Quilt Bloggers International Retreat (QBIR) 2nd Annual - Minus the International

Thursday, October 26, 2017 through Saturday October 28, 2016

These were the days of the 2nd Annual QBIR.  This year it was minus the "I" as Sandra of  mmmquilts was missing this year. However that did not hamper the fun.

Tish and I stopped along the way and I picked up a new pattern that I was going to use on my Tula Pink Chipper stash fabric. I ended up later deciding to save it for a different project.

The fun began with Tish and Beth setting up to to quilt, Tish was working with a machine and Beth with some hand stitching. I myself got caught up with Julie and did some fabric dyeing. I did my first Tie Dye process as well as one section of green, blue, yellow and red.  It was a morning filled with donuts and discussion about various quilt related ins and outs.  Julie surprised us with a piece of Tula Pink.

I got started on a new small wall hanging project made up of fabrics that are fun in yellows, pinks, and maroons as well as a white background. I decided to just make it impromptu with some half square triangles as well as some simple solid blocks. During the time up there, I decided to frame a small HST and the smaller solid blocks and went through a bit of trial and error. Needless to say today (Sunday) I finished the top as well as a pieced back. I have them sandwiched and have started straight line quilting. I have about 2 full length rows finished out of four or five wide (I can't remember).

Friday we met up with a new member of the QBIR, Karen. Karen's husband "Tuna-Helper" also came along. This day was a shopping day in which I picked up a few pieces of fabric a couple gray and one blue for a special project I am going to start designing very soon. It will likely be a paper-piece project consisting a "stitch and flip" processes.  I am not giving anything away about it.  It will be very "manly" in design and I look forward to doing it

One of the first stops we made was at a lumber and supply store that, in size and layout, rivaled Cabelas.  It truly was the Cabela's of woodworking and house construction. I also found a nice piece of Moda fabric at an outlet store up in Amish country of Ohio. It will go nicely with the first iteration of Moda's "Bee Creative" line (check out that price per yard). I was wore out that evening and most of the party recognized it.  We stayed at a Red Roof Inn and that first night (Thurs-Fri) I got very little sleep. We had Mexican for dinner and it was wonderful conversation. The night ended fairly early as everyone was tired from shopping.

Saturday started between 0800 and 0900. We met at Julie's studio and did some sewing as well as talking.  I washed out my fabric from the dyeing process we wrapped things up with some hugs and a short goodbye, at around 1230, and a brief discussion about the possible timeline for the next years QBIR. As always, Julie was a very gracious and wonderful host. I am hoping that someday Tish and I will be able to repay the kindness that she and her husband have shown us.  I also hope that we can evolve the QBIR into something that will put less work on Julie and allow her to enjoy it to the degree and depth (relaxation) that we feel when we attend.

Tish and I, followed by Beth, shot over to Zannesville, OH to a wonderful little shop for a first time stop to see if we would like the shop as well as a short impromptu shopping process.  Tish picked up some thread and we both picked up independent thread stands (a great investment) as well as two rolls of wool batting to give a try. 

We parted ways with Beth at that time and started home. Tish and I did stop at a Dairy Queen as we had been hoping to do the entire time we were there. All in all, I believe Tish and I had a wonderful short vacation and enjoyed the retreat.

I apologize for the poor pictures.  I had taken pictures and it did them as video and I could not edit it. Until the next time, Keep on Stitching...Keep on Stitching....when you want to Stiiiiitch!

Looking Up.....A Pattern Published

Living life in the moment with enthusiasm and service to others is a life of no regrets!

It is my turn to post on the new pattern that Tish and I have collaborated on, and released. The PDF pattern is available on Craftsy for $8 as an introductory offer. The design concept was a product of my imagination and with some hard work on the pattern design we have the finished the pattern for release. This pattern comes in Baby, Throw/Lap, and Queen size.

I'm not exactly sure what to say about this pattern.  The release has been a long time coming, fraught with setbacks that tended to show up at the most inopportune times.

Without further delay.....Star Blossom!

As I am writing this post and searching for pictures I realize that I do not have any of my normal pictures. On any other quilt I usually take process pictures but on this one I did not. Needless to say this original design was the first one completed of the pattern, and it was with this one that we realized as a baby quilt it would need a border. This fabric was from the International Quilt Blogger's Retreat that happened last year in Ohio with Julie at Pink Doxies. Thanks Julie for making a wonderful time and experience!!!! Tish has always supported what I do, and she really wanted to go to this "retreat". I was skeptical, but it was fun and if you read blogs, you can go back and read and see about it in all three of our blogs. I bought the gray and red fabric that was in a bundle in Ohio (Amish Country). It was cut for a log cabin quilt, but I knew this was the right project to use it on. Very Manly!!!!


