LOG CABIN QUILTED!

Well, ladies, I am finished quilting my log cabin quilt!!!  I still need to bind it, but that will be easy.  As you might remember, I was having problems with my sewing machine and took it to be adjusted once and then took it back for a second look because I was still having problems.  Luckily for me, Elaine was having issues with her Janome machine at the same time.  We emailed back and forth several times and I even sent her pictures of what my sewing machine was doing.  This isn't the first time she has helped me.  She was my inspiration to get started quilting my own quilts with FMQ (free motion quilting) probably back in 2010.  Anyway, she sent me an email with some pointers and strangely enough, leaving the feed dogs UP with the stitch length set to 0 while FMQing is the way to go.  I also remembered something from watching one of Leah Day's videos and that was to use Magic Bobbin Washers under the bobbin.  I had some, but had forgotten about it.  By doing these things, my problem is solved and I have been able to quilt with confidence again.

It is so frustrating when the machine puts a "rats nest" on the bottom of the quilt.  I still have to go back and fix some of those.

Rat's nest to fix

I quilted the whole quilt with hooked feathers without marking the top in any way.  I quilted the right side of the feather following the light or dark diamond shape and when I got to where I started I switched to the left side and followed that around.  When I quilt hooked feathers, they aren't necessarily real even, but they look good anyway.   I try to stay within that color section, but if there is quilting that extends over from the dark section I can just make the feather smaller or larger as the case might be.  It's very forgiving and with a busyness of the fabric, it's not noticeable.

I started piecing this quilt sometime in early 2012 and worked on it a lot in our camper while we were on trips.  The inspiration for it came to me while visiting Beth in the Chicago area and she took me to several quilt shops.  Click on her name for the post I did in 2011 and if you scroll down you will see a log cabin quilt in one of the shops.

Here's a picture of the quilt kind of spread out on the couch with DH holding part of it up.

I had a very pleasant surprise this week when Quilting Babcia called me and wanted to meet me for coffee.  I had known that she was coming to town for a visit from New York, where she had moved to last year.  We met at a coffee shop about 5 minutes from my home and sipped coffee while catching up on this past year of her moving to New York and me getting settled in Oregon, then went across the street to the local quilt shop.  We had originally met in 2013 when I won a giveaway from her and since we were visiting our son who lives near where she lived at that time, we met in person for the first time.

I just checked out Lori's final episode for here quilt-a-long.  I will sew that together today!

TREASURES IN THE ATTIC

Saturday was a special event at the Yamhill County Historical Society & Museum just about a mile from our house.  The quilting guilds were asked to bring quilts to hang along with a lot of antique quilts.  I spent the morning there with white gloves on helping anyone who wanted to look at the back of the quilts, talking with some sweet ladies and telling them about the guild I belong to.

All of the quilts here are newer quilts.

This 9-patch was made by a fellow member of my quilt guild.  She said she made them with her Grandma years ago and only recently put them together and hand quilted it.

I really like these two stack and wack quilts They go together on twin beds.

Be sure to read the label below this long cabin quilt.  Susan Foote is the president of my guild and it was made by her DH's grandmother.

Made by Susan Foote

 There are historic "rooms in part of the museum, such as this general store.

It was a beautiful day and lots of fun!  

A FINISH AND A FEW MORE QUILTS FROM SHOW

Several years ago I bought this "Pumpkin Patch" pattern designed by Heart to Hand for wool appliqué.  I don't know why it took so long to decide to make it up, but I decided I needed some more fall decor, so I finally made it.  Wool appliqué is really fun and quite easy.  I have a whole bin full of wool, some of which I bought at thrift shops and felted myself.  The backing for this table runner used to be a wool blazer, and I believe the crows were a skirt in their former life. 

Here are a few more quilts from the Philomath Quilt Show.  Red and white is always good!

This scrappy quilt is very appealing.

I love this star quilt with all the blue fabrics.

Just a quick post!  I have many projects going on and I will show you some progress soon.

PHILOMATH, OREGON QUILT SHOW

Yesterday my next door neighbor (and former Texas resident like me) went to Philomath, OR for their yearly quilt show.  It was held at the Scout Lodge, which is a wonderful facility.  We left home about 7:45 AM and arrived there a little after 9:00.  

We had a great time looking at quilts and vendors wares and ate lunch outside at the lodge.  It was a beautiful morning (the afternoon was beautiful too, but very hot)!

Here are some of the quilts that were shown.  As you will see, they also had quilts hanging all around the building for a wonderful display.

This one might be my favorite.

Or maybe this one is my favorite!

A lovely setting!

The answer is "Yes!"

After lunch we decided to go check out some quilt shops.  The first one was JanniLou Creations in Philomath, OR.  After entering the front room of the shop, which was nice,  I saw a door and when I went in there my eyes popped open and I thought, "Yes!  This is what I like!"  It was wonderful!  Lots of quilts on the walls and darling wall hangings...and fabric galore.  When I checked out their web site this morning, I was disappointed to see that they don't actually sell fabric on line.  I would love to visit this shop again.

This is what I got at JanniLou's Shop:

We also visited The Quilt Loft in Albany, OR, where all the fabric is $8.00 per yard and FQs are $2.00!!!  The only exceptions are the backing fabric which is $12.00/yard and solids $6.00/yard!  You sure can't complain about that!  Their web site is down right now, but you might want to check it out later.

2 half yards for $4.00 each!

One of the booths at the quilt show was an Etsy.com shop, Annabelle's Stash.  I got a great deal on 9 FQs for $12.00.  Her web site is closed right now too, but will reopen Monday.

The white FQs are from Annabelle's Stash and the colored ones are from Silver Quilts.

I came home happy and tired!  It was fun to see some towns that I haven't been to before - and their quilt shops.

MORE DEAR JANE BLOCKS - THIS TIME FOR SEPTEMBER!

While I was on a roll (kind of) with the Dear Jane blocks, I decided to keep going for a while.  I finished Row D and made 3 blocks in Row E.  I might make a few more before I put that bin away for a while.  I want to do a couple more first.

E-11

E-3

D-12

E-4

In between doing this, I have been quilting on my log cabin quilt and I started working on some fall wool appliqué.

Saturday, my neighbor and I are going to a quilt show in Philomath, OR and will visit at least one quilt shop on the way home.  I'm sure I'll have pictures to share from that.

Half of the bow tie blocks needed for the block swap with Fun With Quilts are finished.  Sorry the photo is so bad.  I plan to finish these and get them mailed next week.

The leaves are beginning to change as our temps are getting into the 40s some nights.  We're having a few warm days now, but the cooler days are coming!  Yea!  Have a good weekend!

SOME DEAR JANE BLOCKS FOR AUGUST

I decided that I needed to get some DJ blocks done for August and managed to finish 6 of them.  Don't examine too closely!

B-9 has been languishing for quite a while and I finally finished the hand sewing on it.

B-9

D-11

D-5

 I ran out of the background fabric and had to substitute another one on 2 corners for D-9.

D-9

 Ran out of the red before I finished, so I just left the red border off.  I need to remember that with PP you waste quite a bit of fabric.  :-(

D-10

 I love this one!  So easy after all the other PP!

D-13

I also started another one and might try to stay with this a couple more days before putting the DJ box away for a while.  How did Jane Stickle come up with all these different designs?  Some of them are ridiculous!  Thank goodness she put in an easy one every so often (like D-13)!