Projects other than quilting

 When the virus first hit and we were ordered to stay home as much as possible, I was so excited as I would be able to do all kinds of quilting projects and not feel guilty that I wasn't out doing other things. So I did. I sewed and sewed and sewed and completed many projects. I got many old projects that I had started years ago and then put away for one reason or another and have either completed it or are close to being completed. After a few weeks, though, I found I was getting bored with all that and started looking for other things to do.

I read. I have been reading about a book a week, which for me is pretty fast. I have taken up a huge counted cross stitch project. It is probably way bigger than I should have taken on. I doubt I will live long enough to complete it. Oh well, that's okay, too. I have cleaned my pantry out and other cupboards and closets. We have taken clothes and unused kitchen "stuff" to Goodwill and now have more to take. I have actually washed windows. I also have been listing "stuff" on e-Bay. I have sold 7 quilts. I definitely didn't get even close to what I put into them, but I sold them which gave me money to buy more quilting supplies. Yay! I have also put several books and patterns on e-Bay. Most of them have sold. Some only went for $1, but a dollar is a dollar.

I found a free, yes free, pattern on TildasWorld.com for a dog pillow. I made two. So cute. 

Before I made the two pillows above, I woke up one morning thinking about the fabric the witches, shown below. I knew I wanted to something with them. I have had the fabric for a few years and just didn't know what to do because I didn't want to cut them up to place in a quilt. I decided to make pillows of them. I have two away to family members and kept one for me to display. Each one was cute and I could't decide which one I wanted, so I gave first choice to the people I was giving one to. I love witches and these are so cute!

I hope all of you are finding projects to stay busy with. Stay happy, but more importantly, stay sane!

Keep on Quilting

Time to get back to this blog

 2020 is surely an interesting year and promises to get a lot darker before it gets better. My year started out with the death of my 97 year old mother. The next month was the death of my granddaughter’s grandfather. Another death in the family in April. Along with all of that grief, along came the Corona virus, also known as Covid-19. That became real for us the day after my birthday in March when our governor asked us all to stay at home because of the virus. We have pretty much been in-house since then. 

The week after we were starting our shelter-in-place I could not sew enough. I was sewing on different projects sometimes as much as 6 hours a day. That lasted several weeks. I am now at the point of not sewing more than an hour or two a day and sometimes going a week without sitting at my sewing machine. That doesn’t mean I am not working on projects. I still have my owl embroidery blocks I am working on. I also read a lot and search the internet and Pinterest for recipes. I have been cooking more than I have since all the kids lived at home. I can tell because the scales are going up and up and up.

One of the projects I completed is my Bee Bee Bumbling Bee 🐝 quilt. I have been collecting bee fabric for years knowing I wanted to make a bee quilt. Using a Moda Layer Cake Mix, I made the one shown here. After it was all finished, I have it to a friend of Gil - Jim. Jim is a beekeeper. He came by yesterday to get it. He loved it.

The second picture is the backing. I ventured into my two closest quilt shops to see if they had anything I felt would work for the backing. I did not find anything there, so I went online and found the perfect material at Hancocks of Paducah. Jim liked the back as much as the pieces front. I quilted it on the long arm using a bee pantograph. It all came into making a beautiful quilt.

Keep on Quilting 

It has been a full year!

Unbelievable. I have not posted anything here since a year ago. My last post was pictures from PIQF 2018. PIQF 2019 is going on this weekend in Santa Clara. In fact I was going to go down there today, but changed my mind.

A lot has happened in a year in my quilt world. I don’t know even where to start. I guess I will just state what keeps me busy. Later I will organize some of my photos and get them posted. I do love to post pictures of my quilts and of quilts others have done.

I belong to two art quilt groups. One is associated with the River City Quilters’ Guild. They meet at my neighbors house, so it is easy for me. Arty Q is the name. They are all so talented at what they do that sometimes I am a little intimidated to show my work. One of the challenges this year was to take two animals and make one using body parts from each of our two choices. Mine was a butterfly and an elephant. I called it Butter-Phant.

It is a very small quilt. Approximately 8” x 10”.

I also belong to Swifty Stitches Art Group. A friend and I started it up in January and we now have around 10 or so people that come when they can. We meet once a month, as does Arty Q. This group also has some really accomplished art quilters. I love meeting with both groups. Here is a quilt I made for that group.

I have done others but evidently I have not taken pictures of them. Maybe I will post them later.

Our guild has had two shows since I last wrote. I definitely will post more later from both of them. The guild has also had some tremendous speakers that I want to talk about, too.

In March we had a beautiful wedding of my granddaughter and Gil and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. I do not know how that happened! It sure doesn’t seem like 50 years. We went to Hawai’i and have lots of pictures from that excursion, too.

So much more has happened this year. I post a lot on Instagram under Beehive Quilts, so you can keep more up to date there with what is going on in my life. I post there a lot more often.

Thanks for keeping up with me.

