Eyelashes and Slidell/New Orleans Trip

Eyelashes

The eyelash quilt is slowly coming together.  I have made minor changes to the color, have not changed the design (it is a Judy Niemeyer pattern).  You will notice the picture is much better.  I bought a new camera.  It is doing a much better job then my old one.  I have almost all of the pieces made for this quilt.  I have been assembling blocks and the bottom row is put together.  This quilt has partial seams so thus I won't attempt to put the rows together until I have all the blocks finished. 

This past weekend I went with 3 of the gals I sew with to Slidell, LA.  The GSQA was holding a quilt show at the civic center.  We stopped at Mandeville, LA at a super shop.  Lots and lots of batiks.  I really tried to control myself, but it is difficult when you see all the gorgeous colors looking back at you and saying "take me home."  It is almost like looking at a puppy.  My New Year's resolution I think has fallen by the wayside.  It was a good idea in January but so far it has been a "big bust."  I have an upcoming trip to Alaska.  The only thing that will save me is I can only stuff so much into a suitcase. 

At Slidell we stopped at "Louie and the Red Headed Lady" restaurant.  What a super place to eat.  I only wish they were in Moss Bluff.  I would eat there everyday.  I had a catfish poorboy (I know that is not how they spell it).  It was supersized and the catfish was wonderful.  The waitress asked me if I wanted it "dressed."  Dressed????  I always dress........It is a term used in the New Orleans area meaning, lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo (I think, I have that right).  Dressed, by all means.  As I said, wonderful.  After the show we went on to New Orleans.  I will save that for my next post. 

Hope all is well with you............

Kenai, Alaska

There is not a lot exciting going on in my world except.............

Kenai, Alaska

I have a trip planned to go to Kenai, Alaska next month.  I am excited.  I have always wanted to go to Alaska and thought I would probably never make it. 

I just happen to have a quilting friend whose husband is working in Alaska.  She is planning a trip up there in May.  We are going to go together.  It will be nice actually for both of us since it gives us someone to travel with.  It should be a very good time of the year to go. 

I also have a friend living at Eagle River.  She is going to be in Kenai with her husband and relatives to fish at the same time that we are going to be there.  She is also a quilter.  We should have a great time since I understand that Kenai has a quilt shop with about 19,000 bolts of fabric.  We actually don't plan on spending all of our time at the quilt shop.  Who in their right mind would go to Alaska and not try to get in as much of the scenery as possible.

Remember me saying that I really needed a new camera.  Guess what?????  I ordered one yesterday.  I just could not go to Alaska and not take beautiful pictures.  So thus, maybe my quilt pictures will be better.  I bought a Nikon L810,  not the fanciest camera but I think it will do the job. 

I am still working on my Judy N. quilt.  It is slowly coming together.  Next week, I will post a picture.

Hope all is well on your end.

Quiltmaker, Bow Ties, and Eyelashes

My Easter Dress

Back in about September, I was working on a block (My Easter Dress) for a group quilt.  I sew with a group (8 including myself) of ladies every week.  We meet 1-3 times a week to chatter and to sew.  I put my block on my blog and also on Judy L.'s blog (design wall Monday).  One of the editor's from Quiltmaker was nosing around the blogs and she saw my block.  This is a block from one of Quiltmaker's Block Books.  She contacted me and asked about the details of the block, the quilt, and the group.  If you would like to see the results check out http://www.quiltmaker.com/.   In the middle of the page it says recent blog posts.  Under that click on - My Easter Dress. 



Eyelashes For a Lady

 I am still working on my Judy Niemeyer quilt.  This is a doozy but it is going to be a great quilt with lots of color and movement.  I am using 43 different batiks in it for the center and I don't know how many more in the border.  I wish I could take credit for the design, but I can't.  In the picture it looks like a big mess but it is slowly coming together.  By next week (I hope) it will be well on its way to being finished.  I need to have this to the quilter as close to May 1st as I can do. 

A Bow Tie Affair

This quilt is the last quilt that Larry Abshire (The Quilt Shoppe, Westlake, LA) quilted.  He quilted most of my quilts.  His talents are greatly missed.  Larry moved onto doing a thing that he dearly loves and that is being more involved with the American Legion.  He is the state commander and has a lot of work to do but he gets a lot of satisfaction in helping all the vets across the state.  This quilt I named "A Bow Tie Affair."  When you look at it you see white pinwheels, but if you cross your eyes a little you will see bow ties. 

Got to get busy, that quilt will not finish itself.  Hope all is well on your end.

It is Raining, I am Sewing...........

We had a big thunderstorm go through this morning.  It really blew, and it is still raining.  I just heard thunder.  The weatherman says it is going to go on all afternoon, on and off.  It is a good day to sew.  I debated whether I wanted to eat (like go to the grocery store).  I will go tomorrow.  My cupboard is not totally bare as yet. 

Here is the quilt that I am working on.  I showed a picture in my last blog.  It is slow progress, but I think it is going to be a great quilt.  Judy Niemeyer's quilts (patterns) are always outstanding.  They are not always the easiest patterns to follow for the most part, I do not follow the directions.  The first one (of which I have not finished) was the Bali Wedding Star (pictures are in my blog somewhere).  I have another of her patterns (The Cactus Rose) and have had it for years (like before Hurricane Rita).  I bought it in Galveston, TX.  Quilts by the Bay was not far off the beach.  When I went into the shop they had the Cactus Rose hanging, it was gorgeous.  I bought the pattern, but as I have said before, I put it in the drawer, and have said many times I should make this quilt, well, may be soon.  Quilts by the Bay was one of the shops and many homes that did not make it through Hurricane Rita.  You can find them on line and many times they are at the Houston International Quilt Show.  Check them out on line to see if they are coming to a show near you. 

My kitty tower is in my office.  My kitties like to be near me.  They are pests.  Here Smokey (on top) is harrassing JAC (the cat).  Smokey is full of vim and vigor. 

I went to the "bag sale" at QB on Saturday.  For those of you who don't know what a "bag sale" is....starting Jan. 1 until Mar 1, QB (Quilts Bayou) sold tote bags for a fee and they are to be used on the 5th Saturday of the months that have 5 Saturdays in them.  March 31st was a 5th Saturday month.  Everything in the shop as long as you can get it into the bag is 25% off excluding thread and BOM.  I bought several batik fabrics, sewing machine needles and batting.  I wanted to make the space in my bag count.  The next "bag sale" is in June.  I will probably buy more of the same.  One thing I did buy was a ruler with big numbers.  It is wonderful. 

I need to go wash clothes and get to sewing or I will never get that quilt finished.

Do check into Perri's blog.  She is working on the Market Basket quilt again.  It is going to be super.  Her blog address and also Beth's quilt (she made it too) can be found in my right column.  I plan on finishing my Market Basket quilt soon.  All depends on the Judy Niemeyer above.   My plans are to enter it in the AQS show in Des Moines this year (it has to be accepted first).   That will depend on the date that the picture has to be into AQS.  The quilt has to be completely finished for the picture.  I am sure that I will be pushing this one. 

Hope all is well on your end.........