Saddle Mountain on Father’s Day

Since the weather wasn’t great on Hood, Kevin and I hiked Saddle Mountain on Sunday. I passed out chocolate to unsuspecting dad’s and it sure made a lot of them happy. We started early and were some of the first up, then passed a LOT of hikers on our descent

Here’s our “couture” shot.

Back to Pennsylvania Again

My niece graduated from high school, so I spent the weekend back with my family. As per tradition, Grace was presented a “Wisdom Quilt” along with three albums filled with photos and letters from friends and family.

Check out my niece on stage giving me a shout out! Whoot! I helped her on the banner that was just unveiled behind the flag. The young man next to her designed it.

It took a team getting ready for the party. Here my sister’s friend put together the banner.

Frances made the flowers. She had co-workers cutting and my niece put the flowers on the backdrop. She used a book, Bold & Beautiful Paper Flowers.

My sister, Donna, coordinated the three albums. She and several nieces and sister-in-law spent many weekends sequestered in her craft room working while my brother-in-law cooked for them.

My dad and his friend.

My sister asked me to add this pen (Cotton and Steele pattern) to the back.

My block was Grace hanging in my dad’s tree a few years back. I used Minki’s method.

Grace did an impromptu performance on her silks in her backyard.

And, of course, my husband photoshopped the photo.

Grace and her friends in front of the paper flowers.

Sarah and I spent Monday hanging out and did a quick visit to Valley Forge. It’s been years since I’d been there.

Frances and I made this quilt for one of her co-workers in less than 24 hours. It’s Violet Craft’s Baby Herringbone and boy is it a fast one.

Another quilt I finished while at my sisters was this commission.

Happy Birthday, Kevin!

Today Kevin turns 60. From the moment at Quiltcon when I heard that Heather Givans had a line of fabric titled, “Night Hike”, I knew a new quilt was in store.

At Quilt Market, I purchased a fat quarter pack and then had someone take our photo.

Then Jeri and I heard Heather talk at Fabric Depot and I got the background fabric. With only two weeks to make a quilt, I chose her pattern, “Wishing Star“. Her pattern states:

Instead of paper piecing, I foundation pieced and tried to trim when possible.

I used selvages on the front.

And put #optoutside on the back.

Here’s the photo from this morning.

And a photo to prove that we really do night hike.

Last night, we drove to Kevin’s work and tagged his car.

Andrew and I made Kevin’s cake.

Over the weekend, we hiked to Lookout Mountain. Ten miles and 3000′ elevation gain.

Paradise Park Through a Major Blowdown

Last weekend our goal was Paradise Park and we chose the Kiwanas Trail.

Things were fine for a few miles.

Then they weren’t.

After three hours of this route finding tree scrambling over, under, around, etc., we hit snow.

It was a great night with a full moon and no one around.

The International Space Station made two orbits during Kevin’s star trail shot.

Quilt Market

This year Quilt Market was in Portland, so I submitted my credentials and was able to go. Lucky for me, I had a person coach, Joyce, who steered me through the ins and outs.

First up was School House where I heard several big names in the quilt industry give talks.

This was the line of fabric that I wanted most and I did get a fat quarter bundle.

Above photo taken by Susan.

Look at Violet Craft’s new quilt. I absolutely love it.

Friday, the show opened and it was everything I hoped for.

I picked up a line titled, “Night Hike” by Heather Givens.

I spoke with both Mr. and Mrs. Kingswell from Australia about something I’m working on and got their blessing that it certainly doesn’t infringe on Jen’s work. Happy Day.

A quilt I made using Violet’s new line hung in the Brewer’s booth.

Fabric Depot went all out hosting designers and several of us took the opportunity to hear Tula Pink and Heather Givens.

So many photos are online that I tried to soak in everything and I did loose my phone for a few hours, so not many photos from me…

Lots of Quilt Finishes

I used The Baby Herringbone pattern by Violet Craft for two fast finishes. Both baby quilt are in Philadelphia now. Using the backing for color inspiration, I was able to pull all but two pieces of fabric from my stash.

