Yikes!

I don't know where the time as gone but I had signed up to sew along with the Shenandoah Valley Botanical quilt which starts October 1st. Yikes, that is tomorrow! I haven't even picked out my background fabric yet.

I'd sure like some company with this. Won't you join Dawn (Collector with a Needle) and Hilda (Every Stitch) and many others in this fun adventure? You can order your pattern here. Woohoo!

A Sweet Retreat

I can’t believe my good fortune to have participated in not one, but two quilting retreats this year. I posted back in June about our fantastic annual “Seven Sisters” retreat in Rangeley, Maine. Well, somehow one of us found out about a weekend retreat at the Franciscan Guest House in Kennebunk and we were amazed that five of the sisters were actually able to make it (yes, Charlotte and Kathy we missed you very much – in fact we really didn’t have any fun without you!).

It was organized by Kathy Stanley of Sewing by the Sea. She has two locations, “Sewing by the Sea” in Trenton and “Sew Portland” in (yes, you guessed it) Portland, Maine.

Kathy had numerous projects for everyone (27 quilters attended) from quilt blocks to bags and even a jacket.

 some cutting by the Karen's

and some modeling by the Karen's

Some people (and I’m sure you’ve already guessed that I was one of those rogues) brought their own projects to work on. I had so much hand work to finish that I didn’t even bring my machine (so I wouldn’t be tempted to start something new!).

It was a diverse group with quilters from Southern Maine to Jonesport (over 3 hours between the two groups). I couldn’t believe how fast some of these ladies worked and how much they accomplished.

The weather was sensational. I couldn’t believe that on September 26 (in Maine, mind you) I was able to swim in the OUTDOOR pool. (I’ll spare you any photographic evidence of that event!)

We all had a super time and I hope you all get to participate in a retreat very soon!

Almost caught up

with my Time Warp Stars. Just in time for the Super Moon Lunar eclipse on Sunday!

Week 33 - Later (synthetic) Turkey reds

Week 34 - Bronze style prints. The points fabric is one of my all time favorite reproductions. No longer available of course so I am hoarding my last bits. The center is a wonderful Edyta Sitar print, sorry I can't remember what line it is from.

Week 35 - Cretonnes. I had a million, but this is one I have always loved and it looks like late 19th century furnishing fabric to me.

Week 36 - Lancaster blue and Greek Key. Well, I LOVE Lancaster Blue, bu the Greek Key was a bit of a challenge. I have quite a few antique pieces but thought that might be cheating so this is as close as I could come.

So I am close now, I just have to make the Chocolate & Printed Lace for this week! This sounded so "doable" back in January when Barbara started this but this summer has set me back a bit. I'll be better with keeping up now that it is glorious Fall! Enjoy the weather wherever you are.

Quilter's are indeed the greatest!

I had been a blog "lurker" for quite a while before I started this one nearly a year ago. In all that time I have communicated with some wonderful people from all over the world. But, until last week, I had never met a fellow blogger in person (with the exception of those few I already knew of course). So I was so thrilled to get an e-mail from Sue (I Sew Quilts) saying she was traveling to Maine (from the UK) and could we meet up. We met last Wednesday at Cyndi's (Busy Thimble) shop.

We were both delighted to finally meet Sue, but we were nearly bowled over when she presented us with two sweet quilts, yes, one for each of us! I'm sorry I didn't take my camera (my phone is so old it doesn't take pictures) but Cyndi took some photos and will post them soon. Here is the quilt she made for me. So beautiful and HAND quilted!

The colors are a bit off since I took this at 5:00 this morning and the sun hadn't made it up yet. It is gorgeous. Thank you Sue! I look forward to meeting many of my fellow bloggers in the future!

The joyful sounds of Fall

I love the onset of Fall. The air is fresh and clean and I can sew without sticking to my needles! I love listening to the chirping of crickets outside my window as I stitch. Life is good!

I taught a “potholder” quilt class over the weekend in Denmark (Maine that is, we also have a Poland, Mexico, Sweden, Norway, Lebanon, Peru, Egypt and China, but, I digress).

It was a wonderful group of quilters from the Chickadee chapter of Pine Tree Quilter’s Guild.

Everyone went home with two blocks, pieced, quilted and bound! And, hopefully the inspiration to make many more. It was a fun day. Thanks ladies!

Another AQSG seminar flew by without me!

I have missed the last nine AQSG seminars and each time I see photos and hear stories from my friends who have attended I get more nostalgic and "green" with envy. If you have never been to one and you are interested at all in quilt history, you won't want to miss another either!

Dawn of Collector with a Needle, went this year and sent me these photos of the little quilt I made from the AQSG c1825 fabric line. I mentioned it in this post here . (Oh my, aren't you proud of me! I finally figured out how to link a specific post - I'm a slow learner!)

It looks like there were some great quilts in this little challenge! I wish I had been there to see them all. I got an e-mail from Lisa Erlandson (AQSG President) that mine had won third place in the contest. Funny, since I had forgotten it was a contest. I was thinking it was like the "quilt study" exhibits which I have participated in before. But, then my mind isn't what it used to be.

But... the best news came from Pam Weeks this morning. I had told Lisa that if it wasn't too much of a hassle to take it down on Saturday night, that they could auction it off at the live auction (with auctioneer extraordinaire, Julie Silber). Pam said they made $270.00 on it. Whoopie! If you can't read the description card, here's what it says:

Title: A Means of Support

There are many ways each of us can support the efforts of AQSG. We can host local study groups, we can attend the annual seminar, we can donate items to the auction, or we can simply send cash. Since I have done all of the above before, I decided one more way to support this wonderful organization is to make a quilt from the new c1825 fabric line. I chose a strippy setting with appliqued hexagons as I felt that would best represent the early 19^th century. It is hand appliqued and hand quilted with a split wool batt. 

So, I hope you all get a chance to attend one day. 2016 will be in Arizona and 2017 will be in Manchester, NH. Since I don't have to fly I will definitely be attending. Can't wait!

And, I do hope to be back on the Blogging track! What a whirlwind summer!