An Unexpected Tribute

I know this is cliche, but OMG, I've been awarded at Liebster Blog Award!  Thank you Carol of Quilting in India for the presentation.

I must admit that I had never heard of this award before and I was somewhat skeptical.  I thought I'd "google" the award and see what I could find out.

I tried to find the origins of the Liebster Blog Award, but I wasn't successful.  However, I did discover that it most likely originated in Germay because "liebster" means "dearest" or "favourite" in German.  I also found out that the award is usually presented to smaller blogs as a form of recognition and support.  "Smaller blog"  is defined as a blog with fewer than 200 followers.  As a recipient you are to:

• Thank the person that nominated you and link back to them.
• Present the award to five other blogs
• Let them know by commenting on their blog
• Post the award on your blog

So thank you Carol for thinking my blog noteworthy and up and coming.

Now it's up to me to pass the Liebster on to five other bloggers whose work I find inspiring and appreciate.  Here are the ones that I would like to spotlight and show appreciation to:

1. Janet at What Comes Next?
2. Booilley
3. Lindy at Art from the Heart
4. Vicki at Fibre Art
5. Carla at Grace and Favour

These bloggers deserve a visit!  Go check them out!

TST #8 - A Mystery

It’s a Mystery to Me  Completed January 2007

In August, 1993 Kim from Wisconsin decided to organize and coordinate a Mystery Quilt on CIS.  I followed along each month using a combination of fabric I purchased (black and white) and charm squares I had collected from the various members on the CIS Quilting Forum.  It sat for a long time as a completed top until one day I decided it was time to finish some of the various UFOs I had amassed.  Connie a friend from my quilt guild had just recently acquired a long-arm so she machine quilted it for me.  I have kept the instructions, should I ever want to make another quilt similar to this one.

Mailbox Treasures

One of the things you have to deal with when you return from a trip or vacation is the volumes of mail waiting for you.  It's usually lots of advertisements, junk mail and bills.  But this time when I came back look what was waiting for me...

ATCs from my friend Vicki...

and these wonderful fat quarters that I won from the Fat Quarter Shop.  I had posted about the win here.

A mailbox can be a wonderful treasure trove can't it?  Till the next time...

Took a little trip

I've been away to Asilomar for the Empty Spools seminars.  Oh what a wonderful experience.  To be able to sit with one teacher for five days was delicious.  I took a class with Melinda Bula who is an excellent teacher that encourages her students and presents her material in a very enthusiastic manner.  if you get a chance, you gotta take a class with her.

Here are some pictures of the area vegetation.

 



 And here are some of the vistas that we were able to take in while at Asilomar.

 

I'd show you pictures of some of the work done in the class, except that I haven't yet received permission to post the pictures.  When and if I do, I will post them.

Trunk Show Tuesday #7

July 1994 saw the completion of my first “progressive” quilt, Reef Seas.  Organized into several groups of 4 members each, my group consisted of Linda from California, Kathy from Nebraska, Lynn from Florida, and myself. 

The progressive began in January 1994 and was based on a book by Judy Hopkins of Alaska entitled “One of a Kind Quilts”.  Based on a  6 by 8 grid of 4-inch pieced squares, we were to create our “theme” blocks.  It was interesting to see what the result was when the various 4” blocks made by others in the group came back to me.

The picture shows the 4-inch blocks prior to being stitched into a wall hanging.  When it was completed I decided to do another appliqué piece for the back of the quilt, thus making it reversible.  I hand quilted it and added beading to the front to give the appearance of the fish blowing bubbles.  My sister always admired this quilt.  She now has it. 

I apologize for not being able to provide a picture of the completed piece.  perhaps the next time I visit my sister who lives a distance from me, I will take a picture and post it.

Trunk Show Tuesday #6

I was having a lot of fun with block exchanges so I decided it was time for me to organize one.  The idea for this one was to collect blocks from the group on Compuserve (CISters) from near and far that represented where everyone was from.  Originally 35 people signed up but by the deadline, the number had dropped to 18. 

This block from Quiltmaker Magazine was the block I chose.  British Columbia's provincial flower is the Dogwood so this was perfect.  Besides, my father had once sent me a postcard from Great Falls Montana that contained a story about the legend of the dogwood.  That postcard also inspired me to use the Dogwood block.  Here are some of the other blocks that were exchanged and where they came from. 

California                                                    Singapore

Maine                                                 New Mexico

 

Sidney, Australia                                     Paris, France

Illinois                                                   Nebraska

Iowa                                                   Connecticut

British Columbia, Canada                     Ontario. Canada

and this is how I pieced together the blocks that I had kept for myself.

I used an Attic Windows setting and was able to placed the odd sized ones in the centre.  I've called it My Windows on the World.  It still has to be sandwiched and quilted, but that will have to wait.  I've got some FMQ to practice first.

Trunk Show Tuesday #5

Here is yet another unfinished piece and yet another block exchange.  I was going all out trying to get my piecing accurate and exhanging blocks with others gave me a chance to compare. 

As you can see this exchange was called the Red White and Blue and was also hosted by CISters.  I chose to do a block entitled 54-40 or Fight.  There was some discussion about the colour choice in that it was perceived as very patriotically US oriented.  I contributed six blocks to this exchange.  This is what I attached to each of the blocks.

“This block pattern is “54/40 or Fight”.  There was some discussion about the colours being patriotic and that perhaps CISters from other countries would not join in.  I thought this block would be appropriate for the Red/White/Blue exchange.

The pattern, to the best of my knowledge, was developed when Canada and the United States were debating where the boundary between the two countries should lie.  Had the boundary line actually been 54 degrees 40 minutes North, the town in which I now live would be part of the United States as would a greater majority of the southern portion of Canada.  So much for history and my Canadian sense of patriotism.

I hope you enjoy the block.  I discovered when laying it out on my flannel board that if you set the block on point a very interesting thing happens.  It looks more like the cross worn on the front of the chain-mail vests of the knights from the Crusades, or the emblem for the St. John’s Ambulance First Aid group.  Interesting, don’t you think?"

Round Robin Reveals

As promised here are the results of the round robins that I worked on.  I have received permission from all of the participants to post these. 

Louise's block and her resulting quilt.  I added the 1st round of triangles.

Gladys's quilt. (I forgot to take a picture of her block). I added a 2nd round of log cabin style piecing.

 Janet's block and her resulting quilt.  I added the third round of applique.

  

Mary's block and her resulting quilt.  The fourth round of squares/rectangles is what I added here.

Bonnie's block and her resulting quilt.  I added the final frame to this one for the final round.



And finally, my block and the end result of everyone's contribution.