Just not sure, must keep at it

These are very rough, preliminary layouts but so far....hmmmm....
I don't know. When you pick a fabric and have a vision in your
head and then have trouble getting that vision out of your head...
well that just makes me want to give up, throw it in a box and
move on to something else. Unfortunatley, I want to give this
quilt to my son's wonderful girlfriend for Christmas, so giving
up is not an option.

Many people in my guild have made spectacular quilts using
the Nine-Patch Pizzazz book. I am trying but am not likng
this at all. I think I am over thinking things. The colors are
perfect so I think I will ask my art director son to help me
arrange them better. Ugh this is frustrating.

Here is another disappointment. I bought this pack of twenty fat
quarters at the Annapolis quilt show in June. It is Roman Holiday
and I thought it would make a good Christmas quilt for my daughter.
Well, I just know she probably won't like it and I'm not sure I really
like it. I mean, it's beautiful, just not what I had expected. There
is too much blue for it to be a Christmas quilt, but the reds have
holly on them. Oh well, this one might not get quilted until next
Christmas. Maybe I'll give it to my cousin.

Until next time...
Susie

Back to Reality and mystery solved!

Quilt retreats are good for the soul.
Sewing, laughing, eating and sleeping -- in that order.

We all decided that next year we are going to go an
extra day. The weather was unseasonably warm this
year, but we just turned on the fans and didn't let
it slow us down.

All seven of us got alot done too. New projects
started and old ones finished.

Here are some of the mystery quilts we put together.
It is called Fractured Crystals by Linda Ballard and
I got it from the HGTV web site.
This one is Georgia's
This one is Cathy's

And this one is mine--without borders.


I wanted to miter my borders since there will be three of them and
duh- I forgot my large piece of the outer border (dk blue)
More people from my bee are still working on theirs and I'll show
you those as they finish. I should post them all together too so you
can see how different they all look depending on the value.

I will leave you with a final picture. Since we all looked, hmmm,
shall I say "comfortable" I couldn't possibly show the world what
we looked like.

Until next time...
Susie

Chilly nights and Counting down

Here's my fall quilt that is now on our bed. FINALLY the weather
is more like fall here in Bowie, MD. This quilt has heavy batting
so it weighs a ton! It won first place in the large pieced category
at our quilt show in March 2006. You can just ignore the woman
holding the ribbon! I think it won because the men who came
to the show liked it and voted for it. I can't remember if the
pattern is called Cabin Full of Geese or Geese in the Cabin.

THREE MORE DAYS until I get to look at this view while I
am sewing away all day--for four whole days!!! My bee will
be on retreat starting Friday here at West River, just south
of Annapolis. My dining room table is being piled high
with fabric and gadgets. I take my own sewing chair and
my little plastic three drawer storage. I keep changing my
mind as to the projects I want to work on. (I have so many
to choose from, dontcha know!?) I know I will be working
on a Christmas lap quilt and table runner for my daughter
and my son's wonderful girlfriend's graduation quilt. I also
have two patterns for boxes that you cover with fabric for
the both boy's girlfriends. Plus many many many more.
Gosh I would have to stay at least a month to get it all done.

I'll have lots of fun pics...
Until next time...
Susie

Mystery blocks--Shhhhh

Mystery blocks A, B, and C.

If some of you recognize these blocks and how they go
together, please don't tell for a few weeks. I will announce
the pattern and the designer after I let my bee put theirs
together. Those that are going on our retreat next week
will know the answers, but those that aren't going will
have to wait until we get back.

And speaking of the retreat....7 days and counting!!!!!
I love the weeks before almost as much as the actual
retreat itself. The planning and organizing and anticipation
is so exciting! I basted my celtic Christmas quilt at the
guild meeting last night (see Sept 17 post) so I will be
machine quilting that. I will stitch in the ditch around
the knots and just stipple all the background. It should
go fast. Especially with no distraction (except visiting
the snack table!) I have to remember to stop by
Tomorrow's Treasures tonight to buy some red and
green varigated thread.

I have lots of projects planned to work on but will save
them fo to blog about later.

This weekend will be busy as our guild Quilt Bingo
is on Sunday. I've never played Bingo and instead of cash
all the prizes are handmade quilts. I am working and not
playing but it should be fun and hopefully a big fundraiser
for the guild.

Until next time...
Susie

Scrappy blues

Sorry-the title could be misleading. I am not feeling blue, I am
finally starting my scrappy blue quilt. I have been dreaming,
collecting, planning, searching and cutting for years now.
All the stars must be aligned because I found just the right
pattern and have . . . started. (Which as we all know is a very
long way away from . . . finishing!

This block is called Mary's block. I'm sure that it has other
names but if you want to peak at the end, you'll see it.
I have also changed the sizes a bit so I can use my Easy
Angle ruler. It is the same basic principle as my black &
white & red quilt. (Sorry I don't know how to link the page
yet)

There are many many ways to set this block and I am cutting
other colors to make another scrappy one . . . someday!
Actually, it would make a good leader/ender project.

So the first pic above shows the components. 2.5" squares,
2.5" x 3.25" rectangles of the lights and 4.5" x 5.25"
rectangles for the larger triangles. Piece the squares and
small rectangles as shown above.

Then put the larger rectangle right sides together and
cut both with the Easy Angle ruler. (above) Sew each
together diagonally. Very easy.

This is the setting I am planning to use, but the
possibilities are endless.

I will be working on this at my retreat coming up later
in the month. In fact in 15 more days, not that I'm
counting or anything. I will be posting about my
preparations later. I believe that the anticipation,
planning and preparing are almost just as fun as
the retreat itself.

Until next time...
Susie

Happy Fall Pt. 2

I am always very happy when I switch to my fall decorations.
Cooler air and preparations for the coming winter put me in a good mood.

This wallhanging over my mantle was done from the book Crossroads.
It is machine appliqued and I love the colors, golds, rusts,
with a touch of purple.

The matching quilt has the same border fabric as the wallhanging.
I took this class years ago at Cottonseed Glory in Annapolis, MD.
You take 10-14 fat quarters, stack them and cut out the pieces.
Then when you sew the blocks you switch the placement of each fabric.
So even though each block is the same pattern, they look very
different. I wasn't really happy with it at first but now I really like it.

This is a Bareroots pattern and I have one for each season.
I changed the wording a little because it had something to do
with Halloween. It's odd, but as much as I love fall, I really don't
like Halloween. This hangs in my foyer and I got the cute oak
quilt hanger at a quilt show.

The only thing I did not switch is my bed quilt.
Maybe I'll get to that this week.

Until next time...
Susie