"Let's Tie One On"-quilting event

Well, did we have a great time, or what??!!

We had beautiful weather, plenty of projects to finish and 9 women show up to help. I am thankful Margaret came even though she had a baby shower to go to at 1pm that day.

We had the room set up on Friday, laying out all the quilts that we had sandwiched and backed. I even put the embroidery threads at the tables to save time.

This is one of my favorites... It's one that I asked the parishioners for a specific donation. I told them to look in their closets and see if they had a plaid shirt that they just couldn't wear anymore and donate it. I had a box at our church and every week a few would show up in the box. Then our 'ironer', Pat H. decided we weren't getting them fast enough and she bought a dozen of them at the thrift shop in town and WHAM! we had MORE than enough! Thanks Pat.... This is what I planned on making with them (but we have plaid heartstring blocks that we're making too, so plan to see more plaid quilts. They make great 'guy' quilts, although I LOVE this one! I think I'll call this one, "Where's My Shirt?".

This was my experiment, Free form Stars... I can never quite get the color right when I take a photo of the blocks, but it's really stunning in person. I loved the batik in the background. Named? "Orange Comets".

We had a demo table that we never got to address in any manner, because we 'visit' so much. I'm sure I'll come back to that in the future.

This is another favorite of ours... This was a panel print from Marden's in Maine (last field trip), I just added the black borders on it, and we hope to quilt around the blocks to make it look as though it was pieced. Named? "Black Rose Panel".

This was a cute idea... envelope blocks (I saw one online in a photo and decided I could design it from memory. Not bad, huh?) I call this one, "P.S. I Love You".  We plan to put a 'real' envelope pocket on the back for the label. These envelopes you can't open, but we'll make one for the label on the back that you can open.

This cute boys heartstring quilt was made by Margaret when the hearstring yahoo group had their yellow center string project going (how long ago was that?)... Named? "Yellow HS Boys quilt".

Pat B.'s cream heartstrings are finally getting done. She gave us about 5 different size ones 18 months ago...Boy, it does take us a long time to finish things, but don't they say, "anything worth something is worth waiting for".

This little cutie, called "Critter's Picnic" was finished before this event, we hadn't had it Blessed yet. We did that on Sunday.

The supply table.

Batting and cutting table. (And another quilt to sandwich).

This is the tops we have in the wings... they have no backings yet, which is why they haven't gotten done.

Some of our members brought in their personal quilts to show us (always inspiration). Anna did a beautiful job on this quilt.

Marilyn does lovely work. She has been a quilter for years.

The back of this quilt is beautiful...

even the little owl. I love it.

This quilt, Marilyn donated to our group. It's a beauty!

This was another one she wasn't sure what to do with (we suggested a chocolate brown border). She donated that one also.

And these were a 'stack and whack' set of blocks she just was 'trying out'. We found a sashing fabric, so that may be another quilt when it grows up. We'll keep you updated.

Now they have finally settled down to 'work'. Ya know, sometimes you have to crack that whip to get them all to focus.Here Marilyn and Margaret work on the envelope quilt. We tied it from the back so we could tack down the flaps without the strings being a distraction. We found a navy blue binding for it. Marilyn will take that home to finish.

Anna and Wendy (a new guest) were busy tying Pat's heartstring quilt.

Since Pat H. (our diligent ironer) couldn't make it, my mom (Muriel) filled it. See what a wonderfully big space we have to work in? Praise God and St Mary's for that.

Jane and "C" were having WAYYY too much fun! But this one got finished to the pre-binding stage (I have the bindings to finish this one at home).

These guys are still at it, and it's going quite well....

Almost done....Anna, Wendy and Muriel are pinning the binding (the backing is just rolled over) and I'll sew this one before the end of the day. No label, but it will get done!

Almost done.... go girls!

Here is this one, sans the navy binding. Marilyn will finish this one.

This one is done!! We'll bless it on Sunday.

Anna is rolling over the backing (green plaid) for this one. Once we did that, we realized it was slightly crooked (the back plaid), so we are cutting it off all the way and I'm cutting the strips from the leftover plaid to cut 'straight' and attach it. No one will notice that the back itself isn't straight. (Okay, now that I've posted that here, someone will look when they get the quilt. Darn).

Sunday morning, this quilt and "Critter's Picnic" baby quilt were blessed. This is June T. who was given this quilt for her cancer treatments. I hope it keeps you warm, June.

Just an update a week later...

here are some of the finished quilts as the last minute touches are done on them.

PS I Love You...the only thing I need to add to this is the functional envelope on the back (we'll put an uplifting message in the envelope when we know where this one is going).

This cute little one is one of Heartstrings Quilt Projects "Yellow centers"..with boy fabrics.

Hey Mavie, this one is from the blocks I picked up from you in Maine last May. You had given us these blocks to thank us for your friend's quilt we made for her. My grandson LOVES this one!! Not sure where it's going, but it's got HIS okay. Named? "I Got the Blues in Maine".

What do you do when you get a quilt finished and realize one of the seams is pulling away?/??? You sew two selvedges together (raw edges to raw edges), open it up, then blindstitch it over the seams. Worked for me!

Thought this was a cute heartstring label for a couple of our quilts.