Rosemary Youngs – Chopin – A Passionate Quilter From Texas

August 11, 2016

Here Comes Grammy

After much contemplation, I decided to make the Grammy Squares from Sew’n Wild Oaks. I felt so guilty about putting it aside (LOL) that I decided to make one block to see if I wanted to REALLY do this!

The block measures 6 1/4″. The fabric is from a Moda line fat quarter pack from 2010. Then a year or so ago I made a Happy Scrappy quilt with Rosemary Youngs. I changed mine around from her pattern thinking I would use a lot of fabric and ordered more of the fabric. It is absolutely amazing how little fabric goes into a quilt when making it scrappy! Here are the fabrics I am going to use.

and more ….

This bundle is not very well organized so I will do that tomorrow before I start cutting fabric. My plan is to cut out 10 blocks for Grammy Squares and sew them along with my Dresden Heaven. This way I will not become bored!!!

I will now have projects ready to work on while I load a quilt on the long arm and when I get tired, I can go the sewing machine and work on these 2 projects. Happiness is being NUTS, but I seem to be having fun and excited that I have so many choices, quilting, piecing quits, and working on my applique at night!

What more could a quilter want? (30 years to make all the quilts that are waiting in the wings). Have a great evening.

December 24, 2015January 5, 2016

On the Road Again – Going Home to Texas – Merry Christmas

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. My Christmas wish for everyone is to be healthy, happy, and enjoy your family! Also pray for our Country as I believe 2016 will be a difficult year to get through.

After 3 months in the RV we have decided that 3 months is our limit. We have had a great time in Whetstone, Arizona at Tombstone Territories RV Park. We shopped a lot, visited Tombstone Arizona, and visited with our friends Doug and Jean. Young couple – 84 and 93.

In the past 15 years of going to Arizona for the winter months to escape the horrible Cedar allergies, I always have high hopes of working on numerous quilting projects. WHEN WILL I EVER LEARN THAT WON’T HAPPEN. Although I did load about 1/2 of what I usually do I did not accomplish a 10th of what I wanted to do. So I added to my stash – what else does a quilter do when on the road?

So now I have even more projects for 2016!

We were going to stay through the 26th of January BUT, it has been so very cold this year due to El Niño that we could not get out as much as we liked. Cabin fever can also be felt in a 36 foot RV!

When the weather started looking like it was going to stay cold we decided to come home. We were going to leave on the 28th BUT now the Arctic air is heading this way this week-end, so here we are close to our first nights stop in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We will stay at Hacienda RV Park and head for Fort Stockton, TEXAS Christmas morning. Driving through El Paso should be easy this year – most will be at home with family.

The cold weather will hit Las Cruces on Friday night, and Fort Stockton on Saturday night – when we will be at our home safe and sound!

I do have some pictures to show of my progress and my 2016 projects but that will have to wait until next week. I have missed my Studio so much this winter and very anxious to get back to my little quilting world. Clay is REALLY ready to be home – he did a lot of leather work on this trip, but is ready to get back to his projects and hobbies. We had one of the most enjoyable trips to Arizona than we have had in 3 or 4 years.

My goal for 2016 is to work on making Dear Jane, Civil War Bride(doing that with 3 other ladies and will keep all posted on our progress on my Blog – let me know if you would like to join us), Stonefield’s, Sweet Surrender, Sitar’s Flower Garden and Basket quilt from her book, Di Ford’s Mountmellik, AND maybe Farmer’s Wife. I am disappointed in the Farmer’s Wife 1930 book – a few too many errors for me to start that project – I will wait to get all the corrections to the book, then I may start it. I also have 5 quilts that need to be completed. And as Rosemary Youngs I have 5 king size quilts to bind!

I am not going to get involved with on-line BOMs this year. It seems to take up so much of my time when I could be more productive. So hopefully I will be blogging at least once a week on my progress.

Be safe, and thank you for taking the time to read/keep up with my Blog. I hope to make it exciting and have more quilting and less travel the next 6 months!

Nanette

March 24, 2015April 1, 2015

Happy Scrappy is Finished!