Once done, Tish was still working on her version so I decided I wanted to do some bright solids; and so an order went out, and in came Kona Solids. I did end up having to use one Moda Solid too.

 Let the cutting and piecing begin

 

HST LOVE!!!!!!

Fun-Fetti!!!!

On a side note..... HST Rulers. In my opinion there are two rulers for this process BlocLoc and Quilt in a Day

I have used the BlocLoc once (on another project) and found it useful, however without more practice with the BlocLoc (because I have never bought one), I have grown to love the Quilt in a Day ruler.  I can move through HST very fast with the ruler. If BlocLoc wanted to send me a free one I might be willing to give it another try and an endorsement, but as of now I will endorse QiaD rulers because they are fast and simple.


More Piecing

 

ROWS!

Outside!!!!

One entire set of unsown rows

One complete block.....OUTSIDE!!!! You gotta love natural light!!!!

Inside Chassis/Flimsy/Top

 

Annnnnddddddd.........Outside!!!!!!

 

I        "L" "O" "V" "E" these colors!!!!!!!!!!

Tish and I are aiming to get this one finished too (soon).  I wanted her to get the pattern out and get her name out there, I feel that she deserves some recognition.  My abilities are a direct reflection of her abilities and teaching!!!! 

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."- Sir Issac Newton

On that note, I recently received a very humbling honor of being nominated for an award related to Leadership. It is a nationally recognized award. I have not been able to track down who nominated me as of the writing of this blog. I have spoken only a few time on here about leadership in my life, since this is a quilting blog. However, this is my true passion.  To add value too, and make people feel valued in life. Leadership is something that resonates with me more than anything else. When I am working in this area emotion is strong....emotion = energy in motion. Even thoughts create tingling in my body when I think on leadership. Thoughts are Things!!!!!!!

My co-workers and Mentors-

Left to Right- Ron Casto, Randy Perdue, Jason Lawson, Me

This was one of the hardest days of my life. Randy Perdue resigned as Director of Training on this day, he has been a mentor, a leader, and true friend. To this day we are in communication and his friendship is one of my most cherished things in life.

My passion is leadership and Tish loves quilting.

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want."- Zig Ziglar

My passion is leadership and Tish loves quilting. With that being said, I see opportunity and I am pushing Tish in that direction. I will assist her in any way that I can. While I move ahead in my pursuit of Leadership, Mentoring, Management, and Motivation, I support Tish in her track of doing quilting as a process and possibly a "business" if she determines that to be her desire.

I am excited beyond measure about the prospects of my future and with the nomination that I received. The sky is the limits and your mind is the captain of the flight (trademark because I don't think it has ever been said). There is a Leadership training location in North Carolina  near my sister and it is called Center for Creative Leadership.  That is most likely next step in my progress as a leader. Then it will without a doubt be onto John Maxwell Team. If my application (from the nomination) wins I may just move straight to the John Maxwell training,. I am soooooo STOKED!!!!!!

Needless to say, my quilting days aren't over by far, but I may be doing just a little less if things go the way I "FEEL" they are going to go.  I have no doubt I knocked the application "out of the park". To quote an 80's song, "My future's so bright, I gotta wear shades".  

Tish was excited that we have already sold two of the patterns. I want her to feel the excitement and potential for quilting, that I feel towards leadership. 

In closing, enjoy our pattern if you order it.  I encourage you to buy it. There will be more to come! If you do buy it, PLEASE send her, or I ,an email so that we may reach out to you, personally to thank you and be able to see your beautiful product that you finish. That will also allow us to help you should you have any trouble shooting needs.  We thank you in advance if you do buy the pattern, and even f you don't because you stopped by our blog. Blogs are fun, but true/real (and personal) relationships are the ties that bind.  We look forward to working with you now and in the future, for the purpose of providing lovely works of art for people to enjoy, and continue an art tradition as old as time itself.

I wanted to come back and edit this as last night after I crawled into bed, I realized I forgot to mention Aurifil Threads We  always piece our quilts with 50WT, white thread. We recently invested in a color chart, which we have found invaluable for matching colors. I highly recommend you check it out.

Also stand by for an original pattern by us that we will be using Blue Sky Andover Fabrics.
I invested in the entire line (minus one because it sold out in 2 days, before I could get there) to make this quilt along with one solid linen for background. It also was by Andover.

