Cruising

Home again and back to the real world!!!  I thought you might enjoy some photos from our recent quilt cruise with Stitchin' Heaven.  I promise no beautiful sandy beaches or blue Caribbean water pictures because if truth be told, Paula and I never left the ship!!!  Our ports for this cruise (Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel) were all places we've visited many times before, so we decided to just stay on the ship and relax at the sewing machines and that's just what we did!!!  We met sooo many wonderful people in this group - some repeat cruisers and some brand new friends!  I am all about excursions when I travel with my family, but on these quilt cruises it is really all about getting to know our fellow quilters/cruisers!!  This was a small group, but what a great group of ladies.  I laughed so hard sometimes that I couldn't even see to sew!!!

The 4 lovely ladies from the Cherokee Quilt Guild

Paula demo-ing in the first class to 2 of the Cherokee Quilters group and 4 lovely ladies from the Tyler Quilt Guild

 

Repeat cruisers and Robin from Stitchin' Heaven

This is Elephant by Cliff!  He joined us one night!!  He's wearing Paula's earrings as eyes and the pieces of fabric from Hampton Ridge as his nose and spots!!! 

Our trip started out with a slight delay due to morning fog in Galveston.  The ship didn't get into port on time (7 AM), so boarding and leaving were delayed a bit.  No problem - we still had time to muster before our 1st dinner!!!  Remember, meals on a cruise are a priority and you certainly don't want to miss any!!  Paula and I helped get the classrooms ready for the quilters.  Classes started on the first day at sea - Monday - so everything needed to be ready for 9 AM.  Each quilter gets their own sewing machine and space to use for the entire cruise.  Any kits they ordered are placed at their table with a cool t-shirt, name tag and beach tote.  Stitchin' Heaven provides the irons and also sets up a mini store.

Robin and Lucy (in the green shirts) were with us from Stitchin' Heaven

 
This year's teachers were Paula, Denice Lipscomb from Common Threads in Waxahatchie, TX and Jerry Stube from Quilter's Quarters in Leavenworth, KS.  Paula taught our Simple Star and as you can see from the pictures, we had quite a few "finishers"!!!  Most of the group went home with 1 or 2 finished quilt tops!!  Congratulations to all of you!!!

This one is Anne from AZ with her finished extended version of Simple Star

 

I think that is Jane hiding behind her finished top from Jerry's class

Now did I tell you we were on Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas?  You may have heard about us on the news on Sunday, March 23rd, because we were one of the two cruise ships that were floating around the Gulf of Mexico all day and not sitting in the Port of Galveston!  We woke up to dense fog and news of the oil spill that closed the Port!!  We finally docked around 6 PM and were on our way home by 9:30!!  I have to applaud the crew of the Navigator.  They were wonderful and made every effort to ensure that we enjoyed our last, but unplanned "day at sea"!!! And to think that as we finally left the port, they were just beginning to board the next group and heading back out to sea - probably around midnight - and I'm sure they greeted them with the same enthusiasm that we received when we boarded on the previous Sunday.  Job well done Navigator of the Seas crew!!!!

We were not alone out there.  Someone counted at least 50 other 

ships of some sort.

At the curb in Galveston and waiting to go home!!  Yup, that's 8 suitcases (3 big ones are quilts for our trunk show)!!

I was Paula's TA (teaching assistant - remember I'm willing to do just about anything if it means I get to go on a cruise), but I also worked on 2 new quilts from 2 of Paula's newest collections.  I will share them, and some other goodies we worked on, in the next post.  But for now, see if you can find one of the new quilts in this photo.

Until next time, happy quilting!!
Mary Ellen

Busy Weekend

The weather was absolutely beautiful here this weekend and this inspired me to get a lot of different things done and off of my list!!! But before I attempt to impress you with my many accomplishments, let me share another one of Paula's new fabric collections. I think her brain has been working overtime because despite all of the packing and unpacking, she has been designing too!!!  This fabric arrived at my door on Friday and I am anxiously awaiting the cutting instructions for the new quilt Paula has already designed.  I've seen a digital image, but now I want to get into the fabric.  This new collection by Paula with Marcus Fabrics is R & B Tavern and should be at your quilt stores sometime soon.  I'm never quite sure of the store arrival dates.  I just know we have fabric and I get to "play" with it!!!

