Vintage Stash and Other Things

After a long...yet short weekend of working on my sister's quilt chassis (top),  I talked to Tish about doing a blog post.  However, I really didn't have a stash post and Tish reminded me that it didn't have to be a stash post per-say.  I reminded her of Mollie Sparkles giveaway on his 200th post. She encouraged me to do a post on our vintage stash we scored at the QBIR that was hosted by Julie at Pink Doxies.  I said "Oh Yeah, I guess I could", and she said take the fabrics with me, take pictures and do a post.  She also reminded me that I could do the MainCrush Monday with Beth at Cooking Up Quilts.  So, I will be linking to them both.

Now that I have said all that, I want to say this.  Tish and I were talking this weekend about Quilter's Market and how you can win stuff by making a few posts and hash-tagging.  I told her I wasn't going to do it...and I didn't.  I also didn't give a whole lot thinking on trying to win with Mollie's Sparkles link up, and aside from linking up, I probably won't do any of the other things. I am just not lucky like that, so I don't typically "waste" my time with the extra processes. I am a terrible blogger in that I am busy through the week, and my weekends are short with family stuff and catching up on things that I had to miss. I try and read when I can, but don't always get to. I try and "heart" the things I want to read and I try and comment on the ones I read.  I also try respond to comments on my own blog posts. But alas, I just have never taken to blogging nor have I found that it is as useful as what many have.  And please understand, that is not said to slight or belittle anyone here or any of the posts.  It is just not a me thing.  Tish and I talk about blogging somewhat regularly and we talk about how often you can sense or feel the personality of the bloggers.  With most people you can, and I feel fortunate to have made some close friends here.

Now THAT being said here is why I am posting.  I feel that I am lucky to be in connection with some pretty great people that blog some of them mentioned above and many others that are unmentioned at this time.  But, today I received a follow request from Mollie Sparkles on Instagram.  To me, that was an honor. I find alot of his thoughts and ideas, as well as his color choices fascinating.  Being a male quilter, you look to fit in, especially with so few male bloggers out here...or at least I haven't ran into them.  The bottom line, I am in-fact doing this out of respect and thanks to Mollie Sparkles.  Thanks again for the inspiration.

I am going to now post gratuitous stash/remnant/pieces porn.

 

This one has some weird feeling/textured materials

This is how we purchased them and we didn't know what all was in them. If you look at the prices they are ridiculously low and the fine lady that owned the established wanted us to go back and pick more.

Yes that is the price we paid and that included the awesome find in the second picture....my Turkey Call. She gave us a discount on all of it... the turkey call is a true slate with corn cob striker.  I am betting you could could not buy it local in WV for under $40.  So it was a steal.  This store is WELL worth the effort. Julie can give you the details!

So, that is the stash. All the fabrics are pre-70s according to the store owner, some as old as the 50's-40's. I would LOVE to go back!!!! So here is to you Mollie Sparkles for inspiring me to go ahead and post, though I don't find myself having something to say.

My MainCrush Monday is my sister's quilt top.  I am taking suggestions on how to quilt it.  It was a hard piecing project both on layout of my colors as well as looking at the technological layout of blocks and figuring out how to piece it together so that everything lined up properly. I promise this will get its own post later because there are some very special things about it...both meaning something to me and something to her. Stay Tuned!!!!

My wife and daughter helping hold it down.  I always finish my tops on the windiest day of the month.

I also want to throw out my first finished tablerunner. I free-motioned it myself and it turned out horrible, but with help from Tish I was able to get it bound this weekend also. So there were my two "finishes" of the weekend.

In conclusion, I have no delusions of grandeur of winning the giveaway...I am just thankful to have people that I look up to in the quilt world, that are inviting me into their world. I am honored. Lastly, I am linking up with Mollie Sparkles Sunday Stash and Cooking Up Quilts MainCrush Monday.

Sunday Stash and the QBIR - PinkDoxies Style

Oh what a week!

And in reality, it started on Wednesday, October 05, 2016 when I arrived home from work. Tish was busy getting stuff together for a trip.  A trip that....

I agreed to take, which would put me at what was to become known as the Quilt Bloggers International Retreat.  The main reason I agreed to go was that Tish was not going to make the long drive herself, and I knew it was something she really wanted to do.  Further, she often sacrifices for the family and in reality...she deserved to be able to go.  So, she asked me...."Are you looking forward to going?"  I responded with "No." I am never one for long trips. I don't like traffic, and I am very reserved on who I agree to share my time with.  Meeting new people is not a major issue, however being in a group of new people...that is a different story.

