Post - Quilt Show Hangovers.... and more UFO Progress

     Well,  our show was 3 weeks ago....  Really?   Three Weeks?    Seems like yesterday, in so many ways...  I'm still haggling over prices with the pipe and drape folks,  who seem to have raised some of their prices by nearly triple since last year!   YIKES!  

     I'm also exploring different venues for next March,  and at the rate we are making progress on invoicing,  most likely a new Trade show Decorator!   

     We have so many spring quilt shows in our area....  we were traditionally the first for many years....  and everyone seems to have followed us...   Puyallup Quilt, Sewing Expo (about a 2 hour drive),  then our show, with another small show in the  same town the same weekend this year....  a neighboring guild had one the week after us....  then this weekend was the PDX  Quilt, Sew Craft Expo.... and then a mid-valley show next weekend about an hour south....     We had approx 1000 paying visitors,  about the same as last year,  but the vendors aren't happy about the influx of so many shows so close together....   Everyone is either saving for the next show,  or just spent their money at the last one....   

     UFO progress...  

I had entered my "On Ringo Lake" Bonnie Hunter Mystery in our show...  so it was definitely on my " to do" list for March.    I actually did this one on a long arm,  with help and assistance from a member of our guild who does Long Arm finishing on many of our Quilts of Valor.    We chose an overall design and in about 4 hours, I was on my way home.   

I had to finish my "Whole Cloth" project for my Quilting Rockstar Status, which had our graduation on the 29th of March.....   I finished just before the posting deadline by one day....  

I chose to use a variety of geometric shapes, surrounded by a variety of background fills.   I'm calling it "Shapes I",  as I see a series of these in my future.   I used a soft gray shot cotton on top,  80/20 Hobbs batting plus a layer of wool batting,  and quilted it with a soft gray Glide Thread.    I'm very happy with how it turned out.  

My March UFO for the APQ Challenge was this lovely vintage, well aged piece that was started in the mid-1990's.  Wow!  that was last Century!    I believe it is my oldest UFO.   I didn't get anything done on it early in the month,  but I took it to our retreat the last week of March,  and got the top assembled with a couple of hours to go before April 1.   It helped to have friends cheering me on! 

This is now 82 x 82 approx.   This was originally an internet exchange of blocks.   Thank goodness I had just enough fabric to add the outer border and cut binding.   Next up is to piece a back out of some of my homespun plaids and get this quilted.   I love Churn Dash Blocks! 

I also finished this table runner earlier in March...  this was from our 2010 quilt show, where I took a class from Judy Niemeyer.   I finished piecing the top earlier this past year, but we wanted a small display of items completed as a result of guild workshops... so I decided to go ahead and quilt it.   Done!  

  I also finished my Drizzle Pizzaz project.  This was taught by Kathie Kerler at our Guild this last September.  One of the first projects I started on my Janome 9400.   I decided to set my little samples into a tote bag.   Done!   

I did some prep work on my seasonal Wool Project,  and finished the last applique piece.   Now they all just need to be finished around the edges and have the final embellishments added. 

And...   "Good Fortune",  the 2019 Bonnie Hunter Mystery went to Retreat with me as well!   I got it pieced together and ready for it's Minky Backing and Quilting.   I did forget to take the four final corner pieces with me,  so they  are missing in the picture.

This is a graduation gift for our granddaughter who will receive her BS in Nursing this spring. 

And.... I had committed to helping with the Quilts for Cure project which helps to bring snuggly comfort to Kids with Cancer.   Michael Miller Fabrics sent me the box of blocks, and fabric while I was at retreat.    It is now a top,  and I'm waiting for the box with the batting and thread. 

 I'm now working on another 2012 UFO that is on my April list.. but I'll keep that one a bit of a secret for another week or two and we'll see how far I can get on it.  

September and October Finishes

     I've been busy!  Both finishing projects,  and practicing my free motion quilting.  So busy,  that I neglected to show my Sept. and Oct. finishes to you.  

I had 3 October  finishes... 

This quilt using a deer panel, was one I started back in 2012.  It was actually 1 of 3 quilts that were started when we purchased our big travel trailer.   The trailer is gone, (Not the quilts though)...   but this quilt has been waiting for it's finishing touches.   I learned a new Free Motion Quilting motif which was really fun to do in the border.  I practiced ruler work in the stars,  and checkerboard switchbacks around them.  

  Approx 60 x 72,  it now resides on Mike's recliner.  He really needed a fresh quilt... His previous one had been well loved, and had kept him company through  cancer surgery recovery,  heart issues,  and radiation.   All back in 2011 - 2012.   I'm happy to say that he is doing great!  but he had literally worn through the back, which is the part he sits on to  be more comfortable in the leather chair.  

   This is the repair work I had done to his previous quilt...  No fading happened in the last 9 years....  LOL   This quilt is still hanging around,  and is one that we will use to cuddle with if we are sitting around the fire pit on a chilly evening.  

     The next  finish was the first of at least 2 quilts for the 70,273 project.   This quilt commemorates 60 lives.  I had a great time practicing my free motion motifs on each block to make each one different.   

     I have enough blocks to piece a second quilt, which will be done soon.  My goal is to have it pieced and quilted by the beginning of 2019.  

