Flying By....

 

 

 

Wave, bye-bye !!!

 

 I will admin, I'm not sorry to see these DOG DAYS go away...man, has it been hot and humid !!!  😰

 

 

 

 

 

My goal for the remainder of August is to finish up bits and pieces and re-group. 
 

I'll start with tidying up the studio.  It's a bit out of control.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've not been totally distracted from the UFO groups...  
UFO's I'm SUPPOSED to be working on for the month of August are:

River's Edge:  August's Letter is " I " 

 

 

Years ago I was going to make a quilt for one of my dearest friends, Hank.  
I ordered these panels because I thought they were so pretty.  
Sadly, Hank passed away in 2013. 

These panels have been in the queue for at least 14 years? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're beautiful and hand-painted and a bit intimidating, I don't really know where to start, and I don't want to mess them up.  But, might as well jump right in and do something....better than having them in a box on the shelf !

 

 

Companion fabrics purchased over the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APQ's:  August number is 10.  Barbie Fat Quarters!   

I'm probably not going to even think about Hank's quilt for now and focus on the Barbie Fat Quarters because it will be easier.  

I don't know what I want to do with the "Hank" panels  and Barbie will be a no-brainer... or mostly a no-brainer.

The Barbie Fat Quarter bundle was purchased in 2023 while I was in Las Vegas visiting my quilting Niece, Desiree.   An impulse buy from Sew Yeah Quilting.

Not sure where I picked up the black fabrics, but I think they complement the Barbie fabrics, don't you agree?

 

 

 

Maybe use the same pattern I used for the Halloween Fabrics, 
Falling Charms?

 

 

 

 

 

 

By-the-way the Halloween-Fabric quilt is finished.  
Needs to go to the LAQ*. 

Update:

You're Invited has been received by my Great Niece, JayCee...and she loves it!

 

Peanut, the puppy, is checking out the points...seeing if they line up. (Don't look too close, pup.)

*LAQ - Long Arm Quilter.

Exchanging My Babes for Vegas Peeps

A quilt-related weekend and more visiting.

Felicia and her two youngens.

Elder Sister, Neva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How long does it take to finish a quilt you're not working on???? 
We all know the answer to that.... because we're all just as guilty....

The Quilting niece and I spent two days getting her back on track with a UFO she started more than FIVE YEARS AGO! 
Well, I have UFOs that are at least that old...so I guess I can't judge.  We worked on this quilt my last trip to Vegas ...
July, 2021

But she is back on track now and hopefully can get it finished without me sitting next to her, cracking the whip.  Big progress has been made; the last two blocks are now done, the layout planned with sashing and corner stones,  and the quilting and binding plan made, Sew Yeah* has finishing services and the cost is very reasonable.

Slow and Steady wins the race...but you do have to be IN the race...just sayin, keep at it.

First Row

 

 

 

We quilters are often asked to "help" with garment projects. (Which really means...."can you do this for me"...)  My sister asked me to help her finish a night gown for her granddaughter.

I had to dig deep to remember some of my basic garment-sewing skills...but, we made it happen.

 

No trip to Vegas would be complete without a trip to *Sew Yeah.  They have a new bigger, brighter location. It Is Very Nice!!  Their new location now includes a section for sewing furniture and cabinets.

Dez and I browsed for quite a while, touch all the fabric getting our " fabric fix." We nearly made our escape without buying  any fabric....but....right next to the door was a bin of fat quarter bundles....
and I could NOT resist!!

 

 

 

Who doesn't LOVE Barbie...especially the classic Barbie!!

Fifteen Fat Quarters!!  I need to decide on a pattern...I'm thinking a Wonky Star. Or, something like it.

 Fussy Cut Miss Barbie for the Center of the star.

 

Next time you are in Vegas, this shop is worth a visit!! Website

 

 

 

 

And with the blink of an eye, it was time to say good-bye, again, to the people that I love and return to
"my 'ol Kentucky duplex."  Home - Sweet - Duplex.

 Until next time....

Let Freedom Ring!

One of those Freedoms is the Freedom to wander.... The long holiday weekend found me wandering up to Las Vegas to visit my nieces and nephew....one of them my quilting niece, Desiree.

Part of the wandering plan was to visit a few quilt shops along the way. 
There are very few, as it is all hot, dry desert between So. Calif and Vegas with mostly Joshua Trees and a few small towns. 

But, there are a few shops listed on the internet which made me rather excited! 
Haven't visited an actual quilt shop in nearly two years.

The Mariposa Quiltworks in Yermo, the Quilt 'n Home in Ridgefield and Gram's Treasures in Barstow....I had the presence of mind to call first.  ALL CLOSED!  Maybe there were not enough desert dwellers who quilt or maybe it was the pandemic....whatever the reason, it was disappointing and a bit sad: Another brick-and-mortar shop bites the dust.

 

 

But, No Worries....This is the perfect way to spend the Quilting Auntie Nyla's birthday weekend-- quilting with the Quilting Niece.  Auntie was there with us in Spirit.

After all our hugs and hellos, we spent the first evening gathering up and unpacking all her quilting stuff which was scattered all over; cleaning and oiling machines; getting ready to put the pedal to the medal for a few days of catching up and creating beauty.

The Quilting Niece, Dez: Nyla and Miss Ellie all set up and ready to roll.

 

BTW, Judy Brown of Just Get it Done Quilts has a great video on how to resurrect long-neglected projects. HERE

 

Next Day: After a Starbucks stop for a fancy coffee drink we made a trip to Sew Yeah Quilting for a few supplies.  A couple hundred dollars later (and not much in the pile we actually went for...) we headed home.

This shop has really grown up since my last visit about 4 years ago.  Very, very nice.  If you are in Vegas, go visit and tell them "Charlotte said 'Hi'."

While I actually did take a bin full of scraps to sort, press and cut into 2 inch squares in preparation for my next Leaders and Enders quilt, I purchased not-one-but-TWO Layer Cakes at Sew Yeah.  I just could NOT help myself.

Violet Hill

Feeline Good

 

And just like that TWO new projects are born!

  

 

 

 

What can you do with a Layer Cake? 

I found Salt Air Lattice on the Internet.
 

This is not really a free pattern, but HERE is a blog tutorial.
Apparently I missed the quilt a-long by only 9 years.

None-the-less, I've made a good start.

 

 

We sewed, we ate, we solved all the world's problems...throw in a lot of visiting with nieces, nephew, sisters, fireworks and even a water fight! So, sew, much fun!

The progress for the weekend:

Charlotte's new layer cake project.
Of course, now I must buy some
yardage to finish this lap quilt.

Desiree's resurrected UFO

 

 

 

The Quilting Niece made good progress on her UFO; only three more blocks. 
It's hard to see the sashing and corner stones, but they are there if you look close.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye and head back across the desert to home (where thankfully it is about 30 degrees cooler!). 

It was good medicine to see my family, laugh, celebrate and quilt.  Auntie Nyla would be so happy that the next generation is embracing her favorite sport.

 

Meet "Nyla"

 

        

     A little side note, Dez's Janome once belonged to the Quilting Auntie* . 
    Now she has a name.

* The "Quilting Auntie" mantle has been passed down from Auntie Nyla to me by the Vegas peeps.