Fabulous Quilt Retreat with Slow Progress made !

This past weekend was spent at a fabulous

quilt retreat at the

Wonderland Conference Center in Sharon

 run by the Salvation Army. 

It is wonderfully tranquil

and the perfect place for a quilt retreat!

My Favorite room is the sitting room over looking the lake

Just love siting here with a cup of tea working 

on a hand stitching project!

The bedrooms are basic

but your not in it for long, so they are fine!

My bed was very comfy! 

didn't mind the twin size bed, had the room all to myself

with no hubby or dog snoring!!

I was in heaven!

The kitchen staff provided us fabulous meals at 8am, 12 noon and 6pm

(we were like Pavlov's dogs!)

and in the evening they put out tea and freshly baked cookies!

or fruit, cheese and crackers!!

 Just LOVE this retreat!!

I seem to be working on long term hand stitching projects at the moment

and made slow but steady progress on them this past weekend.

Arriving Friday afternoon,

I continued on block #3 of

Ladies of The Sea

Spent Friday afternoon working on Grapes….

Lots of Grapes!

Added them to my wreath...

this was as far as I got by Saturday afternoon

Saturday afternoon I started

working on an embroidered workbox

from this book by Carolyn Pearce

It is just the cutest thing! and TINY!

The whole box is about 

6 " x 3"

and has many cute little accessories to go with it!

Not sure I'll get to all of the accessories,

but willing to try and get at least the workbox done…

not sure what decade that will happen!!

This is the front panel,

and I had a good start going into the weekend

added roses into the tree

and flowers to keep the bunny company!

So that was most all of Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning!

This is the quilting room all set up

with everyone busy working on their projects

Here are two of my Quilty Gal Pals

Giuliana and Diana

and YES we are watching a movie while quilting!

Doesn't everyone?

This is Giuliana's way too cute turtle quilt

think I'll have to add this one onto my

To-Do-Wish-List!!

All in All it was a relaxing delightful weekend,

can not wait for next year!

Maybe next year I'll bring a machine …

or these same hand stitching projects!!!

Upcoming exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston

Wanted to share with everyone a special upcoming exhibit 

that will be at Boston's MFA.

It sound wonderful!

Grab a few friends, stop for coffee, put on some good tunes and 

ride on over to the Museum of Fine Arts

to see…..

Quilts and Color: The Pilgrim/Roy Collection

APRIL 6–JULY 27, 2014

Above: Double Wedding Ring Quilt, about 1940. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back and binding; quilted. Pilgrim/Roy Collection. 

This spring, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), will present Quilts and Color, an exhibition that celebrates the vibrant color palette and inventive design of the acclaimed Pilgrim/Roy Quilt Collection. Both trained artists, Paul Pilgrim and Gerald Roy acquired quilts with bold and eye-popping designs that echoed the work of mid-20th century Abstract Expressionist and Op Artists.

The exhibition opens with the vividly colored quilts that first drew the collectors’ attention and began their life-long passion. Exploring sophisticated principles of color theory, the exhibition’s opening sections display color vibrations, mixtures, gradations and harmonies in the design of the quilts ranging from the 19th to early 20th century. As their collection grew, Pilgrim and Roy turned their interest to the history of quilting and added more conventional designs. Many of these incorporated the color white to create high contrast, an effect that also plays an important role in the visual power of pieced quilts and the organization of their blocks or patterns. The exhibition’s sections—“Contrast” and “Optical Illusions”—examine this aspect of quilting in the dramatic color choices and innovative effects created within established patterns. The exhibition concludes with a final nod to the artistic vision of quilt makers and highlights artists who worked outside of standard patterns and design and applied color in inventive and striking fashion.

Ladies of the Sea Blocks #1 and #2

The Bluenose ~ 1929

 Close up of Crown

The Elissa ~ 1877

close up of Anchor and Rope

Sew Crazy 2014 Quilt Retreat

Just back from 3 fun filled quilty days on the Cape

with members of SCQG.

We had a little quilting, some food and lots of laughs

oh and a blizzard!

The organizers Carolyn and Donna always pick a theme

this year it was Mexican Fiesta!

We even had a little bull fight!

I actually went to a quilting retreat WITHOUT

a sewing machine!!

Just packed up my sewing basket 

 

top tray full or goodies and tools...

 

box of embroidery floss

fits nicely under the top tray

and on top of…..

 a few hand projects….

 needle turn applique,
(block #3 of Ladies of the Sea)

embroidery
(block #8 of my Children by the Sea)

sashiko
(part of a table runner)

and an embroidery work box!
(This one will take forever -
the bunny and tree took 3 hours!)

And it was SO nice to only have to carry in my little basket
and not lug a big machine!

Can not wait for the next one!
Wonder what the theme will be???!

Pleasant Surprise

The Quilt Show

with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims is my

favorite online quilty place...

(the second is Craftsy.)

Well much to my surprise
my "Red Quilt"

alias Aunt Millie's Garden
was featured on the Quilt Show's Daily Blog today!!!

It is so neat to hear from people all over the world that
they saw your quilt on the Quilt Show Blog page!
It really is a small world!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Jennifer Chiaverini and Clare O'Donohue Book Give away .. last day to enter!

