Retreat

Several of us went to Shaw Nature Reserve for a couple of days to sew.  Usually we enjoy the nature around us but it was cold and windy so we stayed inside and enjoyed the fire in the fireplace, sewing and friends.  Oh and wine.

I worked on my friend Lynn's quilt - lots of polka dots - I'll show you a picture later.
I also finished piecing my "One Block Wonder" challenge piece.  Our Rambling River group all purchased the same piece of fabric that we are each doing a OBW design.  I cut mine smaller (2 3/4")  Now to quilt it.

1000 Caches

OK my other hobby/obsession is Geocaching.  I got to my 1000 mark on 12-31-12 and here I am getting my pin and certificate.  That's all - just logging a number but I love doing it.

Stencils

I recently saw the Stencil Girl products on a blog hop.  StencilGirlProducts.com  Although I have commented in order to win some just in case I don't I already ordered a couple of them.  Love them.
I used one here on a piece that one of my students had thrown away.  I just had to show her how beautiful it could be.  I will probably do a bit more stenciling on it later when the paint sticks dry but wanted to show the progress.

Retreat

Have you figured out I am not a regular blogger.  I am going to shoot for once a week this year.
I have decided that rather than keeping a UFO (Unfinished Object) list I am going to do a completion journal.  As I work on a project or finish it I am going to document it.  I am doing it in a beautiful hand made journal I bought recently.  You can see it in the following picture.
We just finished a four day retreat.  I usually take lots of projects and work on them as I am in the mood to do so.  I spent one day working on my wool Sue Spargo block of the month trying to finish the birds so I could start sewing them on my piece.  This picture looked so warm, so wool.  You can see some of the project but not ready to unveil it yet.  See the little bit of rick rack - that's the vein for the animals in my piece.  We are starting a new one soon so that's my motivation right now.

I also pieced a modern quilt from the Weeks Ringle, Bill Kerr book.  Once pieced I decided I needed to add another set of blocks (2 rows) to make it wider and more balanced.  I love the woven look and the clean, modern, masculine feel.  I am thinking of quilting it in wavy lines across the whole piece.

I used the Habitat fabric from Free Spirit for the prints and Kona solids.

Happy New Year

Radiant Sun Quilting

I have quilted several Radiant Sun quilts and each one is more fun than the last.  This one, made by Janet S., is a king size and I used 16 different colors of thread.  Each curve is quilted with a different design.  The most fun part - she pieced a log cabin on the back in these batiks and the quilting patterns are so much fun.  I usually let the fabric pattern guide me in my quilting choice.  This is my kind of quilting!

A Walk in My Woods - gifts

T and I decided to tackle some of the bush honeysuckle in our woods while we could.  That's a never ending job but that's another story.  While we were clearing the brush and clearing the trail over the creek and to the fields for dog walks I noticed so many wonderful things in the woods -  I am so thankful for these gifts.

Houston Juried Show

Candy in Houston with quilt

I was very excited to have my Dresden plate flowers juried into the Houston IQA show this year.  It was in the mixed technique category so it was up against some large quilts with lots of applique and piecing.  I was just thrilled it was there.  I am looking forward to having it home.  It's been gone a long time.