  

One of my accomplishments this weekend (and it took time out of 3 days!!) was to pull up all of the ferns that have been growing around 2 of our big trees.  They've been growing and growing and taking over this area and I've been whining and whining for the past year or so that I want them gone.  Well, it seems I was the only one of that opinion, so I just pulled them out myself.  You also need to understand that I don't do yard work at all.  I offer opinions on how it should look, but pull a weed, trim a bush - not my job!!!!  It took 3 days because there were a lot of ferns and I filled the garbage can, my brother-in-law's truck bed and then refilled the garbage can!!! That's a lot of ferns - but it's done!!!!!!

Friday I finished the last of the hexies and diamonds that I cut out and decided to get some more ready.  I'm going to need some hand work on the cruise and these are just perfect!!  As I started to pull fabrics, I realized that my scraps were spread all over the place.  I had some in amongst my stash, some in bins set aside for the hexies and diamonds and some in bins for other projects and this seemed a little crazy.  I spent more time looking for pieces and realizing that they weren't big enough and then finding some in other places - colossal waste of my time.  I remembered an Instagram post with a storage cart and scrap organization and off I went to Joann's. I sorted and organized Saturday and Sunday and also managed to prep 19 sets of hexies and 13 sets of diamonds!!!  I love the organization that the carts provide and even better, they roll!!!  I have to store them in front of a bookcase, so the rolling is perfect!!  I can even roll them right over to my sewing table!!  Both carts are sorted (and labeled) by color - 1 cart is all darks and the other is all lights.

That's the new R&B Tavern fabric sitting on top of the left cart just waiting to be cut!!

I finally got to sit and do some actual sewing on Sunday night.  Tada!! 3 rows of Meredith's quilt - DONE!!!

All in all, a very successful weekend!!  I know I have a lot of RCQ sewing coming up, so I'm trying to be sure other things are done and out of the way so I can concentrate on that.  This weekend was a good start.  I hope all of you enjoyed a great weekend too.

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Finishing, Endorsing and Upcoming

Lots to share today, so let's start with Upcoming:
  Check out Paula's new Companions collection with Marcus Fabrics.  I just cut a piece of each one to send to Paula so she can design a new quilt (or two!!) with the collection.  The rest is here at my house and I've been drooling over all of them.  I love them all and can't wait to see what we're going to do with them.

  It's cruising time!!  Paula and I leave Sunday, March 16th for a 7 day cruise on the Navigator of the Seas with Stitchin' Heaven.  Paula will be teaching with Jerry Stube (Quilters Quarters) and Denice Lipscomb (Common Threads Quilting) and I go along as Paula's teaching assistant.  Basically I'll do whatever it takes to go on another cruise!!!

  June 1st you can join us on Olde Green Cupboard's 7 night Eastern Caribbean "Getting Ready for Christmas" cruise on RC's Freedom of the Seas. Paula will be teaching Glory Bound on this cruise.  Check out the Olde Green Cupboard's website for more information (www.oldegreencupboard.com). There's still room for more quilters, so think about joining us for some fun, friends and fabric!!
                                

Now how about some applause for some Finishing:
   Yes, I finished some things and it is such a good feeling.  Lynn and Cathy (Longarm Quilting) finished Julianne's quilt and sent it with Gloria to our retreat last week.  I've put the binding on it and finally made dust ruffles for both girls.  This move to a big girl bed really involves a lot of work - quilt, dust ruffle and pillowcases!! Oh yeah, made 2 new pillowcases for each girl also!!  I really just love doing this for them.  Their fabrics are just so pretty and sweet.

Quilt and dust ruffle (just peeking out)

Lynn and Cathy's beautiful quilting

And now an infomercial moment or an Endorsement:
   I'm pretty sure I shared the "problem" I had with Julianne's quilt - I believe it was my inability to read a pattern correctly, a pattern I have already made about 7 times, but I digress!!!.  I came back from the January retreat and had to "unsew" half of the rows - ugh!!  Gloria shared a new seam ripper with me, not for the ripping part, but for the rubber cap that helps remove all of those little threads you have left on the fabric after you "unsew".  I also found myself in need of this wonderful little tool when I sewed one of the sides of Julianne's dust ruffle on backwards!!!  After you have "unsewn", just rub the cap across the threads and it removes them - viola!!! Let me introduce you - Seam Fix!!!  Love it!!!

