Cat Quilt for Loni Completed

This quilt is for Loni.  I machine pieced it, hand quilted all the big cats, and most of the small ones, and machine quilted the non-cat blocks and borders.

I hope she will enjoy it and think of me sometimes when she uses it.  

Quilt Plano 2011

I spent most of Friday, August 12, at Quilt Plano 2011, a quilt show sponsored by the Plano Quilt Guild. I arrived just as it opened.  Saw Laurie when I arrived and we told each other to have fun.  

Once I bought my ticket, and signed up for a door prize, I headed directly into the main showroom.  It was practically empty because everyone stopped in the hall first.  My first stop was at Just Jennifer's booth.  I was drawn to her booth because I saw a turtle.  I chatted with her while looking around and found a pattern I wanted.  When I went to pay for the pattern she told me it was free because she likes to give her first customer a free gift at shows.  She also said she was glad I hadn't decided to buy one of her jackets.  Well, that just really started my day off with a smile.

A few more booths under my belt and then I ran into Laura.  We had planned on meeting up at the quilt show to look at sewing machines.  We decided that since it wasn't crowded we would look at all the quilts on display first, then start going through the booths one by one.  

There were some beautiful quilts on display, but very few of them really tickled  my fancy.  Many of them are just too traditional, but Laura and L both liked the one entitled Cabin on the Brazos.  Of course, the ones quilted by Richard Larson were wonderful. He is so talented.  There was one quilt that really wasn't special, but his quilting artistry really made you want to look at the quilt.  

Once we had reviewed all the quilts, we started going to the booths.  We did a cursory review of all of them, and concentrated on the ones that had things we were looking for at this show.  Laura was looking for a sewing/embroidery/quilting machine.  We looked at Janome, Elna, Brother, Bernina, and Baby Lock.  She ended up purchasing a Baby Lock.  She was so excited, she was beaming from ear to ear and her dimples were showing.  Laurie walked buy as Laura was making her purchase, so we had her stop and look at what Laura bought. 

Once Laura finished with her purchase, we completed the view of the other booths and she decided she was done for the day.  We said goodbye and then I went back to a couple of booths that had some items I wanted to see again. 

By the time I left on Friday, I had been gifted a mug cozy pattern, and had purchased a pie carrier kit, a yard of a beautiful batik, and enough backing and binding to finish my Stonehenge Christmas panels.  I also bought some nifty little point covers for my little scissors that I am always jabbing into my fingers when I reach into my sewing basket.

When I came home from the quilt show on Friday, I also ordered a book called "Folded Log Cabin Quilts" from Amazon because I liked the projects from the book at the show, but not the show price of the book.

On Saturday, I was trying to make my pie carrier and realized that I didn't understand some of the instructions, so Loni and I went back to the quilt show before it closed so I could see the project again and talk to the owner of the booth.  She was very nice and allowed me to take pictures and helped me understand the instructions.  Then Loni and I decided to walk through once more. 

As we were walking through I saw the ladies from Blue Ribbon Quilt Shoppe in Wylie and one of them was wearing a quilt top as a cape. When I asked her what she was doing she said she only had two of this quilt top kits left and she was trying to sell them before the show closed.  I asked if they would make me a deal.  The owner came over and discounted the kits and I bought one of them.  It has some machine applique involved so I will be increasing my skill set when I make it. 

It was a good show, and I was glad I was able to not do any impulse buying.  The kit on the second day didn't count as an impulse since it was a great deal.  I really couldn't have bought the fabric for what they sold the kit to be for, and I can always use another kit to make up and give as a gift. 

I heard a rumor they might start having the quilt show every year instead of just once every two years.  I hope that is more than a rumor.  It is very convenient to get to from my house, and I think the venue is nicer than the Dallas Quilt Show.  So I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Pilot Frixion Pen

The day I saw this video I just had to run out and buy a Pilot Frixion Pen.  I love it!  I used it to draw oak leaves all over one of my quilts and then once I ironed it, no more marks.  You can get them in several colors. The marks will come back in extreme cold.  Some reviews say they will even come back if you wash your quilt and then put it in the freezer, but I am not worried about that here in TX.  Especially since we are in day 37 of over 100 degree temperatures.

Loni gave me the dots and they are great for my hand quilting.  I have been using the same dot all week and the sticky on the back is still very strong.