Row Quilt!



 

I have been wanting to make a row quilt for about a year, finally I have started one!

Here are the pictures of how far I have come on my quilt.

I have kites, butterfiles, baskets with flowers and blocks I love.

 

I will add at least 2 more rows, so this will be a big quilt (for me) with the borders.



If anyone is interested in any of my rows, just let me know and I'll get you the pattern.

 

One more thing tonight, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I am thankful for my family, home, country, church and many friends that make my life so full and happy.

I have not posted for a while because I have been out of town and busy working on fun new ideas. 

My first trip was to Houston, Quilt Market. It was a fast, fun trip. I was my friends and met new friends, along with fabric, antique buttons, ribbons, and more.

The talented sisters of Pine Needles Quilt Shop were there with the darling new line that Sandy has designed with Riley Blake Fabrics. 

The Riley Blake Booth was full of inspiring ideas, patterns and fabric just across the isle from Pine Needles. The whole corner of the floor was full of the talented women from Utah!

My next trip was up to Deer Valley last weekend with the Quilt Retreat by Quilt, Etc. Quilt Store. We got to spend 3 days at the Chateaux at Silver Springs. I left Friday morning and drove up to the top of Deer Valley in the snow. It was just like a Christmas Card with the snow and lights on the trees. Some of us had a hard time driving up with all of the snow, but we all made it safely.

This is the 2nd year I was able to go, and for me it is different to sew a mystery quilt. I all ways like to know just what I am putting together, but i finished my top and I have a fun Christmas quilt for the season.

Here are a few of my room mates as we go down to the Pajama Party. Boy the hotel robes are made for Big people!

  Connie sat across from me at the table and finished her quilt the same day she started! 

It was a wonderful get a way and after the snow slowed down Sunday morning I drove home ready to start a new project, to finish a few I have started.

A few I have started are a Row Quilt with kites, butterflies, flowers and more. I will  post pictures next. I am also working on a wool project from wool I was able to buy at Quilt Market.

Enjoy the snow, it's perfect weather to quilt!

Good bye till next time!

 

Pumpkin Pillow

I designed this pillow for Mormon Handicraft for the fall Shop Hop. I will post the pattern for this pillow. It was easy and fun to put together.

 

 

Here is the pattern for the Pumpkins Pillow. Of you enlarge this page to fit the normal 8 X 11 size paper you will have the correct pattern size. If you need help for want me to email you the pattern, just leave me a comment and I will send did off to you.

 

Sorry for the delay in the pattern, I never know when my computer will work the way I want it to work.

 

Happy Stitching!!

 

This has been the year of the Snapdragons at our house. We have been surprised to find out that the flowers have popped up all over our yard. Some have grown in our rocks, pots, and all over the flower beds. I hope it happens again next year.

I hate the end of the summer when the flowers start to freeze, I leave them until the last day I can.

I went to a wonderful flea market a couple of weeks ago. The weather was warm and wonderful, and the booths were filled with great finds. Next time we need to go early!!



 

I found ribbons, antique buttons on wonderful cards, a small creamer and vintage wall paper.

 

Last night I went to the Antique Show here in SLC. I found some small things that I love!
A little black & white bunny, a small creamer that has a darling face - that mean 2 of my favorite things in one, a printed linen chair seat, and a new Halloween Cat!
I could have gotten more but we ran out of time and I could not go back to the booths I had been wanting to visit again.

Now I need to find the best place to show off my new treasures!




 Now that summer is over I have been able to finish the projects I showed you before - my inchworm quilt and the Christmas Stitches. I don't have pictures yet of them completed because they had to be at the Mormon Handicraft store for their Open House. I will post them as soon as I get them back.

 

Just before I had to finish my projects I was able to spent some time at the "Happiest Place on Earth"

We were surrounded by "Genies", talking Mice, and our course a huge black dragon.

Where else can you find all of these in one place?

Disneyland!

