This years Brandon Quilters President’s Challenge is pillowcases for the Children’s Safe Center.  Years ago I prepped 5 cases which never got made, so I finally made those, then dug through my stash to see what else I could find. I thought I was done, then I picked up a quilt to bind and found one more.

I cut the body of the case 27″, the cuff 9″ and the accent band 1 1/2″.  Personally I don’t like the accent to be loose, so I stitch it to the cuff, then do the burrito roll to stitch it to the case.  Once the cuff is pressed, the case is folded in half wrong sides together and trimmed to 21″ wide.  I sew 1/4″ down the length of the case, press the seam and turn the case inside out and stitch the seam, encasing it.  My needle position was at 1.0 from the right.

The case is then turned right side out and pressed.  I then trim the length of the case to 31″, repeating the steps above to encase the seam.

I did not get far on this month’s goal.  Paper piecing is a struggle for me. Recently I watch a video on how to use freezer paper to paper piece and thought I’d give it a try.  I still struggled and temporarily gave up as I needed to get the shop sample bound.  Alas, I didn’t think to take a picture of it bound before I delivered it.

Of course while I was at the shop, I made a few purchases. My goal was to find either a red or blue for the border of Chain of Stars.  I also picked up a few pieces which just came in the shop.  I left the shop with 2 shop samples to piece and patterns to write, so Chain of Stars falls to the back of the line along with nearly everything else on my plate but the pillowcases.

This past Saturday was National Quilting Day.  Up early, I started assembling the Disappearing Hourglass blocks.  Riviana blocks were built as my leader/ender.

The afternoon found me going with Ruby to pick up an indoor/outdoor rug for her patio.  Doesn’t this look like a quilt?

I spent the evening (and the next morning) kitting up the rest of the fabric for Ritzy’s shop hop block.  58.  When these are gone that’s it.  We don’t have any more fabric.

It’s been a crazy week. If it wasn’t for my camera I’m not sure I would have remembered what I did last week.

Wednesday – Took the cats to the Vet for their shots — but this one had to go back under drugs because she wouldn’t let us get her out of the carrier.

Thursday – Quilted a quilt for a customer 

Friday was the Quilters by Hearts’ Desire retreat.  I attended that morning where I stitched this Star-A-Day Block. It’s one of 2 blocks so far which only use a single fabric for the star points.

Friday afternoon I drove down to Collins to pick up a couple of chairs for my living room

Since we were halfway to Wiggins, we drove down to the quilts shop – Ms. Sew-n-Sew.  They are one of the shops participating in the state wide quilt shop hop. I found a few things to bring home with me.

Saturday, the plan was to hit 5 shops, but between a late start and car issues requiring us to turn around and switch cars, we only hit 3.  At Gardensong Fabrics I picked up the book and butterfly fabric. The stack of Fat Quarters is a bundle I purchased from Pearblossom Quilt Cottage in Bogue Chitto – after the car switch. The floral and dot fabrics and travel it is from The Cotton Patch, also in Bogue Chitto. This was the end of our shop hopping and we headed on to New Orleans.

Sunday started off with Brunch at Antoine’s Restaurant.

Then it was time for Banana Ball! I didn’t realize the music would be non-stop, if I get tickets to another game I’m taking ear plugs. We then drove home.

Monday started with a trip to the Vet for Butterscotch. This picture was after I gave her meds. She was a good girl.

Afterwards I went to Twin Oaks Craft where I purchased this gorgeous orange fabric. I think it’s destined to become a pillowcase cuff for the butterfly fabric I bought on Saturday.

Monday night was the Quilters By Hearts Desire Meeting. Our speaker spoke on embelishments and we tried beading ourselves.

The ongoing Disappearing Block segment is Lazy 8. It starts off as a 9-patch the centers are one fabric and the corners the background. – Add this to my list of quilts to make….

Tuesday I spent the day kitting up MORE blocks for Ritzy Quilting.  She ran out of the lavender kits and couldn’t get additional fabric, so we pivoted and went with the pink. The kits were cut with the Accuquilt so just sit down and sew.

It’s no wonder I did nothing Wednesday. So what’s on the agenda this week? I’m just ignoring the stuff that’s in progress – binding on 2 quilts, pillowcases which need to be done by April 6th, the disappearing hourglass quilt in progress. the redwork I need to do and the other 9 stars I want to finish by the end of the month because I pulled fabric for a new pair of shoes which I want to wear in Paducah in April. 

Stay tuned to see if I get any of this done.

Clara is coming along. I have all the units done for one color, just 8 more sets to go before I can start assembling blocks. I need to get a move on it. My sister called me yesterday morning and said she’s sending me a quilt top to quilt and wants me to bring it with me for Christmas.  So that’s 3 quilts which need binding, one of which needs to be quilted and one that is in pieces.  This should be fun.

