An Exciting Find

As I was walking the aisles of Quilt Market today, I will admit to being a mite tired and bleary eyed. Imagine my surprise when some passed me, said, "I just saw you!!!", and pointed to a display. 

Checker Dist. carries my DVDS!!!!!

Somehow, I feel a bit less tired and bleary now...

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- Night 42

Tonight's post was nearly photo-less.  Gasp!  My phone is out of storage and I am too old to figure out how to delete stuff on my own.

Quilt Market today was wonderful!  I met so many friends and made new ones.

After I finally got back to my "hotel" (casa de Mom), I called my IT department (husband) and, ta-da!, I can take photos again!

I decided to celebrate:

No, my feet aren't tired at all.  And yes, the Talenti is now gone.  (Teri finished hers first.)

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 41

The first day of Quilt Market Wore. Me. Out!

I met a lot of friends, old and new, and ended the night at a party at Thomas Knauer's loft:

What a fun night!

I was unconscious within minutes on getting back to my "hotel."

The best part of Casa de Mom is the cookies:

Thanks Mom!

Never Enough Chocolate -- the Quilting

I'm still quilting on my Pat Sloan's Never Enough Chocolate sew along quilt.

I quilted the inner border with a simple free-motion ribbon candy pattern:

That thread is black.  It looks blue/gray in the photo, doesn't it?

More quilting photos on Monday.

Finding Friends at Quilt Market

The entire quilt world is at Quilt Market in Pittsburgh today. I met up with a dear friend, Gina Zeleznok, of Sturbridge Quilting and Sewing Center. 

 When traveling on I-84 in Massachusetts, stop by and see her awesome shop!

Never Enough Chocolate -- the Quilting

I got some more quilting done on my Pat Sloan's Never Enough Chocolate sew along quilt.

My quilt was so colorful and so busy that I didn't piece the side triangles but instead used a solid piece of fabric.

Using my Handi Quilter Mini Scallop ruler with Handi Grip, I stitched in three triangles.

More quilting pictures tomorrow.

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 40

Attention Quilt Market shoppers:  I AM HERE IN PITTSBURGH!

My day started out in the Bronx picking up friend and quilter extraordinaire, Teri Lucas.  Note:  This country gal doesn't drive to the Bronx for just anyone.  It's 'the city' and there are cars and people there.  Shudder.

Teri successfully navigated our way OUT of the city and then we hit the open road.  The open road was filled with congestion, construction, and single-lane highways.

TEN AND A HALF HOURS LATER, we were in Pittsburgh:

Maybe someday I'll learn how to take a photo of myself without having a dorky look on my face?

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and have a lot of family here.  My hotel is called "Casa de Mom."  It has many benefits:

Talenti Mango Sorbetto, friends, and family (and still a dorky look on my face).  What could be better?

I'm looking forward to seeing my friends at Quilt Market today!!!

Never Enough Chocolate -- The Quilting

I am making progress on Pat Sloan's Never Enough Chocolate sew along quilt.

I next quilted what the pattern called the "Chocolate/Yellow blocks."

I used a four-inch Handi Quilter circle template with Handi Grip to stitch an accurate circle.  Then I quilted free-motion feathers to fill the block.  Can you believe that the thread is black?  It looks purple in the photo, right?

More quilting pictures tomorrow.

Never Enough Chocolate -- The Quilting

Now that I've finished my Pat Sloan's Scrap Happy Sew Along Shoofly Quilt, it's time to start quilting my Pat Sloan's Never Enough Chocolate sew along quilt.  I call it Jellybeans since I made it on Easter weekend and it is as colorful as a bowl of jellybeans.

I first quilted what the pattern called "Red and Yellow blocks."

I quilted swirls in the colored squares and swirly hearts in the colored triangles.  I mirrored those swirls in the black triangles opposite the colored triangles, but they can't be seen in this photo.

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 39

Last night was my last night in this hotel. 

Yesterday I took at 14 mile bike ride. I passed my friendly neighborhood alligator again:

We saw a few run-down shacks on the beach:

These shacks cost about $3M each. Which should I buy?

