All about Geta Gama..............

I've talked to you about Geta in past blogs but there is NEW news today! The Electric Quilt Co and website interviewed Geta and it's really a wonderful and intersting interview. You'll get right into the heart of this lovely and creative woman. And the really cool thing is, Geta now has her first e-book ready for purchase. And I'm betting it's got every little detail possible to teach us how to make shadow trapunto projects like Geta's beautiful work.



So, stop by and visit Geta.



The interview at Electric Quilt:
http://www.electricquilt.com/Users/News/2009/2009_09_3.asp

You'll find her new e-book here and some other beautiful works.
http://www.romanianquiltstudio.com/english/index.htm
Geta's website and shop.

Geta's blog and all of her other goodies that she makes.
http://www.cadouri-din-inima.blogspot.com/

Now for some fun...........

So sorry to be absent. Who would have thought just two college courses would take up so much time. But, the summer session is over and I have a few weeks before Fall classes begin so now's time for something way more fun. I also finished hand quilting the two railfence quilts and they are in their new home. Why don't I post pictures? well, I was so excited to be finished with them both (I rarely do two of the same anything so this was a challenge dealing with boredom) so, I hurriedly delivered them and only remembered later that I hadn't taken final pics. But I was pleased with their results and so was their owner. So, new fun!



Several years ago I purchased the Dear Jane software to go along with my Electric Quilt software and haven't touched the DJ since. (http://www.electricquilt.com)
But a week ago or so, I stumbled across a DJ blog. (I love stumbling upon blogs I've never read before.) Check out Karen's blogs to see her DJ journey and all of her other great projects. She's very inspiring. So inspiring, I began my DJ journey this weekend.

Karen's Dear Jane:
http://www.aquiltersjourneybackintime.blogspot.com/
Karen's other projects:
http://www.journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com/




I completed my first three blocks and can't wait to do more. I'm using fabrics from my civil war repro's stash and plan to make my DJ quilt as similar to Jane Stickle's quilt as possible. Just to see if I can, you know?

My goal:


I'll post my progress as I go along. Lets see how many blocks I can get done before classes begin again.........

Not your usual history lessons...........

Do you love history, specifically quilting history? I'm always curious about traditional quilt patterns. Sometimes I'm concerned with copyrights and if a particular pattern is public domain but that's not the fun part. I'm always wondering who the woman was and what her life was like that thought up a particular design. Was she an artist at heart of was her design a happy accident? Did she make quilts because she loved the process or was it a necessity to keep her family warm? Did she make a business out of her quilting? Some did, you know, just like today.
Well, I stumbled upon the most interesting sites the other day. Actually, several sites chalk full of quilty history for us to soak up. Judy Anne Breneman has done all the work for us and compiled the most interesting articles from crazy quilts to quilts made with tobacco premiums (cigarette silk, cigar ribbon and tobacco flannel quilts) and everything in between.

About Judy: "I love quilts, quilting and most of all learning about the history of quilts.
The purpose of this site is to bring you short, informative articles on these topics.
Care has been given to be sure the history information is as accurate as possible and links are provided so that you can learn more on any given topic.
~Judy Anne"


If you haven't discovered Judy's websites and blog, I'd like to introduce them to you. Even if you're not a history buff, you'll love the wonderfully informative articles and discover some interesting facts about your favorite old patterns and how they've continued to be favorites thru the ages. You'll be offered a look into the past lives of our ancestors and why they quilted, what their everyday lives might be like, what types of fabrics could they afford to buy or the garments they had to recycle to make their "necessary quilts".

Judy can tell you from what era particular patterns originated and how things may or may not have changed in our world today. And if that's not enough, Judy offers some free patterns that she's re-designed using Electric Quilt. (I love Electric Quilt, also).

Do something for yourself today and take a few moments whenever you can and learn a bit about your beloved craft from Judy's easy reading articles. You'll be glad you did. I haven't scratched the surface of all her articles yet but they are on my daily reading list now.

