Paducah

Dutch Gold  has been safely delivered to Paducah AQS headquarters to be shipped to Des Moines for the show the end of this month.  I still think I will feel like the country girl who goes to town wearing the wrong clothes when I see it hanging among the awesome quilts I know will be there.

It was a beautiful drive over to Paducah with good friends riding along for company.  We took in the AQS Museum of course.

Sorry we couldn't take pictures of the wonderful quilts on display.  I was particulary thrilled to be able to view up close the two beautiful quilts by Susan Stewart .  As I've mentioned before, Susan lives here in Pittsburg and I've seen several of her amazing quilts in person. 

I knew that "Gloria's Garden" won a purchase award last year so I wasn't surprised to see it hanging. But I was surprised to see "Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining" and learn that Susan donated it to the museum to thank them for the wonderful job they did producing the show following the flood in Paducah.

 

Can you imagine giving away something you've put this much work into?  What a generous spirit Susan has.  The quilt takes your breath away! Please read about it here.

More beautiful weather this week. Hope you all have the same.

My Heart is Pounding!

Just a few minutes ago it was announced there is a verdict in the high profile murder trial I've been glued to for the last few weeks.  So I'm excited about that.

But about half an hour before that announcement our mail came.................

And guess what was in the mail?????????

Documents relating to the acceptance of my second Dutch Treat quilt.."Dutch Gold" into the juried AQS Des Moines Show Sept 28-Oct 1. 

I am in absolute shock and at the same time scared to death!  I'm not sure exactly why.  I've entered many of my quilts in many shows.  But with the exception of the Oklahoma Winter Show, none have been juried and certainly none have held the prestige of an AQS show.  So I am humbled and honored.

I can't imagine that I will have any chance in the world of winning against the other 230 juried quilts.  But I'll be happy to count this as a high point in my quilting life...just to be juried in. 

Doing a happy dance.

Now, lets hear that verdict

Lucky Day!

I received an email today letting me know that my Dutch Gold quilt won a Judge's Choice award in last week's contest at the Quilting Gallery.  What a great way to start the day!  I received a free online interactive cooking lesson from Sympoz,  Thank you, Michelle and thank you to my blog friends that voted for me (even though I didn't win the Viewer's votes). 

Busy with new floor installations this week.  Maybe I'll get some quilting done tomorrow.

Hope my U.S. friends are staying warm. I heard on TV that 49 states have snow.  Only Florida is snow free!

Quilt Contest

I entered my gold Dutch Treat Quilt in the weekly quilt contest sponsored by the Quilting Gallery.  If you are so inclined I sure would love to have your vote.  My quilt is shown under the title "Quilting in Oz".  Don't know if I goofed up when I submitted it or if they did when they uploaded the entries. 

Take a few minutes to visit the site and vote for your favorite (even if it's not mine).

Thanks.

Better Pics

Had a chance tonight at quilt guild to get a couple of pics of Dutch Gold straight on.  The pics still aren't great, but at least you can see it fully.

My fingers have been lost the last couple of nights.  Doing some embroidery trying to catch up on my Raggedy Friends blocks.  But it just isn't the same satisfaction as doing these little appliqued blocks.  How long can I resist starting #3?

Dutch Gold

Can you believe it?  I'm still here!  I haven't had much to share in recent days (or weeks) but I've been dilgently working to finish Dutch Treat #2..the gold version.  And Tuesday night I finished the quilting.  I would have been done with the binding yesterday except 3/4 of the way through it I decided it really needed to be narrower to look good on the scalloped edge, so I redid it. 

Now it's done, washed and dried and I have a huge sense of accomplishment.  I started this one April 1, spent 5 1/2 months doing the hand reverse applique (196 blocks) and setting the blocks together.  I started hand quilting it Sept 19, so it took a few days shy of  3 months to quilt.   Considering I finished DT#1 Feb 1, I am really proud that I can say I completed two of these in 2010 (even though I started #1 in 2008). 

I think I may take a break before starting #3..if I make one, that is.  I have several other big projects that need  finished..like quilting my Dear Jane for instance.

It's hard to get good pictures inside and without help holding it up. Perhaps I can get better ones later. So without further ado..here is Dutch Gold.

 Before washing, the quilting perhaps shows a bit better in this picture

Happy Thanksgiving

I apologize for being MIA for so long.  I'm not exactly sure where all the time has gone to, but it really seems like only a few days ago I posted, so I was shocked to see just how long it's been.

Tom had his wrist surgery last week and is doing really well.  He's able to sleep through the night mostly and that is something he hasn't been able to do for months.

We've also had the house in total disarray while some remodeling of bathrooms and the utility room have been going on.  One bathroom is just starting so, it is going to be at least another week before we're done. 

I've made progress on the borders for Dutch Treat #2...three borders are appliqued (except for the corners) and I'm starting on #4.  I  still hope to have this quilted and bound by the end of the year.

Today I started cooking for Thanksgiving.  We'll only have one of our sons, his wife and youngest daughter here tomorrow.  And we are hoping that our Iowa son and his wife will be able to drive down tomorrow evening after she gets off work.  It's still up in the air since  she will need Sunday off and won't know if that is possible until tomorrow morning.  Isn't that the pits????

