A Finish, A Start, A Walk, and A Quilt Show

WARNING:  PHOTO HEAVY

A while ago I showed you a little basket quilt top that I made.  It was a Cheri Payne quilt-a-long.  Well here it is finished and hanging up on my wall.

I machine quilted it doing squigly lines across the quilt.

Here is another Cheri Payne quilt-a-long.  It still needs to be quilted.

You know how much Terry and I love walking at Lake St. Clair Metro Park.  Well it's been raining so much lately we haven't had a chance to walk.  Yesterday the sun was shining and a nice breeze blowing...so we took off to the park.

We came across this couple having a picnic.  They were so lucky to find a spot with a private swimming pool.

Mom was taking her new borns out for a stroll.

This Mom had her hands full.  The babies are growing so fast.

I love this time of year.  The flowering trees are so beautiful. 

Everytime I go to the park I have wanted to get a picture of this weathervane.  So I finally did.  It is made of copper.

And now I saved the best for last.  Last week we went to the Macomb County Quilt Guild Quilt Show.  There were so many beautiful quilts.  Enjoy!!

 Look closely and you can see that the entire quilt is made from 9 patches.  It is so beautiful.

And of course they had sooooo many vendors.  However, I only bought one thing.  A new book.  I won't be starting this quilt till my year with Quiltmaker Magazine is over.

Speaking of Quiltmaker....go to Quilty Pleasures Blog and see my fellow Scrap Squad member Jennifer's Ladder of Success.  Another beautiful quilt.

Wishing you a wonderful sunshine filled day.

Hugs, Cathy

A Day of Antiquing

Yesterday the sun was shining and it was heating up.  We decided to go to Bay City to do a little antiquing and of course fabric shopping.  Can't show the fabrics as they will be going into my newest Scrap Squad quilt.  But I can show you what I bought at the antique store.

It is a little rough in spots, but the minute I saw it I heard it say....."Take me home with you".  The secondary pattern wasn't apparent at first glance.  In fact I didn't see it until I had it on the wall.

The second acquisition is a sweet little baby quilt.  It too has been loved quite a bit.

It is a true use it up quilt.  A couple of the blocks have multiple fabrics used in it.

We lucked out all day long by being just behind the rain.  So it was an enjoyable day out. 

Hope you are having a great day.

Hugs, Cathy

It's Time to Reveal...

My second Quiltmaker Scrap Squad Quilt...

But first a little background.  As you know last year I applied to Quiltmaker Magazine to be a part of their Scrap Squad.  I had to send in pictures of some of my scrap quilt.  Amazingly I was chosen.  Their are 7 of us in the Scrap Squad.

The magazine sends us a pattern of a quilt that is coming out in the next issue of Quiltmaker and we are asked to make a scrappy version.  This entails making a quilt every 2 months.

The first quilt I made is on the left side of the screen, "Chain Reaction"

The second quilt "Ladder of Success" was designed by Judy Martin.  I hope you enjoy the journey of this second quilt.

First I chose my focus fabric.

I pulled all the colors for my quilt from this fabric.  And I made it using only scraps except for the first and second borders.

I used solid looking fabrics for the large 9 patches. lots of different black prints for the sashing blocks and light shades of blue for the double 9 patch blocks and many golds for the second border.  The balance was different shades of neutral fabrics.

To keep me organized I draw the different segments on a graph paper index card.  I mark the size of each piece, and how many pieces.  I put this in a plastic frame and keep it along side my sewing machine.

Once all the pieces were cut out the center of the quilt went together very quickly.

I think this would make a nice quilt on its own.

Here are my quilt top and Judy Martin's quilt bottom.

Please check out Quiltmaker's Blog, Quilty Pleasures  and see the different versions of this quilt made by my fellow Scrap Squad members. 

And just to let you know....I've already received the pattern for the next quilt.  You are going to like what we have in store for you.

Hugs, Cathy



In Just One Week.....

We've had 80 degree weather, 32 degree weather, a quilt show, a walk, and health issues.

First the Quilt Show.  A week ago, my husband and I went to the Oakland County Quilt Guild Quilt Show.  This show is special to me.  I used to be a member of the guild and I got my first 1st place ribbon at this NQA show.  Here are some of the quilts I saw.

It was a really nice show.  And they had tons of vendors...I did shop a little.  It was nice to run into some old friends too.

We went for a walk to Lake St. Clair Metro Park (formerly Metro Beach Metro Park) and it was beautiful out.  I made sure I took my camera hoping to see some wild life.  And I did.  The temperature was around 80.

These 2 Terns were flirting quite a bit.  We had to turn away at one point....lol

We saw so many swans.  There was a flock of 10 swans that flew over us.  Not sure where they were headed.

My first site of baby geese for the season.  They were quite small and as you can see the parents were very protective.

We went walking yesterday and it was only 32 degrees out.  I swear I saw snow flakes.  It must have been dog walking day.  There had to be about 80 dogs there.

