Long Time, No See...or Quilt Market Pt. 2

Yesterday and today I received several emails from friends in the blogging world saying basically the same thing: "Is everything OK? Long time, no see."


Yes, Tanya, Sara, Nan and Natalie...everything is fine. I've just been busy. I know I blogged last about Quilt Market and said there was more to come....here it is. I spent two weeks with the Grands in MN and the last several days back at home. I'll tell those tales later.

QUILT MARKET PART TWO:

While at Houston's International Quilt Market I rounded an aisle and stood in front of Martingale Publishers' booth. They are That Patchwork Place, one of the larger publishers of Quilting Books. In front of me was a cute gal working on "wonky letters" at a sewing machine. I glanced over and saw a copy (advanced copy...the book is NOT out yet) of Word Play Quilts: Easy Techniques from the UnRuley Quilter. Hey...we were InterNet friends...I timidly asked, "Are you Tonya? Wonky letters Tonya?" It turned out, of course, she was and we excitedly chatted about Wonky Letters, InterNet friends we had in common...Carol E. and Tanya W. Then Tonya suggested we have a picture taken:

Frame and all! The quilt we are in front of was made by none other than our friend in Japan, Tanya W. So here's another shot:
I like that there are wonky English letters AND Japanese characters. I believe this quilt now belongs to Tanya's daughter who lives in the states. Quilting certainly makes the world smaller!

This quilt here is not printed fabric! It is all applique by an Australian designer. Her work is impeccable.
This was a "tuffet" in one booth. Note the Yo Yo flowers....3-D flowers were everywhere at Quilt Market. I noted quite a trend in prints, colors, garments, toys, etc, etc that took me back to the mid 1970's.
Of course Sweet Chic was Pretty in Pink..Pink Princess style never goes out of fashion!
The button vendor reminds me of a candy shop display. Yummy color.

Amy Butler's booth is always in good taste....Midwest Modern....so color-filled and yet so restful.
Close up of some of her pillows & bags.
1950's influenced clothing....Mad Men, anyone? See the fabric flowers again? Sophistication at it's finest.
I loved this Four Poster Bed. Dolls, animals and "veggie" pillows abounded at Market.

If you keep your eyes open, you can even find a Gee's Bend Quilt display at the end of one aisle! Beauty in utilitarian jeans quilt.

OK....so there's Part 2 of Quilt Market. I've got at least one, if not two, more batches of pictures I think you'd like to see.

Thanksgiving is coming....I'm trying to be more thankful.....and to name my blessings. Today's thought...I'm so very thankful for my family, my daughters, their husbands & children and for my dear sweet Mr. Scottie Dog. I'm very blessed!

Winding Ways

Scottie Dog Quilts is sponsoring a Quilting Cruise to Alaska in August. (If you'd like to join us CLICK HERE). There are several projects you may choose to sew on the ship. Bev Harrison is teaching a Karen Combs pattern called Transparant Stars sewn with two colors of Karen's Shade Cascade (gradated) fabric. Liz is teaching a big quilt made with jelly roll strips. My project is actually 3 smaller ones. A bag, a table runner and a hexagon project that may be done by machine or by hand. That one I actually think is faster and easier by machine, but you do have to have a machine with zig zag stitch. My little featherweight won't do for that one.





Last week Liz used the AccuCut machine and cut out two of my Winding Ways tablerunner projects. I finished one yesterday and sewed two more blocks of a second one. Don't you love the negative/positive look of the runner? The inner border didn't come out exactly right...it's actually a dark brown Shadow Play (Maywood Studios), not black as it appears in the picture. I'm also making a blue version and have a picture of one block.My Blogger friend, Tanya, recently made a lovely Winding Ways wall quilt but she cut and sewed hers by hand. Check out the quilting on hers....this was her 2nd machine quilting attempt and it is marvelous. It's one thing to be able to technically quilt a quilt well, but Tanya was quite creative and thoughtful in the quilting patterns she used.

From Tanya

I recently received a package from Japan. It was from Tanya. Tanya and I "met" on the internet. She has lived in Japan for many, many years raising a son and a daughter, both now going to college in the USA. I enjoy her blog immensly, learning about Japanese Cluture, quilting and more. Awhile back Tanya mentioned that Batik fabrics were hard to find in Japan. So, since I own a quilt shop that has a huge selection of Batiks, I cut her a bunch of 1/3 yard cuts. It was the least I could do when I derived so much enjoyment from her blog. A few others sent Tanya some Batiks too and she made this wonderful Winding Ways quilt.
Imagine my surprise when this package arrived in my mailbox. I wasn't expecting anything. There was a sheet of Japanese Cherry Blossom stickers and an Cherry Blossom Embroidery kit and thread. I haven't done much embroidery for a long time. I'm excited to get started. We just ordered some new Asian prints from Kona Bay Fabrics and one is a pink and cream Cherry Blossom fabric. I think I'll make a pillow.

Again, thank you, Tanya! My kitties say "Meow" to your kitties!

My birthday pot

For my birthday my daughter Liz, Steve & little Sydney gave me a beautiful vintage green pot filled with potting soil. (did you think I was going to blog about dope?)

I was instructed to water it. Now 10 days later some green spikes are showing! I water it every other day. I'll keep posting pictures as the view changes.

One of my favorite bloggers, Tanya wrote about me in her blog. I find her perspective inspirational and very interesting.