Happy Quilting!

 

Sunday Stash- Dimples/Kaffe, Pink, and The Most Amazing Blues

This Sunday Stash post shall be short and sweet.

As we drove Saturday, to various locations around north-central and northern WV, I discussed with Tish about creating a short video about an average day for DavetheQuiltEngineer. It would certainly be funny. It would go a little something like this....I roll in from work on a Friday and fire up my Playstation(4) and begin playing. As with normal internet usage on a weekend day, lag would begin. (For those unfamiliar with this phenomenon- the busy-ness of high speed would slow things down causing me to be behind most people on the online game, which in turn, cause me to get killed) Yes, I play shoot-em up games. The yelling at the T.V. would ensue causing Tish to get out "snap-chat" and record my tirades, only the videos play back in high pitched chipmunk style voices.

She would then share the video with Sandra at MMMQuilts at which time they would hee-haw over the hilarity that ensued.  After wasting a significant amount of time in the process of loosing on my game, I would go to the sewing table...I mean the dinning room table to sew......Cue "The Lady from Impanema" elevator style music, as I sew Dimples to Kaffe fabric. And all becomes right with the world.  This back and forth tug-o-war would be an average weekend day for me.  However, my life is changing and moving in another direction, so it will be interesting to see how the weekends progress from this week forward.

Stash #1

I have a second block started  and still have 3 rows to be put together.  Right now this project is temporarily on hold.. I may work on it off and on....I love the orange/yellow Dimples against the vibrant Kaffe fabrics!

Stash #2

This will be the pieces of a remake of Cheryl Brickey's 2016 Meadow Mystery Quilt  Along. My first go-round with this quilt-along was hard....and that in no way reflects on the pattern. I picked the wrong fabric. The fabric was a poly-cotton blend I think.  I  am much much more optimistic about this one. The locked on fabrics are the black, the green, the white, and butterflies (border). The others are up for decision. If you are reading this and have input please feel free to leave a comment. The three on the left are Moda Grunge . I am kind of excited about these, as they are my first commissioned quilt. Plus I am anxious to get that pattern "knocked out of the park" with some good fabrics. But, this also will have to wait as there is something even more pressing.

Stash #3

Just a note on this one. I got me another yard of Moda Bee Creative fabric. I love that line and I have a bit of it in the stash.

And last but not least

Stash #4

Say hello to Andover Fabrics Blue Sky. First and foremost my favorite color is blue. More-so, this reminds me of many of the antique crocks and dishes my mother had collected as I grew up.  I fell in love with this line as soon as I saw it, and knew I needed to create something with it. Earlier last week Country Roads Quilt Shop , in Morgantown, WV posted that they received this line of fabric. Tish had commented that we maybe go and have a look at it. Country Roads Quilt Shop can also be found on Facebook. With alot of other things on my mind related to changes at work (fairly major just this week even), my mind was somewhere else and the idea of traveling was really an afterthought. The weekend arrived and I knew I needed to get fabric (pink) to get to work on the other guy's quilt for his wife ( a cancer survivor!). So off  we went and not finding exactly what we needed, we ended up in Morgantown.

I found some additional Grunge that I needed and Tish happily hunted for fabric for a special "just because" project she wanted to do. I saw this on the shelf....I stared....and stared...and stared. It was then that I thought, "I want to collaborate with Tish" either on a Log Cabin style quilt (neither of us have ever attempted) or on a new pattern that I designed and we worked up.  I approached the owner about buying the whole line, and a couple Creative Grids for Log Cabins.....daunting yes!!!! I asked Tish her opinion as I knew that it was an investment and if she was not on-board it would be an instantaneous no-go.  She said she was up for the challenge. So, after some discussion and a "lightening of the wallet", committed I was to the process.  Unfortunately there are 28 fabrics in the line, and in the few short days that Peggy, the owner, had the fabrics, she sold one entire bolt, so I left with 27 pieces and an excitement and fervor for a new project that I have never felt before.  We are undecided at this point if we are going to do log cabin (appears to be pretty time consuming) or do a one-off/ original DavetheQuiltEngineer / Appalachian Couple Quilters design/pattern. Needless to say we are going to attack this project with more enthusiasm than almost any other project I have been involved with or done. Feel free to make a comment as to whether you think it should be an original pattern or a log cabin design ( will not be a traditional log cabin though- will be modified one-off also).

With all the excitement and positive vibrations....I am linking up today with Alyce Blyth at Blossom Heart Quilters.