Retreat – February 7 to 10, 2020

Posted on February 10, 2020 by Norma Hanson

I started working on these star blocks during the last retreat (in October 2019). I finally finished the blocks and got them all arranged onto the design wall on the first day of retreat and then on the second day of retreat I managed to get everything sewn together into a finished flimsy.

I must admit, I was a bit frustrated coming into the room on Saturday morning after I spent time Friday arranging the blocks, only to find that my design wall had come loose from the wall and everything was in a heap on the floor. I had to start all over with the layout on Saturday morning. It was a good thing I wasn’t married to that layout. I put the design wall back up on the wall and started arranging blocks again. My layout isn’t planned; but rather my typical random placement.

This is a large lap – approximately 66″ x 76″.

The fabrics used were from two fat quarter stacks of Jinny Beyer fabrics – 50 fabrics in total. Each star is made from a different fabric. I only needed 46 different fabrics to execute my plan which left me with 4 star blocks leftover that I will make into either a pillow or a table runner.

The pattern is from Atkinson Designs and is called Stash Stars. The blocks are very cleverly pieced with no danger of ever cutting off a point as the points float and do not go out to the edge of the block.

This was the second project that I worked on during retreat. This is my Snowflake quilt. This is the quilt that I was making for our guild’s Winter Challenge. I was very ambitious to think I would finish it at retreat and have it ready for the February guild meeting. This one might have to wait until the next retreat.

I tried to piece the blues randomly but you can see where I have too many dark blocks together. The fabrics are different but from a distance they read too similar in value. I will have to do some frogging and replacing with different blue squares to fix that look.

The quilt pattern is called Snowflake and is by Nicole Daksiewicz of Modern Handcraft.

The Winter Challenge “rules” were:

Winter Challenge

You are making a quilt creation for yourself.

Requirements…..not rules….

1. Make a winter improv/modern quilt (your choice of inspiration)

2. Minimum size 16″ by 16″

Maximum size – No limit

3. Make it in your 5%, something you would love to receive.

4. Finnish and show by the Feb 13 guild meeting. If you are not available for the Feb meeting posting on the Facebook page is good.

5. Participation is encouraged as your creation will tie into our next swap plans for the spring, to be announced at the Feb meeting.

Guild Quilt Show

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Norma Hanson

Our quilt guild’s bi-annual show was this past Friday night and Saturday (October 17 and 18, 2014). I was once again on the committee that hung the quilts. We were very organized this year and had the quilts hung in record time.

I was also doing demos again this year. Unlike some other quilt shows, our guild does not just do demos at specific times during the show. Our demos are on-going through the whole show. This means that the people that are doing the demos are doing lots and lots of talking. 🙂 There were four of us doing demos this year. We had the most perfect spot with perfect lighting against this bank of windows.

This was my home for a day and a half while I demonstrated how to make string/crumb blocks using a stabilizer. I use used color catchers as my foundation, but any other stabilizer product such as muslin or paper could be used. If you use paper, you will have to remove the paper before quilting your quilt. This is one reason why I use the color catchers–there is nothing to remove; the color catcher is not removed and stays in the quilt. Granted the quilt is a bit heavier because of the additional layer.

The woman doing demos beside me was demonstrating another technique for using up scraps–making those fabric wrapped bowls that are so popular now. We were very complimentary to one another with our demos as we were both showing how to use up scraps that some people put would put in the trash.

The quilts that I entered in this year’s show were:

And lastly, my entry into the challenge for this year’s show; Roses are Red, Violets are Blue.

I was very tired by the time I got home after quilt show take down last night. …but ask me in two years if I am ready to do this again and my response will be a definite, Yes!!!

“Fast Food” Table Runner for Easter

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Norma Hanson

I have been slowly working on a stack of UFO’s that need to be quilted. This weekend’s finish was this Easter table runner. The pattern is a Terry Atkinson design called, Fast Food. The pattern is very simple–making use of a stripe that does all the work.

This table topper has been sitting for at least 2 years waiting for me to have the opportunity to quilt it. The Quilt Show was broadcasting their shows for free this weekend. So while Ricky and Alex talked; I quilted.

This is a close up of the fabrics and the quilting. I quilted in the ditch around the blocks and then went up and down each yellow stripe. I love the dense quilting!

Hawaiian Slide Show – Now a Flimsy

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Norma Hanson

I finished my Hawaiian Slide Show quilt to the flimsy stage. This is a queen size quilt. It is too large to get the whole quilt in one shot indoors, so here are a couple of shots of it laying across the roller of the long arm.