Getting Back in the Groove

I spent a lovely day today with a group of ladies from the Livonia 9-Patchers quilt guild. They gathered to learn to make my "Pieces of Eight" quilt. We were all challenged. I was challenged to modify the directions for those wanting to construct the basic "flower" design by machine rather than by hand. Students were challenged to learn or remember hand-piecing and/or hand-applique techniques to insert the center and stitch the "flower" to the background. Despite these challenges, we all ended the day with smiles on our faces.
After the past two months of being very involved in the lives of my aging parents, and experiencing the death of my father, it feels good to get back to my stitching. I am even starting to get some new design ideas. Being around other enthusiastic quilters certainly helps! Bring on the fabric and thread!!!!

Workshop Fun

Yesterday was spent teaching one of my patterns at a workshop for the Oakland County Quilt Guild. It was a delightful day!
Our project was "Now Starring: Leftovers". The morning was spent scrappy-piecing and in the afternoon the ladies learned a quick way to make flying geese units. Then they were ready to put some star blocks together.
I don't know who had more fun all day, the students or me. :) I enjoyed seeing them start to loosen up and really have fun with the scrappy piecing technique. And I loved hearing their comments as they dug deep into their scrap collections. Some pieces of fabric were seeing the light of day for the first time in years, and ladies were telling stories about when, where and why they bought certain pieces. Oh, the joy of scrap quilting!

Catching Up

It's amazing how much "catching-up" there is to do after being away from home for a month! Lots of weeds to pull in the yard, lots of flowers to prune, lots of spider webs to clear in the house (not to mention the dust!). I've also been catching up on sleep and getting back in touch with friends.
I'm trying to clean the house a little at a time--since it's not my favorite thing to do, I take a break from sewing to clean a bathroom or sweep the kitchen. :) Sewing is much more rewarding...at least the end results last a long time, unlike cleaning. Sometimes all it takes is 5 minutes for someone to mess up what you've just spent a 1/2 hour cleaning!
Speaking of cleaning house, please go to my website: http://carolsscrapquilts.webs.com. All my patterns are on sale thru Labor Day. Check it out!

Planning Ahead

For the past week, the radio station we wake up to has been playing Christmas music. They actually waited a little longer to begin this year...usually it starts right after Halloween. I'm sure you noticed that the stores didn't wait until after Halloween to bring out the Christmas merchandise! That seems to start earlier and earlier each year as the merchants vie for our $$. Soon "Christmas in July" will be just that! Actually Christmas is my favorite holiday...I love everything about it. And I shop for Christmas year round.

I also sew for Christmas year round. I'm sure you do, too. The quilt projects we make take time, so we need to start early on them! Are you making anything special this year? Do you need anything new to decorate your walls? My "Scrap Nick" wall quilt is fast and fun. It uses the scrappy piecing technique that is explained in my new book--but this project is not in the book. I designed it after the book proposal was sent off...The wall quilt measures 16" x 20". (It would be a great gift for someone special, too! ) If you are interested in the pattern, send me an e-mail: cloessel@yahoo.com.

Happy scrappy quilting for the holidays! Carol :)

Going Again!

Getting ready to leave again...this time for Oklahoma to spend time with my daughter, son-in-law and their new baby girl. I can't wait to see her and give her a "Grammy" hug! I'll be gone for 2 weeks and I don't know how much time I will have for blogging. You might not hear from me for a while.

All this week I have been gathering things together so that I would have plenty of stitching projects to work on while away. Those were the first things packed into my suitcase! I never leave home without some kind of sewing project because, for me, stitching is excellent therapy. Do you agree?

I've also packed my latest quilting magazine which I'll read through while sitting in the airport this afternoon, waiting for my flight. Wonder if there are any baby quilt ideas in this magazine? Funny how becoming a grandma makes one interested in baby quilts (when I never really was before!).

Happy Easter, happy Spring, and happy hours of stitching! Carol :)

PS--the quilts pictured are from my "Metamorphosis" pattern, available for purchase. E-mail me for details:

cloessel@yahoo.com

Ready To Tote!

It's done! My scrappy tote bag is ready to be "toted"! And it was made completely from scraps and leftovers I found in my sewing room. (I'm pretty sure the quilted muslin is at least 20 years old!) Carrying this bag around at quilt shows will be a fun way to advertise my work and my patterns!

Right now I'm fighting a cold, so not much actual sewing is getting done. I'm doing planning instead. Once I feel better, I'll put the final touches on the charm square quilt I've been working on. Then I can move on to the next project! My sewing machine is getting a real workout these days. Sew Much Fun!!! :)

Happy Scrappy Quilting! Carol :)

Out of Focus!!!

Do you ever have one of those days when it is hard to focus on just one task? Today has been like that for me. And it started even before I got out of bed! My head was spinning with new design ideas and new ideas for the designs I'm currently working on! I had to grab a pencil and some paper and write things down before I forgot them!!!
The other day I told you I had 3 projects going. Well, I finished the tote bag, but I looked around at my sewing area, and I actually have 5 projects going! No wonder I find it hard to focus! Sometimes I just need to fold up a few projects and put them out of sight in order to relax a bit. Can anyone relate?
How I envy those people who start one project at a time and don't begin another until it is completely finished! But I know I'll never be like that. I'll always have UFOs. That's just me!
I'm sewing the rows together on my small charm square quilt and I think I have the design worked out to my satisfaction. A picture will be coming soon.
Back to the sewing machine! Hope you are having fun with your stitching today! Carol :)
P.S. If you need some new ideas for scrap quilts, check out my patterns at www.thepatternpeddlers.com Search under "Carol E. Loessel"