Quilt, Read, Eat, Sleep.... What Else Is There? discussion

Well, "May" worked so well, I thought I'd start a "June" thread. Is it just me or do you find, as a quilter, it's kind of neat that "conversations" are called "threads" on discussion boards?

The good news around here is it hasn't rained for 2 days! Yea! The even better news is the substructure for the deck is finally finished! I'm hoping they lay the deck itself tomorrow. That would be just in time to sit outside and read.

If you haven't read Marie Bostwick's Cobble Court series, I recommend the for a fun, fast read. They center around a quilt shop but are actually the story the the strong friendships of women.

Judy wrote: "Well, "May" worked so well, I thought I'd start a "June" thread. Is it just me or do you find, as a quilter, it's kind of neat that "conversations" are called "threads" on discussion boards?

Hadn't thought about that before, Judy. Too funny.

Weather has been gorgeous here, too, although I spent most of the last two days in the car down and back for work meetings. But as soon as I get off the computer I'm going to treat myself to a few minutes outside on my patio in the fading sunlight with my Kindle and Moloka'i. I recently read the first of the Cobble Court series and enjoyed it--already have the second on my Kindle and the third and fourth in my to-read shelf. I've also enjoyed Clare O'Donohoe's Someday Quilts series--also good fun, fast reads.

Oh I do like this "thread" by month idea. I had not seen the connection of the "thread" either, most observant Judy.

So is the first Marie Bostwick book in the Cobble Court Series A Single Thread? Anyone want to read it together?????

Oh, forgot to mention that we got everyone's rain. We've had thunder, lightening, wind and lots of rain. Tomorrow's forecast is for more of the same, then Friday it's supposed to be 80 degrees. I certainly hope so, my toenails have just been painted a gorgeous shade of raspberry and need to be shown off in a pair of sandals!!

I think that is the first book, Kathryn.

A Single Thread is the first in the series Kathryn. I just requested it from the library Kathryn so as soon as it comes in I'll be ready to read it with you Kathryn.

Thanks for starting the new "thread" Judy. I've never heard of Marie Bostwick so that was a nice gift as well Judy.

So who else wants to read with Kathryn and me?

I just ordered the book Sheila, I'll let you know when I've got it....

I read it earlier this year, but maybe I can join in on the discussion.

Heading to the local library today to check it out. So I guess I'll have 3 weeks to read it ~.-

You all are so going to love this series! Maybe, Kathryn or whomever, you'll want to start a separate thread for the discussion. Just an idea.

I believe I already mentioned this in another thread so sorry for those of you for whom I may be repeating myself, but in case you didn't read it elsewhere...Jackie Kunkel just interviewed Marie Bostwick for her most recent episode of her podcast series, "Jackie's Quilting Chronicles." They're talking mostly about the newest book in the series but still, it was fun to listen to. (No spoilers in the episode!) I'll be happy to join in a discussion of the first book as well--I enjoyed it!

Judy wrote: "You all are so going to love this series! Maybe, Kathryn or whomever, you'll want to start a separate thread for the discussion. Just an idea."

Terrific idea!

Sandy wrote: "I believe I already mentioned this in another thread so sorry for those of you for whom I may be repeating myself, but in case you didn't read it elsewhere...Jackie Kunkel just interviewed Marie Bo..."

LOL! I'll check out that podcast, Sandy, now that I'll be reading one of her books.

I just finished Moloka'i this morning (great book!), so I think I'll probably be reading Marie Bostwick next. Haven't decided yet--depends on what I'm in the mood for when I pick up my Kindle again tonight!

I think we set a record or at least tied one for temperature in Denver yesterday. We hit 91!

I took the day off yesterday for a couple of reasons. My oldest was headed off to Waterworld for the day and she's normally my babysitter. She's trying to cram as much fun into the summer before her boyfriend heads off to C.U. I also needed a mental health day. LOL

I managed to sew a bit yesterday which was nice! The kids spent a good part of the day outside playing with their water guns, balloons, and in the sprinkler. We also watched the Green Hornet.

This is the block I sewed. I was testing my pattern and making the block for the quilt I designed.



I'm pretty pleased with it! My pattern works and I like the fabrics I used this time. I'm so relieved about that because I put the pattern on my blog for public use and, even though I had tested it, I was still very nervous. I printed the pattern from my site, enlarged it, and made it using the fabric legend I had included.

I was going to start some prep work for Shakespeare in the Park, but I think I'm going to have to buy some fabric. I'm not getting inspired by anything in my stash. Batiks are calling to me for this quilt.

Shannon, your block is beautiful! Is that paper/foundation pieced !?! I'm always drawn to hands and how much they express, but like faces, they seem to very difficult to draw to satisfaction. And you did this while kids are playing ? You're incredible!

Gorgeous block! Like your fabric choices too. Very, very cool stuff.

