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Fraser Valley Quilters’ Guild Biennial Quilt Show – April 21, 2007

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Last Saturday, I headed out to Cloverdale to attend the 30th anniversary quilt show for the Fraser Valley Quilters’ Guild. I have been attending this biennial show since 1999. The Fraser Valley Quilters’ Guild is a large guild with hundreds of members which makes the shows not only large (over 300 quilts) but full of variety as well.

This was a redwork snowman quilt that I fell in love with. The setting is not the traditional block and sashing or alternating embroidered block and pieced block that I have seen in redwork quilts in the past.




There were two crazy pieced pumpkin quilts. I loved the variety of the orange fabrics used for the pumpkins. I think the crazy piecing gives the pumpkins texture.



This quilt was hanging in the entrance to the show. I am a fan of rail fence quilts–particularly those that are arranged in less than traditional settings. This quilt uses some of the rail fence blocks to make the maple leaf blocks–very clever.



While at the show, I sat in on a paper piecing demo that was given by Donna Mercer. Donna pointed out a paper pieced quilt in the show that was a must to see. This is that quilt. Each of the boys and girls in this quilt have been paper pieced. The kids are surrounded with buttons and charms depicting the letter of the alphabet corresponding to that particular boy or girl’s shirt. The quilter who made this quilt plans on donating it to Canuck Place .





This was a quilt made from blocks coloured with crayons. The cats on this quilt were wonderful!





This was a space themed BQ Quilt. I was particularly interested in how it was quilted. It was quilted quite simply with straight lines echoing the shape of the coloured pieces.

This quilt was not a BQ quilt, but the quilting could also be used in a BQ design. This quilt was quilted with radiating lines that centered in the Spiderman fabric. I think the quilter was trying to mimic the spiderweb design of the fabric.


The last quilt I am showing you is a crumb quilt. I loved the on point setting and the flying geese border.



Every Quilt Tells A Story

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This is a picture of my Bricks and Stepping Stones quilt. This quilt was given to my niece as a wedding gift. Yesterday was Allison and Chris’ wedding.

I included the following in the gift card with the quilt:
Every quilt tells a story…..

Every great story starts with a title. The title of this story is represented by the name of this quilt, “Bricks and Stepping Stones”.

This seems like an appropriate quilt for a young couple who are starting out their lives together. BRICKS represent the building of a home and life together. The STEPPING STONES are made from black and white fabrics which represent the good times and the bad times that lie ahead. Stay on the path of the STEPPING STONES and you are destined for a long happy life together—one that will survive everything that life throws your way—the good and the bad.

When your quilt reaches the point where it needs some laundering care, please wash on a gentle cycle in cold water with a cold water rinse. Use a product called “Oxi Clean Colour Catchers”. These useful little sheets catch stray dye in the wash and make sure that it isn’t deposited anywhere it isn’t welcome—i.e. red on white, etc. (The only place I have found to purchase Colour Catchers is Save on Foods.)

May the colours of your life together be bright and the threads of your life together be strong.
Quilted by Aunt Norma, April 14, 2007

These are some fun pictures from the wedding.



These are pictures of the wedding party’s limo. They call it a limo-bus. It was huge!


This was the inside of the limo.

A picture of one of the bridesmaids and the bride.

Cutting the cake.

The bride and groom feeding cake to one another.

Pictures of the wedding cake. And, yes, those are frogs on the top of that cake!

Thinking Blogger Award

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WOW!

Who, me?

These are the comments I made when I read Tanya’s post on April 12, and realized she had tagged me with a Thinking Blogger Award. I have been stuck trying to come up with an appropriate response to such an honor ever since.

This morning while I was catching up on my blog reading, I find that Patti has also tagged me with the same award.

Now I am truly speechless!

