Tis the season... for quilt shows!

I'm getting alot of email reminders this month about upcoming quilt shows... I only went to one last year - but it was stunning! The weather was glorious - the location superb - and best of all it was being held concurrently with a classic car show. Being the eldest daughter of a used car salesman (yes I really am) I have always had an affinity for cars. I'm big on fins and chrome. And whitewalls. And hood ornaments.

And so without further adieu - may I present a few of my favourite pics from the 2011 Rumplequiltskins Quilt Stroll and the Okotoks Classic Car Show & Shine. (I've saved the best pic for last so make sure you scroll down to the bottom!)

PS: Click on the pics for a bigger picture with great stitch definition and details.

 

... and last but not least - for the couple that quilts and shines together!

Tis the season... for quilt shows!

I'm getting alot of email reminders this month about upcoming quilt shows... I only went to one last year - but it was stunning! The weather was glorious - the location superb - and best of all it was being held concurrently with a classic car show. Being the eldest daughter of a used car salesman (yes I really am) I have always had an affinity for cars. I'm big on fins and chrome. And whitewalls. And hood ornaments.

And so without further adieu - may I present a few of my favourite pics from the 2011 Rumplequiltskins Quilt Stroll and the Okotoks Classic Car Show & Shine. (I've saved the best pic for last so make sure you scroll down to the bottom!)

PS: Click on the pics for a bigger picture with great stitch definition and details.

 

... and last but not least - for the couple that quilts and shines together!

The Hex- athon...

I've been making loads of these little hexagons (actually by some standards I think they're pretty big - 2 inch sides) and I've got quite a stack building. I'm impressed at how quickly the basting is going now that I've developed a bit of a "production line".

Because I do most of my sewing in the evening - I find it a bit daunting to thread the wee size 9 sharps I'm using. I had read somewhere that it was handy to pre-thread a number of needles onto a single thread and then pull them off as needed.

I was quite delighted to discover that I can thread 16 of these little beggars lickety split in natural light (I'm talking a minute or two).

I then wind them back onto the spool of thread and secure them. And there we go. I pull them off individually with a length of thread ( one arm's length bastes 2 hexagons). Since I usually make 6 - 8 hexagons per night - there's no need to worry about threading needles!

 I'm using a Royale Hare brass support spindle to hold the spool. It's heavy and the thread spins off nicely. 

Last but not least - everything packs up in a couple of decorative tins and sits nicely ready for use at anytime...

The Hex- athon...

I've been making loads of these little hexagons (actually by some standards I think they're pretty big - 2 inch sides) and I've got quite a stack building. I'm impressed at how quickly the basting is going now that I've developed a bit of a "production line".

Because I do most of my sewing in the evening - I find it a bit daunting to thread the wee size 9 sharps I'm using. I had read somewhere that it was handy to pre-thread a number of needles onto a single thread and then pull them off as needed.

I was quite delighted to discover that I can thread 16 of these little beggars lickety split in natural light (I'm talking a minute or two).

I then wind them back onto the spool of thread and secure them. And there we go. I pull them off individually with a length of thread ( one arm's length bastes 2 hexagons). Since I usually make 6 - 8 hexagons per night - there's no need to worry about threading needles!

 I'm using a Royale Hare brass support spindle to hold the spool. It's heavy and the thread spins off nicely. 

Last but not least - everything packs up in a couple of decorative tins and sits nicely ready for use at anytime...