San Mateo County Fair Visit

Rainbow pencil roll
Rainbow pencil roll

My entry did not win any prizes, but I enjoyed visiting the Fair anyway. My visit was too short, but fun.

I only entered the pencil roll. Next year, I will enter Old Town. I am pleased with how it came out. I am not sure what it was up against, so cannot determine why it didn’t win. I’ll find out more when I get the judge’s comments back.

Jaye & Julie, San Mateo County Fair 2025
Jaye & Julie, San Mateo County Fair 2025

The big event was Friend Julie and I sitting at the BAM table and talking to people. The goal is to add members. I shamelessly talked to almost everyone. I even went up to people and talked to them if they were nearby. We told them about the guild programs, such as community quilts. I showed a few people our challenge quilts. We also handed out cards showing all the info about the guild. For part of the time our DHs joined us. It was a good time and if I weren’t working I would do it again.

2025 San Mateo County Fair mare & foal
2025 San Mateo County Fair mare & foal

Before Friend Julie and her DH arrived, we walked around and looked at the different non-textile exhibits. My favorite was the mare and her foal. It was so relaxing to watch them, though the mare looked completely stressed out. The Chincoteague books** came to mind as I spent time with them.

When we, first, went into the barn, the baby was sleeping. We watched for awhile, then we wandered around the barn to look at the other animals. No chickens this year. Bird flu, I am guessing. When we circled back to the mare and foal, the foal was on his feet having a snack. It was adorable and made me think about the relationship of animals and humans. I haven’t had a pet in awhile and would be hard pressed to find one that would be as great as my childhood cat, Spooky.

BAM had an exhibit of challenge quilts. The theme was “Hip Not to be Square”, which was a reaction to last year’s judging. One judge commented each time a quilt was not square. I am curious to see what the judge’s said about this year’s un-square quilts. I didn’t make a challenge quilt this year, but the guild had a GREAT response to the challenge. I loved seeing that not all were hexagons!

Preeva's Mariner's Compass
Preeva’s Mariner’s Compass

I was particularly interested in Preeva’s solution for hanging her round quilt.

The quilt is truly round. That yellow fabric is a kind of extended sleeve. I thought it was a clever idea.

 

Improv with Help from Friends
Improv with Help from Friends

Cyndi put the quilt that she and Tim worked on while we were having a Sew Day at her house. I love the name, Improv with a Help from Friends. She gave me credit, too, which was very kind since I only started giving my opinion when they were well on their way to finishing. 

I am so glad this turned into something great. The quilting works well. I am even more pleased that Cyndi got an Honorable Mention!

Lee Ann's Cozy quilt
Lee Ann’s Cozy quilt

Guild members really cleaned up. In addition to Cyndi’s Honorable Mention, Lee Ann won a ribbon for her Cozy quilt. A number of guild members are making or have made one of these quilts. I only know of Lee Ann finishing hers.

 

 

 

Blooming 9 Patch by Julie McAuliffe
Blooming 9 Patch by Julie McAuliffe

One of my favorite (random by non-guild members and friends) quilts in the Fair, though it is sooooo hard to choose, was this Blooming Nine Patch by Julie McAuliffe. I think I really love the colors.

Julie is a friend of my SIL#3 and used to be the organizer of the Home Arts for the Fair. I always say hello to her and remind her of the connection when I see her. I invited her to come and visit the guild as she sat at the Pacifica Quilt club table. Who knew there was a Pacifica Quilt Club? I might go check it out.

Brains, Brawn & Beauty by Elizabeth Savoy
Brains, Brawn & Beauty by Elizabeth Savoy

I only had time to quickly look at the Fine Art on my way to sitting at the BAM table. Julie pointed out this dress to me.  It is Brains, Brawn & Beauty by Elizabeth Savoy and made from newspaper. The details were really cool looking. 

I would have liked to have spent more time with the quilts and looking at the Fine Art, but maybe next year. I really had fun sitting at the BAM table and talking to people, so that was time well spent. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.

SueS Talks HRTs

The last meeting was a bonanza of quilts. There was a lot of show and tell plus 3, yes THREE, mini-trunk shows. It was so interesting to see the different styles and designs of the members.

SueS' HRT quilt
SueS’ HRT quilt

One of the quilts at show and tell was SueS’ HRT quilt. I didn’t even know she was working on an HRT quilt. I am on high alert for HRTs since I am working on the Triumphant quilt with the HuRTy rulers**.

SueS sent me the text I used for this post. I have edited it and tried not to change the meaning.