Julie at Pink Doxies welcomed us into her "home", or should I say quilt studio, to spend a few days at a retreat.  Julie was a very gracious host who was very welcoming, and more than happy to share her expertise.  She had no problem with showing us her success and a few of her "failures" which are really just bumps in the road (learning experiences).  Not only did she welcome us in, but after getting everyone set up in her studio, she shared with me, and another participant (Terry), her expertise on fabric painting.  This is where I failed.  I made several different prints, but failed to take pictures of them.  It was a great experience and I learned alot about the use of paints and how they affix themselves to the fabric.  I learned that the prints will last and that you have to "start with the end in mind".  Julie also made me understand that there is a time to say "when" when you have exhausted your creativity.  Julie was wonderful to share her time with me, when in reality, she had other people that were just as deserving of her time.  Thanks Julie!!!

This is the next to last picture, but these are the people we were with. Top to Bottom and Left to Right. Top Row: Jennifer and Julie,  Second Row: Terry and Beth, Third Row: Me, Tish, and Sandra.

Prior to the retreat, I had met Beth with Cooking Up Quilts in person.  She is a wonderful person and has great designs. Her work can be seen at Bolt and Quarters.  Sandra at MMMQuilts,  I have met via video chat, and she is a phenomenal quilter. Her recent post depicts the level of expertise she has. Not only that, but she too is a generous person.  I can't say enough...her husband is a phenomenal person and a great personality.

Mine and Julie's sewing space in the far corner

These are some of the pics from the retreat.
The last pic here is of Sandra working on a quilt layout of block we all contributed.

Here are my blocks

Next came shopping....shopping till we dropped.

Shopping was successful. We hit many shops in various places including one at the end of a road.  It was a small personal shop that was basically in a garage where we found of all things, a wooden nickle from WV.  The woman was so fabulous and she had all kinds of feed sack pieces that were cheap...really too cheap in my opinion. She knew all the stories of almost everything that was in the store. I even picked up a traditional slate turkey call for $5.00.  That is a steal.  We paid it forward there, and I will likely do  a separate post on all the shops we visited.  This brings us to the last day which was a short but fun work day, which had me pressing and piecing HST blocks.  If you recall, I won a bunch of Fat Quarters at the local guild meeting, and promised I would make something of the fabric.  So, I pressed on (pun intended) and created all my HST blocks and was able to borrow Beth's BlocLoc tool. It worked well, but I need practice to work with it well.  I finished the chassis as I call it...flimsy to the rest of the quilt wold.  Once I finish the "quilt", which is a table runner, I will post a blog on this also.

So Saturday's fast work processes brought the QBIR to a close, and I have to admit I had alot of fun, I learned ALOT!!! And I met some wonderful people. I hope to attend another should it occur again.

Though I know I will talk to most of you again....I will miss you! You have changed my life, and I feel it is for the better!

Fast forward to yesterday evening and today. We arrived home and Caroline was more than happy to greet us and our wares!

She checked them all out and she allowed me to pet her a little more than usual.  Though I had a good time...it was nice to be home with ALL the children, my daughter and the furry children too.

This is my stash....and not all of it...saving some for another Sunday Stash Post too.  However this is the large portion of what I got...there are 3 pieces I picked up today at walmart and one that I found in a stash at home (two small FQ in front and the right two reds)...the taupe on the far right has to go, as it is a polyester blend so it will be replaced with cotton of the same color.  This is the stash that will be my sister's quilt which will based on the pattern "Add it Up".... that is also for another post.

This is a bit of gift/stash that I received for just being at the retreat.  Thanks so much for the homemade gifts!!!

Last but not least....

The work results!  Again another post to come with more pics!

The QBIR was a success and I hope they have it again.  I would go back if invited.

Tonight I am linking up with Mollie Sparkles Sunday Stash

Sunday and No Real Stash to Speak Of.

Here we are at the end of another week and today I really don't have much to talk about. And I don't really have a stash.

First and foremost my winner of the Cheryl Brickey design is.....drumroll....cymbal crash...KaHolly!
Tish will be emailing you your pattern! Congratulations! And to all those that commented thank you so much for stopping by.

So, what is up?  Not much.  Tish and I fought my Yvonne's Snowflake Shimmer quilt onto batting with the backing. That was the first time we had basted something that large.  Making a long story short, we had tried to get her's done almost a month ago and realized we had got batting that was cut to short.  So, she had to buy more.  Today "we" decided to do mine.  Tish felt that she wanted to get mine done so that I had a chance of winning the associated giveaway.  I told her she has much more "luck" when it comes to winning. She insisted, and so we started a process that ended up with us arguing to a small degree. I had a plan, she got some items to help with the plan that ended up not working out.....The problem-  she is vertically challenged and is not "long enough" in the arms and upper body to complete the process.  We were working on the largest flat surface we have which is our kitchen floor.  Unfortunately, it is longer than it is wide and we could only work on a 24" section at a time. Rolling, spray basting, and flattening. Needless to say, it was all but a bust.  It is sandwiched, but looks bad and the batting, we had cut, had some major flaws....Urgh!!!! She documented the process with some pictures.  It was sound logic and process, just didn't work out for us.

