Ruby Celebration!

 

 

Where were you Forty (40) years ago in late October?  Were you fortunate enough to attend that first quilt festival?  I wasn't there!  But, over the years, it has been star on my calendar--Quilt Fest--a place where you meet other quilters, learn new techniques, sew up a storm, admire craftsmanship of many hands--a marvelous place.  This festival has grown from one hall to many halls in the convention center.  A few vendors to many rows of vendors. 

This year was Ruby Celebration of the Quilt Festival--a must to attend, even if only for a short time. 

What a grand entrance!!  Everyone a Red and White Quilt!  There is much to admire--so little time to stop and see each one in all their glory.

Small quilts!

Miniatures!

Traditional quilts worked with all reds.

It is said that all reds work well together and this is proof!

Redwork!

The circle of Ruby!

I concentrated on interesting and unusual. This was a special exhibit to support Libby  in battle to pay for medical expenses

Words of Libby!

A whole wall of support!

Special exhibits...............

Don't we feel like we are swimming upstream at times?

 

Quilts with small pieces in historic textiles

Just a plain four patch--

small pieces in contemporary

colorful ones

busy ones

more color

Let's do Dolls!

I admire this creativity!

A special dinnerware setting exhibit

Looks delicious enough to eat!

Definitely miniatures!

more colorful quilts

Busy works of art!

Leaning houses!

contemporary quilts--row by row!

And wow! circles!

The day I visited the halls were sparse with attendees, so was perfect time to walk through the halls and dream of being back here again next year!!

The Case of The Three Warps!

The Case of The Three Warps is a solvable mystery!! If only, my mind would sort through all those files in storage and come up with the answers. 

 

Here is the mystery. 

 

 

There are three warps in the weaving room.  The white one on the warping board; the multi-colored one on the right--it's handspun wools; and the blue, gold cotton warp in the middle.

Let's look for some clues.

I know I had these handspun yarns in my stash.  And I know they were wound and looped into a warp.  I can measure the warp by undoing the warp--ah, it's 3 yards long and it looks to be 6" wide.  Now, that makes perfect sense.  Mystery solved!  This is meant for a scarf!

Second warp--the blue and gold cotton warp.  Clues--it's at least 4 yards long; there are 8 gold and 8 blue in each section.  I discovered the cones--it is 8/2.  And there are 4 sections of each color--after that, I ain't got a clue!!  I found this warp in the yarn closet.  Do you think it's possible for warping gremlins to be working without my knowledge?  What to do with this warp is beyond me?  Must have been a good reason to wind the warp and braid it.

and the third warp--is 20/2 (as I had the cones right there!) cotton from two cones--about six yards in length.  First clue tells me that it isn't finished warping!  Second clue tells me this is yarn for towels or washcloths--there are NO notes with these warps--how could a person be soooooo spacey not to include notes with each warp? 

Oh, well.................................................guess we'll get creative and use the warps since they are already wound.  BUT< next warp will have attached notes with them!! 

Stay tuned to see if the mysteries are solved!

October Spinners Gather!

Even though it was a spinners gathering, we don't always talk strictly about spinning!  Of course, not!  When you get a bunch of fiber oriented people in one room, the discussion is wide and varied and since we haven't been together for several weeks, there was much to talk about.

 

Rosemary just returned from her summer Michigan home.  She found this delight at a sale and just had to rescue it.  It's in poor shape but there is still a story there to be told about the weaver.

It is cotton warp with indigo dyed wool weft in this overshot coverlet.  In the above photo you can tell some of the threads had been dyed with cochineal or madder but now, the color has faded; although, a small amount of pink remains to give us that hint

It is a darling of a hand woven, even with it's worn away threads

Connie had a basket of her handspun cotton yarns--gee whiz!  these are plied too!  All spun on her charka wheel.  These fabulous fibers will be woven into gifts to be presented at our local Menil Museum for a Gandhi exhibit.  She will be demoing on a large charka wheel that her husband has built for her November 1 and December 1

Such fine threads!  Love the deep natural brown (red) cotton!