For this quilt she wanted to see how a single block could be used to create a sense of movement.  Sue said that the half rectangle block reminded her of a bird in the distant sky, so she tried to create the idea  of a flock of birds.  

When I first saw this quilt, I was intrigued by the way it looked like the quilt was sideways. Knowing that she was working to create the sense of a flock of birds make the orientation make more sense. 

Sue found that of all the techniques she has used for  making HRTs, Latifah Saafir’s HuRTy ruler is her favorite.  She used the HuRTy 1**, which is  for making 1:2 and 1:6 ratio triangles.  The 1:2 triangles range from 1 x 2 to 6  x 12 inches while the 1:6 triangles are 1 x 6, 1.5 x 9, and 2 x 12 inches. All of these sizes, shapes and angles can be made using 1 ruler.

Sue found the instructions to be clear. She also found the ruler to be well marked for right (HRT A) and left facing (HRT B) blocks of each size. She found the markings limited the mistakes that are really easy to make when cutting HRTs.   

The HuRTy 1** has  a QR code printed on it which links to YouTube tutorials. The tutorials provide help for using the ruler. Sue found the videos to be  very helpful for getting started, along with general tips for making HRTs. One tip is to press the seams open.  You know me! I prefer to press the way the quilt needs. I have also found that HRTs work well when seams are pressed open. The bulk ads up quickly, and pressing seams open helps reduce the bulk.             

Other Resources and Previous Posts

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.

More Half 16 Patch Sashing Top

Half 16 patch sashing #1 in process
Half 16 patch sashing #1 in process

This top is taking forever and, again, I need the design wall space, so I’ll need to spend some time this weekend churning out half blocks.

That being said, I haven’t been a slacker. I have made some progress and the quilt top is coming together. I also like the way it looks, though it is a bit dark close up. 

There was no way I can finish it to turn in tomorrow at Sew Day, but maybe I’ll be able to finish it for the meeting in a few weeks. Work sure does get in the way of sewing!

Triumphant Progress

Triumphant block 1
Triumphant block 1

It really is all about mystery quilts lately.

I finally got all the pieces I needed for the first block cut out correctly and started to sew the block together.

I am struggling with the HuRTy rulers**. I wanted to give up since my sewing time is really precious. However, cutting the background was so easy that I have it already cut out and couldn’t see wasting those strips. I’ll get there.

So far, I think it is an interesting  design, but not one I would have come up with myself. Perhaps this is a stretch for me? I am definitely using my brain with the rulers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.

Old Town Back

Old Town back
Old Town back

The back of Old Town is done. I have sewn the binding, so it is ready to be applied after the quilting is done. With all of these chores done,  the quilt is ready to go to Colleen for longarming.

I used a really nice wisteria print from Philip Jacobs. I had two pieces, which means I bought it twice, but I can’t remember where. The colors fit perfectly with the Old Town top.

The blue swirly prints were leftovers from the Half Hexie Star quilt. I wanted a little bit of that fabric on a quilt I will probably keep.

So, on to quilting. I have to arrange that, but hope to take another quilt at the same time.

Started Triumphant

Starting Triumphant
Starting Triumphant

I started Latifah Saafir’s Triumphant Mystery quilt. It is a lot of cutting and I have to re-learn how to use the HuRTy ruler. Well, there are three of them in use for this quilt, so HuRTys!

I cut a bunch of pieces wrong, because of my misunderstanding of the instructions. Fortunately, I have enough fabric to make a few mistakes. I am struggling to get the flip of the ruler(s) from A pieces to B pieces correct. I am trying to be more careful as I don’t have infinite fabric.

Pillowcase Day

Route 66 road trip pillowcase
Route 66 road trip pillowcase

I sent off the next pillowcase for my youngest nephew the other day. He should have received it by now.

I was able to see him on Mother’s Day, but didn’t really get a chance to talk. I do know that his next big adventure is heading down to Santa Barbara to attend SB Community College. I wonder if he will take these pillowcases with him?

26 Projects 2025 #5

Finished May 2025 Quilt Projects

None this month- this is depressing! I might put major progress in here going forward or omit this section until I have a quilt finished.

Finished (for me!)
May Donation Quilts

Finished Bags and Small Projects for May

May Projects Ready for Quilting / In the Quilting Process

May Projects In the Finishing Process

  • Nothing now

All the WIPs

WIPs are projects on which I am working. This means that I am past the cutting out of pieces stage,  some sewing has taken place.

  • La Passacaglia – I am working on the border, but need to work more and harder
  • Chain Link – I made a little bit of progress on this during the past few days. I have high hopes I’ll be able to finish it soon.

