The Quilting Kitty

To quilt...or sleep...that is the question. -Gwennie Burrows

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Procrastination is my middle name

It seems like forever since I wrote anything.  Laziness is the only defense I have.  Laziness with the blog, that is.  I really have been doing a few things and of course, Gwennie has been helping!

Going back through my pictures, i realize that we were actually VERY busy!  We went to Mesa Verde, Colorado last September (loved it!), I bought a new car, we had baby hummingbirds in a nest by the house, sent two quilts for Christmas to 2 great-nieces, sent two quilts to Washington for a fundraiser, went to the California coast to see the sea lions,  friends came to visit and we toured Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Desert Quilters of Nevada had another quilt show, I took a trip to Oregon, Washington and Montana in June for a granddaughter’s wedding, and went to a quilt retreat in Laughlin in September 2018.  Yeah...it WAS busy!

The two quilts for my great-nieces were so fun to make.  They are both in 4H in their small town, are champion show girls with their lambs, goats, and are excellent horsewomen and compete in barrel racing.  I made the quilts in their respective favorite colors and I loved the results!  I added pictures of them with their lambs and of them racing.  What fun quilts to make!

The two fundraiser quilts were equally fun.  I found some cute fabric called Yoga is For Everyone featuring farm animals in yoga poses and knew I had to use it for something! 

The second quilt was a Stack ‘n’ Whack design using tropical fish fabric.  They always make the most interesting designs!

Yes, Gwennie has been helping.  

So has Gunnar, but Gwennie isn’t crazy about him helping.

I won’t bore you with pictures of quilts from the March 2018 Quilt Show.  It’s over, done with.  Desert Quilters of Nevada are gearing up for another quilt show in April 2019.  Hopefully I’ll be more prolific about posting between now and then!

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Desert Quilters of Nevada Quilt Show Was The BOMB!

Our DQN Quilt Las Vegas quilt show was this past week and we had a blast!  We (the volunteers) started the week out at 6:30am Monday getting ready to take in the quilts that were being entered.  The quilts started rolling in at 7am and by 11:30am, we had processed about 250 quilts.  We sorted them into the correct categories, then the photographers and judges took over for the next 2 days.  By Thursday, all the quilts were hung and vendors started moving into the facility and getting set up.  This year’s show theme was “Urban Lights” and several quilters entered their theme inspired creations.  Photo credits:  Desert Quilters of Nevada

One theme quilt I especially liked was by Karen Atkinson showing a world map with nighttime urban light concentrations.

Another great themed quilt was by Anne Romero called “Neon Glitz” depicting old time Las Vegas.

There were some very creative quilts entered, like “Family Ties” by Marcia McNelley;

“Here Comes The Bride” by Lisa Nelson, in which she used signature blocks by wedding guests to make up the light colored chevrons;

“Sepia Ruffled Roses” by Cindy Anderson.  This was a small quilt, and the pieces were so tiny!  I don’t have the talent for that kind of work!  The quilting on this was incredible and she won a Best of Show in her category;

Shirley Pierce entered two quilts, but I especially loved her appliqued, hand quilted beauty called “Delightful Quilts In Bloom.”  She won a ribbon for Best Hand Quilting and really deserved it!

I entered two quilts; one was just a fun scrap crazy quilt I called “Insanity”

and the other was my “Fire Island Hosta.”  This was quilted by Cory Allender of St. George, Utah and the quilting was fantastic!  It won a Blue Ribbon, First Place in it’s category!

If you ever have a chance to visit a quilt show, do so!  There is so much talent, it’s unbelievable!

No cats were allowed in, so Gwennie and Gunnar had to stay home with Dad.

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Log Cabins, Children’s Quilts, and Jelly Roll Race

Since last post, I’ve managed to finish a few small and medium sized quilts.  Plus, my Fire Island Hosta has just come back from the long armer and although I still have to bind it and put a hanging sleeve on, I’m working hard to get it done in time for next week’s quilt show.

I liked the Zig Zag Log Cabin quilt so much that I ended up doing another one.  It too is made all from scraps so the color scheme is similar to the Zig Zag, but I set it in a diamond design.  Log Cabins are so versatile; the number of settings you can create is almost endless.

I cut up a few more scraps and put together this great Jewel Box quilt. I love the bright colors and great classic design.

