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June 4, 2012
Hi everyone and happy Monday! (oh, and never mind the “lunch-break” part…I apparently don’t know how to “schedule” a blog post, so this one didn’t come out when I thought it will, hence, I am doing it now (4 pm) manually…sheeesh) Yes…I am hanging my head in shame for being so MIA lately…Thank heavens for Mary Ellen and her great posts! 🙂 I promise to get better organized and have a regular contributions here (as well as on my own blog). I DO.(hand on my heart) 🙂 Although, I have to say, sometimes I just plain get…intimidated? (not sure if that is a correct word), thinking along the lines “why would anyone care what I have to say”…or something like that. Yes, I know, I know – our blog really isn’t about that, its about sharing all things quilting, tips, news, ideas etc. But nevertheless, I get that feeling sometimes. […]
June 4, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. A few years ago in my previous position as guild newsletter editor I shared a tip from John Flynn for calculating the size of a piece of fabric needed for your quilt back. Some of you who have not been at this quilting thing since a coon’s age like the rest of us may not know who John Flynn is. Great big guy from Montana who does wonderful hand quilting, and comes up with quilting gadgets. Here’s a link to his humorous story of how he got started as a quilter. Sometimes when our quilts are too wide for a standard width of 40-42 inches, but not really wide enough to justify buying the 108 inch wide backing or using two full widths of backing fabric, we try to make do with a pieced back. Of course, if you have enough fabric to piece together […]
June 2, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Finished my second Lucy Goosey block yesterday. Here it is. Going for the scrappy palette, hoping I’ll make a dent in the contents of the scrap bins without making a tacky looking quilt. So far (just two) the blocks look nice together. Keeping my fingers crossed. Remember to bring your completed blocks to our meeting show and shares, or send the photos directly to our webmeister, Don Dee. Just let him know that they’re for the Loosey Goosey album. TTFN.
June 1, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. It’s the first of June and time for me to post the next block in our Quilt-a-Long. Even if you chose not to make the first block, you are welcome to jump in and join us anywhere along the journey through our 6 star blocks. (If you want to go back and get the first pattern, look in the sidebar for the category menu and go to Loosey Goosey). I hope I am greeting some visitors who found out about us at Pine Grove yesterday. If so–welcome! to all of you. This is not a personal blog-it is the blog for the Amherst Museum Quilters’ Guild. I hope you’ll join us for Lucy (new spelling on purpose) Goosey and keep coming back to read my musings on anything and everything that might cross my mind. I try to keep it to quilty topics, but there […]
May 31, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Recently was talking to a shop owner newly back from Quilt Market in Kansas City. She was pleased with the influx of so many young (35 ish) quilt and fabric designers. It bodes well for the future of the industry that young people are getting involved in the business. How do we interest, and then keep, young quilters coming to the hobby we love so much? How can we make quilting “cool”? How do we make young quilters aware of our guild? Get them to visit? Actually join? What kinds of activities would they like to be a part of? We who are members of the “older” quilting contingent should find ways to pass the needles and frames on to the next generation of quilters. If you, or someone in your life, is a fan of Anthropologie or Pottery Barn then you probably have seen […]
May 27, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. If you’re a guild member or a blog follower, you know that Beth Ferrier will be one of the national teachers at seminar this fall. I check in at her blog now and then to see what’s up with her. Look at this cool thing she is doing on some of her windows (April 20 post). Applique patterns as window designs! One of my bathrooms has a small window where this could be a very nice screen of the outdoors. Hmm…thinking about what design I might use. Start keeping an eye out for her new book which was to debut at Quilt Market this spring. She has only been giving hints-so it’ll be a surprise for all of us. Here’s a bit more of a hint from the publisher. I see it’s due out in October-if we’re lucky maybe she’ll have some for us at […]
May 26, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Found a wonderful collection of patriotic quilts at the International Quilt Study Museum. Women (and a few men) have often expressed their patriotism through the things they’ve stitched. Type “patriotic” in the keyword blank at this site and you will find a collection of quilts, some with many supporting details and some not. What a wide array of styles expressing patriotic feelings and influences. Going to put out a few flags around the yard and get down to the business of yard work. I regret that I don’t have a patriotic quilt to bring out this weekend. I think I’ll have to do something about that, perhaps for a subsequent Quilt-a-Long. Have a safe, and happy holiday weekend everyone.
May 23, 2012
Hello all, ME here. Spent some time exploring Pinterest this morning. Here are a few of my best quilty finds. I don’t know if I’m too old for these scrap necklaces or not. Hmm…they look cute against the plain white T shirt. Definitely could be an idea to do with kiddoes. Love this girly quilt. The dress mannequin and the parasols are the best! If I spy this pattern somewhere I’ll have to have it. What a great pieced border too. This quilt (Dec 6, 2011 post) is gorgeous. The fussy placement of the flowers in the clamshells is especially nice. I certainly admire the patience of some quilters–my patience is used for other things. I won’t ever be making a quilt like this but I sure do like it! Here’s a very cool dresden fan block. Love how you can make it look very circular or more octagonal. I […]
May 22, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Where did Monday go? Flew by with only laundry accomplished. Shouldn’t one get more done than that in a day? So what’s up with you? How does your garden grow? I’m into transplanting now, and taking the absolutely humungous Christmas cactus plants outdoors for the summer. I have one that came from a start my Nana gave me when I started my first apartment. It now is so large that I have to turn it on its side to get it through the door. That was in the fall when I brought it in for the winter. I’m going to take it outdoors today-if it has grown much over the winter, I’ll be in trouble. It weighs a ton-I know that from attempting to vacuum up the fallen blossoms behind the plant stand. I may have to call for reinforcements from next door to help […]
May 20, 2012
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. I love surfing the internet for quilt “stuff”. You can find everything you’re looking for and more. So many quilters are getting into blogging these days-like us. There are even online quilt shows to visit, where you can vote for viewers choice, favorite baby quilt, favorite… just like a “real” show.You can’t fondle the fabric or visit the vendors (but you can follow their links to the online shops!), or chat with the other quilters, but you can look at a quilt for as long as you want without feeling that you’re holding up the traffic and you can zoom in for a close look. Here’s a link to a bloggers’ quilt festival for you. Enjoy it at your leisure, maybe we can aspire to doing something like this in the future. And be sure to visit our guild site and look at the photos […]