 

My husband had meetings there with his clients and we were able to watch the fireworks from our room for 13 nights!

Wow, what a place to make time stand still.

 

 

Our kids came down for a couple of days after all of the meetings were over. It is so fun to see Disneyland through the eyes of a child.

Our 4 year old grand daughter loved the Princesses, but did not like the Monsters,Inc ride.

Our 1 1/2 year old grand daughter loved it all, even though she did not know what was going on most of the time.

 

The best part of the whole trip was our afternoon at the beach building sand castles and playing in the ocean.

 

Back to work and trying to put a little of the magic imagination in to my own projects.

I'll update you soon, something with pumpkins.....



Our family just came home from a wonderful trip to Sun Valley. What a difference spending time out doors in a beautiful valley can do to your mind and body! We went bike riding, swimming, walking and sitting in the sun.

Now my ideas are endless! Maybe I can catch up on some of the quilts I have been putting off .

How about a Grandma's Garden with the 1 1/2 inch hexagons! or a Christmas quilt with stitched blocks - I drew my own ideas.

And I think I have found a new mascot for my name - Little Bird.

       We were lucky to be albe to stay at a house with this amazing swimming pool with a view of Bald Mountain in the distance.

 One of my new ideas

                                                           My new friend - Little Bird

                                    Darlene Zimmerman gave me a new ruler for a contest with the Salt Lake Quilt Guild (I hope I got the name right) . This is part of my ideas for a different use of the dresden plate ruler.    

                                   

                                                                         

I'll let you know how things progress, and some pictures of the process.

Good Bye for now!



Hi, today has been eventful! Not for the quilts I should be working on, but for a little critter like this one. We have Squirrels in our attic. One found his way down into the walls of our basement and he could not get out. I found out that the place he was trying to get out of was just a cover, not an outlet. I unscrewed the cover and out pops a  squirrel. Great! Just one problem he runs the wrong way. Not toward the open garage door and out to the yard, but into my mess of a fabric, paint, what ever room. I found him up on top of one of my book cases, hiding behind what ever I have stored up there.

Some way I got him out of that room and back into the family room, I don't think I was lucky enough to have him run out of the open door, but I have not heard him yet.

All afternoon I have been waiting to hear him, I hope he went out, but I'll be waiting to hear from him all night. Wish me luck!

Market Update

Yesterday I cried on your shoulders, today I want to tell you about the fun part of Market.

I had a great trip with my good friend Tina Conners, she was patience enough to follow me around the floor after she had been there 2 days before. I was able to visit some of my friends I have made through the years.

Some of the friends I got to see where:

Karen Bennett from Nellie's Needles, she has fun quilts, bags and aprons.

I love spending time with Karen.www.nelliesneedlequiltpattern.com

Alma and Barbara from Blackbird Designs, I met them the first time I went to Market in Minneapolis. They are warm, gracious and talented. I have loved their designs from the beginning.www.blackbird-designs.blogspot.com

Jill Finley from Jillily Studios. Jill has beautiful patterns and fabric, as you know, she is as beautiful and warm as are her patterns.www.jillilystudio.blogspot.com

Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup, I have enjoyed her patterns and fabric for a long time.
she has a new quilt made of wool, it is wonderful. (Wool is my new passion, I'll tell you more later.)www.quiltsoup.com

This post is going longer than I wanted, so I'll just tell you about a fabric time coming soon that I will buy as soon as it hits the stores.

Pam Kitty Love from Lakehouse.www.lakehousedrygoods.com

I'll write more about Market next time, Bye

Spring Things

Spring Market

Yes, I did go to Spring Market in Kansas City, MO.

I did not have a booth this time because I had a 1 year birthday party for my youngest grand daughter and the 1st dance program for my 4 year old grand daughter, both that same week as Market. I could not miss either of those events.

What is more important than our families!

