6th Annual CQI Retreat

Yesterday we began taking sign ups/registration for this year's retreat. I was surprised and happy to see that there were 12 attendees signed up on the first day. And 2 that I know of waiting in the wings. Of course, there are the 'regulars' but also a number of new attendees, which makes me very happy. I have no doubt that we will have all 22 spaces filled before the deadline of June 1st.

I'm hosting the retreat this year, here in Longmont. We're working with a local hotel chain for a block of rooms at a great discount, and I will have the pleasure of hosting a few of the International visitors at my home. There is still a lot to do with regard to activities and such but for this group, and these retreats, it's mostly about friends gathering and enjoying the 'girl time' with needle and thread.

One of the activities that we all look forward to is the gift exchange/swap (fka Chinese Auction). You never know what you'll end up with, or what will be 'stolen' from you. But everyone knows that they will leave with something made or given in friendship and love.

Here are a few of the gifts that I've made over the years. A crazy quilted penguin that Debbie Q. took home and a dress form pincushion that Lauri took home.


A whimsical little box made from a cigar box and stuffed to bursting with goodies.


These are some friendship gifts (bookmarks and matchbook needle cases) that I made for each of the women attending a retreat. This type of gifty was very common before retreat attendance reached 20+ attendees. At that time we decided it made more sense to offer goody bags to each attendee with items donated by some long-time retreat goers, donations from Etsy vendors and local businesses. Although there are still those who can't resist bringing something special just because!


This is Janet (sitting next to Connie) holding a pincushion made by Gerry Krueger. I was lucky enough to bring a pink pincushion home one year. The box has a crazy quilted inlay that Janet made. This little darling resides in my studio. Janet has created a number of these types of boxes and they are gorgeous!


Cathy with a crazy quilt she took home. And a lovely crazy quilted bear made by Lauri.


Bears have sort of become Lauri's trademark. Here are a couple of the other bears she's made. I took the pink bear home the first year of our retreats and the other went to Vivianne in 2011.


Lauri even made a special bear after the 2010 retreat just for Hideko, and included the names of that year's attendees.


Here are a few more of the gifts given and received in the gift exchange/swap... These are some beautiful glass buttons and Kerry is holding a crazy quilted pillow.


Juli is holding a refurbished vintage rocking chair pincushion and here is a teacup pincushion made by Lauri.


These are a couple of the items made by Connie.


And a gift she received.


Sadly, I do not have a photo of the crazy quilt that Cathy gave last year. It was to die for! I also cannot seem to find the photos of the most beautiful tea cozy and needle cases that our members have made. I don't leave your lovely work out on purpose. Besides, to try and include it all would be over-whelming. LOL.

For those of you who might be thinking about joining us this year but either don't have the time, the supplies, or the courage to make something to give, it is perfectly acceptable to purchase something. Some of the purchased items at past retreats have ranged from glass buttons, to OTT lights, baskets containing assorted crazy quilting fabrics, threads, beads, charms, etc., a nice pair of scissors, pretty fabrics and silk ribbon, etc. In fact, I received a wonderful, vintage sewing box from Gerry Krueger last year. I love it and have it prominently displayed in my studio.

The whole point is just to give something that you would be THRILLED to receive yourself. Something that conveys your friendship to the women that you might only know from the Internet but have come to consider you sisters.

This is the project that I'm working on as my swap gift. And for once, I meant to take an unclear photo. I don't want anyone to be able to guess what it is. I will tell you that it is not a bear!



Well, I'm off to do some stitching and planning for the retreat. Thanks for joining me today and please be sure to check back from time to time for updates and information about what else we have planned for this year, and possibly a few more, little snippets of what we've done in the past.


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

Trip to Lincoln

I recently spent 10 days in Lincoln, Nebraska caring for my nieces while my brother and sister-in-law went to Hawaii. My brother is finishing up his Endodontics training and had to give a presentation there. Must be tough, huh?

Normally, they would have brought the girls here but they are still in school this time of year. I was so surprised at how much they had grown and matured since I saw them last. I also didn't fully appreciate what it takes to keep up with three active little girls - I tip my hat to my sister-in-law!

I'm also very thankful that she took the time to prepare schedule, complete with driving directions for me. Otherwise, I would have been completely lost. LOL. The girls go to different schools (one in middle school, two in elementary), they play volleyball at various locations, are on swim team, and do gymnastics. Throw in birthday parties for friends, and 'play dates', homework, and meals and well, let's just say I was exhausted by the end of the trip and more that a bit tired of being in the car!