Great block, Shannon!

We haven't set any temperature records north of you, but we're working on getting warmer. It at least made it into the mid-70s today! Other good news is they finished the deck with the exception of replacing the carpeting on the cement stairs that lead from the house to the deck. There are only 2 steps (use to be 3 but to get everything level, they used the bottom of the 2nd step as a starting place) the width of the deck doors. I cannot tell you how much better the deck looks!

Randy and Kris (contractor and son) also set dates to start the inside work. They plan to start with Glenn's workout/computer room, which is the only room left in the basement to remodel, next Wednesday. I finally made a final decision on the hardwood and color for the upstairs. Now I have to go look at tiles, vanities, and sinks for the upstairs. I'm really anxious for this so get started - and finished! LOL!

I did nothing but read today. I have only a couple of chapters left of the new Bostwick book, but I decided to finish it before I go to bed.

BTW, Shannon, I plan to make the SIP in batiks, too. I love batiks and have about 4 times more of them than I do other cottons.

Amazingly gorgeous block Shannon! On the western slope, we weren't that hot, only into the low 80's w/o sunshine most of the day...

I have been quilting up a storm, but have decided to hand quilt both projects I recently completed tops for as both are wall hangings--I want to start something else, but am trying to show will power and not start another project. I have been so tempted as for my birthday my mom gave me the Joined at the Hip patterns for their button up calendar series and my husband gave me a generous gift card to our new wonderful quilt shop here in Montrose, CO--very tempting! I feel like I need a project diet just like I need a food diet!

I am watching it snow. Argh! Oh well, it's good quilting weather.

Tell me again where you live, Janice? I did see that it was snowing in northern MT and in Yellowstone this morning.

I live in Alberta - directly north of Yellowstone a few 100 hundred miles.

That explains it! It's just too late in the year to have snow. I'll send warming thoughts your way. You are correct, though, it makes for lovely quilting weather!

I'm late in putting in my bedding out plants. It will melt quickly and I should be able to get them in on Sunday.

Thank you everyone! I imported the Twilight Book Cover that I had previously made into a paper piecing pattern by hand into EQ7 and basically just traced the pattern from my drawing. My brain isn't wired to be artistic and it's one of the hardest things I've ever done. I have a tendency to be pretty stubborn about certain things and I was determined to get it done. I have an unfortunate history associated with a Twilight quilting group and it still feeds my stubborness, but at least something good has come out of it.

It's another gorgeous day here in the Denver area. I'm being pretty lazy, though. I've been a bit moody the past couple of days and I'm trying to work myself out of my funk. It's not helping that my 17-year old Dachshund, Marvin, has been having a bad couple of days. We've been avoiding letting him go....

I spent yesterday and into the night reading the Jenny Han Summer series. I had the first two from the library and they were pretty quick reads. I ended up splurging and getting the last book in the series for the Kindle with my gift card, very silly I know, because I couldn't bear to wait for the book from the library. I ended up crying throughout the whole series. I guess I'm happy with the way things ended. The characters were in an impossible situation--I hate love triangles. LOL

It's pretty nice here, today, too. It's windy, but then it's always windy. When the wind doesn't blow you feel like you should stop the presses and announce it to the world!

I went to lunch with a friend and her granddaughter then came home and sat on the deck and read for a bit. Glenn moved all the furniture out there this morning. It is an absolutely lovely place to sit and read

This morning Carol, my interior designer, called. We're going to start looking at bathroom furniture and tiles on Wednesday. I know exactly what Glenn's bathroom should look like. I'm having trouble coming to any decision about mine. Carol knows me well enough (we were friends long before she helped me with decorating), so if I choose something really stupid, she tells me.

Now I'm going to cut out applique pieces for the wall hanging I'm working on. I have a feeling that they'll be working down here in the basement before I go to quilt camp, so I also need to select and cut the fabric for the quilt I'll be making there. Oh, I guess I should probably also get all the supplies together!

I finished reading Threading the Needle at 1 this morning. It was a great book!

I got to go to a quilt show this morning--a local show but a big one. Posted a few pics on my blog if you want to check them out. I'm usually out of town when they do the show so I'm thrilled I was finally able to go--great way to start a day! I got home around 1p and spent a very necessary but not-so-fun half hour cleaning out and reorganizing my pantry, but my reward was an hour at my sewing machine working on my latest project which involves thread-painting. I'm having a blast with that.

Our family went to see the new X-Men movie, which we all enjoyed. Now I'm just puttering around on the computer and will soon do a little reading (Thread of Truth) and head off to bed. Nice, relaxing evening!

Judy--you refer to "quilt camp" rather than "quilt retreat." I had someone ask me recently if there was a difference between the two, and I said I thought it might be the length of time but wasn't sure because some folks seem to use the terms interchangeably. Is there a difference? I've been to retreats but there aren't any "quilt camps" in my area to compare.

