I've MOVED!

I started a new blog to highlight the things happening in the shop - you can get there from here:

http://craftyquilts.blogspot.com/

Click on the link above to go to the new blog!

Thank you!
Barb

Home from Jacksonville

I had the awesome opportunity to go to the Jacksonville "Seven Sisters" quilt show last week. I tagged along with Karen and Sharen from Happy Apple Quilts

We drove up on Tuesday, set-up on Wednesday, and got to visit with a lot of quilters on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Note to self: working for vendors at a quilt show is A LOT of work - but I sure had fun and some GREAT company - thank you ladies for allowing me to be the 3rd wheel on your trip to Jax!

Karen and Sharen in the process of setting up their booth.

Nan Moore was signing her book "Machine Freehand Patterns" at the Sew and Quilt Shop and I had a chance to run over there and scoop up a copy! Nan signed extra's so you can get them online through the link above.

Kelly (the manager) was kind enough to snap a photo of Nan and I (that's me in the apron). Thank you Kelly for EVERYTHING!! ~grin~

There were so many GREAT vendors!! I visited The Pin Peddlers every day of the show and took advantage of their "show special". They have a huge selection of pins - check them out at PinPeddlers Tommy and Audrey were so nice. Besides pins, I also bought a pattern from them for a "Show Pin Quilt" - it is adorable!!

Karen and Sharen headed up to Virginia for another show and I headed to Georgia to see my grandbaby, Brooke (and her mom, Stefi, too). Stay tuned for new photos of the Brooke-meister!

Hugs,
Barb

X-Block without borders

"Some" of my friends have been drooling over this top, but I'm having a hard time deciding on the border(s)... If you can picture the triangles cut from the 9-patches, they are supposed to be pieced to each other for the border - we'll see...

Done, done....

That's what you call a quilt that is quilted, has binding on it AND a label!! This one is done, done!! I decided to make a very special label too..

I sure am enjoying sharing my quilting with everyone - hope you are enjoying it too!

Hugs,
Barb

I "collect" BOM's

I got brave and actually counted how many "blocks of the month" (BOM's) I have saved on my computer. Some I paid for, but most were free - let's just say it is WELL over the number that I will ever get done in my life time!

Here is one that just started on 7/15/09 and I have finished the first step!!
This "free" BOM is offered here http://www.projecthouse360.com/bom2009.html

Isn't it just AWESOME!?! Help me keep up with it by "nagging" me if you haven't seen a photo the next step finished by the 15th of the month. This step means I am good until the 8/15 directions are posted - then I have until 9/15 to get it done!

What I've been working on

Here are the "bellybuttons" or centers of the X-block quilt I am working on with 2 of my friends. Actually we are each making our own quilt, but we are all using the X-block tool and patterns.






I have photos of 2 customer quilts I did, but I keep forgetting to ask their permission to publish pictures of their quilts. I know it is probably not "legally" necessary, but I just think it is the right thing to do. I would love to hear your opinion!!

I actually quilted one of my own quilts this past weekend. I guess it is the "cobbler" syndrome. The cobbler's children had holes in their shoes, and the quilter is usually working on someone else's quilt. Hey, I am blessed to be working at a job I LOVE, so I will squeeze my quilts in when I can. Since the photos of that one are on hubby's camera and he left yesterday for Illinois, I guess I am just teasing you with all my typing and no pictures. At least I'm typing!!! I promise to get pics up this weekend!

Don't sweat the small things and don't smell the sweaty things!

Some of my "buddies".

The big siamese looking cat
is my cat, Dusty - he is
16lbs. and if you look in
the hole below him to the
right is little Missy - she is
only 6 lbs., but "rules the roost"!

A finish!

This is a close up of a quilt I started in a class taught by my friend Diane. It is a "Fun and Done" quilt pattern which is a variation on "quilt as you go". It was a lot of fun in class, but then I got bored and I am glad it is finally done.

I really loved the colors, which is one of the reasons it is not still in the UFO pile and - "bonus" - all the fabric came from stash!!

A year has gone by!!

I finished quilting a quilt for a friend of mine today. She did such a great job piecing it, I wanted to do some special quilting for her. Here is a closeup of what I did in the border. I used one of the new rulers I bought at the International Quilt Festival in Chicago.


Brooke is almost 6 months old already - unbelievable but true! It sure is different being a grandma vs. mom. Here is the latest photo of the cutie patootie! That is her mom (my daughter) Stefani at her High School graduation. I sure am proud of both of them!



I am going to TRY and update this on at least a weekly basis with a photo or 2 of what I am working on, finishing, or just dreaming about. Wish me luck!

Happy Fathers's Day and about my quilts

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all of the dad's, papa's, and pop's!

All of the quilts along the left side of the page are "prayer quilts" made by me since March 2008 . Prayer quilts are made with thoughtfulness, love, and prayers specifically for each recipient. The quilts I make are pieced, layered and then tied (instead of quilted) together. Each tie has a prayer from me and is long enough for others to tie knots and say prayers for the quilt's owner. For more information about the group I belong to that distributes prayer quilts, please visit:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Charlottesgarden/

Summer has arrived in Florida - hot and humid! We have nothing to complain about compared to the Midwest, though. As my sister-in-law in Iowa said, "we are getting the 500 year flood just 10 years after the 100 year flood." I hope everyone is staying safe and dry.

For my friends and family - I am having an "impromptu" candle party on Monday the 23rd at 7:00 p.m. There is going to be some awesome surprises - so don't miss it!

Work is progressing slowly, but surely, on the new Crafty Threads website. Ken and I are collaborating on the effort and both of us are learning new things along the way - always good to rattle the cobwebs in the brain every now and then!

Be happy - life is too short to be anything else!

Beginning of hurricane season

Happy first day of June! For those of us in Florida, it is the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season which lasts through November 1st. Of course, just like the due date for an expectant mother, the date really isn't totally accurate. We already had a tropical storm form yesterday (a day early) and last year, we had our first tropical storm the 1st week in May. Yep, the weather is crazy all over!

Ken and I got to enjoy the pre-summer weather with some relaxation exercise a couple of weeks ago.

I think he is swatting at a bug! It was a pretty morning and we kayaked through the mangroves. We saw many different birds, skates (a type of stingray), mullet, and snook.
That is the end of my first ever blog - woo hoo! We are rebuilding Crafty Threads website and there will be a link to the blog from there. I had to get started, so this is my start! ENJOY!

TTFN,
Barb
Crafty Threads
Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the
morning, Satan shudders & says..."Oh no....she's awake!!"