Category: http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post

http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · Tula Pink

Quilt Camp Part 1

renegadequilterLeave a comment
i left for quilt camp last Wednesday morning at 5:55. early for some but not for me. i had already been to work and done a couple of things. i didn’t want to come back to a big mess on my desk.  plus i was really ready to get away.  away from it all.  i love my family but i needed a break.  needed some me time with some great friends.  needed some laughter.
as i got closer to camp the weather changed from spring to winter.  i didn’t mater much to me.  my plans were for the inside not the outside.

however, i got to use 4-wheel drive.

got to Palouse Divide Lodge at 7:15.  very thankful that Lane and Shirley are early morning people.  they were not at all surprised to see us that early.  we quickly got to work arranging the tables and measuring to make sure that each person had the same amount of space.  quilters can be funny about things like that.

here is the room all set up and filled up.  some of the gals in this group own a quilt store so they brought part of their store with them.  a real bonus at quilt camp.  our group was small to what we normally have.  we had 21 this time and usually we are somewhere in the low 30’s.  having the extra space was nice and the noise level wasn’t too bad.

my first project was to get the bindings done on the 3 quilts that i had gotten back from the quilter.

i machine bind my quilts.  i think its stronger and i don’t have the hand strength to hand bind. 
this is my Bee Block quilt made with Make Life fabric from Sweatwater

second quilt to get bound.  a simple fat quarter pattern.

third and final quilt.  Nature’s Solitude is the fabric.

someone at camp wanted to take this one but it made it home safely with me.

i am getting them washed and then i will share some more pictures of them.
its a great feeling to have them done.

up next were 4 pillow cases to go with my Tula Pink Stacks quilt that has been shipped off to the quilter.

i am loving purple……..
i can hardly wait to get the quilt back and on my bed.

i then went to work on putting together my Bee Blocks.


i fussy cut the cornerstones.  i am really pleased with how it turned out.  not sure if i will keep this for myself or not…..

more quilt camp projects to come.

happy sewing

http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · projects

I’m Going To…….

renegadequilter4 Comments
QUILT CAMP!!!
yep – this coming Wednesday i head to quilt camp at Palouse Divide Lodge.  because of life last year i was not able to go this quilt camp.

i am sooooooo excited to be going.
i am sooooooo excited to be able to sew for 4+ days.
i am soooooooo excited just to get away for awhile.

i have been getting projects ready for camp.  i am a total quilt camp nerd when it comes to prepping for camp.  i like to have each project cut and in its own container ready to sew.  which is what i have been doing with my free time for the past week or so.

Kate Spain Verna fabric that has been well aged.  i had to do some pre-sewing of strips in order to get the blocks all cut out.  this quilt uses a rainbow template.  maybe that is why it has been sitting in my closet for so long….

my last bee block quilt top to get together.  i did some pre-sewing here as well.  i only had 11 blocks and needed 12.  duh….  i hadn’t made my own block.

Origins…..  need i say more.
its not the quilt on the cover its one inside the book that i am making.

drunkards path blocks that i pre-sewed as well.  i cut these awhile back (maybe 2 years ago) on a AccuQuilt fabric cutter.  it was a set of fat quarters. i have 180 blocks and my layout is random.  it might look like a hot mess when i am done or it might turn out just fine.

doing a simple pattern with this layer cake.

Bliss….  a pattern i came up with using a Moda Candy Bar.  fingers crossed it comes out ok mathematically.

a bag or two

another bag

and another bag

Halloween quilt

pillow cases to go with my Tula Pink Stacks quilt that is being shipped to the quilter shortly.

bindings to get put on 3 quilts.

i have a couple more projects that are almost ready to go.  i will post those as well.  i always take more projects to camp then i can get done but i like it.  it gives me options to choose from with regards to what i want to work on.

i have decided that getting ready to go to quilt camp is sort of like tailgating before a sporting event.  you tailgate so you can enjoy the game.  i prep for camp so i can enjoy camp.

happy sewing

ps – the end of February marks the end of 2012 for me.  the unhappy issue that start back in the middle of 2012 was resolved this month.  so on the eve of February 28th i will say goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013.  best part of all i will be at quilt camp doing what i love spending time with those that i love.

http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post

Resolutions & Words

renegadequilter1 Comment
i have given this some thought.
do i want to do resolutions this year or do i want to have a word for this year?
me being me thought… why not do both?
so, i am.
 
Ten Mile Beach Port Douglas Australia 

Resolutions

at the beginning of last year i made some resolutions.  i have decided that this year some of those resolutions will be carried forward into the new year.
 
1. to rise above the little things.
2. continue to live in the present. the past is just that. the past. the future is unknown so why spend time worrying about the unknown. it will be what it is.
3. spend my energy on the things that i can control
4. live for myself. make choices for myself rather then based on someone else’s needs. i am not being selfish here. i just don’t want to live how certain people think i should live just to please them.
 
with all of the changes that the past few months have brought me i have decided to stick with these guidelines for 2013.  to do my best to remind myself of these when things get tough or when i am challenged by something.

Words

around blogland i have read several posts where people have picked a word for the year.  i have thought about what word i would pick.  one single word that would help guide me as i take on the new year one day at a time.  several have crossed my mind and i have weeded through them.  i am not able to settle on just one single word, so i am going with two words.
 
change & authentic
 
i know that over the next several months there will be a multitude of changes in my life.  a lot of them are unknown at this time but i know that i need to be open to change.  willing to let things unfold and be able to face the upcoming changes with my best self that i can be.  which leads me to my second word.  authentic.  remaining true to who i am is at the core of it.  keeping the four resolutions listed above in mind will help me to stay authentic to myself and to others.
 
so there you have it.  no HUGE sewing “to do” list for me this year.  i think that my life “to do” list will end up writing itself as each day passes.
 
one small side note:  in my world (inside my head) i am still in 2012.  i want to start the new year off right with a fresh outlook and the feeling of newness.  however, there is an unresolved issue from 2012 that is still hanging around.  sort of like gum that you can’t get off the bottom of your shoe.  i hope that it will be wrapped up in February.  so 2012 will have 14 months in it and 2013 will only have 10.  i plan on having a New Years Eve party on February 28th to ring in the New Year and i will be at quilt camp on that date – what a great place to be to celebrate the end of an extremely hard year and the beginning of a new one.  surrounded by friends and fellow quilters.
 
happy sewing
 

http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · projects

Some Bee Blocks

renegadequilter1 Comment
i have been sewing some Bee blocks.
 
this is a fun one that i did for Charlene
a great way to feature a design in the fabric that you like.
 

this block was fun to make as well.  it took me a bit to get it right in my head.  making sure that i didn’t mix up any of the fabric placement.  i hope that Robyn likes them.

 
i made these two blocks for Sara.  i think i read the instructions about 5 times.  but i got them done.  the blocks are a mirror image of each other.

 
i like making bee blocks.  its fun sewing with fabric that are different from my style and its also challenging at times which expands my skill level.

 
these two blocks are for a project that i am helping with.  all applique.  yes the icky word that i am not a huge fan of in the world of quilting.  i can do it but its not my first choice.
 
so tell me.  are you a fan of applique? 
 
happy sewing

http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · Tula Pink

Weekend with Tula Pink part 2

renegadequilter4 Comments
its been a month since my last post.
gesh.
i am not doing a good job at getting back to blogging.  i need to give myself a time out.  lol.  a time out with my sewing machine.
maybe that is not the best answer.  i think i have been in a time out since July.  i need to get off my butt and get back in the game.

so back in July when i took the class from Miss Pink i did some shopping at Stash the quilt shop that hosted the class in Walla Walla.

here are the goodies that i got.

a jelly roll of Salt Air along with some yardage.  i plan on making the Strip Search pattern with this.  

i also picked up some Night Shade while i was there.  just some fat quarters.  i have been cutting and sewing these.  sort of a design as you go quilt.

i got the tree pattern in laminate from The Birds and The Bees line of Tula’s.  i am going to make a bag with it and the funky stripe for the lining of the bag.

i picked up some yardage of voile while i was there of these two print.  they will become pillow cases to go with my quilt.

i added two boarders to my Stacks quilt because i wanted it large enough for my bed.

i am going to use the funky stripe above as the binding.  i need to get it ready to be sent off to the quilter.  no way am i quilting this one.

i will try to get my next post done sooner rather then later.  it will be part 3 of this weekend with Tula.  she did a lecture on Saturday evening.  it was amazing.  but what else would you expect from her.

any words of encouragement that you have to share to keep me going would be greatly appreciated.  i would like to think that there are other people out in the world who have been stuck in time while the world continues to go on.

happy sewing
http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · Tula Pink

Weekend with Tula Pink part 1

renegadequilter3 Comments
a weekend with Tula Pink……
in 2011 at Sisters i took a class from Tula Pink. it was one of the best trip i had to Sisters. we did Tula’s Cartwheel quilt in that class. so when i saw that Miss Pink was going to be near me this year it was an easy answer if i was going or not. pretty much nothing stood in the way of me taking another class from her.

the whole weekend (back in July) was put together by Stash which is a super cool quilt shop in Walla Walla, WA. if i had a quilt shop mine would look and feel like Stash. its full of fabric, patterns, notions, pre-cuts and much much more. everywhere i looked there was something i wanted. more on that later.

they had their front windows completely decorated up with everything made from Tula’s fabric.  wall art, pillows, lamp shades, skirts and quilts.

Friday night was a meet and greet at Stash. Tula was there and she was signing books and chatting with all of us.  in talking with Tula we discovered that we both were staying at the same hotel.  so…. lucky me got to have breakfast with Tula.  i had a great time talking with her about various topics.  what you see in Tula’s fabrics is her – fun, bright, whimsical and all with a bit of an edge to it.
 
side note: in my world of sewing hanging out with Tula Pink is at the top of my list and i have had the great pleasure of doing it a few times now. 

 
the class was held at a local hotel in Walla Walla that is top notch.  the staff at Stash did a great job in getting the room set up and ready for a quilting class.  there was several ironing stations as well as design boards for us to put our blocks on as we finished them.
 
at each spot there was a goody bag full of all sorts of fun things.  my bag had jelly beans, 3 fat quarters, fun buttons, thread, a pattern, a discount coupon to Stash and a super cool Tula Pink coffee cozy made by the ladies from Stash. 

 
the quilt we worked on was Stacks from Tula’s book.  i picked her latest fabric collection to make the quilt out of and i picked the dark purple fabric for the background.

 
this was my view from my machine in the class room.  you can see the design walls lined up around the room.  i went to this class by myself but made a new quilting/blogland buddy.  Teresa who sat across from me.  she is a Tula fan just like me and even better she loves quilting and she is a long arm quilter as well.  Teresa blogs over at www.quiltingismybliss.blogspot.com – you all need to go and check her out.
 
once my Stacks quilt is done i am sending it to Teresa to have her add to the magic of the quilt with her stitches.  she has already done two Stacks quilts and they are both amazing.

 
so the day progressed and i had plans to take lots of pictures of the process of making the block.  however, Tula decided that there would be a prize for whoever had the most blocks done by the end of class.  the picture taking went by the wayside and the sewing took over.

 
there are a total of 20 blocks in this quilt.  i had a blast putting the blocks together.  Tula would come by and do a block count check every now and then.  good times were had.  when time was called i had 19 1/2 blocks done – one seam left to get to 20.  there was another gal who was about the same.  we each got a roll up of Tula’s The Birds and The Bees fabric.

 
i got all of my blocks put together in class.  once home i pressed them all.  sorted them out and sewed together the top.  i am adding boarders to the quilt to make it bigger.  once i get that done i will post pictures of it.  

