Golden BD quilt and a night in Leavenworth

Sara loves her BD quilt ....this was one of those quilts that I struggled with a bit because it just wasn't my thing, Sara saw this quilt in the Pacific Fabric window last fall, really liked it, bought the pattern iDo by Cherry House Quilts and some Charisma by Moda but kind of forgot about it so as a BD surprize I got it out and completed it for her...I kind of like it now especially with the irregular grid machine quilting...

Sara and I got away for a night in Leavenworth....it was fun... we shopped and walked and ate and spent a bit of time down by the river...it was a nice way to celebrate her 25th BD.

this and that

I have been busy getting back into a work schedule and making a very special shhhh surprize gift for our oldest daughter Sara....she turns 25 on August 25 making this her GOLDEN BD. I will post a picture after her party.

Meanwhile I finished this fun project...this was a little girls special comforter...worn out and very well loved.
That little girl is 40 now and her mom commissioned me to restore it. This was a fun challenge and I always love the story behind our beloved quilts. It had to be competely picked apart before I requilted it with a flannel back, white cottton binding and the Dancing Daisy panto by Timeless Quilting Designs
The finished quilt is off to be loved  for many more  years.....

Next, I happily machine quilted this beautiful Kaffe Fasset,  Pickle Dish for my customer Barb....it was such a fun happy project ... almost want to make one myself  but I am on mission to finish some old and saved projects ......which doesn't seem to stop me from buying a few new fabrics.....love love love this Michael Miller, Zinnia....also love my new clothesline, I have been wanting one forever and Nick installed it the other day...thank you  Nick!

There and back

We drove over 2000 miles to Edmonton and back  in 5 days for my nephew's wedding. We had such a nice time.

The committment, time and money spent on a big wedding is huge...Mellissa and Devon succeeded in having a fairy tale wedding that little girls only dream of..... Thanks for having us and Congratulations !!!

Sister Susan and I managed to sneak off to her LQS Woodland Quilting Co. in Spruce Grove just before the ceremony...sister had already discovered this new Spa fabric by Windham ...she wanted more to complete a baby quilt and include in her zigzag and I had to have just a wee bit....I think it might find it's way into my up and coming Strips and Bricks.....Happy quilting everyone...Pam

We all love Fig Tree Jelly Rose

The first  Fig Tree Jelly Rose I quilted was for Joyce at Keepsake Cottage in 2007-08....she does beautiful work and completed hers regular size. By this time my sister's and I had started the same quilt but we all saw it differently...Sister Susan completed hers queensize making it more than twice the work, I machine quilted hers in 2009, it finished up beautiful and has a nice spot in her guestroom.  Sister Joyce figured out how to make hers extra large alternating plain blocks with her pieced ones .... I machine quilted hers with Meandering Daffodils by Patricia Ritter....the end result is stunning! I finished machine quilting hers the night before our Alberta trip.

Now, all this time my sweet little Jelly Rose had pretty much been abandoned after completing  only one block back in 2008 at a quilt retreat...I found the block a little fussy and had too many other projects competing...anyway I was thinking "pillow " by this time but my sister Susan rescued Jelly Rose on her last  March visit......boom... present day my 9 blocks are complete  and I have returned home with them...thanks Susan!! Now my challenge is deciding on how to put these pretties together...stay tuned , although it could take awhile....Happy quilting everyone!  Pam

a wedding,a baby girl and a new project

A quilt  with a star Irish chain for Devon and Mellissa's wedding July 31rst , 2010 made special by my sisters Susan, Joyce and I....[Devon's  Mom and 2 Aunts].We have started a wonderful family tradition.

 I machine quilted it  with Feather Frond by Jodi Beamish of Willow Leaf.

A baby girl quilt  with the Lovebird print for Michelle and Dave's baby [ expected early September]  is complete.... machine quilted with Sweetness cupcake  by Benay Derr of Beeny Girl. This fun logcabin was inpired by Jacquie of Tallgrass Prairie Studio...Thankyou Jacquie......I love using up bits and pieces and pulling it all together with the solid.
We are Alberta bound for the wedding and some family visits....looking forward to seeing my Canadian family!

And last but not least.....I have a new project brewing....I have been admiring this Michael Miller  Woodland Collection  for awhile loving the blue/grey combo.....just recently decided that Strips and Bricks by Malka Dubrawsky as seen on Red Pepper Quilt Blog was a perfect fit! After some very fun fabric shopping at Keepsake Cottage, Fabric Crush and Pacific Fabric I am ready .....the challenge will be to find some time in August  and sneak it in among  many other great quilts that are waiting patiently......Pam

Portland

 Took a train for a crazy fun weekend to Portland celebrating Nick's 50th BD with our good friends Jamie and Sherry .... stayed at the Westin... slept in a heavenly bed.... had afternoon cocktails on Hotel Nines rooftop Departures lounge complete with  an elevator encounter with Emmanuel Adebayor of Man City soccer...dinner at  Andina's for amazing Peruvian food....delicious Eggs Benny with salmon at the Riverfront....a nice walk by the river ....enjoyed the river Saturday market on Sunday.... met a women who made beautiful jewelry and was working on an applique quilt block from Kim Diehl ...... wish I would have taken a photo and bought some of her jewels.... saw lots of other great treasures as well.

Beers at Deschutes Brewery.... lots of laughter with Elvis Presley's  very funky 24 hour Church.... another very lucky  encounter with  Man City player Craig Bellamy in town playing soccer with Portland Timbers.....this time Nick  requested a photo. 

 We finished our last night with a late dinner at  Southpark...... Early to rise this morning to catch our return train.  Now we  are back home,  a little tired  and a lot sad  to say goodbye to our  friends . We had such a nice time...love, love, love this city....  I actually took a 2 day break from quilting but  managed  to still miss it a wee  bit......Pam

BOM and Business Time

My Le Jardin block of the month at Keepsake Cottage with Moda "French General" fabric.

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3
I am currently assembling this block...just 20 more leaves to go then my favorite part, hand applique. I am a bit behind but no worries.

Mother / daughter customer quilts......daughter Margaret made this beautiful Pink Lemonade by Avis Shirer of Joined at the Hip. It is machine quilted with Oma's Garden by Sew-Phies Quilts. It is a wedding gift for a very lucky friend. Mother Katherine designed this beautiful blue/white batik and I machine qulited it with Blowing in the Wind by Timeless Quilting Design.