America Quilts Expo

 The America Quilts Expo opens today in Des Moines. It is part of the Original Sewing and Quilting Expos, so will feature the exhibit of quilts from the Be Creative! Quilt Challenge. Since my quilt, Shortcut, is part of this exhibit I am excited to be going to the show on Saturday with friends. If you are traveling to this show, and you see my quilt, let me know...better yet, take a picture of yourself with it. I'd love to see it.

Shortcut

I met with two of the Sampler Clubs this week. Monday and Tuesday nights were both Larkspur groups, but they are working on different parts of the quilt. Both classes had some quilters missing (busy time of year) but here are some pics from Monday night. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pics on Tuesday night. 

I'm still working on my Henry Glass Desire to Inspire #LoveLaughQuilt project. I pieced a backing and loaded it and the quilt top on the longarm last night, so I will be ready to begin quilting it tonight. I have a panto that is a loose star shape bouncing around that I think will be perfect. I'm anxious to get started on it. 

New class, new location....

The new Larkspur Sampler 22 met at Hobby Lobby Monday night. This was my first class there, so had to figure out the logistics of plugins, table arrangement, etc. I'm sure we'll try many different things before finding the perfect arrangement! 

 Things went well, though, and everyone got their first block finished or very close!

 David is making the Double Four Patch out of his two favorite team fabrics, and will start making blocks next time. He got some of his Four Patches finished.

 The others worked on Tiptoe. Lots of different color choices will make many interesting quilts.

Marilyn and Kelli's blocks

Dorothy and Lora's blocks

 The next night I met with another Larspur Club, they are farther along on the quilt and made the Crosstown block this time. Dianne got her block finished....soft and pretty.

 Here are all of Dianne's blocks so far. She usually opts for bright fabrics, so it's interesting to see her using the more subtle prints.

I only have 2 sessions left at Hancock, and then all will move to Hobby Lobby. 

Oh where, oh where has my time gone?

...Veronica's More Peas in a Pod

The past few weeks have slipped right past me and in a blur. I have been fighting a cold, working at school and teaching quilt classes a couple nights a week. Here are some pics I took recently at classes. The beginners are working hard to finish their first quilts. I haven't ever taught this class monthly before (usually teach it 6 weeks in a row), but it seems to be going well and they are happy with the schedule. Next month the borders.

Amanda's More Peas in a Pod

I've also been trying to get things figured out as far as where I will move my classes since Hancocks is closing. For many years, Hancock Fabrics (formerly a Northwest Fabrics) was the only fabric store in our city. Hobby Lobby moved here about 6 - 8 years ago (not sure, really just guessing) and my favorite quilt shop, Cut Up and Quilt opened 3 years ago. I started teaching about 12 years ago and taught evening Sampler Clubs, Beginning Quilting and Sat. classes at Hancock. I started designing my own patterns to teach that first year so that I would have different classes to offer. When Cut Up and Quilt opened, I started teaching there too, once or twice a month on Saturdays.

Sharon's More Peas in a Pod

Bev's More Peas in a Pod

So with Hancock Fabrics bankruptcy and closing, I needed to find another place that was open nights and had a classroom. Renting a place is out of the question right now, though it would be so much fun to do! So I will be moving my night classes to Hobby Lobby soon. The whole process is different there, so I have been working on getting the things I need ready so I can start my first new class there Monday night.  I will be teaching Larkspur, Sampler 22.

Larspur, Sampler 22

Jane's Larkspur, Sampler 22 blocks from the Second Monday Club

Since all of my night classes are 6 month sessions, most are not finished, so they will finish at Hobby Lobby and then maybe start another club. I need to come up with a new sampler design by June and it's not even close. Oh, I shouldn't tell you that part, huh? So you see where my head is at.

Billie Jo's first Modern Cathedral Window Pillow block

Melinda's Modern Cathedral Window Pillow blocks

Things are starting to fall into place, though, so I am relaxing a bit and excited to see how it goes in the new classroom next week.

Marta forgot her machine cord, so she worked on having a snack and pressing for the others.

Busy week, a few pictures....

Jane's Sampler 22 Larkspur

I had a busy week of a Saturday UFO class and three nights of classes in a row, but not much to show for it in pictures. Sometimes the students spend their time cutting and don't sew in class as much. 

That Way, Sampler 22 Larkspur

 Veronica got her blocks finished for the Beginning Quilting class...they will put it together next month. The others in class had blocks finished, but I didn't get pictures for some reason...where's a photographer when I need one?

Veronica's More Peas in a Pod Beginning Quilting

We put Jane's Serenity quilt on the big design wall last Sat. and she sewed  the blocks into rows. I saw her Tuesday and she had the entire quilt sewn together...it's gorgeous!

 Jane's Serenity

 Ruth worked on a Stack N Whack from a class I taught many years ago..she got most of her blocks finished, so can start putting them together.

Ruth's Magic Stack N Whack

 Pat also brought an oldie but goodie...her Tangled in the Kite Strings. I love string piecing and need to do some again for fun!

Pat's Tangled in the Kite Strings

I don't have a class scheduled today, so hope to get a quilt loaded on the frame and start quilting it. First, there is some cleaning calling my name...

A bit of this and that...

Recently I taught a class on the Super Tote bag by Noodlehead. I love this bag and was excited to show others how to make it. Class went well, but none of them finished during class time, so I offered to meet with them to finish it this past Tuesday night.

Before that happened, Pat finished it on her own and brought it to show me last Saturday. Isn't it gorgeous?

As luck would have it, we had a snowstorm Tuesday, so Linda was the only one that could came to finish hers, but finish it she did, even when her machine wouldn't co-operate!

 I like the contrast of the striped and floral fabrics with the floral piping trim on the front pocked.

 Last Saturday several quilters made their own Modern Cathedral Window Pillows. They seemed surprised at how easy they were to make. My sister, Sharon, stopped in and loved them so much, that she decided she was going to make one at our upcoming Family Sewing-In this Saturday. I gave her the supply list and she was asking a few questions about it, including could she do some precutting so she would get more finished on Sat. So I gave her the pattern.

She kept sending me updates on the cutting and by Monday had one sewn together. (smile) She told me she is making two, so since I haven't gotten any more pictures, I assume she is waiting until Sat. to make the second one.

Sharon's Modern Cathedral Window Pillow

Or will start another project!

Marta

 Last night was the final night for the My Little Pretties Sampler Club. Only two of the five could come last night, the others will make up later. We were treated to a glorious sight....Marta had sewn her quilt partially together. Since they had one more block to make, she couldn't finish until she made it.

Sheryl

 Sheryl put hers on the design wall too, so different and so pretty. They decided they wanted to meet one more time to finish the quilt, so we will meet next month for that. They also decided that they wanted to make a couple of smaller projects next instead of a quilt. Their first project is going to be the Modern Cathedral Window Pillow! That Club will begin in March.

 That was my week so far...How was yours?