Keep on Quilting 

PIQF - Pacific International Quilt Festival

Last Friday my husband and I traveled to Santa Clara CA for me to attend the PIQF show for the first time. This was the 27th year, but the first year I made it down there. It was so worth the effort. The quilts were beautiful and from all over the world. There were almost as many vendors as there were quilts. Everyone wanted to see the vendors, so seeing and photographing the quilts was easy. Here are just a few.

A Spring Twist  by Karily Bue Lohrenz Billings MT

Adrift by Nora Dean Hekkers

Adrift up close. Note the long stitching.

All the Way Around by Sigrid Simonds

All the Way Around - up close

 Note the hand quilting on the above quilt. Plus the write up states it is rusted and painted cloth. Unique.

The following three pictures are the Best of Show. Stunning quilt! It is called Marie's Treasure by Marilyn Badger of St George UT.

Changing Gears by Jan Soules Elk Grove CA

 The above quilt is by a fellow member of the River City Quilt Guild of Sacramento. She always does beautiful work.

Denied by Laura Fogg Ukiah CA

 With politics running so amok right now, I applaud the above quilter's take on what is happening in America.

Checker Cab Company by Debbie Mackay

Elephant by Cindy Brown

Color Play by Letitia Chung San Francisco CA

Color Play (up close)

Note the hand quilting on the above quilt. It is what made the quilt.

Color Play One by Irelle Beatie Summerland CA

Creamsicle by Natalie Gore Concord CA

Diamond Effervescence by Beth Nufer and Clem Buzick Brookings OR

That Will be the Day When I'm Inspired by Nordic Knitwear! by Diane Steele Davis CA

 The above quilt was made by a friend of mine, Diane Steele. She was the designer and leader in our shop's Block of the Month many years ago. She does fantastic work.

Erin by Sandy Curan Newport News VA

Everyone Will Wear in Hanbok as Usual by Jin Chang Seongnam-si, Kyunggi-do Republic of Korea

Freedom from Taiji by Lys Axelson Big Bear City CA

 The above quilt represents an event that takes place in Japan where dolphins are herded into Taiji Cove and slaughtered. These few were able to escape. I first heard of this just a couple of years ago when my granddaughter showed me a video of the slaughter. This should stop. Fishing is a sport. There is no sport here. I applaud the quilt maker for making this statement.

Gooseneck Barnacles by Heidi Lindsay Suisun City CA

 The above quilt was a reproduction from a picture made by Brandon Cole. It was all in red and white. The quilter made her original quilt in reds and whites but found it was hard to determine where one gooseneck barnacle started and one ended, so she redid the quilt in rainbow colors. Stunning.

Gossiping Ducks and Hungry Tiger by Linda Anderson LaMesa CA

The above quilt is of a percussion group using instruments from the Tang Dynasty.  She informs us the back and forth exchange of sounds between "gossiping" ducks while a "growling" tiger (the drums) waits nearby.

Halloween Happiness by Jone Lewis Riverside CA

 Halloween is always a draw for me. I have more Halloween fabric and quilts, for that matter, than any other. I do love this quilt. Look at the bat inner border.

In the Old Way by Linda Anderson LaMesa CA

 This looks like a large photograph. This is a stunning quilt in its composition.

Jane at the End of the Rainbow by Frances Ledenbach and Margarita Wilcox of Round Rock TX

 The above and below pictures are of the same quilt. It is a large quilt, but those blocks are tiny. I love the material used as it makes it look like some of the blocks are pieced even smaller than they appear. Good planning.

Happy Trails by Renata Beason Craig CO

Happy Trails up close

Happy Trails up close

Happy Trails up close

 The above four pictures are of a Block of the Month kit I purchased a couple of years ago. Mine is partially completed. In the quilter's write up she states she also purchased hers some time ago and just finished it. I don't know where she bought her pattern/kit from. I bought mine from Stitchin Heaven in Texas. I have purchased more than one BOM from this shop. Since I live in California and they are in Texas, it is all done through the mail. They are great. You can still purchase this BOM from them at www.StitchinHeaven.com. 

 

Hocuspocusville by Beverly Rognlien and Victoria Weins Lincoln CA

 Again Halloween will attract me every time, as will embroidery projects. This is both.

Keith's Doodle by Cynthia Cox of Reno NV

Keith's Doodle up close

Kelly, the Irish Cow by Carole Olsen Monterey CA

 There are just never enough cows in a quilt show. The quilter states this cow seemed to want to follow her home while she was in Ireland. Sometimes you just have to adopt animals into your life whether it is by taking the animal home with you or making a quilt from your pictures/memories. Love it.

Ford-Long Lasting by Linda Jensen Hidden Valley Lake

 Same with the cow, there cannot be too many old trucks in a quilt show either. Especially the old weathered ones. This truck truly has character.

Little Brown Bird by Robyn Phelps LaMesa CA

Marble Track by Claudia Scheja Werne, NRW Germany

Mouse Trap by Joan Barker Vallejo CA

Miss Ellie Priscilla in Pink by Jeanette Boulet Canada

 Now you might think you have seen the above quilt already posted here. But you would be mistaken. The other one was in shades of orange. Look back towards the top of this post.