Greetings from La Vernia, Texas where the weather is great. Not too hot, Not cold, but just right. We had 3 inches of rain last week and the trees are blooming (mostly Oak) and the grass is growing and the Bluebonnets are going to be abundant this year. Life is moving along. Clay’s surgery is scheduled for the 3rd of April, so there will be a few weeks of working on my hand quilting projects – and I have plenty of applique and embroidery UFOs hanging around begging to be finished. I am praying for a successful surgery and fast recoup time. He will do well.

Here is a picture of Happy Scrappy. Thank you Rosemary Youngs for starting this BOM last year with your Center Medallion. I did not have a lot of UFO Blocks to make a quilt, so I used an old Moda fabric line that I liked – I still have enough left to make 4 more quilts – LOL – We quilters are something else when it comes to purchasing fabric and adding to our stash. We tend to forget it must grow overnight (as Jaydee told me it does!)

Happy Scrappy 1 — Happy Scrappy 2014 – Medallion by Rosemary Young and the remainder of the quilt designed by Nanette Chopin-Cook – First time to design a quilt!

Here is a picture of my old/new Singer 301 sewing machine. it is a Grand Introduction Model introduced in October 1952. This machine has the original Badge Center and has the “paperclip” design. I am going to really enjoy sewing many fun projects on this machine.

And finally I received Bonnie Brown, the old/new 401A. This machine is absolutely perfect! The 301 and 401 have the same base, so I only had to order 1 insert for my Koala Table and one Sew Steady Table. It sews like a dream. I am hoping that by May I will be able to really put them to the test. I have ordered a table for “Sam” – The bottom portion is made from the old Singer Treadle Machine cabinet with an Oak top. I should receive it in the next week or so.

I have completed 8 of the Dear Jane blocks, but began thinking about the work that is going into the small blocks. I have decided that I would like to enter this one in a Quilt Show if and when it is completed and to do something different, I am going to use batiks. I realize that it will not be a “copy of the reproduction”, but I love to do things differently.

I know I will enjoy my new toys, but it will be awhile before that happens. I will just be glad to see May 1 of 2015! Hospital time this Good Friday – guess we will be spending Easter there. I will be so happy when things are over with and our life can get back to some normalcy.

Have a blessed day and keep on sewing!

July 8, 2014

Where Does the Time Go?

Anyone who is still in the active workforce knows that time passes so s-l-o-w… Well, let me tell you – Retirement times passes so FAST that even when one wakes up at 4:30 thinking that they will be in their Studio quilting by 9:30 AM has another thought coming! How can a quick run to the store, bank, and pick up tacos at a drive in window take over an hour and a half? Especially when one lives about 5 miles from a small town! Well believe me it does and it threw my schedule off about 3 hours. So my dream of being in the Studio cutting out a new quilt today has not really gone as planned. I guess I knew that it was not a “good brain day” after I had pressed my block for Baltimore Applique Society (BAS) donation, cut the batting and backing, then realized – OH do I have to add a BORDER???? Well, needless to say, back to the cutting table….. At least I did not mess up the block! Whew!

I did finish the border on my for the Baltimore Applique Society donation quilt without anymore stupid things happening and it is now ready for quilting. This particular block is from the Elizabeth MacCullough Hervey Quilt Pattern, Block D3. BAS is such a great group to be a part of. They are located in an area where they go to the Museums and actually copy the Baltimore quilt pattern from the original quilt. I really regret that when I lived in the Northern Virginia area that I was not a quilter. I had always wanted to learn how to quilt since the 1970’s, but there was not time with a full-time career. So I jumped into the quilting world two years after I retired. The first technique I tried was needleturn applique and I feel in love with the it! This was before glue! (I am a Traditional needle turn appliquer.)

BAS will be hosting a “Bits of Baltimore Online Auction” to be held October 1st through the 15th and October 20th – November 3rd. I will post more information on the Auction in another post. Now on to the hand quilting. I am pleased with the outcome. At first I had some issues with the fabric I had selected, but things began to take hold and now it is finished (oops except the quilting!)