I had seen patterns on Pinterest of denim rag quilts.  You know, the ones where you cut up old jeans into circles, sew them all together in rows, then put a piece of fabric in the center and sew it down similar to a Cathedral Window quilt.  I guess it’s easier to show you than to explain.  It was bulky and fought me throughout the entire process.  It came out looking decent but I doubt I’ll ever do another one of these.  If you have the desire to make your own, here’s a link to one pattern.  http://www.hometalk.com/15449988/here-s-a-quilt-i-made-from-my-husbands-old-jeans

A baby quilt for a friend’s new grandson was done from a panel.  The panel was designed to be made into a soft baby book, but I cut it apart and made it into a quilt.  I love the “hoppy” colors!  LOL!

Last of all for this post, is a Jelly Roll Race.  I’ve been quilting for over 25 years but had never done one of these.  I thought it was time I gave it a try.  I love the colors on this and it’s the one I’ve had on our bed since it was finished.  I used 2 Jelly Rolls that I had sitting around, one was hand dyed and the other was batiks.

I’m not sure how I managed to get that many pictures with no cats in them.  that definitely doesn’t happen very often.

Gwennie loves to help.  Here she is pressing some paper for me so I can work on a paper piecing pattern.  When she gets that “helping” look, I know better than to try to retrieve my project.

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T-Shirt Quilts and Wall Hangings

T-shirt quilts are not my favorite thing to sew.  They’re heavy, cumbersome, and just plain awkward.  I told my grandson I’d made one for him out of whatever t-shirts he wanted me to use and he sent me a box of them...unwashed.  Whew!  That was a little more than I bargained for!  I got them cut down and backed with interfacing so they wouldn’t stretch out on me.  Since most of them were red, white or black, I decided to use red and black as my sashing and border colors.  After putting the shirt puzzle together, it came out a little bigger than I anticipated but all in all, worked out well.

I also put together a wall hanging with a laser-cut applique from Quilts With A Twist (from Sitka, Alaska).  The name of the applique is Salmon Boy and I loved the ease with which it came together.

and of course, Gwennie loved the fish.

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Quilting Up A Storm!

My local quilt shop, Sew Yeah Quilting, offers long arm machine classes.  I recently took advantage of getting certified and have been going crazy practicing!  So far, they only offer free motion quilting, no pantographs and no computerized quilt designs yet, so I’m trying to get comfortable with that.  I seem to revert to swirls, loop-de-loops, and meandering.  I know I’ll get better but at this point, I just want to feel comfortable on the machine.

The first quilt I did was a purple Stack ‘n’ Whack design that I made from some killer iris fabric.  With Stack ‘n’ Whacks, you take 4, 6, or 8 repeats of a fabric (depending on the design you want), layer those repeats exactly so you have a stack of identical fabric pieces, then cut the fabric up into the design you want.  could be squares, triangles, etc. For this design, I used 6 repeats and cut the strips into triangles.  When you fan out those triangles, you get a kaleidoscope design that is amazing!

This is my original fabric:

This is the resulting design!

For the next quilt, I used some pre-cut 10″ Kaffe Fassett fabric.  I love his designs, and wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the pre-cuts when I bought them.  I just knew I wanted them! 

Another quilt I finished was made with batik Alaskan themed panels.  I loved these panels when I first saw them.  I just wish I’d quilted it better, but this is a learning process.

One last quilt I want to show you is one I quilted while I was in Nebraska earlier this year.  My friend Nancy has a long arm quilting shop and I was able to use her Nolting computerized machine.  I love this scrappy log cabin!

that’s all for now!  The kitties are doing great and I’ll post more of them later.

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New Quilts, Crazy Kitties

Wow...it’s (again) been forever since I’ve posted.  Since the last post, I’ve finished several quilts and the kitties are getting along famously.  I’ve also been on 2 trips and am getting ready for another quilt retreat.  Fun,fun, fun!

So...I finished the Labyrinth Walk quilt, and had it quilted by a terrific long arm quilter named Ed Olivier.  He chose the perfect pattern for the quilting (pebbles!) and did them all free-hand.

I personally would NOT have had the patience to quilt this pattern, and am so glad Ed quilted it for me.

I also finished a “block swap” quilt from 2014.  I belong to a group of quilters, online, who swap blocks on our birthdays.  These had been sitting for almost two years, and I NEEDED to get them into a quilt!  I chose a BQ2 (Big Quilt 2) pattern to set the blocks, and quilted it with a pantograph meander.

I designed and finished a fun quilt as a Christmas gift.  It might look a little weird to some, but each element in the quilt has specific meaning to the recipient.  Since they live in Alaska, the northern lights and Denali (Alaska Range) were prominent, purple is her favorite color, the hippo and owl designate her children’s nicknames, and a lilac bush denotes her mother’s memory.  This one was quilted by Tom Keenan of Las Vegas.

