Monochromatic/Native Quilt and Quilt show goodies...

I can't think of much else more luxurious to me than getting to go to a quilt show, without kids!  I got to do just that today!  I took lots of pictures, but since it runs through tomorrow, I won't be posting any until after it's done!  The one exception though is the "all done" picture of my Monochromatic, or "Native" quilt, hanging in the quilt show! 

Since Susan asked, here's my fabric binge from the show too!  I guess I was in a bit of a brown mood LOL!  I certainly have those mug rugs on my mind, and you can tell just by looking what my 2 favorite drinks are... coffee and beer.  My husband and I are not quite "foodies", but we both enjoy great food (and beverage) that is affordable, which to us means hand crafted.  My husband occasionally brews beer from all grain, and I'm the coffee roaster in the family.  Buying the raw materials and making them ourselves is not only very satisfying, and delicious, but saves us a lot of money as well!  I'll be making a quilt or mug rugs / coasters from these for sure!

The same vendor had a ton of fabric with Southwest motifs, as she and her husband are snowbirds, and just left their home and shop in Arizona to go back to their home in Washington state.  I had fun talking to her about the thriving quilt industry down there, which I was clueless about, but now makes sense to me, as there are so many retired people from colder climates down there.  If it were me, I think I'd be outside all day in the winter though, too busy hiking and such to quilt.  That's one thing I love about the PNW, and Michigan... both are places which kind of force you to hibernate for the winter, which makes for great quilting!!  I am also a total sucker for batiks, love love love wildlife, so pretty much have most wildlife batik prints that can be found in a 2 hour drive's radius, so when I saw the SW animal batik fabric she had, I just couldn't resist some of that too.

The glorious floral applique quilts always are among my favorite, but I have yet to get into that quilting style (maybe next year....), so when I saw these Kaffe Fassett panels, I had to get them too (my first ever Kaffe Fassett fabric)!  Stay tuned to see pics from the quilt show in the next day or 2!

My first mug rug, and WIP Wed.

Not only have I been admiring the fabric postcards in "blog land", but these cute "mug rugs" have also captured my interest.  I started this one a few months ago, but finally got around to binding it last night!  Yea!!  I love it, and it's new home is right beside our main computer!  These little quilting projects are SO satisfying.... a perfect way to procrastinate!

But I have some quilting deadlines, coming up, so I've spent today making binding and ironing up the 2 backs I have ready for 2 quilts.  I'm hoping to get the Supernova Quilt and the Japanese Quilt all pin basted today, and the binding all done on my "Native", or Monochromatic Quilt done.  Wish me luck!

I'm also linking up with Freshly Pieced blog for WIP Wed.  Come join us!!

Monochromatic Quilt... will she get 'er done?

Hmmm... I'm thinking not, since this is about all I have quilted.  But then again, I'm quilting!!!  My machine hasn't skipped a stitches ever since I got it all figured out!!!  This makes me so happy!!!

Gosh, I still haven't figured out that it just take about 10 or 100 more times the time I ever budget for getting the quilting part done.  That, with the fact that it took me a bit to get my new machine figured out, and the fact that I decided it was much more fun to go to the local brew pub tonight, instead of quilt, well, you get the picture.  I'll still work on it, but it looks like another deadline come and gone... Maybe next time!  Good luck to everyone else who entered!  I can't wait to see all of the pictures.

We'll be visiting the Tamastslikt Museum tomorrow, because it's "free Friday", and they have a visiting exhibit from OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) there starting tomorrow.  The kids have tomorrow off from school, and with the wonderful warm weather we've been having, I think it'll be a great week-end!  Hope the same's true for all of you!

Monochromatic quilt top done, and why I make quilts

I finished up the monochromatic quilt top for the Modern Quilt Guild challenge.  I must say that I'm really pleased with this!  My inspiration was a pieced leather Native American Robe that is in a local museum, and I think in my own way I captured it just a bit.  I'm out of batting, and my mom is coming to visit later this week for the kids spring break, so I have to put all of my sewing stuff away, but hope to get it all done in time for the contest this time around...  I'll be linking up with Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday too :).  Come see what else everyone is working on there!

I also got these thank you notes in the mail today from my nieces (thanks to my SIL too).  I made them all quilt for Christmas.  This pretty much sums up why I quilt!  ALMOST makes me want to try to have a girl of our own too ;-).  Priceless!