Today, Tom and I took a trip to Naples, NY so he could put some of his pictures in the Artisanns Gallery.    I decided to tag along so I could check the quilt shop,

Carriage House Quilt Shop, Naples NY

Carriage House Quilts.  The shop is housed in a 140 year old carriage house.  Singer Featherweights are scattered throughout the store.  There is even an old treadle machine.

Carolyn, the owner, is delightful to talk to and very helpful.  One of her classes, that is very popular, is a Hunter Star quilt.  Her technique allows many to go home with a finished quilt top.

In addition she  just expanded the downstairs space so that  Carriage House Quilts will be able to increase the class schedule into the summer months this year.

We ended a day with a stop at the Dr. Frank Winery and a picnic supper at Keuka Lake State Park. A delightful way to spend a summer day.

Quilting from Home!

Here we are traveling again. Though it’s only for a long weekend. This is our second trip to the Albany area in as many months.

We’re trying to promote Tom’s photography (Natural Images) at local art shows. We’re learning fast just what the public looks for when they go to a summer art show. Our first show was at the Albany Tulip Festival on Mother’s Day weekend. The tulips on in full bloom at Washington Street Park. Tulips as far as the eye can see. What a beautiful place for an art fair. The show this weekend was Art on Lark. The city closes down about 5 blocks of Lark Street in downtown Albany and more than 100 vendors line both the street. One of the area residents told me that this festival began when Lark Street residents would gather every weekend during the summer to display and sell their crafts and art. It has evolved into today’s art fair of 120 vendors from many areas of the country. Our booth was featured in the Around the Region section of the Albany Times Union.

As an added bonus, one of my favorite ways to pass the time while traveling is to do some sort of hand work. I was hoping that I would be able to work on my Celtic quilt on the 2-1/2 hour trip here. Unfortunately this quilt is king-size – just too big to manipulate in the truck – so I had to put it off until today when we were in the campground. I spent a very pleasant day outside the trailer – just sewing.

The temperature cooperated as well. It was in the low 70′s all day. I don’t know how I would have been able to work on this quilt if the weather was warmer. As a matter of fact last year it was in the 90′s this weekend. One couple announced at Sunday Mass that they were celebrating their first anniversary and were thankful that the temperature wasn’t in the 90′s as it was last year. Boy am I glad too! – I’m not a fan of the 90′s even when I’m not working on a quilt!

Many quilters put away their quilting in the summer because they want to spend time outside. – My solution: take the quilting along with you. I always carry a small project with me when we go for a hike. Being a nature photographer, Tom is always stopping to take a picture (or maybe 20) and it’s a perfect opportunity for me to stop and quilt. I also really like quilting in the campgrounds. I’m always having people stop by to see what I’m working on. It certainly is a conversation starter!

Quilting on the Road!

I have wanted to make a miniature quilt ever since I saw them in 2005 at the AQS Quilt Show, Paducah, KY. Recently I found the book, Thimbleberries Pint-Size Traditions, by Lynette Jensen.   The themes of the miniatures in this book are the seasons and special holidays.  Now I have the perfect

opportunity to make one of patterns, Brown Basket.

For the past few years a group of us have participated in project exchanges at our annual quilters’ retreat at Watson Homestead in Painted Post NY.  From these exchanges, I have received this  beautiful embroidered piece, Autumn gave a party (which I framed) from Pauline;

and a fantastic Fall pieced wall hanging, Things to Love About Fall, from Lisa.  (Do my friends know me or what? – Autumn – my favorite time of year!)

The project for the exchange, to be completed by the  October 2009 retreat, is to be made from provided material consisting of 5 fat quarters and background fabric. We each put our fabric in manila envelopes and randomly distributed them among the 7 of us (Pauline, Lisa, Mae, Jeanne, Debbie, Ruth and myself).  Now the challenge to create something that the giver of the fabric will just love!

So, as I often do when trying a new technique, I made a sample block out of some scrap fabric – just to make sure that everything would turn out as I expected.

Block from "Brown Basket" wall hanging by Lynette Jensenwhen I'm trying a new technique.

I think that the basket block is just too cute and will make a neat-looking wall hanging.

The block will be pieced and the basket handle is hand-appliqued.

I certainly hope that my unidentified recipient will like it too!

Quilting from Home!

Two rainy days this week -

Just the excuse that I needed to spend some time quilting.

I  decided to begin the Seminole strip for my quilt.

Shape Cut Tool

Cutting was a breeze with the Shape Cut by June Taylor.

Strip Piecing – (My second timesaver)

What an easy way to make this strip for the quilt.  It looks difficult, but the key is an accurate 1/4-seam.

To help me maintain that 1/4-inch seam, my husband etched markings on the clear base plate that came with  my sewing machine cabinet. Now its easy to line up and keep the edge of the material a scant 1/4-inch away from the needle, before it is fed under the machine’s presser foot.

Yesterday,  I had lunch with fellow quilters, Mae and Ruth. At our “mini’ Show-n-Tell I pulled out a sample of the Seminole strip that I’m sewing.  They agreed that the Seminole piecing will add a very unique finish to my quilt and definitely looks harder to make than it really is.

Quilting from Home!

Tuesday, Priscilla Kibbee treated members of the Thumbstall Quilt Guild to a Wearable Art Trunk Show. A world traveler, Priscella collects the most amazing finds and incorporates the treasures into the clothing she creates.

Whether it is beaded molas from Panama, needlepoint from Turkmenistan, beading or Seminole strip embellishment that she creates, or fabric manipulation; all are fashioned into wearable art.

In the same way, I was fascinated by the intricacies of Seminole patchwork, that I saw when visiting  the Everglades earlier this year.  With the aid of hand-cranked sewing machines the Seminole  used up scraps of fabric to create beautiful designs in everything they made.

It was equally interesting to see Seminole patchwork incorporated into 21st Century clothing. Thank you Priscilla for sharing your talent with us.

Quilting from Home!