With the busy holiday season upon us

just wanted to remind everyone

about the book Give Away 

complements of Plume Publishing!

Just leave a comment on your favorite 

holiday memory and

please make sure your contact info is available!

Drawing tonight Sunday Dec 15th 7pm EST

It all started with a few charm packs!

Starting with 2 charm packs of Kona Snow

and 2 charm packs of "Sew Stitchy" by Aneela Hoey

made Lots of half square triangles

turned them into this block

and put  nine blocks together to make this quilt!

This is the quilting idea I have in my head,

and let the marking begin

That's all for now…
The rest will have to wait until
after Christmas!

Christmas … my favorite time of year!!

Give away in time for Christmas!

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?

Do you have the perfect gift for everyone on your list?

This year I started early ~ so now it's time to 

put on the Christmas music make some hot cocoa 

and wrap, wrap, wrap!

For those of you who may need just one more

gift for someone on your list…

or yourself!

Here is a special give away!

Plume Publishing sent me two books to offer my readers!

Just in time for Christmas!!

The first is by my all time favorite author

Jennifer Chiaverini

"An Elm Creek Quilts Companion"

brings series fans on a guided tour of this cherished series.

Readers will discover a treasure trove of delights,

including the Bergstrom family tree,

character biographies, quilt blocks illustrations, 

along with full-color photographs of quilts featured in the novels.

A new original Elm Creek short story from Jennifer,

"A Stitch in Tine: Behind the Scenes at Elm Creek Quilt Camp" 

is inspired by questions from series readers.

This is a beautiful keepsake volume,

and an indispensable guide that every 

Elm Creek fan will want in their collection.

The second book in this special give away is from Clare O'Donohue.

~Wedding planning never goes according to plan; 

whether it's a demanding parent or challenging seating arrangement, 

there's always a snag. 

In Archers Rest, Nell Fitzgerald's plan for Grandma Eleanor 

and Oliver's wedding,  as well as her future with boyfriend Jesse, 

seem like smooth sailing. 

That is, until Jesse's old police partner 

turns up in town dead in Clare's latest Someday Quilts Mystery,

"The Double Wedding Ring"

TWO fabulous Books!!

Just leave me a comment on what was the most special gift

you have ether given or received and your name 

will be entered into the drawing!

Please make sure your contact information is available.

The Drawing will be Sunday night Dec 15th 7pm EST

That way the books can be mailed to you and arrive 

for Christmas!

If your out of the USA ~ you may enter 

and the books will make a very nice 

New Years Present!!

Holidays are upon us!

With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays
traditions are important…
for my family it's our "Santa Face" cookies!

we make LOTS of them!
and give them to our family and friends.
Nothing like a box of Santa Cookies to make someone smile?

So how do you spread Holiday Cheer?

Jump on over to Kate Spain's Blog
to check out her Holiday Giveaways!!

Let's all share the Holiday Cheer any way we can!!

Inchie Quilt

Spent the week working on a cute little project

an "Inchie Quilt"

They are way too cute little quilt sandwiches

that can be made into all sorts of things!

Using the method featured in

"Inchie quilts" by Nadine Ruggles

and adding my own personal flare

I came up with this 16" Mini Quilt

  It features five "Inchie Quilts"

nestled into the center of folded flowers,

set into a nine patch

with Sashiko and beading,

and surrounded by a piped binding

The directions call for using 40 wt Rayon thread

of course I didn't have any
so went ahead and used 50 wt Aurifil,

which was okay but...
 the Rayon would have given a much
smoother edging on the Inchies.

Next time!!

It was a fun little project!

Bella is getting very comfy!

We have had Bella for a week now,

and she seems to be adjusting and 

making herself very comfy!

Yup ~ don't leave your seat on the couch....

because when you get back,

it's gone!!!!

She starts Obedience Training in a few weeks!!

Bella is such a love bug!

She had a check up at our local vet yesterday,

got a few extra shots and do so well!

They think not only is she a Brittany and Golden Retriever mix

but also a little bit of Great Pyrenees!

Which would account for her

curly tail, thicker coat and larger size!

Whatever she is ... she is ours

and we are so Happy!

New Addition to the family!

My thoughts have been every where the past few weeks

unable to focus on anything Quilty...

Why?

After weeks of emails and phone calls

I went up to Boston Common this morning to...

Meet Belle.....

Belle was surrendered to a shelter in Georgia and 

brought up to Massachusetts through the New England Brittany Rescue

after meeting her, talking to her foster mom and signing the papers

she was ours!

She is a bit bigger than we expected ... 

60 pounds worth of big!

I really wanted a medium size dog,

but once we meet ... 

it was love at first sight!

She was wonderful in the car...

sat nicely in the back seat.

First up a quick drive over to Victoria's college...

for a surprise happy meeting!

My Beauties!

A quick stop into PetCo to pick up a few doggie toys,

she behaved so well it was unbelievable!

Then home to meet Matthew!

So funny to see my 6'3" son on the floor with Belle!

after walking around the yard and a quick flea bath

Belle settled into her bed with a toy

and then a nap all tuckered out!

The next few days will be spent getting to know one another...

not sure I'll get any quilting done the next few days!