Playing with Blocks

Besides finding new friends through swapping blocks, I enjoy trying new patterns that I might not otherwise make on my own.

 This Rolling Diamond block is one I've seen around Blogland and admired. Since making this one for Debbie in the Mid-Century Modern Bee, I've come up with my own idea for using it in a quilt one day. Here's Debbie's inspiration. You can find directions to make your own block here.

Cindy chose a favorite block of mine when she was the Queen Bee in March. She picked solids and text prints for her Spider Block. My own spider block quilt grew a little last week as Vicki and I sewed for several days at her cabin in Ouray, Colorado. Here's the tutorial that Cindy decided to use.

Finally, I'm putting the finishing touches on my twelve inch block, aka art quilt, for the Four in Art Bee. 

We will be revealing our quilts, all made around the topic of Urban Landmarks, on May 1. I hope that you will stop back by for a lookie loo!

Sew Many Things!

 Lots of photos of random stuff today: Here they are in no particular order.

First up: this darling embroidered bag that I won in a swap at the KCMQG retreat! Nancy has a business making cool stuff like this. I love mine!

 A few of you wondered if I bought any fabric at Missouri Star Quilt Company. Well, of course I did!

Have I been making any thing new, you ask. Oh, yes...here's a peek!

Easter was a bit different for us this year: Only three little goslings hunted eggs in our yard rather than the whole gaggle of eight!

They were good little hunters...

and looked cute doing it!

 My awesome daughter, Megan, ran her first half marathon a few weeks ago.

 She and her hubby hardly looked winded. I'm so impressed!

When Megan's not out running, she's creating awesome, adorable, birthday parties.

 It's hard to believe that Pearlie is one already. She loved the cake, ice cream and attention. Oh, and, no, she's not a red head.

Here's a selfie of me and my sweet second grader, Haven, at her school's Grandparent's Day celebration. Isn't her toothless smile delightful!

Susan surprised me with a fun Easter surprise in the last set of Friendship + and X blocks.

She makes the best stuff!

 I think that the bunny is my favorite. Look at that handwork! Thank you, Suz.

At last check, I counted at least 10 different varieties of daffodils growing in my yard. I didn't plant any of them. Aren't they so cheerful!

And speaking of cheerful, I always am around this little one!

How's your week going?

Sunday Morning

"Be very careful, then, how you live--

not as unwise but as wise."

Ephesians 5:15

April Friendship x and + Blocks

 Here are my April blocks for Suz. Our color combos this month are aqua, pink and green. 

 It's always fun to photograph the twinsies before I pop a set in the mail.

 I am so excited when the mailman delivers a monthly Australian package full of pretty friendship blocks. Susan's blocks are always so pretty.

 And, as usual, our blocks looks perfect together!

Only one more month, and Susan and I will begin setting our pile of colorful blocks into sweet testimonies to our blogging friendship! We are planning a full reveal in September.

Look at the little reminder that Susan sewed into one of her blocks!

Last week, I attended the funeral of a sweet friend from the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild. Sharon passed away after a long courageous battle with cancer. The church was decorated with a dozen of her colorful quilts and this poem was printed on the back of the program. I like it so much.

Enjoy your weekend. 

Roller Skate Dress

Next to sewing quilts, I love sewing dresses for little girls best. 

The Roller Skate Dress, by Oliver+S, has quickly become my new 'go to" pattern for a simple but classic children's style. 

The Roller-Skate Dress is fully lined, yet simple, and sews up quickly. The back buttons with a single button placket. I'm looking forward to trying the other neckline version included.

Lula's size 5 dress went so well that I made two more in size 3 and 12 months for Jane and Pearl. Pearlie's turned out to be a little large, but for the older girls this is a great pattern.

 

You can probably guess that the sisters wore these little dresses on Easter Sunday. Lolly thought they looked so cute!

Easter Sunday Morning

"It was just before the Passover Feast. 

Jesus knew that the time had come for him

to leave this world and go to the Father.

Having loved his own who were in the world,

He now showed them the full extent of His love."

John 13:1

April Weekend Retreat

Last weekend, I joined 35 sewists from the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild for three days of non-stop quilty stuff. Our retreat destination was none other than the brand new Sewing Center in Hamilton, Missouri.

 The totally rehabbed building was beautifully redone with quilting in mind. Even at 1 a.m., the lighting was superb! 

 Upstairs, attractive bedrooms line the hall...

Comfy mattresses....

 and plush towels offer all the comforts of a lovely hotel.

 The face of Missouri Star Quilt Company, Jenny Doan, stopped by for a chat and ended up staying for an hour, entertaining us with her stories!

 The creative juices were flowing freely...

 Everywhere you looked someone...

 was making something....

 fantastic!

 We were thrilled to be the first shoppers in the newly opened Solids and Basics Store. Since the cash register wasn't up yet, after our fabric was cut, we carried it a few doors down to the Sew Seasonal Shop to pay for it! (We may have purchased a little more fabric there, as well.) The large main quilt shop was a favorite hang out, too. Can you guess how many times we 34 collectively shopped in the stores? Yes, we counted! (I'll tell you at the end!)

It was fun to be treated to a behind-the-scenes look at the workings of The Missouri Star Quilt Company.

 Everyone was so friendly and seemed to be genuinely having a great time working there.

 A special warehouse tour by owner, Allen Doan, Jenny's son, was eye popping...

 as we oogled thousands of precuts ready to be mailed out all over the world.

 Jelly rolls anyone?

 Or maybe a layer cake or two?

 I'm sure you could find a few charm packs that you'd love to take home...

 And probably some acrylic templates, as well. Their new, larger, warehouse is slated to open in June.

 We finished up our tour at the Public Library turned, now, into the machine quilting building. I counted 8 quilting machines and understand that the quilters work in two shifts in order to get all of the tops done in a timely manner.

 Back at the Sewing Retreat Center, the sewing machines were still humming as the Modern Guild members worked on their many projects.

 Outside, the sun might have been setting but there were still many hours of creating left in the day...and night!

 This sign, posted on the upstairs wall, sums up life at Missouri Star Quilt Company very well.

I hope that you all get the pleasure of visiting Hamilton, Missouri, someday, if you get the chance. 
Oh, and the answer to the question: 143!