Stars and Stepping Stones

The center of this quilt was a Ways and Means for Burke QU many years ago - over 10 years ago I'm sure. I finished the center and played with the idea of an applique border but that really isn't my thing. I finally settled on the pinwheels - adding more at the top to cover the pillow. It sat on a shelf for another couple of years before I decided to quilt it by checkbook. Diane Henry did the quilting. I'm very happy with what she did.

Here is a peek at my sewing room. Was good to sit down at my machine and sew on the binding. I hand stitched it on in my sunroom. It was a bit warm in there but the light is wonderful any time of day. It will be nice to do some hand quilting in that room in the winter time.

I picked this up at a yard sale. Any ideas as to how to display it without completely enclosing it in a frame? Love the cover and also want to look inside from time to time.

Dear Jane Day

Here is one quilt from the Rockbridge County Fair. I'll share more another time. I've always admired Dear Jane quilts and thought about taking the challenge and put it off by telling myself I would give it a go if I could join a local Dear Jane group. Well, I stumbled on a local group! I checked out The Quiltery in Fairfield Virginia the other day and they are starting a monthly Dear Jane Day. So...any advice out there? What method do you suggest and why? I still need to buy the book. Can't really believe I'm going to do this and I feel excited about doing it at the same time! It will be a good way to meet some local quilters. Love this quilt - it got my vote for Viewers Choice.

Old Friends and New

This title reminds me of the Girl Scouting song - "make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold".

The gals of McLean QU gave me this top at the May luncheon as a moving away gift.

Isn't it sweet! I can't wait to hand quilt it.

Many of the members signed it.

I will always cherish it as I do the friendships I made at Quilters Unlimited. I had already moved when they gave this quilt top to me but things were still in an upheaval so I put it in a safe place. A couple weeks later I went looking for it to take a photo for a blog post and I couldn't find it. I was so annoyed with myself. I have a feeling there are many things I will remember holding in this house but not remember where I put it. I was so glad when I uncovered it in a bag of quilts. For whatever reason I hadn't just put it in the bag, I'd tucked it under another quilt.

My cousin, Jan, who just moved from Oregon to Lexington invited me to the June meeting of the Rockbridge Pieceworkers Quilt Guild. There isn't a quilt guild in Staunton so my choices are to drive 40 minutes north to Harrisonburg or 40 minutes south to Lexington. No deliberation needed, I went south. My cousin saved me a seat next to her and when I looked at the woman on the other side of me I had a deja vu moment. I asked the woman if she used to live in Burke. She said yes and I couldn't believe it. I told her I sat next to her at my first visit to Quilters Unlimited almost 20 years ago. Isn't that wild!?! What are the chances that I would sit down next to her at the Rockbridge meeting so many years later and 150 miles away?!? The woman's name is Teri and I think this means I need to get to know her! 

I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting and am looking forward to the July meeting this Saturday morning. I took this quilt to the June meeting for Show and Tell -

and they asked me to put it in the quilt show at the county fair. How sweet! I plan to sew a hanging sleeve on it tonight since the fair is next week. I've only been to suburban county fairs so I'm really looking forward to a country county fair.

I'll close with some kitty photos. They are 8 weeks old.