  

Well I'm off to finish the blocks for Meredtih's quilt and then it's family birthday celebration night.  My nephew is celebrating #12 tomorrow and today's rain has cancelled out practices, games, etc. so a quick party was planned AND it looks like everyone will be able to attend. Caitlin is feeling better after her bout with a bug, so we will celebrate her birthday too!!  Family - one of the many reasons I love living in St. Pete!!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Oscar Night Sewing

I've had TV marathon sewing and Olympic sewing, so why not have Oscar Night Sewing.  I decided that I was going to watch the entire Academy Awards program last night and I am so glad I did!  I managed to complete 10-12 of the blocks for the queen-size Bordeaux quilt that I am making for Mere (Brett, too).  If the show could have continued for just 1 more hour, I probably could have finished the last 4 blocks!!! Oh well, there's still the NCIS LA marathon today!!!  Here's a picture of the 26 blocks that I have managed to finish!!

Now can we talk a little about the Oscars themselves!!  I loved the show and that's probably why I was able to stay up until midnight and still sew!  There were no surprises in the winners, but the ones that won truly deserved it.  That's not to say that the ones that didn't win were any less deserving.  This was a good year for some Oscar-worthy movies and actors!! Ellen DeGeneres was fantastic.  I loved the "selfie" and the pizza.  The acceptance speeches were good with some exceptional ones thrown in - Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong'o , Matthew McConaughey, and Cate Blanchett to name a few.

And then there were the "oh my goodness" moments - John Travolta messing up Idina Menzel's name ( I actually thought he was introducing Adele and I didn't know her last name!!), Kim Novak's frozen face as she announced "Frozen" as the winner in its category, and Goldie Hawn trying to look as young as her daughter!!! Ok, I'll be good now!!

Today I am going to try to get the USPS website to cooperate with me so I can ship the next month's patterns for Hampton Ridge and I'm going to go get my hair cut and colored (my day of beauty!).  It's also our youngest daughter's birthday!  Happy 27th birthday Caitlin!!!  Unfortunately she seems to have contracted some flu/virus and will not be celebrating today.  We'll make up for it later this week!!  Then there's those 4 Bordeaux blocks to finish and a couple of dust ruffles to make and of course, the NCIS LA Marathon!!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

 

Back to the real world!!

Ah yes, retreat is over and now it is back to the real world.  What a wonderful 5 days of friends, fabric, food and fun!!!  165 quilters filled the room with sharing, excitement and laughter.  There were times I laughed so hard that I was almost crying - and what a good feeling it was!!!

Phyllis and I packed the car with all our "stuff" - Paula's too - and after a quick stop at Burger King we were on the road.  Three and a half hours later we were unloading, setting up and planning our dinner!!  Sonny's Barbeque has become the dinner of choice for Thursday night - wings, mac and cheese, corn bread and diet Coke!!!  We worked a little that night - mostly getting my stuff set up in the sale room and then it was time for bed!!  Friday is a busy day.  People are on line for check-in at 7 AM.  There's a mad scramble for tables, but always time for a quick hello and hug as everyone settles in. By 10 AM everyone is pretty much set up and the machines are humming!! This time we even had someone sewing on a treadle machine!! 

Everyone is hard at work!!!

Starla's Singer treadle machine

There's a break for lunch and the line up starts for the sale room.  Shopping starts at 1 PM and the shoppers are ready and eager.  $13,000.00 worth of merchandise was sold this time!!  The old adage - one man's trash is another man's treasure - holds true here!!  Fabric, quilt tops, quilt kits, quilts, sewing machines, handbags, Longaberger baskets were all available and people were scooping it up.  Here's a couple of photos of the 2 sale rooms just before the shoppers hit them.  It was pretty much all gone by Saturday night!!

Lots of great stuff for sale!!

It would be impossible to get pictures of all the projects/quilt tops/quilts/etc that are finished, but here are some photos of just a few of them.

Diane and her completed Appomattox Courthouse quilt top!!

 

Heather created this Shih Tzu from a friend's photo!! 

Gloria's mice and bunnies!!