I have decided that I will continue to save the Austen Family Quilt BOW, but will not be working on it this year. I am going to complete the Globetrotting, Threads of Memory, and Happy Scrappy Quilt. I have received my fabrics that I was lucky enough to find to add to my stash for Happy Scrappy. The fabric line is Ruby’s Flower Garden and Summers Basket of Flowers! So it is now time for me to get serious on getting things done. I have also decided to do Sentimental Scraps by Edyta Sitar for Laundry Basket Quilts. The pattern is in the Quiltmania magazine Number 99, page 81. My friend Jaydee has already completed her quilt and she did a wonderful job. I hope mine comes out as pretty. I purchased the border fabric along with some other pieces from the Hope Chest Collection. Here is a picture of Jaydee’s beautiful Sentimental Scraps quilt.

Jaydee Quilt Mania Scrappy Quilt — Jaydee’s Sentimental Scraps

I will be posting my progress as I go along with Happy Scrappy and Sentimental Scraps. SS has 130 3″ nine patches and I will have to make more as this will go on a California King Bed…… Oh boy – more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Have a blessed day – Enjoy!

July 4, 2014July 4, 2014

Happy 4th of July!!!!!

I hope that all are enjoying your family and/or friends for a great celebration of the United States of America. Our wonderful Country is having some hard times now, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!!

Darryl is doing well with the Chemo and we are enjoying spending time with him here, at his home, and a lot of phone conversations. We have decided that Darryl and I are two peas in a pod – we laughed about that last night on one of our 2 hour phone calls. He is an absolute Hoot! So funny and both of us are the Perfectionists and Big Worry Warts and absolutely hate taking medicine! We cherish all the minutes that we have with him!

Now back to my quilting progress. This last Monday I had the feeling that this was going to be a great week and it has been. I have kept my promise of doing my 1.5 miles each morning – yes here in South Texas we get to walk even in the 90+ degree weather with about the same for humidity. Hoping that this summer brings us tons of rain. I believe that this just may be the year that we get a Hurricane in the Gulf and that it will be South of us and we will get out of this horrible drought. Terrible to have to want that….

I have now caught up with Barbara Brackman’s Threads of Memory, Pat Sloan’s Globetrotting, and so excited about Rosemary Youngs Happy Scrappy BOM! Austen Family and I are still debating what to do. That debate and struggle will start in the morning, or may be Sunday as we have company coming tomorrow.

Of course all my favorite shops are having 4th of July sales – Sylvia Pippin, Hancock’s of Paducah, and Paper Pieces. They now have my money. (LOL).

My creative streak has finally returned. AND, I have finally figured how to make sure a block comes out to the EXACT unfinished size! Below is a picture of the center star of Block 6 of Threads of Memory. When I cut out the star points I added 1/16″ to the cutting measurements and GUESS WHAT —— A PERFECT 6 1/2″ SQUARE STAR………….. Now it is not easy to get that measurement if you do not like math, but being the one who loves math, I finally figured out how to make a 12 1/2″ block come out square also!

Block 6 Threads of Memory — Final Block 6 – This is one of my favorites – Heck – the are all my favorites!

Here is a “group picture” of my finished Blocks for Threads of Memory:

B 1-6 Threads of Memory — Threads of Memory – Blocks 1 through 6

Now on to Pat Sloan’s Globetrotting BOM. I am probably repeating myself, but Pat is one after my own quilting heart because she allows for that extra fabric when making Half Square Triangles ( HSTs!) By doing this in her directions, making her blocks are a sure thing when having the block come out to the 10 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ No time wasted here! Thx Pat!

