Las Vegas, Quiltique, Harley-Davidson, Popped and a visit with Carissa & Niccolo

So much to share in just one blog entry.

We needed to visit Carissa, our homesick girl.              To be honest, I think we miss her more than she misses us.

Either way…road trip!

So we stopped and had a Bob’s Big Boy combo and a photo.

Last week it stormed in Las Vegas and dropped quite a lot of rain.  This was still evident in what appeared to be a lake a Stateline!

Carissa and Niccolo have a wonderful view of the strip from their living room.  That is the Las Vegas Strip in the distance (even more beautiful at night, but much harder to photograph for me).

Well, we had a great time.  We ate, walked, swam and even ate some frozen pop corn.  This is crazy!!!  This place in called Popped.  They freeze the pop corn and cover it with liquid nitrogen and then when you eat it you produce what looks like smoke.  Crazy, check out the video (it is short).

Fun Stuff!

We had a stop at the Harley-Davidson dealer (I think it is an even exchange…  Harley Shop for Quilt Store)!

Now for the quilt goodies!  Quiltique is in Henderson and quite a find!

The sign outside is unique (I think that is important for a store, to have a unique name and logo).

As you enter the store this cute display is to your right.

The store has colorful walls.  The walls accent the fabrics and quilts inn the store.  I think it all works really well.

So much eye candy.

The store is large enough for some wonderful displays.

They are a Bernina dealer and have a great sewing machine area.

So much fun stuff.  This wall had dyed wool and buttons and other goodies.

The classroom is amazing as well as the quilts throughout the entire store.

Here is the front counter.  At this point I was ready to have my fabrics cut and to check out.  The lady that helped my was sweet.  I truly enjoyed my time in Quiltique.  I will make it a point to visit this store again when I visit Carissa in the future.

Here are my goodies!  I am a lover of Batiks and I do not have these (until now).

There is a furniture store in the same complex as the quilt store.  Carissa sat down in this chair and felt like a little girl.  She makes my laugh!  Isn’t she cute?

Well, I am home safe and sound.  Lindsay (my other cutie pie) and Austin made dinner for the four of us and cleaned it up (scored)!  Now I am sitting on my couch with my laptop, blogging.  I think it is time get out my applique and enjoy the evening till bedtime.

Hope you had as wonderful a weekend as I did,

Blog at you later,

Tiffany

OMG I love my Nifty Notions Rulers!

Ok, so am a self taught quilter from way, way back!  I never really was worried about my points.  But then…..

I started designing… and started to have my quilts published… and well perfect points became more important in my life.  So, check out these points.  Still not perfect, but pretty darn close!       

It is amazing when you have a great teacher to share the important techniques.  Even better when that person is your friend!  Of whom do I speak?  Well, Dawna Harrison, of course!  I have never seen a quilter who is more accurate that Dawna.  I always learn from her.

I am not a gadget girl!  I do not need to collect every cool thing that comes along.  I have to be shown how a tool works and I have to really be impressed to buy that tool.  Well, here are some rulers that I had to have.  I use them constantly.  They help me to create the best quilt projects.  I do not endorse nor get paid for sharing, I just share cuz I care.

I hope to create a short video in the future to show you why I think these rulers are so wonderful.  Until then, if you are near Bolts in the Bathtub and I am in the store, I would love to show you personally.  So come on by.

Gotta get back to my project, so…

Blog at you later,

Tiffany

Design Board Monday

Well, there it is!!  My design wall!  It is just a bit different that the last time I shared, but indeed it is different.  On the left are the applique blocks that I am slowly turning out.  I love them, but have made a decision that I should only be producing my own designs (we will see how well that works, seeing's as how when I see something new and fun I just have to do it!)

This is the quilt in the center of the wall.  It is my design and it is called MOD QUAD – CHRISTMAS.  First off, can you believe that it is time to work on Christmas?  Where has the time gone?

This is the second version on this pattern.  The first one was just called MOD QUAD.

