Making Crazy Quilters One Block at a Time

My stomach has been in knots ever since I was approached to hold this class. How could I ? I've never taken a quilting class in my life... how could I remotely act like I knew what I was doing and instruct another on anything fabric related? These gals go to retreats and shop classes, their show and tell quilts are phenom, they're seasoned in lingo and techniques. What could I share? So what joy to find out that if your heart is in your subject, you're a mirror of what you love and you can't go wrong. Many thanks go to the wonderful gals, too!

Lots of samples, history and CQ books piqued everyones interest. I also made little folders with block diagrams, stitch samples and finished block photos for them to take home.

Plenty of fancy fabric scraps got the fun going ( this was the end of the pile which thankfully, I had none to take home... I may win the war of spring cleaning yet)

Roselyn and her " bedspread block" ... LOL

Joanne working a tricky long piece

back to the scrap pile

creativity chaos





Asenath's block in the works, 8"





Ros's block working towards18" ish for a pillow top





Joannes block, 12"





Sues block, 6"







It was a gorgeous day weatherwise with lots of things happening in town. Alot of ladies flitted in and out besides the ones who participated.Of course I forgot to bring the camera out until 1:30, but this is the jest of it. I had a blast and all my "butterflies" are gone , especially after receiving this email...



Jane, Thank you so much for the class on Sat. Even though I was late my DIL really was interested. She gathered the fabric and really took to that process. When she saw all the samples it inspired her! We went back to my house and used her 'new' machine and she completed a 9" block. We made a pillow out of it and she took it back to MN along with her packet of instructions and was so pleased. It was the perfect teaching tool for her learn her machine. I made sure she changed the bobbin several times as well as the top thread. She even used a fancy machine stitch to embellish the pillow. Thanks again it taught a version of the method of crazy quilting in an unexpected way. Julie





It was alot of fun and now we're cooking up an embellishment get together, minus the jitters I might add!

Decembers Strays

This is one of the ornie pillows I made. Thats Dad standing by the US Geographical marker that sits atop Mount Arvon. The ties were ones he wore to church and for his stint being a realtor back in the early 80's.
This is Decembers Blotto block... I didn't get to guild last month cuz I've been working afternoon and midnight shifts. I'm sure I'll be able to get the one I missed, tho.
This was my Christmas present from my outhouse hunting buddy, Rox. It was so funny to open this up and remember all the privys we scouted out this past summer. I'm not sure we'll stick to this same theme this year but what ever we decide to scavenge hunt for, we'll have lots new of adventures finding it

Ecclesiastes 1:9

Happy New Year to All ...

It's been fun reading everyones take on the New Year... their plans,wishes, goals, aspirations and resolves for 2010. For me, I refuse to prematurely conjure up these next 365. My birthday was the 2nd, (51, I can't believe it) so all hits me quick like a brick... and I've just lived through a year that taught me all about plans... yeah, right! Looking back, maybe the biggest lesson I needed to learn... I'm only given a day at a time... what will I make of it ?

If I can hope for anything at all in this New Year, it will be for me to delve deeper into all the things I love... stretch my mind, experience more in THE moment...fess up to illusions.... something I continue to struggle with in trying to be my original self... no matter what, who, when, where or why.....THERE IS NO NEW THING UNDER THE SUN , Ecclesiastes 1:9 Knowing this......all heat is off for 2010.

I haven't been in a quilt store for ever... Now I know why I took these pics when I was shopping with my sis soooo way back when..... living in the" boonies" does have it's drawbacks and my "fixes" are far and betweenxst.

I miss seeing the class quilts on display and the new patterns and vingettes of FQ and what can be done with them. Living in Skanee leaves alot of room for fabric/idea requisition

Novembers Blotto Block for guild meet

I'm gearing myself up to something I've NEVER done before and hardly feel qualified to pull off... in Feb I've been asked to teach what I know about CQ. with the Superior Stitchers.. My "traditional" guild has finally warmed up to what I 've been putting out for show and tell.... way way back here with my needlebook , the fancy top here and my JB block here. I'm apprehensive but I have a big mouth and know that I can carry on about it. I think by days end we may be able to have a block or 2 pieced, LOL! . I'm approaching it more as a sharing kind of thing and plan on taking my vintage quilt, personal samples and some stash to share. I passed out the "supply list last month". How in the heck do you make a supply list for CQ, I'd love to know , LOL !!! I hope to convert a few so I can have some local comrades





I made this for my sis's Christmas present ...commemorating my Dad. It'll fit right in to the family's "Northwoods" decor in Beulah, Dad's ties found their way into several CQ ornaments for others too, (made with a pic of him at the top of Mount Arvon .) I'll show a pic of the one I kept soon . I was lax at photos in December... more into getting things done and shipped South than anything. I kick myself now, oh well. This year's been tough on us all... yank your heart out losses !!!! My Dad, of course, who left the biggest empty spot imaginable, my cousin Bethany who was lifes inspiration for my whole family ( she died a week after Dad....please see her profile to know what I mean) and then just recently my Aunt Ginny. I was a machine making those photo ornies this year but tt was good memories that I put in every stitch.
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Which leaves me to this... my blog is my blog.. I may not have my side lines full of favoites, I may get off topic and not post as often as "I should" but when I'm here I'm sooooo thankful for all of you who are here to read what I have to say... Thank You Everyone for letting me be "Something New Under The Sun"!!!
Jane

Sewing and Bookworming

I'm working on hand quilting this months guild project. Couldn't quite stick to the pattern given and ended up with too many half squares. Made use of them anyway. I'm so out of pratice with precision and 1/4 seams. The months blotto block pattern is a paper pieced courthouse step using brights. I've gotten as far as getting the fabric pulled out for that. Paper piecing is not my bag.

