Back from MQX

This quilt was done on a Bernina and Best of Show....little tea pots quilted in, tiny little stitching in the background areas...applique and a3-D bows on the little spoons...how cute it was...ILOVED this one, even though it is not my type as a rule....The quilter did a fabulous job.

This piece was very wide and not so tall, with all little people appliqued and looking at quilts which were all little mini pieced quilts...what an effort...wow....I can't believe people can make such creative and wonderful pieces. I can't get into the applique thing, but sure am impressed by those who do.

Close-ups of Dusty's dragon koi....so neat....small but threadwork was fantastic. He also taught the class on glow in the dark thread. That was fun to see, too.

Hi all....finally back to business after spending 4 days at MQX...the machine quilting conference in Portland. Saw a few old friends, and took about 5 classes. I especially enjoyed the one I took from Norma Riehm....she makes fun pieces with black tulle on top and fun stuff in between the quilt and tulle. Even better if you like to embellish!

Sue Patten's ZenSuedles was fun....I even had to mark a quilt..yikes. I never mark, but now have a piece to quilt when the opportunity presents itself. It gave me some inspiration to get going on my own pieces, and some ideas for Asilomar when I teach there in June.

I stayed with my friend Desma in Rainier, OR. We had a great time at the conference, including buying some yummy donuts at VooDoo Donuts near the convention center.....way too yummy, and fattening. I couldn't eat them too often.

THere was a gift show going on next to our conference, so I got some great scarves really cheap, and great watch...red, white and blue, of course! I hope they are there next year, too. It reminded me of all the great gift shows I went to at Jacob Javitz in New York City with my boss at Connecticut Memories. Lots of goodies there, and so much eye candy!

The quilts at the show in Portland were fabulous, and beautifully quilted...some on domestic machines, including the best of show. It surely does make you want to go home a create your masterpiece. I will try to post some for you to see...I likely won't know the maker, but rest assurred...I did not make them! Hope you get some quilting time in this week, too.....love, jude

Off to Portland and MQX

These are views of Freddy's latest quilt....I have about 5 more to do, and they make me soooooo happy to quilt...so cheery!

Hi all...this morning I leave on the train to meet my friend Desma in Kelso/Longview....we are going to spend the week taking classes for machine quilting at the big MQX machine conference. This will be the first year I have not taught....but it is a new conference so should be interesting.

Our Kitty boy Tommy is doing well, and poor Ken will have to take him to the vet at the end of the week...but he is good and just sits in the car and behaves very well!

I am still playing with quilting on the featherweight which is great fun, and will have time today on the train to work out some things for Asilomar this June. I will give you all a report of the conference and hopefully bring back some pix of all those gorgeous quilts. Have a great week.....jude

Good check-up

This is my Tommy Boy...isn't he a handsome fellow? He can be quite a character when he feels good....
The Lion Brand yarn store in NYC had these crocheted cannolis made up for a display....no pattern, but a clever crocheter can make them!...or how about a bowl of crocheted salad??? Pretty clever. The colorful quilt at the right is from the Bumblebeans gal...they had some on display in Manhattan when I was there...Enjoy!

HI....well, we just got back from the vet...that would be Tommy Boy and me.....his blood sugar is now 394. That is going in the right direction since we started over 600. It is amazing that cats can get diabetes and have to take insulin. The vet cat is a pretty one....white, grey and black with long hair. He is 20 years old. Well, our old guy is starting to feel better....he hangs around us more now, and wants to go outside more.

Well, just mailed Kaffe and Liza's last book quilt....I think it is the last one....Rice Bowls...pretty neat, too. I can't wait to see this book. They are always so beautiful with exquisite photos. It will be out pretty soon I think. The last newest, Quilts in Sweden is pretty neat....check out the bar code quilt. I think I want to make that one among others!

oday we have sun, unlike yesterday when the rains gushed down for a couple hours. I felt like there was a giant water faucet over my studio, on, off, and on again. Gosh, It was a gullywasher! Pretty soon we will have to drain the pond down if this keeps up.

Today I will put up Freddy's Gee's Bend style quilt in red, black and white. It should be a graphic one for sure. I am teaching this afternoon at Pacific Fabric...the Lone Star. I am also starting another lone star for me! I don't think I have enough. This one is in blacks, pinks, lime greens and white. I will post a picture next time so you can see those FAB colors, too. For today I think I will post a few more quilts and such from my New York trip...I think some of them will be from Bumblebeans....check her website. I don't remember how to do links, so you will just have to check for yourself. Where is my guru, Sharon??? I got a notice on the blog about some new picture stuff. Guess I will try to figure that out. Oh, my.....that could be interesting.
Well, gotta go and pin up Freddy's quilt and also do a small baby quilt for a shower. Hope you all have a great day and some quilting done, too......love, jude

Fall is in the Air

Freddy's lone star tablecloth...pretty cheery, eh?

another of Freddy's tablecloths.....that should brighten up any meal!
This quilt was by Jo Baner of Evergreen Quilters in Bellingham's show last week. It was really much nicer than the picture shows.

