9 Geese A Flying

Yesterday I enjoyed taking a class with Sue Rasmussen.  She has two signature techniques.....one is curved flying geese and the other is pieced landscapes.  She has won numerous awards and deservedly so.  Her work is executed perfectly and she has an incredible design and color sense that draws you right in to her work. The class she offered to our guild was Curved Flying Geese.  Here is a picture of her class samples. 

 Here is the small sample piece that I worked on.  It was not done at the end of the 5 hour class.  I managed to finish it today.  You can see that I've figured out the basic technique but I have a ways to go on the drafting of the curve and the size of the blocks.  Actually, she said that we could make it as wonky or specific as we wanted.  I just kind of drew my lines random widths and had fun with it. 

I think I'll call this tumbling triangles.  They look like they are about ready to fall over.

 Will I ever use this technique to make borders for an actual quilt?  Probably not......maybe a wall-hanging if I'm feeling inspired.  I learned lots of good tips about paper-piecing, thread, sewing machines and needles from this class.  Every experience adds to my knowledge.  Most of all I had a good time quilting with my fellow guild members.  This piece may get more material added and it will become a table runner.

Messing Around With Scraps

I was bored.  I pulled out a basket that had lots of 5 1/2" scrap squares in it.  None of them matched.  A few of them sort of went together.  I decided to see what I could do with them.  Now I have a bunch of unrelated bigger blocks. 

Crazy!

 

 

I trimmed them down to 12 1/2" blocks.  I think I will cut out batting squares and backing and use them for practicing machine quilting.  Then maybe I will turn the quilted squares into ????????  Or I could use some of them as part of a backing for a quilt.  Basically, I just had fun but I should probably have been working on an UFO.

July Fourth In A Small Town

Alameda is a small town sitting on an island in the San Francisco Bay right next door to Oakland.  If you have ever flown into Oakland Airport, you have buzzed Alameda and I could probably wave at you from my patio.  Every Fourth of July, Alameda has an annual parade.  It is a truly hometown, home-grown affair highlighting the businesses and the people of the community.  We always sit towards the end of the 3+ mile parade route so we can enjoy the shade of the trees along Central Ave. 

House is decorated and ready for BBQ later

Tutu, friend, and Lissa in their "reserved" seats

This group puts up a Tiki Bar every year.

Honoring our flag and our nation

Little girls dressed in their patriotic colors

Best waffles in town....an Alameda tradition

Newer cafe but quite popular with the locals

Enjoying the parade and the family time together

We might not have floats but we have an Octopus

Stamp On It -- California Limited Edition

 

Ahhhhh.....California, land of my birth down in the southern part of the state in the lovely small town of Coronado.  Possibly if you have been to San Diego, you know this pretty little island......well, it is technically a penninsula.  I was fortunate that both my grand-parents lived in the San Diego area at the time.  One set in Coronado (retired Navy family, of course) and the others in La Mesa on a wonderful hill with a view called Mt. Helix.  My memories float back of trips to visit the grand-parents and the visits to the grand-parents always remind me of their yards and gardens.  Always there were California Poppies.  They seemed to bloom everywhere and everytime we visited, no matter what time of year.  

So my Stamp On It homage to California is "California Forever" and it pays homage to the ubiquitous California poppy, our state flower.  No matter where you go...... desert, ocean, mountains, valleys.......there will be California poppies blooming.  If you are lucky you'll get a chance to visit the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve in the spring where you'll see a riot of color spreading out before you.  

In the meantime, enjoy my entry  to the Stamp On It Blog Hop..... 

Inspiration for this approximately 14"X14" piece was from this pattern that I bought as a kit at my guild quilt show in April.  Note that I only used a portion of the design.  I am not much of an appliquer and I didn't want to bite off more than I can chew. 

 

 Don't forget to visit the other Stamp On It blogs: 

 June 26

Marjorie'sBusyCorner 

Life in the Scrapatch

Pig Tales and Quilts

littlemushroomcap

sosewgreen

The Thimblemouse

Just Let Me Quilt

Words & Stitches

In Stitches And Seams



June 27

Life @ Ruffhaven

Englating

Charlottes Creations

Moments

Sew Many Yarns

Feathered Nest Studio

Moose Stash Quilting

Jane's Quilting

Hillvalleyquilter



June 28

Robin's Fabric Nest

In The Sewing Basket

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Just Quilt It

AnnieOak Designs

Buzzing and Bumbling

krislovesfabric

CherrysPrairiePrimitives

Hanging On By A Thread



July 1

Quilt Matters

Scrapbook-ChickADoodle

Patchouli Moon

The Slow Quilter

A Loose Thread - this would be me
Janes Fabrics and Quilts

Selina Quilts

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Dancing Thru Threads



July 2

Sew and Sow Farm 

fishkopp

Scraps of Life

Meadowbrook

Katie and Kwilts 

Em's Scrap Bag  

GrammieQ's

How ART you?

BumbleberryStitches

A Stitch in Time



July 3

More Stars in Comanche

Dachsies With Moxie

NotionNanny

13 Woodhouse Road

Heikesquilt’

Traveling Quilter

Jackie’s Art Quilts

What About Rheema?

From This to That

Sew We Quilt

Start Stampin' It Up......

Today is the day.  The Stamp On It Blog Hop begins.  Be sure and check out all the whimsical, cute, creative designs. Be sure and come back on July 1st to  see my homage to California.  Thanks to Thearica  at Pigtalesandquilts who put all this together.......and to Madame Samm who cheers us on and moves us forward.

Click below to go to the schedule. 

http://www.sewwequilt.com//

Back to the Machine

With the bathroom done and school volunteering over for the summer, I am back at the UFOs in the sewing room.  Of course, I also manage to add new projects along the way or I just play with scraps or sew with the DGDs or whatever.  

Soon, I'll be finished with a project for a blog hop called "Stamp It Up".  My post day will be July 1st.  I'm almost finished with the project.  Last time I joined a blog hop, I broke my wrist before the project was finished.  I feel pretty confident that this one will get done.  Nothing like a deadline to keep one on task.

In between, there have been a few pictures taken of WIP.  Here's what's happening in my neck of the woods. 

Quilt for the beach cottage of a dear friend

Playing with scraps.  Not quite sure where it is going

Won the quilt at the end of the bed at our guild show.  Made the one over the bed.

Sneak peak of the upcoming "Stamp It Up" wall-hanging. 

Before and After - A Bathroom transformation

Two months later and the bathroom is finished.  All the loose ends have been tidied up and touched up and installed.  We have a lovely master bathroom re-do.  The best way to see the transformation is through before and after pictures. 

BEFORE 

 AFTER

 BEFORE

 AFTER

 BEFORE

AFTER