My Life is a Quilt Retreat!

Blog 8

I am behind in Blogging so I've asked some friends to "Guest Blog" for me while I pack up my entire house to move.  And of course, I can count on my friends to bail me out as they always do when I ask, I have the best friends in the whole world!

Here's Paula T...

What to say... Hmm, my big chance to get up on a soap box.  My soap box would be a very pretty quilted box!!  I always wonder why I want so badly to go on a quilt retreat - my life is a quilt retreat (aaaah --maybe I could have my own blog "my life is a quilt retreat").  I quilt something everyday.  Even if it's just a piece of fabric that I "doodle quilt" on.  That my friends is how you get the title "quilter"! Practice!! And when you get tired of that, well -- practice some more!  When I used to teach free motion quilting, my parting words: "practice, practice & practice!" And just quilt something!  If you want to, not every one wants to quilt their own completed tops.  But if you do, some time will need to be invested.  That being said, there are plenty of things to do with fabric!!

Now (excuse me, stepping up on the quilted box -- what the heck is a soap box any who?)  I was told about Mark Lipinski's blog (gee, thanks judy!)

         http://www.slowstitching.com/

He has a new webinar called "The Slow Stitch Movement". He talks about making our legacy quilt, spending time in the process and enjoying the journey of quilting.  He has some great ideas about the hobby we all love.  It's not always about the "quick and easy" quilts  or the tons of fabric pushing us out of our sewing room or ahem, costing some of us mega bucks to move to towns with quirky names!! (Rhymes with "whim"!) His words and ideas have made me stop and think about how much I love this hobby and all that it brings to my life.  Many fabulous friends that are fun to be with and great to go on quilt retreats with -- that's why I love to plan, think about and go on quilt retreats, even if "my life is a quilt retreat"!

Judy gave me some fabric that is not going in the moving van.  She wanted my friends, Donna & Keri, to take what we love and donate the rest to my Mom's friend Martha and now my friend.  Martha doesn't sew but she and her sisters cut, sort and count the squares they get out of any piece of fabric I take to them!  Martha then gives the squares (all counted and sorted!) to the Senior Gleaners in their area (northern California).  The ladies at the "Gleaners" make quilts, wheel chair bags and pillows.  Martha and her sisters are always so happy to see me back up the car in front of her house and start unloading!  They make use of every single scrap!  I'll be going to see my friend, Babs, who lives in Rocklin now, and we will make a trip over with "bags for Martha".  Thank you Judy!

Enjoy your quilting journey!
Paula T

I'm gonna post some quilt photos

BLOG 9

I've been a gutter ball as far as blogging goes, NO POINTS for me!  And Sunday I have to take my computer down for who knows how long while we hit the road on the way to the Olympic Peninsula, just across the border from Canada! What to do??? Aha, I'm going to post photos of some of my quilts so you can see what kind of quilter I am.

Starting with my latest quilt first, I call it Coco the road bump, since it's a fusible web applique of who else? Coco, my Daughter-in-laws Corgi.  My Daughter-in-law just turned 50, oops did I say that out loud? So what better gift than a quilt of the dog she is CRAZY about.  Here he is, Coco laying on his back ready for a belly rub.

The next quilt is COOP HOUSE which has a long story behind it and I will go into it one day (today's not the day).  It is a retired McKenna Ryan pattern, altered by me, a combination of piecing and fusible applique. 

That's it for me today, I promise more pictures as the week flies by in a flash.