So, she has previously watched a video that works off centering the  sandwich set up on a table. We will have to clear our sewing area, which is the only table space we have, and make an effort to accomplish this.  I don't know that either of us will be ready in time to be in the final blog posting/giveaway.

** Warning- Small Rant**  I am thoroughly burnt out with politics and the direction this country is going.... I had to get it off my chest. I am at an absolute loss when it comes to the next presidential election.  Will be so glad when it is over. More-so, I lament for the future generations regardless of what transpires.  I fell for the most part we have failed our children.  Instead of media, internet and television, we should have been teaching them things like Fabric Dying, Quilting, Hunting, Gardening, Construction....things that will make them self reliant and a help to others, instead of people in need of "safe spaces" and only concerned with WIIFM...or what's in it for me.  END RANT

Quilting Retreat 1.0-

We will be attending a retreat of sorts this weekend-ish.  Julie at PinkDoxies is hosting this...somewhere in Ohio... I can't help but think this (Ohio) is where I am meant to be in life as a whole. Mom is in Ohio and many people I know or were school friends with are there. Anywho, we are headed there for a "quilty" weekend...and I am guessing is somewhere "near" Amish country. It is my understanding that we will be making a day trip of that at some point... I think. Ok, so, really I don't know much of anything about what is getting ready to transpire for me...other than I know Tish doesn't drive so I will be at a minimum, a chauffeur.  I do know that there may be some fabric dying in the process, which does make me happy.  I do hope I can get some RFD fabric before going.  It is my understanding we have a local store that has some.  I told Tish to ask Julie what we will be doing, and  to get me enough to do what she is thinking would be a good process.  This really is the one thing that I am looking forward to.  I am not much for driving long distances anymore...and am in reality, to young to be feeling this way.  But, for those that like Star Wars out there....I would make an excellent Jedi.  Hermiting suits me well.  Being in the law enforcement line of work it really makes you appreciate privacy.  A common saying in WV for law enforcement is that you aren't prejudice...you hate all people equally.  It is terrible to feel this way, but you really do get an opportunity to see some of the worst society has to offer. You also get to see the results of people (or the results there of) doing abhorrent things to themselves and others.  Needless to say, without knowing what to expect, i just hope for some relaxation.  I plan to take Looking Glass 2.0 with me to work on and I do have fabrics from the quilt guild meeting that I believe I also posted on before.

I'll take these with me too.  I have a pattern picked out and will put some green or maybe a light brown/beige as background and will make a Thanksgiving style/colored table runner that I will likely give away.

So those.....are my "Sunday Stash" I know I have used the LG 2.0 before, and I was thinking I posted the stuff won at the quilt guild, but maybe not.  Regardless, they are posted now. 

A small new piece about me....I love Thanksgiving.  I hate hearing Turkey Day and I despise the fact that football is so integrated with the season. It makes me sick that Thanksgiving is basically skipped once Halloween is over, and we go straight to Christmas.  I refuse to put anything Christmas up or out until after Thanksgiving has come and went.  My sister was fortunate and blessed enough to received our Grandma Stemple's dinning room set which happens to be Walnut I believe.  It is super heavy and beautiful. We had started a tradition of going to see my sister and spending Thanksgiving with her about 3 years ago in North Carolina...It truly is something I look forward to.  We lost my dad in 1994 and then my grandma in 1996, so those family times with my sister are even more important to me than ever.  I am not sure that all things are going to align to allow us to go this year.....Finger's Crossed.  Another thing about this time of year is hunting.  It is something "Stemples" always did.  However, after loosing dad it just lost its appeal to me and this year Jenny said she really doesn't want to go anymore, so for me hunting is more of a necessity for food than it is for the sport or the family time.  I may go....but right now, my heart is not in it.

So, to tie this long post up one more shot of a couple blocks I made for the trip.  I, unfortunately, do not know may of the people with the trip we are about to take.  I do know that we made the special blocks for a special project.  Tish told me everyone was making a block and she said I could to.  She said one is a green maple leaf and the other a blue star...I think that is what it is referred to.  I actually had some blue fabric I had pulled to do a green and brown small set of blocks from several months ago...so technically it was my stash...pulled from Tish's stash and I had it stashed away on a table chair that no one ever uses.  My corner don't match exactly right. I didn't have my brain fully engaged when I was squaring up my HST and that was a large portion of the problem. The leaf is where HST issue came in.  The blue star I actually sewed 2 blocks together backwards, so in true Davethequiltengineer fashion, I unceremoniously ripped out the seams ( as I do in all projects) and commenced to correcting the mistake.

I will see some of you all soon enough. To everyone else, happy quilting. And again, to KaHolly congrats, and to Cheryl thanks for allowing me to do the giveaway, thanks for the great patterns, and please keep the designs coming.