Grace was born the day after Market last year and she is the most darling baby ever! Of course I know all of our babies are the most darling, but she is the most darling, along with her big sister.

Enough about my girls, I did leave a little late for Market, I missed Sample Spree and the 1st day, but I was there for a little while on Saturday and all day Sunday.   I left home at 5:30 am to catch the plane to Denver. We arrived at 8:50. I ran to the next gate, blisters to show my effort. Just to find out that our plane had been delayed until 12:04!                           

12:04 now I was going to miss 2 1/2 hour of Market! They said that the crew needed to sleep. Why did they not figure that out before our flight?

We finally made it to Kansas City. I thought I was doing well to get to the car rental counter in record time!

Did you know that they will not rent you a car is your driver's licence has expired? I did not realize my licence was expired.

All of my plans to go and visit the Quilt Shop around Kansas City - not going to happen this time.

                                   This is what my day looked like -
And did you know that the taxi cab ride from the Airport to downtown Kansas City is $46.00?

Enough of my problems - I made it and met my friend, Tina, and was able to see the friends and wonderful surprises at Market

Historic Fountain  at the Country Club Plaza

Tina

So many beautiful things to see at the Plaza



Art Nov. buildings all through the Plaza

The last problem I had at Market was that I was in such a hurry that I did not get pictures of my friends and finds. I'll see what I can do about that for the next time.

Bye for now!

It's a new week and I am at home with out any plans or appointments!

 I had a busy week, and it does feel good to sit and think about new quilts, knitting, or painting.

I attended a seminar in SLC to  paint two wonderful pieces designed by

Michele Walton.

If you know who she is, you know she is amazing.

Mine are not completed yet, but I hope someday I will finish them to my husbands delight!

Our seminar was in downtown Salt Lake City, during the time we were painting something exciting was happening across the street.

The new City Creek Mall has just opened. We have not had a downtown for years. If any of you came here for Quilt Market last year, you know that there was construction going on across the street from the convention center. It is open now and it is very nice. We have water fountains, a water fall, beautiful landscaping and more.

So, if you come to visit our city, plan to at least walk through our new city center, you will see how nice it is.

 Our Projects from the seminar

I have some new quilt ideas coming - butterflies maybe. I'll let you know as soon as I have something to show you.



Hot Pad

I was given the challenge to make a quick and easy Hot Pad. This is what I came up with and wanted to share it with you.

If you would like to make one out of your with you own fabrics, here are the instructions.

Hexagon Flower Pot Holder by Laurie Bird     

Supplies:

2 - 8 ½ inch squares of fabric

2 – fat quarters or scarps for appliquéd design on pot holder

2 – 8 ½ inch squares of batting

Thread to match

Basic sewing supplies

#10 straw needles

7 - 1 ½ inch Paper Pieces Hexagon templates

Cut 6 fabrics to fit the 1½ inch Paper Pieces templates. Sew on to templates,

          cut 1 more of the contrasting fabric for the center, and sew on to templates.

When the pieces are completed sew together to make the flower design.

(Take the templates out of the fabric as you sew them together)

Center the flower on the 8 ½ squares and appliquéd in place.

Layer the top and bottom pieces of the design with the 2 layers of batting in the

middle. Pin together and quilt the 4 together as desired.

Finish with the binding around the edges of the pot holder.

 

A New Year and New Adventures

Hi Everyone!

I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged. I have been busy going places, doing things and trying new ideas. 

Since the new year I have taken a cruise, taught at a wonderful retreat, and a road trip for a trunk show. I met and made some wonderful new friends.

I mentioned the cruise because when we got off of the ship in Nassau, the first sign we Here are a few saw was for a Quilt Show! Imagine going that far from home and finding a quilt show. 

We walked around the city and found the Quilt Show in the basement of a little old Church.

Here are a few of the quilts from the Quilt Show

I felt at home the minute I walked in  the building. Quilters are all the same, friendly, warm and welcoming, where ever we come from.