Block Swaps with Friends

CHURN DASH blocks: This swap was hosted by Barb Vedder of Fun With Barb.
There was a time limit on this swap,approximately 8 weeks to complete and mail off your 6 1/2" churn dash blocks. (they finish at 6")
The Reproduction fabric group each made 66 churn dash blocks to send off to Barb for swapping. When my swapped blocks arrived - I couldn't believe it - there were no fabric duplicates. How cool is that?

I love Barb's block swaps!
Her directions are very clear, her tutorials are fabulous and her swaps are FUN!

FRIENDSHIP STAR blocks: This is an ongoing swap I am involved in with a group of quilting friends. We've agreed for now to swap blocks each month for 1 year. This is the start of what the blocks will become.

The blocks are only 3 1/2" and will finish at 3" square once sewn into a quilt.
After swapping, we trim the corners and add our background fabric triangles to create the 4 corners.

This is NOT the method used in the pattern instructions, but works for our group because we are all using different background colors.

The Quilt we are making is a pattern design titled Among Friends by Primitive Gatherings.

I've already collected 56 blocks from our monthly exchange.
It sounds like a lot, but the quilt design requires more than 500 of these little stars. This will be a long term project for sure.

every quilt tells a story...

Quilt Museum visit

Day 3 of their visit - Petra, Judith, Laurie, Patti & I headed off to the VA Quilt Museum. It was a blustery cold day with just a few snowflakes teasing the sky.

We immediately warmed up once we were all inside.
Gloria Comstock (the Museum's curator) was happy to take Petra & Judith on a behind the scenes tour of the Archives room and explain how each quilt is carefully processed and documented.

A very special quilt had just arrived... created by a cousin of Abraham Lincoln.
Would we like to take a peak at it resting downstairs in the vault?
Why yes of course we certainly would!
And Petra was even allowed to photograph the quilt.

Off to lunch and a visit to Patchwork Plus quilt shop.

Petra purchased some fat quarters of 1800's reproduction fabrics.
As soon as we arrived back home she began mixing them into her own collection of Dutch fabrics. She said "these will make for a wonderful scrappy quilt" and knowing Petra's work, I have no doubt it will be gorgeous!

It was a very exciting day!

A Special Week with Petra Prins and Judith Ebbelaar

I had been waiting for months in great anticipation for the day to arrive.
Petra Prins and Judith Ebbelaar coming to Virginia for a special visit.
Their plan was to come to America on a 2 week vacation to catch up with friends and visit a few interesting places along the way. How very fortunate I was to be along the first stop on their Journey.

Petra agreed to provide 2 workshops while here in the States ... one here in Northern Virginia and another one later in the week at Mary's Quilt Shop in PA. The pictures I'm sharing today are from the workshop here in VA.

It was a very special Dutch Workshop with Petra Prins. The day was wonderful, a sold out venue of 30 students gathered in a large room to see all the gorgeous quilts and fabric designed by Petra Prins . Here we begin setting up for the day.

The technique that Petra & Judith demonstrated for us was hand piecing curved shapes. We worked on the center block of Petra's quilt pattern/design titled "Sisters". A gorgeous floral center with lots of curved shapes to practice our stitches.

Here is the gorgeous quilt:

We were all so excited to make our blocks using the gorgeous Dutch fabrics designed by Petra. And also very grateful that Petra & Judith provided books, fabric and quilt kits for us to purchase.

Each student received a beautiful tote bag as a gift for attendance with Petra's signature on it.

It was a day that we will always remember fondly.

I look forward to sharing more pictures of our time together in my next post.

every quilt tells a story....

My quilting lately has been a bit Scattered

This Autumn has started off quite unusual. Although the leaves are pretty, the weather has been warm and inconsistent of normal temperatures. My quilting activities over the past month or so have mirrored this same inconsistency.
Like scattered leaves - it's been all over the place.

Blocks 19 & 20 of the Stonefields quilts, the block is called "the Oscillator".
I have my own affectinate names for the themes I've chosen:

COWBOY ROUNDUP

ALICE & the LOOKING GLASS:

My most recent Dutch Treat blocks:

DOLPHINS

SPADES

KING ARTHUR

I've joined a few of my friends in beginning a new EPP BOM program by Sue Daley called Round We Go. Only I have decided to machine piece my blocks rather English Paper Piece them. I already have WAY too much hand stitching in my current project pile. Here are my 1st set of blocks:

For the next 6 weeks however, it will be time to reel in my sewing activities.
I am focusing full time on the task of hand quilting all of my SVBAQ blocks.

My quilted blocks are starting to pile up but I still have a ways to go before I'm finished. I want my quilt ready in time for the submission date of entries for the Botanical Exhibit the Virginia Quilt Museum will be hosting this upcoming Spring. You can learn more about the exhibit HERE.

Are you currently focusing on a special project?
I'd love hear what you're working on!

every quilt tells a story.....

QU Fall Event featuring David Taylor

David Taylor is an award winning Quilt artist specializing in portrait quilts. Quilters Unlimited of Northern VA was honored to have David as our Fall Event 2017 Lecture Presentor on Thursday October 19th. Seeing his work up close was awe inspiring. His talent - like his personality, is truly captivating!

David Taylor's Lecture was very engaging. I heard quite a bit of related laughter from the audience as David spoke of his fabric obsession. There were also many "gasps of Awe" as he shared magnificent pictures of his work.

His workshop on Friday, October 20th was very educational. He shared his creative process with our members as well as many of his tips and techniques. He left our students inspired and eager to apply his methods to their own work.

See more of David's stunning work on his website here: David Taylor's Website.
David will also be teaching at QUILT FESTIVAL in Houston, November 2-5.

Our Centreville chapter had the honor of hosting this amazing event! I'd like to thank all of my CQU chapter sisters for their volunteer efforts that helped to make this Fall Event a huge success!

every quilt tells a story...

Exciting Lecture, Trunk Show & Workshop event by Barb Vedder

When the Vice President of my guild Centreville Quilter's Unlimited, informed us she booked Barb Vedder as a Guest Speaker for our October meeting - I was beyond the Moon excited!
I'm an avid reader and huge fan of Barb's blog: FUN WITH BARB.

She provided a Lecture and Trunk Show presentation to my guild this past Thursday evening October 12th. What a treat to see some of her amazing quilts up close and in person.

The next day was Friday the 13th. How appropriate that Barb taught us an English Paper Piecing workshop/class titled "Hex Vex".

Here are a couple of close ups showing Barbs Halloween table runner and her amazing Hex Vex quilt:

For those unfamiliar with Barb Vedder - she is a nationally known lecturer, and award winning Applique' Quilter. Barb is also funny, fun, personable and very down to Earth.

Although we had never met in person before, I've considered her a blogging friend. And now that I had the priviledge of spending a few days with her, I am blessed to have walked away from this experience with a new and special friend!

If you are looking for a Guest Speaker for your Guild or Quilting event, I highly recommend that you consider Barb Vedder. Our quilt chapter really enjoyed her Program and Workshop and are still chatting excitedly about her visit. You can find information about her Lectures & Worskshops on her blog HERE.

every quilt tells a story.....