Modern Ulu by Connie Johnson Sayler and Nancy Lee Chong Medford OR

I love the simplicity of this quilt. Yet if you think about it, it is not that simple. Well done quilters. I looked up what Ulu means, but there are several definitions for the word. Look it up for yourself and you determine what the quilts meaning might be.

The Musicians by LeAnn Hileman Glendale AZ

 This is one of my most favorite of the show. It is so realistic in nature.

My Rhodie by Andrea Brokenshire Round Rock TX

 The above is the close up of the one below. It is a stunning quilt and the thread play on it is marvelous.

My Rhodie

Native American Sturgeon Backs by Ruthanne Rocha Miranda CA

Octavia Reaches for the Light by Vickie Lord Dunwoody GA

Octavia Reaches for the Light up close

I love how the quilter shows this cephalopod going from the dark depths into lighter waters.

Reflections of Cape Town by Cynthia England Dickenson TX

 I love how this quilt looks like it has water sitting in the foreground. Good job.

Orca's Tale by Angie Tustison McKinleyville CA

 If you have ever lived around a Border Collie, you find they are exceptional dogs. In fact I doubt they think they are dogs at all. At least mine thinks she is closer to human than dog. Other than her barking. She does love to bark.

This quilter told a remarkable story of her Border Collie, Orca. She stated in her write up that she was 18 when she got this adorable black and white puppy. She was told their life span was between 12 and 15 years. To an 18 year old that is a long time. In a dog's life, not so long. As I read her story about Orca, I realized my time with our dog, Mochi, is not going to be much longer either. She just turned 9. I took a picture of this quilt and texted it to my husband, daughter and granddaughter, all of whom help take care of Mochi. As I was typing Orca's story to them along with the picture, I was sobbing with the realization that within maybe 5 years, I will have to say goodbye to my beautiful dog, too. Thanks for bringing me to today, Angie.

Orca's Tale up close

Orca's Tale up close

The Oxymoron by Gina Boyd Davis CA

 Just wondering why it is an oxymoron. Because it is a crank sewing machine? Hmmm. If it works, it may come in handy some day if our power goes down.

Samba Selfie by Randa Mulford Mountain View CA

Absolutely lovely.

Route 66 by Mary Boyer Rancho Cordova CA

 I am sure I am not the only one who buys fabric, patterns, kits and has all the intentions to finish them. The above quilt is a pattern I bought several years ago. I love embroidery. I love retro trucks and motorcycles. I am not crazy about doing lots of flying geese. So guess where I am with finishing this quilt top? You probably guessed. I have all the embroidery done. Just have to do the connecting stars and flying geese. Some day I will get it done. My colors are darker. I really loved how this quilter used a soft brown version. I also love how it was quilted with the Route 66 logo throughout the quilting. Some day I will post mine completed and beautiful, too. [I hope.]

Sea Breeze by Joanne Baeth Bonanza OR

Sea Breeze up close

Seasoned with Time by Karlyn Bue Lohrenz Billings MT

 As stated earlier, there is plenty of room for old trucks in a quilt show. I love the name chosen for this one.

She Persisted in Her Quest to Reach the Shore and Sing the Anthem of the Sea by Sara Ann Smith Hope ME

Slipping Away up close

Slipping Away

 I failed to get the quilter's name on this one. Sorry. I do like to give credit where credit is due. I really like this quilt, as I love whales. My friend, Venita, recently took a trip to Alaska on a cruise ship. While there she found some great ideas for a quilt. I thought we could something like this into it. Thanks for the idea.

I jokingly tell people as I talk about our plans saying, "My friend went to Alaska, and we are going to make a quilt showing the things she saw." Some day I will go, too.

Solar Flare by Sandra Clark Fresno CA

 This beautiful quilt is a hand dyed single piece of fabric (except for the border) and then embellished. Beautiful quilt.

South Bay Beach by Nadine Kirk Torrance CA

 I love the ocean. I love this depiction of the coast above and below.

South Bay Beach up close

Starry Night on a Sunny Day by Heidi Proffetty

Starry Night on a Sunny Day up close

This quilt is just a bunch of small pieces of fabric put together into a beautiful scene. Great quilt.

The Strangest Vase that Ever Was by Alethea Ballard Walnut Creek CA

The Strangest Vase that Ever Was up close

 Boy, is it ever! [Look at the name above.]

Sunset Over Puako by Joy Palmer San Jose CA

Sunset Over Puako up close

Look at the quilting in the up close version above. Love the crab crawling along in the sand.

Water is Life, So Why Are We Doing This? by Thom Atkins Santa Cruz CA

Water is Life. . . .up close

 What a great statement this quilt makes! We are dumping so much garbage into our oceans that our progeny will be cleaning it up for an eternity. Those circles are actual bottle tops. Great job, Quilter.

Whooo? by Mimi Ghauri-Young Yountville CA

That's Life by Mary Landon Billings MT

That's Life up close

Tailfeathers by Marie O'Kelley Seattle Washington

As I said, these are just a few of the quilts at this show. It is an enormous quilt show. Plan on attending next year. The dates are October 17-20, 2019.

PIQF