4-Patch Hopscotch!

I've been playing for ME this weekend! This is called 4-Patch Hopscotch (©2008,yada yada yada!)

Not for the book, not for a customer, not for a workshop or trunkshow.....This was for ME!

On the quiltvillechat list at yahoogroups we are having a June UFO challenge. This "KIND OF" goes along with that, since these 4 patches are leader/enders that have been sitting around for a while. I used a bunch of them up in the Orange Crush quilt, but I wanted to play with them more.

I made the blocks first...using up more 2" strips. Those bins are overflowing to the point of not being able to shut them, so I wanted to see if I could make some headspace!

I also used more 2" strips and squares in the strippy border...fun!

I've pieced a back...browns that I wanted to use up. One is a batik with brown palm trees....palms are the South Carolina state tree. The other piece has forest-y type ferns on it, and the two look good together.

I a fun time meeting the ladies from the Piedmont Quilters Guild of Greensboro, NC. Greensboro is about 1/2 hour drive from me, and a beautiful city. I'm close to Winston Salem, and I never seem to need to head in the other direction to get to Greensboro unless I'm passing through while on the road. It was nice to meet so many great and welcoming quilters there! We had Greek food for dinner before the meeting. Mmmmmmm!! Mousaka and Greek Salad!

Friday was our Crumbs Quilt workshop, and what a fun mess me made!

Saturday I am headed to Woodbridge Virginia for a Sunday afternoon Boxy Stars class. I'd love to meet you if you are in the Woodbridge, VA area.

Here is the info I have:
June 22- 23:

* Cabin Branch Quilt Guild, Woodbridge, VA
o Sun, June 22nd: Boxy Stars Workshop 12pm-6pm
o Mon, June 23rd: Lecture & Trunkshow 7pm
+ Guild Contact: Pam Clifton at pameta@comcast.net

I'd love to meet anyone that wants to come out! Usually my workshops sell out, but this one has plenty of space I think because they scheduled it on a sunday afternoon in the summer. please contact Pam Clifton at pameta@comcast.net for more info

Back to my playground :c)

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Broken Machine, Broken Dreams :c(

I bought this cute little number on ebay. The listing plainly states that the machine is in WORKING CONDITION.

Doesn't working condition usually mean that it has at least a belt and a foot pedal? There is neither.

The first picture shows the machine in the ad....the others, what I received!

Not just that, but the machine was packed SO poorly that the wooden base broke all apart in the shipping, and bent the spool pin! The bobbin hook mechanism was left to roll around the bottom of the box. :c(

It's a disaster. I love this little blue machine, and it's paint job and decals are beautiful. But when a listing says it is in "working condition" this is just not what I expect.

I have contacted the seller, and will be contacting ebay. Something else funny,as I was tracking the package,I saw he printed the label at only weighing 8lbs. UPS said I was to recieve this 8lb box. If that isn't fraud I don't know what is, because the box weighed 33lbs.

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Mardi Gras Stars!

Remember this little number? I finished this when I got back from teaching in Louisiana in January. I finished quilting and binding it last Thursday evening while in Greenville SC! The sleeve had to wait until Sunday....



















I am getting better at freehanding those baptist fans, thanks to Tonya! I still find it easiest for me to quilt WITH a hoop, although I keep the quilt very LOOSE in the hoop.

I had a couple gals ask me last night at guild meeting what good was the hoop if it was so loose, and all I could think of was that it acts like a 3rd and 4th hand for me.It's easy to turn, easy to prop. Whatever works for you, right? And this works for me. I've never been able to get small stitches with the hoop TIGHT...you have to be able to move the fabric, and tight hoops really make needles bend :c|

My favorite quilting needles? Roxanne size 11, just in case you wanted to know! I also quilt with those cheapy plastic thimbles that have an open top and are adjustible. I don't care if I lose these. I've got some in my purse, my pockets, my car, and in every room of the house,and no doubt some will find their way through the washer and dryer..

That pretty silver thimble that Dave found in the vent before we moved? It's lost again :c| See what I mean? I'm better with the cheapy plastic ones.















I have a confession to make on this quilt. I quilted it from the BACK! Because I was quilting with purple thread and could not for the life of me see where I was going.....I just put it in the hoop with the back side up and I could quilt just fine. In fact,I liked it so much that I'll probably do that again, it was really easy when quilting from the back.

I also completely used up this cutesy little girl/little boy fabric that had been in my stash forever....I think it's cute! I used more of that in charity quilts than I can count because it was donated to me. So now...it's ALL GONE! YAY!!

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Mary Jo Musings....

I returned Saturday night from my trip to Greenville SC! We had a great time for the lecture and crumbs workshop. What a hoot it is to try to get people to think outside of their boxes. I bring a big basket of crumbs and scraps with me and as they are sewing along, I'll pull something REALLY LOVELY (**NOT**!!) out of my basket and challenge them to use this piece in their piecing. Some could do it with reckless abandon, and some just could NOT use that piece because it wasn't their color,their style, whatever. But no matter, we had a blast! I've got LOADS of pics to upload. I had friday off, the lecture was thursday, and the workshop was saturday, so a couple of guild members had the job of running me around from museums, historical living farms, and antique malls..not to mention dragging me out to lunch. Thanks ladies, it was SO great!





In return I subjected a couple of my escorts to the wonders of bargain shopping at the goodwill clearance center in Greenville! Yes, there is one there, $1.00 a pound for anything on the tables! Whooowhooo! Eyes were opened that once were closed!

The night before I left home to go to Greenville, I mapquested my route so I would know the best way to get there. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was I-85 all the way! Oh goodness! Lookee there! I-85 goes right through Charlotte and GASTONIA....and WHAT is in Gastonia, pray tell? Why....the fantastic fabulous MARY JO'S CLOTH WORLD of course!

Those of you who have never been there, never fear, I took pics :c) they don't capture it all, that's for sure, but this should give you an idea. Those who haven't been there in a long time can see how there is deconstruction and reconstruction going on all around, but Mary Jo's has put their foot down and is staying put in the midst of it all!





The front door used to take you in the mall entrance, and then there was another entrance to get into the store in the inside of the Mall. No more. The mall is GONE...and they have moved the entrance into the side of the building so you go directly into the store.

I love just walking through and seeing all the quilting fabrics arranged by color, or type, look at all these STRIPES in a row...a total rainbow!


Towards the back of the store are the reproductions. Notice the sign? We are really high tech here....stenciled letters on butcher paper :c)

I didn't have a lot of time, so I headed to the fat quarter table, and then to the remnant bins. I was there for maybe 20 minutes, but still managed to rack up a $70 bill...acckkkk!

This is all I'll post for now...tomorrow, hopefully I'll get to some more!

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