The last week of April, I flew back to Indiana for a quilt retreat I began when I lived there. It was just wonderful visiting with golden friends!! I missed them so much! It highlighted the difficulties of moving across the country during a pandemic. Meeting people and making friends has been challenging here in Washington state due to masking and meetings being via ZOOM. SO being with friends I’ve known for several years was very comforting and enjoyable.
We (eleven friends) have been meeting annually in the same place for 7 years. Nashville, IN is a great locale for our retreat because we don’t have to drive anywhere once we move in. Many places to shop and eat within walking distance. Fabulous sharing and good times!!
Enjoy viewing some quilts that were completed or projects that were worked on during the 4 1/2 days together.
Cheryl’s quiltAnother of Chery’s quiltsChery’s blocksThe two Lindas. One quilts, the other knits.Elaine’s quilt – made from her late sister’s fabric collection for her sister’s sonsMy table runnerKathy’s embroidered shirtKathy’s machine embroidered tree skirt. Each panel of Kathy’s tree skirt is detailed and amazing!Denise’s quilt blocksThree Posh Santa’s – two of Bev’s, one of Lynn’sBev also worked on these blocks for a Christmas quiltCasey’s machine embroidery projectCasey’s machine embroidered blockMore of Casey’s beautiful blocksLore’s beautiful quilt for a special charity. She makes and quilts around 20 quilts for charity every year!!Lore’s work on this Christmas Tree quilt from Missouri Star QuiltsLynn’s baseball quilt for a nephewMy Strip Twist pieces for GE Designs’ Sew A LongThese are what the Strip Twist blocks look likeOur last breakfast. We failed to get a picture of everyone. A few had to leave early.Til next year, Cornerstone Inn!
Our March Challenge was our choice – choice of one of the fabric collections Island Batik provided and also choice of project. I needed a table runner for our new sofa table, so I browsed my patterns.
I have had this book for awhile, love the table runners in it, but have never made any. I decided on the one in the middle, second from the top. I love the movement in it.
Island Batik Stash Builders
Remember those rolls of fabric from my unboxing video? Each roll has 4 5″ wide strips by width of fabric. I had a nice assortment to choose from, so I choose some of my favs and began pairing them up in pleasing sets of 3. Then I cut 2″ strips.
I made 2″ wide strip sets from each group of 3, then cut them as directed in the instructions and laid out the triangles to make partial hexies which appear to overlap. I’m glad I caught those mistakes in my layout before they were sewn!
It’s loaded on my Handi Quilter Forte ready for quilting,
I sewed leftover 2″ strips for the backing.
I chose the digital design Malachite from Urban Elements.
And here it is on my sofa table. I love it!
Check out the other Island Batik Ambassador’s blogs to see what they did for their It’s All Up to You Challenge.
I’m more modern than traditional, so when it came to making a Double Wedding Ring quilt, I had to swerve. Sew Kind of Wonderful has a great pattern that fit the bill – Metro Rings.
I have a healthy stash, and I was able to find the perfect combo within it – Jelly Roll, background, binding, and backing. I’ve always thought scrappy binding was cute, and this would give me an opportunity to use the leftover strips from the Jelly Roll for that.
Loved my find in my stash!
Jelly Roll opened. Like what I see!
Metro Rings uses Jelly Roll strips and the Curve ruler to cut the pieces = less curved piecing.
Also used the sold lime green and solid navy from my stash for the triangle inset pieces.
Quiltable.com has a specific digital quilting design intended for Metro Rings! Score! Quilted on my Handi Quilter Forte with Pro-Stitcher and Superior Threads So Fine!
All finished except for the binding.
Enjoyed the ruler work on the triangle insets. Curved cross hatch!
Beginning next week is a class featuring the Dancing Stars Cotton Theory quilt.
This is a beginner Cotton Theory quilt and uses both of the two main joining methods – the Highway and the One Way. It’s 52″ x 52″ so it would make a nice baby quilt, lap, or throw. If you live locally, and would like to join us, please email me (lanarussel@gmail.com) for current openings and project materials list. Classes are on the first Monday and Wednesday of every month in my home studio. I have room for 6 in each session. Dates for this project are June 1 and 6, July 6 and 11, August 1 and 3, and September 7 and 12. Mondays are 1:00 pm – 4 pm, Wednesdays are either 9:00 am – noon or 1:30 pm- 4:30 pm. Cost is $10 per 3 hour session. Pattern is $12.
This is an easy one to cut out; I was able to get all pieces cut out, labeled, sandwiched, and pressed in one day. Lots of same sized pieces makes it super easy. I’m ready to sew!