Both the patterns are for the same set of quilts, they are just shown in different color ways (one small exception being the border, in the Christmas version the border matches the red fabric).

I had a post earlier about the making of the MOD QUAD quilt in the pink and grey.  Click here to see that post.

Anyway, both patterns are available on my website, which you can get to by clicking on the picture of the quilt.  They are also available on my ETSY store which you can get to by clicking on the heart below.

My patterns are also available at Bolts in the Bathtub.  Most of the time you can find them online, but if not just give the store a call and one can be shipped out to you. 

Now for a another fun share:

I was visiting my Mom and Grandma this past weekend.  Grandma surprised me with 2 great gifts!  First she had me unload all the pins from her pincushion (this is the only pincushion I remember her using for ever and ever).  After all the pins were moved to a new pincushion, she presented me with the empty one!  I will treasure this gift forever, who wouldn’t want to have their Grandma’s pin cushion?  I am one luck girl!!

Next, she had Scott get down a Featherweight sewing machine from the upper shelf, and guess what?  She gifted that to me as well!!!

I need to do a little research.  It looks to be in very good condition, but I need a foot pedal for it and maybe a case.

I am feeling like a very lucky girl!

Looks like I better get busy though if there will be more to share from the design board next week.

So, blog at you later,

Tiffany

On Newsstands today!

      

I have a pattern in the newest edition of Easy Quilts magazine.  This is a fun quilt full of animals and burlap looking fabrics.  The fabrics are from Exclusively Quilters.

The magazine is on store shelves today!  Top Stitch Quilters did a great job on the quilting as well!!      Well, back to cleaning house (yuck)!  Maybe I can quilt a bit later.

Blog at you later,

Tiffany

On the Wall Monday

The blank design wall has morphed into a design wall with projects in progress!Like always I have many things going on at once.  I simply don’t understand the quilters who can work one project at a time.  If that works for them, that is great.  No way I can do only six projects at once!

Today I want to talk a little bit about the block that is top and center on my design wall.  This is the beginning of a Block of the Month Applique project that I am leading at Bolts in the Bathtub.

It is a wonderful applique quilt called Flower Box Medley by QP Designs.  I really am enjoying the creations by Colette Belt of Quilters Paradise in Clovis, Ca.

Now about the things I am learning and the things I know:

Do you pin?  I do!  I didn’t used to, but when I began to strive for better end result I had to do a self evaluation.  So here are some things that I do now…I pin!  Not always, but pretty much.  Sure does make my blocks and quilts flatter!  If you are a quilter, you need to know…  flatter is better!

Are you a careful presser?  Do you press?  Or do you iron?  I press (now)! Ironing is for clothes and can distort your block. Did you know that?I also decided after making the first block in this quilt (which I will not be ripping out or remaking) that I should press it differently. I definitely use Best Press! I love it!!

Can you see the pressing seams in the first block I made?I do not like hoe I can see the shadow of the pressed seam.

For the second block I pressed the seams to the dark little brown border.See the difference from the front?Here is the back.  I like this so much better.  Just a little attention to detail and I am a happier girl!Now to mark the block to get it ready for applique.  I use a Frixion pen.  The ink disappears with the heat of the iron.  Pretty cool!!I use a light box and trace my design directly on my quilt block.I also draw the applique pieces.  When the Frixion pen is just to dark, I use my Clover White Marking Pen.  If you have this pen, it it heat sensitive as well and the ink disappears when you place the iron over it.  the thing with this pen is…  when you draw with it, it needs a few seconds for the white to show up.  At first you may think the pen is out of ink, but give it a few seconds and you will see the results you need.Now my pieces are drawn and I am ready to sit down some television with my hubby tonight and applique away!!I do want to share that these pens, as well as other quilting tools are available at most Quilt Stores.  With that being said I will now climb up on my soap box a share a few thought…

Please support your local Quilt Stores!!!!  I know you can frequently get your tools at a lower price in larger stores or online.  Do you realize that your little store needs all the support you can give them?  If you support the Quilt Store, they may be able to stay in business.  If you go elsewhere they will go away!  Have you noticed how many Quilt Stores have gone out of business?  They need your support.  I understand that they all carry different selections and if you need something they so not have you will go out and find it somewhere else.  All I am asking is that you support the little guys whenever possible.

