Quilt Camp Fall 2009

These are the quilts for the quilt auction, I contributed one, bid on a few and took home none. My favorite is the one on the far right that looks kind of three-d-ish.

I arrived at camp on Thursday and after helping a bit with the set up (the gals in charge of camp do a lot of work and I hope they know how much we appreciate it!) I set to work on my Schnibbles Picnic quilt in Bubblegum Basics fabrics. Thank goodness I was really motivated and sewed and sewed...and then...

I got to the part where I needed to square up, and square up, and square up (what you haven't done this pattern? I can't say all that squaring up was my favorite part) and I didn't bring my rulers or my cutting mat that turns in circles (hey at least I brought my rotary cutter!). So I set it aside and started to work on Slide Show. After shopping on Friday morning for my missing materials I commenced to squaring up a gazillion (ok eight times 16, maybe not a gazillion) little two inch squares (don't forget to line up the diagonal line) and 16 of the larger squares. This required much perseverence and several breaks...all the way from breakfast until close to dinner I was squaring up! Really! In fact I think I put it down and went back to it the next day because I didn't finish it Friday if memory serves me. This pattern is a bit more challenging than the previous two and now I love Cindy Lou Who even more than before! Somewhere in there I started putting the blocks together and did them all the same, exactly as the pattern showed for the first basket. When I was done with the last one and checking directions for the next step I discovered the "variations" of the basket I was supposed to use as I went (ha now I know why I am supposed to read all the directions before I start) but mine are not varied at all...AND they could have been because I did a whole lot of wrong sewing and ripping. I am not good with the triangle colors going this way and this way (I put them that way and that way, if you know what I mean). It almost got ridiculous. The borders (pieced the previous day) went on in a snap after dinner on Saturday though I have a bit of wonkiness and may take out one "tooth" in two of the borders, I already did that in two. I do love the sweet fabrics and hope never to make another tiny basket again.

Thursday I also worked on this Slide Show quilt. These are the fabrics I bought from Peggy at the Chicago Quilt Show the year before last! http://magicthimblecreations.blogspot.com/ is her blog. I cut up the border fabric before I realized what I had done...so have to think what to do since I am sure I can't find anything like this fabulous fabric from Indonesia around here. Peggy do you have more you will sell me? Smile ;) I had to ask.

The pattern is from Atkinson Designs and was easy to do though all those squares took a bit of time I am delighted with the result. Don't think I can part with this one either.

Another simple Eye Spy Quilt that I may add more to...fun to see the fabrics that are in so many other quilts I have made...especially the golfing guys that are in my Dad's quilt. I was missing him and thinking of him as I sewed all weekend on my new machine I got with some of my inheritance money. More on that later.

I also made some Christmas napkins (thanks to Patty who is an awesome quilter and who I want to be when I grow up!) and a red bowl that is smaller than my first one is mostly done too. Will show pics later on when the beaded fringe gets bought and put on it. My roommate and sewing neighbor was Becky and despite me being a night owl (and her not so much) we really had fun together! It was nice to have someone to pal around with a bit. I also spent a little time with my night owl friends Laura and her mom (I wish my mom sewed and went to camp with me!) and found out they live real close to me! Hope to be doing late night sewing, or shopping with them before the next quilt camp. I also need to find your blog Laura--let me know the address please!

I came home early from camp because I just couldn't bear working on the other quilt I brought with me...I barely started it and wished I had brought some of the quilting I need to do (simple tablerunners and baby quilt, etc.). Next time I will bring more variety I think. It was fun, I hope to go again.