Jackson's Mill Quilt Retreat

It never seems like we get to stay at Jackson's Mill long enough. I kind of wish it were a week long event rather than just a long weekend.  I'm already counting the days until next year!

Me and my friends Debbie and Susan went up on Thursday.  We managed to make a two hour trip in to an almost 6 hour trip!  We had a wonderful time!  We stopped at a couple different quilt shops, had a great lunch, and stopped at an outlet shop.  We got checked into our hotel room and then had a bite to eat.  Then it was back to the room to get rested up for the next day's festivities!!

Friday we had a nice leisurely breakfast and then went to check in at the retreat itself.  We met up with our friends Teresa and Kristen and then got everyone settled in to their classrooms.  I failed to take any pictures all weekend.  I'm really bad about that!  I need to do better.  My Friday class was an Iron Pad Caddy taught by Brenda Casto.  I made it on my Featherweight.  It didn't turn out half bad, but I have to say my Featherweight struggled with the walking foot and all the fabric layers.  I may not have had something adjusted quite right.  I need to play with it some more.  Here's my finished product:

It's going to be perfect for my little antique iron to carry back and forth to classes.  Brenda had drawn all of the sewing lines with arrows to follow on freezer paper to iron on our fabric.  This made it possible to finish this in just a few hours -- aside from hand stitching the binding to the back. 

Friday evening after dinner we started on our main class for the weekend.  Mine was Lucky Stars again taught by Brenda Casto.  I went totally scrappy with it using the Old Glory Gatherings line by Primitive Gatherings.  I was a little nervous that I wasn't going to like it when I first started putting it together, but I think it turned out fantastic!!

Brenda handed out some finishing directions that were slightly different from the pattern.  She had added a narrow inner border and then an outer piano key border.  I'm still debating on whether or not I want to add that.  I'm not sure I have enough reds and blues to do it which means I'd need to buy more fabric.  Fat quarters would be too much and it's hard to find some place that sells fat eighths.  I just don't know what I want to do with it.  

Saturday afternoon we took a little break and made a Snappy Bag.  Brenda had everything pre-cut and ready to go.  All we had to do was sew!  I thought they turned out super cute:

These are the little bags that have the tape measure pieces in them to make them "snap".  It was easy to make.  I may make a couple more to carry my sewing supplies in to classes. 

I'm anxious to register for next year!!  Come on June!!

Weekend Wrap Up

I didn't get much sewing done this weekend.  It seems like it just flew by!  

Friday:

I got my centers done for my Lucky Stars quilt.  If you recall I had mentioned that I couldn't stand using a plain square in the middle and had decided to string piece them.  It got worse from there .... then I couldn't decide on one style ... so now I have 3!

Lucky Stars Centers

Then I did this week's Modern Half Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long block:

Block 25 -- I think

Saturday:

We attended the funeral of our good friend's family member.  It was very sad and I just wasn't in the mood to sew when we got home.  Very sad.

Sunday:

Today I finished up the next two blocks for the Civil War BOW.  I'm all caught up with that now until Primitive Gatherings ships the next 4 weeks worth.

Block 7 -- Strength in Union

Block 8 -- Fox and Geese

The rest of the day was spent on errands, cleaning and laundry ... YUCK!!  This evening though I started gathering all of my things for Quilt-cation .... my name for Retreat at Jackson's Mill!  I cleaned my Husqvarna machine and changed the needle while my Hubby did some maintenance on my baby, Plum Crazy:

She's all ready to go for this weekend now!  And I can't wait!! Quilt-cation here I come!!

Better Late Than Never .... Weekend Wrap Up

It doesn't seem like I got much accomplished sewing wise this past weekend but it was jam packed full of stuff. 

Friday:

I got caught up with the Modern Half Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long.  Go me!!  Here are blocks 21 through 24:

Block 21

Block 22

Block 23

Block 24

I'm excited to be caught up with this.  Now I've only got one block a week to do!

I also got two more of my Civil War Sampler BOW blocks done:

Block 5 -- Hovering Hawks

Block 6 -- Port and  Starboard

I'm really enjoying this quilt and the variety of fabrics they are sending.  I can't wait to finish this next year!

Saturday:

Saturday was my Shadowbox class at Quilts by Phyllis.  I had a wonderful time sewing and talking with all the ladies in my class.  I'm about 90% done.  I had great intentions of finishing the quilt Saturday evening, but we had a bit of a mishap involving one spotted Bengal cat and a tray of terracotta paint.  Needless to say most of my evening was spent cleaning up the cat and the house!  I failed to take any pictures of the work in progress or the "cat-astrophe".... I find I'm a slacker with the camera when I'm in a class. 

Sunday:

I wasn't' feeling all that great so I spent a little time sorting through some of my scraps .... I plan on starting a scrappy Irish Chain as a leaders and enders project.  I'd like to have enough 2" squares to take with me to Jackson's Mill the weekend after next to use as leaders and enders.  I may have enough at this point.  I'll probably just pack up what I have and make do.  I also made a few different string centers for my Lucky Stars quilt.  I decided to do different ones since I couldn't decide which I liked best!  Hopefully I'll be able to get those done and the Shadowbox quilt on Friday. 

