Rocky Mountain Quilt Workshop with Cristy Fincher

I took my lunch time between my workshops at Rocky Mountain Quilt Fest to walk through the quilt exhibits and vendors.

 

I didn't have time to stand in line to purchase so took some quick photos of items--future purchases, maybe!  I love Fall--but, just got to stop myself from going there!

I thought these were great 'skinny' wall hangings!

I found this patriotic quilt--thinking this will be a great and easy put together

and another pattern for Quilt of Valor

Here was the great prize winner by Barbara Monroe of Loveland, CO

The blocks were great example of applique

such whimsy! with small pieced quilts

I hope that Barbara will enter this quilt in other exhibits--it deserves many awards!

 

Lunch is over and it's time to head back to class and a workshop with

Cristy Fincher, Purple Daisies LLC

Paperless Paper Piecing!

Can you believe?  I really do enjoy paper piecing but taking all that paper off the back is time consuming and troublesome, so I thought this would be a great introduction to a different method

We received our pattern--thoughtfully planned out and marked well.

We had selection of fat quarters, took up scissors, pattern and began...........

On doubled freezer paper, our pattern was printed which enabled us to cut what we need to use as templates

Here are the templates we will use

The templates are ironed onto our fabric with 1/4" allowance around--using liquid starch around the edges, we press close to the edge of the template--and place on the back of the layout pattern

and we have a completed square after taking the pieces to the sewing machine and stitching the seams together.

 

Rocky Mountain Quilt Workshop With Laura Wasilowski

Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival came to Loveland, Colorado in August--a cool respite in the middle of a hot summer month!  I have attended in the past just as a visitor to see exhibits and vendors.  But, this year, I decided I would take a workshop or two.  My first workshop was with

Laura Wasilowski.  I was familiar with her fusing work and since I enjoy fusing applique, knew she could give me some good pointers.

 

 

We began with these lovely hand dyed fabrics

Each strip had the Wonder Under fused already and we were ready to go

We used small amounts of color to get the 'hang' of the process

"free cut" shapes and fused!  Weird, I know, but she said just cut small shapes free style--never know what your brain says to your hands!

We learned how to use transfer

to make birds!  lovely happy birds!  These are Laura's bird samples

The eyes of the bird makes a difference!

And samples of Laura's work to be inspiration for our birds.

nesting bird

legs for birds and composition

other objects for birds

my table mate's birds

And my birds!  What a fun workshop & I learned how to fuse small pieces to create a larger object.

Check out Laura's website--she gives advice often.

Dryer Balls!!

What do you do when you have all this

 

aged fiber?  Yes, aged fiber, that has been sitting around for years!  We are talking ten years or more and you know, just know, there is no way this is ever going to be spun...of course, the colors are nice and the fiber is nice, but REALLY?  And then the idea hits you..............

you remember you have all these old panty hoses!  yes, do you remember panty hose? and when is the last time you wore panty hose?  Like forever ago!!  Perfect..............

you take that aged fiber (keep reminding myself, it has been aged!) and you roll it into a nice firm ball

and place it in those aged (yes, they are perfectly aged and of no use now!) panty hose; tie a knot between each ball and then you throw them into the washer with hot water--yes, very hot water!  Then you throw them into the dryer--with some towels and they bang around and around until....

you pull them out! and they are dry, firm little balls of solid aged fiber!  Oh my!  What fun that was!  and they actually work with drying clothes--no use for dryer sheets anymore!  If I want scent, it will be the scent I buy to put on them............................oh, so

adictive!  I have to make more!  Isn't there some more aged fiber just waiting to be used!  Of course, there is.................more balls of aged fiber into aged panty hose into the washer and dryer.  What the heck is that fiber doing--coming out the pores?  It's okay

because the hose pulls off nicely and we have more of those

wonderful dryer balls!  Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas???

Time to Quilt-- Do You Have Any Orphans--Blocks, That Is????

What do you do with all those blocks you make that aren't used in a quilt? How about all those extra flying geese, 4patches, 9patches, sundry little blocks you make? You just can't throw them away! How about all those projects begun and not finished? I have one box of UFOs! So, I was very excited and elated when our Bonnie Hunter Club meeting was discussing "orphan" blocks! and how to use them in a quilt. We were talking about backs for quilts; but once, you see how these are laid out--I'm thinking QUILTS!! Here we go:

First off, I bought a flannel backed tablecloth--purchased at discount price!  I've taken some of my 'orphan' blocks and laid them out.  Some of these have been saved for years! And now, we are ready to stitch!  How about this??  All I need to do is add borders and we are set--I'm thinking this will make a nice quilt for gift giving!

Our fearless leader, Jessica, laid this one--have clever!  Begin in one corner and go diagonally!  and alas, Jessica has no qualms about cutting her big blocks in halves or thirds or fourths!  I'm saying "horrors!"   But, it works! and you are using up those 'orphans'!

But, look at this one!  And she has such a nice collection of 'orphan' blocks, she also has a color collection--this one is pink and browns.  So, sort all your colors and go from there!

Can you believe?  It looks great!

 

Here is another one she has laid out--in batiks.  and she cut some of these into halves and quarters to get a good layout

She began with the large block in the middle, set on diagonal.  And added cut log cabins as corners to square up the block

This one is all green, black and red with some gray thrown in for good measure

This is Judy's 'orphan' block collection--what to do with this assortment?

Okay, we are off and having fun with the layout!  one large block in the middle--other blocks cut in half for the added border--looking good!

We can't believe how many 'orphans' Jessica has!  Here we are working with her purple/gold collection

Then we found another block for the center that would work just as well

keep on building!

Doesn't matter if the block is not all there; just hang it off the side or top.

Here is another one that we worked on from Cheryl's stash--

and I had one more started--it was nice to get some advice from the "master" Jessica and fellow quilter gals.  This is certainly a fun thing to do--it is definitely Play Time when you bring out the 'orphans' and make them a family! 

 

Love

We have made it!  Thirty-one (31) days of August Break!  Writing each day has been therapeutic--an exercise for the brain, needless to say.....................................scheduled routine for the person who likes to 'do it on her own time'!  This has definitely been a "labor of love"!

I "Love" knitting--anywhere, anytime!

I "Love" Quilting--using my mind and hands for the benefit of others!

 I "Love" spinning!  Plying the colors through my fingers, knowing these fibers will yield a thread for someone else to "love"!

 

There is a long list of LOVES

 

friends

good food

animals

warm days

cool nights

travel to far off places

staying at home

reading a good book

watching a movie

and

on

and

on

So many THINGS in life to "Love" but most important

is

true LOVE for my FAMILY and GOD!

Soft

SOFT.................

is

 

 

nose of a donkey

touch of newborn

friendship

smooth lapping waves onshore

slow approaching night.

SOFT!

Nature

From sunrises to

sunsets--

Nature surrounds us