Christmas wall hanging

Taking a break from small blocks, sort of. I made a Christmas wall hanging using a pre-printed panel from Clothwork Fabrics (Peppermint Cottage by Diane Knott for CF). It will go in my cubicle for the holiday season. It only has six 6" blocks in it :), which I did make using Marti Michell templates. Just can't seem to not use these when they are available.

Moonlighters Quilt Show and quilt progress

Three more LeMoyne variations are done for Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. The Split version done in two shades of gold has quite a few (16) bits of fabric all going into the same point, yikes, a bit of a bump there. Now to work on other projects until this week's BOW is announced.

I went to the Moonlight Quilters of Sonoma county quilt show on Saturday specifically to see the Quilt Mavens, Deb Karasik and Janet Mednick. They had some spectucular quilts on display. I found out they have a book out, although they were sold out at the show. Tell you anything ? Check out their website at http://www.quiltmavens.com/ You can get their book at Amazon.com, Quilt Mavens: Perfect Paper Piecing. Deb Karasik will be teaching at Empty Spools next March. I'll have to see if I can take a class from either her or Janet before 2010. Because, I got into Suzanne Marshall's class at Empty Spools in 2009 Got the confirmation yesterday.

I have been slowly ironing the backing for High Country Garden and finally got it done. This afternoon/evening I should get the quilt basted for machine quilting. I found some varigated thread in my stash that looks like it will work nicely, and will use navy Bottom Line in the bobbin.

Basic and Beyond did get a few threads into it this week, another 3 or so repositionings of the hoop and it will be completely quilted!

Ricky Tims Super Seminar

For the last three days I have been soaking up information from Ricky Tims, Alex Anderson and Libby Lehman. Along the way I also have been tempted to start several new projects. But I will finish a few before I start these, I hope. One of the new ones is an idea for the perfect quilt for my oldest grandson. He wanted a green and black plaid quilt. I think that doing four convergence blocks, setting them on point and then something in the corners would be perfect. I am thinking about adding some Celtic inspired animals to the corners (I already have a great Dover book for design inspiration), using Ricky's applique technique. I even have the fabric. Then there is the kaleidoscope quilt that I thought about making (and bought fabric for) last time I saw Ricky. Found that in the stash, Ricky’s hand dyes along with some complimentary Mickey Lawler Skydyes. Scrumptious. And let us not forget the Rhapsody quilt I want to make. Bought the book this weekend, along with some of Ricky's (now dyed by Jeff, because Ricky and Justin don't have time anymore).

I have been working away on my Shoo-Fly blocks, inspired by Gerda’s Shoo fly quilt in the Return to Elm Creek book by Jennifer Chiaverini. It is 72 blocks, and I have 66 finished. This is a UFO I started in Jan 2006, after aging some fabric from Cotton in the Cabin for a couple of years. I had 36 blocks done when it got set aside. After I finished the Yellow Brick Road top I picked it back up. I found some dark blue fabric in the stash to use as sashing and border, but still need to find something for the skinny accent border. I’d like to get this done before, I start something new, at least the top. I have three quilt tops waiting to be basted already (Yellow Brick Road, baby YBR, and a Garden Fairy top), this will be number 4. Guess I better get back to work.