often wonder how people live without at least one hobby!  
Tuesday we had class where we did three different projects:  fabric weaving, machine quilting, and the lone star.   We got so busy I even forgot to take pictures...but I am hoping they will send me pictures that I can post.  Near the end, one very funky Halloween quilt began to emerge into a great lone star.  There were some great samples of machine quilting  and  woven quilts that will be fabulous when finished.  I am so looking forward to seeing pictures of the finished projects.  It was just too much fun.  I love to teach and teaching 3 at a time is all the more fun.
The La Conner Quiltfest is drawing close in just a couple weeks, and I also have to get my quilts shipped to MQX for their show coming up in early October. Lots to do with quilting my customer quilts, too.  I have some really fun ones lately, but I think all the quilts I get are quite spectacular. and I enjoy quilting on every one of them. 
This Saturday we have our class for Gathering Fabric at the Woodinville Grange.  It will be fun as we have had a few gals gone for vacation and such, so it will be like a reunion again!
My last class at Pacific Fabrics, Northgate, was great too.  Nine gals including one junior high gal who did magnificent machine quilting.  I got a nice note from my young gal's mom...it seems like she was really taken by machine quilting.  We really have to get those young gals into the quilting world.
We had two smashing thunder storms recently, and they were LOUD and magnificent....a great sound and light show.  I miss thunder storms so much.
Well, kitty girl....Sparkie is so much fun.  I had forgotten how cute kittens can be.  I think I should have named her funny girl.
Well, my lunch break  has been long enough, I better close for now and get back to the machine....have a great day.  Judy

 Freddy's newest project...a table runner....so cheery.  We love Freddy's happy quilts.

 Sparkie sitting on the arm of my chair.  She gets her kitten shots this Wednesday.

 Opal took this great picture with her fancy camera.   Sparkie is playing with my toes right now!

Another lone star I am working on.  My ode to the more modern quilt look!

Quilt Camp at Barb's...my sis-in-law's.  We sewed in her dining room....what fun!

Back From Arkansas

Dear Bloggers!
We are back from Arkansas and visiting the family.  We had a great time, and my sweet sister-in-law even set up a sewing room in her dining room for us...2 machines, ironing board, and cutting table.  We had a blast sewing, and  planning some new quilts. Of course the main reason  for going was to see Ken's 91 year old mom, who just moved to AR from Grand Rapids.   What a pioneer spirit she has.  She is doing just great, and we had to celebrate with daily visits to the best ice cream store ever.  They even have their own cows!
Check out Braums if you are ever in the area where they have ice cream parlors.   It is  sooooo yummy.
Barb set up a great 2 days of sewing classes at her local shop,   Village Quilting.  One of the best parts of that was that I got to meet Sherry, one of my quilting clients.  Gosh, the wonders of the quilting world.  To think she drove all the way from Lincoln, Nebraska to take my class.  She has a childhood friend in the area, so we had a great time in class and dinner afterword.
Everyone in class made spectacular lone stars.  In the second class we even had a guy!  Raymond sent  a picture of his finished lone star, which I will post as soon as I get all my pictures figured out.  What a brave guy to put up with all us gals!  Not to mention what a great sport he was.  Thanks for taking the class, Ray, we all had a blast.
Bentonville also has the most amazing new art museum,  about the only one built anywhere in the US in many years.  It was spectacular and had a permanent exhibit of quite amazing pieces.  Thanks to WalMart for building it, and the permanent collection is free to the public. 
I was sad that we did not have one thunderstorm the whole week we were there.  But we did make up for that with 2 of the biggest thunder and lightning displays  ever.....Washington does not have these storms, at least in our area.  They were terrific.   Thunder storms are my favorite weather unless it is  sunny and 70!
The only thing about vacations, is that they end way too soon.
We got home in time to see a sign,  "Kittens" down the  road   from our house.   It was meant to be....check out our first picture of Sparkie...she is so cute, and funny.  I will post pictures as she goes along. 
Hope you are all looking forward to a fabulous fall.  I will miss those spectacular colors in CT, but hope to have a great spring show when I  go in May.
Happy quilting to all,   judy

 One night when we had  a full moon rising...

 This year's piccasso petunias...they were unbelievable.  The plants grew to be about 3 feet or more across.  Try them...they are Fabulous!

 A view of the Crystal Bridges Art Museum in Bentonville, AR

 Ice dyeing is way too fun!

My new Sparkie!   I LOVE her.  I hope her eyes will stay blue.

