WHY NOT?!

 Do you know this book? I never picked it up, because I thought it was only about the actual act of quilting, which I don't do. But when my friend Dorothy (whose company I totally enjoy) invited me to take a class with these ladies at the fabulous quilt shop on Vashon Island, The Island Quilter, I immediately replied, "WHY NOT?!"

The class was improvisational inserting.

Now I think this is amusing because 

my friend Judy has been saying for years 

that there is nothing new 

and she is totally right.

These ladies

 (and I now notice a lot of other modern quilters too)

are calling "liberated" piecing ..."improv" piecing.

OK....

And "inserting" seems to be what 

  Jan Mullins 

(I just taught the Daisiez pattern which is totally inserting!) 

and Diane Hire did...

with a new brighter, crisper, modern twist...

I suppose.

So, I went with an open mind, 

hoping to mingle with some modern ladies

and gain some new insight.

This is Katie, one of the authors/teachers.

 http://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/

Here's a cute monkey monkey that Jaquie made...fun!

This is the palette I brought

all Kaffe shot cottons.

My work is on the far left.

I would like to add some variety of strip width and block size.

Overall the class was mellow and fine

but once again, it's the company that I 

cherish most!

 Emily Cier was the quilter that was being featured in the gallery!

LOVE! HAPPINESS!

and lots of SMILES!

http://carolinapatchworks.com/blog/

I am really loving the colors and the triangles.

I am feeling an itch to do a triangle quilt.

 How clever is this?!

Balance...

I took a class

and

taught a class on my "littlebits".

I made these cute baskets for the ladies!

I used a fun and easy tutorial from here -

http://ayumills.blogspot.com/2008/05/tutorial-fabric-basket.html

Chris started this in class and then when home and stayed up way to late to finish!

Here's Debbie's

lovingly showing her and her husband!

Carolyn was industrious and free flowing!

And Shiela brought some cross stitch 

she had made for her military daughter in law 

and was able to start 

creating a lovely border!

Continuing to focus on balance,

out in the garden I have been!

Here's my peonieS!

YES...I need a capital S...as in...more than one!

I planted her fourteen years ago

and for years, nothing.

Last year, one gorgeous bloom...

this year FIVE!

I imagine the peony waiting patiently

not worrying

just being

TRUSTING

that the Universe has her back 

and 

all is already well.

Blooming or not blooming did not concern her.

Then I saw this on the bag of a kind lady in my class.

And I was grateful for the reminder!

Just believe...period.

Nice!

PARTICIPATING IN BLOGGERS QUILT FESTIVAL!

 I am sooo excited 

to be participating in the 

Blogger's Quilt Festival!

My entry started as a challenge.

Could I use small bits 

of every piece 

of my novelty print collection of ladies and girl stuff 

all in one quilt?

YES! I could...

AND I could add all kinds of 

other novelty prints that represented 

different parts of my day/life as mom, wife, woman.

I am in  love with the result!

"Domestic Bliss "

Enjoy!

As a mom of three teenage boys,

life has been FULL and BUSY!

I really really enjoyed 

discovering ALL I do

represented in my fabric.

My dear friend Judy Irish quilted it...

http://wildirishrowsquilting.com/

notice the delightful

"Stephie heart Jim".

491/2 x 50ish

a little wonky, just like me

Let me know what your favorite fabric is.

I am partial to the piece that says, "I just peed and pood".

(You have to develop a keen sense 

of bathroom humor with three boys!)

Don't forget to treat your self...

 go visit all the creative entries at 

http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/

WINNER!

Whew! How much fun was that??!!

THANK YOU!

for playing...

some interesting 

answers to the question,  

does the seasonal change to summer effects your sewing. 

It seems pretty even... 

some ladies

get more hand sewing done outside, 

some like the coolness 

of the air-conditioning, so the keep sewing, 

and some are too busy to sew.

Anne, 

from Norway, 

said summer is so short in Norway there is no effect...

and Joy was silly when

she shared that if she is wearing shorts, 

she sticks to her chair! 

Ha!

It was quite exciting for my blog to get so many responses 

AND

new followers!

WELCOME!

My son picked #48

Congrats to:

MissEnota aka Kristin S.

GIVEAWAY!!!! and then some

I've been working without direction these last days.

A bit of this...

with thoughts of teaching some 

SCRAPTASTIC 

classes in the fall.

And a bit of this...

pieces for my Karen Stone quilt, 

Wild Women Don't Get the Blues.

(I am loving that title!)

The color play is fun,

but, 

seriously,

how many paper pieced blocks can one make?

hee-hee

(do you see that Pacific Northwest sunshine?! YUM!)

Here's my design wall.

The Quiltmaker's Shoppe,

in Arlington, 

 agreed to give me a chance to teach in the fall,

 I bought a fat quarter pack 

of the more subdued

colors (bottom left)...and I think I like it!

When I saw this interesting color design, 

a wonderful idea popped in my head...

it's time for a giveaway!!!

Next Friday, 

May10 at 5:00, 

my youngest son 

will pick a number 

based on the amount of entries.

One chance -leave a comment and tell me how or if 

summer 

effects your quilting time.

Second chance -become a follower of my blog.

Third chance - get a friend to leave a comment and/or become a follower.

Everybody is welcome to play!

Prize?

I'll share with you some of 

the-way-tooo-much-but-oh-sew-fun-fabric 

I bought during the Karen Stone class 

at the Stichin Post in Sisters, Oregon.

8 

luscious 

fat quarters 

from a new favorite of mine, 

Marcia Derse!

I'll leave you with a quote from a new favorite book,

Creative Thursday, by Marisa Anne,

"Creating is an organic process, and we need to allow it to unfold into what it is meant to become. Perfection already exists in what is. It is up to us to recognize it."

WOOHOO!!! 

I decided at the very last minute to join

a grand giveaway party!

Check it out at

http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2013/05/giveaway-day-sewing-craft-supplies-3/

there are soooooo many delicious giveaways!

Have fun!