Sis' library at her Beulah house... book love runs in the family...

I've had my nose in books
and there always seems to be several going at once... at the moment, one is Clara. .The Ford's are fascinating, not only because I grew up in Detroit, but because they were real people who shared their dreams, their lives and their legacy. The book is more factual than narrative but leaves imagination full out open to the oppulent yet down home ways of Henrys other half. Ironically one of Claras favorite places is not too far from here at the Huron Mountain Club. The Club is a mysterious local legend.
A CQ block is definitly being planned around Clara.




After reading the Forest Lover this summer I got interested in the life of Emily Carr
and found the book, Hundreds and Thousands, one of Emily's journals, in my sisters library. I love her descriptions of color and perception but it's her quirky, often difficult life that gives me a source for courage in moving on with my own creative calling.


I've finished all the Mitford books by Jan Karon and started the Father Tim series, Home to Holly Springs. I missed the August book sale in town so the pickins are slim for winter. But I did see a used book store in Houghton... I'll have to check it out when we get up that way.
It's a cold clear night here and the stars are out by the billions... I love the awe of nights like these!

The Teddy Bear Project and a Link or 2

I was asked for alittle more info on the Teddy Bear Project from my pals Sue from the Magpies Nest , Judy from Stitch Along With Me, and Janet from Go Crazy With Me . So I thought I'd answer here. Our town is small so there's no red tape or "channels" to be got through for doing good deeds. It cracks me up sometimes to hear what people go through to GIVE THINGS to charitiable organizations... the requirements, applications, and background checks in order to bless others is out of hand. Thankfully, since we are a community oriented locale, we don't have that. People jump in here... no pomp. If there's a need, it gets done... no politics, no "I make a motion to accept", no bullshit.



So the guild went and bought a boatload of brand new teddy bears from a store in Marquette and asked that we make quilts for each bear. Minimum size is 24" x 24". The original idea was to donate to the St Vincent Christmas need, for the many down and out families here in the area. Well, as all good things grow, we've now decided to make this a year round project... the local hospital, county and city police, fire department, and shelter home will be supplied with the bears to give as needed... along with the continued supply to St Vincents. Some "little guy" will have a new buddy this holiday.. "Green Gene".





Over at Quilting Gallery there's an exhibition going on of quilts that were entered into the Living Healing Quilt Project. These quilts were created to show the experiences of the indigenous Native Indians as they were ripped from their families and sent to government "schools" in Canada. This practice was also done in the United States as well, under the guise of reform and religion. I hate this part of our history and know that there's no way that these attrocities can ever be repaid to these people. These quilts are very special so please click the logo below to see them.

Well, that didn't work.. so please click here for the link...

Living Healing Quilts.....

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Thanksgiving's going to be pretty low key here... the Detroit Lions have their chance to win or be beaten on the National front tomorrow. We'll be watching and I'm sure wanting to hit Coach Marinelli upside the head with a drumstick or 2. The prediction from this camp is if there's no win tomorrow , HE WILL BE FIRED...if not there's something rotten in Detroit, just like Kwame Kilpatrick. If it was you or me our checks would cease for such poor performance. D worked for "Henry" and he would have been canned by now... IOHO (in our humble opinion) What the heck is going on here????

Thursdays Guild Meet

The snow was blowing to beat the band on the way to town... white out vision and frigid temps but we made it. Barb's lived up here her whole life and has the driving experience to prove it. Needless to say it was a skeleton group and not a lot of time to stay and chit chat after. Everyone just wanted to get home. But heres some of the show and tell :

This Michigan quilt was great. It was being shipped over to Ireland to a cousin who had visited this summer. I thought she did a great job appliqueing the Upper Peninsula.

This batik sampler quilt had interesting color combos.

Diana's Christmas quilt looked like it had cards sewn into it and it was quilted with the most awesome metallic thread.
The charity bearity project has another month to go. They're so cute that we've decided to keep this an ongoing project year round. A great stash and scrap buster.

The teddy quilt I made below ended up at 36 x36 with a loden green fur back... very snuggly and very simple

I was only able to make one pillowcase, it had flannel on one side and a nature print on the other. I didn't take any photos of the pillowcases but there was quite a stack of those to be sent out to the troops. I'll get the final counts of the bears and cases when all's done.
And heres a pic of Sue's humongous quilt sack... you could fit a man in there!


There's not much snow on the ground and although the temperatures have been in the teens, it's tolerable. My Detroit Lions play tomorrow. It's an awful year to be a fan as they've not won one flippin' game. The stadium attendance is so poor that they haven't sold enough tickets to televise the game locally so it's a double hurt for anyone who loves he game. One eye to the TV is all it takes....

Moving into Fall - Guild Meets Again

Superior Stitchers is back from summer hiatus. Projects were planned for the coming year along with retreat info and class suggestions and lots of quilts to see too....

Along with the blotto pattern for next month... everyone received the first 2 patterns of the block of the month by Nancy Halverson called Be Attitudes. Be Smart and Be Grateful were chosen for Sept. The same quilt seen in different fabrics is always fun. Christmas Projects are pillowcases for soldiers (instead of stockings) and teddy bears with small quilts to go with them for kids within the community. The photos below are not near everything shown last night but ones that especially appealed to me.

Scrappy Bear Paw.
The colors in this one were pretty.
This quilt was purple (not blue as showing) and stunning
This was made for a raffle being held next week for the sprtsmans club. I love how all the different patterns pop out

This was last years block of the month which was a mystery quilt.
The back of the mystery quilt from scraps

Over the summer, some of the gals made a raffle quilt to raise money for a new athletic complex going up. The pattern shown just happens to be very close to what the blotto block is for next month too.