Tanya recently “discovered” my blog. Tanya lives in Japan. I am always amazed when I receive messages from people in other parts of the world. I ponder how on earth they found me and love the fact that they thought enough to leave me a comment so I know they were there. After Tanya left me her first comment, I went back and read her blog. I have enjoyed keeping track of Tanya and her family and learning about a new country. You can visit Tanya here: http://tttl1998.blogspot.com/

As Patti mentioned in her post, we met in person last August at the Pacific Northwest Quilt Fest. Patti was purchasing show souvenirs in line ahead of me and I caught a glimpse of her profile and recognized her from photos in her post. I hope someday we will be able to connect again in person! In the meantime, I thoroughly enjoy Patti’s quilts–Patti is a great appliquer, fearless machine quilter, and a leader in showing us how to use up our scraps. You can visit Patti here: http://quiltingisstillmypassion.blogspot.com/

Thank you both Tanya and Patti. I am honored!

My nominations for the Thinking Blogger award go out to:

LindaJ: Linda and I “clicked” from the beginning. I had read her blog faithfully sometime before I left my first comment. LindaJ is an inspiration in quilting for others. I think there are few others who can equal her determination and drive in the creation of charity quilts! LindaJ’s generous soul and enthusiasm for charity quilting is obviously contagious to those around her as she inspires the Belles and others to join her cause. Many children have benefited in the past as I am sure they will continue to be blessed in the future by receiving one of LindaJ’s quilts. LindJ and I have exchanged many pattern ideas and when I am stuck for the name of something or where I may have seen something, LindaJ’s fling system retrieves the information with lightening speed. LindaJ is the reason that I am keeping up with my monthly goals. It was LindaJ’s idea to make a list at the beginning of the year of a project each month that I wanted to finish. I can rest assured that lindaJ will keep me to task and will ensure that I don’t stray; at least not too far *LOL*. LindaJ and I have had many coffee breaks while chatting on line. I live for the day that Linda and I will be able to sit at the same table and enjoy that cup of coffee without computers and many, many, many miles between us. Visit LindaJ here: http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/

Pam: Pam is another generous individual. Pam has a great sense of humor and we have exchanged many laughs while chatting on line. When I commented that I wished I could purchase St. Patrick’s Day fabric here in Canada, a package arrived from Pam–chock full of shamrock fabric. I need to overcome my phobia of cutting into such a precious treasure and make something for next St. Patrick’s Day! It is Pam and Linda that have inspired me to stay on track with my Block of the Month Snowman Bluework blocks. I don’t think I will every keep up with the speed that they both can turn out these blocks, but they keep me moving forward as I try to run behind them to catch up. Family is very important to Pam and her posts have included wonderful visits with her Mom. Lately, we have been missing Pam as she takes some time away to grieve from the recent loss of her lovely mother. Visit Pam here: http://pamscreativemind.blogspot.com/

Cher: Cher is the fourth in our informal on-line chatting group. Thanks to LindaJ I have been introduced to both Pam and Cher. These ladies have been wonderful in including me as a newcomer into the fold. Cher and I share professions and similar work demands on our time. It is great to know you aren’t alone when work pressures get in the way of our live; there is someone out there who truly “gets it”. Visit Cher here: http://cherzoe.blogspot.com/

Mary: Mary has a long arm quilting machine like I do. Mary and I are both fans of the Circle Lord family of products for our long arms. I am inspired by what Mary can do with her Long Arm. Lately, Mary has been posting oodles of setting ideas on how to use up the string blocks we have all been piecing. A true “make do” with what you have on hand quilter! Visit Mary here: http://maryquilts.blogspot.com/

Jeanne: I have a notebook I keep of ideas for future quilts. Scrap quilts are my first love. When I go back to my notebook to see what ideas I have saved, I find many many quilts by Jeanne. It is obvious to me that we share a love of the same kind of quilt! Don’t forget that it was Jeanne who inspired JudyL to develop the Gratitude Hour a Day Quilt pattern. You can visit Jeanne here: http://spiralj2.blogspot.com/ You can visit JudyL here: http://judylaquidara.blogspot.com/

In the spirit of the Thinking Blogger Award, I have only nominated 5 bloggers for this award. I track hundreds of quilt-related blogs on my computer and of those quilters inspire me in some way and influence the direction that my quilting is going. Blogging has opened up a whole world of new friends sharing the same interests as well as enabled me to keep track of the lives and creativity of old friends. Keep up the good work everyone!