Have a good week y'all!

President's Day Weekend Wrap Up

I love, love, love these extended weekends.  I've had time to do all kinds of things plus sew! Tomorrow back to reality though.

There was no sewing on Saturday.  Saturday was car shopping day.  I placed an order for a 2013 Plum Crazy Challenger to match my machine and my tattoo of course!  And in honor of buying a purple car, I give you my purple dog:

Mercedes had fun at the groomer.  It was supposed to be streaked, but apparently she isn't frou frou like her sister, Harley.  She DID NOT like the foils in her hair!  I think it's cute though.

Sunday I started getting ready for Jackson's Mill Quilt Retreat.  It's coming up fast!!  Nala assisted by inspecting my ironed fat quarters:

I got all of my fabric cut for both of the classes I signed up for.  Here's my Lucky Stars fabric:

It doesn't look like much ..... but it was 40 fat quarters. All I have left to do is string piece the twenty 4.5" center squares because I'm crazy that way.  I just didn't like them plain.  I also signed up for an Iron Caddy class.  It's just an afternoon class, but I already had the fabric and pattern sitting in the drawer so I figured it was a good opportunity to use it!

 And just for good measure I made Block 2 for the Civil War Sampler:

Block 2 -- Star of the West

Today was cleaning day, but I still got some sewing time in!  Here are my Unit 3s for Lazy Sunday:

And my Unit 4s:

And my Unit 5s:

I also got two more Civil War Sampler blocks done:

Block 3 -- Barbara Frietchie Star

Block 4 -- Catch Me If You Can

And last but not least, one more block for the Modern HST Quilt-a-Long:

Block 20 (?)

Oh and I got the binding sewn on one of the baby blankets so I could take it with me this week to stitch on while I'm in the car for work.

Next weekend I have that Shadowbox quilt class.  The instructor called tonight and gave more directions of things to have done.  Kind of short notice for me.  Had I known earlier today I could have done it, but now it may not happen before class.  I'm kind of wondering why she didn't call us on Friday or Saturday so those of us that work could have an opportunity to get it done.  It will all work out though.  It's an easy pattern.  I'm just taking the class so I can sit and sew with other quilters.  I love the company.

Weekend Wrap Up

What a weekend!!

Earlier last week, I got an invitation in the mail for a friend of ours daughter's baby shower.  This was TOTALLY unexpected as they are adopting and it happened much faster than anyone anticipated.  The shower is next weekend and the baby comes home in mid February!  

I just happened to have some baby fabric in my stash that was going to be for another baby, but I never got around to making it.  That baby got a crocheted blanket instead.  So I quickly started cutting up fat quarters using my Yellow Brick Road pattern.  I love that pattern!  It's quick, easy and gets the job done in no time flat!  The baby blanket size called for 6 FQs but I had 9 so I decided I would just make them all.  

Assembly Area for Yellow Brick Road

Chaining Away

Once I got the blocks done and laid out on the floor, I figured I had enough for two blankets.  One crib size and one smaller.  Now I'll have a back up blanket should I get caught like this again.  I also decided that I needed a small inside border to separate the body of the quilt from the main border.  I didn't have any fabric that I wanted to use (of course) but already had a big trip planned to Quilts by Phyllis for her open house the next day.  I would look then for the right inner border.

Since I still had some time left before my Hubby got home from work, I decided I'd do two more Modern Half Square Triangle blocks.  I believe these are Blocks 13 & 14.

Block 13 Modern Half Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long

Block 14 Modern Half Square Triangle Quilt-a-Long

Saturday was my trip to Quilts by Phyllis for her semi-annual Open House. I had a great time meeting up with my friends, Mary, Debbie & Susan.  Of course I bought too much!!

I signed up for a class next month.  We will be doing the pattern Shadowbox.  Here is the fabric I chose for that:

Shadowbox Fabric

It's the Flirt line by Sandy Gervais for Moda fabrics.  When I first saw this pattern, I wasn't overly excited about it until I saw the class sample made out of these fabrics.  Just gorgeous! I can't wait to get mine put together.

I also got my fabric for my main class as Jackson's Mill in March.  I will be taking Lucky Stars.  I'm also taking an Iron Tote Mini class.  I failed to take a picture of that fabric, but it's Old Glory Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings.  I think it will be nice.

Lastly, I bought my fabric for Lazy Sunday!!!!  Take a look:

Lazy Sunday

Lazy Sunday Backgrounds

I can't wait to get started!!!  It probably won't be until next weekend now though.

Today I finished the baby blankets .... I found an inner border at Phyllis' yesterday.

Yellow Brick Road Baby Blankets

I think they turned out pretty nice!

Now I just need to get my borders on Easy Street and "Git 'er Done"!!!