I have to admit that I was also very impressed by the fact that the girls are so self sufficient. They get up to their own alarms in the morning, get their own breakfast, and are ready to head out the door on time. They come home from school, do their homework, gather their things for activities and get to bed on time without prompting. They remembered to feed and water their pets, including cleaning the litter box for Colby, and Alyssa was a great little helper with anything else that needed to be addressed.

(Left to Right: Alyssa, Emily, Sydney)


I picked up a nasty cold while I was there and discovered that the girls would also make great nurses. Alyssa brought me NiteQuil, Sydney turned down my bed for me, and Emily thanked me for taking her cold away and making her feel better. I miss them already!


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

May Day - Snow???

I just love living in Colorado. We had near 80 degree weather on Monday and then 6 inches of snow on Wednesday - THE FIRST OF MAY! Luckily it didn't stick to the sidewalks or streets but it did make for some pretty slippery driving when the wet streets froze up.



Today we have sunshine and the snow will probably be gone by Saturday.

We also got a little visitor, just trying to stay out of the cold and wait out the storm. Look in the upper right hand corner.


Let me get a little closer....


Ahhhh, there he is. Isn't he (or she) cute????


And so tiny, too. Only about 2 or 2 1/2 inches long. We get bats catching a nap on the front porch fairly regularly.


And before you shutter and run you should know that bats are fairly shy and they love to eat bugs. Especially, mosquitoes. They are also a protected species in Colorado.

On another note we had Fritz back into the vet on Tuesday to get his blood sugars checked - again - and his numbers are between the 130's and 160's, which is excellent!!!! He has no signs of cataracts (thank goodness), and he was able to jump up on the bench at the end of the bed for the first time in a couple of months. Today was a good day.



Well, I best go get my day started. Today is going to be a perfect day for staying inside, working on blocks, and watching the snow melt! I wish you a lazy day, too.

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

Victorian Ladies DYB - Round Five

This is Cathy K's block, and the final block that I will work in this RR. Cathy allowed us to choose the placement of each silkie as well as the piece of vintage lace that she included with each of her blocks.


The brown ribbon is a piece from my mother's stash, the lace at the bottom of the block is from a vintage, lace curtain/sash panel. Some of the threads were gifted to me from good friends, and some of the charm and embellishment pieces are from previous retreat gifts.

I hope Cathy likes my additions to her blocks.

Gerry

Just A Quick Hello

Well, so much for giving my blog more attention! Every time I sit down and decide to spend a few minutes I am quickly pulled away to attend to some other project or issue. It might be age and forgetfulness but I really don't remember life being so hectic when I was younger. LOL. Anyway, right now I'm waiting for paint to dry so I do have a few minutes.



Why am I waiting for paint to dry, you ask???? Well, DH and I have decided that we need to replace the windows in our home. And Monday we had the first three installed. And while there was minimal damage during the removal and install, there is touch up needed. So, there ya go!

I have some good news to share about Fritz's diabetes, though. We have finally gotten his glucose count down from over 700 (normal is 60-150) to around the 140-200 range. He's tired of getting poked twice a day and keeping his schedule is not always convenient but he is SOOOOO worth the effort.

I received the fourth and last block that I will work for the Victorian Ladies DYB RR. It's Cathy K's block. I'm looking forward to adding my touches to her other wonderful blocks. They are so 'lady-like' and beautiful. I'm also anxiously awaiting the return of my blocks. They are (I think) with Connie who will work her magic and then send them home.

DH and I are still going to the gym 3-4 times a week and not enjoying it too much. LOL. I'm trying to stay committed though. I'm even looking for a local gym for when I go to Lincoln this month to take care of my nieces. DH assures me that he will keep going when I'm gone. We so need to get into better shape but after 40, 50, 60...it's tough. I find myself saying, "If I had only known then..." but then again, I'm not sure that would have made a difference.

I'm still promising myself that I will start back to work on my CQJP 2013 blocks pretty soon. I do have them all pieced and bordered, now all I need is the motivation to get going. That time should come when I get back from Lincoln and when my bowling leagues finish up for the season at the end of the month.


Bowling???? Yes, bowling. I've been bowling 1-2 times a week for about 30 years. Right now I'm on two leagues. A small one on Tuesday afternoon and a large one on Friday mornings. That's about the only social interaction I get during the week. LOL. Summer leagues start in May, but I'll only bowl one of those. And that's mostly for the practice. My average is 149 but I have happily had several 200+ games in recent weeks. HMMMMMMM, maybe it's going to the gym?!??!!?!

