Wooly Totebag Challenge....

...if you know me at all....you know that I can't resist any challenge related to or using design and fabric of any sort!!!

So last Fall when I the Moda Wooly Tote Bag Challenge was issued...I jumped on the wagon....ordered the kit from Fox Cities Quilt Co.....put the kit on the shelf....

...and didn't think about it again until very early one morning after loading hogs. The thought popped into my head---"what if"--a very dangerous thought!!! What if I turn a quilt block design into what I put on the front of the tote bag!! Finally I had a plan---three days before the deadline!!

I pulled a selection of upcycled wools from my stash plus a charm pack of hand dyed wools from Primative Gatherings. Plan starting to come together.

The block pieces were cut out using the line drawing of the block printed from Electric Quilt.

...and stitched down with matching Aurifil threads.

I was a little concerned about stitching through the thick tote bag wool from the kit...but not to fear!!! My Bernina stitched a triple straight stitch perfectly through the layers. I decided to live on the edge and not back the block pieces with any fusible--just placed them down and went for it!! Worked great.

The more I looked at the quilt block design--the more the heart didn't feel right to me. The block was seeming to tell me that it wanted some flowers in it's corners!!
AccuQuilt Circle die #55484 to the rescue!!! Using two layers of wool, I had many adorable 1" circles cut in not time!!

Aurifil thread again....and seven 1" tiny perfectly cut circles....

...fold and pinch wool circle in half....push onto a threaded needle with knot at end of thread...

....keep adding wool circles to needle...

...pull circles to end of thread....

...gather circles....arrange into flower shape...push needle and thread through the back a few times to secure!! There you have it...an adorable little seven petaled flower. Keeping the thread attached to the flower, I simply handstitched the flower in place on the totebag in groups of three on each corner of the block.

What a great afternoon of creating I had doing this challenge!! Finished just in time to enter!!

Imagine my delight upon receiving an email it was selected as one of the finalists that needed to be sent to Moda for another judging!!! Super cool!!! Like I always say...some one has to win!!

Well today this box came in the mail....

...so it isn't one of the final 5 that will be showcased at Quilt Con next week....

....but it did come home with some great consolation prizes!!!!!

Thank you to Moda and Wooly Felted Wonders for such a fun contest. Can't wait to use the tote bag when the weather gets warmer and maybe some spring flowers are up!!

Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.
--George S. Patton

What interests me in life is curiosity, challenges, the good fight with its victories and defeats. 
--Paulo Coelho

New Adventure....Island Batik Ambassador--2017!

So what exactly is Terri doing now you may ask?!? I am going to be an ambassador for the fabric company Island Batik. The company has been in business for 14 years, delivering quality handmade wax resist batik fabrics made in Bali, Indonesia by skilled artisans to independent quilt shops across the United States.
The company launches new seasonal lines twice a year. Each launch corresponding with International Quilt Market that occurs in May and October. Even though the fabrics are ordered by the quilt shops in May and October, they are not delivered to the stores until August/July and January/February. This is because each fabric ordered is made to order!! How cool is that?!
A group of 35 Ambassadors, including me!! Will receive a box of fabric and thread twice a year. In this box is a collection of current fabrics and new--soon to be released fabrics!! Along with gorgeous coordinating threads from Aurifil and Superior. It truely is a 13 pound box of quilty goodness!!

My box arrived this past week. Each Ambassador's box is hand selected according to the tastes and prefferences that were chosen. Although these fabrics have such rich vibrant color that even if I said to "surprise me" everything in the box would be great to work with.

 The bit of blurred out fabric will be showing up later in some super special sewing project!!
We are given a list of events for the year with a special required project every month. The project is to be made with the fabrics from the box and then shared with you all in a blog post, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or any other social media account.

This tower of 5" width of fabric strips are great for stash building, especially for applique projects. Two times a year there will be a Island Batik sponsored Blog Hop, where new fabric collections will be revealed and projects made with those fabrics will be showcased on all the Ambassador's blogs. Watch for some fabric giveaways during these hops!!!

So I hope you will join me on the amazing journey this year!! I can't wait to share all the colors and amazing new projects with you!!!

Home again!!!!

Early 6am on the bus and up I-29 to home....used up just about all of my Dramamine yesterday--so before leaving went to a convience store to pick up a pack--and since I didn't have a choice but to take what they had--these were NOT non-drowsy!! I sat down on the bus--started listening to my book and the next thing I know I am scared awake by the announcement that McDonalds in CouncilBluffs is the next stop!!! I might have to relisten to a few chapters!!! Just after Sioux City I get a call from Loren that Josh's girlfriend has a softball game in Sioux Falls--and that should work out just right. Bus gets to Sioux Falls about 12noon and since we were both craving pizza--Lois and I went to Red Rosa pizza and it tasted sooo good!!! Loren picked me up and Lois took the car home--worked out quite convienently!!

