Taking it Slow

After feeling like a truck ran me over, ( not that I really know how that feels since I have never been run over by a truck ) I have been taking it relatively slow the past few days.

An hour of sewing here, and hour of cutting there and binding in between.

It is all happening, but at a relatively much slower pace than at what I usually operate.

Can't say I don't like it. But it still doesn't feel right.

But anyway, here are the projects currently taking up my time in this slower paced lifestyle.

Six out of twenty "Sister's Choice" blocks finished for a 62" x 82" "Hoppin' Stars" quilt purchased from Cobblestone Quilts in Townsend Massachusetts during the Schoolhouse Shop Hop last year.

Five out of twenty blocks for the 59" x 72" "Autumn Stars" quilt. I purchased this kit awhile ago from the Missouri Star Quilt Company.

Purple and yellow four patches for a purple and pink "Bricks and Stepping Stones" quilt, a Bonnie Hunter pattern found on her blog under the free patterns tab.

Finally, more chevrons for the king sized "Celtic Solstice" quilt that just seems to go on and on.

I have many more sewing projects in my head that could be added to the mix, but I think these four are enough for now.

Oh yes, I forgot. "Garlic Knots" blocks that get made in between the chevrons when I am at Open Sew at the shop. That would make five if I did them at home, but so far I have resisted.

Going slow, one block at a time, sewing no more than 45 minutes to an hour at a time.

It is tough, but still doable, this going slow business.

But I am thankful that going slow is still an option.

Louise, on the island practicing her turtle moves.

Newly Completed!

An update on some newly completed quilts!

You may have seen them partially completed in earlier posts as I often cannot wait to share them with you in their incomplete status.

But here are the completed ones!

Rain Stick - still can't figure out why the name, but here it is.

Next up is "Fireworks", another pattern from a Fons and Porter publication.

And on we go with sewing and quilting.  

Louise from the island, recapping newly completed projects!

Monday at the Classroom

Just a short post to show student projects from Monday night's Open Sew.

Roxanne has worked on her "Starburst" quilt, a pattern she saw on a Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial.

It will be a nice size to gift a lucky family member!

Marie participated in a table runner making workshop I held this past Saturday at the classroom.  

She finished her border on Monday and then sandwiched her Tablerunner.  

Her plan is to quilt this during one of our next Open Sew sessions.

Today was a lovely day (sorry, no pictures) with clear skies and temperatures hovering around seventy.

Tomorrow is forecasted to be slightly warmer.  We hold on to these pleasant days of October and tuck their memories away to be re-examined and remembered next year in January. Can you believe that in three months from today it will be January and I will be packing for the Post Holiday Quilter's Retreat?!

Puts a slightly different perspective on things doesn't it?!!!

Louise, from the island waxing "nostalgic" and enjoying the weather!

Of All Things September

The month is almost ending and the posts have been non-existent.  

This is an attempt to correct that!

Marie's "Bourbon Street Bricks Quilt" from Jelly Roll Jambalaya Quilts by Jeane Ann Wright.

The colors are lovely and don't really show in the picture.  Sorry about that Marie!

Hexies!

I finally finished these pieced hexies.  Originally I began this project at a weekend in North Carolina with Bonnie Hunter and Mickey Dupre, called Collaboration Celebration.

The pieced blocks are also finished (a long time ago!).  Now only the border remains.  The book and pattern seem to be out of print, so I will skip that information.  Maybe the ladies will find another publisher and release it, but for now, it is a collector's item!

Dottie's wall hanging is now complete! We used M'Liss Rae Hawley's book, "Fat Quarter Quilts, Fabric Choices, Easy Piecing and Quilting Ideas", and her "Embroidered Windows" quilt as inspiration for this attic windows type of quilt.

Finally, I attended a retreat last week and sewed a top a day.  The blocks have been completed over the past few months and have been sitting and waiting for the right time to be assembled into tops.

These two still need borders.

But these two are complete!

This is called "Fireworks" and comes from a book that I cannot find right now! How terrible of me!

This is called "Rainstick" and is from one of the Fons and Porter publications.

Both use jelly rolls.  

Now they go to the long arm quilter!

Well, tomorrow sees the end of September. The weather has turned colder these past few days, but Hurricane Matthew is in the Caribbean being fed by warm breezes.

Autumn has officially begun and the summer of 2016 has departed. Not to be melancholy, but time does fly if you don't watch it and appreciate it. I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow, the last day of September 2016, even if it is cool and rainy!  It will be a great time to quilt!

Louise, on the island, wondering where September 2016 went! 

Ahhhh, Tablerunners!

I have been working on ideas for three hour workshops. Since most of my quilts tend to be rather large , it has been a struggle to think of projects that can be completed in a shorter class time frame. But, recently, it occurred to me - table runners! 

So off I went into the finished stash.

Here are the two projects that will be offered.

Charm pack squares table runner is on the right and the Seminole table runner is on the left.

The picture is of the two prior to bindings being attached and completed.

Below are the finished projects.

The original charm square table runner

A student's Seminole table runner on the design wall.

Check the workshops and lectures tab on the blog for more details. 

Contact me by email for more information and contracts.

Louise, on the island thinking about and planning workshops