Well, I better go check in on my Etsy Shoppe before I jump back into cleaning and putting my drapes back up. I have been so pleasantly surprised that there are other fabric-aholics out there. And they've been keeping me very, very busy.

Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in and visit. I wish you a wonderful week and good weather for the weekend.

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

Goings On

Hello! Hello!
I bet you didn't expect to find me here today. LOL. Well, I didn't either, actually. I keep complaining that I just don't have time to blog anymore. And when I do sit down, I seemingly have anything to say or share because I can't seem to get anything else done, either. Shocking - I know.

Well, I've been using that excuse for a little over two years now, give or take, and I've decided that it's high-time to knock it off. I used to have time for most everything that I needed to do or wanted to do. And there certainly isn't any less time in the day now. Or few days in the week, or any fewer weeks in the month! I'm pretty sure I just got really lazy.

So, with that said, I have a lot of page space to cover today. First, and most fun is that I finally got around to adding some listing to my Etsy Shoppe. For now it's just fabric but I hope to expand soon. Since I've been collecting fabric and other lovelies for years I should be able to keep the shop stocked for awhile.

Anyway, back to Etsy, much to my surprise and delight, I got my first sale right away. Then the second, then lots of conversations/emails. Then panic set in, and I wondered how I would keep up with it. After a few deep breaths, I decided that everything would be just fine - BRING IT ON!!!!

I continue to plug away at finishing the piecing of my CQJP 2013 blocks, and will be working the February block shortly. I'm still not sure how I feel about working diamond shaped block, or how I might turn them in a book. But I do like the colors I've chosen and worst case scenario I have another wall hanging.

The Victorian Ladies DBY that started in September, 2012 with CQI will be wrapping up over the next month (or so), with just one block left to work. I'm very excited to have my blocks home as I'm sure everyone else is. My first thoughts were that these blocks would used for a wall hanging. But no I'm toying with a couple of other options, so who knows.

On another note, we just found out that our little furbaby, Fritz has diabetes. Luckily, we caught it early but it was still quite a shocker when we went to vet's office to see why he was drinking so much water and loosing muscle mass. DH and I did some reading up on it, and it helped to lessen the fear and anxiety. And we know that it will have it's complications and drawbacks but it can be controlled and that means he'll be back to mostly normal shortly.

DH and I are still a little awkward giving him injections twice a day but I'm sure we'll be just fine in time. Fritz doesn't have a lot of confidence in us right now. And only after a few days he's already growling and trying to bite us. I feel so bad for him because so much of what he's always known in going to change. Already treats are sparse, he can no longer be a free feeder, and when he sees the fridge door open he takes off. We remain hopeful that in time we will all find our happy place with this situation!

I'm typing this post on a new computer today. I finally had the 'last straw' with my old one the other day. I did manage to get a decade out it but technology changes so quickly that conflicts with my software and hardware became a nightmare. And to be honest, some of the software and hardware was already outdated in 2003. So, after restoring the old girl back to factory specs three times in a year I had become fairly disenchanted. And over the last several months it was still acting up, locking up, bumping and grinding all the time.

On Saturday, after spending a few hours trying to check my email and spewing dirty words, DH rounded me up and we went to Best Buy. We looked at computers, printers, and software. I really don't have any desire to have a laptop so we looked at desktop PCs. In a surprisingly short period of time I had a new HP All-in-One computer, a wireless printer, and a stack of software programs. Now I'm just hoping that I can figure out how to use these new fangled things before technology passes me by again!

Before I go, I would like to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day. Thank you for stopping by to visit and I hope to see you back here soon!

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

Victorian Ladies DYB - Round Four

This is the block that I chose to work for Hideko. She asked us to keep to a Goth type theme for this project. Everyone has done such a nice job with these blocks. We don't often get a chance to work with much black lace and ribbon, which I LOVE. So, this block was a bit of a treat!

Well, Hideko's set of blocks are now in Cathy's hands. She will make her choice of blocks, work it, then send all of Hideko's beautiful blocks back home to her. I am anxiously awaiting Cathy's blocks, which will be the last of the blocks that I will work for this round robin. That also means that my little darlings should be headed home soon - YAY!!!!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by!


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

CQJP 2013 - January

My goodness, I can hardly believe that it's February already. Obviously, January got away from me, too. Well, a couple of days late but here is my finished CQJP 2013 block for January. I decided to add a gold 'fancy fabric' border to my tonal blocks, then went a head and added an additional/final border in a small floral print while I was at it. I know myself well enough to know that if I don't get my blocks as completed as possible at the onset, that they are very, very likely to end up in the UFO bin.

