Monday, April 13, 2009

AIQ retreat - April 2009 - part II

Hilary Ford made these cute clothes for her grandchildren.
Ellen Apte's hand work had many admirers, from left Brenda Shelby, Casey Green, and Mary Maynard.
Sheila Blair working determinedly!
Michelle Hiskey somewhat awkwardly cutting her fabric.

Hilary Ford showing off the vest she made.
Brenda Shelby showing a quilt.
Mary Kimberly watches as Radine Robinson sews.
Hilary Ford gives Taffy McLaughlin advice.

AIQ retreat - April 2009 - part I

In early April, I went to Georgia for a retreat with friends from my Atlanta Guild - Atlanta Intown Quilters. As always, it was a blast and so many beautiful quilts - and other things - were created. I hope I have not left out too many things or people. If I have, please send me pictures of what I omitted. I most certainly do not intend to omit anybody or anything.

Hilary Ford showed off a very sweet yellow baby quilt.
This is a work on progress, a dotty baby quilt by Taffy McLaughlin.
Sheila Blair put together these blocks, from a kit by Patty Murphy.
Ellen Apte worked tirelessly and meticulously on this creation of her own design.
Sallie Mitchell visited only for a short time on Saturday and worked on restoring this old sock monkey, a family heirloom!
Brenda Shelby made this stain glass cross.
These beautiful nature-scapes were created by Brenda Shelby with the assistance of Casey Green.
Sue May worked on this quilt for a wedding gift using fabric which I immediately fell in love with. Subsequently, I did find the source and purchased my own stash of it!
It is obvious that Sue herself was also very happy with her project!

Mary Kimberly worked on this T-shirt quilt.

This is Peggy's beautiful and colorful top - I think this is a product of a block of the month class taught by Taffy at Intown. Sorry I do not know Peggy's last name as she joined the guild after I moved away!

This is Lynn Daniel showing off the design of a batik quilt she is making.

Hilary Ford's "Study in Blue."

Two colorful projects by Mary Maynard. The one to the right is constructed of the cut-offs from the one on the left.

Batik creations. Lots and lots of small log cabin blocks by Taffy McLaughlin.

Casey Green's amazingly artistic batik quilt. Much of the fabric in this was painted and/or dyed by Casey.

A T-shirt cat quilt by Radine Robinson.

This amazing 3-D wonder was made by Marva Swanson.

Brenda Shelby brought two "Underground Railroad" quilts - each block is a reproduction of a quilt pattern supposedly used by slaves to guide others towards freedom.

Brenda's second "Underground Railroad" top.

Regina Carter graced us with her presence, but only for a short while. She brought several quilts she had quilted for some of us. Most of her time with us was spent helping and advising others, but she also worked on this intricate spiral star. I am very excited that I get to go to Paducah next week to see Regina's quilt in the show! I am honored to be friends with such an accomplished and nationally recognized quilter.

Mary Kimberly finished the quilt top she started at Kanuga in January. The quilt was designed by our friend Jean Ann Wright.

I know that Regina Carter did the quilting on this quilt and I think maybe she also made the top and designed it just for the amazingly beautiful variegated quilting thread. Please correct me if I am wrong.

This quilt top is Taffy McLaughlin's. She also made the adorable shorts for her grandson!

Michelle Hiskey and I have been working on these quilts for about two years. We pass them back and forth and each add things to each quilt - kind of like Round Robins between only two people! Eventually Michelle will keep the one on the left and I get the one on the right.

Mary Kimberly's "Blackbird Sunset," made from a pattern designed and a class taught by Debbie Steinmann.

Mary Kimberly's Celtic Owl.

Brenda Shelby's group quilt. Many members of the group made blocks for her and she assembled them in this quilt. She requested crazy quilt blocks of a given size but gave no other instructions when it was her turn to receive a group quilt.

Dog bed

A couple of years ago, a fellow quilter told me of a person who made dog beds by filling canvas "bags" with sewing trash: pieces of fabric, yarn ends, batting scraps, etc. At the time it seemed a bit preposterous, it would take way too long to fill a bag. But recently it occurred to me that I might actually be able to do the same so I tried. With the help of friends and, especially, fellow participants at quilt retreats, it actually didn't take long to make the first one. As soon as I placed it on the floor in my sewing room, Jesse jumped on it and lay down. He sure knew it was a dog bed and immediately claimed it for his own.

Baby Omar

I hand quilted this panel as a baby quilt for Terrica Redfield's baby, Omar, born in March 2009.