The age span of the quilters - Shaunna Taylor and Shirley Smith

 A big part of the retreat is the presentation of the Quilts of Valor that are made by many of the attendees.  The quilts are shared with the group and then presented to representatives from Camp Blanding for their in-house programs.  All of the quilts that were turned in will remain in Florida and be presented to soldiers and their families.  Bonnie McCarty and Barbara Enos probably lead the group with the number of quilts they have each made.  This retreat they turned in 6 quilts for the program.  Tree City Quilters turned in 8 patriotic pillowcases.  Thank you ladies for all of your hard work!!!  

Bonnie and Barbara and some of their beautiful Quilts of Valor quilts!!

Many people left on Sunday, but a few diehards stayed until Tuesday.  Gloria planned a number of demos for us.  She shared how to make a casserole cover (I was hoping she would share a casserole too, but apparently that wasn't on her agenda!!).  Vicky demoed cutting a fat quarter for their Pots of Plenty pattern.  I demoed some basic piecing techniques - accurate seam allowance, Spinning Stars, trimming usually a bias square ruler and making a miter border and English Paper Piecing.  Phyllis demoed making a t-shirt jacket and her Sweet and Sassy rhombus template and diamond template.  Here she is with the diamond template group.

I sometimes find myself getting a little sleepy when I am sewing and there's been a couple of times when I've even fallen asleep and almost hit the top of my sewing machine (yes, I know that's pretty sad), but if I get up and walk out of the room to go and take a "little rest" I will wake myself up.  I've come up with a handy little method for taking a nap while still at the sewing machine.  I rest my head in my hands and just close my eyes.  I just make certain that my elbows are propped carefully on the table.  This has become a joke with my friends and I will often get a text from Gloria telling me she has just taken a "Mary Ellen nap".  Well this time, Gloria caught me and actually took a photo - you may have seen it on Facebook - but if you didn't - here I am!!!  Just a minute or two is usually all I need.

 
Paula arrived on Friday after her lectures and workshops with the Gwinnett Quilters Guild and Etowah Valley Quilt Guild of Georgia.  She drove down with a fellow retreater and Etowah Valley guild member.  I think she enjoyed the chance to relax and sew after her busy month of moving.  Rumor has it she goes a little crazy if you say the words "unpack a box" around her!!!!  Can't imagine why!!  She shared her dilemma of "downsizing" (such an ugly word) her sewing room on the Marcus Fabrics' Marcus Mentions blog the other day.  "How Paula Barnes Lost Her Ultimate Sewing Space"

In between packing and unpacking, Paula has been designing new fabric collections and quilts.  Now that I am back from the retreat, I will be getting to work on some of the new quilts.  I'll have photos of the new collections to share on my next post!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Back Again

Yes it has been awhile since I last posted and yes I could list all of the reasons - pre and post holiday events, Disney World trip, houseful of company, retreats, personal sewing, business sewing, etc, etc - but I won't do that.  Suffice it to say, I'm back!!!  I will try to be better and more timely with my posting, but I'm not making any promises!!!! Sometimes life has a way of just plain getting in the way!!!

I've been much better about sharing on Instagram and Facebook, so many of you have seen what I've been working on - both business and personal quilts.  I completed our new version of Harriet's Baskets (I'll share a photo when I have it back again) and it is off at the quilters and I've almost finished a new quilt - Lilly.  Lots of personal quilts, though.  

Why only 2 business quilts you ask?  Well someone, namely the designer - Paula - has been just a little busy for the past few months.  Paula sold her home and just recently completed the move.  She downsized (such an ugly word) and is still dealing with some unpacking.  If you have ever moved, then you know what she has been dealing with - rooms that are filled with the boxes that need to emptied in that room, but no place to move because of the boxes!!!!  She's sent some photos and it is really taking shape.  I know it is going to be just beautiful!!!  I'll be visiting in March, so I will take photos and share.

Sewing room - unpacked

Unpacking and set up has begun!!!

 
Right now she is on the road in Georgia.  She spent Tuesday and today with the Gwinnett Quilters' Guild in Snellville.  Tuesday was her lecture and a visit to Little Quilts in Marietta and today was her workshop on Regimental Star.  This afternoon she traveled to Cartersville, GA to lecture at the Etowah Valley Quilt Guild and tomorrow is her workshop on Star of the West quilt.  AND then finally on Friday she travels to Florida for our Camp Blanding retreat!!!  YAY, I get some much needed Paula-time.

Paula and Mary Ellen Van Holt (the other Mary Ellen) the owner of Little Quilts

Paula lecturing at the Guild.  That's our Glory Bound she's talking about!!

