Kid's Camp, 2015 and sampler updates

I like to schedule a few sessions of Kid's Camp for area kids in the summer. Some kids like to make things for their 4-H groups to take to the fair, some just like to make things! This year I decided to offer a beginning sewing project using a Simplicity pattern for skirts. There were several views, making a short fuller skirt or a longer A-line type skirt. I have had these girls in class before and they did very well.

They had fun and did a great job!

I also had an adult take the class as she is a beginner and wants to learn how to make clothing. I had given 2 pattern options as some kids are adult size, so she chose the adult pattern. Hers turned out well too. I will be offering this class again in July. If you live in my area and are interested, check the Upcoming Classes page for the full details.

That evening I met with the Sampler Pick group. There are four members in this group and they are making three different quilts. 

 Marilyn's Row by Row is coming along nicely! She has to make three of the basket blocks for her quilt.

 Dorothy hung up her finished blocks for the Ribbon Quartz quilt...she didn't have her machine so she cut out both of her blocks during class and will sew them later.

 Christine and Judy are making the Carpenter Wheel Spin...Judy was on vacation, but Christine got both of her Seattle Star blocks finished.

 We had a couple of drop-ins that missed their class this month because of vacations. Deb and Shirley were working on English Ivy for the Point the Way sampler. Somehow, I only got a picture of one.

 Laural was working on the Odds and Ends block from the Sunbonnet Sue sampler. Her group is going to meet next month to get the top put together and finish. This is Laural's second quilt.

I traveled to Muscatine, IA for a trunk show yesterday and am teaching a Circle and Spin class today,  so I will take lots of pictures of their progress. 

Summer break!

I did manage to get all of those millions hundreds of books put away yesterday, but it was close. Now I can concentrate on summer stuff. Like sewing....painting...cleaning....

Judy

but first things first. I'm spending my first day sewing with the Tuesday Sewing group, so that's just about perfect! I'm going to work on some Circle and Spin blocks and maybe piece a back for the new sampler if I can find something I like. I'll worry about cleaning tomorrow!

Dorothy

These are some pictures from last week's Sampler Pick class. They are coming right along and it was fun to put the blocks up to admire them. There are three samplers being made by these talented ladies.

Christine

It always amazes me how everyone's colors come together for a unique look!

Marilyn

I haven't done a lot of sewing this week but did manage to make a few more Circle and Spin blocks on Sunday. I will have more to add later!

Circle and Spin to the Moon

Sampler Pick

I thought I would share a few pictures I took last night during the Sampler Pick class. These students chose which sampler they wanted to make. Two chose the same one, the Carpenter Wheel Spin, one chose the Ribbon Quartz sampler and the fourth is making the Row by Row sampler, which is pictured here. Last time she worked on the three blocks above, and worked on the block below last night. She has to make two of these. The Row by Row sampler has diagonal rows, so she won't always make the same amount of blocks. I love her fabrics!

Dorothy is working on the Ribbon Quartz sampler. Above are her blocks from last month....she had them partially completed but not finished when she left. Last night she worked on Donut. I love this fun and playful block...and she was able to use lots of her soft, pretty florals. .

Judy and Christine got these blocks finished since last month, and are working on a large Carpenter Wheel block that is the center of their quilt. They got many of the HST made last night, but still had a lot of work to do to complete their 27" blocks. I can't wait until next time to see them!

The Highlights sampler group meets tonight....they worked on their alternate block this past month so it will be interesting to see if they got them finished. 

This and that from class

Cindy's Beyond the Stars Sampler

 I started the week off with two sampler clubs Monday and Tuesday nights. It's always fun when quilters bring in finished tops from my classes to show off! Cindy made another version of the Beyond the Stars Sampler recently using her stash of frog fabrics. There are frogs in some of the centers of her blocks. She says this quilt is HERS!

Dianne's Lone Star

 Dianne is part of a group of quilters that meet on Tuesdays to sew and this is what I saw when I walked in to class Tues. night....she is ready for her set in corners! Those Lone Stars do make a splash!

