South Padre Quilt Show-January 28, 2017

We were at South Padre Island for a few days. While out driving around on
Saturday we discovered there was a quilt show at the Convention Center. Of course we went in. It was a very nice show with a lot of lovely quilts displayed. Yes, I took lots of pictures. It was fun to see the quilts using Judy Niemeyer patterns, quilts from Missouri Star Quilt Company patterns; also a few quilts made using Bonnie Hunter patterns. And of course a lot of others as well. I took a ton of pictures.      

                                                     The black is really cute cat fabric

I loved the use of the Noah's Ark Panel

                                                       


                                                   Cute use of frog fabric

                                             
                                            One of our favorites

                                            Notice the peacock feathers

I did not get a picture of the label but liked the use of Angelina for the snowy trees

                                                       
                                                    Of course batiks.

Cengters of the stars arfe musical instruments

                                                               

                                                        Always need a twister dog!

                                                                         More batiks.

                                                               Another cute use of a panel

           

                                    This is part one. Will do part 2 later on today

This and That-January 19, 2017

I have not been doing a very good job of keeping up with my blog posts. Still sorting and putting things away in the upstairs, as in sewing area! Appointments for the girls, eye exams for us and other January chores! But it hasn't been all work, we have taken off for a day or two and I have managed a little sewing.

Pat Sloan issued a summer solstice challenge on her blog. One block a week. It started with the Winter Solstice and continues until the Summer Solstice. 26 weeks and 26 blocks! So are I am caught up, 5 weeks-5 blocks! I dug out a fat quarter pack some one had given me a few years ago of Riley Blake fabrics. Bright and cheery. Here's my first five

One of the Yahoo quilting groups I belong to QTMystery  did a New Year's Eve mystery. I did not get to work on it then but have since and ended up making 2 tops. This was from a layer cake I had in my stash. A layer cake is 42 10 inch squares. Since I cut all 42 instead of 40 like the directions said I made a 3 x 4 layout for a small child size and a 5 x 6 for adults,

It is a fun pattern and am thinking of making another one in Red White and Blue

We are taking off for the Texas coast for the rest of January. Have the binding on one quilt to take along and do the hand sewing part. Not sure what else yet. Actually thinking of taking my scraps along and using the down time in the evenings to get them cut into the sizes I use most. Time will tell!

Sewing in January Week 1

I am following Pat Sloan's Summer Solstice Challenge. Every Wednesday starting with the Winter Solstice until the Summer Solstice she is releasing a block. I have a fat quarter pack of Riley Blake prints that I am using. So far, 3 weeks and 3 blocks!  By the time of the Summer Solstice there should be 26 blocks! Let's see if I can keep up!!!!!

Can put this back in the bin now until next week!

Have also been working on the New Year's eve mystery. And yes, fabrics from home!

DESIGN WALL-JANUARY 2, 2017

Surprise, surprise I got a little bit of sewing in on New Year's Day. First since my last post. Think that was before Christmas! While putting fabrics away after the remodel I found a fat quarter pack a friend had given me. Riley Blake fabrics. Was reading Pat Sloan's website and decided it would be perfect for her Summer Solstice Challenge. She will post the blocks on Wednesdays until the first day of summer. Happy to say Blocks 1 and 2 are done!

Am hoping to be able to keep up with this challenge. And as always there are several other irons in the fire!

We went out for a short drive today. As some of you know my husband is into photography so our drives are to see what birds want to be photographed.

 He has a long lens, I use a point and shoot. But I did manage to get a female Eastern bluebird and a burrowing owl.

We did take off for a few days last week and drove to Port LaVaca along the Texas coast. the weather was uncooperative but Galen did manage to get some great pictures. Will write more about that later.

Over to Patchworktimes!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY 12/12/16

A week or so ago I dug out the blocks I made this past summer using the Tam's Patch   pattern on Quilter's cache. It makes an 8 inch finished block.  I made this set of blocks during the remodel.
That top is now at my quilter.
     

The online quilted with love group is also making these blocks in brights and kid's prints to be put together into tops. Will work on more for that. This one will probably go to our local Linus group.

The house is decorated inside and out for the holidays. 

Not a great picture of Galen's Penn State Tree.

And our big tree. 

More decorations but that's all the pictures I have for now.

No baking this year unless it's the last minute and something small! It's just the 2 of us and we don't need to eat a lot of cookies!

Linking up with Judy

Design Wall Monday November 21, 2016

A little more sewing was accomplished this past week.  I was able to get the Chevron Quilt using the Kaffe fabrics put together.

It is nice and colorful!

I also had to get a mug rug made for a swap.

This is the back. Another thing I could cross off my list. It has been mailed!

We have a center flower bed in the back and it is full of Butterfly Weed. This past week there has been a lot of activity.  It has been fun to sit on the porch and watch. If I can ever figure out how to post the video......

The Queens have been the most prolific

Still have some Monarchs

                                                               Common Mestra

One morning I went out with the girls and saw this big moth on our bedroom door. At first I thought it was a bat! But closer inspection it turned out to be a Black Witch Moth. This one had a 5 inch wing spread, they can get up to 7 inches. They are from Mexico and evidently not seen here very often. Or not documented any way. He spent the day there and then took off at sunset.

                                   And 2 of my favorite pictures Galen took early last week are of the Burrowing                                                          Owls near Lake Granger, TX

Over to Judy at PatchworkTimes

Design Wall Monday-November 14, 2016

I know I have not been writing any blog entries since late August. I did write one this past Saturday on a quilt show we attended.  The remodel has been done for a while and we have been enjoying it. But I am still putting things away, seems the boxed multiplied while in storage. That is Galen's theory anyway!!! Still many more boxes but decided I needed to have some sewing therapy.

I signed up for a class at Honey Bee. 2 sessions making Desert Sky pattern by Judy Niemeyer. That got me sewing again. have quite a few of her patterns that have been on my someday list!  Since I have made this one I am more confident about tackling the others!  So here is my completed top ready to be quilted!

 Since I was on a roll I dug out the blocks I had made over the summer using Bonnie Hunter's pattern Pineapple Blossom. It was nice having my design wall back from storage.I could at least lay out the blocks. Am not going to border this one. Did not even make a dent in the stash of 2 inch strips.  May be a few more of these made in the future!

One of my other projects this summer was making the blocks for a Chevron Quilt out of Kaffe fabrics. It was a kit I had picked up during the shop hop. The blocks are laid out, now to get them sewn together.

Once this one is together I need to get back to unpacking, sorting, tossing and finding a home for everything.

Now Back to Judy at Patchworktimes!