Now for the health issues.  I've had Type 2 diabetes for years.  Tuesday I went to the Doctor's for my regular check up and my blood tests showed that my diabetes is out of control.  I am now on a new additional medication (which is playing havoc with my system) and I will need to start on insulin.  But thank goodness it will be a pen.  She said I could possibly get of insulin and some of my medication if I loose some weight.  That's not an easy task with diabetes and thyroid problems. 

So she suggested that I join weight watchers online.  I did.  From counting points I realized that I was eating too much and all the wrong foods.  I weigh myself Wednesday morning to see how much weight I have lost during this first week.   I will keep you informed on how I am doing.

Woo hoo....I finally finished my Scrap Squad Quilt.  I have to do my write up on the process for Quiltmaker's Blog and take a picture of my quilt.  I'll let you know when it will be posted on their blog.  Already got the pattern for the next quilt.  Trying to think up some ideas for it.

Well this has been a lengthy post and lots of photos.  I hope you enjoyed then and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy 

Back From my Trip...

And back to work...that is working on my quilt.

We had a great time up north.  The weather the first few days was wonderful and I will show you some pictures later.

I spent the morning baste pinning my Scrap Squad quilt.  Hopefully I can get it quilted this weekend.   I can't show you my quilt......

If you have received the latest Quiltmaker magazine, go to page 50 and see the quilt that the Scrap Squad is working on.  Then you can go to Quiltmaker Magazine's Blog and see Melissa's Version of the quilt.  It is sooo beautiful.

Now back to my visit with my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter.  The weather was so nice.  The sun was shining all though it was a little cool.  We spent the day in Negaunee at a park that is an old mining town and mine pits.  The buildings are all gone but the basements and stairs leading to the houses are still there.

There is something sad about a Stairway to nowhere.  But I am still attracted to them and so was Ashley.

We had a wonderful Easter.  Courtney fixed a wonderful dinner and we started the day off with an Easter Egg Hunt.

Ashley did a nice job decorating her eggs.

We knew our nice weather was due for a change.  We left to come home on Tuesday.  It started out sunny but very, very windy. 

We stopped by the shore of Lake Superior.  I almost got blown away by the wind while taking this picture of the waves.

After we went through Christmas, MI it started snowing.  By the time we got to Brimley to stop at the Casino it was a blizzard.

We drove in a snow blizzard all the to Grayling.  Then it changed to snow flurries.  I tell you it was great to get home.

I hope you liked my pictures and I hope you check out Quiltmakers blog.  Melzee's quilt it really beautiful.  Mine will go up after I finish it..lol  Which I hope will be soon.  I've already seen what our next quilt is to be and I love it.

Hope you have a great day.

Hugs, Cathy

WHOA......

I had the flu and it really kicked my butt.  I don't think I have ever felt that bad.  I came down with it on Wed. the 21st and didn't crawl out of bed until the 28th.  Yesterday was the first day I had been out of the house.  I have been feeling better but weak.  My get up and go got up and went.  But I feel fantastic today.  This is why I haven't posted anything for a while.

Just before I got sick I did some fabric shopping....

Remember this?  It is my Jubilee Quilt.  Well that little piece of fabric is all I had and it wasn't enough to finish my quilt.  Monday, the 19th, my husband and I drove up to Port Huron and checked out some fabric shops trying to find more.  We went to Sew Elegant and Mary Maxim's.  No luck.  Then we went to a new shop in St. Clair.  Again no luck.  We decided to go to Marine City to visit the in laws.  There just happens to be a quilt shop there.  Guess what?

Yep....she had it.  In January her roof leaked on about 100 bolts of fabric.  She took it home and washed it and brought it back to the shop.  She sold me 10 yards at $4.00 a yard.  Glad she washed it...now I don't have to.  So soon I can continue to work on my quilt.

A while back I watched a video at the Missouri Star Quilt Co. about making a hexagon quilt using 5" charm squares. 

You fold the charm square in half and line up the ruler.  Trim and cut in half.  This method goes really quickly.

Here is what I have done so far.  Not sure if it will be a table runner or a wall hanging.

Have you been working on the Temecula Quilt Co. Blessings quilt.  I managed to finish the last of my blocks yesterday.

They are so adorable.  Now I have to pick out the rest of the fabrics so I can finish.  I recently bought the Kindle Fire and love it.  I brought up the page for this quilt.  It was so easy to read the instructions and not having to bring my lap top into my sewing room.

I finally finished the top for the latest Scrap Squad quilt.  I was hoping to have the quilting finished but then I got the flu.  So it will have to wait till next week.

We leave Wednesday to go to the Upper Peninsula to visit my son Pat, his wife Courtney and my granddaughter Ashley.  It will be nice to spend Easter with them.  So I will MIA again for about a week. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and are able to spend it with family and friends.

Hugs, Cathy