Applique blocks

Some time ago I took a Hawaiian Quilting class from quiltuniversity.com.  I appliqued and hand quilted another one of these, and it was done in a green batik.  I enjoyed it, and decided to do another.  So this one is now ready to be sandwiched and hand quilted.  The size will be approximately 20 inches square.

 I saw this Lori Smith pattern in the current Fons and Porter magazine and knew immediately that I wanted to make it.  I hand appliqued it, and it also is ready for sandwiching and quilting.  My current thought is that I will hand quilt it also, but that could change.  It measures 12-1/2 by 12-1/2 inches, so isn't a very big project.  I thoroughly enjoy hand applique, but readily admit my skills definitely need some  work.

Hubby and I have been very, very busy with our four grandchildren.  We had two of them over the long weekend, and then between the four of them, there seems to be at least one sporting event every evening and several on weekends.  Mind you, we're not complaining.  We love them all dearly and are very, very thankful that they all live so closely.

Salmon season

 This has been a good week for salmon fishing here on the Willamette River in Portland.  The first picture is DH with his catch on Tuesday.

Here is our 13 year old DGS with his catch from today.  He made good use of his day off from school.

 And then here is our DS with his catch when he and my DH were out on Tuesday.

Quilting-related, I've finished some hand applique work, one of which has been partially done for several months.  I need a lot more practice, but I do enjoy it, and plan to do more.

Was this project fun or what?

Ahh, I love my bunny!  This pattern was in Quiltmaker's March/April issue, and when I saw it, I just had to make it.  Unfortunately, in my stash I had only a very little bit of gray, so of course I had to shop to make sure I had the right shades that would work together.  And now that this project is done, I still have plenty of beautiful grays, so I'll be ready (maybe) should another project arise that needs them.

I think this little carrot-munching critter will find his way to Project Linus and he can give a bunny hug to some poor little tyke in need of it.

We have been in absolute weather-heaven the last three days here.  It has been sunny and warm and DRY!  The temps have been about 80 and we have enjoyed it so much.  It has been, up to now, a very cool, wet spring.  While we were gone on our trip, the weeds seemed to just about take over in our yard, but over the last few days, we have tamed them a fair amount.  That's not to say they're gone, but it's definitely much better.

Back home again

How sweet it is to be home again!  We had a wonderful trip, but home is always best.

Now, I'll post a few photos from the Washington DC portion of our trip.

This picture shows part of the WWII Memorial.  I included this photo because on the day we were there, some organization had bussed in several busloads of WWII vets and family members.  What a privilege to get to see those folks who had served at that time view the Memorial and be able to say thank you to a few of them.

And the White House!  Alas, we weren't invited in for coffee.

And here is a very somber view of a portion of the Vietnam Memorial wall.  All of the wall could not be encompassed in the photo.  The names of the casualties cover the segments of the wall and go on and on and on...  Very, very sobering - the high cost of war.

While we were gone, my good friend Linda of   http://lindaquilts-too.blogspot.com/ gave me a "Liebster Blog" award.  Thank you, Linda, I am honored.  I love following your blog and reading about you, your family and all those lovely quilting projects you create.

And now I'm off to sew down some binding on my bunny quilt.  Hopefully by tomorrow or the next day I can get a photo of it to share.  It turned out pretty darn cute if I do say so  myself.

A Little More New York

Was have been having the most wonderful time.  We've walked miles and miles and used the subway over and over.  Below are a few more pictures showing just a few of the highights from our days here.

View across the river from the Statue of Liberty

She is so majestic and impressive and very, very tall!

We walked a while in Central Park.  The day was lovely and the park was filled with folks enjoying the sunshine and warm day.  This is our son and his family.

A view from Central Park.

One highlight from our time in NYC was going to the top of the Rockefeller Center, or "Top of the Rock," as it is referred to.  The day was clear and the views were more than phenomenal.  That is the Empire State Building there slightly to the left of center with the tower on top.

 

Pictures don't begin to adequately depict Time Square and the sea of traffic and humanity there.

Our son and family left for home this evening.  We will spend the night here and then head down toward the Washington, D.C. area.

Loving our time in New York City

What a fascinating place this "City That Never Sleeps" is.  We have done pretty well getting familiar with the subway, and we've walked miles and miles, but that is good for us.  Yesterday we walked through Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo and other little neighborhoods I can't remember.  We really enjoyed that.  We got confused on the subway issue with that excursion, but now that it's over, we know what we should have done.

This morning our son and his family arrived, and they will be here through Sunday.  Our DGD just loves the program "Cake Boss," and was really wanting to go to Hoboken, NJ to Carlo's Bake Shop, which is featured in Cake Boss.  I did some research and figured out how we could get there, so we did that.  The lines to get in are pretty unbelievable.  I think we waited a total of about an hour and a half - part of it outside and part inside.  It's a lovely day, so it wasn't bad.  We spent more than we should have and got more sweets than we should have, but what good treats we indulged in.

This is DGD 

Whole family waiting to get in.

DGC on esplanade at Hoboken, NJ, looking across at a portion of NYC skyline.

Another portion of the skyline.

And last but not least, this is Bryant Park, which is a delightful oasis in the middle of a very, very busy metropolis.  There were many people here enjoying the sunshine, with some playing chess or pingpong, and others enjoying their lunch.

A Festival of Quilts

My friend Sue and I went to a quilt show in Portland on Saturday.  What a lot of eye candy we saw!  Here are a few photos.

 Isn't this just about the cutest thing ever at a quilt show?

As you can see, the above quilt won four top ribbons.  One was best piecing, another best machine quilting, and I think one was Judges' Choice, and I can't remember the other.  It was one of the most beautiful quilts I have ever seen.  The following two  photos show in more detail some of the work.  The quilter had placed some brown and blue crystals in a few strategic place, but did not overdo it at all.  I just love the border that she used - I think it's the storm at sea pattern, but I'm not sure.  It's definitely not a quick and easy border.

