Blockswappers

Each year we Blockswappers exchange a set of blocks.  This year it was four log cabin blocks to make for each other.  We had color and fabric criteria.  I didn't get as good of pictures as I would have liked as they were hanging down a hall at the Expo...6 on one side and 6 on the other...so I couldn't get far enough away when I was taking the pictures.  This is Irene's.  She added the stars and a block border.

Mike added applique on the corners...which I missed...sorry...it really was pretty.  This is for his wife, Sue.

Jan made this one.  She's in another block exchange where they traded half square triangle blocks...giving her a head start on the outer border.

Merle added flying geese for a border.

Tracy added wool applique to hers to make this stunning showstopper.  It won viewer's choice in the large quilt division.  Quite an honor.  Instead of scattering each person's blocks, she sewed each persons into a block with the lights at the center where she added the applique. 

Julie added 3 borders to frame hers.  Notice the layouts of the blocks on each quilt....each dfferent.

Altho Cele isn't a member of our group anymore, beings she was a new bride, we made her a set of blocks and Mike put it together and quilted it as a gift from all of us.  The rest to follow.
Jolyn

Showtime



The first four quilts were made by a group doing a block of the month.  I think it was through Michelle's fabric in Blue Earth and that they used thangles.  Anyway...it's fun to see the different color and fabric selections.



This was the Expo challenge this year.  If you notice the fabrics hanging on the left side of the picture...these were the chosen fabrics in the packet we bought.  These were all quite amazing...but the one that caught my eye is the round one made by Wendy Nickels.  It was a show stopper!  Be sure to click on the picture to get a close up look.   My entry???...I'm still looking for my packet.  After cleaning for the Tour of Homes last fall...I'm missing a number of things.  Guess it's too late for this one!

This quilt has a round robin effect.

A string quilt using selvages.  This had to take patience!!!

You can see that the Pinwheel is catching on!!  Always fun to see the different fabric combinations each quilter uses!  I think I have one more group of quilts to show.... just you wait and see!!
Jolyn

Catching Up

I have more pictures from the Expo, but it's so slow to upload pictures, that doing a few a day (or whenever) is all I have patience for.  The opening evening.  After all the decisions of what to hang where...it's fun to come back and see everything looking so beautiful.  Mike's wife, Sue is so faithful each year to type up labels.

Laurie and her mother, Dorthy make quite the team with Lauri doing the woodcarving AND cutting and pressing for Dorthy when she works on some of her quilting projects.  No wonder Laurie is her favorite daughter!!  (and only one)

Just picked some quilts that stood out to me.

Other years my camera has captured the signs better.  I do know this is Linda's and I just love it.  I don't suppose it's nice to steal...but I would want to have a bed size. 

Tracy's to the left and Ruth's to the right.  Fun colors!!!

I know Mike made this...

And he also made this for his barber!  Mike is so generous with quilt giving.  More to come.
Jolyn

Expo

A nice addition to the Expo are the woodcarvers.  It's always fun to see what they've added to their collection each year.

I thought this was beautiful.  The carving really gives it dimension.

There were a number of demonstrations given...but I only made it to two and both were mine.  So I guess I can't give you an impartial rating.  There were nice turn outs for each. 

It's fun to get people enthused about the Itty Bitty Primitive Pinwheel.

Showed these two to compare to the starter quilt size on my left and the finished size on my right.

Over 200 quilts were hung this year....from the old antiques...

To the new look-like antiques.  Dorthy made this one and it is beautiful!  It wanted to come home with me... but it isn't nice to steal.  Guess it will go on my to-do list.     Jolyn

Birthday Celebration

 

Every year Blue Earth has their Woodcarver's and Quilter's Expo--almost always on my birthday.  Can't say it is just for my birthday...but I can pretend!    Here's the "before" picture as we try to sort and put skirt hangers on the top of each quilt.

Each year one quilter is chosen to show her quilt progression through the years.  Jude was our honored quilter for this year.  She really had a lot of quilts!