Click photo to enlarge

I'm still planning on turning these pages into a book, although I'm not exactly sure how that's going to pan out. Hopefully by the time the last block is finished, I'll have worked that out.

If you would like to see more of the blocks being worked for this project, here is the LINK.

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

How Do You Piece?

I decided to make this post after receiving a few emails and comments regarding my blocks. I would also like to preface this 'tutorial' information by noting that the following is MY preferred technique for piecing blocks, and therefore only my personal opinion. I have had the pleasure of working on many, many blocks pieced using any number of techniques which were just lovely, and equally pleasant to work on.

I'm a bit of a fuss-budget when it comes to piecing blocks. I also realize that my chosen method probably seems (to most) very contrary to the entire concept of being 'crazy' and operating 'without rules' but I like a nice, sturdy, flat block. I discovered early on that if I pieced a flimsy block, I spent all of my time working on something with the consistency of Jell-O. My seam treatments puckered and pulled. The block shrank and skewed. It was not fun, it was not productive, and it did not produce a very nice finished product. Another hard lesson learned was making my naked blocks too close to the finished block size. You can always trim a block smaller - making it bigger - good luck with that!

And let’s be honest, after you have spent hour upon hour, investing your time designing and planning your project. Then hour upon hour stitching your project, using your best threads, ribbons, beads, charms, etc., doesn’t it make sense that you would want your finished project to last? Especially if that project takes you an entire year to complete? Or when you're making a gift for someone special? Or something that will become a treasured keepsake? Well, with that in mind, here's my take on piecing crazy quilt blocks, and my mind set when beginning a project.

I prefer to machine piece my blocks, although I do on rare occasions hand piece. And I always hand baste my blocks. But for me the process begins long before the first piece of fabric is attached to the muslin/backing. I prefer to work with a heavier weight, quality muslin, almost always in a 36" width. Although, I have used quality flannel, and even cotton sheets/pillow cases.

My technique, is to begin by ironing/pressing my backing. Then I draw my shape, which will be my stitching area onto the muslin, then draw a secondary line 3/4" out side of the stitching area, using a fabric pen so that it doesn’t bleed through. I draw the outer lines on both sides of the muslin, then baste the sewing area shape. The final step is to attach a piece of light weight, fusible interfacing large enough to cover the very outer outline. This adds a bit of extra stability to the muslin without making it difficult to stitch through.

Next, I choose the fabric that I will use. Usually 5-9 pieces depending on the size of the block. In this case, most of the blocks have 6 pieces of fabric. After choosing my fabrics, I iron each piece and apply light weight, fusible interfacing as necessary. The placement of fabrics is purely random, but I do try not to put like colors and/or textures next to each other. As you can see from this photo, that still sometimes happens.

Typically, I will use either black or white top thread to piece blocks. And since I always seem to have a bunch of partial bobbins threaded, I try to use those up for the bottom thread. I begin by piecing the block, interfacing side up. After each fabric piece is attached, I clip the treads, iron the piece flat, trim that piece to approximately 3/4" outside of the outer drawn line, then choose the next fabric piece, trim it with a straight edge/line, run the seam, and keep repeating until the block is pieced.

After piecing the entire block, I place it upside down, smooth it out, and rebaste at the sewing area line, baste at the 3/4" outer line, and finally, surge the entire block, which adds another, approximately 1/2" to the size of the block. Meaning that a 6" square block will be approximately 8 1/2" square by the time I’m ready to begin working it. And while this might seem like a waste of time and fabric, I find that not only does it provide me with a large enough block to work with, it also allows for adjustments later on in the event of shrinkage and/or skewing that might occur during stitching.

Depending on the project, I will also add the borders in advance just to aviod having to sew around beads, trims, charms, etc., after the blocks have been worked. I use these two blocks as examples here. If I had not added the borders to the pages in my CQJP 2012 book, it would have been a nightmare to get the pages the same size and squared out afterward.

If you have posted a piecing technique and/or tutorial, or know of one that might be helpful to someone starting out, I would love to hear from you.


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

CQJP 2013 - Naked Blocks

Today I pieced the last of my blocks for this year's challenge. I'm happy with the way they turned out, despite the time and effort that it took to get them just the way I wanted them.

Well, I guess it's time to choose the 'January' block, put together a stitching plan and get to it! Thank you so much for stopping by to visit with me today!


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry