Wantobe Quilters Campaign

Me and My Girl have joined the

 Wantobe Quilters Campaign

This photo was taken by a friend at a quilt show in NH last summer when Marissa joined me for a  fun day trip with a busload of quilters. Everything in life is better when shared with a daughter. <3

I like to call myself an "experienced beginner" because there is sew much more to learn.  In this campaign I will be placing myself with the other experienced quilters.

My Little Sweetie, Marissa, is yet to finish her first quilt.  I am hoping the fun and quilty camaraderie of this campaign will give her the impetus she needs to set up her sewing machine next to mine and sew with me this summer before life takes her off to grad school and such. Marissa will be joining the fun as a "Wantobe."

We will be commenting on giveaway threads on the on the schedule of days that are appropriate for each of us and hoping for a nifty gifty or two.  

We learned of this fun adventure though my friend Dorian at Ridge Top Quilts and have signed up through her.  

The quilts posted on the Stash Manicure blog have already gotten me excited about what is to come.  Orange!  One of my favorite colors.

Some of you may remember that I picked "orange" for the "stick swap" with the Scrappy and Happy group.  Time to get out my bag of "orange sticks" and think about making my own "creamsicle" quilt!

Here is a photo of some of my yummy orange dream fabrics ...

mmmmmmmmmm .... creamsicles .... ;) Pat

Waffling Again

No ... not making waffles ... lol ... (although I do make the most delicious Belgium Waffles I have ever tasted... that is for another post sometime ;)

... but ... but ... but ...

I am getting ready to cut my mystery quilt fabric

... and ... and ... and ...

I think I may change my mind and make this my large scale print fabric for a quilt that really says "SUMMER!"

Mina is trying to help me decide ... hmmmmmmm

What do y'all think ????

Go for it ???? ... or use the Capri as planned ????

I think deciding on fabric is the toughest thing for me ... once I finally decide and start cutting I am fine and do not look back ...  ;) Pat

Lonestar Quiltalong Part 1

I have my center finished for the Lonestar Quiltalong at Ridge Top Quilts. 

I am pretty pleased with my first attempt at this 8-point diamond star pattern.  I did have to use my seam ripper to fix a few of the points in the diamonds along the way, but by the last diamond they were fitting together much more easily.  This is one of those patterns that "practice makes perfect"  ... well, at least, "better" ... lol.

I did have my usual helpers hanging out on the quilts and fabric.  Mina is actually being helpful here by taking her nap on top of the extra fabric. 

Butterfly is in her favorite perch on top of a stack of quilts on the shelf above my desk where she can better supervise. As I have said, she likes to be "Top Cat." 

Jess has sent the cutting instructions for her "Bella Cosa" Summer Mystery Quilt Pattern so I am off to cut fabrics.

Tomorrow my hubby and I are going to the Maine Quilts Show so I will not be sewing the mystery until late Sunday or early Monday.  I may not be able to resist peeking in the threads and seeing the pictures of everyone's progress so this may not be a mystery when I actually start sewing, but that is okay.   I enjoy the "sewing together" community aspect of these mystery weekends so much.   As soon as the thread is up where everyone starts posting pictures of their fabric choices, I will be ooohing and ahhing over all the pretties. 

Dorian, who is one of the pattern testers, has already posted a picture of her pretty fabrics here on the Quilt and Needle Blog.  Can't wait to see her quilt!

Have a happy quilty weekend, my friends ...

:) Pat

Quilting Along!

Just when you thought you had seen the last of the blue/yellow/green fabric pictures on my blog.  ;)

While I am waiting for the cutting instructions for the Q&N Summer Mystery Quilt to be ready, I decided to make the best use of my quilty time and join in the Lonestar Quilt-a-long on the Ridge Top Quilts blog.   

Dorian posted a wonderful tutorial for this beautiful pattern and her first ever quitalong.  To find this and join in the fun, click on the image link at the top right of my page.

This is really what I needed to jumpstart me again on the stalled progress I have made on my Matty's Lonestar Quilt.  I do have all the sets sewn together for his bed size quilt but need to get back to the pressing and cutting set strips and sewing the diamonds to make the star.

This small challenge quilt will give me the practice and confidence I need to move on to the larger quilt.

Sew far ... sew good ...

This should make a nice wallhanging in my bedroom.

Thanks, Dorian ... ;-) Pat

My Q&N Summer Mystery Fabric Arrived!

Oh, my!!!!!!  I just love this fabric! 

It is Capri, designed by Pati Fried for Northcott.  This is the fabric Jess at the Quilt & Needle picked for her upcoming Summer Mystery Weekend.  I am so distracted from my other projects today.  I just cannot stop fondling this yummy fabric. 

I saw this fabric line in Fabric Trends Winter 2011 magazine and drooled and dreamed of warm sunny places.  I had no idea that Jess was considering it for her summer mystery kits.  When she posted these last Thursday, I jumped. I was lucky I did. Not surprisingly, her kits sold out in a few hours.


The mystery pattern is, of course, available so if you wish to join in the sewing click on this link to purchase your pattern ...


Q&N 2011 Summer Mystery Quilt

 ... and Jess will email you the fabric requirements so you can find some fabric.


Hope you will be joining us ... :) Pat