Many hands make light work!  Always so good when a bunch show up.  I did neglect to get a picture of Orry, Tracy's son who came to help hang quilts....just like he used to do before he went off to college.

And it just happened to be Tracy's birthday, so we surprised her with a cake. 

Here are some of Jude's creations.  She rescues Greyhounds and you will see some of the quilts she's made to raise money for them.  Like all of us, she makes quilts to be used.

This is by no means the end of her collection, but I had to pick and choose.  You should have been there!!    Jolyn

OK...I Admit It

I hate to admit it...but yes, I turned 70 on Saturday.  Someone...bless them...said I looked 60.  Only problem with that is that I would have been 10 when our first child was born.  The best part of my birthday was having part of our family home.  Marque and Janeen and Mari came from the cities and surprised me!!!  Shawn and Suzanne and boys joined us for a fun evening on the porch with Pizza Hut pizza and birthday cake (the flowers even matched my shirt!!)  Thank you Wayne for all  the surprises!!

Suzanne and Janeen

Mari...whose new job is driving a big packer in road construction.

Wayne, Taylor and Shawn

The boys...Bryce, Marque and Brandon in the front and Taylor and Shawn in the back.  The wall quilt was a gift from Tracy!

Altho at my age I don't really need presents...these were a couple of them...Vivvi and Morgan.  Other gifts included chocolate, good smelling things, socks, decorations, chocolate, a "Spam" bank and from my husband a very...very.........very nice gift certificate from the Calico Hutch.  He even told me to spend it foolishly!  How else??
Jolyn

Homefront News

The Olson brothers (Bryce,Taylor, Brandon) have been selling sweet corn again this year.  It is absolutely delicious!  (And I don't say that just because they are my wonderful handsome grandsons.)  I froze about 25 pints and we have been eating some about every day.  We're hoping the way the ears are filled out is an indication of how the field corn will be.

Wayne was washing windows with the hose and stirred  up a nest of wasps.  They can be some angry nasty insects!  Here he is prepared to do battle!!  He was able to kill a bunch and knock down their nest.  Later I went out and killed one.  No...I didn't wear the gear...I've never been stung...so I am still fearless..or stupid.

It's not all work around here.  (some days I hardly get any work done)  Dorothy and Linda joined me for a day of baking bread and quilting....and eating.  Linda "insisted" on giving me some chocolate with almonds for my birthday and I felt obligated to accept them and eat them.  I try to treat them like vitamins...one a day.  And if you believe that......    I think I'm feeling the need for a vitamin!!!         Jolyn

More Show and Tell

We really had a lot of show and tell (or Bring and Brag) at our last meeting.  I'm not even posting all the pictures.  Wendy had taken a panel and added sashing to give it a look of a window!

Isn't this a cute pumpkin!  He would look good in my house...hint hint...

The twister fever is on!  Once you've made one, you just have to make another one.

This masterpiece...which has won awards at shows...was made by a friend of Tracy's...Janel and quilted by Tracy.  She said that in the judging, they use a magnifying glass.  In person this is even more stunning!

A sad story with a happy ending.  Mike's Mom had put this on her rummage sale when Mike found it and rescued it and brought it home.  If I remember right it was his baby quilt.  He also rescued two other quilted pieces.  We quilter's treasure quilted things...especially if they have a story behind them.

At the fair was a butterfly wall hanging contest.  Mike used pigma pen and crayons to give this it's color.

I don't know what Mike will get done now that he's retired, but his work is always exquisite!!  He must keep his Bernina warmed up all the time!

This was Tracy's first quilt.  She has two borders to add.  Congratulations...you've just begun!

Lissia has been on a roll with this...

and this....

and this...

and this!  She's like me...likes to make the tops!  Course, my favorite part is making the blocks.  I need to find someone who likes to sew them together and another to quilt them and another to bind them and another to cook for me and another to clean ....and one more to bring me chocolate (with almonds!)
Jolyn