Do Not Touch the quilts

The Bits n Pieces Quilt show is March 17 & 18th in St. Louis. www.bitsnpiecesguild.com/
  We are showing 450 quilts!  The hardest part about looking at all these wonderful quilts?  You can't touch them without white gloves on.  Now quilters like to touch fabric so we have to walk around with our hands behind our backs!  This year our quilt show chair extraordinaire - Nancy S - came up with the idea to make Do Not Touch Signs that spark a bit of humor (people pay attention to) so they are in different languages.  Actually we saw these in Birmingham at the quilt show.  So Judy and I sat down yesterday, raided the orphan block box and voila here they are.  Google translator is a huge help.  Can you tell what language they are?

 

Angels

Going along with the Key West Cemetery theme I wanted to post some pictures of angels I found there.  These are some of the most beautiful statues I have seen. 

Key West

Just realized I haven't been here for a month.  I've been busy.  Trip up to Chicagoland to deliver violin to 2nd son and visit with mom who fell on her 85th birthday and broke her arm.  Thank you she is doing great.  We have also been to Key West which I find to be a fascinating place in many ways.  The only frost free city in the US (not counting Hawaii cities I guess), an old seaport city with a history of pirates, a very tolerant city in many ways - many lifestyles are seen and a great place to ride your bike, walk, listen to music, watch people and eat.

 I love the old Key West architecture and the cemetery.  I have a fascination with old cemeteries - they have so much history and this is one of the best.  They offer tours and have a map.  It is also a cemetery where the classes and races and religions mix.  WOW.  There are graves from the Maine ship sinking, from the Civil War (both sides), a Jewish section and a Catholic section.  I have included pictures here from two of the grave sites that I found amusing.  interesting.

Jelly Roll Tutorial - Retreat

Thanks to Judy for sharing this jelly roll quilt with us at retreat.  We were amazed at how easy it was and how each quilt made looked so unique.  I am going to try to share the instructions here.  First of all here is Judy's quilt made with a batik jelly roll.  By the way, a jelly roll is made of 40 2 1/2" strips - usually from coordinated fabrics - often from a single line of fabrics but could be cut from your own stash. 
Here is Judy's quilt on the design wall.

Here is my quilt - made from Moda MoMo line:

Same quilt, different fabrics.

Now to see how it is done.

You need a jelly roll or a set of  40 coordinating fabric cut into 2 1/2" strips that are the width of the fabric.

 

Now divide the fabrics into groups of 4 strips - 10 total.  Sets should be color coordinated.

Sew the strip sets (4 strips) along the long edges.  Press seams to one side. 

Measure the width of the four strips (should be 8 1/4" to 8 3/8") and subcut these strips into squares.  You should get 5 squares per strip set.

 Now using squares from different sets lay the squares right sides together with the strips going perpendicular to each other.  In other words the strips should not be going the same direction.  Pin and sew all the way around the square using a 1/4" seam allowance. 

Sew all squares.  You should have approximately 25 sets

Now carefully cut the squares diagonally twice -corner to corner.

See what happens when you open up the squares.  You have a block looking like you did a lot of work.  The strips in each triangle are perpendicular.  Press the triangles carefully to the strip without a seam.  These blocks are all bias so be careful. 

Now to the design wall.

We laid them out 8 by 10 blocks but you can do it however you like.  Just lay them all out then start rearranging.  You are making a small quilt - lap or baby size.  The blocks are 5 1/2".  If you look closely the quilt made from Moda fabrics has a few squares that make a secondary design by placing the longest strips of the same colors in a pattern.
Have fun and please contact me if you have questions or problems. 

Stitched Online Workshops & the Early Bird

While cruising the blogs the other day I came across Alma Stoller's Stitched Online Video Workshops.  Taught by 20 different teachers.  Sounds like fun.  I was especially taken by Deborah Boschert's work and signed right up.  Well Deborah sent me a goodie package for being one of the first to sign up.  Pays not to procrastinate.  So this is what I am looking forward to in January.

Here is my goodie package.  Something to get me started stitching.

If you are interested go to http://www.seekyourcourse.com/offerings/137www.seekyourcourse.com/offerings/137  for more information about the video workshops.
Deborah's work can be seen at www.deborahsstudio.com
More to share later. 

What to do on a Sunday afternoon...

I know what you may be thinking but we were out taking a drive and looking at the glass blower's show and sale, and shopping for things at the antique store.  I know you say, who were you with Candy - couldn't have been Tom but it was.  We have taken to spending time together out driving a bit on the roads around us.  Here is why.

I got to drive "Liebschen" today for the first time.  Way too much fun. 
Also found a great old flat plate iron that gets really hot - have to keep some things straight on my list. 

Log Cabin the Modern way

I bought an assortment of scrap bags from Piece O' Cake http://www.pieceocake.com/ designs when they were moving.  I don't think these are available any more.  I used them to make this Modern Log Cabin baby quilt.  It makes me happy.