Monday night was Brandon Quilters annual Make It, Bake It, Sew It, Grew It Auction.  It’s a chance to clear out the never or gently used items from our space and raise funds for the guild.  I was assisting with the auction, so someone else was tracking my purchases. I was surprised at what I got for $30. I really thought I spent more, but then again, I didn’t get win everything I bid on.

First up is this selection of books.  the New York Beauty Diversified is by Linda Hahn. She will be teaching in the area in January 2027.  Next year one of the groups I’m in is considering a programs on quilts for guys and fractured quilts.

I have one of the Twister Rulers, but I can’t remember which one.  I might even have the Quilt on a Chair pattern.  I know I bought a chair a while back to do this to.

Someone brought in these Cathedral Window bases.  There are 4  bed runners.  I’ll get to them eventually.

There are a number of gardeners in the guild.  I brought home this aloe vera.  I wonder if I can keep it alive longer than the last one I brought home.

I won this quart of sweet pickles and 6 little jars.

I sent a picture of the knitting books to my niece and she said she would like the Cast On Bind Off book.  I grabbed the sock books and the Elizabeth Zimmermann book on principle.

The treasurer reported we made $1520.

This past weekend, my SIL and I went down to the New Orleans’ area.  She to go her grand daughter’s volleyball tournament and me to the Gulf States Quilt Association Quarterly meeting. New Orleans is decked out for Halloween these first few pictures are from just one house near by the school my great niece attends.

Here are a few more pictures from the area.

Lots of skeletons and spiders.

The guest speaker on Saturday was Annette Ornelas of Southwind Designs. Friday she taught Twirling Leaves.  These are the 3 blocks I made in class. They are just pinned together so they would be easy to show at the meeting the next day.

The class finished up early enough that I was able to see one game of the tournament.  They won Friday night.

I attended the last GSQA meeting via Zoom and thought I heard my name called.  I made a string of flying geese earlier this year and it was included in the Opportunity quilt. If your block was included, you were given this butterfly pin.

Annette’s quilts were beautiful, and the technique is easy, so I bought a few patterns.  I love the quilt on cover of the book. I’m a sucker for Poinsettias and I think the dragonfly will be fun to make.

Weekend before last I realized that I was going to need more batting before my sister visits my longarm.  Timing on this realization was spot on. As Hunter’s Quilt Mart’s annual Fabricpalooza was this past weekend.  One day of shopping, fabulous prices on batting, wide backs, and pre-cuts, and a few other things and 10% off on top of that if you have this years t-shirt.  I ordered the t-shirt not knowing if I was going to pick it up or if my sister was going to pick it up. After all, this quilt shop is 612 miles away! Ruby offered to go with me to help drive and I had 4 quilts which needed to get to Kansas City, so we took off at Noon Friday afternoon. We got to our hotel just after midnight. Needless to say, we were not one of the 1st 100 people through the doors Saturday morning.

We did however each win a door prize at the end of the day.

Some were concerned the batting would not fit in the car.  We took Ruby’s car since there was no way to get a king batt and a passenger in my Cube.  There was no issue with Ruby’s car and we could easily see out the back.

It might however have been a cheaper trip if I had just sent my sister to the store and I drove down later.  Starting in the back, the red, gold, and green will be a Square in a Square Christmas quilt when combined with the Christmas fabrics I already own. The next 3 purple and pink fabric I plan to use in a 5 yard quilt — I will need 2 more fabrics. I’m sure I can find something in my stash. The pink on top is a floral with a bit of orange. It’s very pretty and we bought what was left on the bolt (less than 5 yards). The final piece in that stack is Kona Snow.

The next pile is 8 FQ (they were $2.50/each) and 2 or 3 yards each of a blue and cream from the same line. I plan to make a Crazy 8’s quilt with it.  The bottle is Magic Crafting Spray.  I think I like it better than Best Press. I also picked up 3 spools of thread – 2 to replenish and a new color – Storm.

Backings are next.  The green will go on my Garden Party and the blue on my Jamestown Landing when I finish them. The teal is just a pretty piece so I took the rest of the bolt – a little over 2 yards. The next pile Ruby and I are splitting.

On to the front.  A “30’s” layer cake to go into my 30’s bucket.  I’m still working on my Silvia’s Bridal Sampler and this will give me more variety.  A charm pack of neutrals for my Star-a-Day that I need to finish.  The 5 yard quilt book.  The pink sloth fabric I bought for a friend.  A couple more 30’s FQs, my door prize — 2 one yard cuts of batik fabric plus a FQ of state birds. For notions I purchased a rotary cutter which I’m told is fantastic, a 1-1/2″ square ruler and some Karen Kay Buckley scissors.

It was a long day and I still had 2 more hours of driving to do before we could sleep. We had dinner with my friend Sheryl and visited a while, then headed to my brother’s to spend the night.  He and I stayed up until 1AM.  Sunday morning, I gathered eggs to bring home and we started the trip back, getting in just after 10 PM.

A long and expensive weekend, but we had fun.  Now I have to figure out how much fabric I bought!