May the Fourth Be With You!! Raise your hand if you love Star Wars!

May the Fourth Be With You!!

Raise your hand if you love Star Wars!

 Both my hands are raised - I'm a fan!!

Don't you Love this free graphic!!

Today you get a preview of my quilts entered in the Azalea Festival Quilt Show.  Coming up quickly!  Memorial Day weekend is E-A-R-L-Y this year.  The show is May 23 and 24.

LO (Lake Oswego) Runner

18 x 50

Years ago I saw this table runner in downtown Lake Oswego.  It wasn't for sale, but they were nice enough to let me take a picture.  Then the hard part began - figuring out the dimensions and making instructions.  But years later - Ta-Da!!  And it looks great on my green table!

Oh, Baby!!

39 x 46

I could not resist this baby panel.  So bright and fun.  Then GW, a good quilting friend, gave me some bright orphan blocks to use.  They electrified the quilt as a border.  Sweet Dreams!!  

Poppies on the Coast - April Challenge

15 x 19

I grew up in Nebraska.  When we retired to Oregon, we drove over a hill and acres of poppies were blooming!  It looked radio-active!!  Wowzer!  We love living on the coast, houses built up in the Hills, wildlife strolling around and the sound of the Ocean always our backdrop.

Quilt of Valor

70 x 90

We love supporting our Veterans and wrapping them in their quilt.  Patti and I met a veteran while at Gold Beach retreat.  He saved my toast from the toaster!!  He was wearing a military cap.  We got to talking. "Would you like a Quilt of Valor?"  We came home and got to work.  We made a quilt for him.  Our first time working with a panel - mixed feelings!!  This quilt will be presented at the ceremony during the Quilt Show.

If you are in our area; our Quilts of Valor Presentation will take place on Sunday, May 24.  Elementary School on Easy Street!  2 pm.  Please join us!!

ModSquad Improv

27 x 34

In 2021 our ModSquad group played with "Improv" for months.  Then it went into time out for years.  When I showed the group the top, they asked what I was going to do with it, I answered, "Don't know - maybe a dog blanket?"  Well, the group had strong opinions ... and it was NOT going to be a dog blanket.  I do love it - but All that work, and I'm still working on getting that lower left corner to quit sneaking in.

Graduation Celebration (final name to be thought up!)

68 x 90

My eyes and hands are racing to see which one will keep me from quilting first.  I have 5 Grandkids, one in college, the youngest in 3rd grade.  Our oldest granddaughter graduated last year and got her quilt.  From now on, I'm making two graduation quilts a year to stockpile.  Everyone will get one, even if I can't actually quilt by the time they graduate.  This design is inspired by StashLab booklet.

So - your preview is over ... and I'm mostly ready for the show (early!)  And our Brookings Outdoor Pool opens tomorrow!!  Can't wait!  Water aerobics start at 8:15!!  Be there or be square!

Post Annual Show Hermit stage!

The Brookings Annual Quilt show was fabulous!!  It's so funny that you work, work, work, nose to the grindstone and head down to get 'r dun ... and at the end you look up and "WOW!" it was all worth it!!!  Good job well done, Ladies and Gents!  Thanks to everyone that made it happen!

My QOV.  I love Double 4patch.  It's easy and so-o graphic!!  Makes a good showing.

 Congrats A for the 2nd place ribbon on your elephants.  My little Bee was made at the same class.  I'll have to look for a close-up of that later!


I'm happy to say that the yearly ModSquad exhibit was a hit!  What a group of talented ladies.  If you look closely you can see the projects are hanging in the category they were created for.  Not all of them are present ... they won't give us that much space!!!  They are an exhibit, not entries, but don't they look awesome!!

This year I was so-o busy with monthly sets of blocks to raffle for the QOVs, I only had 2 quilts in the show!!  And one was a QOV!  So, sadly, no ribbon for me this year.  I know you've heard this story before ... but I can't resist!  One year, my DH asked if I won any ribbons.  And I told him, "I never plan on winning a ribbon."  And he replied, "Yes, but life is better if you win one!!"  Better luck next year!  And I'm finishing a fun one to enter in the Newport show in August.  Fingers crossed!!

Our Quilt of Valor presentation was perfect!!  Every year we attract a bigger audience - and in general, that's a good thing.  But we have outgrown our space!  So we'll have to rearrange some things next year ... and you know how we all like change!!!  NOT!

We had 4 veterans that couldn't come to the ceremony.  I still have to contact them and get their quilts to them.  I told them to let me know when they were ready ... but I'll check in with them this week.  They were ALL so cute, saying give their quilt to another deserving veteran ... silly people - they don't get out of it that easy!!

The ceremony went pretty smoothly this year.  Of course, there is always a ker-fluffle or two.  Best laid plans and all that.  But we added a mike stand to our karaoke machine sound system and that helped.  One cannot hold a mike and hug a veteran without the mike squealing!!  Just saying - not my fault!!

This year we recruited photographers to take pix before, during and after the ceremony.  Some were perched on step ladders to get above the crowd.  All different angles and I'm happy to report it worked out really well!  Going to do that from now on!

I'm QOV chair next year too.  I've already picked out a scrap block for our block drive -  does anyone else feel like they are up to the ears in scraps?? 

When I moved to Oregon I actually had a box of scraps labeled "Too small to use, too big to throw away!!"  AND I'm happy to say, I think, that at long last, the mini log cabin king size quilt will be finished this year!!!  HooRah!  But of course, I'm kind-of optimistic about what I can accomplish!!  No worries:  You'll be the first to know!

I have a question for you.  I've been teaching some needle case classes from my own designs.  I'd love to sell them online.  I know that once we 'publish' pictures of them, anyone can figure out the dimensions (not as easy as you think, of course!)  But I'd like to sell the pattern cheap enough that it's just easier to buy it!

I'm thinking $1.00 - $3.00 each.  I have 3 different projects! When you are looking for patterns, do you go to Etsy?  CreativeBug?  Bluprint (formerly Craftsy)? What would you pay for a clever way to keep track of specialty needles, etc??  Let me know!

In closing here are some Quilt of Valor pictures.

You wouldn't believe how my face is in an odd expression in so many pictures!!  And there is always something blurred!!

 21 Quilts of Valor presented at the ceremony.  All well deserved.

The smiles say it all!

Until next week!  Get sewing, ladies!