Virtual Retreat - Ongoing (started January 2019)

[lotti]

Half-an-elephant (and a bit as he won’t have two trunks :evil: ).



He’ll be needing quite a few borders as he should fit a good sized bed...

Beautiful sunny day today - perfect for enjoying the sun on the balcony with a cup of coffee ehile removing all the papers...

Now back to paperpiecing a few more bits and get started on his right side

[lotti]

And here the rosy starburst - not at all my colors - much too tame and boring for me. I’ll havd to figure out how to quilt it to give some zip - I guess I’ll be rewatching a few more of Angela Walters’ quilting videos before this gets done.


Oops just found a mega mistake - what was I thinking?

[twiglet]

Wow Lotti pretty quilt. It'll be so delicate, keep going.

Elephant is fab has he got a name. The purple in there really makes the greys work smashing

[Lorna1021]

Wendy,
Your wall hanging is beautiful. I'm sure your son loved it!

Lorna

[Lorna1021]

Lotti,
I didn’t notice a mistake in your starburst but my husband did! I say if you didn’t notice from 30 feet away forget it!

I agree with Wendy the elephant looks great!

Barb :-)

[twiglet]

Hello Lorna good to see your smiley face. Are you doing the Sizzle quilt. Can we see what you're making now?

[twiglet]

I got a bit busy in the sewing room and missed ‘my’ day to post, lol

I went to a 4 day quilting retreat at the beginning of March. I had the opportunity presented to me at the last minute and because I was completely unprepared, and I haven’t been to one in several years, I decided to just take my serger, and jelly rolls (precuts and my own strips). I put together 9 lovely tops that have been evened up, and some have had borders added. I’ve decided that after quilting most of them they will be handed off to the binding people. These will be given to the children that attend Royal Family Kids Camp in August. Two are already off to the binders. And a third one was finished by me for a ‘grandma in waiting’. I’ve been doing a lot of longarming for the camp quilts and a few for Doors To Freedom. DTF is a house for young girls being rescued from the sex-trafficking in our country. Each young lady gets a quilt to call her own, and take with her when she moves on to the next step in her healing process.
I also have been requested by the grandkids for more specific quilts. Sometimes it’s their mom that instigates the concept of the quilt, sometimes me, and sometimes the child,,,, lol. I have an ‘elephant’ on my horizon,,, Lotti. HELP ! ! ! ! I will be sending you some specific questions, as I have an alternate way I’m thinking of going with this pattern. After seeing how many pieces each section needs,,, wowsers.
So now for the pictures: First up will be a piece I made at a workshop in mid March


Next is a the Grandma in waiting piece


I did a podcast with Leah Day on Wednesday, it should air this week on her YouTube channel

This is an oversized version of her block#3 in the Friendship Quilt Along



Things sometimes go awry and I have to find Jack the Ripper,,, lol



The dogwoods are blooming and the pink ones are not all that prevalent so catching a photo like this can be rare.



Hope you are all enjoying your days.
I did put a quarterly review up on my blog in case you’re inclined to check it out.
http://letscreatetoday.blogspot.com/
Until next time, let’s create with gusto!

[lotti]

You’ll certainly continue to be very busy, Luann. Love that star - and the critter looking out of that tree is fab.
I know what you mean about the elephant. I want to do another one, a bit different - but want to make the first one ‚as is‘.
She has a new pattern out for a fractured horse / unicorn. I think a lot of people will have granddaughters asking for that rainbow unicorn. Looks a little easier, though, lesss fidley bits than the elephant. One thing to do-is avoid doing these things at half size. Am just know working on small a paper pieced project at 60% Would Not recommend using anything but batiks for these . You definitely want a thin, solidly woven fabric to keep keep the seams as thin as possible and not unraveling. Will post pictures later this spring.
:whistle: :P

[lotti]

Lotti,
Considering that this quilt is being requested for a 9 year old boy,,, I’ve been thinking about making each ‘section’ from a different shade of grey fabric, then once those would be connected, doing some ‘graffiti quilting’ in each section. This will not become a wall hanging, and it needs to be launderable!!! I’m toying with the idea of using freezer paper to trace each section and then proceeding from there. That way I’ll have my original pattern to use for a wall hanging for myself, if I should decide to make it in the original manner. Your input on this idea would be greatly appreciated. The dimension illusion isn’t as important for this youngster, he’s just in love with elephants, and no matter how I’d make it, he’d love it. In fact, if I cut the whole thing out of one piece of cloth and raw edge appliquéd it on, he’d be in love with it. Kids are so easy to please, well, at least when they’re young,,,, lol

[lotti]

Or make a pattern using an elephant outline from a drawing book / outline. Loads of things available online too.
Yup, quilts for smaller kids generally easier to accommodate, of course there are always exceptions :silly:

[eileenkny]

Today is my day, but I'm getting ready to leave for Manchester, New Hampshire to go to a quilt show called MQX. I'll have a lot to talk about after the classes I'm taking. I'm doing Machine Embroidery for Beginners, and a class on my cutting machine Scan n Cut. I'm also taking 2 classes to do customized quilting with my Intelliquilter which is a computer I use with my longarm. I'll be back here by Sunday or Monday to tell you about them.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Sue Garman's quilt collection. It's the same one that was in Houston this past November. Her daughters will be there with the quilts.

[twiglet]

Eileen now you've really got your quilting head on again. Have a fab time and come back fired up with loads of inspiration .

[sewengel]

Hi all from snowy Colorado. We have had 2 blizzards a month apart and it snowed again last night about 2" more. I am pretty sure Mother Nature isn't taking her meds, hehe.

In quilting news, I entered my Barn quilt into a show in Lindsey, CA (which is south of Fresno). It was awarded Celebrating Agriculture and Viewer's Choice!! What a lovely surprise. I am currently quilting an applique quilt, which I decided to double bat. What was I thinking! While the loft is nice my shoulders are feeling it. I hope to have it quilted by the middle of May, fingers crossed. I will be mailing my Colorful Colorado Medallion to Everett, Wash. for a show the last weekend of April, which we plan to attend. It is just north of Seattle and we have a stinking cute grand daughter that lives there. Geneva, how far is Everett from you? I hear its a very nice show. Let me know if you want to meet up. We are going Friday.

I have been super busy with my 85 y.o. mother and her 89 y.o. hubby who has Alzheimers. We are moving forward to getting him into a home and her moved out of their home of 32 years. She has been his caregiver and its wearing her out.

Hope all of you have a lovely day. I will be anxiously waiting the judging from Paducah on how my mini did.

Sharon in, waiting for the snow to melt, Colorado

[lotti]

Congratulations, Sharon, so good.
Yup, had some snow again this morning. Luckily no storm. We have an emergency services event today - hope it will be dry at least. Not much fun to show and teach resuscitation when it’s cold and wet. Fingers crossed we‘ll still have interested visitors. Apparently Jack Frost is hanging on...

[twiglet]

Congratulations Sharon 2 awards! Lovely to get viewers choice. Good luck for the mini

Hard to move your parents but it'll bring peace of mind and take pressure off your mum.

Do show us your applique quilt. Good luck for that one too