Paducah Quilt Week -- 5 -- mostly modern

A few more of the pictures I took last week. These are almost exclusively all winners. I tried to get both the title of the quilt and the ribbon(s) but I'm sure there are a few that I missed. Getting decent photos was especially difficult because of space limitations. 

The quilts were quite close together and were cordoned off so that we couldn't get directly in front of most of the quilts. I also try to be patient with other visitors and work around them.

These are all so beautiful! Are you a modern quilter? Do you mix modern and traditional or are you more of an improv quilter? 

Happy weekend!

Pin It Weekly #242

Happy Weekly!  Fighting a virus for several days takes the wind out of gal, so I haven't pinned this week. And I couldn't possibly muster up the energy to pick up the laptop, so I didn't pin last week. And, well you get the idea. It's been a few days.

Never the less, I have a few pins that you haven't seen. 

Have you been pinning lately? (I hope you've been better than I have.)

Paducah Quilt Week -- 3 -- some quilts!

I somehow found the time to work on some of the pictures that I took at Quilt Week in Paducah. What beautiful quilts they are! Which one would you choose as a favorite? 

 Impossible, right? Well, wait till you see the others!

Paducah Quilt Week -- 2 -- plus a giveaway game

Good grief! This stomach virus is a miserable, miserable way to spend three days. I thought the first round was bad, but nothing about that compares to this. I recommend that you do your best to avoid getting it. Especially the second time.

Anyway, I've recovered somewhat. Well, enough to walk out to the studio to prepare my Cotton Robin block for the mail. It should have gone out last week while I was in Paducah. (That didn't happen.) Then the virus, which Richard was fighting when I returned, found my system. Again. 

I don't know today's date, but I'm certain that I'm a week late getting the first block out--not a good way to begin. One indication would be the fact that the block for the next round was already sitting on the worktable. I was a good Robineer and did not open the second until the first was packaged, addressed, and sealed. 

The pictures that I'm posting tonight are from a quaint little moonshine brewery. It's a fun little place that Beth and I happened upon. A small group of quilters were rocking on the front stoop and told us that the bar was giving free taste-testings. We decided to drop in. 

I tried the peach flavor and Beth the chocolate. The peach was delicious, but then I heard about the pecan. Shoot! Oh well. When Beth decided that she wasn't crazy about her cup, I gave it a go. Yum! It was difficult to walk out without a bottle of the good stuff. Other pictures are from antique shops, a hotel, and a flea market. Beth is an antique hound! She stepped into every antiquey place she could find. It's fun to dip into places on a whim. 

The bottom left picture in the collage is of an apple masher. I'd never seen one before, so I had to take pictures to show Richard. A little part of me wanted to bring it home, but that was silly because there was no space for such a large piece.

Front view (the side from which you'd be working)

Edge view (looking at
the machine components)

Instead I had to settle for this little item which attaches to a table using a C-clamp. Rich and I tested it and it works! Do you know what it is? Here's a hint: it's a sewing item but doesn't sew. 

Let's play a game! The first one to answer or guess correctly (post your answer in the comments) will get a couple of fat quarters from the small stash that I purchased in Paducah. I hate doing this but I'll have to limit mailing to USA only. Postage is crazy expensive.  

I haven't shown you the things that I bought yet, so I suppose it's time for a reveal. Come back soon to see the yummy colors! 

Gone in a Seam ~~ Finally Finished

I very rarely leave a project in the middle of some step. I like stopping points. But I was working on this Crown Royal quilt top and had to leave it "à portée de main," or in Louisiana French, "à main," as is.

Correctly translated "porté à la main" means literally carried by hand.

But who in Louisiana ever says something in French and means it literally?

Eventually the longer phrase was shortened to "à main" which, when translated literally is the hand, but means to pick up and go. Without plans. As I'm dressed. Without anything I might need later. To just go! We Louisianans love our French and it's those little phrases that our parents and grandparents used in their common speech that we've held onto the most. Even those of us who don't speak French (of any kind) know at least a few of these phrases.

So I would say, for example, I left my quilt "à main" (without getting to a good stopping point) and I could mean any number of ways to have left my quilt. In this particular case, I left with the quilt still on the machine, the needle in the down position in the fabric, and praying that nothing came along and jerked on the quilt top. I don't remember the reason or the rush, but it must have been somewhat important. Otherwise this state of affairs just wouldn't happen. I didn't return that night. (No way!)

The following day I was sick with a virus. Too sick to go to the studio or remember how that quilt top was hanging on (off?) the machine. I recovered just in time three days later to get on a bus to Slidell. That led into Sunday and Catherine's First Holy Communion. Then on Monday I left for Paducah. In all this time--surely well over a week--the quilt top and machine have been patiently waiting "à main" for my return.

And here we are. I've finished the seam, added another strip of yellow to the other side and moved the top to the design wall. Where it will stay until I can load it onto the long-arm. Hopefully that will be tomorrow, but my virus has been through the entire Marcotte Lot and there are still people unable to drag themselves out of bed. Talk about looking "à main" and rough!

Would you like it? The virus, I mean. It will be shipped to you "à main" tonight. No waiting, no getting all dressed up.

Link Ups!

Crazy Mom Quilts (Finish It Up Friday)

Busy Hands Quilts (Finished or Not Friday)
Confessions of a Fabric Addict (Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!)