Monday, March 31, 2008

Jill's Class On Saturday

First of all I'd like to thank the gals at Saturday's class that told me to go shopping at Dillard's in Stockton to look for a out fit for Natalie's wedding. I shopped yesterday and found the perfect out fit. I was well worth the money I paid.

Loved the workshop on Saturday.....Jill is a wonderful teacher. We had a full class and I learned so much and am more confident in my machine quilting.

Jill drew out how to quilt our designs. You really need to know which way to go so you don't go over the same spot.
Close up of the design I worked on.
Here is my beautiful pink batik that has the blue lines on it so I know where to quilt.
Eddie machine quilting on her green fabric....she's good. I need lots more practice.
Another shot of people working on their projects.
I really learned at this workshop and now need to practice....practice and more practice.

Counting down the day's till Natalie and Scott are married. Can't wait to get on that plane on Friday and fly to Las Vegas.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Last Night's Meeting

Last night's program at our meeting was Jill Schumache who is an award winning machine quilter. She does all her machine quilt on her sewing machine.....not a long arm. One of her prize willing quilts is shown below. I think she said it took her over 800 hours to quilt this beautiful quilt.

The quilting she does on a regular sewing machine is unbelievable......see the detail below. She spends hours and hours machine quilting her quilts.

Tomorrow I'm taking a machine quilting workshop from her.....I can't wait. I don't think I'll be able to quilt as well as she does but I just want to improve my machine quilting skills. For more pictures check out the Manteca Quilters web site.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Projects From Tuesday Sew

Tuesday night sew produced several interesting projects. Below is Carols snowman block for a quilt she working on that has a different snowman for each month of the year. I think this block is Christmas. She's hand blanket stitching around the snowman. Cool fabric.Here is a place mat project. Are they too beautiful to use? I wouldn't want anyone spilling on them.
The baby quilt below is made from a cute cowboy print.....its a take 5 quilt. Love the rope fabric used in the quilt and in the border.
Tonight is the Manteca Quilter membership meeting and on Saturday we are having a workshop....I will be improving my machine quilting skills. My favorite sewing machine is in the shop because where the foot pedal and electric cord attach to the machine has broken loose from the screws that attach it. The new part is only $25.00 but the labor to re wire and put the part in will cost at least $80.00. I hope to have my machine back next week.....if all goes well.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

New Project for Hailie

I started this tote bag last night. The bag is a birthday present for Hailie. I embroidered her name on a off white piece of muslin then added the fabric on each end of her name. I used a piece of batting to sew the strips of fabric to.

I'm going to take my sewing machine tongiht to Tuesday sew and finish sewing it up. Can't wait to see Hailie's face when I give her this bag with the rest of her birthday gift inside.

Picture of the finished bag tomorrow.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Wonderful Warm Easter

The weather was perfect for Easter.....it had to be way over 70 degrees. Had a good day with family and my sister made a wonderful brunch inside and then we sat outside and watched the boys find Easter eggs. See the boys below.
Flowers in my sisters back yard.
Left my sisters and went to Knights Ferry for the other side of the family Easter dinner. The river was high, this is the Stanislaus river and they were releasing water from the dams further up in the mountains.
Here is ms Ella squinting in the sun shine with her basket full of eggs.
This is where the Easter egg hunt was held.....the river is behind the tree....further back in this picture.
We sat on this deck and enjoyed the food and family. Everyone was talking about the wedding and how close it is.
I hope you all had as wonderful Easter as I had. No I didn't get any sewing done....too busy shopping on Saturday and getting stuff ready for the wedding.

Friday, March 21, 2008

Two Weeks From Tomorrow....

Two weeks from tomorrow I will be in Las Vegas getting ready for Natalie's wedding. Plans seem to be coming together....can't wait till April 5th is here.

Going to my sisters on Easter for brunch and to Ed and Christine's for the other side of the family....I'm going to be eating way too much.

I have several projects to sew on tomorrow.....hope I can get all I want to get done.....done. Will try and take pictures of my projects and Easter and post next week.

Everyone have a good Easter. Should be over 70 degrees on Sunday......YEA!!!!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Last Night's Tuesday Sew

Last night at our Tuesday night sew we had quite a few people. We were either cutting out fabric or hand sewing.
This is Amber who is a junior member of Manteca Quilters and she is working on a philanthropy quilt.. Here it is spread out on the table and Amber is tying it . Good job Amber.

See the close up of Amber's quilt.....love all the different fabric used in this quilt. Deb Pots does such a good job of making the kits we then sew together for philanthropy.

This picture shows the red fabric scraps I'm cutting for a new quilting project. The cutting goes fast when you are surrounded by quilting friends and talking and laughing together. Come join us on Tuesday night at Manteca library.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Getting Ready For The Wedding

Most of my weekend was spent getting ready for the wedding of my daughter. I did get some sewing done....but not much. Natalie and Scott are getting married in Las Vegas on April 5. The following weekend we are having a reception. Only about 16 people will be attending the wedding in Las Vegas and over 100 the reception. Below is a picture of the happy couple taken last week.

This wedding is coming together very fast and I will be glad when its all over and done with. Planning a wedding in a month and a half is very stressful.

I sewed on the mystery quilt and still have some strip sets to sew. Then all I need to do is press them and I'm ready for the next step next month.

Friday, March 14, 2008

More Quilts

Last night was my Oakdale Guild's membership meeting. The quilts below members showed off during show and tell. Marie from Quilters Cabin made this quilt in a Manteca workshop in January. Linda Ballard gave the workshop called Canine Stars. I really like the batiks Marie used and the way it turned out. The quilting really shows up and was done by Herd of Turtles. Marie has Linda coming to her shop in Oakdale to give the class.....give Marie a call if you'd like to take the class.

Here is a close up of the quilt......
The lady who showed this quilt took it as a class in Sonora......beautiful.
The same lady won this quilt in a raffle.....very nice Sunbonnet Sue....with smaller blocks.
The quilting is wonderful in this quilt. She said she has two granddaughters and now has to make this quilt for the second granddaughter.
I have all my strips cut out for the mystery quilt I'm doing and plan to sew them up this weekend. Then the first month sewing will be done.

Monday, March 10, 2008

I Hate Early Daylight Savings!

It takes me days to get use to the new time change. It was so dark this morning, I figured it was 2:00 am and not 6:00 am when my alarm went off this morning. Now I'm going to bed old time 9:00 pm...new time 10:00 pm and my body is not ready to go to sleep. I wish they'd (the powers that be) had left the date we change alone.


I took these pictures yesterday on a country road that I go up and down every day. This peach orchard is looking very pink and so on my way home I stopped and took a picture of it. When I stood close to the tree to take the close up I could hear the bee's buzzing.......lots of bee's in this orchard. In about 4 months there will be wonderful peaches hanging on these trees....can't wait.




Friday, March 07, 2008

Back to the Quilt Show

More pictures from the quilt show. Here is one of the wall hangings hung on the wall. Sandra M designed this one......I really like the way it turned out.

A cow quilt with a red ribbon.....so cool.


Bears for our class with Sue.
Here is a close up of one of the beautiful doll in the doll show.
This picture shows many of the dolls in the show.
Donna's beautiful watermelon 9 patch pizazz......I really like all the colors.
The weekend is almost here and I hope to get some work done.....quilts to cut out and maybe get some sewing done on them.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Part One....Mystery Quilt

The March shop hop started yesterday and I stopped at Quilters Cabin in Oakdale on my way home. Marie has started a mystery quilt this month and I picked up the first months instructions. But first I had to pick out some fabric.....and you all know I love batik's. So I picked these fabrics...not my usual color range....I want to make a different colored quilt. I needed three fabrics....dark, med and light. So we shall see what I can make from the brown and green batik fabric below.

More pictures from the quilt show tomorrow.....we all needed a break.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

More From The Quilt Show

This wall quilt was way up on the wall......its hard to take a picture of it. This is a way cool quilt.

Close up of the cats.....don't you just love them.
Now we skip to the wearables part of the show......I really like this vest.
Here is a picture of the wearables in the center of the first room.
This is a beautiful jacket.
Another jacket.....
Lots of good jackets to take pictures of.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

2008 Manteca Quilt Show

More quilt show pictures......I love red and the red and black quilt below is so beautiful. Makes me want to pull out all my red fabric and make a new quilt.

I really like this quilt.....the fabric used in the border is so cool.
French braid what can I say.....I have the book and need to make a quilt like the two below.....really like the colors in Jan's version below.
The one is a different pattern in the book....love the pink color.
Mary Ann's black and white quilt....a nine patch pizzazz......
A turning twenty that I really like......maybe its the soft colors and fabric used in this quilt.