Marilyn's Row by Row

 Monday night's Sampler Pick quilters are all working on different samplers and coincidentally, three of them had repeating blocks.  Marilyn got one of her three Lady of the Lake blocks finished.

Christine

 Two are working on the Carpenter Wheel Spin and have to make eight of these Half and Half blocks. Even though the block looks simple, we worked on some tips for matching up those HST to make straight lines.

Judy

Dorothy worked on cutting two blocks at once and didn't get either finished, but will have them finished by next time!

It's challenging for me to keep up with several different quilts being made at the same time, but it keeps things hopping and the students learn a lot from each other during these classes as they see what the others are working on.

Tuesday night's Highlights class went well. They worked on the Eccentric Star blocks, which is the alternate block for this quilt, so they have to make eight, They all got a good start but no one finished. That's ok as they have several months to get them done.

I quilted a couple more passes last night on Summer Fling, and am getting closer to the end. I'll try to work on it a bit tonight too. 

Sewing with friends...and other catching up

 I can’t believe that I have been MIA for a week. It’s been a busy, but enjoyable week of work, classes and family.

 I spent last Sat. sewing with a couple of friends. Dianne worked on her Turning Cartwheels quilt…it is looking so good. She just needs to decide on a final border.  I saw her again on Tuesday night for Sampler Club and she had started on the pieced backing.  I love her floral fabric!

 I worked on some samples for my demo tomorrow at Cut UP and Quilt last Sat. and then finished all of the blocks for the new sampler (as yet unnamed). I spent Sunday sewing the blocks together. I auditioned several fabrics for the borders, and have decided on the two in the picture. Now to get them on!

 Both Sampler Clubs went well and here are pictures from both nights of classes. It’s fun to put the blocks on the design wall and get a preview of how the quilts will look. The students are not making the same quilts. Some are and some chose to make a different quilt design. That’s why there are so many different blocks from only 2 clubs. So it’s fun and busy for me!

 My daughter and I spent the yesterday with family in my hometown, so it was a wonderful Thanksgiving. I haven't decided if I am going to go shopping or stay home and sew. I would love to get the borders sewn on the new sampler so sewing might win out! Are you shopping today?

Lots of class lovelies!

Part of the fun of teaching classes is when someone brings in a finished top to show. George finished his Carpenter Wheel Spin Sampler and showed me pix of it at the quilt show last weekend. (He also emailed it to me!) I love the richness of the colors and his piecing is wonderful.

I have been meeting with an old friend, Kate, for the past few weeks. She wanted to learn how to make a quilt and was here on vacation, so she started with the Cobblestone Path a few weeks ago.  Last week we met to layer, pin and tie it.....

and Monday night she learned how to make and apply her binding. I love the vibrant colors and she is thrilled to be off on her quilting adventures. She is going to Italy soon for work and is already excited that she knows where to find fabric there.

The Ribbon Quartz Sampler club made a pp Crossed Canoes block during class this week. Paper piecing is usually a learning process for most but they did a great job. Deb's quilt is so sunny!

Marilyn had finished her large setting half square triangles, so we had fun placing them on the design wall with the blocks. Laura had been on vacation, and didn't have her blocks with her so she worked on a different quilt.

Tuesday night's Sunbonnet Sue Sampler club made the Lover's Knot block as well as getting the directions to start cutting and adding the sashings.

Marsha's happy block

This group has a great variety of color in their individual fabic choices. That always makes seeing the final quilts really interesting.

Kathy's rich reds and purples

Shirley's bright and playful florals

Nancy's happy blues and greens

Sunny 30s prints

Debbie's soft pastels

Deb's luscious earth tones

Deb finished her block in time to cut and start attaching her sashings.

It's been a busy week of classes and I have my Bookfair going on at school right now too. So part of each day I have the library open for book checkouts and part of each day I have just the Bookfair open for student purchases. It's been going well and tonight is the Family Bingo Night with the Bookfair open as well.

Voting is still open for viewer's choice at SewCalGal's Red and White Challenge: Show IT a virtual quilt show featuring red and white quilts that quilters designed and made. Go take a look at the eye candy! To vote, you put your curser over the quilt link you like, and click on the gray heart. When it turns red, you have voted!