A Bit of Boca Show & Share!

If you want something done, give it to the Boca Raton quilters!

These wonderful folks are busy with challenges, mysteries and heart-felt giving to organizations like Quilts of Valor and more.

I had such a great time seeing the quilts that they had brought to share at the monthly Gold Coast Quilters guild meeting – I was SURROUNDED by beautiful Smoky Mountain Stars tops and quilts, all from a recent guild 3 part mystery!

I can honestly say that I have never seen so many Smoky Mountain Stars (From the free patterns tab!) quilts in ONE ROOM!

I arrived home yesterday afternoon, and as I go through these photos this morning to make them ready, I am already missing these wonderful ladies who treated me like royalty and showed me the best time.

Many of these quilts will be donated to Quilts of Valor!

This one was made by Marlys.

All of the colors were so great!

Another for Quilts of Valor!

If you are looking for a good beginner quilt so you can teach someone, or learn from something easy for yourself, you can’t go wrong with this one.  It’s simply 4 1/2’’ and 2 1/2’’ squares with stitch-and-flip corners.

And if I had to do it all over again, I could easily be using the Simple Folded Corners ruler to trim my corners FIRST before sewing them on so I didn’t have to draw any lines, just sew a regular 1/4’’ seam after trimming.  The ruler is also the perfect size for squaring these units before joining them together in the quilt.

If you want less waste, trim the base squares first, and cut your “added upon” corner triangles with the Essential Triangle Tool for a perfect fit!  You can save those trimmed neutral corners for Wild & Goosey or Pineapple Crazy.

If you are a unit-opportunist you can also use the bonus buddy ruler from the Essential Triangle Tool package, go ahead and draw the lines, and have perfectly sized 1 1/2’’ finished half square bonus triangles to use in another project, or in a border.

And I have some big news -- a few months from now the Bonus Buddy ruler will be available as a STAND ALONE single product, and I'll have them available in the Quiltville Store!  You won't need to purchase an Essential Triangle Tool to have one.  Bonus, indeed!

The options for triangles and how to make them and use them are so many!

I loved the vintage shares!

Jean brought this sweet quilt, a baby quilt made for her cousin back in the 1940s.  The story on this one is hilarious and I’m sure Jean wouldn’t mind me sharing it.

She drove her mother to visit her aunt – her mother’s sister if I have this right – and saw the quilt folded up “protecting” the top of the furniture.  Her mother, quite advanced in years at this time (The older I get the more I dislike the term elderly!) told her aging sister “Well, if that is all you are going to do with this, I’m taking it back!”  And she did!  Nearly 70 years after the making and giving.  LOL!!

It was such a funny story, we all laughed and laughed!

A beautiful double Irish Chain belonging to Carolee on the left.

Isn’t this just gorgeous in its color and simplicity? Flamingo Pink.  Perfect for a Florida bedroom!  Carolee received this from another “agedly advanced” woman who was slimming down her possessions.

Chain stitched in pink floss – 1934

(Sometimes I am amazed at how good my phone camera is!)

This one took my breath away!

I rejoiced with a couple of quilters who also really enjoy the peaceful activity of hand quilting in this face-paced-get-it-done-in-a-hurry world of ours.  Can you see the Baptist fans?  Big stitch pearl cotton quilting in a variety of colors, just using up the balls of thread that were gifted by an across-the-street quilter friend & neighbor when she went into assisted living. 

I asked if she liked to quilt in a chair with a hoop or at a frame, and I was told “In bed, sitting cross-legged!”  Wherever it’s comfy, do it!  She said she will even start her day with an hour of stitching in the morning, and another hour or so in the evening, however the time fits.

I know this is true for me.  If I start my day in a peaceful way, it sets the tone for my day and the whole day goes that much better.  A day started out in chaos just escalates into more chaos.  Do you agree?

You’ll find the rest of our quilt sharing in the slide show below.  Click the arrow on the screen to start the play!

Can't view the video? Likely you are using Internet Explorer. Try a different browser. I use Chrome. If all else fails, you can watch it on my YouTube channel.

It’s Sunday.  When I woke up this morning I thought it was Monday.  HA!  Whew.  Today I’ve got a bit of puttering ahead, and by evening I hope to be sewing.  I really need to get those borders on the string snowball quilt (the 5 missing units are now cut and waiting) and I’d like to get the binding attached to the Hourglass Leader & Ender Challenge quilt.

What are your plans for this beautiful day?

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Don't just talk about it - do it!

Doesn't this quilt make you ready for fall?

I’m also itching to do some hand quilting of my own – and my project is up at the cabin!

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone -