The windows are open and Fall is in the air!

 I'm happy to have a few days of cool weather after the unseasonably warm end of Summer. I'm back in the studio most days and doing a lot more handwork on customer repairs. I just finished a long slog of hand embroidery on a wool camp blanket. The customer wanted it repaired, and then backed and quilted so it will last longer. The whole thing is made of 4X6 pieces of wool suiting samples. Nine were so bad, I had to replace them. (Fortunately, I have a big wool stash, and friends who will share what they have.)

All fixed and ready to go home

The original embroidery was done in two colors of red and an off white. I used the same colors to do the replacement embroidery with #8 Perle cotton. The binding is the same fabric as the backing, a soft brushed plaid.

Here is a good look at the back.

I have been working on some customer quilting, as well, and here are the ones finished this week.

This is a sweet bunny baby quilt. 

This swirly panto is a soft contrast to the angular piecing

Neutral backing

Next was this lovely pineapple quilt. The customer said it has been a flimsy for years. Her aunt made it, and the niece is having it quilted as a surprise.

It's a pretty big quilt. Won't it be pretty on someone's bed?!

I used a funky fan pattern for the quilting.

I also have this backing fabric. It is so soft and beautiful!

The color combination in this snowball and geese quilt make it a cheerful project.

This panto, Ikat, is true to the modern vibe of the quilt.

The pieced backing keeps the theme going.

I like the disappearing four patch with sashing! At first, I didn't see that it was that pattern! Very clever.

I used a swirly, paisley panto that echoed the pattern in the upper right corner o this patch.

Complimentary backing.

This week, I made the flimsy for the next longarm group challenge. The pattern was simple; four patches and focus fabric.

Here is my flimsy on the design wall

I chose ladylike fabrics for the project. The challenge is to quilt it any way we like for the heart to heart outreach group. I hope to get to it tomorrow.

Today, I was in Franklin, NC judging the county fair quilt entries. They had fifty six quilts, and they were all very pretty. Fortunately for me, I could give out two Grand Champion and two Reserve Champion ribbons. The four quilts seen on the table in the last photo are the winners. All were impeccably pieced and appliquéd, and had used the chosen fabrics perfectly. An inspiration to any quilter who sees them. The girls who helped with the judging got busy putting the quilts up before the fair opened at 1:00. I had a wonderful time with them.

This girl is a fairly new quilter and told me three of the quilt entries were hers...and she won two ribbons!

They don't have proper racks for the quilts, so hanging them is a challenge. These women did a great job.

Smaller quilts were hung together.

Large quilts were displayed along the back wall. The grand prize winners are on the table, ready to be hung.

In the family news, my grandson is excited to be employed by Sherwin Williams. He's posing for a selfie in his new logo polo.

He looks happy!

My sister-in-law (who was here in May, and who I went to the Grand Rapids show with) took part in a walk over the Macinac bridge. It is five miles across, and she and her friend made it in good spirits. We're all proud of her effort!

Here are a couple of images from Google showing the bridge and the walkers on the bridge. 10,000 people made the trek this year.

This is my SIL's picture

Here they are st the finish line

It began very early in the morning, as seen in the lovely pink sunrise!

Good job, girls!

After a long day os mountain driving and judging quilts, it is good to put my feet up and visit with my favorite girl! Until next time, be happy and keep quilting.

Laboring on Labor Day!

 Wow! It's been a while, but not too much happened. Just after I finished my whole cloth quilt, I drove to Wisconsin and visited my family and friends for a couple of weeks. It was a relaxing visit and a quilt show, to boot! Week two, I drove my brother, sister-in-law, and sister  to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the AQS show. The hotel was extraordinary, really old, and beautiful.(Although it had old plumbing and very little hot water) It was also attached to the venue! We never took the car out of the very expensive parking ramp. There were eating joints within easy walking distance, too. A lot of the show quilts were also in Paducah, which was a bummer, but we enjoyed all the guild exhibits and the vendors, making it worth the trip. I can't put all the pictures in this post, but can show you my favorites and some hotel pictures. Get a snack and a drink, go to the bathroom and settle in...there are loads of pictures.

Our view from the room.

One half of the front façade was covered with plants and flowers.

The other side had lovely pots of colorful plants and flowers.

The lobby had some shops and two restaurants.

Hotel (with flags) and street

The grand entrance to the older part of the hotel.

Balcony all around with a grand staircase in the center.

The Gerald and Betty Ford dining room.

Posing in the lobby.

Here is a photo of my purchases from the show. 

And now, the show!! I have a zillion pictures, but chose a sampling of what we saw.

The best of show was awesome. Japanese maker, so a thousand little pieces to explore. The quilt was made with vignettes with smaller bits sewn between to hold it all together. So fun to look at up close.