Cut Out & Stopped

Still UFOs

I still have UFOs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled, it hasn’t been worked on in awhile or it is waiting its turn to be worked on. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.

I am annoyed that some of these are still UFOs. I have to give myself credit for completing some of them last year.

Old Town Top Complete

Old Town top complete
Old Town top complete

I finished the Old Town quilt top over the weekend! Hooray! I am so glad it is done.

It is pretty pink. Pretty in Pink? I don’t think it screams ‘little girl’. It does remind me of my childhood bedroom.

Now just to make the back and then I can take it to be quilted.

Various & Sundry 2025 #5

Admin

I updated the quilt gallery with this year’s one completed quilt.  I am optimistic there will be more!

Projects, Classes, Patterns, Techniques & Tutorials

I was able to watch the Sew Sweetness Live Show this month again. At about 10:50 in the Live Show, Sara showed a sweater that she crocheted. OMG! It looks amazing. I never would have known that crochet could look so great!

I was reading Today’s Quilter the other night. A recent issue had a bag and a project portfolio pattern in it. I looked at the designer and then went down a rabbit hole looking at her Etsy shop and blog. She has some interesting bag patterns, including several free patterns that would be a good test on whether her pattern writing style fits my pattern reading style. 🙂 I also like the name of her shop: The Folk Art Factory.

Christa Watson posted a new walking foot quilting tutorial.

 

Thanks to SueG, I found Scissor Tail Quilting has a library of blocks to use if you need some inspiration.

Tools, Books, Fabric, Notions, Services & Supplies

In the Sew Sweetness Live Show, Sara talked about Lazy Girl Slicker**, which is a type of iron on vinyl. In the past I used Pellon VinylFuse on my Half Moon Modern Chubby Charmer**. Almost  10 years have passed since I made that bag and it is holding up well except for the VinylFuse. It isn’t terrible, but the seams didn’t hold up well. I wonder how this Slicker product would compare?

Non-Clover Wonder Clip
Non-Clover Wonder Clip

This is what a non-Clover Wonder Clip looks like when you try and open it. I don’t know where the rest of it went, because parts of it flew all over my workroom. Buy Clover Wonder Clips!** I don’t own stock in Clover, but maybe I will look into buying some.

Despite Quiltmania going out of business, Willyne Hammerstein has published the next EPP book in her series. The word on the EPP street is that it will not be sold in the US. Start making plans to go to Holland!

Exhibits and Organizations

Media & Articles

You know how men post pictures with measuring tapes of their giant fish? Here is a take-off of that kind of photo/video in a quilt shop from Calliope Quilts.

NQR

If you are interested in a article about what is happening at the Library of Congress and how the LoC works, read this article from Scholarly Kitchen. Write your Congresspeople even if you think they already agree with you. Check out Lorraine Woodruff-Long’s Mailstorm IG post for some good ideas about how and what to write.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**N. B. : Obviously, you should shop at local quilt shops and small businesses. However, if you are too busy or can’t find what you need there, I use Amazon affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item’s link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this website.

Half 16 Patch Sashing Top More Progress

Well, I thought I had done more than I have actually done. Or that’s the way it feels.

Half 16 Patch Sashing top #1 - more progress
Half 16 Patch Sashing top #1 – more progress

I put this quilt up on my large design wall and it turns out I have a whole bunch of sashing/blocks left to do.

I put the sashing/blocks along the outside so I could see the full extent of what I had. With so much white, the outside of the quilt melted away into the design wall. 

It turns out that I have one full sashing/block on the machine, but I still need about 13. I have more than a week until I want to hand it in at the guild meeting.

It has an interesting look. I think when I make the next one I need to be more selective about the colors I choose. I need to have one color used as alternate patches in all the blocks.

 

Progress on Half 16 Patch Sashing Donation Quilt

Half 16 patch sashing #1 in process
Half 16 patch sashing #1 in process

I have made good progress on the Half 16 Patch Sashing Donation top. I used the 2.5 inch squares as leaders and enders as I worked on Old Town. It was getting too big for the small design wall and that helped to spur me on to get Old Town finished. I wanted to see this top on the large design wall. I feel like I am almost finished!

Old Town Checkerboard Complete

Old Town with checkerboard border
Old Town with checkerboard border

DH was out of town all week with the Native Sons at Grand Parlor. I didn’t go as I had to work and hold down the fort at home. Instead of cooking dinner (hooray for microwaves!) I sewed and the Old Town second border is now complete.

I keep looking at this piece and marveling at how different it looks with borders. OMG! So much better. Who knew a border could do so much?