Where are my manners . . .

I totally forgot to tell you who I am?
I am mama to 2 boys who have flown the nest - luckily not too far away. I am a pink slipped trailing spouse who has had the pleasure of quilting all the way around the world. Always in search of quilters, fabrics and everything in between.
I learned to quilt in Brussels of all places by the amazing Dawn Cameron Dick. And thus the addiction began. To find local fabrics, local quilt shops and of course quilters! I went through several countries without success. Have no fear though, home leave always supplied trips to the quilt shops up and down the east coast - yielding all kinds of treasures. Needless to say I always hit my weight allowance upon returning home - fabric is heavy!!
And then I hit Malaysia where it just exploded! Fabric and friends! Woo hoo! I joined the MANZA quilt group and never looked back. From there it was on to IWP quilters and then my last stop never quite got around to joining or even starting a group but hey ho - can't always do it all. But of course I still quilted.
And now I am home back in the US of A. It has been a 20+ something ride so far and I am always amazed at how far this quilty world has come - cannot wait to see what is next?! After all, as I learned way back in Brussels - all the world is a quilt block - just a matter of how you look at it. And it always looks better in fabric!

Thanks Judy!

Big props to Judy Irish again for her Machine Quilting Class! Of course I rushed home and quilted this little quilt 10 days later - was my plan to quilt it the next day - keeping up with that whole concept of practicing every day - oops!
But it is now just ready for binding which is already cut and waiting to get put on - it could be days till that get's done so thought I would throw it up now.
Now of course this was a UFO from my Portugal days - that would be 2 countries ago but who is keeping track? I paper pieced this little baby while I waited to pick up my babies from school (they were at least 12 and 9 then). Got it sandwiched and ready to quilt and then put it away - I had not gotten my Aurora baby yet and just was not sure how to finish it. And so it sat and got moved, twice. And then I met Judy . . . done!!

Oh and no BSR! So proud!

Good, not great but again not bad!

I am sure there are more tops around here to practice on!

Quilt Class!

Saturday saw me trudging into NYC to go to City Quilter for a Machine Quilting Class with Judy Irish!
What a fantastic class!
I got off on a great start being 90 minutes late to class (the train was way late - problems on the tracks - oh and I left early). Sorry again for that -
What an amazing quilter and teacher - the rest of the morning flew by followed just as quickly by the afternoon. Suddenly it was 5pm and time to pack up my toys. Not to mention settle up for my new toys.
We quilted our sandwiches all afternoon. We were all very talented by the end of class.
Here are my efforts for the day - kinda a When Judy Met Jenny combo of styles - but I was thrilled with my stitches - and for the record - no BSR. Yes I will practice more without that wonderful foot!

Love my carp!!

Miss Connecticut 2014

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to Jennifer Paganelli of Sis Boom!
She let me play almost first with her Beauty Queen fabrics.
I created Miss CT - designed it, sewed it, quilted it, wrote it and now it is being sold as a kit!
My excitement level is off the charts!
It is being sold at Christie's Quilting Boutique in Norwalk, CT.
Christie, Karina and I had a long night cutting the bolts as they arrived to put the kits together - long but really fun!

Woo Hoo!

Let me repeat - Woo Hoo!
What a 24 hours!
Beauty Queen fabric line by Sis Boom's Jennifer Paganelli has just arrived in stores. Or more specifically my local quilt shop - Christie's Quilting Boutique!!


And of course there is more to this story -

Road Trip!

Friday saw a Field Trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston!
What could be better than that!

My partner in crime and I headed to see their Quilts and Color Exhibit. Fantastic! An amazing collection of older quilts from the Pilgrim / Roy Collection. We even got the privilege of hearing the curator Gerald Roy speak about the collection - a huge unexpected treat!

If you are in the Boston area, or up for a Road Trip - go, enjoy!

P.S. The quilt snippet in the photo was my favorite!