Summertime Stomachache

No sewing this week, just the dreaded summertime flu stomach thingy. I tell you, not much of anything sounds good but sleep and water! I am dreaming of fabric and I know it will get better!

Carmen leaves us in one week and one day... maybe Moms just get sick thinking of these things, but truly I think it's a real bug, not just a love bug...

Yep, we have packed it all up and are taking 6 boxes to UPS in the morning. South Carolina is a long way and I can see my bank account sinking as we mail these things that seem very heavy. Scary! Charleston is going to be fun for her though, and I know it!

Carmen's little house right there on the map!

Sue Spargo!

Yes, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Sue Spargo while in Sisters. Another wonderful thing was I won her wool applique bird and red berry tree "postcard" Dream for the Wish Upon A Star project that is featured each year in Sisters during the Quilter's Affair event. The High Desert Gallery frames all of the teacher entries and they are just a stunning group of one of a kind art pieces by each of the teachers who are teaching that particular year. Here is a photo of Sue and me with my very special Sue Spargo original!!

Lizzie's Quilts at Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show!

You may know that my dear friend Lizzie started me quilting in the first place. Several years ago I met her when she began working at the library. Her desk was always a cheerful place to stop by. I started noticing the fun little table quilts she made to brighten up her area. Then I saw a really really nice quilt she had made for her best friend's daughter's graduation. I said "could you make one of those for my daughter Paloma who is graduating in May? Nope...but you can make one. Of course I didn't think so...well with her encouragement and my strong desire to have a heirloom present for Lulu, I got myself over to Honey Run and picked out some fabrics. I did it! And even crossed stitched the label (a tradition I should take up again).

So here are Lizzie's two entries to the show, hanging in glory!
I saw the Kaffe Hexagon from a distance and said to Mike, There it is!!

And then the wonderful Cowboy Quilt hanging with it's friends

I truly love you Lizzie and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my true friend!

The Gals from Gee's Bend visit Sisters

The Gee's Bend Quilters with Jean Wells far right in green who started and owns the Stitchin Post.

The front of the Stitchin Post on Quilt Day with Gee's Bend Quilts

Lucy Marie Mingo of Gee's Bend and me

Lucy and Reval Mingo sisters from Gee's Bend

If all the other things going on last week weren't spectacular enough, 7 women from Boykin Alabama visited Sisters and shared their story and their quilt making styles with us. Known as the Gee's Bend Quilters they represent an incredible piece of quilting history. The ladies that came to Sisters, presented a film at a large gathering Thursday night with a formal setting and 1600 people in the audience. They were delightful and shy and thoughtful in their presentation. But during the week in smaller settings, the ladies worked with grade school kids to make quilts, and with small groups of women to make quilts with clothing. They are truly the real thing. No fabric from quilt stores, just from the cloth that surrounds them. The results are of course truly wonderful and artful as well. I am sure I do them no justice in this blurb, but there are alot of sites and books you can check out on your own. If the quilts come near to where you live (I saw the exhibit in San Francisco a few years ago) then get thee to it! Here are some lovely images of the ladies I met. We talked thimbles, and arthritis and how wonderful an event the week at Stitchin Post is. They said they had never ever been welcomed and treated as kindly as Jean and Valori Wells and their staff had made them feel.

Tonye Belinda Phillips

I have never hand appliqued with the needle turned style. I have done the freezer paper method and liked it alot. I have loved Tonye Phillips quilts since I first saw them and wanted to take a class with her. We started with the Retro Bag and here are some examples she had for us to consider, I just love the bright colors! Mine is almost done believe it or not!
Below is Tonye and yours truly as she shares my Dozens of Basket quilt with the class!! I had fused my baskets and used a zig zag stitch to secure them. If you don't have her book Hand Appliqued Quilts I suggest you get it as it is very understandable and is quite charming to boot!
Here are some of Tonye's Quilts and they are spectacular in person.




Tonye is just a wonderful person and I hope to be able to get her to Chico to meet local quilters and have her share her talent in person!

Time for Photos Gals!

Liberated Baskets with Gwen Marston!

Hey Gals! Well it was a very good time up in Sisters.
My first class at the Stitchin Post was from Gwen Marston and was the Liberated Basket. We used 11 7/8 inch newspaper squares and cut them into two large triangles. Then with a variety of fabrics beginning in the center and working one fabric at a time out from there, we built a basket shape. You trim as you go along the edges. The pointy ends can be tricky and take more fabric than you (uh, me that is) realize...then you make a bias handle and attach. The bottom of the basket is two rectangles two half square triangles and another triangle. voila! Gwen was wonderful.

And a visit from Freddy Moran who was teaching next door...so very fun!

Me on Quilt Show Day in front of Gwen and Freddy's Liberated Baskets

Our cabin on the Metolius was fabulous as can be and I loved the cooler weather we had. Behind me on the couch is my finished Flea Market Fancy Log Cabin.
It has batik centers and American Jane yellow dots...to finish it out.




My sewing table looking toward the porch and the River...wonderful! (I think I spy a Heinekin Bottle near the pins..look out!

my first two baskets!

I have lots more to tell about the week...quilts, and Gee's Bend Ladies..More tomorrow on the rest of a fabulous trip!

Liberated Baskets and Stitchin Post Wonders Use your Imagination!

Well, it was a fun time for sure making liberated quilt baskets with Gwenny! Teaching by actually showing us how to sew it...what a concept huh girls? Yes! I liked it! I have finished two baskets this afternoon and set them outside on the grass in front of the cabin to photograph but the internet is on fish time or something here so images won't upload...so no pixs sorry! I also finished my Wild Basket binding on the way up here in the truck. Nothing like 7 hours of driving (well, riding) to get er done. Stay tuned for other fabulous shots of the interior of the SP with yours truly smiling with a new haircut to boot. Wish you were all meeting up with me gals. xo Pam in Camp Sherman

Time for Sisters!

Getting ready to go to Sisters tomorrow morning...a long drive but a fabulous reward! A beautiful cabin by the Metolius River and classes with Gwen Marston and Tonye Belinda Phillips...what could be better...and the Stitchin Post! It's a jam packed week. Freddy Moran and Gwen will be the featured quilters...that will be an amazing trunk show...and some of the Gee's Bend Quilt Ladies are going to be featured one evening. My husband loves to go with me and he gets to sit by the river and read, ride his bike and take some well deserved naps... I am a lucky gal! Hope to post a few things while there, take care and happy stitching!