Another quilt that was finished was a “Night Stars” pattern, done completely in batiks and also quilted by Tom Keenan of Las Vegas.

That’s probably enough about the quilts for now.  On to the the kitties!

Gwennie and her snowman and Big White Mouse

Gwennie thinks it’s fun to climb up on the pot shelf.

Gunnar does know how to get comfy!

Gwennie loves sleeping on Dad’s shoes.

Gunnar and Dad taking a nap.

Gunnar and Gwennie have bonded....two peas in a pod!

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Is it safe to put Warm & Natural or Warm & White in the microwave?This is from the Warm Company's website: "The Warm Company does not recommend cotton batting, polyester batting or blended batting for microwave use. Cotton batting, cotton fabric and cotton threads are flammable. Patterns recommending the use of Warm & Natural, Warm & White or Warm & Plush for microwave use are doing so without the consent of The Warm Company."

I’ve not had any problems with Warm & Natural, and have used it in many items.  However, there is a product called Wrap n Zap that specifically says it’s microwave safe.

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Have you known of any problems in the microwave if the thread used is not 100% cotton? I just sewed some together with polyester thread and I put some thread in the microwave and nothing happened to it. I'm sure the thread is manufactured at a very high heat.

I’ve not had any problems, and none of the ones I’ve given away (50-60) have had any problems.

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Introducing....GUNNAR!

Well, I think it’s been forever since I’ve added anything to this blog.  Since I last wrote, our old kitty, George, has passed over the Rainbow Bridge.  We waited several months before getting Gunnar.   We picked him up from the animal shelter and since I’m a senior citizen, the fee was a whole $5.  Pretty good for a five dollar kitty!

He’s a goofy looking guy, but such a sweetheart!  He loves to be loved on.  He loves to be on your lap.  He loves to be with us, unlike Gwennie who is the ultimate cat diva!  Gwennie has a mind of her own and never lets us forget who’s in charge.  Gunnar is just glad to have a home, and appreciates being here.  Gwennie hated Gunnar when we first brought him home, and we kept them separated for the first couple of weeks.  We gradually introduced them to each other, and Gwennie immediately got the upper hand and has never let go.  She intimidates him something terrible!  But when left to their own devices, they can and do get along.

It’s almost like he doesn’t have any bones in his body.  He’s like a rag doll!  But he does know how to get comfortable.

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Did You Know This About Your Thread Spools?

A friend on one of my quilting sites posted this picture the other day and asked if we were aware of this option.  I have to admit, I was NOT!  Never even thought of it! I’ve been sewing for more years than I care to admit, and this never crossed my mind!

Many spools of thread have a “core” or cap that can be removed, and you can store needles inside.  Handy for when you’re doing handwork and don’t want to put the needle away or try to catch it in the threads of your spool.  I’ve checked Gutermann, Sulky, and Superior Threads, and they all have the core or cap that can be removed.  You might have to use something to pry them off, but many, like the Gutermann, will just pop out.

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I Love Quilt Retreats!

Last week, I attended a quilt retreat in Primm, Nevada.  The Desert Quilters of Nevada hosted 140 women for three days of fun, laughter, and projects.  We had two themed nights; one was the Mad Hatter’s Pajama and Tea Party, and the other was a Downton Abbey Tea Party.  At the Mad Hatter party, participants wore whatever funky pajamas they could find and the Mad Hatter and Alice served tea and cupcakes.  For Downton Abbey night, participants blinged out or made 1920′s style hats and wore them.  On the last afternoon, everyone showed off the projects they worked on.  We had some awesome vendors who provided us with fabric, thread, patterns, and all kinds of quilting related goodies.  Everyone went home with prizes and a great time was had by all.

Setting up the room

Even though it looks like there is room to spare, the large ballroom at Primm Valley Resort was completely filled by Saturday morning.

Participants in the Mad Hatter Pajama party show off their best PJ’s. 

We awarded two Quilts of Valor to two Vets (who are also quilters).

Door prize drawings to give away the awesome table toppers that were made by the Modern Quilt circle

Autumn themed pillowcases

These great bags were made as a “mystery project.”  They’re great for carrying rulers and other quilting goodies.  Mine holds the plexiglass table for my Featherweight perfectly.

The retreat committee made “cupcake” pin cushions that were given to all participants.  When I got mine home, Gwennie decided it was hers.

She took it from my cutting table and deposited it on her “toy blanket”, and there it sits.  When I move it back, she steals it again, so I guess it’s hers now.

If you get a chance to attend a quilt retreat, do it!  You’ll have so much fun and meet new friends.