 This was a sampler that I liked.  

This was done by a lady I know (can't remember her last name - sorry Nidra).  It's a Judy Niemeyer pattern.  She did such a great job on it.

 The following quilts were made by Carol Brown, who was the featured quilter.  She loves hand applique and does an outstanding job with it.  We loved all her quilts, and when we were looking at the lasts one, she came up to us and asked to step further away so we could see how the star kind of explodes outward.  It did make quite a difference.  That quilt is made up of approximately 1-1/2 inch half-square triangles.  She said it was one of her early efforts and she didn't understand value like she does now.  It looks mighty good to me though!

 Love this paper pieced wall hanging.

 This landscape quilt has the look of an English cottage.

Project Linus

Recognize what these blocks are?  They are split four patch, making a nine patch.  I really love the way they turn out.  This quilt is for Project Linus, and hopefully it will bring warm hugs to a youngster going through a difficult time.

Bunny quilt top

Even though it's just the quilt top, I was so excited to get this pieced, that I have to show it here.  This bunny pattern is in the March/April Quiltmaker magazine.  When I saw the pattern, I knew immediately that I just had to make it.  (Like I needed another project?  Seriously?)  Anyway, it was fun to piece, and after a few misplaced squares, etc., I think it's got everything where it's supposed to be.

It's Spring Break here for the school children, so we've had one or more of the DGC a fair amount this week.  We're so very fortunate to have them so close by.

One week from today and we're off to New York, and then Washington, D.C.  Can you tell who's excited?

Spring? Really? travel and Quilting (of course)

Well, I hear that quite a bit of our great country is having terrific spring weather.  We have had a few little dustings of snow in the last week or so, and then on Wednesday night much bigger flakes started falling and we woke up to probably 3 or 4 inches of the white stuff on the ground.  The poor daffodils are so unhappy, and branches have broken off the flowering plum and cherry trees.  Usually I love having snow, because we generally don't get much, but this is a month or so too late, seriously!

I am pleased to report though that today is very nice and sunny and the weather folks say we are to have several spring-like days, so I think there is hope for us.

I have been doing some research and planning for our upcoming trip to New York City and then Washington, D.C.  After our time in NYC, we will rent a car and see some sights and end up our trip in D.C.  It's been quite some time since we have been to either place, and we are very excited about going again.  The last time was just about four months before the tragic events of  9/11.  One of our sons and his family will be in NYC with us most of the time, so that will make it extra special.

I was thinking of a quilt this morning that I made the latter part of last year, and I don't think I posted it.  It was a block-of-the-month from Bunny Hill Designs, called Henrietta Whiskers.  It was such fun to make.  I really love their patterns.  I'm working on another one of their patterns called The Night Before Christmas, but not very diligently, so it will be quite a while before much is done with it.

Project Linus, Wildlife quilt and Sallie's Quilt blocks

This is the latest Project Linus Quilt I made.  The car fabric was given to me and it is English cars - MGs, Jaguars and some unknowns.  It was cute though, and hopefully some little guy will enjoy the quilt.

The quilt above I actually made two of in 2011 - one for each of our adult sons. I used portions of two June Jaeger patterns:  Gone Fishin' and From the Wild, and some of my own design.

 The following quilt was at first intended to be for Project Linus, for a bigger boy, but DH looked at it and said he would like to have it, so it is his now.  The bears and fish blocks were fussy cut from some fabric that I used a bit of in our sons' quilts.

And then - the project I am working on now.  I think I showed a few stars in my last post, but I have continued to make these stars since the retreat.  The pattern is called Sallie's Quilt.  I don't have a design wall, so our guest bed has to do.  I think I have 36 blocks done and I need 41.  I am a glutton for punishment, and have increased the size from queen to king sized, so it will go on our bed.  There are border blocks and sashing between the blocks, and they will be set on point.  I am anxious to move on to working on another part of it.

The quilt peeking out from beneath the blocks is one a I made a few years ago called Spring Beauty by Rabbit Factory.

Sunday was just a beautiful spring day and then this morning we woke to a dusting of snow, which is almost unheard of in our part.  The poor crocuses, daffodils and azaleas just don't know what to think!

Retreat is over!

 Oh, it went so fast!  We were at a very nice retreat center and right out the windows was a river flowing by.  And oh, my, the food - such excellence!  It was so nice to be with my quilting buds again and sew and visit.

The photo below shows some of the quilts that were brought for show and tell.  There is always so much inspiration.  I just need more hours in each day to accomplish all I want.  Well, there's that, and then  there's the fact that I don't make as good use of my time as I could, that's for sure.

See the river out the window?

And this is what I was working on:  The pattern is "Sallie's Quilt."  These are some of the 20 or so blocks I made.  I still have approximately 12 to make, unless I decide to increase the size of the quilt.  Those blocks don't come quickly though, so probably not.  At any rate, that decision doesn't have to be made for a while yet.

I've been slipping - again!

Well, I have let more time go by than I had planned before posting.

First, it is almost retreat time again!  I will go Friday and come home on Sunday.  I have a couple projects ready to take and am looking forward to some good solid quilting time and chatting time with my friends.  It helps also that the retreat center serves really yummy food!

DH and I spent a few days at the Oregon coast this week.  We had two rainy days and one day that was absolutely gorgeous.  We walked and walked on the beach and enjoyed every minute.

The clouds were so beautiful.

I don't imagine everyone would agree with us, but we consider

 these sea gulls to be water rats - a big, dirty nuisance.

Very pretty, large piece of driftwood.

It was a pretty calm day with not much surf.