10.20.2013

Sew Sunday ~ Last WA Stars Show Quilts

Last weekend I showed you many of the quilts I took pictures of at the Washington Stars Quilt Guild show, but not all of them.  :)  So, today I will share the last of my pictures with you and the "exciting" thing I bought for my sewing room. 

Blue and Green and Purple are such great colors.  I love them with white for a crisp look, but check them out with a black background!  So striking! 


It's difficult to see the quilt on the right, but it had lovely oriental fabric set against the black.  As for the blue quilt, I'm not always a fan of sampler quilts, but I think I like them when they are balanced by having every other block be the same pattern.


That's something else I learned from this quilt show.  When a quilt speaks to me I try to analyze why.  I'm still discovering my style.  I can appreciate many different types of quilting and piecing, but not all quilts are ones I want to create myself.   By the end of the show I had started taking pictures of elements I want to incorporate into my own quilting.   Once you know "why" you like a quilt (or card or painting or layout, etc.) you can take those elements and make them your own.


Last weekend I showed close-ups of these two quilts, but I don't think I showed the wide shot.  Clicky if you missed last Saturday's post. 


Black and White plus One Color is such a great combo.  I use this in my cardmaking and quilting.  Having just one color pop against neutrals gives a different impact than using several different colors.  I like it.  Although yellow is not a color I would choose, I know it's very trendy right now.

Speaking of which, here's another black white and yellow.  Love this pattern and it's one I think I can do.  ;)  Did you see the quilt peeking at the right side.  Different look with lots of colors against black, but still very striking.


And here we have lime green and grey with black and white.  


Memorial quilt.  I'm not a part of this guild, so I'm not familiar with this lady, but I can tell she was loved.  The heart quilt appears to be made by guild members or those who loved her.  They had messages on many of the squares.   I think the other quilts in this section were made by this talented lady.

Love me some chevrons, and these have the added bonus of being log cabin.  Plus it's PURPLE!  :)  My happy color.

Crib size quilts were on the stage along with River of life quilts.  I want to make all 3 of these quilts.  Where am I going to find the time?


Do you see those pumpkins?  They are covered with a burgundy colored lace that matches the bow.  I told the attendant these would be so pretty for a Fall wedding, and she told me that's what they are for.  One of the members has a daughter getting married Fall so donated these pumpkins they had made for the show.  :)


One more spectacular star with flying geese on a curve.  My guess is that there must have been a class that some of the ladies in the guild attended.  This quilt is beyond my skill level at the moment, but it sure would look lovely on our King size bed.  :) 

Last summer I went to the fair with a friend and we were looking at the quilts.  She asked me why one was awarded and another was not and I could not tell you.  Now that I have begun quilting again, watching videos online, reading blogs, signing up for classes and learning FMQ I have a much better understanding of what goes in to these quilts.  

Now for my big purchase.  A few months ago I was reading Donna's blog and saw her post about an ironing table that attaches to your workspace.   At the time I was considering setting up a tv tray to hold an iron because I had so much ironing to do on the blocks I was making both for Star Shadow and Disappearing Youth. 


Ironing-board
Donna's Sewing Station

Isn't her work space amazing!!!  Even without the portable ironing board.  Right then I knew I needed one.  I like to work in a U Shaped table so I can get the maximum amount of supplies within arms reach.  Then I walked in to the quilt show.  To my right was Sew N Go.  The price was discounted and they were offering a special if you bought their flat melamine table and ironing table together + no tax + no shipping.  Can you believe I walked around the quilt show 3 times trying to decide if I was going to invest in these things?  It was being offered for less than I spend on fabric alone for one quilt and I will get use out of these things every time I quilt.  The flat table surface can hold my small spinning cutting mat or my laptop so I can watch videos while I quilt. 


Portable Melamine Table

I went back to her booth and told her I had already planned on ordering these tables online but I was hesitating because just that morning I had made the appointment for my son's senior pictures $$$ and the day before I had bought his yearbook $$ and Christmas was coming up and... Finally I decided that it was silly to pay $55 or more later to get this just because I am spending the money this month on Senior things.  Do you like how I think?  She told me she had a senior as well and just had her oldest just had her first baby.  Her mom was there and showed me pictures of the baby.  How cool is it to support another mom who is so connected to her family?


Thank you Donna for sharing your ironing table with us on your blog.  The solution to my problem and a great space saver. 

Creative Blessings,
Heather North









2 comments:

Donna said...

Heather - I'm so glad you liked my ironing board. What luck to find it at the quilt show. I know you'll enjoy using it as much as I do. It's so handy to be able to iron right next to your machine instead of going back and forth to the big ironing board. Sorry you couldn't make it to the sew day today. We missed you.

Heather North said...

Thank you Donna for sharing your set-up. I LOVE having the ironing board right next to me. It not only saves time, but it helps me stay in the flow of sewing if I can quickly press and sew instead of getting up and down and walking across the room.

I wish I could have made it yesterday. I missed sewing with you gals. I tried to sew a little on my own yesterday afternoon and was so dizzy I had to lay down. :( Not happy about that, but I seem to be doing better today.