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Fire Island Hosta

I finally finished this top after many, many hours at the sewing machine.  I took a 3 day class back in October, put it away once I got home, and then in June decided that if I didn’t get it out and finish it, I would never get it done.  This is a Judy Niemeyer pattern, all paper pieced or the pieces are cut from a template, and I absolutely love it.  All that remains is to get it quilted.  The backing fabric has been ordered and should arrive any day, then I’ll send it off to my friend in Nebraska to be long arm quilted.  I can hardly wait!

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Lambs, and Quilts, and Fun!  Oh My!

wow...I can't believe it's been 2 months since I posted here. I'm not sure what all has been going on, but it must be something to keep me busy!  Well, let's see.  Gwennie now has her own Facebook page.  She's been having a great time with it, but hates when I take her picture all the time.

Here's her link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gwennie-the-Quilting-Kitty/1546852458893143

Gwennie would love to have you visit her page and "like" her.  Actually, she'd like to to "love" her but there isn't a "love" option.

And my sister Nancy is making incredible felted animals, one of which she sent to John Churchman in Vermont, owner of an amazing little lamb named Sweet Pea.  Here's his picture from John's Facebook page:

She's so talented!  I tried, believe me, I tried!  My attempt at making a felted animal looks more like "Alien meets Bigfoot".  I need to take some lessons from her!

I have a couple of quilts finished this month that were sent away as charity quilts.  the pattern is just one big star, so easy to make and fast to put together.

I also made a quilt for my daughter, Heather.  Her favorite colors are green and yellow so I gathered as many greens and yellows as I could and just started sewing.  It began as one thing and ended up as another, and I call this one "Sunshine For Heather."

One in the works right now is the Labyrinth Walk designed by Chris Lawrence and Emily Sirkin.  I have the top all made and found some incredible backing fabric,

Here's my top:

and here's my backing fabric:

I'll be sending it to my friend and long arm quilter (well, mid-arm I guess you'd say) Ed Olivier to do the quilting.  He has some great ideas and I know he'll do a fantastic job.

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Triangle Bag, Pin Cushions and Needle Cases

Well, I took the Triangle bag a step farther and created pin cushions and needle cases to go with them.  I sent these out to special quilting friends who helped facilitate a block swap online.  Without these special "Block Fairies", we wouldn't have been able to have a successful swap.  I hate it when people commit to a swap and then wimp out after they received THEIR blocks and decide not to complete the swap.  Thank God for dedicated people!

So here are their little packages.  It was the least I could do to show my appreciation:

There are still a few out there that I don't have pictures with, but they were cute, quick, and now I need to make one for myself!

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Nancy's Quilt "A Goat Kind of Day"

I finished up a new quilt last week and sent it to my sister Nancy.  Nancy lives in southern Oregon and raises goats, sheep and llamas.  She is infatuated with these animals and they rule her life!  I don't say that in a bad or condescending way, she truly loves them and dotes on them.

We went for a visit this past summer and here are a few shots:

This is Serena.  She usually stays on watch out in the field when the sheep and goats are grazing.

This is George (below):

This is Lambie (below).  I remember when Lambie was so small, Nancy would put a diaper on her and bring her in the house to take care of her!

This is Patsy (below).  I'm not saying she was named for anyone in particular....but she is pretty obnoxious and bossy.

Anyway, I decided it was time for Nancy to get a quilt so went about putting together some goat and sheep pictures to make this quilt.  I wanted it fun but still usable, so I made some applique designs, some pretty blocks, rock patterned fabric for the background,and Kaffe Fassett fabric for the backing.   I love the Kaffe Fassett "Big Blooms" fabric.  It's so vibrant and colorful.  This was the result:

You can see the backing in this picture (which, apparently, Gwennie didn't want me to cut):

Here's the quilt getting an approving "cat scan".

I'm so glad she got it and loves it.  I love making things for people who appreciate them! 

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Kickstarter Campaign for the Easy Binding Winder

An on-line friend has developed a quilting tool to help his wife.  The Easy Binding Winder is designed to help quilters easily and neatly wind, store & apply quilt binding.  Here's a picture of it:

He's started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the manufacturing of it, so if you'd like to help him out, here's the link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/easybindingwinder/the-easy-binding-winder

Take a look.  I think it's a very viable invention.

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Little Triangle (Tetrahedron) Zippered Bag

I love these little bags and decided I had to try to make one for myself.  I saw several tutorials for bags that were lined but I didn't want to do the whole lining bit.  So this is my take on the bag, without lining.  I created a tutorial for this one that you can find on the left side of this blog.