Soooo, let's talk about the Newport Show

It's a month later ... if I don't get to it now - when??  I AM trying to be better about blogging again.  This year has been pretty bleak in frequency of posts.  It wasn't because I wasn't having fun ... trust me!!

My good friend R was the featured quilter this year and boy, she did a bang-up job of it!!  She has such a variety of techniques and style in her quilts and her winning personality completes the package.  She had a lot of quilts in her personal exhibit and two out in the show - one of which won a ribbon!!  Excellent!!

This is one of R's quilt.  It was a BOM from the Newport local Quilt store.  It was designed by one of our guild members and it's an awesome quilt.

Patchwork of the Cross, have you seen one of these up close and personal yet??  There's only so many ways to say "Stunning!"  S, who is in the Friday Bayshore Group hand pieced and hand quilted this.  She worked on it for years and it was so much fun to watch her progress.  I noticed that the Omaha store Sew Many Quilts is offering this pattern in a BOM club. The quilt is designed by mainly fussy cutting wild and crazy large prints ... imagination required.  Great Job, S!! 

Here's a close up of a few of the blocks.  Each one turns out so very different, it's fascinating to study.

I have one of these racks.  Anyone doing trio projects now??  I got it because a friend here in Brookings has an awesome machine embroidery trio of Christmas.  We're negotiating for her to make me the set.  I'd like to also make a trio - 3 different panels with a common element - like "A River Runs Thru It" only smaller!  So what has anyone else done???  Fess up!

Another good friend in Newport  won so many ribbons this year.  She won more ribbons than the number of quilts she entered!!! All different styles of quilts, she is so-o very talented.  She is the one who embroidered the seashore embroideries for this quilt.  

You may remember my "If ever you live by the ocean ..." challenge quilt from the "Stay Robin here in Brookings.  I love how her machine embroideries frame my borders.  So fun.  

Oh - a side note: I wondered if I'd ever feel at home out here and the answer is "YES!"  5 1/2 yrs later, 3 1/2 yrs in Brookings -- I feel like this is home.  It's a milestone of sorts!! I was amazed this born and bred Nebraskan would love it out here so-o much!!

The gardening club in Waldport commissioned this giant quilt.  I love that they hung it with the doorway in the center corner - it gives it so much depth.  It's a lovely quilt with little surprises tucked here and there.  Just the way I like projects!!

This was one of the patterns I bought. Annabelle's Quilt by Blue Canoe Designs. The quilt pictured on the pattern itself was "ehh!" but when I saw it made in scrap with loads of shirtings .... whole different story!  Made my heart go pitter-pat, I'm telling you!!

A close-up - do you see what I mean??  Seriously, it's truly a miracle that I haven't started this one yet!  Only due to the dedication I have to the Houses BOM, because I'm truly itching to start stitching this one! [and others!!!]

A sneak preview - this is our raffle quilt for next year!!  It's awesome and I'm hoping that I am going to win it!!  Along with every other member of guild!  The applique lighthouses were based on pictures handed to the members that volunteered.  I helped paper piece the Storm at Sea blocks ... but those gals really made the quilt!!  Can't wait to see it quilted ... and at home on my bed!!!

A glimpse into my sewing room/ Quilting staging area/ Quilt Cave ... whatever it's called, it's usually a mess!

It all started with returning the antique library card catalog back to my daughter. [I'm happy to say it's their new big screen tv stand and looks awesome!]  So things had to be cleared out, stored, found new homes and rearranged!!  Ladies, it took weeks!!! :) I handled everything quilt-y I own at least twice!!

I returned from my daughters with my Ethan Allen lingerie chest.  I moved my IKEA Expedit bookcase out of the closet in the sewing room; and the lingerie chest fits right next to it.  I bought canvas containers from IKEA that were designed to fit the bookcase.  Although I was disappointed in the colors offered right now, I'm thrilled with how much they hold.  They seem pretty sturdy and time will tell, I guess.

My friend K in Waldport is so-o very organized.  We were looking for a pattern she was sure she had and she showed me how well her system worked!  She letters each container.  Then she writes a master inventory for each ..  i.e. Box A has baby girl quilt; Lori Smith Log cabin kit, Jungle Boogie UFO.  I'm still getting used to writing it down, remembering I wrote it down, and looking it up before destroying the entire room looking for it!!  You know how it can be!!

I brought in all containers out in the storage closet - so everything quilt-y is now in the sewing room. [Oh, except for all my stash in Expedit bookcases in the dining room!!!  But there was no expectation of them fitting into the sewing room!!!]  Just like Prego spaghetti sauce "It's IN there!"  [Does anyone else remember those commercials?]  

I built a milkcrate and board bookcase in the closet to help me organize that storage area.  Our local Ace Hardware could not be more helpful. The mill cut my purchased boards in half so they would fit in my car!  That was too easy.

Starting on the top shelf of the closet - Box of Christmas fabric decorations, long basket of interfacing, pellon and freezer paper.  LandsEnd tote bag of, well, tote bags!!, basket of gallon ziplocks of cut squares, shoeboxes of cut strips.

Top shelf of the bookcase: basket of scraps with a backing on top, quilting stencils hung behind, 2 small canvas boxes of sewing misc.  wood basket of quilt framing supplies - c-clamps, pins, basting spray.

1st row of cubbies:  UFOs, UFOs, and probably more UFOs - but at least they are all out where I can find them [most of the time]

Rest of cubbies - UFOs - you see the theme.  There's favorite scraps "too little to use, too big to throw away" that I'm using for mini log cabins, there's a stash of selvedges, more UFOs, more scraps, Fabric Post Card supplies and one very big milk crate of children's books - for when the grands are here. 

Now that's just one corner of the room and just one glimpse of how much you can collect over 38 years of quilting!!  Even if you DO downsize and move to Oregon and then move again to another condo in Oregon!  Oh, MY!!

Go ahead and laugh!!  Someday this may happen to you!!!