Charlie Peters and Kate's Gift

 

Happy Mother's Day everyone!!

 

Tis the season for planting flowers and special gifts for special people.  This week I was overjoyed to find Charlie Peters at my local Garden Center. 

The original Charlie Peters, aka Purple Passion Plant, was one of my first house plants. Charlie watched over me during high school and respiratory school. He went off to my first apartment in Columbus and surprised me with blossoms one day. They were bright orange and stunk like a skunk!  I had to pluck them off and discard them outside my apartment. It took over a week to air out my one bedroom apartment from their brief fragrance. He lived a long life until unknown bugs invaded. I have looked for the past 20 years and this week, to my heartfelt joy, his offspring was waiting for me at Knollwood Gardens!! He's a little guy, but he will grow big and bushy like his predecessor.

Kate's gift is a little Origami bag.  I'm meeting her for dinner on Wednesday evening.  She's a special friend and I'm looking forward to dinner with her.  I wanted a little something for her to show my appreciation for her friendship.

Today is not only Mother's Day in our home, but it's also my Anniversary.  Steve and I have been married 34 years today.  We waited 10 years for our girls, so most folks don't realize we have been together this long.  It's a beautiful, breezy, sunny day here in Beavercreek, just like our wedding day.  The lilacs are in bloom, I've done Kate's gift today and I'll spend the rest of the day digging in the dirt.  It's too cool to plant all my treasures  Steve and I bought at the Garden Center.  I'll have fun pulling the weeds and preparing the soil!

This week I'm working on Almeda's quilts.  She asked me to make two lap size quilts for her two sisters.  The fabric is beautiful and I'm looking forward to both projects!

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Elaine
Chipper Piecemaker

Springtime at Cox's

 

My good friend Linda and I met at Cox's Arboretum this week to enjoy the gardens.  We saw these turtle's sunning themselves in one of the ponds.

 



This looked like a family reunion.  The older patriarchs and then the youngsters.  One little guy slipped into the pond right before I snapped this.

Lilacs are my favorites!  Leah, my youngest daughter, will be bringing in bunches and placing vases all over our home.  My husband I were married in May, so the reception hall could be decorated with lilacs.  We will celebrate 34 years next week.

There were two families of ducks we could sit and watch.  This Mamma Duck was more receptive to our gazing than the other Mamma.

 

In my class with Alex Anderson, she talked about using pictures to guide you into color palettes for your quilt.  I have always wanted to do a green and purple quilt, but never quite sure about mixing the fabric colors.  This picture would be a wonderful guide!!  Thanks Alex for sharing wisdom and inspiring confidence!

 

Every Quilter needs a Drying Bush.  My Gramma Hill had a small clothes line, but she had several drying bushes.  I remember when she washed quilts from the upstairs bedrooms and tossed them over a drying bush to let them air dry.  I had a Viburnum Bush like this one at our home in Pennsylvania that I used as my Drying Bush.  At the end of the afternoon my quilts smelled good and our bedrooms smelled good for days!



 



Do you have a drying bush for your quilts?  I enjoy the old traditions.  If you have some family traditions to share, I would love to hear about them!

 

 

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

New Class Sample: Hope Chest Treasures

I've been pumping out the work over the last few evenings.  I was captivated by Tricia Cribbs, Turning Twenty #9, Hope Chest Treasures, a few months ago and had to make the pattern on-point.  Jenn, Little Shop of Stitches, shop owner, requested it in bright colors and I was happy to step out of my color pallette.  These blocks are BIG...a whopping 16" block!  Here is the finished quilt top!

 

I'm glad I made a mid-size version rather than the full size.  When I was visiting the shop this week, Jenn was lamenting she needs some big walls to showcase larger samples.  Her classroom is a cheery room with most of her larger quilts.  I appreciate having so many inspiring samples when I'm teaching.  They are great conversation starters and motivational for beginning quilt students.

 

 

Hopefully, I'll be teaching this class in August.  I'll be delivering it to the shop this week.  The new class schedule comes out next week.

 

 

I'll be looking forward to your newest creations!

 

 

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker

Happy Memories of Paducah

 

My trip to Paducah was more than I ever could have imagined!  The Awards Presentation was filled with shrieks of joy and "Wow" after "Wow" as each quilt was lowered from the ceiling to an anxious audience.  I didn't place in the finals, but I was overjoyed to be a part of AQS Paducah's 29th Quilt Week.

 

.The next morning my husband, daughter, and dear friend, Jenn headed to the Convention Center to find my quilt.  Needless to say, everyone found it before I did. 

My quilt was the 3rd grouping on the right hand side, just inside the main door.  I walked by each day just to peek at it.  I loved hearing kind remarks and congrats.

 

Contestants had a yellow ribbon with their name tags.  Winners had yellow and white ribbons.

 

 

The people at AQS are the friendliest people in the world!!  The vendors were eager to share their knowledge and let you try just about anything you desired.  Jenn and I were looking at fabric when Edyta Sitir asked if we needed help in her booth.  We were ecstatic to have her help!!  She loves to pick out fabric!!  Then we went to Hancock's and were dazzled with their sprawling selection.  It has the Wow-Factor!!  Right before we left the first time, we were told about the "Back Room".  I took a peek while Jenn stood in line.  We had to return a second time so we could shop in the "Back Room".  We were on sensory overload everyday and came home with too many projects!  Where do I start?? 

 

Isn't that what Quilt Week is all about...being encouraged, inspired, spending a little too much $$, chatting with authors, designers, quilters and staying up late to savor the day's purchases!

 

What were your happy memories about Paducah?  I would love to hear about your Quilt trips!

 

Elaine

Chipper Piecemaker