    Another finish was one that I started in 2010.  Blocks were given to me as a challenge from my sister in law,  who is also a quilter.   Someone had donated a family member's quilting things to the small group we quilt with.   This quilter was a heavy smoker,  and was way more ambitious than her skills in both cutting and piecing.  There were probably 50 blocks total,  which were so smoky I couldn't bring them in the house at first.  I spent several sunny, summer days,  laying them out in the lawn in the morning, and picking them up again at night.  Eventually,  I was able to bring them inside and put the plan in place that I had thought of as I handled them each day.   I divided them into three different  groups, by color combination.  While they originally were designed to be 12 1/2" unfinished,  there were less than a dozen in the group that did.  Some were larger,  many were smaller... There were a some that I simply tossed, because the seams were poorly sewn.   Ultimately I got 3 tops done,  and this one is the final of three to be quilted.  They are all donated now.   I trimmed each group to a "uniform size"  even if it meant losing some points,  and then sashed them with fabric I had that was the same as the orig. background used.  then I "twisted and turned" the new blocks and trimmed them on an angle  to help disguise that they were not all the same.

I had fun practicing Free Motion Quilting in each block,  and I used my ruler foot as well.   This was my first attempt at doing feathers without a template to trace,  or follow.  

The first picture is a good view of all blocks,  but its before i quilted the feathers and the border.  

 Just for fun,  here are pictures of the other two quilts from this group. 

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 In September, I also had 3 finishes....  

 I finished this youth quilt.  It was started with leftover blocks from an appliqued baby quilt that were left hanging around.  I pieced the top during a snow week sewing  frenzy a couple of years ago, when I was attempting to round up some leftover projects.   I practiced my new FMQ skills using a different motif in each different fabric section.  These were blocks from Yellow Brick Road, but I added sashing to make it 45 x 60.  This will be a donation quilt.  

Not a complete finish,  but I also managed to complete the top for Bonnie Hunter's  mystery from last winter,  "On Ringo Lake".  I did mine in Red, White and Blues....  and it will be a QOV when it returns from the Long Armer who quilts QOV for our group.  It felt so good to get this to the "completed top" stage.    I'm super happy with how it turned out.  Lots of small pieces in this one.  Well worth the time and effort.  

I also finished the second "Haystack Rock" Quilt.  This is an almost twin to one I finished and entered in our quilt show last spring,  but my step daughter loves Haystack Rock on the Oregon Coast, and since she lives in Montana and doesn't get to see it often enough... I made one for her too!  

On Ringo Lake Week 5 update

I am all caught up!    I'm loving this project.  It was exactly what I needed for therapy.   My colors are coming together nicely,  if I have a wish for what color is up next it would be more of Bonnie's aquas,  or my reds.  

I am linking up to Bonnie's Linky party for the week at Week 5 Linky Party

Here is clue #1  - Darling little nine patches

Here is clue #2 -  Flying Geese! 

Clue #3 -  Diamonds in Squares...  Going in opposite directions... 

Clue #4 - Some winged squares....  

 And finally...  clue #5  - Another gaggle of Flying geese. 

Up to this point,  I have cut entirely out of my scrap drawers, and scrap saver system....  The only yardage I have cut into was 4 fat quarters of the lighter blue that I purchased for this project and 2 pieces of lighter blue yardage.   I also had to re-supply my white on whites from stash yardage for the flying geese wings for clue 5.     It is amazing how having that variety of strips and pieces in your scrap system allows for such a wide variety!  Thank you Bonnie for giving us this valuable information on your website and Blog.   

Bonnie Hunter's 2017 Mystery, On Ringo Lake week 2

I'm linking to Bonnie's Linky party for Clue #2.  Week 2 Linky Party   I'm just about half way through the weekly clue.  It's going quicker than I had anticipated.   I have a busy week ahead of me, and not sure if I'll get around to an evening post later this week.  

Check out Bonnie's blog for instructions... its not too late to join in the fun!  

I love flying geese!  I've cut all my pieces using the Easy Angle and Companion Angle rulers.. using from my 2" strips of blue and white on whites.  I've exhausted the colors I'm using in both colors,  and actually went out and purchased about 5 fat quarters to add to my blue variety.  Since I'm doing this as a quilt of valor,  I'm trying to stay away from prints that are floral or kid's prints....   Looks like this value of blues is one area I can look for more variety when I find good deals out there, especially prints that have a variety of textures.  

The picture is with my step one in the middle of the geese.
  

Bonnie Hunter's 2017 Mystery On Ringo Lake Clue #1 complete

I couldn't resist!   When clue one went live on Black Friday last week,  I fell in love with those cute little nine patch blocks... 

I had originally decided that I was going to sit it out, and finish some UFO's,  but that was my reasoning the last 3 years, and my UFOs are still here, lurking in corners and under tables... LOL   

I decided to do this year's mystery in red, white and blues... and with any luck, I'll have a Quilt of Valor to give to someone special when  it's done.  

Here are my blocks for clue #1 all trimmed and ready to be stitched into something fantastic! 

It's still not too late to join in the fun.   Go visit Bonnie Hunter's Blog...  click on the tab that says "On Ringo Lake". There you will find the  introduction which gives fabric information... and Clue #1 with the instructions for week 1.    On Ringo Lake Mystery Link

I'm linking to the Monday Linky party    so go here to see what everyone else has been up to! 
Monday Linky party for Clue #1