Carolyn was pleased to show off her second knitted scarf from her own alpaca fleeces!  Perfect handle with a blend of 20% bamboo from The Fiber Lady.  The pattern is Knit Along (KAL) on Ravelry group "Simply Notable"

Dottie, our hostess, always has something for show and tell.  These wonderful placemats were woven by children during her church's summer programs.

 

Oh My!  Marian outdid us all!  She had purchased these colorful shoes from SAS but the shoe strings didn't suit her so what did she do?    Weave her own laces!!  Inkle loom woven so perfect!

And her earrings were a treat to see! 

I always enjoy visiting Dottie's house--so many treats for the eyes.  She is so talented and her house showcases these little ditties everywhere.  These are Rosepath pattern--sachets

and the colorful play on the warp is evident with these

Dottie does everything well!  The eggs to the left and the wool hooked sheep are just two of her talents

Needle punched reindeer!

and such tiny pumpkins she will use with her hand woven witches!

Just a little mat, but such lively fun!! 

RENEWAL!

I called this post "Renewal" because that is exactly what I was doing with my expatchers friends--renewing our friendship after several months of being apart.  We each go our different ways so much of the summer--especially me!  But, other group members have been traveling as well.  And this day was a chance to 'renew' what has old news, while still current in our minds.

 

Of course, it is also a time to see what the gals have been creating.  This lovely is a T-shirt quilt!!  Absolutely smashing, Judy M!  She did a super job taking those shirts and making a great remembrance for Chris.

There were even some hearts to be used for the label on the backing.

Nice job with the quilting!

Julie, one of our long distance expatchers, sent these lovely lap blankets for Judy M to quilt.

These will be gifts for wheel chair bound folks.  What a cheerful sight for them to enjoy!

All quilted and bound.

OMG!  This was an absolutely huge quilt created by Debby W and quilted by Sandy W--the pattern is "Labyrinth"   WOW!  Sandy did a fabulous job quilting.

We all liked the design work she did

118"x118" of pure joy for someone in Debby's family

Annette was working with four patches, some equal squares with diagonal corners

 

Putting them all together, Annette is renewing her love for her mother as she works on these blocks.  She was working on this when her mother passed away.  I know the memories flood back to her as her fingers are busy and her heart is full. 

This is such a simple block to build but has the look of something more complicated when sewn together.

Linda was working on a very contemporary quilt for one of her daughters.

I'm loving this and renewing my to=do list to include a contemporary quilt.

Construction continues on one block

I always enjoy seeing what's on Judy's long arm--this is such a lively, colorful quilt top.

What motion with the pinwheels!

Judy M is much like myself--we love fall and the colors of fall.  Here is her latest creation from Primitive Quilts and Projects--  what a super duper magazine!

Just seeing this makes one ready for those cool temperatures and falling leaves--bring on the orange!

Sandy is working on this batik rail fence quilt for one of her granddaughters.

She uses her I- pad to give us a look as to the finished top. 

What a fun day renewing thoughts and ideas with friends! 

Unpacking and Organizing

 

When we return to our winter home, it always takes me some time to unpack and revamp myself to the location.  I think it gets worse with age, too!  During the summer, I've worked on a few quilt blocks that need to be blanket stitched so I wait till I get to my Bernia machine to do that work; which means there are hours of sitting at the machine doing nothing but blanket stitch.

Finally!  finished all the blocks for this Fatcat Patterns quilt top.  Why I do these I don't know?  Or yes I do--these make such great quilts.

The owls of the wild are ready to be together so I lay the blocks on the floor to get the whole view--it's also exercise from one room to the other!

These fellows are just darn whoooting great!! 

I have three orphan block quilt tops to border and decide on a backing--I'm thinking the backs should be orphan fabrics too.

Okay, here we go at the machine; ready for that blanket stitch as I work on The Quilt Show  2014 BOM (block of the month).

I have the majority of the center finished; just need to work on the border--which includes lots of applique

Another Row of the month (ROM) mystery top--look on the sidebar to find the link

First row is finished--easy to do with paper piecing instructions

Still working on the Penguins from Sindy's website.  Such jolly birds!  Okay, I really should stop making these--maybe, next year--if she doesn't post anything really clever or cute!  I promise!