 
                                                    the pictures are not the greatest but i love, love, love the purple setting fabric with these colorways from The Birds and The Bees.  i am normally a green girl but lately i seem to be having a love affair with purple in all of its various shades.
 

me and Tula after my sewing marathon.  Tula was wearing Bernina red that day since now she is a Bernina gal herself.

 
since i had some help with the marathon from my machine i thought it was only fitting that Tula gave it some love as well.
 
there will be a couple more posts to come about this trip.  i did some shopping at Stash and Tula did a lecture after the class.  she shared her design process as well as some of her quilts.
 
i know that i haven’t been posting regularly.  i am gradually getting back into it.  my life took a turn in July and has been a little out of sorts since then.  each day is a little better so i thank you for hanging in there with me.
 
happy sewing
http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · unsewing

A Picture Is Worth…..

renegadequilter1 Comment
unsewing.
i did this block a few weeks ago when i did my other bee block and i took pictures of both of them.  i was uploading those pictures to do a blog post when i looked at the picture below and discovered my error.

the bottom two outside corners are right.  however the top two outside corners are wrong.  i put the block together.  took the picture above and packaged it up to mail.  thankfully i hadn’t mailed the envelopes when i first uploaded this picture.  it was then that i caught my error.  i unsealed the envelope.  unsewed the block.  and……
like magic its all better.
repackaged up and off in the mail to the bee block member.
it always surprises me what you see when you take a picture of something and look at it on screen.  i have read various blog posts about doing this when laying out a quilt to see if something stands out or looks wonky in your layout.
lesson learned.  double check yourself to make sure you are getting the look you want and a picture is a great way of doing that.
happy sewing
http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · Tula Pink

Tula, Stash and Therapy

renegadequilter2 Comments
today is the day that I travel to Walla Walla – the town so nice they named it twice. hahaha. no I did not come up with that one.
you might be wondering what is in Walla Walla that would take me there.  well it would be none other then
that’s right.  Tula Pink is going to be there.  I know crazy right?  just a short 2 hour drive for me and I will be among greatness in the quilting world.
I stumbled upon this event/workshop awhile back when I was out on Facebook one day.  I totally freaked out.  how many towns are named Walla Walla?  I dug deeper, holding my breath and then I cheered.  its the Walla Walla in Washington.  I called Stash, the shop hosting the event right away and signed up.  I didn’t even know of this great little quilt shop so close to me.
since I wasn’t able to make it to Sisters this year this trip to Walla Walla sort of makes up for it.  I said ‘sort of’.

this evening is a meet and greet with Miss Pink herself as well as a book signing.  my book is already signed but I am taking a friends to have signed and I am sure I will be doing a bit of shopping as well.
tomorrow is the class with Tula.  we will be making her Stacks quilt from her book.  Stash did up kits for the quilt.  option one same fabric as the quilt in the book.  option two a combination of Nightshade and The Birds & The Bees.  hmmmmm.  me being me wanted to do the quilt out of just The Birds & The Bees.
so, I called Stash and they sent me fat quarters of the line.  I picked what I wanted to use for the quilt and went hunting for a background fabric.  I must confess I had a little help making the final choice.  thanks Tula – she is so cool like that.  those that know me know I am not a fan of setting things in light colored fabric.  so this is what i ended up with. 
i have my fabric all cut up and ready to go and my car is packed.  a little highway therapy.  a little retail therapy.  a little sewing therapy.  some time with Tula.  who could ask for anything more?
http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · Let's Bee Together

I’ve Bee Sewing

renegadequilter2 Comments
I have been back at my machine sewing.  getting caught up on some bee blocks.  this one dang near sent me over the edge.  after what seemed like a gazillions hst’s and some trimming.

a block began to form and take shape.
let’s just say this was a challenge for me.  I am always saying ‘make sure and read the directions’.  I read them.  I read them again.  and again.  maybe after about the 10th time through I was comfortable in sewing this together.  something about the color of the fabric and it being someone elses fabric had me on edge.
now that its done I love the block.  i think…….
thanks Bailey for letting me play with your fabric and for getting my brain back into the sewing world.
H2H · http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post · quilting

Misc Stuff

renegadequilterLeave a comment
i haven’t been up to much in sewing land.  i am getting ready to tackle my next quilt for quilting.  i think 4 more left to go after this one.  i think.  although i try and not to think about it too much.

i plan on spending sometime this weekend with this quilt.
i did have some happy mail this week.  i got 16 fat quarters in the mail of Flea Market Fancy that i won from the H2H Challenge that i did.  the fabric came from Miki who blogs over at mikisquilts – thanks for the fabric i have been wanting some of this for awhile now.

last week i got these two blocks in the mail for my bee block group.  they came from Charlene and Christina.  thanks ladies.
happy sewing