Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild

I spent a lovely weekend in Lakeport, a town on Clear Lake in Lake County with the Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild.

Clear Lake is the largest lake in California and I, a native Californian, had never been there.  It is a beautiful area with farms, orchards, vineyards and the lake, of course.  Speaking of vineyards, I drove to Lakeport on State Highway 29 which took me through the beautiful Napa Valley.  And there seems to be vineyards everywhere now.  I'm beginning to think that the whole state of California is just one big vineyard!  And that's just fine with me.  I like my occasional glass of Chardonnay!

Another first was to discover that the first Quilt Trail in California is in Lake County.  I spotted big quilt blocks on barns and commercial buildings while driving around.  This is a movement that started in Wisconsin, I believe.  I had no idea that there was a Quilt Trail in California.  While visiting the local quilt shop, Kerrie's Quilting, I picked up a brochure.  Check it out on their website:  www.lakecountyquilttrail.com

At the lecture on Saturday morning, everyone learned about tile quilts and at the workshop on Sunday, eight Ladies of the Lake learned to make their own block.  Here are the nice results of that class. As usual, there is a wonderful variety of fabrics. On a few of the blocks you can see the beginning of turning under the seam allowance to reveal the background and create the "grout" lines.

It was lots of fun.  Thanks, Ladies of the Lake!  Great work!

Look what Barbara did!

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of reconnecting with a friend from Williamsburg, Virginia.  Barbara and I became friends there because we were both quilters and also both attended the historic Bruton Parish Church.  It turned out that we had both lived in the Bay Area of California for many years, knew some of the same people, but had never met here.  Barbara and her husband return to the Bay Area occasionally and I was happy to enjoy their company over a great lunch at Tacolicious in San Francisco. 

During this visit Barbara showed me her fabulous tile quilt.   She had our book, Tile Quilt Revival, and used several of the patterns that are included to make this quilt as a gift for a friend.  Great job, Barbara!  You make me proud.  I hope your friend loves it. (Apologies for the poor picture quality.)

Pine Tree Quilt Guild

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the beautiful, historic Sierra Foothill town of Grass Valley.  I gave a lecture and taught a workshop on tile quilts for the Pine Tree Quilt Guild which is aptly named as the area is abundant with pine trees.

I learned that Lynda, the program chair has just won Best of Show at this year's California State Fair!  Congratulations, Lynda!  Besides a cash prize, she is awarded a California Bear as pictured on the state flag -- not a real bear but a small statue of sorts.  I didn't get to see the bear or the quilt so I can't show pictures but I do plan to get to the State Fair next month to check it out.

There were some lovely blocks made in the workshop, and as usual, a nice variety. The participants really enjoyed the class and really appreciated that it was a design class and not just an applique class.  Here are a few photos starting with Lynda's, who designed two blocks while in class, one of each of the patterns I offer. 

And here are the rest of the fine work from this guild.  One person left early and I'm sorry that I missed getting a photo of her block.You can see on several of the blocks that the maker has started the applique process of turning under the seam allowance to reveal the "grout".

Fabulous Finished Tile Quilt

I always tell my students to send me pictures but that doesn't happen very often.  And I understand that there are many reasons why that is so.  Therefore, I was really pleased this week when I received the photo of this quilt from Margaret Christensen.

Margaret took the workshop on a very hot day last June at Mt. Tam Quilt Guild in San Rafael.  Here's what Margaret said about her quilt. 

" My plan was to make four blocks, but it became too much fun to stop!  This is by far the brightest, loudest wall hanging I've ever done.  Tonight I plan to share it at our Guild show-n-tell. Didn't even take a year. = ; ^ ).  Thanks for a great class. Want to revisit your book for the other projects."

That last part makes me happy.  I'm so glad that Margaret loved making a tile quilt.  And when I look at her quilt, I can see that she used some of the patterns from the book, but she also redesigned some of the blocks and designed her own!  Just what I want students to do -- make these quilts your own!

Margaret wanted me to be sure to say that Valerie Graf of Black Point Quilts, Novato, machine quilted her quilt.

Great work, Margaret!  Thanks for sending the picture.  I hope it will inspire others.

Recent happenings

A week or so ago I wrote a post about my visit to the South Bay Quilt Guild with pictures and then I accidentally did some keystroke and the whole thing disappeared and I couldn't retrieve it!  I was so mad I haven't wanted to post but think I'm over it and will try again!  This time I have more to talk about.

So, it was a beautiful day by the blue Pacific last month when I had the pleasure of visiting the South Bay group.  We had a fun class and here are the results of the class. 

 

The next event just a few days after my trip to beautiful Redondo Beach was the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association quilt show on April 20-21. I was so proud and pleased to have been chosen one of the Featured Artists this year.  It was so fun to talk to everyone about our books and about needle turn applique!  Here are some pictures of my booth at the show. All the quilts are from our books, except for the two bird quilts at the end but I do have a pattern for the quilt which is called, Birds in a Cherry Tree.  The Happy Houses quilt was a favorite along with the two Tile Quilts on the right.

One exhibit at the show was quilts produced in workshop and I had the pleasure of seeing two results from my workshop on tile quilts.

 This "chicken" quilt is one Lotus pattern block with a border and more applique.  Nice job, Joy!

 

And this one is a compilation of blocks from several quilts in Tile Quilt Revival.  Not the best photo but a great quilt, Mary!

And, last but not least, I was back in SoCal a week ago at the Santa Monica Quilt Guild, back by the blue Pacific and had some great Mexican food also!  Here's a link to their website showing the class in progress.  http://www.santamonicaquiltguild.org/page69/page69.html

And here are some of the blocks a little further along. Mostly Starry Orange Peel blocks this time and all wonderful!  I never cease to be amazed at the variety of fabrics that all seem to work! 

 

This last block is actually finished!  She chose to fuse her block rather than do needle turn applique.

Another antique tile quilt discovered

Here is a tile quilt found on Pinterest.  We know nothing about it except that it appears to be made in the USA in 1893, apparently by someone whose initials were CWB.

It's a very nice example.  I see hands, hearts, eyeglasses, scissors, stars, that very showy American flag, a house or maybe it is a schoolhouse or church, a horseshoe, a pitcher, more initials, "RAY" and "RW".  Are those initials in the second block down, second from left?  "DUO" or just shapes?  The more you look the more you find.

Oh, I wish we knew more about it.

Shower of Stars

The Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association, of which I am a member, is having their biennial Quilt Show on April 20 and 21 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.  Here is a link to find out all the information,  http://scvqaquiltshow.org/

I am pleased and proud that I have been selected to be one of the Featured Artists for this year's show.  I'll have lots of quilts from both of our books, Tile Quilt Revival and Fresh Perspectives to show in my booth and I will be demonstrating the Tile Quilt technique and the way I do needle-turn applique.  I'll have books for purchase and my pattern for Birds in a Cherry Tree. 

Birds in a Cherry Tree 

24.5'' x 24.5''

And my latest quilt,  Simple Graces, will be in the show.  I adapted a pattern in Kim Diehl's book, Simple Graces, and used a collection of Barbara Brackman's William Morris prints from Moda.  A little Broderie Perse in the center block.  Hand applique, hand quilted.  67'' x 67''  I was calling it William Morris Churn Dash, but Barbara named it Simple Graces, so the name stuck!
 

I hope to see you at the Show!