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