We're Baaaaack!

Our apologies for missing a post in March!  Time just got away from us, and we didn't get a chance to make a post.  However, we're back at it, and have some great photos to share this month!

The last few days, our local guild, Lakeview Quilters Guild, had it's annual spring retreat in Galveston, Texas.  We were lucky to have absolutely beautiful weather for the most part, to go along with the fabulous comradery and sharing of works of art between all of the women.  It was quite an inspiring time!

Now, to share some of the fabulous work that we were able to see during the retreat...

Becky Stephenson finished the top on a square-in-square quilt that she made as part of an exchange with some other women in the guild.  She ended up enlarging hers so that it would be rectangular, instead of square, and had to make several hundred more of the small blocks.  I think it turned out just gorgeous.

Patty Dillon was working on the same quilt in a smaller version, although not as part of the exchange.  She finished it and got it quilted and bound at the retreat.  I love the curves of the quilting, matched with the geometry of the blocks.

Patty was also working on the Sleeping Beauty pattern by Sue Garman, from the kit that is filled with Christmas fabrics.  So many points on those spines!

Several women were working on a block-of-the-month quilt called Sangria, and were at various stages of completion.  Jan DeAlmedia, Jean Whittle, and Nancy Fervada created the works in the photos above.  I really like how bold the batik fabrics make the blocks look, and how nicely framed the center block is with that black fabric.

Mary Jo Thompson was busy at work on several projects.  She was putting together some blocks of sawtooth stars and carpenter's wheels, both of which I think are beautiful blocks, and aren't overly difficult to make.  She also finished two tops for these super cute airplane quilts for her grandchildren.  So cute and colorful!

The color in these two applique quilts really caught my attention.  They're so bright and colorful!  Katy Farmer did a really nice job picking colors and patterns that work well together.

This simple owl quilt is so cute!  Rhonda Stockton finished the top at the retreat.  She even had an owl trash can that she brought with her!

Lecia Majewski worked on a Swoon quilt pattern.  You can see in the photo where she was auditioning a turquoise fabric for the sashing.  I think it's the perfect choice of color!

For all you Trekkies out there, Ann Miley found a Star Trek fabric and put together a top for a quilt she is making for a friend.  So cute!

Not everyone works on quilts alone.  Connie Brose finished a nice bag, and also finished a churn dash block quilt, using blocks that she'd gotten in an exchange from 2006.  Way to finish that UFO!

Another non-quilt project is this diaper bag that Becky McNabb was working on for a friend.  It's very cute, but I think I'll stick to quilts myself!

Jana Albritton finished this top of a t-shirt quilt that she is making for a friend's daughter.  The t-shirts are all stabilized to make them easier to work with, which also makes the quilt pretty heavy.  I think she'll love it!

Talk about bright and beautiful!  Cindy Gravely put together this quilt top using Kaffe Fassett fabrics that she got in an exchange.  I love the geometry and brightness of the finished product.

Carolyn Hooks finished a top for a nurse friend, using a Loralie Designs panel fabric.  The sayings on some of the blocks made me giggle!

Vicki Stipe had several projects going that I got to see.  The top photo is a pattern by an Australian designer, in which she has used some really unique colors and patterns that work really well together.  It makes me think of candy lollipops!  The second picture is a lone star block that she finished, with several more to go.  The last photos are of a hand pieced hexagon quilt that she is putting together.  Instead of English paper piecing, Vicki used stamps to see where to cut and sew each piece.  So clever!

Kris Bryson got all of the pieces cut out and basted to work on this beautiful applique quilt.  I really like the soft colors in the blocks.  And, as big as it was on the wall, she had shrunk the pattern down to 3/4 of its original size.  Wow!

Being from Texas, I always fall in love with boot quilts.  Bobbi Anastasio had all of these up on the wall to play around with.  Notice how they are all in pairs (the fabric for the foot and neck of the boot are reversed in the next block), and how two of the boots are reversed in direction.  These will make a really fun quilt when it's complete!

Sharon Meyer continued work on the medallion quilt above (which I think Mom has posted on this blog previously).  She was working hard at putting together more of the log cabin style triangles to put on the next border.  So gorgeous!

Last, but not least, Marsha Fuller brought this finished reversible quilt to share with everyone.  It has circles on one side and squares on the other, and is completely reversible!  She said that the quilt is quilted as you go, and doesn't have any batting, so it's a nice lightweight quilt that will do well in our hot Texas weather.  I'll definitely have to get more details from her on the technique she used to make this beauty!

We hope you enjoyed all of these beautiful inspirations from our guild.  And, I hope the coming month brings lots of beautiful sunshine, and maybe not so much April rains.  Happy quilting!!!