Missing Catfish Re-surfaces after Four Years!

Hi all,
Well, after 4 years I am happy to report that my missing  catfish has re-appeared. 
When we moved the koi and 2 bitty 3 inch long catfish into our new pond, everything went swimmingly!
After a bit one of the catfish came up to eat with the koi.....but only one ever showed up for lunch. He slowly has grown to about 16 inches long.  (Hard to be sure, he swims pretty fast!)

Keep that net on the pond, or the fish disappear with the herons.

 See, no catfish here!

 I call this one the KOI CHOIR!

 This beautiful quilt was made by Julie Stockler from one of Kaffe's patterns.  I have only just begun mine!  I love this particular quilt made with the luscious strips from Kaffe Fassett.

One of my class-members, Marilyn,  made this beautiful hand dyed piece in class a few weeks ago
I kept scanning the water to see if number 2 catfish would ever show up.  He continued to be missing and we just assumed he had  gone to his great reward, altho he never floated to the top, as usually happens in such cases!   We never found him in the filters....he was so tiny I thought he may have gotten sucked through the system.
Well, imagine my surprise when he appeared Wednesday morning for breakfast!  He is about a foot long, not as big as his brother...but, then, he has not been eating fish food like a pig for the last 4 years.
It so exciting to see him there eating with all  gang.  I am glad there is a happy ending to that fish tale!

Fall is in the air...the evenings and mornings are cooler, and though we have had little rain, it does seem like we are  changing seasons.  Even some of my lobelia flowers are starting to die out.  I did find  the orange and yellow crocosmias I had wanted and plan to put them in the ground soon.  I can grow them really well!
Our millions of blackberries are ripening.  (I don't even like them, but guess one batch of jam won't hurt!)  Our weeds are ever present, and  the grass still needs mowing on  a regular basis. 
Coming up next weekend is the big APQW show in Tacoma.  It is a huge quilt show, and I have a little piece in the fabric  challenge.  It is always a great place for inspiration and shopping, of course.

The La Conner Quilt show comes the first weekend of October, so busy getting ready for that one, too.  I am in charge of the vendors.  It will have some spectacular quilts, too. 
In the meantime, I am busy with customer quilts, and  working on a few of my own.....hope you are all enjoying the season and finding time to see the beauty all around you.  Till later, Judy

Arkansas Here I Come!!

 Freddy's giant star quilt that I quilted for her some time back!

 This is my first lone star that I learned in Freddy's class several years ago.

 a smaller one with Laurel Burch fabric.

 One of my student's pieces in process!

 In process my scrappy Kaffe....Below is the back of the quilt!

 One of my Christmas lone stars!

 I just had a small piece of the tiger lily fabric and had to make the star to fit the background.

 One of my quilts in progress.  I started the star with bright prints, but it was too much for my fabulous French girly fabric...so I scrapped that and did the star with all blacks and whites.

 Another couple views of one of Freddy's quilts.

 My chicken lone star....so fun to make.  I made it rectangular by adding extra borders.
The orange one I think is one of my favorites....I call it Orange-a-licious....thanks to Stephie for the name.

Some exciting news for me...I have a wonderful sister-in-law....also a fabulous quilter, who has me all set to teach when I visit her in Bentonville, AR in September.  What fun that will be.
I will be teaching at the Village Quilting in Bentonville where we will be creating beautiful lone star quilts my fast and easy method.
I have taught lone stars many times, and even total beginners make beautiful lone stars!  One of the gals in my guild just brought the one she made in my class a few months ago.  It was a beauty.  Sadly, I did not have my camera for a picture.  I will post some lonestars of mine, and a few of Freddy Moran's  that I quilted for her.  I am totally addicted to lone star quilts, but mine are usually not very traditional in fabric selection and colors.  I hope many of you will join me and Barb Hamernik for the Lone Star class.  The shop has the details and supply list.  Just bring some great fabric, and don't forget the chocolate!  We will have a great time making lone star quilts.  They really are easy to make.  Most classes several gals will get the star done and often the entire background.
Don't let this quilt scare you off.
I am also working on  a couple lone stars in the modern quilt style.  Will post the parts as I progress.  I think I will save them for class as sample to show you how they go together.
See you in early September.   Judy Irish

By the way, I started with one, got going on some  more, and thought 6 is a good number, then a dozen, and why not a baker's dozen...now I am nearing 20....maybe I should go for 50....that is a good number!