Thanks,  I am now getting down from my soap box, hopefully it won’t come out too often.

I will linking to Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.

Blog at you later,

Tiffany

Applique & Adventures!

I have started a new applique project.  I know, surprise, surprise!  I can’t help myself, I see something I like and there I go starting another quilt!

So, I got the first block done, pressed it and put it up to admire!  Well, there is the problem.  I was having a hard time admiring it!  Why, you ask?  Well, look at that embroidery.  That is the problem… the embroidery.  I used a medium green floss trying to get it to show up, and that’s just it, it doesn’t show up.  I have these funny blue things floating out in mid air.I think I will pull out the embroidery stitches and replace them with the variegated green above.  I hope that work out better for both the quilt and myself.

This is the quit I am working on:

We will be using it for the monthly Applique Workshop at the beginning of each month at Bolts in the Bathtub.  If you are interested in joining in just contact the shop.  You can work on this project with me or work on your own project.

Here are some blocks from Sandy, she is working on another project, but I love this one too!

This is the finished quilt.  Both of the quilts above are from Quilters Paradise in Clovis, Ca.

Now on the the adventure…Saturday morning (much earlier that Scott and I usually awake on a Saturday) we got up and packed and ventured to Fox Field to meet up with Jeff & Paula Murphy.

Our daughter, Lindsay, is dating their son, Austin, and they invited us for a weekend in Lake Havasu.     We accepted the invitation and this is how the weekend went.

First, they took us for a flight in their airplane.

We had never traveled in a plane this small before and had a wonderful flight (except for that little dip Jeff did while descending for the landing).  Scott thought it was great, but I white knuckled it a bit.  I survived, so all is well!

Here is a view of the Lake as we arrived in Havasu.

Next, was a two day adventure on their new boat!  What a blast!

Here are our gracious hosts:  Jeff & Paula.

There were 4 coupes gathered for this adventure.        Next we have Henry & Robin.

Then there was Bruce & Heather (this is a pic from earlier in the morning) they flew from Lancaster to Havasu in another small plane.

And here we are…

We didn’t know anyone before the weekend, but went anyway.  We are so glad we did.  Other than the sunburns (which by the way we did use sunscreen, but just not enough and obviously missed a few spots, ouch!) it was an awesome trip!  So good in fact, that we are planning to do it again in September!!!

While we were in Havasu, there was quite a storm.  It poured and there was crazy thunder and lightening during the night.  When flying out yesterday afternoon you could really see how bad the storm turned up the mud in the river:

We also had some turbulence on the way home because of more weather. These are the storm clouds that were over Las Vegas.

We made it home safe and sound.  Took our showers and went out to dinner with Lindsay and Austin.

What a great weekend!

We have such a great life, full of fun and adventure mixed in with a bunch of hard work, so much to share, so…

Blog at you later,

Tiffany

Celestial Mysteries

A new Block of the Month (BOM)!

I have worked hard on this BOM.  I hope you join in and make your own version of this quilt!  I have put the first 2 blocks on my website for sale.  They are only $6.00 per block and with each block you get a pattern for a Bonus Quilt made with that block!

Here is an EQ7 version of the quilt:

You can join me on flickr.  Click on the logo below to take you to the Celestial Mysteries group.

 

I will be teaching a BOM workshop for this quilt at Bolts in the Bathtub, watch for dates and class times.  Click on the Tub below to visit their website.

Here is Block 1:

and here is the Bonus Quilt that you can make from Block 1:

Here is Block 2:

and here is the Bonus Quilt that you can make from Block 2:

I will be sharing the other Blocks and Quilts as I get them on my website!  As for now, this is just a taster.  Please join me on this Celestial journey and make and share your own blocks and ultimately, your quilt!!

Blog at you later,

Tiffany