Feb 23, 2017

Man what a month. We finally have had some sun! It is still pretty cold though. I want sun and warm temps.
 Last weekend's event was one of my favorite things each year. The Dixie Quilt Guild Annual retreat. I think they said there were 94 of us there. We stayed at a new motel in Zion. It was all pretty wonderful expect for one member's health issue. Cathie Purdy and I shared a room. The rooms were wonderfully large, the staff was great too! We were their first large group.  The conference room was large enough for all of us to be in the one room with lots of room to spare! I am sure this is where our next  retreat will be held!

I am back in my own space.... wishing I could repeat last weekend! We had such a great time. Quilters are the best people in the world!

I am currently working on a quilt for Margaret Miller. I though she was going to enter it into our quilt show that will be held in April. But she is going to use this one for display. The quilt pattern is designed by Marti Mitchel (I am not sure if I am spelling that correctly). She will be teaching a classes at the Dixie Quilt Guild quilt show in April.  I have just about  have the quilt finished it.  She and I both are apparently challenged when it comes to measuring backing.  I knew the fit was going to be close.... but really did think I could make it with the material she provided me. Well ...... I am about 2 inches short and we don't want to cut any of the quilt off. I had quilted a lot before I realized the problem. Margaret gave me some additional fabric. My plan is to quilt all but the last border. Once I have that done (and I am almost there), I will unload the quilt and add more fabric to the backing. My issue is I don't want a small amount on the very edge of the backing. It won't look right and will add to much bulk along the edge. I will have to cut a couple of inches off the backing and add the new fabric. Then I will reload the quilt and finish that border.  My Innova does not stitch well from right to left, so I will change the direction I have the quilt loaded right now. That will allow me to quilt from left to right. I really don't know what my machine's issue is, I have asked and get different explanations, nothing that fixes the problem.

  

If you are interested in taking a class taught by Marti..... check out the Dixie Quilt Guild's web site. All the classes are listed and I think there is still some space in some of the classes!

I must get back to me work. I have to get this done this week! I have other client quilts to quilt and a few of my own.

These owl blocks are what I worked on at the retreat this last weekend. I have 3 more to finish. These are sewn in the hoop on my embroidery machine. I have two pattern packs, each containing 10 owls. I think they are so cute.  I have the fabric to make another set of the blocks. I have other 'in the hoop' projects I want to complete. But... just haven't had time to even think about them.

The next event I need to get ready for is the Fiber Art show that will be held in April at the  ST. George Art Museum. Hopefully there will be a lot of entries. We hoped include other area fiber artists, along with the PHFA ladies work. I have two pieces I plan on putting in the show.

I need to get busy. It is already almost 2 p.m.! 

Happy Quilting

Sun and 70's

Man a live what a wonderful day it has been here in St. George. I have not spent any time at the quilting machine today.  The weather is so nice... I got a lot of stuff done in the yard.  Maybe I will get a bit of quilting done this evening.

Hope everyone is having a great day.

Wed Feb 8, 2018

It was so nice and warm today here in St. George!  I started my day by quilting on Margaret's quilt... got a lot of ditching done. I am not sure how I am going to quilt it yet, but still have a lot of ditching to do. The fabric Margaret used is so happy.

I did some yard work this afternoon. I needed to get the oleanders trimmed up off the ground. Our little wiener dog gets in them. He has a couple of sores on his back that I am afraid the bushes might have caused. Poor little guy is old and his skin is so bad with out the help of these poisonous bushes. They are not ours... but belong to the neighbors. I got leaves cleaned up too. The back yard looks much, much better. Dave has put a cleaner in his hot tub. The stuff has to run at least 24 hours. I guess he will then drain it, wipe it down and refill it.

We are going to watch some tv and then I will quilt a bit more.

Feb 7....

It was cloudy here in St. George, Utah most of the day. I worked on the client quilt I have on the machine today. I got a lot of ditching done. Nothing more exciting than that happened here today.  I don't have any photos to post.

 I came to a decision, after hearing about the confirmation of Betsy Devos today, I cannot spend the time I have spent on facebook lately. Nothing I say makes a difference anyway and ever pole I fill out just want money.  It makes me sick that money we work so hard for goes into the pockets of the people who only care about getting reelected. If they really cared for this country they would work and vote for what is best for American, instead of working for their big donors and their political party. The confirmation of Betsy Devos is proof this is so. I really can't believe she was confirmed. She is the most unqualified person I have ever seen nominated for any post. This is just the beginning folks. If the powers in Washington are so impotent that they could not defeat this nomination, there is no hope. Up until this decision I felt that there was at least a glimmer of hope that someone had the balls to stand up to Trump. But alas.... they voted pretty much right down the party line. So that means until the bottom falls out and things get really bad it will be business as usual in Washington. When Trump has totally destroyed our standing around the world and really messed up trade agreements. Maybe the republicans in the government who have a thimble full of brains will stand up and help sanity take this country back. Hopefully they will 'see the light' before Trump starts another war. 

Hopefully I will have some art work or quilting to post tomorrow. Now... it is late and I am tired so I will say good night.