I discovered that pedaling on the bike path is far easier than pedaling on sand. Unfortunately I took a 5-mile beach shortcut and every gate back to a road was private and key-coded. Big rookie mistake!

I woke up early this morning to see the sun rise:

Why can't the sun rise at 9am?

Oh. I finally remembered to take photos of my hotel room:

And a view from the balcony:

All this to say, I had a wonderful birthday beach vacation and I'm really sad to go home!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 39

Last night was my last night in this hotel. 

Yesterday I took at 14 mile bike ride. I passed my friendly neighborhood alligator again:

We saw a few run-down shacks on the beach:

These shacks cost about $3M each. Which should I buy?

I discovered that pedaling on the bike path is far easier than pedaling on sand. Unfortunately I took a 5-mile beach shortcut and every gate back to a road was private and key-coded. Big rookie mistake!

I woke up early this morning to see the sun rise:

Why can't the sun rise at 9am?

Oh. I finally remembered to take photos of my hotel room:

And a view from the balcony:

All this to say, I had a wonderful birthday beach vacation and I'm really sad to go home!

ShooFly Quilt -- Ta Da!!!

In an effort to not make another UFO, I finished my Pat Sloan's Scrap Happy Sew Along Shoofly Quilt.

Want to see?

TaDa!!!

This quilt is with its new owner.  May they have many happy years together.

ShooFly Quilt -- The Quilting

I'm happy to show the final bit of quilting my Pat Sloan's Scrap Happy Sew Along Shoofly Quilt.

For the border, I chose a piano key design.  I used a Handi Quilter Right Angle ruler with Handi Grip to keep the template from slipping.

I stitched lines every 2-inches:

Confession:  I had this quilt bound, rolled, and wrapped to give away before I remembered to take photos.  The wrinkles are from where the quilt was folded.

Look for the finished quilt tomorrow!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 38

Another day of no hotel photos. Here's what I have instead:

Savannah!

We took a trolley tour:

That was a pedal-powered trolley. We took one we didn't have to pedal. 

We stopped at Lady and Sons for dinner:

When in Savannah, right?

Some in our party wanted Leopolds ice cream.

This barely lactose-tolerant gal didn't dare after enjoying Mac and cheese, Paula Deen style. 

I really loved Savannah. The horse drawn carriages:

And the Spanish moss:

Such a pretty city!

My favorite part of the day was a birthday present from my husband:

And a yummy birthday treat:

I had a perfect birthday in Savannah. I've never taken a birthday vacation before, but I definitely will again!

ShooFly Quilt -- The Quilting

I'm happy to show more quilting my Pat Sloan's Scrap Happy Sew Along Shoofly Quilt.

For the cornerstones, I chose free-motion continuous curve quilting:

Stay tuned for more quilting...

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 37

My hotel room is awesome, but it is beside the point. People don't come here to stay in their rooms.  So I didn't. 

I headed out on my chariot

My husband had a stowaway on his:

We cycled around and saw gorgeous sights:

We saw scary sights:

We enjoyed beautiful weather:

And enjoyed a delicious treat:

 

Maybe tomorrow I will finally post a hotel picture, but probably not. 

ShooFly Quilt -- The Quilting

I have more quilting to show on my Pat Sloan's Scrap Happy Sew Along Shoofly Quilt.

I next quilted the sashing.  I chose free-motion ribbon candy quilting:

All of the sashings and the inner border are quilted this same way.

Stay tuned for more quilting!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 36

Confession:  I forgot to take photos oft hotel room while it was still light outside. I can show you things that are OUTSIDE of my hotel room instead.

There is a beach outside of my hotel room

 

And a fountain:

Oh wait! I found an inside photo to share:

Oh how I suffer. 

ShooFly Quilt -- The Quilting

I'm tickled to finally be quilting my Pat Sloan's Scrap Happy Sew Along Shoofly Quilt.

To quilt the block, I used my six-inch Handi Quilter circle template with Handi Grip to keep the template from slipping off the fabric:

I free-motion quilted feathers around each circle to fill the block:

It was really dark while I was quilting, so (obviously) took these photos after the quilting was finished, once the sun was shining again.

Stay tuned for more quilting pictures.