International Quilt Show ~ a lovely weekend

This past weekend was the International Quilt Show in Rosemont, Illinois.

Lucky for me it is only 10 minutes away.

This year the show was celebrating its Ruby Jubilee - 40 years.

In honor of the celebration, they put together this exhibit inspired by the "Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts" show held in New York City a few years ago.

The graphic red and white quilts, both large and small, made quite a statement.

This year was also special as my Mom took the train up so we could attend the show together.

This was her first time purchasing wool in person. She doesn't have any local shops and has always bought her wool online.

It was so much fun to walk down aisle after aisle of quilting treasures

and woolie goodness!

One of the best parts of attending a quilt show is meeting designers and shops that you aren't familiar with.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Carried Away Designs took my breath away!

Her sense of color and beautiful embroidery is so stunning in person!

How can you ever decide which to purchase?!

You can see her lovely designs close up here and her Facebook page is here.

Holly & Ivy from Ripon, Wisconsin was another favorite booth.

Her website is here and she even has an Etsy shop here.

So much lovely wool in one booth!

(And she didn't get mad when I riffled through all her golds looking for the perfect shades :)

So pretty!

 Next up is Back Door Quilts from Indiana - home of lots of paper piecing!

I did a little stocking up :)

Their website can be found here and their Facebook page here.

I may need to plan a road trip ;)

Here is Farmhouse Threads - their booth was so sweet that you wanted to move right in!

I loved the screen doors!

And the picket fence!

Their website can be found here and Facebook page here.

And when looking at wool , you know we are going to spend a lot of time in the booth of Mary Flanagan Woolens!

So many colors and so little money LOL!

There are more pictures of her beautiful wool here.

Of course, you know we also spent a substantial amount of time in Primitive Gatherings booth as well, but I was to busy shopping to take pictures. You can see their booth here.

Well, I think I have taken up enough of your time!

I'll be back with my purchases and my Mom's latest work!

"She sets about her work vigorously;

    her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

    and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff

    and grasps the spindle with her fingers."

~Proverbs 31:17-19

Blessings, Patti

March finishes...

This month is flying by and I haven't yet shared my Buttermilk Basin finishes for March.

Above is Buttermilk Basin's Year in Stitches - March

Buttermilk Basin's Live Simply

This is the May block, but I thought it went well with the March Calendar :)

I have to share a little trick I learned from blogs and Facebook.

I tried it out and it really works!

First trace words that you want to stitch on to 

Glad Press'n Seal

Believe it or not, it really sticks to wool!

Then stitch right through the Press'n Seal and the wool.

After it is all stitched, cut around the stitching, removing the large pieces of Press'n Seal.

It takes some time to gently pull the Press'n Seal out from the stitches, but I found it worth the time as I like how clean the stitching came out.

The final product:

Buttermilk Basin's Basin Banner - March

bound in tea dyed blush velvet.

This weekend my Mom and I are attending the International Quilt Show - Chicago!

Over 200 vendors! I can't wait. :)

I will take pictures and will be back with a full report!

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,"

~Ecclesiastes 9:10

Blessings, Patti

An Inspired Trunk Show

As soon as I heard that Cathy of The Inspired Needle was hosting a Kathy Barrick trunk show, 

I knew that I had to sneak over there.

This was not to be missed. I didn't have more than an hour to spare, but off I went!

Oh my! I could have spent all day admiring the absolutely incredible models!

One more stunning than the next.

There were designs both old and new.

It was so wonderful to see again models for the patterns that I had just purchased at market night.

You see the lovely photos on the pattern covers, but to see them in person, 

you get to appreciate them on an entirely different level.

I usually avoid very large designs. My stitching time is very limited and I like to start a project that I know I can finish. I had glanced at "Mary Cotton" shown above, 

but look at the incredible detail in the bottom border:

Those little animals and flowers tugged at my heart. Just stitching the bottom alone would be oh so sweet.

This gorgeous design may not be big in stature, but look at the stunning solid stitching!

So many of these designs would be pretty to just stitch a portion of them.

Another one that caught my eye in person:

The deer, the snowflakes, the village, the urn - what's not to love?!

Maybe when I retire I can contemplate the bird above or these wonderful rabbits:

The frames are so perfect for them!

I wish I could have spent an entire day admiring them all.

Of course, you know that I couldn't leave without a few of them coming home with me :)

My choices:

Adam & Eve and Adam & Eve Revisited - some of the motifs reminded me of woolwork and penny rugs :)

and "Black Heart" I loved all the tiny motifs and I already have some ideas on finishing this one :)

It's not too late! If you are within a few hours of Lemont, Illinois you want to take the trip!

You have until the end of the month and you don't want to miss this opportunity!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

~Galatians 5:22-23

Blessings, Patti

Gifts from the heart

Gifts are always lovely to give and to receive, 

but gifts made by the hand from the heart are always extra special.

Unanticipated gifts are over the top!

I was lucky to "meet" Betty Dekat of primitivebettys right when I started my blog.

I was a big fan of her designs which you can see at her Etsy shop and on her blog.

Betty has always been a very generous person and shares many free designs on her blog.

I was so thrilled recently to find an unexpected box from her on my doorstep!

Inside I found this lovely treasure wrapped in the beautiful big red bow!

I am so very lucky! Betty is a master of so many mediums - from cross stitch to needle punch to rug hooking. She also refinishes and repurposes vintage and antique items.

Her latest foray has been weaving.

In her usual, wonderful, make-do style she has been using t-shirts and blue jeans in her weavings.

This beautiful rug is woven entirely of blue jeans.

I love the variety of the shades of blue from light and well-worn to dark and outgrown ;)

It's a work of art that I will have a hard time putting on the floor.

I have to find a place where it can be admired but not tread upon :)

Thank you ever so much Betty for your thoughtfulness and generosity!

I don't have big enough words to tell you how much this unexpected heartfelt gift means to me!!!

And I am so blessed that this isn't the only heartfelt gift that I received recently.

My Mom made this sweet Easter Egg mat for me!

I received it on my recent visit and put it out as soon as I got home!

And Mom didn't make just one, but three - one for my sister and one for my niece who recently got her own "grown-up" apartment.

Thank you so much Mom! 

I just love it!

I, in turn, brought her a little gift as well.

Colleen MacKinnon has a lovely blog filled with tutorials.

You  can view her blog here. 

Recently she shared how to make wonderful pentagon boxes.

I immediately ordered her sweet pentagon box kit from her Etsy Shop which you can find here.

Before utilizing my lovely new kit, I thought I would make a "practice" box.

So I made my Mom this.

Using a variety of neutral wool, a hand-dyed ribbon and an antique shoe button. 

I think Mom liked her new box :)

Now I have a few ideas for a few more heartfelt gifts that I would like to make and pass on...

I just need to find more time for all of my ideas!

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.”

~ Jeremiah 17:7-8

Blessings, Patti