We all need a little quilty therapy, don't we?

Our LQS, Cut Up and Quilt, has a monthly "therapy" session for their customers to show off new gadgets, fabrics and patterns. They do two sessions (afternoon and evening) on the third Thursday every month.  It's fun to go and see what's new, plus they have a show and tell portion. I took these Runaround Bags that I've been working on to show off. I love this little bag and think it will be perfect for quilt shows and shopping trips when you don't want to lug around the bag you carry your life in (normally called a purse).

 I'm making one for my daughter to use when she takes her dogs out to carry her phone, doggie treats and doggie bags. The cross body handle makes it easy to carry and keep your hands free.

I will be teaching a class on this bag at Cut Up and Quilt in Sept. so wanted to show it off. 

There were lots of fun projects shown for show and tell. It's always fun when the show and tell projects were made from classes I taught or my patterns. Pris M. brought her Red, White and True Quilt Along blocks so I could see them. She is using some of her mom's fabrics that she has been saving for just the right quilt. 

Pris M.

 Lorraine brought her finished Honeycomb Waffle beauty. I don't often get to see them finished, so I always enjoy it. Several of us commented on her floral borders and she said they just seemed to fit...we always know, don't we?

Lorraine

Darlene brought her finished Cottage quilt. I hosted a Cottage Block Swap a few years ago. We swapped in small groups and by season. So everyone ended up with cottage blocks for each season made by their friends. I then hosted a class to make trees and other stuff to add to them. Here is a post about my finished cottage quilt. I meant to catch her afterwards for a better picture, but I didn't. Seeing her quilt made me want to host another swap, so I'm adding that to the summer To-Do list! Not sure what it will be at this point, but I will keep you posted.

Darlene

 If you want to keep up with Cut Up and Quilt and see more of the goodies brought to CUAQ Therapy, check them out on Facebook.

Another way.....and a cottage finish!

 I sewed with my friend, Debbie,  yesterday, so spent some time cutting and pressing squares to make some Cathedral Window blocks the traditional way. I wanted to try that method too, so I can show the difference when I teach it. It took a long time to press them. I think I will machine stitch them together and then hand stitch down the curves. I haven't decided for sure yet. Since I want to get them finished in the near future...and we all saw how the hand sewn hexie project is coming along, I think I should probably use my machine. They are still cut and pressed the traditional way...

I also sewed my Windmill blocks together from the swap last summer. I had decided to tilt my blocks to give them an extra spin, and that's as far as I got. They have been aging nicely, so went together just fine. I'm not sure if I should put a border on or finish as is. I will take a pic later!

Debbie showed me her finished Cottage quilt. She is part of the group of friends that I meet with and do swaps, and round robins with. I was one of her swap partners on this swap, so lots of my blocks are in her quilt. Here is my finished Cottage quilt.

Have lots to do today, so better get busy!

Cottage blocks and other exciting news

 In 2009 I thought it would be fun to host a seasonal cottage swap among friends and ladies who take quilting classes with me.  I swapped with a group of friends as well. We swapped every 2 months and kept it seasonal to the months.  It ended last December, so then we had a cottage workshop where I offered some tree patterns and people had a chance to work on setting their cottages together. We had a blast and I set a day in March to have a party and everyone brought what they had done. It was so much fun to see all the creative ideas! I put my blocks together with some trees set in here and there and hung it on display in the classroom. Well, it has been there ever since, so I decided it was time to take it down and finish it! I have had many comments from people who didn't participate so I am going to teach a workshop in January as well.

This morning I found out I was a winner in Michelle's Birthday Bash at Quilting Gallery. I won this Central Park fat eighth bundle! What a wonderful surprise! Michelle has taken a great idea (listing quilting blogs) and turned it into a wonderful haven for quilters. You can find quilting blogs listed by state, check out quilting shops, participate in swaps and weekly contests. She has been working on a cookbook as well. She is one busy lady with lots of great ideas. Thanks Michelle!

My sister, Nancy and husband Dale came in from Vancouver Island last night. We are going to spend the day shopping and chatting, then they will head up to Earling, our hometown. I will be going there for Christmas, then will stay over so my mom and sisters and I can have a sew-in on Sunday. I am going to help Nancy get started on her first quilt...should be fun. She picked out a pattern and fabric when I visited there last summer.

The last row...

 

I made another cottage last night and finished the last row on the cottage quilt. Now I have to do some thinking on how I want to finish it. It is sort of large for a wallhanging...

The sashing rows in between are from one of those landscape prints so are all similiar but different.  

I thought about using some of that as a border too. What do you think would look good?