As one of the Galleries on my website shows, I love working with orphan blocks and unfinished old quilt tops to help them find a new home (Antique Orphan Fun). If it’s really scary looking (beyond-only a mother could love) or has lots of holes I like to take tops apart and put them back together, or I just put a bunch of antique orphan blocks together.  I was so inspired when I stumbled upon this video, this is Mary Ornish upcycling old quilts that are BEYOND REPAIR into clothing I just had to share it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ2bhohM70k

As the disclaimer states, please don’t cut up perfectly good quilts to do this, there are plenty of orphan blocks and broken bits and pieces to play with. There are generally lots of orphan blocks around in need of a good home, in fact, one of my favorite things to do at a show is go on a hunt for, “The Ugly Orphan”.  I then challenge myself to use it in a quilted item.  My 1830’s quilt began from one ugly orphan that was incredibly crooked and has orange and grey plaid in the block.

Please consider finding orphan blocks a good home, a sampler style quilt is just one way to find them homes as donation quilts for those in need.

That said, Mary Ornish is incredibly talented, what beautiful and inspirational clothing – what’s old is new again – YEAH!!

Been so busy, didn’t tell you about my Mom’s bus trip to Keepsake.  Seats are selling quickly and it’s just around the corner – here are the details:

KEEPSAKE QUILTING BUS TRIP 2017

As soon as you enter, you’ll be greeted by a spectacular array of thousands of bolts of cotton fabric, our famous fabric Medleys™, kits, books, patterns and notions

ALSO INCLUDES STOPS AT:

Patternworks  for knitters – specialty yarns, patterns & tools

Old Country Store – kitchen gadgets, collectibles, candles & candy (and more)

When:    Saturday,     April 8, 2017                       leaving at 8:00 a.m.

All-inclusive package:

• Bus to Keepsake Quilting & Patternworks (in the same plaza) and the Old Country Store (Moultonboro, NH)
• Dinner at Harts Turkey Farm
• And Driver’s tip
• Lunch can be purchased at grocery deli next to Keepsake or brown bag your own
• We’ll be having contests with prizes

Bus will pick up at Enfield, CT (behind Macy’s) commuter parking lot, (exit 48 off route 91) and Ludlow, MA at Big Y/Ocean State Job Lot parking lot

Price:           $70.00                         Deposit ASAP, first come, first serve

Contact:  Marcia Testa            860-749-9026           Fyrework4@cox.net

What a friendly group at Berlin Sisters in Quilting. They were very receptive to my Creative Muscle lecture which covers why I believe creativity is a muscle everyone has and that it grows exponentially as you exercise it.  The trunk show included a path to help explore your creative side no matter what level of quilter.

Here’s a piece from my “Hot Stuff” portion of the lecture! I had a terrific time sharing my bag of tricks, you all asked such great questions – thanks so much for all your hospitality.

I know I’ve disappeared lately, my real world job has been a little overwhelming since returning from California, hoping it will slow down soon. I do have the Tutorial for Baby Quilt in Eight – instructions for a  feed dogs up technique to quilt and bind a baby quilt in eight hours, I’m just experiencing technical difficulties in uploading the information.  I should have this resolved shortly so keep an eye out for my first Tutorial.

I’m also working on a series of Quick Quilts with Hand Dyes – quilts that feature larges areas of those hand dyed fabrics that everyone is so afraid to cut up. Fussy cut your favorite parts so you can share their beauty!  Some of the patterns will be available as Tutorials.  Off to work on that upload, thanks for stopping by!!!