In this case, Sandy, quilt camp and quilt retreat are the same. I think it was originally called quilt camp because it's held at a place called Mallo Camp which is in the Wyoming part of the Black Hills. There are dorm-like cabins, and central building where we eat and take classes. There's also a motel up the hill for those who don't want to sleep 6 to a cabin. My friend Eileen and I stay at my brother's cabin which is about 30 miles east and in the SD part of the Black Hills.

Thanks for the explanation, Judy. Sounds like fun! I've never been to the Black Hills--heard they're gorgeous. Post pictures! Will you be there for a weekend or a week?

This year camp runs from 6/27-6/30. My friend and I are just taking one class, but it's a 2-day-er. Actually, it's 1.5 days. I think we'll go over on Tuesday. My brother and SIL are going to be at the cabin at the same time we are. No, they're actually going to be there earlier. At any rate, we can visit with them on Tuesday, go to class on Wednesday, pack up Thursday morning, go to class, and leave from camp Thursday afternoon to come home. I'm hoping I'll miss some of the craziness of the remodel while I'm gone.

It is fairly warm here today, so I'm going to cut some more pieces of applique for a bit. I'll go back outside once it starts to cool off a little.

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, it's been kind of crazy around these parts!

I haven't been quilting very much at all since the weather turned nice. I was in Seattle WA for my stepmother's nieces wedding. I had never been there before and it was so much fun. I even found a quilt store on the first day in Pikes Place Market. I got a couple of patterns...and luckily stayed away from the 50 new bolts of batiks that the store owner was unpacking!

This past weekend, I ran in my first 5k (about 3.2 miles) in Deadwood SD. It was a beautiful day and not too hot. Thankfully it was all downhill! Felt great afterwards and can't wait to do it again.

This coming weekend is the large quilt show at the local civic center. The group hung about 5 wuilts in the bank where I work to promote it. I can't remember how many quilts there were in the show last year, but this is one of the largest shows in this area of SD.

Hope you are all doing well!

We're very busy at my house. My oldest just learned she made the competetive soccer team she tried out for yesterday. The other three have started baseball. I haven't sewed a thing in a week or so, but I've done a lot of virtual quilting.

I hope to take in the Capitol Quilt Show in Denver. I've never been!

http://www.coloradoquiltcouncil.com/c...

Shannon, the Capitol Quilt Show looks great! If I mmake it down to Denver this summer, I will have to remember about it!

This are crazy around here all of a sudden. Kris finished the steps on the deck this morning and then started putting up the studs in Glenn's exercise room. I asked Randy when he thought they'd start on the bathrooms and was told in 3 or 4 weeks. Yikes! My decorator and I just selected the tiles, vanities, hardware/fixtures yesterday. We spent 6 hours in just 2 stores.

I stopped back at the kitchen and bath store this afternoon after my hair appt and learned it will take 3-4 weeks to get the vanities made. Same with the granite for the top of one of them. I'm exhausted! Shopping makes you tired. LOL!

Shannon, I love your quilt block!!!

Wanted to ask everyone-do you pick a color scheme and then a pattern; or find a wonderful pattern and wrestle with a color theme? I get caught in the middle sometimes! I have two panel pieces I bought years ago (bird and Irish theme-they were both on a clearance rack (for pennies). I was so excited when I bought them-but spent days worry about the background colors--they been my material bins since.
I promised myself I would complete them this year!!
(my daughter has been bugging me for the Irish one for St. Patty's day!

Jaci said Shannon, the Capitol Quilt Show looks great! If I mmake it down to Denver this summer, I will have to remember about it!

I hope you can make it!

RE: Kit

Thank you!

I usually pick a pattern and then I find fabrics to make it. I struggle picking out fabrics, too. I use the color dots on the selvedge a lot to help find the right shades.

I tend to pick a pattern and then the fabrics. But sometimes I will buy a fabric that I just have to have and then look for an appropriate pattern to showcase it.

The clouds are rolling in here in Wenatchee yet the temperatures are quite warm. I'm finishing up my sisters pink quilt for her 50th birthday. It's the Northcott Breatst Cancer quilt this year. She's not had breast cancer so I substituted different fabrics for the strips with the ribbon on it. I'll post a picture when done.

I just got the maild and my Keepsake Quilter catalog was there. I LOVE THAT CATALOG! I am refraining from looking at it too much until this evening. I also got the Summer Skinnies Pattern from Ribbon Candy Quilt Company. What a fun day indeed!

Okay need some help here.

How do you subscribe to a blog. There is always a drop down menu when go to subscribe and I don't know what any of them are. Any of you that have a blog HELP!! I want to follow you...

Next, how do you put a picture in a comment like Shannon did?

