River Rat TOGA blocks come home

Several weeks ago as you might remember I commented on the blocks I was making for the River Rat TOGA (TreadleOn Gathering and Academy) that was being held mid September in Minnesota. Even though I was not able to attend this huge TOGA (I believe it might be one of the larger attended events) I was going to be allowed to participate in the block exchange since I try to "gather" with the River Rats when I am in residence in Minnesota during the summer.

Some folks make their blocks ahead of time,then bring them to the TOGA while others take the opportunity to gather with fellow attendees for a sew-in while others are taking classes or going on shop tours...or they gather at night at the motel for a late night sewing bee. Which ever it is they have a blast...

The photo is of the blocks that were returned to me..... the blocks this year were makers choice, so we could do anything we wanted with in the size requirements. Only a few folks took the opportunity to participate so I think that I'll join these blocks with some already collected... maybe this quilt top will be one that I work on during the up coming Winter Olympic Games Challenge, now that is another story.K

East Cobb Quilt Show treadling

Good morning Y'all
Now that the East Cobb Quilt Guild show is a distant glow of short term memory I thought that I'd share the photos that friend Sonja took of me in action. Sonja and her mother slowly cruised through the quilt show on Friday while the beginnings of the "500 year flood" were settling in. Sonja is an admitted self proclaimed fiber-a-holic, which usually takes the form of fibers for knitting but she can churn out the cutest bags and other items from fabric as well. Don't let her fool you, she knows how to use a machine isn't afraid to push the peddle :) .

While stopping by the guild's demonstration booth she did me the honor of taking the three photos. So please enjoy them.... the subject matter might not be as fresh and interesting as it could be if some sweet young thing were treadling but she did the best with what I gave her.

Check out Sonja's blog for some posts on her favorite quilts at the show.

Even though the show was during the flood it had the largest attendance of any of the past shows...amazing. k

Halloween Wall Hanging

Next month the International Sewing Machine Collectors Society (ISMACS) is having their yearly convention in Charlotte NC. Part of the festivities of this gathering is a Halloween wall hanging competition. Of course, this procrastinate wanted to enter a quilt. I knew the design I wanted to use, Dancing Stars. I'd use the pattern but shrunk it down so that the blocks were about half the size of those in the pattern. After months of collecting black and white fabrics and orange for the highlight stars I was ready to begin the project. After working on it for about a week when it came time to mail it I couldn't find the camera to take a picture.... so when nothing else would do I did a photo shoot of the scraps... now you'll have to wait till the return of the quilt so see the Dancing Stars...k

River Rat TOBE

Even though I won't get to attend the River Rat TOGA in MN later this September they welcomed my participating in the block exchange... this exchange was of 6.5 inch blocks with the design being the makers choice... I don't know if this block has a name but I recently drew it out on graph paper. The gold flower fabric was purchased on the Spring Mountain Shop Hop this year. I'd bought enough to share with the Loving Hands Quilt Group; matter of fact, I believe I challenged them to use it in a project of their choice. I like my block...

I liked the look so much I worked up the rest of the fabric inserting a green in the bottom section in place of the signature muslin... I really like this one but since I only have 14 of them......... what to do with them????? Any ideas???? K

Quilt Show

The East Cobb Quilt Guild (of Georgia) has a quilt show every other year... well, this is the year... I must admit that the guild does a wonderful job of not only bringing the best out in us but providing fantastic shopping opportunities... Members of the guild will be demonstrating quilting techniques and styles in our guild area. For the second year I'll be there the majority of the time; this year I'll have a HC machine and one of my treadles. I was toying with what treadle to take but after having to change the bobbin frequently on my shuttle machine while piecing a quilt I decided that I'd opt for my White Rotary or my new James Bond due to the higher capacity bobbins... If I'll be sewing for hours a day I'd like to just pop in a full bobbin and sew for miles...

Here is the ad for the show plus pictures of my possible machines, I think that my HC will be German made badged model...

cat quilt

Yes, another Disappearing 9 Patch has come out of the treadle... James Bond to be exact.... such a smooth silent stitcher :)

I think that this will be one of the quilts for the twin babies of Cumming :)