If you come in June with all pieces cut and labeled, we can get right to the quilting because you piece and quilt at the same time!! If you are unable to get it cut out before then, please bring a mat and rotary cutter, so you won’t have to wait for the cutting table.
Hope you can join us to learn this fun way to quilt!
This summer the Indiana State Museum had a quilt exhibit entitled 19 Stars. Here’s their description of the exhibit:
“Indiana is the 19th state to join the Union; the state flag depicts nineteen stars. In anticipation of the state’s Bicentennial, this exhibit presents 19 historic star-patterned quilts selected from the Indiana State Museum’s collection along with 19 contemporary star-themed quilts created by some of Indiana’s outstanding quilters.
Stars were favored patterns in the 19th and 20th centuries and appear in many variations. The historic quilts in this exhibit span a hundred and fifty years of Indiana quilt-making, from the 1830s to the 1980s. In contrast, most of the contemporary works were created specifically for this exhibit, and incorporate the star theme in any number of ways, from overt to illusory. The artists’ techniques vary widely, from traditional piecework and appliqué to improvisational collage, layering, or richly textural thread painting.”
The Quilt Guild of Indianapolis, of which I am a member, thought it would be nice to have some members sit outside the exhibit quilting and available to answer any questions visitors might have about quilting or our guild. My friend, Bev, and I enjoyed this so much the first time we did this that we signed up for double duty. Here I am working on a Cotton Theory Charity Quilt.
{Sorry to keep you waiting, but I’ve had some major technical difficulties which required a full backup, restore, and reload. Hopefully, I’m back up and running again. This post is from the week of August 14. I’ll get you caught up asap. Thanks, Lana.}
TWIST ~ This Week In Studio Time
I completed Step 2 of my current Cotton Theory project, the piecing.
When I retired, I decided 20% of my sewing time would be spent on charity quilting. I just needed to decide on the organization or cause I wanted to support. I have a heavy heart for those who suffer from domestic violence, even though I don’t know anyone personally. I guess I’ve just experienced enough of the male dominated society I’ve grown up in that it touches me in that way. We don’t have a women’s shelter in our county, but there are plans for a 30 bed unit to open in 3 years. I thought I could make 10 simple twin size quilts a year and have 30 ready in 3 years. I knew it was a lofty goal, but I set forth. However, retiring allowed me the freedom to travel quite a bit and I fell farther and farther behind in that goal. But, I retired, so we could travel. I needed to reassess.
I had a friend who had mentioned she had organized a sewing group that supports Healthy Families and invited me to sew with them. They make items that support members can take with them on home visits and leave them at the home as a gift. I researched Healthy Families and liked what I found.
“Healthy Families Indiana is a voluntary home visitation program designed to promote healthy families and healthy children through a variety of services, including child development, access to health care and parent education.
By working closely with hospital maternity wards, prenatal clinics and other local agencies, Healthy Families Indiana systematically identifies families that could benefit from education and support services either before or immediately after birth. The program is designed to strengthen families by reducing child abuse and neglect, childhood health problems and juvenile delinquency.”
I ran it by my friend, who is in social worker, to give me a personal account of Healthy Families and she gave it a two thumbs up.
Mary Alice’s group is very well organized (they’ve been at this for 12 years!) and each person has their station, be it, cutting out, ironing, sewing, quilting, sandwiching batting, etc.
Bev at cutting station
cutting out and sewing
Quilts, receiving blankets, and burp cloths ready for pick up
A couple of weeks ago, Eleanor Burn’s sister, Pat Knoechel, spoke to our quilt guild. I was simply amazed at how similar their voice and manerisms are. It’s really uncanny. She is just as funny, too. They are not similar in appearance, however. I would never have guessed from just seeing her that they are sisters.
We enjoyed the many beautiful quilts she shared with us.
She graciously autographed patterns and books afterwards. A delightful presentation!
I joined the Turning Twenty Mystery Quilt Block of the Month last week and after I found out it was going to be stars, decided I would make this in red, white, and blue and donate it to Quilts of Valor. The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. The Quilt Guild of Indianapolis recently had a presentation by this organization that was quite moving. Very impressive! I volunteered to be a presenter after hearing about what they do. Anyway, here’s my progress:
I love the confetti background!
My neice just gave birth to a 9 lb 10 oz bouncing baby boy, so I’ve started this quilt for Caleb.I cut half square triangles with my Accuquilt Go – so easy and quick! On the design wall…That’s my weekly recap! Take care til next week!