Thank you, Judy for all you're sharing with us!

http://www.womenfolk.com/
Quilting History Quilt Patterns News & Highlights Newsletter

http://www.historyofquilts.com/
Scraps of Textile, Needlework & Quilt History

http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/

http://usualdays.blogspot.com/

Funky Chickens

Had to show off my new chicken quilt or soon to be quilt. I belong to a lovely group of women quilters and stash collectors called the BlottoBabes. We play a monthly blotto or I should say lotto. Each month one gal chooses a particular quilt block pattern, eveyone makes one or as many blocks as she chooses, sends them to the hostess and she then chooses one or more winners by drawing names. So fun. Every once in awhile, we get tired of that game and do a group project like a RoundRobin or in this case a Row x Row. We divided into groups of about 6 or 7 and each person in the group chooses a theme for "her" quilt, makes one row and mails it to another in the group, that person adds a row to coordinate with the original row and sends it on, etc. Well, this has been a year long project and I recently received my finished rows. Wow! I think this is my new favorite quilt. I love chickens, all kinds of chickens. Love the homespun country look, too. So, here are some shots of my funky chicken quilt before I get started quilting on it. And what a wonderful treasure to have blocks made especially for me by my quilty buddies.

New Year's Resolutions - Too Many UFO's

I started this Buggy Barn "Star Cazies" quilt last year, or was it 2 years ago? It's still sitting there waiting for me to finish machine quilting it. There's a problem. It's a king size quilt, it's huge. I don't have a long-arm quilting machine, just the zig-zag I've had for 40 years. It's so much work to get this through my machine! I work up a sweat! I've done it all in homespun, like the original pattern. I love this primitive look, yet I did my bedroom is sort of Victorian. So I'm thinking of painting the room, tearing up the carpet, getting new window treatments, etc. MAN a quilt is a lot of work! But my quilt is well on it's way to being completed, I just need to work through the pile on top of it!

Then last year, I purchased this absolutely beautiful fabric from a fabric designer friend of mine who lives an hour away from here near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was hot off the press. The box showed up while I was there. As soon as she opened it I had to own it! I love these colors. This block is called Eyes of March, and I started making this paper pieced block as soon as I got home that day. I probably have 6-8 blocks done and this would match my bedroom without tearing up carpets or painting or changing the window treatments. But I love the primitive look, but I love the look of this. What to do!!!!!


I just hope I can get back to working on both of these quilts! I have many other UFO's including making the TussyMussy pattern that Chris and I worked on so hard. She did all the computer work so I'll give her all the credit. I almost had a wall hanging done of the TussyMussy and RAN OUT OF FABRIC! How's that for good planning! And then, once again, got busy with my real job of doing Estate Tag Sales and the TussyMussy went into the UFO pile. Someday, hopefully this year!


Right now I'm preparing to journey the whole 7 blocks to Chris' house to have a "Girl Friend Sewing Day!" It's so wonderful having her right here in Muscatine again! It used to take almost 4 hours to drive to her house to have "Girl Friend Sewing Day." I think we can do it more often now. We'll post a photo of what we accomplish today. Will we talk Tea Cozies? Will we do a Funky Star Quilt? Will we do UFO's? Who knows! ~Pam

What I've forgotten.............

I need to make a list of all the projects I've forgotten so that I won't forget them again.

At the moment, I'm so excited. I finally figured out how to set up our slideshow to show you some of the goodies that Pam and I have for sale in our etsy shop. The slideshow will only take you to flickr but you'll find a link to our etsy shop in the left hand side bar, also.

Well, what should I work on on this fine Sunday. I see we've gained more ice from freezing rain last nite. That's always a good excuse to stay in and sew. I made more headway on the black and white quilt last night. But I really need to put my Christmas decorations away and straighten up my sewing room. Remember, Pam is coming over one day this week to buddy sew. That's much more fun with a clean sewing room. I'll have to remember to take pics of our progress, if we make any progress.................

Lazy Quilting Day

It's dark and gloomy outside and supposed to begin freezing rain again. What a strange winter we've started out with and it seems to be continuing. I've seen enough ice to last me awhile.

So, best thing to do is quilt. I just put this black and white on the frame and began quilting yesterday. No fancy designs, just more or less an outline of seams. I can't even remember the name of the block, it's been a ufo for so long.

I love black and white. It's so bold. I even collect black and white fatquarters although my stash is shrinking. What do you think of it?