Gaggles are Giggling...

Hello Everyone,Yesterday marked the last day of my workshop in Arizona.  First, I must say what a wonderful group of ladies I had in the class!  I loved each and everyone of their stars and their geese.  Yesterday, we I had them working on their border geese and they are fantastic!!I love this... it is going to be a two color quilt.  I just can't wait to see it finished.And Ooooo how I love the brights on the black, they just pop.This version was so different from the others and I love this one too.These geese are the four corners...

Did Someone Say Trunk Show??

Hello Everyone,Yesterday, I had a fun morning.  I spent the morning at 35th Avenue Sew and Vac. doing trunk show of all Judy Niemeyer that I made.  The class was full and it was a great group of ladies with wonderful questions.4th of July quiltSunflower Illusions quilt.Willow Bed Runner.Stepping Stones quiltWhich Way's North Quilt.Queen Size Feathered Star.Glacier Star Queen SizeTo see lots more photos, just click here. I will be teaching on Saturday on Sunday there so there will be lots more pics, so stay tuned!!

Arizona Cactus Quilt Top Is Done

Hello Everyone,As you know tomorrow, I will heading to Arizona to do a trunk show and to teach.  But I wanted to get one more quilt top done to be in the trunk show.I had started working on this the last day that I was in Montana, actually had most of it done.  I just needed to get the quarter circles completed and then join the curved seams.I worked on it more at Finish It Up Friday in my classroom studio this past Friday.  So yesterday, I spent the day piecing the curves and then joining the blocks.I am really...

The Quilting Has Commenced

Hello Everyone,I love the feeling that I am approaching the completion of a quilt, don't you?  After being away for over a week, I am now quilting my Willow Bed Runner and it feels good.It is on the long arm... I am quilting it with Superior's Magnifico thread.  I am really loving this thread.  It comes in many different colors too.Have any of you tried this thread?  Do you like it?  Which is your favorite color?Tomorrow, I will work on this quilt more and hopefully finish the quilting and prepare the binding.  When I am done, I will update you with...

That Extra Day....

Hello Everyone,The retreat officially ended yesterday, but there were a few stragglers that are staying until today!  That would include me, my buddy Ginny, and my new Canadian friends Roger and Ardelle Kerr.So yesterday, we did a little bit of several things....Ardelle had stayed up late on Saturday night to finish her Mariner's Compass Quilt.  Like her husband Roger's Feathered Star, she used a combination of silks and cottons.  I love the colors that she chose too.  Totally something I wouldn't have picked, but I am in LOVE with it!!  Gorgeous!Here is a close up of the center.  You can...

Day 6... The Finish....

Hello Everyone,Yesterday was the "Official" last day of the Certified Shop retreat!  A great time was had by all and we all made some new friends and had fun with old friends too. Even though it was the "Official" last day we are still here for another day and a half and there is going to be some more sewing going on... Yippee!!For now, I want to share some of the events of yesterday...First, I am just ECSTATIC!!! I finished my Queen Size Feathered Star and I just couldn't be more pleased.  I adore this quilt and would make it all...

Day 5...

Hello Everyone,Yesterday was a very productive day and another gorgeous day in Montana.  I swear that Judy ordered this weather up for all of her Certified Shops. Thank you!  I took TONS of photos yesterday and added them to the album here, but had a difficult time choosing which ones to put in this blog post.  So here are the ones I chose.Ardelle and Roger Kerr gave us all a fantastic quilt show over the balcony of the house.  This Cactus Rose quilt that Ardelle made just blows me away.  I LOVE it!!  Judy did many demos and talks today....

Retreat Day 1

Hello Everyone,Just a quick post to show you a little of what happened on our first day at the Certified Shop Retreat!My friend Ginny working on her Wedding Ring Quilt.Meeting new friends and a little show and tell of their Crackers quilt.Catching up with old friends on this gorgeous day.The beginnings of my queen size Feathered Star.Some more progress.An absolutely stunning trunk show with Judy!Where I ended for the day.  The "S" curve spikey borders are actually Roger's, but we thought they looked nice with my quilt too!The perfect end to a perfect day... Full Moon over Flathead Lake.Stay tuned...

On My Way to Being Certifiable...

Hello Everyone,As you read this I am either getting on a plane or am on my way to Montana!!  You ask, why Montana,   well I will tell you...As you know I am a Judy Niemeyer Certified Instructor and travel nationally to teach her method and technique of paper piecing.  Check it out by clicking here.  As part of that, I teach two very gorgeous Techniques of the Month (TOM).Now I am on my way to Montana to become one of her Certified Shops!!! Yay!What does that mean for you?  You will be able to purchase lots more Judy Niemeyer...

They Are Coming Along....

Hello Everyone,Yesterday was the second to the last class of the Glacier Star with my private group in CT.  They are all coming along very nicely, but as you will see one of my student's, Vivian, is clearly an over achiever! But honestly, she is ahead because she may not make it to the last session.  So let's see what happened yesterday....Vivian's is looking beautiful!Vivian also brought along some blocks for show and tell.  She is doing some thread play.  Aren't they gorgeous!Linda completed a lone star unit!Katie had enough sewing for one day!Vivian's quilt... WOW... Simply gorgeous!!If you would like...