Guild Show and Tell and a beautiful version of Glory Bound.

Paula and Julie Boyer and her version of Long Road Home.  Another beautiful quilt.

There are some very talented ladies in this guild.  A special thank you to Becky for sharing these photos with me.

So tomorrow Phyllis (Silver Thimble Quilt Shop) and I will pack up my van and head off to Camp Blanding for 5 days of friends (180 quilters), fabric and food - the trifecta for a successful retreat.  Gloria Parsons of Olde Green Cupboard sponsors, organizes, plans and basically keeps 180 quilters happy for 5 days - it is truly a miracle!!!

2 of everything (remember, I bring all the equipment that Paula will need - sewing machine, tables, tools,etc) is lined up in my hallway and ready to go.  I have some personal projects - Bordeaux for my son and d-i-l -  and some business projects - Lilly.

Hope this is all going to fit in the van!!!  No suitcase or food bags yet too!!

Blocks and alternate block fabric for Lilly

Bordeaux for Brett and Mere - of course it had to be made bigger!!

My plan is to try and post from the retreat, but I'm going to have to use my iPad.  I've never done this before, so we'll have to see if it works!!  With 180 quilters there, I'm sure there will be someone that can offer assistance!!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

PS - Just checked my Power Ball numbers - lost again!!! At this rate I will never be able to build my house on Pass-a-Grille Beach!!!  Any lucky readers??

Post Thanksgiving Fun

I realize it's been awhile since I've posted, but now that we are into the "Holiday Season" all bets are off on frequent posts.  I did manage to accomplish quite a bit after Market/Festival and right now I'm waiting for everything to come back from the quilters - 2 flannel Christmas quilts (they are actually back, bound and ready to give as a Christmas gift), 2 baby girl quilts and 1 flannel "cheater" quilt for my nephew.  I will post some pictures when I have them back.

I did mention that I came home with a re-do for our Harriet's Baskets and I've actually made a lot of progress on that.  The handles are made with the bias maker that uses the fusible web, but let me tell you that no matter what the instructions say, I still can't do it right!!!  After attempting 2 handles, I packed it all up and sent it to Paula - she apparently is the fusible web wizard!!!!  I made the bottoms - more my speed - just plain piecing - and now I'm working towards making the complete baskets.  Here's a picture of the bottoms - don't you just love the fabrics!!!  Wait until you see the sashing fabric!!!

I've also gotten on the hexagon bandwagon and have actually made a few blocks.  I've found that I like to switch from machine sewing to handwork at night.  Plus it helps to be able to hear all of my regular shows at night if I don't have the sewing machine going!!!  Wireless headphones are on the Christmas list to help with this problem!!!

We've had a houseful for Thanksgiving.  Megan and Brian arrived on Tuesday and Brett, Mere and the girls arrived on Friday night.  It's been so much fun having everyone here and tomorrow we add to the fun by heading to Walt Disney World!!!  The girls are 5 and 3, so this should be a fantastic time.  7 adults and 2 kids - great ratio!!!  I'm so excited!!!

Megan is the Social Media Content Manager for GE Appliances and today was the cookie baking shoot for an upcoming post.  She mixed up the snicker doodle batter and Sydney and Julianne were the "rollers".  Caitlin assisted by making the cookie balls and the girls rolled them in red and green sprinkles - family tradition to change from cinnamon to sprinkles for Christmas!  Brian was the cameraman and I provided the Christmas decor!!!  The official pictures focus on the cookies, but I went for the "full picture"!!!  The girls had a great time and loved that they got to help Aunt Megan!!!

Making cookies

 

Sydney working hard!!

The best part - eating the cookies!!!!

Next on my list will be switching over from Fall decorations to Christmas decorations.  I've got a lot coming up over the next couple of weeks, so I have a feeling it's going to be a minimal decorating year!!!  We'll have to see how it goes!!!  I love how the house looks when it is all decorated for Christmas, so I'm sure I'll get something done!! Everyone's pictures on Facebook, blogs and Instagram are making me realize how far behind I am!!!

Just a reminder, in case you haven't received an email, we are having a Monday Madness Sale. Each Monday (for the next few weeks) we will feature one kit at 25% off.  Quantities are limited, but if you shop early you should be able to pick up some great gifts!!!  This week's kit is Legacy.

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen