Snake Dance Mystery Quilt.....any takers?

I finished sewing the borders on the Snake Dance Mystery Quilt over the weekend. I would like to get it quilted before the end of the classes and the big reveal! I am teaching it at two locations beginning May 11, with three sessions each and 6 clues. The last sessions will be within a few days of each other, so I won't be able to post pix of the finished quilt until both classes are finished. I have started Yahoo Groups so we can post pix of the clues as people work on their quilts.

Several people have expressed interest in buying the mystery pattern/clues and participating online as well. If you are interested in doing this, please comment here, and I will get back to you about the particulars. Can you tell I'm really excited about this quilt? I love a good mystery!

Springy pillows

I spent a lot of time last week getting ready for June classes and I finally feel somewhat caught up, even though I still have to write two patterns. I hung them in the appropriate shops and they are ready for signing up. I also taught Binding 101 to a group of ladies on Saturday.

When I got home I worked in the yard a little bit, and sprayed some stubborn weeds that I fight every year. It was so gorgeous outside that it seemed a shame to spend all day inside! I also went for a bike ride both days.

Yesterday,  I made pillow covers for some pillows my daughter got when she bought a new couch. We picked out the fabrics awhile back, I just hadn't had time to make them. They were fast and easy to make and turned out so pretty...perfect for a spring day!

Kid's Camp Pillow and Conrad....

 I finished the kid's camp Cobblestone Floor Pillow the other night...hopefully it will display well alongside the pj pants. It's fun teaching kids the sewing and quilting basics. They are much freer with color expression than we are, and I find that interesting. Plus they just love making things!

I trimmed the flying geese quilt Sunday after I finished quilting it, then cut the binding.... it turned into a kitty bed while my back was turned.

 I started binding it last night before my Sampler 16 class. It will be finished soon, even though I found a broken stitch in the quilting while binding it, so now I have to figure out a way to fix it without it being too noticeable  I have no idea how it happened, if I caught the needle on it when moving the machine or what, but I am not happy! It's right on a section of the darker teal too! I have tonight's work cut out for me!

Sparkling Prisms class

Saturday's Sparkling Prisms class went very well....it was a great group of quilters, and they sewed like crazy.

Here most of them had at least one finished.

By the end of class, most of them had a good start on their small quilt. They liked this method of paper piecing also!

Almost a pillow and class finishes!

You might remember back in March when I taught the Circle and Spin class to a local quilt club. We had a great time, so they invited me back to teach them a different technique of paper piecing using the Sparkling Prisms design.When I arrived yesterday for that class, they had brought some show and tell for me!

Evelyn's granddaughter requested an all purple quilt....so she set to work on this beauty.She finished it by quilting it herself on her daughter's quilt machine.

 Earl's top is finished and ready to quilt! So bright and colorful! Another of the quilters had finished her top, but forgot to bring it. I love seeing the finished quilts from my classes! More pictures of yesterday's class tomorrow...

After dinner, I worked on the Cobblestone Pillow model for the kid's class this summer. It's almost a pillow! At least in this picture you can tell it's pink and teal!

Today I need to finish quilting the flying geese quilt and do some cleaning...after being sick the past couple weeks, it looks pretty bad around here. 

What do you think...pillow or no pillow??

 I picked out this pink polka dot fabric last night to use with the teal  fabric in a pillow for a kid's sewing class. There are pink dots in the teal fabric, so I think it will be cute. What do you think, too many dots or just the right amount?

I really tackle the tough issues, right?

The Sampler class went well last night...it's fun to get to know the different quilters and catch up with their news once a month. One of them brought some show and tell...always love that.  Two of the quilters in that class are beginners, and mother and daughter,  and really loving every minute of their experience. That's fun to be a part of also.

Lazy night and more prisms

I didn't do much last night after I came home from work except print. I am teaching the Sparkling Prisms quilt class this weekend to a private group, so needed to print the patterns as well as the paper piecing patterns. I still need to get some scraps together so I can do a demonstration of the technique, but that won't take long, then I will be ready for Saturday.

I've decided to teach the Cobblestone Pillow for Kid's Camp this summer. I taught it a long time ago, and will probably need to update the pattern as well as make the model. It's a cute design, very doable for kids as well as any beginner. I have a Sampler class tonight, so while I am there, I want to look for fabric that will work for it. Then I can get it started when I have time.

In case you are wondering.... I still have that flying geese quilt on the quilt machine....I want to get back to it this weekend. I didn't feel like doing it while I was sick...need all my energy when quilting. It won't take too long to finish, then I can bind it and hang it for a June class date. 

Not quilting, but still sewing...

 I usually teach some kid's sewing and quilting classes in the summer. What better way to teach Beginning Sewing than by making some pj pants?

 I picked out this cute polka dot fabric and got to work! Used some polka dot ribbon for a decorative trim...Almost finished!

Here they are....all ready for class! I think everyone needs a pair of these, don't you?

Weekend sewing....

I spent a good part of the weekend sewing. The mystery quilt just needs a border and it will be finished. I ended up writing the pattern too, so I am excited about that! I still need to recheck it, but it's a good feeling to have it finished. I wish I could show it to you! That's a problem with a mystery quilt...I can't show you pictures.

I am still feeling the effects of this cold/flu bug I have, hopefully I'll be over it soon.

Mystery Quilt is coming along....

Mystery quilts are so much fun to design and teach. The last one I designed was Twisterweave. 

Part of the fun for me is writing the pattern in a way that they can get a  lot of it sewn without giving away the design. Right now I am working on the Snake Dance Mystery, so while I sew it I am planning how I am going to present it to them. I am doing this mystery in three installments. It is hard for people to be able to come to more than three sessions,  so that's part of the challenge for me. Making it interesting, but doable. I have been working on it all week so am ready to put the blocks together today. I am excited to see it finished! 

I will be teaching this class in two locations locally as well as offering the pattern to participants online. Let me know if you might be interested in that!

I have been sick the past few days with a cold/flu something. Yuck! At least the sun is out this morning, so that helps. Off to sew and sniffle!

A little sewing and a celebration....

We celebrated my dad's birthday Saturday night...unfortunately I didn't take this pic until half the people had left. It was a great family time! They live about an hour away, so it's a nice drive as long as the weather is good.

I spent some time working on the mystery quilt last night, but I don't dare post any more pictures, since I don't want anyone to figure it out early! It is coming along nicely, and I am excited to get it finished!

Colorful Lotus quilts

We had so much fun on Saturday working on the Lotus quilts. It is always fun to see all the colorful fabric choices and while they sew, sometimes I play....with their blocks!

Carrie is making this for her son...so bright and cheery!

Anne used a beautiful grouping of soft greens, tans and reds....love it!

Barb was having a great time with her black, white and red prints. Great for this graphic quilt!

Dianne had her signature floral prints and was busy putting her triangular flower garden together.

Irene chose black, gray and blue batiks. They were coming together nicely too!

I can't wait to see some finished quilts!

Lotus class today!

 I am teaching the Lotus Quilt class today at Cut Up and Quilt. I really like this graphic quilt and it's all made using the HexNMore ruler. The designer also has a paper template in the pattern as well, in case you don't have the ruler. The ruler just makes it easier to cut! As I made this quilt, I started seeing a flower pattern, so I had to try that out as well. Once it's sewn together, it's hard to see that they are from the same pattern. It changes the look totally.

I haven't had time to quilt this one yet, and really haven't even taken a decent picture of it. I will have to work on that.

You have lots of scraps left from cutting this one and trimming the sides, so I played with those, too and plan to show some ideas of things to do with them in class as well. I love figuring out ways to use the leftovers.....it's almost as much fun as making the quilt.

After class, my daughters and I are going to Earling to celebrate my dad's birthday. He will be 89 on Tuesday. Happy Saturday!

Happy Friday!

There is definitely something to be said for two day work weeks! 

Last June, the Bluffs Art Council sponsored a quilt show in Council Bluffs. They had a speaker come in and we built a show around it.  It was met with enthusiasm by the quilting community here, so we met last night to plan another show for this year.  We have much to figure out, as we need to find a speaker and figure out a theme. But I think it will be fun.

Tomorrow I'm teaching the Lotus Quilt at Cut UP and Quilt....maybe I'll see you there!

Mystery madness!

 One of the things that's different about teaching a mystery quilt is that you can't show the students the quilt before the class. So you have to figure out a way to put something on display to advertise the class and entice people into wanting to try it out. I  like to show what fabrics I used to help give them an idea of what I mean when they see the supply list.

I am teaching this mystery at two locations over a period of about a month, so I needed two displays so that I can hang one in each location. I am really excited about doing this mystery in two locations and hope it goes well. I have been toying with the idea of letting people join in online...I would send out the pattern via email each week for a small fee. What do you think? Anyone want to try it?

I'm back to work today, but I did get lots accomplished while I was off. I started quilting the flying geese quilt yesterday, worked on my tax stuff, as I have an appt. on Friday after work, and did a little more sewing on the mystery quilt. I can't wait to start putting it together.

Sewing with the girls....

 I had so much fun sewing with the girls yesterday. I really miss that during the school year, so I counted how many more Tuesdays I have to work until I can join them every week! (7!) I worked on getting the new mystery quilt cut out. I have it all cut and started working on some half square triangles. I love new fabric!

Sewing Tuesday!

I had a great Easter with family. The kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt and we got lots of visiting in!

I finished writing the patterns for the new sampler yesterday, so I was doing the happy dance! I enjoy writing patterns but there are so many with the samplers that it takes awhile. I need to double check them for mistakes, but it's best to wait a few days so I can look at them with a fresh eye.

I got a much needed haircut, then came back home and sewed the backing fabric together for the flying geese quilt. As you can see, it's on the machine and ready to quilt. That's the plan for tomorrow.....

Today I'm going to go sew with the Tuesday ladies...they meet every week and sew. We started this a couple of summers ago when I was off work in the summer and they have kept meeting every Tues. so I like to go when I am off and join them. I plan on starting on the mystery quilt today, so I will be spending the first part of the day cutting. I love starting a new project! I'm looking forward to catching up with all of their news and see what they are working on!