Saturday, July 11, 2015

A Whole Week!

On Tuesday, July 7th, Matthew and Bella celebrated a one month anniversary of their love and wanted to splurge on a fine dinner for all of us!


 The meal was frighteningly expensive but my Husband Wonderful, Felix, was happy to cook it and we all enjoyed their treat.

 

As for me, I spent almost as much money on Wednesday over at Ellen Peters' quilting studio in Laconia, New Hampshire.
Here is Ellen loading my second Scrappy Jacob's Ladder onto the big HandiQuilter 24" Fusion.


For this second in the series of three quilts, I have chosen the Sunshine & Shadows layout with a blue flannel plaid backing.


I used a medium antique tan thread with a royal dark blue in the bobbin and quilted Freehand Baptist Fans as the quilting pattern.


If you'd like to see the instructions, go to Maryquilts.com Link.  Thank you so much, Mary, for the quick-to-learn quilting tips!!!
When this quilt was stretched on the machine, it measured 85" across, but when it was taken off the machine and trimmed, it measured 83" square. Go figure.


I had it done in 2½ hours and I had a ball quilting it! The chair yoga exercise that Husband Wonderful and I go to on Mondays at the Alton, New Hampshire Senior Center, really seems to help my quilting muscles. This is what the quilt looked like after trimming on my driveway.


The flannel backing truly brings out all the blue notes in the scrappiness!

This post is being shared on Love Laugh Quilt's linky party. Link.



That made me select a medium blue for the binding which you'll see later when I get a picture of it.

The Friday Quilters with Claire were in full swing yesterday at The Golden Gese Quilt Shop on 22 Liberty Street in Concord, New Hampshire.


Above are, from left to right, Maryanne, Heidi, Eleanor,Barbara, and Jan, all working on their various projects.
Although we missed Heidi for a couple of weeks, she has been busy! Just look at this cute and classy top that she made!


Jan, below, has started her version of the Turtles, Turtles quilt pattern that Claire had made a few weeks ago. Jan was tracing the sea turtle shapes onto a fusible interfacing.





And the Downstairs Gang was busy, too! Here's Maureen, below, showing her Christmas Bundle recently acquired from Country Treasures Quilt Shop in Chester, Vermont. It should make a fine table runner!


Maureen also is working on a brights batik quilt using the ever-popular Drunkard's Path templates. She had all her pieces nicely organized into rows ready to be sewn.


But that is not all that Maureen brought. She brought her own adult daughter, Ann-Marie, who is also a quilter! Welcome, Ann-Marie!


Eleanor had some sweet little blocks made up from a magazine and we all admired her piecing and the jewel tones of the fabrics!


Below are Barbara, Eleanor, and Sue, who are all checking it out.


Eleanor auditioned several different fabrics for sashing, and we all liked this one the best. It is so rich-looking!!


Before I forget to include it, Maureen also brought in this circa 1830's (we think) polished or glazed cotton antique quilt to share. It is tied and was re-backed with the red solid by it's former owner who had given it to Maureen.


Thank you, Maureen, for bringing this piece of history in for us to see and appreciate! That navy blue glazed chintz background was a very bold choice that would not be popular today, I think.

Claire regaled us with stories of her upcoming 400+ person family reunion and the quilt that will be raffled off during it.


Several of the womenfolk made the blocks and Claire assembled and put the borders onto it. One of her aunts will handquilt it.
They gather from all over the USA to a family-owned parcel of land and have a huge picnic complete with family member musicians. Way to go!!


Sue, below, found the perfect backing for her Red, Grey, and Black, Illusions quilt. Isn't that spectacular??


I was working on my Bonnie K. Hunter mystery quilt called Grand Illusion. My pieced border units needed to be assembled and attached to the center top.






The one thing that stymied me was that I had absent-mindedly left two of the four cornerstones at home in my workbasket (I had thought that those two were extras, duh!). When I got home I did complete the last border assembly. That ensures that they won't get lost in all my rubble, LOL!


Before I left The Golden Gese, I took full advantage of their wonderful All July 20% off Sale and bought some sweet goodies.


And the bill was under $40, wheee!
If you can get there for next weekend, there's a shophop, too!

Happy quilting!























7 comments:

Janet O. said...

Your Jacob's Ladder looks marvelous!
You have had a very full week, my friend. : )

gayle said...

What a busy week! And what a happy one, too!
I love that Jacob's Ladder. The flannel you backed it with was the perfect choice. Beautiful beautiful quilt!

cityquilter grace said...

lobster looks delish! prices are coming down here so maybe i can indulge soon....and lovely jacob's ladder and backing...

Beth in MN said...

Hey Vic, Long time no talk!! LOL I am going to try the freehand baptist fan. Wow, 2 1/2 hours to get the quilt quilted. No speed cops on that Machine!! Flannel is the greatest on the back of quilts. They stay on the bed better.
Hugs

Wendy Caton Reed said...

Lobster is good, but it doesn't last as long as fabric so I'm glad you got to go shopping too!

Kate said...

Your Scrappy Jacobs Ladder turned out beautifully. Looks like you have a very fun and talented group to hang out with.

Bonnie said...

Yea for another almost finish. You've been busy and it looks like the "gang" has been really productive on all sorts of differing projects. Fun eye candy. Thanks.

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