I've scaled back considerably on the holiday meal.  We are fewer in number and I guess none of us need tons of calories.  Still I think we'll have a nice meal.

The menu:

Ham
Turkey  (Tom and I aren't big on turkey so I'm just fixing a small breast)
Oven mashed potatoes (with cream cheese and sour cream..yum)
Gravy
Stuffing (DIL is bringing)
Green bean casserole (granddaughter is bringing)
Baked beans
Deviled eggs
Cole slaw (with sunflower seeds and ramen noodles)
Yeast rolls (still deciding which kind to make)
Layered taco dip
Vegetable tray (son & DIL bringing)
cheese and crackers
Pumpkin crunch dessert with whipped cream
Peanut butter cheesecake squares
Date bars (maybe)

Think that should do it.

Hope those of you who celebrate this holiday will have a wonderful day filled with the love of family and good food.

A Win!

Today is my lucky day!  Judy at Patchwork Times had a giveaway this week... a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 2.



Her block  Fiesta Sunset is one of the featured blocks


I was so surprised this evening to read her blog and realize I was one of the winners!  Thank you, Judy. I can't wait to spend some quality time looking at all the cool new blocks. 

I'm so thrilled for our local quilting superstar, Susan Stewart, who once again won big at Houston.  Her quilt "Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining" won the Pfaff Master Award for Machine Artistry. I can't wait for the chance to see this amazing quilt in person one day. Since she lives here in Pittsburg, I'm sure that will happen.




Another of her quilts, "Monochrome" won 2nd place in the Computer-Aided Machine Embroidery category.


She is such an amazingly talented woman. You can see detailed pics of both of these quilts and others on her website . Click on the "Gallery" tab and be sure to use the links on the bottom of the pages to see detail pictures.



On another note, I started quilting row 14 of Dutch Treat #2 today!

Beyond The Half Way Point

Just a quick report in.  I've been steadily working on Dutch Treat #2 and in four weeks I've finished quilting row 8 of 14, so a little more than half way.

It's still hard to get a picture that actually shows the quilting. With blocks this size and such busy motifs, the quilting is 1/8" or less around each shape and in the ditch of the sashing.  There are times that I am going through six layers of fabric and batting (because of turned under edges with the reverse applique). 

I am still pondering the border for this one.  Part of me loves what I did on Dutch Treat #1 so much I want to do it again

and part of me wants to do something different. I do know I definitely want a scalloped border again.

Our weather has been absolutely gorgeous!  Wish it could stay like this until next April or so.  I wouldn't miss winter at all!  I have red and yellow roses blooming like crazy.

This week is the first chicken and noodle dinner at church.  We do this fundraiser six times a year...Oct, Nov, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.  So I'll be baking pies tomorrow or Wednesday. 

Happy quilting.



I've Been Quilting

I sure haven't been blogging much lately.  Not a lot to share.  We went to the Ozark Piecemaker's Quilt Show in Springfield, MO last Thursday and eventually I'll have some pictures from that.

In the meantime I've been making steady progress quilting Dutch Treat #2.  I started September 19 and last night I finished the third row.  I wish I could get decent pictures that actually show the quilting stitches but never seem to be able to. This is the best I could do.

First three rows quilting and ready to add more batting before I start row 4.

Tried without a flash hoping to show the quilting better

Dare I hope to have it quilted by year's end?

From A to Z

April 1, 2010 I made this block

(doesn't actually start with an "A". It is called "5 of Diamonds" so comes first in the book alphabetically before the A's.)

Yesterday afternoon and evening I made these:

#193 Wooden Shoe

#194 Wrought Iron

#195 Zig Zag

#196 Zygote

And that is the end of the blocks!

Here they all are laying on the floor.  Not all rows are joined as I will be  hand quilting this is sections in a "quilt as you go" fashion.

A little closer and the color change in the bottom fabric shows better

And I found this fabric in Joplin today.  I hadn't been thinking of quite this large of a print, but the colors were a perfect match!

Now I can start quilting this one, while I keep my eyes open for the perfect fabric(s) for #3!  Can you tell I love this quilt pattern?



Entering the Home Stretch

It was a busy weekend around here.  My sister, Judy,  and brother-in-law, Bob, from Iowa visited for a couple of days.

Actually my Bob didn't visit with us as much since he ended up in our local hospital with a 24-hour stomach virus.  At least we think it was that and not my cooking!

Tom had a bit of the bed head going on when this picture was snapped.

Any Red Green fans out there?  Bob looks and sounds so much like him that he convinced co-workers that when he goes on vacation it is to film episodes of the Red Green Show for PBS.

Sunday afternoon we drove to Neosho to celebrate the 5th birthday of great-grandson, Maison.

Grandpa Tom has to try and keep the boys Gorilla Fans despite the fact their mom graduated from Missouri Southern!  Arch rivalry there!!!!

It was amazing watching both boys in their pool....a couple of fishes!

Two siggies received this week from sisters, Boua and Pia in The Netherlands

And more progress on the Dutch Treat front.  Only four more left!!!

#187 Waiting For Life

#188 ?Wall Paper

#189 Water Lily

#190 Wheels On Fire

#191 Windmill

#192 Window