February 29th ~ Happy Leap Day!

Ah ... It's February 29th and Google has a tribute to

 "Gioachino Rossini — the famed Italian composer behind The Barber of Seville"

Gioachino Rossini turns 220 today, or, depending how you’re counting, he is 53 today.

As many Leap Year babies know, your 'real' birthday only happens every 4 years.

I could not resist the cuteness factor of the day with this Google Doodle. I hope you are enjoying your 'extra' day today :)

So it has been a very quick, less than 24 hours, since my last post. Thank you all for the emails of encouragement! My mom called me to offer encouragement, congratulations, and support for both the interview and the teaching the mini workshop last night. Yes, my mom does read my blog... :)  I think it is wonderful. 

So I was the 1st candidate interviewed for the position yesterday, so it will be a while before I hear back from them about the job. In the meantime, I did get a chance to network about my fiber arts passion while I was there. That will also take some time to develop. 

I did not get a chance to take any pictures last night at the Guild meeting. Ms J picked me up and we arrived a bit early, but that was wonderful. I grabbed a corner table, away from the 'maddening crowd' and set up to get ready to teach. As the guild meetings typically start at 7:30 pm and we where there at 6:45 pm I started giving my mini workshop at 7, much like the others. There where 8 of us teaching workshops last night. There was something for everyone. 

It went very well :) Ok, yes Ms G and Ms J it was fantastic, while I did not see everyone who was there at the meeting last night, those who have daughters and granddaughters with AG where the 1st to come over. I think I taught the workshop about 5 times last night. The feedback was fantastic, and I had a fun time. 

I had made the jacket an exact replica of what I do for a full size jacket, so the details that I explained to non-seamstress could be translated from quilting terms easily, giving many the opportunity to contemplate making a garment. Those who all of a sudden had a 'light bulb' moment (eyes open wide with realization that they can really do this themselves) where enough that it really registered with me that I was able to pass along something that is fun. 

 I had cut up a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt to make the different samples and the visual teaching aids.  These are the main parts that I had in the box above.

I also brought along a crew sweatshirt, a hoodie sweatshirt, and this jacket that has not been completed as of yet. This is the front...

 The back...

 The sleeves...

Having the examples, the sweatshirts, the miniature pieces done up at the different stages, all equaled being able to teach this in about 8 minutes or less. Explains how I taught it at least 5 times last night :)

So, yes I did have fun, I would do it again, and I would teach it as a full length class if asked. 

I was also encouraged to make a dozen or so of the doll size jackets for the boutique shop at the guild show in October... hmm, while it took about 12 hours to do the multitude of version that I made, it would not take that long to make a dozen over time... need to think about this some more. It would end up on my WIP list if I was not careful.

Now it is off to finish the baby quilt for baby M, who will be appearing in less than 35 days. Also need to finish off the basket liners...

Thank you for stopping by! Ciao for now!

J :)  


P.S. A quick reminder to all that you will be able to follow via Google Friends Connect as this is a Google supported blog. So join in and click to follow, you don't have to make it public, you can follow privately, if you wish. Thanks for stopping by :) 

BOM's continued...

Ah yes... remember the RSQ blocks that I was working on yesterday?

Yes, those would be the ones that I am talking about...


Well... I brought them to the Guild meeting last night (good meeting), dropped them off with the others who had also done the block(s) and went to check out other tables before the meeting.


Our Guild meetings kinda follows a regular pattern, announcements, raffle winners (for the meeting), Show 'n Tell, last moment announcements, and then our featured speaker(s). Last night was no different. 


The featured speaker for last nights meeting where Bobbie and Joel Bergquist, owners of Quilters' Treasure, who brought part of their quilt shop to our guild. They shared dozens of samples of their work as well as a lot of their products. They are an online quilt shop at www.quilterstreasure.com. They have the most amazing patterns and techniques to achieve different looks and hues with fabric.  They also mentor different artists within their booths at the different Quilt Shows that they attend on an annual basis. So many of the samples where those of the artists using Quilters Treasures fabric, stain glass leading quilts, and inks/paints techniques they have perfected over the years. Yes, I did purchase two patterns and some of the 'leading' that they sell to make some stain glass type of quilts. Unbeknownst to me, I have purchased in the past a few of their patterns,  for which I was very pleasantly surprised. The pattern I have did not have the fabric, which the one last night did, I just could not convince myself that I really needed to get it. Ah well, I will need to relocated that particular pattern once again... More for the "To Do" List...


Getting back to Pumpkin BOM's ... Last night my name was called for winning half of the blocks made for BOM! So... yes, I won a few pumpkin blocks.

Do you notice anything? ... 3rd one from the left on the top row and 1st one on the left on the middle row... yep, those are mine... Kinda cool if you ask me. So now I am going to work on making these into an interesting wall hanging for our front door. And here I was going to spend today making a lot more!! No, don't have to.


I have spent the better part of the day taking the paper off the back of these... I am guilty of leaving the paper on myself, so there is no blame... just using the tweezers to get the little bits of paper.


Have you ever done paper piecing on a large scale? The gentleman (a guild member) who won 1st place at the Quilt Show did a large New York Beauty. I have been thinking about it... just not sure about it yet.


Back to picking bits of paper off the back of the pumpkins.


Thank you for joining me today. It is more of a Hot Chocolate day than coffee, so I hope you brought some along.
Ciao for now :)
J

On the Road Again...

The Quilt Show was a success! One of my girlfriends quilt came in 3rd! She is giving it to a much loved aunt as a Birthday present, so I'll be quiet on that one for a bit. The quilts where amazing! Inspiring, and for some of my friends who have never been to a quilt show, a bit overwhelming. I am very happy that a few of my old friends got to see what I have been up to of late. :)

Speaking of Birthday presents... The package to Puerto Rico has been picked up at the Post Office... I don't know if it has gotten to my cousin's house as one of my sister suggested I touch base with one of my cousins family members to pick up the box before it was due to be shipped back... The PO sent a notice that it had been picked up on Saturday morning. :) Sweet! (10/18/2011 Note: I got a text message that my cousin LOVES the package! Glad to hear! Very glad they got it before it shipped back North!)

I am off to NJ this morning, my aunt has another test tomorrow. To say she is tired of doctors is an understatement... This test seems more along the line of the Dr's covering their collective butts than anything else, but still it is a pain in the butt for my aunt to have to thru all of these once again to cover their collective rears!

Still for me it is great for me that I have the opportunity to spend some time with her. We have done some things I would have never had the chance to do on my own! The trip to the Meadowlands on my birthday was fun!

So off to get ready to take the bus to Newark and onto New Brunswick.

Hope you have enjoyed your coffee (or tea as someone reminded me Not Everyone drinks as much coffee as you do!) and my rant :)

Ciao!
J :D

Quilt Show!

I feel like a kid in a candy store... I have two quilts in my 1st quilt show! I know that I should not be as giddy as I am, but what the heck! I am loving it! I have gone to this show over the last few years as I have friends who belong to the guild, and now so do I.

It was wonderful to hear the comments of fellow quilters mention the 'out of the box' thinking for the thread painting for the quilt challenge.

I was showing my sister-in-law's mom the large quilt (the fish) and she was enjoying the quilting. The quilter, Georgette Gagne, the owner/operator of Black Wolf Quilt Studio's in Webster, NH, did a fantastic quilting of this quilt. I'll need to post some pictures of the quilt... 

 

So the label reads: "Completed August 2011" "Made with love by Jean Necheles, For the love of my Life Paul Donovan"
Yes, this is Paul's quilt. In the book and on the label attached to the front of the quilt, it says: 


     I took a Stack-n-Whack class with Karen Pulaski, of Hudson, MA. The blocks are a unique kaleidoscope design, with the border of the same fabric. My husband loves Asian fabrics and just mentioned that he loved this fabric. This was his Christmas gift and yes, he loves his quilt. Pattern Name: Stack-n-Whack. Machine Piced, Machine Quilted. 70 x 80.


 The label on the front says Georgette's name and Studio. Paul overheard some people saying how this quilt (and the quilter) have gotten around. I guess I have. 


So the 2nd quilt is the "Birds of a Feather" Challenge quilt. There are a few other's who did submissions to this category.

There is my Swan's quilt :D Did I say that it is so weird to see my quilt hanging among other quilters who I know have shown over the years? I'm doing a happy dance :)

There where so many people! It was wonderful to see them all! The best part for me was seeing family and friends :)  I am so glad that my step brother Keith was able to stop over and see the quilts. My sister-in-law's mom, whom I was able to spend a few moments with before we left, was there. I am working tomorrow afternoon, and am hoping to see more family and friends then. I know that my daughter is very much looking forward to attending. 

Thanks for joining me! Hope you have enjoyed my rants and your coffee :D

Ciao! :)

J :)

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative - Challenge Quilt

I had posted earlier that I was working on a Challenge Quilt for this years Rising Star Quilters quilt show. It is done! And not a moment too soon! As the show is this weekend!

I will take pictures and share as I am volunteering both Saturday & Sunday. I am looking forward to this show as it is the 1st time that I have one of my own quilts being show. But I'll take pictures of other quilts. :D

This is the Challenge Quilt that I have done.

This is Paul's quilt that I just finished and will be hung at the quilt show this weekend.

I hope that you come and see the show!


The 2011 Rising Star Quilt Show

The 24th annual Quilt Show and Sale will be held on
Saturday & Sunday, October 15 and 16, 2011

Times:

• Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
• Sunday: 11 am to 4 pm

Location:

• Cary Memorial Hall
• 1605 Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington Center

Location notes:

• The front of the building says Isaac Harris Cary Memorial Building
• The building is between the Police Station and Town Office Building
• Free Parking at the rear of the building*
• Handicapped Accessible

*Please be sure to avoid the parking spaces reserved for the police!