Parrot Building Blocks

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It has been a busy weekend. Yesterday was the annual Sewing & Crafts Show.


This Sewing & Craft Show kicks off the quilt show season.

April 20 to 22, 2007 – Fraser Valley Quilters’ Guild

Quilts from the Heart – Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church – Parish Community Centre17475 – 59th Avenue, Surrey (Cloverdale Area), BC

The FVQG’s raffle quilt was at the Sewing & Craft Show. This is a picture of it:



April 27 to 29, 2007 – Orchard Valley Quilters’ Guild
Silver Threads – Celebrating 25 Years of Quilting – Kelowna, BC.


May 2 – 5, 2007 – The Canadian Quilters’ Association
Quilt BC 2007 Alternate Year Event – Forester’s Convention Centre at Kamloops, BC

Our guild is planning a bus trip to this show for the Saturday.

After getting home from the Sewing & Craft Show yesterday, I started a new quilt. This afternoon, I finished it to the flimsy stage.

The quilt is from Debbie Mumm’s website and is called, Building Blocks. Debbie’s pattern was crib size and I wanted something larger so I added blocks and a row of sashing across the top of the quilt and down the side. My quilt measures 52 1/2 ” x 77″ before quilting. If you would like to have a look at the pattern, follow the link here: http://www.debbiemumm.com/Projects/Quilting/2007/03/

Double clicking on the picture should allow you to see the parrots on the border fabric.

An Evening With Judy Farrow

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Last Wednesday evening our quilt guild was treated to a guest speaker: Judy Farrow. Because this was a special evening for the guild, we were invited to include our friends and members of other guilds in the night’s activities. We had been told that Judy’s presentation would appeal to the quilter and non quilter alike. I invited my mother along and as a non-quilter, she enjoyed the evening as much as I did.

Judy lived in the Northwest Territories in what is now Nunavut, for 30 years. During this time she travelled extensively with her husband, by dog team in the winter and freighter canoe in the summer. In 1980 she received a Canada Council Grant to conduct ethno botanic research on Baffin Island. In 1986, Judy and her husband moved to Yellowknife and in 1990 Judy began quilting. Judy received a Northwest Territories Arts Council Grant to make quilted fabric wall hangings. In 2001 the Farrows moved to Parksville on Vancouver Island.
Judy’s list of accomplishments is long, but noteworthy is the Grand Prize awarded to her at Grand National Show in Kitchener-Waterloo 2005. This prize was awarded to her for her marvelous entry “Snowy Owl Meets West Coast Totems”.


The owl is raw edge appliqued. The totems are part of the background and are constructed from various black fabrics including velvet. Because of the black colour, photographing the totems is difficult.

This photo shows the lower corner of the quilt as it was draped across the table. You can see the totems a little easier from this angle.

Judy’s presentation was titled, “Baffin Island to Vancouver Island” and included both a slide presentation and a trunk show of some of her pieces.

This picture is the top of the quilt titled Aurora.

This is the bottom half of Aurora.
This is beluga whales.

This piece depicts the tall trees in the famous, Cathedral Grove Forest on Vancouver Island.

My mom loved these frogs.

Judy dressed in clothing from the north to help her “get into character”. Judy talked about how she started quilting–quite by accident and by how her quilting journey has been influenced by 30 years of living in Canada’s North. Judy’s stories included travelling by dog sled across the ice and snow and her setting unrealistically short deadlines because of her naivety regarding just how long it takes to construct a quilt. Her lecture spanned traditional block construction to more contemporary techniques including batik, curved piecing, and embellishment. Judy inserted just the right amount of humor and true stories to make her presentation both interesting and entertaining.

Finally, this is a picture that my mom took of Judy Farrow (on the left) and I. Judy is wearing her traditional parka that she wore while living in the north.