Goodies in the mail...

The other day I had a nice surprise waiting for me when I came home. A gift of 3 Halloween fat quarters from Heather. Recently she had a giveaway, and though I wasn't the winner, she sent me something anyway! What a friend! Now....what to make...
Then I was notified by the Quiltmaker blog Quilty Pleasures that I had won a giveaway they had awhile back. It is a Coneflower spool holder...it is so cute! There's even a spot to hold extra bobbins. I was very excited when it came yesterday.

It is so much fun to get goodies in the mail!

Tomorrow I am teaching 2 sessions of the Lone Star Quilt class...should be fun to see all those fabric choices come together.

Aren't you proud of me, I didn't once mention that it's Friday.

A new camera case!

After working on getting the pictures loaded and everything how I wanted it online Sunday, which took a surprisingly long time, I decided to work on something I have been wanting to make for awhile.
I recently bought a new camera and decided I wanted to make a case rather than buy one. I had seen this tutorial for a cute camera case awhile back at Amy ala Mode. So dug out some fabrics and started in.
I added a long strap as I like to have strap so I can carry it if needed. I also made mine about a 1/2" wider than hers, as I wanted to make sure I could put the strap inside when not using, so wanted it a bit roomier. Don't ya love the little pocket for extra batteries?

I love how it turned out!

Changes to my blog & cute kitty pix...

I started a website several years ago to post pictures I took of quilts made in my classes. I also used it as a place people could check on times, dates, etc. for upcoming classes. After filling up 3 websites, I have decided to try doing the same thing a bit differently. I am going to be posting pictures to my Flickr page, so if you want to see pictures from classes, you can check them out there. I have added a link to an Upcoming Class page also. You can find both of these links in the sidebar.
I will continue to blog as usual, so for those people not from Council Bluffs, and not interested in class activities, things will be pretty much the same. I will be blogging about what I am doing and what I am working on at the moment.


Stack n Whack went well yesterday, everyone enjoyed seeing their fabrics turn into beautiful kaleidoscope blocks.

Don't these 2 look comfy? The sun was shining in and it was a warm, cozy spot! I keep the chair covered as it is easier to wash throws than it is to clean cat hair off of the chair.

After spending the whole morning on the computer, I think I will make something fun even though I should be cleaning.

Little bits...

I'm doing the Friday dance, we all know how much I love Friday...

Here is Kathy's quilt from the Kaleidoscope Blitz class...I love her colors!

I'm teaching a Stack n Whack class tomorrow. Seems like there is always interest for that class. It is fun to teach and fun to watch the patterns emerge from the different fabrics they choose. That's a lot of the fun for me, I get to see the patterns without making the quilt myself...

The beginners are almost finished with their quilts...we layered and tied and basted last night...next week they will bind their quilts.

I hope to get a little quilting done Sunday. Have a great Friday!

Cute kitty and Heather's giveaway!!!

Somebody was just a bit tired after all the quilting Saturday...isn't Rambo a cutie in his little lion haircut? He opened one eye, as if to say "Are ya leaving yet?"He lives at my sister's. More pix of quilting in Earling in the previous post.

Make sure you stop by and check out Heather's giveaway...she has some very cute Halloween fabrics. All you have to do is sign up and if you win, have a giveaway of your own sometime in the future.

Earling Circle and Spin Class, pt. 1

Here are Sharon and Mom with one of their blocks. I couldn't get this to load with the post below, so they get a post all their own.

Earling Circle and Spin class, pt 2

Yesterday was the Circle and Spin Quilt class in Earling. It was great fun. My sister Sharon was nice enough to host the class at her house. She and my mom worked on circle blocks, as well as three other ladies. We met all day til about 4 since it isn't as feasible to go up there 2 weeks in a row. They really got a lot done! Everyone brought a snack to share, so we had some goodies to keep us going. These are Sharon's blocks above.

The lighting wasn't the best, I guess, as some of the blocks look sort of washed out.

Here are Mom's blocks. She is making a new quilt for their bed.
Pat got these finished...hers will be bright and pretty...doncha love those stripes?

Rose chose blues, yellows and greens....
These are Noreen's blocks. Hers are more vibrant than this also.

Head on over to Heather's blog. She is hosting a Pay It Forward Giveaway. I don't usually do the pay it forwards because I don't think I will have time to get the things made and given to people. But this one is just hosting a giveaway, so I can handle that. She has some very cute Halloween fat quarters to giveaway, so stop by and check it out.

Little update

It is the end of the quarter here for us, so staff development today and a day off tomorrow. Woohoo!!! Actually I have staff dev. this morning and then back to school to work. Believe me, I can use it...there is plenty to do there! Not sure what I will do tomorrow, though I am going to Earling later in the day. I am teaching the Circle and Spin Quilt class there Saturday, so am going up Friday night to get things ready. My sister is hosting the class in her home, so I want to help her with last minute stuff. Should be fun... my mom and sister are taking the class, as well as a few others. We like to get together and sew when I go up to visit, but this is the first time I have taught a class to others there.

