Rave Reviews!! 5 Stars and Two Thumbs UP!!

Picture this~ a large hall with long tables set up and at each table you have a group of ladies…stitching and yakking, sipping their tea/coffee, laughing and talking…QUILTING BLISS! 

Such was the Cowichan Valley Heritage Quilters Guild that Kathleen and I attended yesterday…!

In the far corner of the hall you have a fold out library…FULL of QUILTING books…ready to be signed out…making the local library look like small potatoes!!  Can’t wait to get my hands on some of those books!

There are tables set up in the middle of the room for members to sandwich quilts and pin them together getting them ready for quilting…and lots of helpers!  No more crawling around on the floor!

On the counter by the kitchen you have a big pot of tea, an urn of decaf coffee and another of the good stuff~ REAL coffee…oh and of course if there are quilters around you’ve got to have…platters of goodies…! 

In another corner you have a donation table (a mini QUILTER’S Garage Sale-whoopteedoo!!)~ this is the table where you can put quilting stuff that you want to get rid of.  There is a jar for donations- so the idea is if you see something you like or need you put some $$ in the jar and buy it…the money is then given to charity! It’s a win/win situation…got to like that!

But let’s get serious~ Delores and I wandered around and I of course had my camera in hand ;o)…let me show you what everyone was working on…

Lots of gorgeous baby quilts~like this one

  A close-up…so sweet…   And this one…

Loved the quilting…

Here’s the back…

One quilter had made a wonderful stack of runners for Christmas gifts…which she was getting ready for quilting.  How’s that for thinking ahead!!  They are gorgeous too!!

 

Here are some of them…

What a great way to use up left-over scraps!

This is what Delores was working on..It’s going to be a Christmas wall hanging.  She is personalizing it by putting family names on the different shops…like Jake’s Truck Shop, Delores’ Quilt Shop etc.  Isn’t it SEW cute!!  Her grand-kids are going to love it!! I will definitely be taking a picture of this quilt when she has it finished …Delores has lots of special buttons and trim to really make this quilt sing!

This is a finished quilt for Show and Tell.  It’s a beauty!  Loved the colours!

This runner was stunning..the quilter was adding some embroidery…French knots and fancy stitches.  Just lovely…

 

The fabric in this quilt looks like it had been hand painted…the quilter is hand quilting around each leaf.  It’s going to be a work of art when she is finished!

  Isn’t it pretty?

Appliquéd batik flowers…so beautiful!!  The colours are so vivid and rich!

Lots of appliquéd blocks being worked on…swirls…

 

and colourful flowers with embroidery trim…  These blocks are completely hand done…this will be a heritage quilt for sure…stunning!

  So adorable!  This is proof that good things come in small packages…this scrappy quilt was all hand stitched and is being hand quilted!    So sweet! Such was our visit to the the Cowichan Valley Heritage Quilters Guild.  My friend, Delores showed me around and introduced me to everyone- and everyone was so friendly and welcoming. 

We are so lucky to have such wonderfully talented, inspiring quilters living in our little valley…There are over 100 members in this guild but being a long weekend (BC holiday) and summer there were only about 25 ladies in attendance…which felt like a lot to me!  Can you imagine when there is a FULL house!! Wow..it’s going to be incredible!!

So do you think I will be going back?…You bet cha’!  Did I get any stitching done…not much…but I sure had fun! 

Have a terrific Tuesday and Happy Quilting!!

Off to a New Quilt Guild…

This morning Kathleen (another Hand Quilter) and I are off to the Heritage Quilt Guild. Sew exciting!! Nothing like meeting new quilters…can’t wait to see what they are working on!! Delores, a quilting friend, attends this guild and really enjoys it. They meet in a church hall and it’s my understanding that everyone works on their own hand sewing..which suits me as I have a lot to get done!

I am heading into the home stretch on Quilt Sue’s penny rug.  Today I want to work on the pennies..

Yesterday I got everything cut out and packed into a tote…with threads and needles…and hopefully everything I need…but watch I ALWAYS manage to forget something!o)

Don’t worry…I’m taking my camera…hopefully they aren’t camera shy! :o)

So while I’m stitching, you go ahead and have a marvelous Monday and Happy Quilting!~P

Gizmos and Gadgets…

Last night I spent some time free motion quilting those sandwiches..you know batting sandwiched between fabric…thought I had better start practicing…and boy do I suck!!  This is going to take a lot of practicing and it’s not going to happen over night!! 

Then I read Dawnie’s Blog, Itching for Stitching.  After reading Peg’s blog,  Dawnie went out and bought a Quilt Pounce by Nancy…here’s her picture for marking her quilting pattern~

 

Well bells and whistles went off- I HAVE one of those powder pounces and forgot all about it- I bought it YEARS ago…so I poked around in the cupboard and found the pounce and all kinds of things that might help me in the quilting process.  Thanks Gwen (and Peg) for the reminder!!   Blogging buddies are the best!

I was at a Quilt Show with some Quilting Friends…we watched the lady demo the Pounce and of course we were ALL sold…we all bought one on the spot!!  hmmm…I wonder if they have used theirs yet…it’s only been 4 or 5 years…? :o)

These are the plastic templates that can be used with the pounce.

I also found this paper stencil..you pin it onto your quilt and quilt right on top…

Now if I could only find a Stitch Regulator hiding in my cupboard!! :o)

But alas…even with all the gizmos and gadgets…it still comes down to…practice…practice…practice..

Have a super Sunday and Happy Quilting!~P