Block 7 - Globetrotting BOM — Block 7 – Pat Sloan’s Globetrotting BOM for 2014

How about let’s go to Rosemary Young’s Happy Scrappy BOM. I am learning so much from Rosemary. She has really challenged me by taking on all of my projects and through working on her Happy Scrappy. My design and creativity potential is coming out with this project. I selected some fabrics that I had in my stash from 2009. It was a Moda fabric line called Ruby’s Flower Garden and Summer Flower Garden. Of course, as always, I had another project in mind when I purchased it. I was going to do an applique project with the fabric, so I only purchased 1/3 of a yard of the fabric line. I did purchase 2 yards of the focus fabric and that was a good thing. Here is how I started with my Center Medallion:

Happy Scrappy Fabric Selection – 26 June 2014

Next, I made the Medallion Center Block. When I started with the cutting, I decided I would do the 1/16″ extra bit….. but I think on Thursday the 26th it was not my best math day – I cut it 1/8″ bigger……Slight mistake and correctable, but not the perfection I wanted. But I knew that I was short on fabric and could not waste any. So I dealt with it! This is how I figured out that adding 1/8″ to cutting instructions would not work. Because the first border was plain, I got away with it. I could trim the extra 1/8″ and come out at 18 1/2″ x 18 1/2″… See, I am learning all the “secrets” that all the other quilters know about – THE HARD WAY! Now on to the Center Block:

Here is the First Border:

Now to Border 2. I changed my border – I turned the HSTs, in a different way that Rosemary had done hers. I am hoping this works. I have a great idea for Border 3, BUT I am waiting for my favorite shop – Martha’s Quilting Corner – to send me 3 scraps so I can compare (they are Crackle’s by Moda) with the fabric I am using. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I am now caught up on 3 projects (at least until fabric arrives next week for Happy Scrappy). Poor Di Ford is just “hanging around” and my center medallion is still begging to be appliqued. I need to finish up on my Baltimore Applique project and get it turned in for their Auction in October. I will post more about that soon. Then there is a Pam Buda project, but am thinking I might use those blocks in my Happy Scrappy quilt and kill “two birds with one stone” as they say. I am also doing some knitting and now I feel like I can start on playing with my Sashiko in the evenings. Ahhhhhhhh life is good…… Quilting is so relaxing and fulfilling. I hope that all are finding the time to enjoy your hobby. It feels good to be back in my Studio everyday – just playing. Remember – Life is Short! So much to do and so little time.

Until next posting. Have a Blessed Life.

Nanette

June 20, 2014

Up and Running Again!

We are back! We certainly enjoyed our 5 day trip to Durant Oklahoma and the Choctaw Casino. This time we did not take the 36 foot Fifth Wheel. We stayed at the Choctaw Lodge. They were so great and accommodated my eating issues. Now we can go back for short visits without having to hook up the home away from home. I prefer to take our home away from home on our getaways, but in this heat – forget it.

We spent 4 days in the Casino and I had a good time, BUT, I think that the Choctaws are a little richer this trip – Darn it! Hubby is a Choctaw and has his Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) – but tribal members are not given money. The money is used to provide health care, support education, scholarships, etc for members – especially those in the 10 1/2 Counties in Southeastern Oklahoma. They are wonderful people. Always a smile and so helpful. Gregory Pyle had been the Chief of the Choctaw’s from 1997 until recently when he retired and now Chief Batton has taken over. I am sure that he will continue on with the great work and leadership that Chief Pyle had shown during his time. My husband’s lineage goes back to one of the three (3) original Choctaw Chiefs – MoShuLaTubbe, through the Freeny Family line. Fascinating history. If you are interested in seeing what wonderful things these Leaders are doing for their Tribal Members check out http://www.choctawnation.com, and take a trip to Durant for some fun times. Here are a few pictures that we took:

The Choctaw Casino and Grand Hotel, Durant, Oklahoma

Nanette in Room — Nanette at the Choctaw Lodge

The Room — Beautiful Picture in our Room at the Choctaw Lodge

My Baby Waving — Clay at the Choctaw Lodge

Buffalo in Casino — White Buffalo in the Casino

Blue Moon Cafe 1 — Blue Moon Cafe – Neat Place

Blue Moon Cafe - Police Car — Old Police Car – Remember When?

Back to my favorite thing – Quilting! I have now caught up with Pat Sloan’s Globetrotting and have completed Block 5 of Barbara Brackman’s 2014 BOM. (Somehow I did Block 5 before Block 4 – go figure). I do not have any problems when I work on Pat’s BOM – measurements are great and she provides great visuals.

