Merry Christmas Eve - It's a Heat Wave!

All along the east coast of the United States, the temperatures are uncharacteristically warm for December 24,2015.

66 degrees at 4:50 PM when the average temperature is about 40 degrees at the warmest part of the day!

Oh well, we know it won't last, so we might as well enjoy it!

I have been busy the last few days shopping, decorating, wrapping gifts and working on a mystery quilt.  So I apologize for the lack of quilty related photos and posts.  But since that work is essentially finished, the quilt related posts will begin again shortly.

I wish you all the best holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and peace to all in the world.

Until next time, 

Louise on the island

December 12 2015 Update!

 The temperatures continue to be unseasonable. 

 63 degrees at 3 PM on December 12, who would have thought this would be the case?

Downstairs sewing projects...

Four blocks completed of the needed 20.  Slow going on these today.  I think the weather has slowed my brain!

The in between leader and ender project...

These triangles will eventually be " Anita's Arrowheads" and are an adaptation of a Craftsy class and a guild class taught by Anita Solomon.  I am using triangles instead of ten inch squares, but the technique is the same as is the resulting block.  

Fun to do!

And the upstairs projects...

Thirties spools utilizing "Toy Chest Conversationals" by the Washington Street Studios, a division of P and B Textiles and a downloadable pattern by Stacey Day found on the P and B website.

In between the spool blocks, I am piecing these blocks utilizing a line of fabric by Sandy Gervais which is by Moda and found at the shop, Piecing with Poppers Quilting Center.

I stack the block groupings on smaller pieces of cardboard that I have collected over the years. Thís way I don't get bored making one block over and over.  I do get them done even though this method might take a bit longer to get the blocks finished. But then I have the blocks for two quilts finished!

Finally, I need to wrap gifts but who wants to cover up this tree skirt?  

Every year I wish I could keep it out a bit longer since the season is soo short!  But I will enjoy it as long as I can and put the presents on it at the last minute!

Enjoy your Saturday!

December 11 and 61 degrees and Sewing with Black Thread

As the title of this post says, it is December 11 and 61 degrees this afternoon. Very unusual for December, don't you agree?

Often, on this the day before my sister's birthday, we are running around in heavy coats doing our Christmas shopping and squeezing in a birthday gift for her and my hubby (whose birthday comes at the end of the month).  Sometimes even dodging snow! But not this year!  I am enjoying it while it lasts because we all know that suddenly it will be cold and snowy and 61 degrees will be a fond memory.

Now on to the sewing projects...

There was black in the bobbin, so of course, black projects needed to be sewn today.

Yes, there is a bit of red in honor of the season!

The finished top did not take too long since it was "webbed" in an earlier sewing session.

This next top is an oldie which rose to the top of the UFO stash in a recent reorganizing session.

Only the final borders needed to be applied.  So the two tops were finished today.

Bug bottles!  You remember this pattern, don't you?

I can't remember why I chose the blacks for this project. But it is now complete.  I am not going to second guess myself.  It is time to move this to the long arm quilter and get it to be a completely finished wall hanging.

And finally Carol's project..

A table runner destined to be a gift.  We used a decorative stitch which was found on Mary's Pfaff to complete the binding.  I love using this particular stitch.  It makes for a nice, quick binding finish.

Well that is all for today. The temperature is supposed to continue to be well above normal for this time of year.  Try to get outside and enjoy it while you can!

New Month, a New Calendar and a New Event

Over on the calendar page of this blog, you will find the December Calendar of Events.  I usually only post the classes for the month and the local guild meetings.

But in December you will notice my Second Annual Inventory Reduction Sale will be held on Saturday, December 5 from 10 AM to 3 PM in the Classroom at the Piecing with Poppers Quilting Center, 74 Nooseneck Hill Road in West Greenwich, RI.  For the interstate travelers, take exit 6 off I 95 and head towards Coventry.  The shop is on your right in the Plaza after the gas station on the right side.

There will be lots of handmade items for sale and I do mean sale!

I have had a productive year so there are lots of completed quilts in my studio space. So may items that the space has become more of a storage space, rather than a working studio space.  I would love to show you a photo but it is so cluttered that I cringe every time I see it, so there is no way a photo is going on the internet for all to see for what could be eternity!

But I will show you a few examples of what you may find in the classroom on sale day.

 

 

You probably won't see any of my "Bonnie Hunter" quilts, with maybe the exception of these two.  These were scrappy quilts that don't hold any emotional significance and can fairly easily be made again with MORE scraps.

 

 

But then again we will see how the spirit moves me that day in regards to these.

 

I hope you stop by to see what is being offered. 

If you are out of state and interested in anything, please email me or comment on this page and I will get back to you to discuss details.

 

Have a great weekend!

Busy Monday Night

Open Sew on Monday nights is usually a very busy time.

I am posting pictures of what the quilters were doing last night.

Hope you enjoy the show!

Roxanne has almost finished her quilt top. Last night she was adding wide borders in a lovely complementary yellow and green printed fabric.

Marie was quilting her table runner made from a "Gooseberry" charm pack that she purchased in the shop, Piecing With Poppers Quilting Center. The accent strip is a "Moda Marble" that she purchased next door in the shop.  However her backing is "Gooseberry" yardage that she purchased on line. I think it is another gift for a lucky family member!

Dottie is assembling the rows on her transportation quilt.  She is almost finished with this top!

Mary is using this football themed fabric to construct a table runner with 60 degree diamond wedges at the ends.  I hope to post a picture when it is complete.

Cindy is working on another block for the 2015 "Designer Mystery Quilt" from the Fat Quarter Shop. No, it is not paper pieced!

I assembled these 25 blocks into a top last night.  Today I have been working on the border.  I have some split 9 patch blocks that should work very nicely once I get the math figured out.  Look for a photo of this finished top in the near future.

A busy night last night!  Good progress made with all projects brought to class.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

Photos from the Shop and Classroom

Keeping you up to date on student work...

Lisa's latest blocks from "Farm Girl Vintage".  Her goal is twenty blocks in total. I think she is getting close.

Pauline's Poppers Table Runner with machine appliquéd flowers in the middle of each block.

Close ups of Pauline's grandmother's quilt.  It has a backing of feed sacks and you can still see some of the writing on the fabric on the back.  (Sorry no photos of the back!) All hand pieced. The quilt has no batting and is very heavy.  Pauline's grandparents were married in 1920 and she believes the quilt was made that year.  That puts this quilt at 95 years old!  It has held up quite well with only a few faded spots on it that I could see. A treasure for sure!

Sharon's finished log cabin top.  Her first quilt! Awesome Sharon!

Fun show and tell last night at the meeting.  Too bad I forgot to take more pictures!! I was mesmerized at the wonderful work we were shown by all who were there.  I will pay more attention to taking photos next month!

Have a great Friday, November 13th!

Photos from the Classroom

In keeping with a tradition of sorts, I am posting classroom photos of student work.  Sometimes a picture of a top I have completed will also be shown.

Enjoy!

Roxanne's "Fruit and Veggie" tablerunner, above and below.

Roxanne's tablerunner in blues, a gift for a lucky relative !

Sharon's log cabin top is her first quilt.  Didn't she do a great job!

Cindy's "X's and O's" was recently completed in a Monday night open sew. Another quilt checked off her UFO list.

My blue and yellow "Bricks and Stepping Stones", a Bonnie Hunter pattern, made much bigger, of course!

That's all for tonight.

Until next time...