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Saturday, November 09, 2013

Stringing Along in Weslaco, TX!

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We had a GREAT day yesterday!

The temps, though cooler for what this area is used to, have been blissful for me!  Yesterday was about 75 degrees with a light breeze.  I am so enchanted by the palm trees swaying, their fronds rustling as the wind blows

Our class was hold at a local collage – really nice campus, and fun to have younger folk walking by, peeking and and being interested in what we were doing.

I gave a group of three young ladies the run down of the “funny little black machines” that were scattered around the classroom –I didn’t remember to count, but if I had to guess there were about 8 featherweights in this room!  The young ladies were awwed when I explained that these machines were older than the ladies using them, with the oldest machine in the room being a 1938 model heading up to being 75 years old!

Always an opportunity to interest the younger generation in perpetuating our love of fabric and machines, notions ---and more fan than anyone ever thought that sewing could be, right?

We had some nice show and tell at lunch time.  Kathleen brought one of her Dia De Los Muertos quilts to share, so fun!

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She used machine embroidery stitches to highlight each block!

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Yes I know, you want to pull those stray threads right off the photo, don’t you?  ((Me too!!))

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Another section --- fun!

I love the fact that within our country are many cultures, and I can learn something from each of them.  The custom of those with Mexican heritage celebrating and honoring their ancestors is an important part of life.  And I love that it is celebrated with joy and happiness, not solemnity and dread.

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Another section!

Elaine also brought a couple fun quilts to share:

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Bricks and Stepping Stones is always a fun one!

She is very involved in making quilts for local charities, including the women’s shelter.  I think I remember her saying that they make 25 quilts a year to cover the beds in the shelter – after a year the quilts are retired and given to the women as they start their new life journey – and new ones replace them.  They want the beds to always look fresh and new and pretty, so they go to their new homes before too many washings fades them.

The pattern for Bricks & Stepping stones is found under the free patterns tab at the top of the blog and will help you dig into your 2” strips for the 4 patches, and 3.5” strips for the bricks!

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String Spider Web!

I love the solid midnight blue background she used with her webs…isn’t this great?  Of course it didn’t make a single dent in the scrap pile!

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Simply Strippy!

The directions for Simply Strippy are also found under the free patterns tab at the top of the blog!  I love all of the rainbow of colors and the wide variety of fabrics found in this quilt – isn’t it great? 

And then of course there are our class photos!

Click the image below if you can't view the slide show on your mobile device.  You'll be taken directly to the photo album for viewing.

November 9, 2013



This morning is the guild meeting with my lecture and trunk show ---

Time to get a move on!


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9 comments:

  1. I love seeing these quilts and your stories. I was raised in Elsa, just 7 miles away from Weslaco. And yes, I love the Palm trees too!

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  2. I love the Dia De Los Muertos quilt by Kathleen. It's just so unexpected in a quilt! Any idea as to where she found the fabrics for it?

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    1. This was a quilt of my dreams. I used my 10+ years collection of fabrics. The blocks are fussy-cut, crazy quilt-like blocks. I have made altar exhibits at most of the local museums for the past 12 years and made the quilt last year. After the exhibit I ripped off the binding and stitch-in-a-ditch and had my BFFQ long-arm quilt it. She is the lady showing her 3quilts.

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  3. It's always great to see where you are and to see the samples your ladies are doing. The quilts shown are all so colorful and very cheery. Can't wait to see where you go next.

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  4. Seems everybody was having a great day sewing together.

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  5. I love the fabrics in the Día de los Muertos quilt!

    --C.B.

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  6. Hey Bonnie, this is off subject but could you tell me the name of pattern for your nephew's quilts? I'm making one like it except I'm using 4 patches instead of 9 patch.

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  7. I found the fabrics online. It was a 10+ years collection. The quilt hung in the Museum of South Texas History during their annual Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration.

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  8. Anonymous11:53 AM EST

    Kathi, you made the quilt of my dreams also! Absolutely perfect and beautiful in every way I love it so much I can't stop looking at pictures if it! I have never made a quilt but I would love to in the future. You have inspired me. I want something to pass onto my children, what a wonderful gift for your family. I live in London UK, it is my dream one to go to Mexico for the Day of the Dead. I love Mexican art and culture so much!

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