Jo Morton Overload

Before I start, get comfortable, am going to share many photographs!  Let me also say I am in sensory overdrive.  One of the reasons I made the decision to participate in a quilting class was to feed my creative juices.  One of the ways I feed my creative juices is by surrounding myself with creative people.  Today's class far exceeded my expectations.

This is the teachers Pottery Shards quilt. Lovely!  She is a very precise quilter and the quality of her work is outstanding.  I was the only person who had another Pottery Shards to share.  Mine is pieced and awaiting borders and backing.  More on this later.  Now, don't go thinking because I was the only person who had Pottery Shards to share that my fellow classmates had been idle.  Quiet the opposite--they had been busy, very, very busy.

Martha, who is one of the resident appliqué queens, had been working on this wool appliqué quilt by Primitive Gatherings.  Yes, it is a miniature and it was exquisite!

Terri had been working on this Jo Morton quilt.  I do not remember the name but Terri said it was an older Jo Morton kit.  The border on this quilt was fabulous.

This quilt is Jo Morton Scrappiness, which was last months quilt.

Please don't think this classmate is a slacker because she didn't have Pottery Shards completed, because she made two Scrappiness quilts!  Both were beautiful!

Another appliqué queen had been working on the Jo Morton Yankee Doodle quilt.  This is the center medallion.  Each of those pieces which make up the star are smaller than a dime!

Carmen did not have Pottery Shards finished because she had finished Houses of Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House.  It was beautiful!  Am still thinking about stitching the entire piece.

Stacy Nash taught a class at Three Sisters in Knoxville.  This is also Carmen's.  Hope everyone is beginning to see my classmates have been keeping their needles busy.  

On my drive to class, I passed these glorious day lilies.  The merchants in Franklin had planted them along the street.  They were everywhere and blooming in their full glory.  There must have been a few thousand!  Seeing them in their glory certainly put a smile on my face.

Whew!  There is more to share, stay tuned.

Sarah Hook Tombstone Angel

Here is my progress on the Chartmakers Tombstone angel, Sarah Hook.  This is a quick stitch.  Let's hope these words to do come home to haunt me.  I am stitching Sarah on Weeks 35 count Confederate Gray.  This is the first time I have stitched on this fabric and I am really enjoying it.  I can see me using this linen for many more projects, especially a sampler.

Tomorrow is Jo Morton class, I hope to have photos of completed Pottery Shards and the next class assignment.

The Rewards of Gardening

People sometimes ask why do you spend so much time outside?  Miss Mophead hydrangea is one reason.

Last year, Miss Mophead produced two blooms!  Look what she is sharing this year.

Miss Oak Leaf is so laden with blooms I had to get a stick to support her.

Miss Rain Lily rewards with an abundance of blooms after a rain.

The first blooms of buddleia (butterfly bush)

The color is going to be fabulous.  The rewards of gardening.

Pottery Shards Happy Dance

Yes!  This would me sharing the happy dance with Snoopy!  Pottery Shards is pieced!

Pottery Shards Jo Morton Little Women Club #11

Miss Callie Mae and I will soon be headed to the deck to enjoy the view and celebrate the piecing of Pottery Shards.  Here are some of the reasons:

1. It is pieced and before class time on Saturday, I achieved a goal!
2. The points meet and the seams match
3. It is square
4. The points are all pointing in the correct direction or at least I think they are

Pottery Shards is a 23 x 23 inch square.  Before joining together each pottery shard was 3."

Since I want to bask in the moment, I acknowledge a quilt is not a quilt until it is quilted.  I have border, backing, and binding fabric to choose, quilting to be done and binding.  But for now, let the happy dance begin.

Jo Morton Pottery Shards (continued)

The time between my Jo Morton classes seems to be getting shorter and shorter and the amount of work required to complete each quilt seems to be getting longer and longer.  Anyone else had these feelings?

The forty five pottery shards are finally completed.  When I started this project I set a goal for myself to make ten pottery shards a day.  Well. . .let's just say this was ambitious or wishful thinking because I did not come close to completing ten pottery shards a day.  My next new goal is to set the shards together-- by tomorrow.  Hmm, hope this goal is achievable.

I have a whole bunch of half square triangles left and am trying to think of ways to use them.  They can be joined together to form several pattern varieties.

I found this half square triangle quilt on pinterest.   Any thoughts on my left over half square triangles?

Here is a completed Pottery Shards quilt I found on pinterest.  Yes, I am hopeful mine will look this nice when finished.

Look what I found on my road trip

One of the good things about road trips is the side trips along the way.  To break up the monotony of the driving, I make frequent stops during the trip.  I should have one of those signs on my bumper which says "I brake for garden centers, quilt shops, needlework stores, antiques and coffee shops."  Of course, I might also need a stretch limo to encompass a bumper sticker this long. 

During my Mother's Day road trip, I stopped at Little Blessings quilt shop and look what I found!

Charm Packs!  Moda Seasonal Little Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings charm packs!  When I saw them at Little Blessings I thought I had hit the Mother load!  Yes, I did purchase two packs:  one for myself and one for my quilting partner in crime Carmen. 

The second charm pack which I purchased was Barbara Brackman's 1862 Battle Hymn.  I will be using these charm packs in my Pottery Shards quilts.

I also picked up a couple of fat quaters TeaTime by Nancy Davis and Moda Civil War Reunion Memorial Hall 1840-1870 by Barbara Brackman. 

Jo Morton quilt class is on Saturday--my work is incomplete.  Time for me to get busy and get Pottery Shards pieced!

Road trip/Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day