San Luis Valley Quilt Guild Challenges

 It's challenge time again for the San Luis Valley Quilt Guild. Every year the guild presents a challenge to it's members in January.

Below are the rules for this year.

Challenge quilt entries are due at the April meeting. In July I get to hang the challenge quilts at the shop for you to enjoy and vote for your favorites. So if you get a chance, stop by the shop this month to view them in person and vote. These will be hanging at the shop for the next few weeks. After that they will be in Del Norte at the Rio Grande Museum for a couple weeks while the SLV Quilt Guild Quilt Show is hanging at the museum. The dates of the show in Del Norte at the Rio Grande Museum are August 1 - 14, 2023.

Please note that these are original works of art. There are no patterns available for you to purchase or order for any of these little quilts. If any of them are for sale, you will need to go to the quilt show at the museum in Del Norte to inquire about purchasing. None of them are for sale right now at the shop.

If you would like to vote but can't stop by the shop you can email me your votes. You can vote for up to 3 favorites. Here are the voting categories:

• Best Representation of this year's theme
• Viewer's Choice
• Most Creative

San Luis Valley Quilt Guild Challenges

 This has been an annual thing at my shop. Every July I hang the challenge quilts from the San Luis Valley Quilt Guild members who chose to participate. It gives them some exposure and advertises their annual quilt show which happens the first two weeks in August.

The photo below explains the theme for this year: 

And here are the 12 entries:

The bottom portion of the first photo explains the 4 voting categories. If you'd like to vote just leave a comment and use the 4 categories from the first photo. I will fill out a paper ballot for you and put it in the basket with the other votes. In your comment, just leave the name of the category and the appropriate number quilt you are voting for that category. You don't have to put a number for every category if you don't want to.

Farewell Judy

One of my guild's long time members passed away recently after a 3 year battle with cancer. Her husband gave the guild her fabric to be used in our quilts for oncology project. Rather than just taking her fabric to the next guild meeting and putting it out hoping that folks will take it and bring it back in the form of a finished quilt for oncology, it was brought to my store. Some guild members will come next week to begin the task of sorting and cutting it into kits. To start with we are going to cut 2.5" by WOF strips. I came up with three easy patterns that only use 2.5" strips.

The first one is the Strip & Flip Quilt. The tutorial is by Cluck Cluck Sew, but I altered it to use 2.5" strips instead.

Mine will finish at about 45" by 54". I followed the tutorial for the most part. The things I changed are (1) I used 2.5" by WOF strips only; (2) I didn't cut my strips down to 36", I left them WOF; (3) for the solid strips I again used 2.5" strips. I needed 3 and cut the third one in half and sewed each half to the other two strips then cut them to length.

The second pattern is Garlic Knot, also known as Arrowhead Puzzle Block.

I only made a single block to test the directions I found online. I'm glad I tested it because the ones I found were incorrect. They were free directions so I can't complain. I've found that most of the time in this life you get what you pay for. I don't have a link to share for this one since the directions I found online were wrong. Maybe you will have better luck. At some point in the future I may upload my own directions but not today.

The third pattern is called Jiffy Jelly Quilt. It is a free pattern from Moda. The pattern is really nice (an exception to the rule about getting what you pay for) so I didn't feel the need to make a sample.

I hope that with these three patterns and Judy's fabric we can make some beautiful quilts for the oncology department of our local hospital.

Guild Show Part Two

I can finally reveal my Telephone Quilt that I completed in April 2015 along with the rest of quilts in this series.

Mine is the left most one in the middle row. 

I described the details of this challenge in this post. They are lengthy so if you are interested in how this challenge works, click over to read the details.

Unfortunately we were not able to display all 10 of the quilts. The seventh one in the series is missing. I never got to see it but as I understand it the piece is all black with white dashed lines across the center. We think it is suppose to be a close-up of a road.

The challenge was fun and was a true "challenge" for me.

Guild Show Part One

My guild's annual show was last weekend. My art group entered our recent circles project. The link will take you to my last post on this project which contains links to all previous posts about it.

To recap, one day we made a bunch of abstract paintings. We decided to turn one of them into a project and just happened to pick one of the paintings I did. Each of us chose a small section of the original painting, enlarged it to 18" by 18" and then turned that section into a quilt.

Below is the result:

Mine is the one at the top left. Below is a more straight on shot taken at our last meeting, before all the mini quilts were attached to the quilted black background:

Also hanging at the show was my Oh My Stars! quilt.

Click here for the post where I shared the details about this one. I'll share a little more from the show in my next post.

Retreat Report

I had a wonderful time at my retreat over the weekend. It was a nice break. I'll be really busy this week preparing for my store opening on the 15th. 

The mystery blocks this time were "hugs and kisses" blocks. Here are the two I made.

And this is the completed top.

One of the ladies will finish it and turn it in for our oncology project.

I only worked on two of the five or six projects I took with me. My main project was my Postcard from Sweden quilt. I showed you the fabrics I was using previously. Click here to see them all.

There was quite a bit of snow up at the retreat center so I took my project outside after I had a few rows together for a photo.

I came home with half of the top together and all but one row of HST units made. I will finish it up this week and get a photo for you. This will hang in my shop as a store sample. I plan to make up kits for my version of this quilt. The original used all Kona solids. My version uses all Moda fabric, because this is mainly what my store has at the moment. The fabrics are a mix of Grunge, Crossweave Wovens and Bella Solids.

The original quilt is gorgeous, but I really like the movement the Grunge and Wovens add to the solids.

I'll show you the other project I worked on later this week.

Postcard From Sweden

Have you seen any of the Postcard From Sweden quilts? I saw my first one a few months ago and promptly downloaded the free pattern. Click here to see the original and get the free pattern.

Here are the fabrics I am using.

This is a mix of Bella Solids, Grunge and Crossweave - all from Moda. I plan to offer kits of these fabrics in my shop. I'm making the smaller size that requires 5" squares.

I'm off to my guild retreat this weekend and these fabrics have gone with me. This will probably be my last opportunity to go to my guild retreat for a while since I am now a business owner. I plan to enjoy my "last hoorah."

Small Peak

I have been working on my guild challenge. I can only give you a sneak peak for now because the challenge won't be revealed until mid-April.

The challenge hasn't even been given yet, but since I'm in charge this year I know what it will be. *wink* I plan to have it finished before the end of this month. Since I hope the store will open next month, I wanted to get this project done before then.

Guild Christmas Party and AQC Update

Saturday was my guild's December meeting. We did a gift exchange. I took one of the needle books I made. I received this cute pin cushion.

The base measures about 3" and it stands about 4" tall. It's darn cute!

I also received this foot control bed.

Here it is "in action."

Thanks so much Mary Ann. I love it!

Alamosa Quilt Company Update: 

The construction phase is over. Next is painting and cleaning. I hope to get everything painted in the next few days then stay away for a few days to let everything dry really well. I'll take pictures once everything is painted.

On Friday afternoon I received most of my huge Moda order.

UPS delivered 36 boxes on Friday to go with the 10 or so that were delivered earlier in the week. Above is pretty much all fabric. Counting the boxes I received previously containing thread and notions (not shown in the photo above), there are 61 boxes of merchandise waiting to be opened, inventoried and put out on shelves. Probably won't start on that until January.

A New Hand Project

In 2011 I completed two 10" square bird pieces for my guild challenge. The theme that year was "Birds of a Feather."

This is Freida. She was the first one I did.

I had so much fun doing her that I did a second one, Dot.

Both are fused applique and then hand stitched, beaded and embellished.

I had always planned to do more birds in this series. Since I had to stop working on my UFO of the month while I wait for the thread to arrive I decided to begin a third bird. She doesn't have a name yet.

The wool applique is done. Now the hand embroidery and embellishment begins!

Reverse Applique Class

Last Friday I took an all day class with my guild. The teacher was Margaret Willingham. Her company is Eye of the Beholder. The link will take you to her website.

This is my class project.

It is currently 12" by 12" but it is meant to be cut down to about 7" square. I have no idea what I will do with this block. Margaret suggested we could turn them into pot holders. For now I just put mine in my orphan block basket. I took the class to learn her technique, not necessarily for the project.

It was a fun class and Margaret is a good teacher. On Saturday she did a lecture and trunk show after our guild meeting. It was fun to see all of her designs up close. 

October Winner Take All Block

My guild has a Projects Chairperson. Her job is to come up with projects for the guild to do together. A popular activity is our Winner Take All Block of the Month. 

The way it works is one month the Projects Chairperson hands out a pattern for a block along with any color, theme or other requirements. Any one who wants to participate makes the block according to the rules and brings it to the next meeting. You get to put your name in the drawing to win the blocks once for every block you brought. The winner wins all the blocks.

Below is the block for this month.

I wasn't sure I liked it until looking at it through my camera. It was hard for me to see the design. In fact, I kept checking the pattern because it didn't look right to me. Well, it is right. A little distance was what I needed. 

Bonus: the fabrics were straight from my scrap basket. It is good to have some bigger pieces in the scrap basket.