The Last Class

Hello Everyone,Saturday was the last class for the Spring Session of the Mariner's Compass Technique of the Month (TOM) and I would like to share with you a few photos.Michelle travelled from NJ to take this class with me and this is her gorgeous version!  Noreen and Nancy working to construct the units together.This is Noreen's version.  She chose to do the Queen Size and worked on those pieces at home.  I love that she did the borders in black and white fabrics.Here is a look at what the studio looked like that day.Shirley's version.  She is almost done... she was...

Willow Bed Runner Top Is Done

Hello Everyone,You know how you plug along at a project little by little and then before you know it your are done?  That is exactly what I did!!  A few units per day and then VOILA... I had nothing left of the Willow Bed Runner, the top is complete!I love the results!  The batiks that I used are just like I like them bright and bold.  These are not yet available, but I will have them in the online shop in August,  as well as this entire kit!  Don't you love the way it zigs and zags?  The pattern is...

More Is More...

Hello Everyone,Lots of paper piecing has been going on for the past few days and I have gotten MORE done on the Willow Bed Runner.  MORE of the middle units, MORE of the colored batik units, and MORE laying out for the final design.Here is a close up.  I really do like how I am progressing with this quilt.  The colors are totally working for me.  I tried different layouts and I think I like this one the best.  Here are two more photos...This is a better photos of the full units/blocks.Here is the whole layout.  I still have some...

I Had to Do It...

Hello Everyone,Have you ever been working on a project and working on the same block or unit, but wanted to make one of the other blocks or units in the design just to see how it would look??I feel that way all the time, don't you?Anyway, the past few days I have been working on the Willow Bed Runner and loving the results, but I really wanted to see another unit to get an idea of what it will look like.  So I had to make them!!!Here they are... These units are the middle of the "blocks".  I used a...

Progress Made

Hello Everyone,Yesterday, I was able to take advantage of another sewing day!!! Yippee!  I made progress on my units for the Willow Bed Runner.  After making 8 more units, I have 24 more to go then onto the middle units.I am really liking the zig zag effect that this will have.  The black space is where the middle units will end up.  Here is what I have so far, NOT the final layout so stay tuned.  This quilt is going to change... a lot!!The nice thing about this pattern is that it uses 2.5 inch strips!  So if you have...

Starting Another....

Hello Everyone,Yesterday, I was in Heaven!! I was starting another project.  Don't you love it when you are starting something anew?  There is the excitement of the fabric, cutting it up and then watching it transform into a new quilt.  I LOVE everything about the process!  How about you?I began by sorting out my batiks and pairing them lights with darks.  I've got them all paired and they are ready to go!  A little paper piecing is in order, as you know it is my favorite way to piece.  I am making the Willow Bed Runner by Judy Niemeyer, using...

Another Class Has Graduated!!

Hello Everyone,On Wednesday, I taught the last session of the Glacier Star Technique of the Month to the Wiltwyck Quilter's Guild in Kingston, NY.  These ladies did a fantastic job!!Look who visited the classroom to see the finished quilts...The Muppets!  They were soooo impressed with all their work too.  They loved all the color combos that these ladies came up with... unbelievable!Now let's check them out...Mary was able to get half of her gorgeous blue quilt done before she had to leave early.  Lovely!Shirley and Peggy with their halves.  T with her glorious color filled half!Sharon walked out with almost...

Fabulous Combos

Hello Everyone,I have been sort of off the grid the past two days, I have been on the road in New York teaching!  On Tuesday, I taught at the Warwick Valley Quilt Guild.  A fabulous group of quilters they are for sure!  I was teaching Indian Summer and these ladies came up with some great combinations...I love this scrappy rainbow of quilt blocks.Jewel tones are just gorgeous!I am in love with these batiks.A little show and tell.Happy Quilters!This one reminds me of the beach.  I had a terrific time and hope that all there did as well.If you would like...

Awesome Work

Hello Everyone,Yesterday was my last session of teaching the Glacier Star at Country Treasures in Chester, Vermont.  These ladies are not only talented, funny, gracious and friendly, but some of my favorite people.  I have known about half of them for some years and the other half have become new friends.Anyway, they did completely AWESOME work!! Each and everyone of their quilts where unique.  LOVE THEM ALL!Here is the happy group showing off their quilts!!  Well done ladies!!Sue was the over achiever and completed the Queen version.  She was truly the queen!!Christy continued to plug away and got hers all...

Mariner's Compass

Hello Everyone,Yesterday, I taught the 5th session of the Mariner's compass class at my studio.  It was a great day.  We even had a little show and tell too!Michelle, one of my students, brought in several quilts to share.  This one was spectacular!It is a quilt that she made from a book from the Quilt Mavens. Gorgeous right?Here is Michelle's Mariner's Compass on the design wall.  It is coming along.  I love her black and white ropes.Noreen has a wedge made!Here is hers on the wall.Mine is almost a QUEEN!  I just have one more queen border unit and then...