I can learn how to do these things, I know I can.

Please be patient with me if I ask lots of questions!

Kathryn, I don't know that I'm going to be a big help. When I subscribe to a blog, I use the RSS feed. I think you just put in your e-mail address. With Kit's, I used the RSS and Atom.

As for inserting pictures, I think you have to use the html code. I use this site

http://www.w3schools.com/html/html_li...

Judy wrote: "Kathryn, I don't know that I'm going to be a big help. When I subscribe to a blog, I use the RSS feed. I think you just put in your e-mail address. With Kit's, I used the RSS and Atom.

As for inse..."

If there isn't an RSS option that's when I get confused. Is Atom something you have to subscribe to?

Thanks for the site for the pictures!

I struggle with code.....

The way I do the picture thingy is that I have a free account at Photobucket. I upload my pics there. The site automatically generates code for all kinds of uses, like forums. I just copy and paste it into my messages.

On the blog thingy, I don't know much about that despite having blogs for years. I know that if I become a "follower" of a Blogspot blog new entries show up on my dashboard when I log in and go there. I've heard that www.google.com/reader is a good way, too.

Kathryn, I have no idea what Atom is. I just know none of the other options were anything I used, so I just clicked on that one and it worked.

I'm sure someone else with more blog experience will have better explanations.

It all depends on how the blog is set up. Some blogs are set up so you can subscribe by email; others are set up so you can subscribe to the RSS feed. (And yes, "Atom" is basically another word for the RSS feed for the posts, although don't ask me why. I learned that the same way Judy did.) That being said, no matter what options a blog offers, you can always subscribe through the RSS feed--usually there are buttons or the little RSS logo (the orange box with yellow ripples in it).

If you use something like Google Reader to pull all of the blogs you follow into one place, you can put the blog's RSS feed right into the Google Reader "Add to Google Reader" button on the upper left-hand side. Click on the block's RSS feed symbol and you'll see the feed in the page that opens...or you will most times, anyway. However, Google Reader does make it easy--if you don't know the blog's RSS feed, you can just put the URL of the blog into the "Add to Google Reader" button and it'll try to find the RSS feed for you. Works about 75% of the time for me.

If you use Google Reader, and then you're in a blog and click on "Subscribe to this blog" or whatever little links it has, most times it'll automatically open up a window that gives you the option to add it to your Google Reader page.

I use Google Reader because that way all the blogs I subscribe to are in one place, plus I can put them in categories and so forth. If I get behind (which happens a lot), I can click on an entire category or just a single blog and choose "mark all as read," and move on. It's really, really simple.

As a note--you can also subscribe to Flickr groups through Google Reader. I get all the newest postings to my Flickr group through Reader. If I want to see something more closely, I just click on it in Reader and it takes me to directly to the Flickr group.

There are other feed aggregators (places where you can set up an account and pull all your blog feeds into one place), but I find Google Reader so incredibly user-friendly I've never bothered trying any other ones. For more info about using Google Reader, you can check out their help section: http://www.google.com/support/reader/....

Hope that helps! (And no--I'm not paid by Google! I'm just an avid blog reader!)

THANK YOU, KATHRYN !!!! I wanted to ask that question but couldn't write it so it made sense like you did.

Sandy, (you avid blog reader!) Google Reader is what I've been searching for without knowing how to search for it! I figured bloggers had secret handshakes that made it easy for them to follow their friends' blogs. Non-bloggers, well, we just had to find the long way to follow their blogs.

Learning something new every day ...

Nancy wrote: "I figured bloggers had secret handshakes..."

Actually, it's a secret password. "The RSS Feed flies at midnight." Now this message will self-destruct in 5 seconds...

Hee hee, you crazy quilty bloggers ... Ok, Sandy, I finally got to check out your blog, Quilting for the Rest of Us. It's so colorful and fun. I envy you bloggers the ease of words and the wherewithal to pick up the blogging learning curve. I loved seeing pics from the quilt show too!

Now if I can just find that list of other blogs I need to check out ...

I've got a blogroll on the right side of my blog that can help get you started. Most bloggers do--that's how I've amassed my list. Visit a blog I really enjoy, then check out who they enjoy. It's an easy way to end up with 50 or more blog subscriptions in your Google Reader, LOL.

Sandy wrote: "It all depends on how the blog is set up. Some blogs are set up so you can subscribe by email; others are set up so you can subscribe to the RSS feed. (And yes, "Atom" is basically another word for..."

Wonderful info...things I never even knew. Now for your blog I don't see anything that I can select for an RSS feed which is what I am used to using....are any of your "buttons" the same as an RSS feed?

You have been so much help!

Sandy wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I figured bloggers had secret handshakes..."

Actually, it's a secret password. "The RSS Feed flies at midnight." Now this message will self-destruct in 5 seconds..."

ROFLOL!