So off to Sherman Park we went...met up with Josh and a couple friends. The sunshine was beautiful and hot--so I am sunburned and tired. After playing 2 games from 1pm to 6:30pm both games ended in a loss for SDSU. Marlee had a nice game--hit a triple and a single. And I remembered why base/softball is my least favorite sport---it takes a LONG time with not much excitement!! Plus I already had bus butt--now add bleacher butt to that and I was so ready to get home. Taking all that into consideration it was still fun to watch her in her element and do her thing!!!
And so ends my Great Quilt Adventure.......until next time--Terri

St. Joseph, Missouri

Take Dramamine. Ride bus. Ride Bus. Play Bejeweled Butterflys. Ride Bus. Play Bejeweled Digger. Ride Bus. Stop at McDonalds so other riders could get senior discount coffee. Take Dramamine. Ride Bus. Listen to book. Ride Bus. Dinner at Cracker Barrel.Take Dramamine. Ride Bus. Listen to book and play solitare at same time. Ride Bus. Drop off passenger in Kansas City. Ride Bus. Listen to book and play solitare at same time. Eat NutterButter cookies. Ride Bus. Get to Drury Inn in St. Joseph. Wasn't very hungry so had some broccoli soup and nachos and cheese. Went for walk in neighbor hood. Better head to bed soon as the bus is loading at 6am tomorrow!!!
Not a lot of photo opportunities today. Plus my camera batteries are just about dead, so thought I would share a FEW of my purchases with you...

This adorable kit was found in the very first booth I went in--40 X 45 wool applique and flannel piecing wallhanging. It came in that sweet racoon bag. There is an owl, bear, rabbit, fox, wolf,racoon deer--and I forget the other ones. Just too cute of kit to not come home with me. I never seen it at any other booth either!!!

 

This photo isn't that exciting but it is the supplies needed to do some snow dye of fabric. I would like to try dye some fabric and using snow gives a great mottled effect. Click the link to a blog with a tutorial and gorgeous photos.So I wanted to have everything ready for next winter. Chartruese, Eggplant, Pumpkin and Turquiose. Can't wait to see what it makes!!!

These great buttons from the 70's that will become earrings on my Quilt Diva lady that I cut out the applique pieces riding the bus down to Kentucky.

Of course there were more purchases. A few ZenTangle books--someday I should actualy try tangling--but I love to read the books and they can inspire my quilting!! Some machine quilting rulers, DVD, and a few Digital Machine quilting books.

This trip as been quite a journey and inspiration overload. I have seen some amazing quilts with painstakingly small and precise quilting, great color combinations and inspired design!! I have met some great people on the bus who started the trip as strangers and ended the trip as friends.

Thanks so much for all the notes of encouragement and kind words that you have given me--they are all treasured and help to spur me on to the next level and challenge that the Lord may have in store for me!!!

Last day at the AQS Paducah....

Well the sun has set on my last day here in Kentucky...and it's only 9pm this time!!! Started the morning with a drive down Dogwood Trail. The dogwoods are in full bloom and absolutely beautiful in front of these stately old brick homes with wraparound porches--hard to get photos on a moving bus--but trust me--great spring blooms here!!!
I had a request for some views into the show areas...so here they come...the crowd wasn't quite as large right away this morning as because the weather was rainy yesterday the crowds stayed inside--and today they ventured out to some of the other sites.

 

 This is the line of people waiting to enter the show doors!!

Just inside the show...people deciding whether to go to the right or to the left...either way the choice will be wrong and the crowds will be thick wherever you want to go!!!

 

 

Looking down the quilt rows--the black curtains are arranged into 3 sided cubicles--so that 3 quilts can be hung together--right, left, and one on the rear. The chain keeps people from touching the quilts--but that doesn't mean that you can't get really really really close--so close in fact that sometimes the "white glove" ladies will follow you around to make sure that you are not touching the quilts!!!!

 

Just the start of row upon row of vendors--each of them with something that will make your eyes sparkle and your wallet lighter.....

It's been about a week since I played with my APQS--so I had to stop here and play--so I don't get rusty!!!

 

So yeah--there are always quilting celebraties selling their product and most of them are gracious enough to do a photo op. Ricky Timms has hand dyed fabrics and has written some great books. My quilt Deep Blue Rhapsody was made useing a technique from his book. And yes we did get matching shirts again!!! But we felt that this saying was just too true for us--as my stash IS bigger--and stash could mean several things!!! Sure wish I had a dollar for every comment on our crowns!! I could have bought more thread!!!!

We walked the few blocks to the Quilt Museum--the largest fiber arts museum in the world. How inspiring it was to see these works of art. When a quilt is awarded Best of Show at the Paducah show the quiltmaker is given the option to donate the quilt to the museum so there were some awe inspiring quilts to look at

On the way to the museum we passed by a BBQ vendor that was not part of the food tent--but on a side street and the owner asked if she could take our photo by her sign so she could post it on their facebook for advertising the quilt show--and being the good businesswoman that Loren taught me to be--I said sure for a sandwich!!!! She laughed and said--Come back for one at lunchtime...

So when we went back past again--we got our sandwich and put the lawn chairs by their sign and waved at passerbys!! The pulled pork was sweetly smoked and just right juiciness--and best of all the price was right!!!