On of my students from CT.....Martha Quizhpi....made this piece....this is a closeup of the quilt, as is the other picture as well. Martha does some beautiful work.

Hi all....today it is raining and the past week or so it seems like it is getting much cooler in the mornings and evenings. I guess all that hot August and September weather will soon be over, and fall will be in full swing.

This last week I took my Tommy Boy kitty to the vet as he was drinking LOTS of water and using his litter box way too much....the vet said his blood count was 600 and it should be about 100 for cats....so he is now a confirmed diabetic. I am giving him shots twice a day. I guess it is a good think we gave our alpacas and goats to great new homes so I can concentrate on the cat! He is a great patient and doesn't fuss a bit when I give him a shot. It seems like he is perking up already, but I am sure it is way too soon for that. I hope he gets back to his perky self. I am not sure of his age, but I think he is about 14.

Well, finished and mailed two of Freddy's table cloth quilts yesterday and am working on my friend Marilyn's 30's quilts now...she loves the 30's fabrics! I have had her pieces way too long, and with the books all finished, I can get back to the other quilts waiting in line. I almost pinned up one of mine yesterday, but realized I better not...I want to do my Ooooh La La quilt...it is beautiful Parisian pin-up girls...eiffel towers and other French designs. It is a great lone star.

I am going to get some more machine quilting samples ready for Asilomar, and try to post some of them. In the meantime, guess I better feed the fishies and get to work....more later...Judy

Quilt Shows

My challenge quilt for the Leavenworth show....Mountains of Fabric! I made this one while on the cruise....we were rocking and rolling pretty good that night!

I got this picture at a show in New York while I was there teaching.

Our annual outdoor quilt show and barbecue...It is always fun. You should try it too.

One of my chicken quilts made without a pattern...cut and paste!

This summer was a great one for quilt shows. In July we had our Busy Bee Quilt Show. It is always a great one...as our guild has so many creative and talented quilters. Our challenge this year had to be a quilt with a spiderweb some place visible.....soooo, I used one of my woven pieces and added koi, of course. All in all, it turned out pretty good. Now I have another sample for my woven quilt classes!! Sadly, attendance was down, as it seems to be in all of our guild shows. I think the economy has had an impact, as well as the quilting world in general seems to be slowing down a bit. I still have some classes to teach each quarter, so I am grateful for that, as I really love to teach quilting and get new people involved in this wonderful world.

In August was the APWQ quilt show in Tacoma. That was a first for this show, as in the past it had been in Seattle. The quilts were just beyond beautiful.....so creative, and many were of the "artsy" variety, which I LOVE. Got lots of pictures, and visited the vendors. My little challenge quilt was in the show, and I later learned it took a second place ribbon with the viewers. That is my favorite kind of ribbon.

Today I will be taking 2 quilts to the La Conner Museum for their up-coming show. That always proves to be a great weekend....check the web to see information about that show the first weekend of October.

My quilting buddy Liz and I went up to Leavenworth, WA to see their show last week....another collection of great quilts. I never cease to marvel at the creativity found in the quilt world. I ideas are endless, and the craftsmanship so meticulous and stitched with such love. I am so glad I am a part of this wonderful world. Well, speaking of quilting, I have a beauty on the frame this morning that needs to be finished before I leave for the Museum....happy quilting to you all.....jude

Pictures of the Kids

Bye Bye Goat Girls and Alpacas

We made the big decision and found new homes for our sweet critters. I guess with winter coming and the thought of tromping through the mud and snow to feed everyone got to be too much for these two old fogies. We found great homes for the goats, our neighbors' friends....they even have llamas, so the goat girls are right at home and have settled in nicely with a new pecking order, yet. Seems our bossy goat is now at the bottom of the new pecking order at her new home! The alpacas are back on Camano Island, with some donkeys for playmates. I miss them a lot, but now we have the neighbors goats grazing in our yard when they want...we opened the fence for them to go back and forth. Well, enough about the sad story of giving up or critters. Now we are just concentrating on our Kitty Boy and the Fish!
We are still trying to figure out the flow on our pond through the new UV filter, but I think with the very hot weather, we are growing algae faster than the UV can kill it off.
I tried to take a 3-point landing head first into the stream a couple days ago. Just trying to pick a few weeds out and lost my balance. Boy, I found muscles I didn't know I had after that episode. I did not get a bath...lucky for me!
Since the cruise I have been trying to finish up as much as possible for my customers...just sent off the last of the book quilts to Liza Lucy yesterday....at least I think it was the last. This should be a great book, too.....photos will be taken in Bulgaria I think....wow, wish I could go along and be a gohper for them.
Today my little Goof Balls group comes over for sewing, and hanging out. I got some fun new ideas to show them, and hopefully we can finish up some things as well.....I will have to share about the Raku beach party we had last weekend on the next post. In the meantime, hope you all are enjoying the fall days and great weather before we have to snuggle up for the winter season. Will write soon.....judy