Moving right along – I have caught up with Barbara Brackmans’ 2014 BOM! I had problems with this one. I am sure that I am not the only one, but as we all know we are usually advised – “Hummm no one else has indicated so” – Been there done that one many times.

This time the issue was printing out the templates that are on the web site. Of course, during the last month I cannot say that my brain was fully engaged and that proved an accurate statement when I measured the templates, mis-read the 3 1/2″ mark on my ruler and made big BOO BOO! Here is a picture of that block (hopefully will be used in another project, or just a pillow cover) The block should have been 12 1/2″ unfinished – Well, if one is off 1/8″ on the templates you will only get a 12″ block unfinished. But I learned how to do Y seans. I had problems getting the pattern into EQ7!

So, last week before we left for Durant, I went back to the drawing board and realized my mistake! I had to go into my printer settings and set the print at 112% – YEA YEA YEA…. The template came out perfect! I cut my templates out onto Mylar and used the little sandpaper discs to help hold in place when cutting and it worked great. I tried again to get it into EQ7, but it just did not work for me. I completed the block and it is 12 1/2″ finished. So now I have done 2 blocks using Y Seams – I have learned a new technique!

I am pondering over what to do with the Austen Family Quilt. I have 6 of the blocks made at 6 1/2″ unfinished (6″ finished). I am at at point where I really need to pull fabrics for the entire quilt that are from a certain fabric line, or continue to pull from various stash! Because I am contemplating a change, I will probably leave this one alone for a few days. I have had some issues with the blocks. They are a little more difficult to make at 6″ rather than the 12″, but I do not want another large quilt! So the cobwebs should be out of the brain in a few days and I can really jump back into it and play the catch-up game.

I need to start on Rosemary Youngs Happy Scrappy BOM – think I am 2 or 3 blocks behind. Today I am going to select the fabrics for Rosemary’s project. Next I will select fabric for Block 4 of Barbara Brackmans’ 2014 BOM and will then be current with that one.

My Di Ford’s Mystery Quilt is hanging in mid-air! My selected pieces for the Medallian are ready to go, but still sitting on the Long Arm Table! That is the one I worked so hard at ordering the fabric for and here it all sits. But I will be working hard to catch up with my on-line BOMS and the start on Di Ford’s. I think they call this “one day at a time” – Heck – Scorpio’s are intensive planners and hate to not meet deadlines.

The weather here in South Texas is nice and warm. We are experiencing the mid-90’s and high humidity. I have made myself a promise to have my morning coffee, do my walk, and fix breakfast. After that I always try to get to the Studio for the remainder of the day. I will be happy to do the 3 things each day as I have really fallen down on my walking. I have been a walker for the last 35 years and never missed a day, but boy this year is a different story.

So until next time – Have a Blessed Day and enjoy Life!

April 5, 2014April 12, 2014

Moving Up to the Big Girls Quilting World from Grade School!

The Quilting world has changed so much in the 12 years I have been quilting. It is amazing how the colors were in the early 2000’s and now some of those colors are coming back. Reproductions were around, but not near as much as they are now. Batiks were just beginning to catch on and very popular. Needle turn applique was popular and many Quilters loved it. I began to quilt in 2002 and learned the popular Designers and their line of fabrics and patterns. I began to buy books and fabric. In 2004 I attended the Houston Quilt Show and was hooked! I progressed to making quilts to enter into Quilt Shows because it provided me a challenge and deadlines to meet. I enjoyed showing my quilts and it was so much fun to make friends with the Vendors and visit with other Quilters and see their work.

In 2004, the Artisans found the quilting world and things began to change. “Contemporary” quilting was becoming the “thing” and “Traditional” was getting shoved to the back of the room. For some reason, I always wanted to stick with the Traditional because I wanted to learn everything I could about quilting. Yes, I tried shortcuts, rulers, gimmicks, and all the things they sell to catch a Quilter’s eye. I continued to build up my stash and slowly added a heavy stash of batiks, along with Moda Marbles, Fossil Ferns, Thimbleberries, etc.

