Second Try

Okay...why won't the image thingie work on this blog???? I am not meant for the computer age. I have tried signing in again, and that still won't work...so if I don't get any pix...I will just post my sad story without. I will never understand the computer world.....and to think some folks think I should send pix by phone and do texting.....now there is a nervous breakdown waiting to happen!! Well here goes again.....Well, no luck...will try again in the morning......judy

OOPS!

Okay....how did I get all the same pix???? Stephie said I should try to post a little something every day....see, that is why I don't.....I can never figure out why I goof up so much....anyway, I will try again...the oops was for all the junk that fell over in my studio when Opal was over sewing with me. Luckily it didn't land on us or her sweet Cinda Lou doggie. I am working on the quilt to the left. It is a challenge, and the challenge now is to put all those beads and buttons etc. on for embellishments. I am getting tired already, and have lots more to go. I tip my hat to those who sit and hand sew or do all that fancy stitching and embellishing. I did get the sleeve on my koi threadwork quilt, which I think I got posted....I actually quilted the sleeve so the stitching would match the back better than just a piece of black fabric. I rather like how it turned out.

Tomorrow I am hoping to finish a client quilt and then maybe another one of mine. Our quilt show is coming soon, so the embellishments need to get done right away. Well, since I need to go and work on that piece...guess I better get going....good nite, Stephie.....this one is for you!! Judy

Oops..double oops....I don't know what button I pressed, but I posted a title before I was ready.

OOPS!

Bronchitis Bug Bites

Hi All....gosh, I just lost 2 weeks with the bronchitis and asthma bug.....He got me good! And I hate having to be so down I can't even quilt....and worse, nothing tasted good...by taster was broken! Finally I am back in the saddle, having quilted 2 tops yesterday for about 7 hours total. The picture to the right with the moons was from Barbara Shapel's workshop in Oregon, where I also got bitten by the Bug! I was still ablt to finish my piece, I think it is the one on the right. All the gals had very neat fabrics and different looks to their pieces. I also included a picture of one of Barbara's herons. She is the most fabulous quilter and colorist. I hope you can take her class some time.

I also posted the unfinished piece I have to embellish for our QA quilt show next month. I have a bunch of beads and french knots to make on the piece, and some big stitches to do in the border. We are expecting snow tomorrow, so I cannot get out to get the special pearl cotton thread for some of my stitching.

There are also a couple photos to take of the koi stitched piece for APWQ show and the Quiltfestival at the LaConner Museum. It is hard to get a good photo for jurying, but I will give it a try.

Today I taught one of my patterns, In a Hurry quilt. It takes about 4 hours to make the top. This Friday is another class, machine quilting, freemotion. THat is always a fun class to teach, and I love to get the girls over their fear of freemotion!

We had crazy weather today, hail and snow, rain, sleet, and whatever else came along. Tomorrow there is supposed to be 5" of snow. I can't wait for spring. See the handsome heron there....that is Barb's! Well, I hope you are all getting lots of great things pieced and quilted.....in the meantime, I am catching up with all my projects after the big bug bit me!

Happy quilting....judy

Play Date with Stephie and Opal

Greetings to all our fellow quilters. We...that would be Stephie and Opal, have been trying to get together and play on as many Fridays as possible. It is fun to just let our little creative brains percolate and come up with fun things....not that they even get finished, as that is not the point. Last time we just did some of Stephie's chunkin....just sewing pieces together and squaring up eventually! That is some fun, and a great way to use up those itty bitty pieces all over the place, including the floor and waste basket.

I also have been working on the thread play koi at the right. I think I may try to enter it into a show. I really like to play with thread, so that is what I did with this project. I started with a Barbara Shapel mystery quilt which was pieced, and then added a few raw edge collage, as well as painted water lilies....I think I like it pretty well so far, but have learned some things for next time! The project in progress to the right is one with crazy piecing, and lots of fun.

Then, at the bottom is one I call Kaffe meets Freddy! Freddy Moran inspired the Lone Star, and using Kaffe fabric and lots of scrap strata I had lots of fun putting this one together. The reverse side is another Lone Star with all Kaffe fabric, too. This is about my 13th Lone Star, and I have lots more in mind to do. I guess you could say I was smitten. I am going to try to keep my website more up to date, with the help of my friend Jan...today we worked on it but loading some pix presented a problem. I think the site was having problems...so we will try again tomorrow.

I also should try to be more faithful in posting on my blog.

This weekend will give me something to write about next time, as I am going on a mystery quilt retreat with Barbara Shapel teaching. She is a fabulous quilt artist, check out her website.

Well, the arthritis in the baby fingers is getting aggravating, so guess I will stop for now...thanks for tuning in, and more later about our retreat in Oregon with Barbara Shapel......Judy

Spring Cleaning

Freddy inspired my black and white collection. I am changing out the blue and yellow fabric for some of my Asian fabrics. I have way to much bright and funky fabs, but they are just about my favorites.

Hi all...thought I would post some pix of my studio. Actually some of my stash shelves don't look half bad...the other jumbled up mess with the stuffed animals is on the living room floor....yikes....I need to open a zoo. Most of those bears were made by me, and I hate to give them up. Plus, there are about a zillion quilt magazines all over the place. My newest sorting method is to flip through the magazine really fast...if nothing catches my eye...boom...GONE!! I make copies of what I want to save and hopefully use one day. That seems to work pretty well, but I am getting behind in making the copies...of course I have to live nine lives like my cat to get all this stuff used up and made. But I hate to tear up magazines. Then I give the magazines to my guilds for sale. We use them to raise money.

SOme of the gals actually are surprised at my organizational skills. I only need a warehouse to get it all stored, and a ton of shelves to pile it up. Oh, well, I am making progress...friend Stephie is getting nervous with all my cleaning. I think she is worried I am losing my mind.....like the sign in my studio........I have lost my mind, and nobody cares.!

Well, I will take some pictures of my classroom tables so you can actually see bottom. It is quite nice. I just have to find some more beads to embellish my QA challenge quilt. I never do hand stuff, but feel challenged to make the plunge on this one. I will work till I run out of ambition, time, and/or beads. Gotta go eat some dinner.....till later, Judy

Lunch at the Koi Diner

I finally finished (almost) my latest piece. I took this class from Barbara Shapel...she is great, and you should take any class you can from her.

I knew I wanted to make mine koi circling around the food! I am pleased with it, pretty much. I still have to add water lilies, and do some painting on the fabric. I may get brave and try to enter it in a juried show.
We had some more snow last week, and it is still mostly here. THe temperature has been so cold the rain has not been able to wash it away. I feel bad for all my friends in CT with 2 feet of snow, and more on the way. I am glad to not live there anymore.

Two of my Goofballs just left. They are a small group of gals who come the second Tuesday of the month. Dana was working on an Asian type jacket. We like to try new things and play around with some funky new ideas whenever we can.

I hope your new year is wonderful, filled with lots of great quilting projects and creative new ideas.

There is so much new fabric out there that it makes you head spin! I am definitely trying to NOT buy too much, as the more I clean my studio, the more I know that I don't need one more thing.
I just got a note from my friend Betsy...in KY. She helps birth foals....what a fun job to be around all those beautiful animals, and she is a FABULOUS quilter to boot. I have one of her fabulous leaf quilts.

Check my website, as I have posted this quarter's classes with the help of Jan, my website guru. I am going to post classes for the East coast in a few weeks.

In the meantime, as we try to thaw out, happy quilting.....judy