Charley Harper Kitchen Towels

My guild retreat is coming up at the end of October. This time we are exchanging "kitchen items." For some reason in my stash have a collection of kitchen towels. I pulled out two of them and added two Charley Harper prints.

My criteria for these exchanges is "Would I like to go home with what I contribute to the game?" These definitely measure up. I'd love to have these in my kitchen. I may need to make a couple more for myself!

Telephone Quilt Progress

I just finished quilting my version of my guild's Telephone Quilt. The link will take you to the post where I shared the details of this project (scroll down underneath the photo in that post).

All I can show you of it at this point is the back. 

I tried a new-for-me quilting design. I think it turned out okay. Now I just need to pick a binding fabric (or maybe I'll just do a facing) and finish this up so I can pass it along early next week.

Boxy Stars Progress

I have all the blocks made and the cornerstones cut.

I found a fabric in my stash that will work well for the sashing. Now I need to cut it up and assemble the top. I'd like to get this to the completed top stage soon so that I can start on another project that has a deadline of May 1st. It's a fairly small project so it won't take a lot of time. The hardest part will be deciding which of my ideas for this I want to use.

Unfortunately I won't be able to show it to you for some time because it needs to be kept secret until everyone has finished. The project is called a Telephone Quilt. Below are the directions we were given:

Remember the telephone game from childhood? One person said something, the next repeated it to another, and so on.  What came out at the end was usually very different than the original statement. 

We can do the same with quilts. One person makes a quilt from a photograph, then hands off the quilt to the next person WITHOUT the original photograph.  That person makes a quilt that is similar to what she sees, hands it off, etc. How different from the original photo would the last quilt in the queue be? This is both a design challenge and a reflection of your personality. 

Quilts should be 20” x 30”, any techniques you wish to use, completed within the 6 week time frame allowed.  See schedule for assigned order and due dates.

1.     Person 1 makes a small quilt to represent a selected photograph. She takes a photo of the quilt, and then passes the quilt only to person # 2. Person 1 documents how the photo guided her choices in making the quilt, but keeps that to herself.
2.     Person 2 work only off the quilt that Person 1 sent to her. She makes her own quilt representing what she sees in quilt 1, takes a photo, makes the same type of documentation.  Sends Quilt 1 back to owner, sends her quilt to person 3.
3.     And so on until the end. We have 10 people in the circle.
4.     At the end of the chain, all the quilts and photos are gathered so we can marvel over the way the “message” changed from beginning to end.

Everyone has about 6 weeks to make their quilt and pass it on. The last person won't finish up until January 2016. So I won't be able to show you mine quilt until then. Hopefully everyone else will allow me to post photos of their quilts too.

Guild Challenge Reveal

Saturday was the big reveal for my guild challenge so I can finally show you my entry. The theme this year was "Scavenger Hunt." This link will take you to the challenge rules page on my guild website.

My entry contains all 22 items from the list. Can you find them all? You can click on the image to enlarge it a bit. This quilt began it's life as my class project from my class with Sue Spargo last September.

To see all fifteen fabulous entries, click here to go to my guild website. You can also come to our guild show June 26, 27 and 28 to see them all in person at the Inn of the Rio Grande in Alamosa, CO.

Oncology Quilts

I collected three more quilts for oncology at my last guild meeting.

The first one was made by Judy.

The second one was made by Juanita. I believe she said it was a braided table runner pattern. She made two and bordered them together.

The third and last one was made by Debbie.

I just had to include a close-up of the quilting on this one. It was quilted by another member, Peg.

In each photo I included the bag that goes with the quilt. We have had lots of positive feedback on the quilts and bags.

'Tis the Season :: Guild Challenge TimeI

I will probably be a little quieter here than normal for a couple of weeks. It is guild challenge time again. Most of my sewing time for the next few weeks will be spent on this project.

Above is the only sneak peek I will be showing you of this project. Many guild friends read my blog. I'd like for them to be at least somewhat surprised by my entry. Although those that know me well will probably be able to easily pick out mine.

We are doing a Scavenger Hunt challenge this year. For full details, click this link to go my guild website. It is definitely a "challenge" for me!

I'll leave you with one other photo, not quilting related. I took it this morning.

Mist rising from the fence

This morning when the sun hit our fence it caused a spooky mist to rise from the fence. There is really nothing "spooky" about it. It rained yesterday evening and the fence was still wet this morning. When the sun hit the damp fence the moisture began evaporating. This doesn't happen often because we don't get much precipitation around here. But when it does happen it looks really neat. And it doesn't last long. I've tried to photograph it before but was unsuccessful because it stopped before I could find my camera and get outside. I was quick this morning.