What makes this year so exciting to me is I realize I have found a whole new world of quilting which has been opened up to me through Australian Designer Di Ford and the Australian Quilters and their beautiful quilts by other Quilters. Their work is absolutely beautiful and Designers such as Di Ford provide one heck of a challenge to a Quilter who loves traditional quilting and the Reproduction Era quilts. I have also found Barbara Brackman’s Blog. What an exciting time for me. I have discovered Quiltmania magazine and Primarily Quilts (by Di Ford). I have also realized that I was missing out on so much. I was becoming board with the regular magazines and the Quilters who continued to make the same quilts. My original goal was to make a Hunter Star quilt, Feathered Stars, Log Cabins, etc as they are quilts that I have never made, but always wanted to.

I have a friend who has taken the Best of Show for the last 2 or 3 years at the local Quilt Shows. Last week I realized why! She loves the Reproduction Era and only stays with those quilts and fabrics. She does absolutely beautiful work too! What an eye opener! Another friend is also moving more toward the Australian Designer and Quilters. She and I are so excited and are making the same quilts, in fact all three of us will be working on a Di Ford or Quiltmania project this year.

So here I go – I have cancelled all of my magazines and will only subscribe to Quiltmania. It is an expensive magazine, but oh so beautiful and so challenging. I have purchased more of Jo Morton fabrics, Barbara Brackman’s Ladies Album, and one purchase that I will probably never do again is 2 yards of DenHaan & Wagenmaker’s BeHur border fabric called Island Marken Border Cream. I will use it for the Broderie Perse in Di Ford’s 2014 Mystery Quilt. Until last Friday I had never desired to try Broiderie Perse applique.

I have also discovered new quilt stores through Rosemary and Jan – Happiness Is Quilting, in McKinney, Texas, Reproduction Fabrics in Montana and The Quilted Moose. What a find! Also, my friend Jaydee who provides such wonderful insight to things.

This week was productive but expensive (LOL). It has been fun and now it is time to get serious and start quilting! Here are some pictures of my new fabrics and my first shot at Lucy Boston Patchwork of the Crosses (POTC). I have decided to use Jinny Beyer fabrics for this project. She has some beautiful border fabrics and for some reason while in Sierra Vista, AZ this winter I purchased quite a few of her fabrics.

LUCY BOSTON QUILT

Lind Franz Lucy Boston Book. I will be using English Paper Piecing for the quilt. Check out Linda’s Blog.

Lucy Boston Fabrics — Jinny Beyer fabrics. I pulled these for consideration for Block 1.

Lucy Boston Block 1 — This is the first block for Lucy Boston. I wanted to see if I could get the effect I wanted from Jinny Beyer fabric line. I rather like the colors….

PRAIRIE ROSE QUILT

Jo Morton - Prairie Rose — Jo Morton Prairie Rose Fabrics

JO MORTON LIGHTS

DI FORD 2014 MYSTERY QUILT FABRIC

Di Ford - Mystery Quilt — Fabrics for Di Ford 2014 Mystery Quilt. They are Amelia by Jo Morton.

Hope you have enjoyed the walk down memory lane and my graduating to the “Big Girls Quilting World”! And thanks to all who have opened the door and invited me in!

March 31, 2014April 1, 2014

Barbara Brackman’s BOM update

Well, I spent the day working on one Block. I do not care for paper piecing and I guess one pays for holding out. I used templates for this block on the large star points. I have some issues with the outer points, but hoping that it will be OK. If not, there is always time to remake the block. But for now, it is done and I am caught up on my BOMs.

I am thinking that I may start on Lucy Boston Crosses next. But then there is always Woodlands (some log cabin blocks) or that beautiful Prairie Rose quilt or if my Quiltmania magazines arrive I might start the Di Ford Mystery. Or I may just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow.

Barbara Brackmans Block 3 of Threads of Memory – Colors are a darker beige, large star is a blue, and the 8 point star is a Mauve.

March 30, 2014March 30, 2014

Catching Up on 2014 Goals

Greetings from sunny South Texas where it is 87 degrees and 26% humidity – Nice pre-summer day!