Bigger parts with small and smaller bits sewn between them. All hand stitched and quilted.

Just, Wow!

No huge crowds to jockey with, and nice, wide aisles.

This vendor stuck out among the rest. The most brilliantly colorful booth.

Quilt samples from the instructors showcasing all different techniques.

More vendors with exotic offerings.

There were many exhibits from guild challenges on display.

The SAQA  art quilts.

AND NOW! Things I liked best

Part of a progressive triptych challenge

here's looking at you

Oooo! The colors!

I love circles...

Awesome hand applique

The ceiling is woven!

Satisfying my monkey fetish

The transparency is wonderful

Looks like a photo!

Pieced!!

great use of color

Thread painting on steroids

I really like this piece.

Simple but exciting

More circle love

The color of her wrinkles caught my eye.

This quilt was huge! I love the flowers and the attention to the feathers.

The fabric choices are perfect

A more interesting temperature quilt treatment.

The quilting on this 'Grass' quilt is perfect!! Be sure to zoom in.

See what I mean? All hand done.

My viewer's choice: Try Tri  again, by Cheryl See of Missouri

Teeny tiny triangles with embroidery embellishments

 The tiny buttons were an added surprise

Japanese maker...of course. Just look at that edge finish!

English paper pieced. Loads of fussy cut pieces.

From the roaring twenties challenge.

The presidential quilts exhibit

More presidential quilts.

I like the construction method used here. Very clever.

Just too cute...

Wow! Perfect points. The flying geese sashing is a nice touch.

Another giant quilt of giant flowers. All raw edge applique, then washed to fray the edges.

I think it looks like a rustic millifiore.

Another temperature quilt using tumblers! 

A beautiful Janet Stone alphabet and sheep quilt.

Tribute to Kobe Bryant

Beautiful hexi quilt done in taupes. The applique and quilting were stunning.

More giant flowers!! I need to make one of these...

My sister (sitting at the left)) bought me the pattern for the bunny quilt. I have already been combing my stash for bunny clothes...

All good things must come to an end. The ride home was slowed by long stretches of road construction and traffic congestion, adding a new level of stress for the driver (me). I didn't go anywhere the next day. I needed a day out of the car. So far, I had driven over 1000 miles!!

There was a trip to DeForest to see my good friend and enjoy some reminiscing and down-time. We went to a supper club ( a Wisconsin staple, usually Mom and Pop with a bar and dining room) where I had my first brandy old fashion sweet drink, the beverage of choice for most Wisconsinites. It was yummy! No wonder people like them.

Libations for three thirsty gals.

Don't you love drinks with maraschino cherries?

My friend has two mild mannered cats that were happy to sit and listen to us chat and laugh.

Later in the week, my son and his family, my daughter and I went to Darien to put flowers on my parent's grave. I miss them. It's sobering to think I am one of the four  oldest of this branch of the Parker family tree. My grandparents, great uncles and aunts and my aunt are all buried here. Darien holds fond memories of all of them and my cousins, having Summer fun and holiday meals.

The drive home was peppered with stretches of construction and one really long detour through the cornfields of Illinois. I'm done traveling for a while and back to my quilting and repairing. This is the first finished repair. The customer was really pleased with the finished project. I re-sewed a whole lot of applique that had come loose or fell off. The edge needed help, too. 

It took a while to get things put away and cleaned up. My new cutting mat came from Martelli that I bought at the show, and is now gracing my cutting table top. Perfect to cut out a new quilt, and trim a couple of  ones I just finished.

A guild member made this quilt top from a Heart-to Heart kit and asked me if I would finish it. 

I quilted it with butterflies to compliment the focus fabric.

I just happened to have the same fabric in my stash to use for the backing!! It pays to have a huge stash.

Remember this? I finally sewed together my quilt-as-you-go project and got it bound and done!

The sashing doesn't always match up, but I'm over it. This is the back. Cool, huh?

I used this striped fabric for the binding. The label says "Never again" for the name. ha ha

I cut out and have started making blocks for my new quilt project. The fabrics are this year's Wisconsin shop-hop line. The pattern is supposed to look like athletic socks.

The guild had it's annual yard sale after a brief business meeting the day after I got home.

This was a huge sale with many participants. All the sellers did well and the members went home happy and with some new-old stuff. I bought 2 yards of fabric for $2 and a vintage quilt for $20!! I'll post a photo next time.

My friend Sarah uncovering her tables and getting ready to sell

I got my hair cut pretty short when I got home.

Penny was happy to have me back and made herself comfortable while I unpacked my suitcase.

She gets a haircut this week!

This is a one inch across piece of candy from a shop in Grand Rapids. My sister knows I like monkeys, so she got it for me. It looked too cute to eat, but I succumbed. Dark chocolate, after all...