 

These views are from the second level balcony. The men in red coats are volunteers who for $1 will keep your packages together for you--the packages stay safe--you don't need to carry the heavy bag around and you can even add to it if you need to. A really handy service!!!

Up next on our agenda was taking the bus system to Hancock's of Paducah!!--this is not the chain store. What a crazy outfit---rows and rows of fabric and people and carts with bolts overflowing trying to get through!! I didn't find any bargins--but a few nice gray and black pieces.

The resturant we wanted to try tonight was across the street from our hotel--the only problem is the street is actually 6 lanes wide with no crosswalk!! Since we were the actual youngest ones on our bus we decided that it wouldn't be a problem for us. It was well worth the risk. A lovely meal on the patio was an amazing way to end our stay here in Paducah. The rest of the evening was spent trying to organize the purchases back into the suitcase so nothing will get lost on the bus.

 

 

 

Half way point in Terri's Great Quilt Adventure...

To my family--you get this--to the rest of you--here's the deal. As our kids were growing up we  always took a vacation every year, but we managed to take a few special ones. These special vacations were given the title of "Great Adventures" and were documented with a journaling and photo quilt. So that is why the Promise Kept quilt needed to be made...so who knows maybe this adventure might need to be remembered in fabric too someday!!
Now on to the day...once again it is after 11pm and here I sit--and we thought we would be to bed on time tonight!!! At least tonight we both made sure that our phone alarms were off as both phones woke us up at 5:30 this morning--and we both thought that we had shut them off--so we went back to sleep. Lucky for us the alarm fairy made sure that the clock radio in the room rang at 7am--neither of us set it--so not sure why it rang.
Loaded up on the bus at 8:45. It made a few different stops to let people off at different events around the city. When we get to the convention center the line to get in is 6 people wide and at least 50 yards long to get into the main level--so being the non-conformist that I tend to be--we went to the lower level and walked right in!!! More vendors--but with shoulder to shoulder room in some we just looked from the outside to see if anything caught our eye and moved on to the next--still things just seemed to appear in my bag!!! That I purchased of course...
I would love to show you photos of the quilts and you may be waiting for them--but it is posted online that the AQS show does not allow photos to be shared unless you have the quiltmakers' permission--and I gave myself permission yesterday. So I will just try and give you a feeling of what the whole experiece is here. It's kinda like someone said at our bus tour's show and tell tonight--Everyone is happy because they want to be here--no one is forceing them to be here--unless they might be the husband who has to carry the bags.
There is a big tented area outside the convention center with several food vendors and picnic tables set up has a festival kind of feel to it. It was kinda rainy and drippy today so we just took it inside and ended up sitting on the floor in the hallway.

 

 

 

 

Buses waiting to take the weary shoppers back to their motels to recharge for the next day.

We went to Bob Evans for supper--I can say that I don't have to stop at another one of those anytime soon again--I was quite hungry for a hamburger and fries--been having some ketchup withdrawals---so here comes my plate and it is a pressed square pattie--not that the meat was bad--just me--can't do square hamburgers--so I had a bacon cheese sandwich.

Anyway---we had show and tell with our group tonight at 7:30 and didn't finish until 10! What a great group of people on this trip--so much fun to see and learn about others with a common interest. Everyone has a reason to why they do this craft and it's so interesting to see the personality of the person shine through the choices in products and projects that appeal to them.

For my friends and family with snow on the ground yet--this last photo is for you--proof that spring will come...the Lord says there is a season to everything...springtime and harvest...so it will come.

 



Promise Kept is going to Paducah!!!!

...and so am I!!! Just a quick post--will give more details later. But I am over the moon excited that I have a quilt that is going to hang in the AQS Paducah, Kentucky show!!!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

I have seen the Blogger's Quilt Festival on many of the blogs I read and decided that this is the year I would try it for myself. I have been "making things" most all of my life and decided to try my hand at longarm quilting 5 years ago. I think I have found my creative place. When I first started I was scared that I wouldn't know what quilting designs to use, now I see designs as the third and final layer of the quilt's big picture!!

This past summer I was part of McCall's Quilt Design Star contest. This quilt "Created to Complete" is my interpretation of Opposites Attract, the theme in the final challenge round.

My husband and I are total opposites--but together we complete each other. Blue and Orange are opposite each other on the color wheel, yet together they complement each other perfectly!!!

 

My husband's side of the quilt--very structured and predictable--log cabin block in a Field and Furrow setting is perfect for my farmer husband.

 A freeform hand drawn random circle design is perfect for my sometimes CreativeADD mind!!!

Yet together it works just as it was meant to!! CREATED TO COMPLETE
Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy yourself on this Quilt Festival tour!!!!

Blogger's Quilt Festival Stats....
Created To Complete
Designed, pieced and quilted by Terri Vanden Bosch --me
Size 36 X 48
Traditional and curved piecing, ruler work and freehand quilting, photo transfers, crystals,piped binding
Best Catagory--2 color, Art, Professionaly quilted