My sister will hand stitch the binding down on this one for her friend.

The backing was purchased at a PMQG meeting from Teresa.

The fourth of four sloth quilts was finished on the way to skiing Tuesday.

The pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman.

The guy holding the quilt didn’t speak a lick of English and didn’t understand what I wanted him to do. The guy in the yellow sweat shirt didn’t seem to get it either.

Kevin has another photo hanging on the wall at Base Camp Brewing in Portland.

This quilt is in Italy by now. It was one of my designs that was in Modern Patchwork a few months back.

This is from a hike in Forest Park a few weeks ago.

And this was last weekend on Mt. Hood.

Here’s one of Kevin’s star trails.

I just finished two of these pillows and one goes to my boss who has a birthday today. The pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman.

Pantone Ultra Violet Quilt Challenge: “U V Rays”

Bryan House Quilts and No Hats in the House have a quilt challenge with the Pantone Color of the Year as inspiration.

Once again, my son with the biology degree came to the rescue. He suggested Ultra Violet Ray’s as inspiration. His initial preference for the quilt was what ended up as the back. It finishes at 25.5″ square.

I struggle with math. So much so that my sister pulled off the road on her commute in Washington DC, 3000 miles away to look at my text and help.

The pieces were not going together. She took one look and directed me to cut each block square on two sides.

That did the trick.

Spring in Pennsylvania Continued

I’m back home, but here are a few sights from Pennsylvania.

The Drag Queen with her broken shoe.  Remember that she stuffed her size 11 foot into my size 9.5 heels.

Apparently, the shoe was going to get fixed one way or another.

My niece is working on her school flag.  I was able to complete the tongue for her.

Bonnie, our cat’s sister, spends a lot of time on this quilt stand at my daughter’s that my brother made.

At my sister’s, I went for a run up to Swarthmore.  It was gorgeous.

We attended Philadelphia Modern Quilt Guild where Meg Cox gave a great lecture.

The exchange point where I left my daughter and continued with my dad was a diner in Lancaster.

My dad dropped me off at Rt. 16 and I did a eight mile hike on the Appalachian Trail.

Tracks on the AT up by Pen Mar.

I helped my brother-in-laws at a middle school track concession stand.  It was windy.

Several of us went to a local nursery.

A quilt made a while back duplicates the barn quilt at my family home.

We ran into Civil War reenactors practicing on our hike.

This is the field behind my family home.

Pennsylvania in the Spring

Saturday was an incredibly gorgeous day. We used a combination of a borrowed helmet, rental bike and Sarah’s stuff to get in a ten mile bike ride on the Schuylkill River Trail.

Then we met up with three of my four sisters and a few nieces in New Hope.

Sunday morning, we caught a drag show in Philadelphia. Even got extreme shoes at the Goodwill in Lancaster for a photo shoot.

The queen in the center broke her heel during a split. She squeezed her size 11 feet into my 9.5 shoes for the rest of the show.

Came back for Donna’s weekend signature drinks.

The weekend was to celebrate my niece’s 30th birthday. Ten of us spent the it together at this quaint lodge. The piano bar is the red building.

Monday, we woke to pouring rain, thunder and lightning.

The quilt I made for Lauren.

Yesterday, we shopped then everyone headed home.

Took a short walk on the tow path across the river in New Jersey.

Riley Blake Challenge: “Quarter Dome”

Predictible as it is, my little 28″ square quilt is entered in The Modern Quilt Guild Challenge. We were given a pack of fat eighth’s and could use only Riley Blake Designs fabrics for the entire quilt. I love the feel of the solids and chose the red soley on the name they gave it, “Yosemite”. After a lot of back and forth with several siblings, one of which kept suggesting hunting titles, my own hubby came up with, “Quarter Dome”.

I’m a disgrace to the quilting community. On my way out the door to a funeral, I grabbed this ancient washrag I must have made years ago. Yes, I did need to use it. I only felt better when a friend handed me half a paper towel. She must have grabbed a few on her way out of her door too.