Welcome to my new Blog Site. I love Word Press, now that I have learned how to set up a Blog. The quilt shown above is a quilt that I designed called Jacobean in Batiks. It was inspired by Pat Campbell and different Embroidery Patterns. It is needle turn applique and has embroidery around each piece and hand quilted. I am considering entering this quilt and 3 others in the Austin, Texas Quilt Show in September.

I have been working on playing the “catch up” game with my 2014 goals and projects. I have been inspired by all the projects that Rosemary Youngs has been working on this year. I met Rosemary when I ordered her CD’s that support her Civil War Books. I have learned so much by following her Blog. She has been so inspiring and helpful in guiding me through the world of Reproduction Quilts and introduced me to Di Ford’s work an Australian Quilter, Barbara Brackman’s Blog and her BOM and BOW for 2014, Country Threads, Jo Morton’s fabrics and the Quilted Moose Prairie Rose pattern, and Lucy Boston by Linda Franz. Di Ford’s book Primarily Quilts Book is absolutely a must for serious quilters to have in their library. I was at a crossroads in my quilting journey and I knew I needed inspiration to move to something different. Rosemary has introduced me to so many new avenues it is unbelievable.

I was able to acquire a pattern of Prairie Rose and was lucky to be able to find the fabrics that are used in this quilt at the Fat Quarter Shop. I hope to start on this soon. Di Ford has a Mystery Quilt in the Quiltmania magazine and I have subscribed to the magazine for the year through Homestead Hearth. I can hardly wait for the first 2 issues to get here! Friday I spent all day trying to find the fabrics for this quilt. Thanks to Reproduction Fabrics in Montana and Happiness Is Quilting in McKinney, Texas and Fat Quarter Shop. What great online shops and customer support! It will be a more time-consuming quilt, but oh so pretty. Di Ford has 2 other quilts in her book that I would like to also work on this year or next.

As I have stated in previous posts, I am now what I call an Organized Quilter! All fabric in its’ place and a great book that has all the patterns and information for my Just Take 2, Barbara Brackman BOM – Threads of Memory and the new one coming up – Austen Family Album BOW. I switched to Pat Sloan’s 2014 Mystery BOM from Country Threads. This is a great way to hone my quilting skills. I am using my EQ7 software by taking the patterns and inputting them into EQ7. Fun Fun Fun.

I am still working on my BAS blocks for the BAS auction in October. I need to begin pushing on these as they are due 8 Aug! I have made another friend through this project. What a great year I am having. How I wished I had been quilting when I lived in the DC area in the mid-1990’s. Espeically since I love to hand applique – I could have been involved with Baltimore Applique Society (BAS) in person, rather than from afar.

I find that I am learning how to really add movement through color to my quilts. This has been a goal of mine since 2010 when I realized I need to work on color and movement of color with my fabric. I have always been afraid to jump into scrappy quilts, but now I am beginning to feel more comfortable in using the beautiful stash I have. I will admit…. I have broken my promise to not purchase any fabric this year….Justification: I do not have that many reproduction fabrics….

OK – Now on to where I am in my Project Book.

Pat’s Mystery BOM is called Globetrotting and is based on places that she has visited. Pat is from the Washington DC area so it is appropriate that she designed the quilt around a block that represents that area. I am a visual person and she provides great visuals for this free BOM.

Globetrotting BOM Fabrics — This is my fabric selection. I have always wanted to make a blue quilt so I pulled the fabrics from my stash – I have had them quite awhile and glad to finally use them up!

Washington DC Block 1. This is the Center Medallion for the BOM. It measures 24 1/2″ x 24 1/2″ Unfinished

Venice Block 2. This was a fun block to make. It measures 10 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ Unfinished

Chicago Block 3 2 — Chicago Block 3. I was going to use the same fabric (the light) in the middle of the block, but decided to step out of my box and try something different. I love it! The block is 10 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ unfinished.

Tomorrow I will work on Block 3 for Barbara Brackman BOM and probably wash my fabric for Woodlands and Prairie Rose. I received my pattern yesterday and this will also be a fun quilt to make.

Until next time, have a great time quilting!