My nephew and his family are coming for a long weekend visit, so I finally put the binding on that baby quilt I made for their new baby so I can give it to them this weekend. My sister-in-law is having a dinner Saturday night so we can see them. I have their first born's quilt too, I made it awhile back but was going to send with this one. He is 1 1/2 yr. so I am a little late, but now I am all caught up! His is a road panel that I quilted to fleece. It is drying now, so will take a pic later.

Off to work!

Pocket Quilt...Blogger's Quilt Festival

A few years ago, a good friend of mine was diagnosed with lung cancer. I had heard of quilts that you make with pockets that could be filled with cards, good wishes, prayers, little gifts that the cancer victim could take with them to the hospital when undergoing treatments. They could use it to cover up with as well as read the messages during their treatment.

So I contacted her family and friends to get cards and messages to fill the pockets and started making the quilt. She loves crazy quilts and batiks, so I made pockets of all types using scraps of batiks and trimmed them with decorative trims. It got pretty crazy all right! When finished and filled it was sort of heavy and cumbersome, but filled with love. She loved it!!! I hope it helped her feel the support and love of her family and friends during her long ordeal of radiation and chemo. She is a cancer survivor!

Go to the Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival and enter your quilt as well as visit some of the other participating blogs.

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Are you joining the Quilt Festival tomorrow. What to post about, that is the question. I have posted about everything I have made recently...it might take some thinking...Join in on the fun!

Pat's quilt & Blogger's Quilt Festival

Pat finished her My Little Pretties Sampler recently, so we snapped this picture during class.

Amy (Park City Girl) is getting ready for the Blogger's Quilt Festival. It was great last spring, a chance to participate in a quilt show, visit new blogs, see some wonderful quilts and win great prizes. It begins Oct 9. You choose a quilt to share with everyone...she held her first festival last spring and it was a huge hit. Go visit her blog for details.

Lots of pix today!

We had a great time at UFO Saturday yesterday. The 2 new beginners came to make up for next week's class, and they seemed to have a good time chatting with everyone and got lots done as well.
Everyone else worked on projects they had started in other classes. They all got a lot done...it always goes faster with friends and snacks!De has been coming to quilt classes for about 4 years and does a wonderful job. She will soon be moving to MO so is trying to get things caught up and finished. She worked on getting the backs sewn together for 4 quilts yesterday, and then started working on this one.
Quilting sisters Dianne and Diana were busy all day sewing and chatting. They had a great time. It is fun to see the friendships made among these ladies who met in my classes.
Janet is one of the beginners, isn't her Christmas Double 4-patch going to be wonderful? There were complications with next week's class so we held it during UFO day....they are both doing a great job!
Kaye is the other beginner, she chose rich oriental fabrics for her quilt. It will be gorgeous. I forgot to take a pic of her blocks laid out!

Mary started this a long time ago...this was one of my most popular quilt classes, the Hidden Star Quilt... I think because we made it scrappy.
This is the Potato Chip quilt that April started awhile back in class. This class was very popular too, and another scrappy quilt, which should tell me something about people and quilts...lol I love the colors that she used. There are signatures in the border that they collected during a wedding shower, so this will go to the happy couple soon.
Diana started this Lemoyne Star Stack n Whack last year and has been very unhappy with it, she has brought it to at least 3 other UFO days...She got the blocks done yesterday and started working on her sashings. She is doing the sashings differently than I did, don't ya love it? She is very happy to be finishing it.

De worked on her Kaleidoscope Blitz (you can see mine in the background) when she finished sewing backs together. It is looking great!Dianne worked on her K Blitz all day and isn't it gorgeous? She was worried about her colors, but it looks like sherbet or candy canes in person.

Monica was here too but I didn't get a picture of her before she left. She worked on her Lotus Blossom Table Runner. She needed to refresh in her mind how to paper piece and then she was off and running again. Hopefully she will bring it in and show me when it is finished.

I need to work on the SunnyFlowers runner pattern for next week's class, as it isn't finished yet...oops! So much going on, but I feel like I am getting caught up a bit now. Have a great weekend!

If I don't have a picture can I still post?

I haven't sewn all week. I had classes Monday and Thursday nights, and worked on the table topper pattern Wednesday night. Tomorrow is a UFO Saturday, so everyone just brings a project to work on. It's always a fun day....lots of chatter amidst the sewing. I am trying to have a UFO day once a month to give people a chance to finish up projects.....it is always fun to start a new one so sometimes the others have to wait. Sound familiar, anyone?

It has been busy and hectic at school too. Lots of changes and work backed up. I usually have to start the year with the things I didn't get finished last year....(sad, but true) and work them in in between kids and classes coming to the library. I have also been doing some weeding so have a cart that is so heavy with books it can't be moved. lol...that is one thing I like about my job, though...I keep busy so the time goes fast.

Maybe I will take some pictures tomorrow so I have something more interesting to post!