- Filter by
- Categories
- Tags
- Authors
- Show all
- All
- "modern" quilting
- 2015 gifting challenge
- antique quilts
- applique
- books
- books (other)
- demos
- eye candy
- free patterns
- gadgets
- gift ideas
- guild activities
- guy quilting
- hand quilting
- Heritage Village
- local quilt shops
- our other hobbies
- quilt books
- quilt history
- quilt shows
- Quilt-a-Long
- recipes
- rug hooking
- scrap quilting
- seminar
- sewing with/for kids
- stash reduction
- stitchery
- tips and tricks
- tutorials
- Uncategorized
- wool
November 5, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Been playing catch up lately. First, do you remember that I announced a run for some blog candy after we hit out 40,000 visitor milestone? I bet some of you thought I forgot all about it. I didn’t forget, but I did put it on the back burner for a while. I have since counted up how many comments have been made since I threw down the gauntlet and will shortly be announcing the winners. I plan to award the prizes at our November guild meeting. Thanks to all who have commented; please keep it up. It’s an incentive to me to keep posting when I know some one is reading. I keep a little notebook of quilting ideas for “out of the ditch” quilting done with a walking foot. I love the chevron quilting on the quilt here. I’ll be adding this one to […]
November 1, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. What’s going on in your sewing and crafting space these days? I just finished a bunch of mason jar transformations, all using fabric, for a demo at the shop where I work. They all were fun, but I think I enjoyed working with the wool the best. It has been a while since I’ve done that. Some of you may remember our guild garage sales that we have had a few times. At the last one we had, I scored a bunch of wool from Betty L. who was moving south. Some was already felted, and the rest I did myself. There was enough fill 2 Rubbermaid storage bins. I’ve made many a project using the wool and have barely made a dent. I’ll include a photo of the jar cuffs I made with the wool. This project got me thinking that I should do […]
October 28, 2013
Hi everyone, hope you are having a great fall and pre-holiday season! Stitching feverishly all those hand-made gifts? SHHH…don’t tell, but I kinda decided in my head that this year I will give my family all things made by me…one way or the other! Lets see if I can do it, but will report here how it goes. How about you – handmade for gifts or not, this year? This past weekend, I was not too productive in that regard, partly due to home-improvement projects still going on and partly due to gawking into my iPad in every break – following all the exciting new things at International Quilt Market in Houston. Market is a trade show, open to quilting professionals only (not public) where all the new things coming are exhibited – new fabrics, patterns, notions, trends… It is then followed by the famous International Quilt Festival in Houston […]
October 23, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Do you have quilts that you only use at certain times of the year, or for certain special days? I’m talking about not just bed quilts, but any type of quilted project–table toppers, pillow covers, place mats, wall hangings, … I have more quilts that are wall hangings than anything else. I do make bed sized quilts, but not nearly in the numbers as my other types of projects. Why? Mostly for the fact of having the project finished sooner, I guess. A bed quilt is a long-term project in my book. Often I have one underway that I work on in between my other things. My favorite way is to have the pieces going as leaders and enders (see Bonnie Hunter’s site for this idea. She’s our seminar national teacher for 2014; I learned this idea from Bonnie.) I’ve been getting out a few […]
October 3, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Did you get your latest copy of Quiltmaker magazine? I think it might be my favorite of all the quilt magazines I subscribe to. Our next seminar national teacher, Bonnie Hunter, is a regular contributor to Quiltmaker. I like the scrap ideas she submits-see page 62 “addicted to scraps”. This month that’s all she’s got, but some months she has additional articles in the magazine. Bonnie just finished up a 3 part mystery quilt through the last 3 issues. Start watching for her in your issue, and in other magazines to get a feel for her style. At seminar one of our members told me that her sister and a friend are making a special trip to seminar next year from out-of-state because they love Bonnie so much. And she says that Bonnie is like a stand up comedienne–so funny! Looking forward to the lecture […]
September 27, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Yesterday I went on a “back stage” tour of the Heritage Village Archives. This is a perk of being a museum member-not a part of the guild membership. I had received the same mailing about it that all members receive and decided I’d love to see what’s up in the museum ” attic” so to speak. There were only two of us in the afternoon group so we got a great opportunity to be up close to the items (this tour focused on quilts and textiles) but since there were only 2 of us Jessica and Kayla showed us just about everything. How cool is that!?! Take advantage of these museum opportunities–there’s another tour tomorrow. Maybe there is still space-you do need to reserve a spot in these tours. Besides the quilts and garments of the same eras, I really enjoyed looking at the garments […]
September 25, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Life is ever so slowly returning to some normalcy. I’m trying to plan visits to my mom as just one more thing to do each week and to not worry about them so much. We’ve been lucky to find a great crew of aides who are taking very good care of her. …But it’s my mom so you know how that goes. Our guild seminar went well. Pat Sloan was a hit among all who took her classes. Even several ladies who said they didn’t really quilt in Pat’s style came out at the end of the day having loved the class. Just shows how if you go into a class with an open mind, you are hardly ever disappointed. (Many of you missed a great opportunity by not giving her a try. Don’t make the same mistake with next year’s guest: Bonnie Hunter of […]
September 23, 2013
Hi everyone, I am back literally (from my overseas visit to my family) and virtually (right here on the blog) and finally catching up with my life… My trip was great, if we forget not one, but TWO encounters with pesky stomach viruses…bleh. Got one as soon as we arrived to Belgrade and then another one when we came back! That one kept me home, missing all the fun of our Seminar – double bleh!! Second one was even a bit worse, but hey, I survived and it is time to get on with life! Hard to find a place to begin though, with all the emotions and inspirations from the trip and all the stuff waiting here, once I came back. So, lets start with some images to share with you from Serbia, country I was born in. Not sure if you know, but quilting really doesn’t exist there […]
September 17, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Heading out to the museum to set up for our fall seminar. Classes begin tomorrow with a lecture by our national guest, Pat Sloan, in the evening. All of the preparation is finishing up, and in the morning the fun starts!! Still not too late to join us–come on, you’ll like it! I was checking out Pat Sloan’s blog this morning and she shared a link to a wonderfully redesigned sewing machine. Not only does it have great new features, but it is a beautifully designed piece as well. Almost looks like structural art. Have a look and watch the video. Click here.
September 14, 2013
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I’ve been dealing with some health issues for my mom. She had a stroke this summer and has been in the hospital, rehab and a nursing home. We are now moving her back home (2 hours from here) with full time aides. That has consumed whatever “extra” time I have had this summer. Here’s hoping that with her at home, and good help from the aides, that things will get into a groove soon. Our guild seminar starts next week Wednesday. Still have room in most of the classes (check our guild website in the sidebar) so you still can join the fun. It’s going to be great-you shouldn’t miss it! You definitely can come hear our national guest, Pat Sloan, give her lecture/trunk show on Wednesday evening. (7:00 p.m. at the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village) The […]