Sisters Quilt Show Years

I unearthed some photos of the Sister's Quilt Show, many, many years ago when it was still relatively on the small side before the crowds overtook and it became almost unbearable to attend.  Notice the older location of the store!  Certainly not the first location because that was practically a tiny hole in the wall.  But boy how it's grown in size and notoriety! 

One of my entries for the block contest and I happened to win the top too!

 

That's me in the HUGE bug-eye sunglasses, dressed very appropriately in my stylish quilt show t-shirt!

View of all the entries that year.  Opps, sorry no quilt top photo.  When I find it - I'll post it.  I think I still have the top.  I may have ripped off the binding fabric (I remember thinking about it) because in my opinion, well let's just say I didn't like it.  Never thought of actually finishing it either.  Those were the days when machine quilting was talked about out behind the barn and with a whisper so no one else would know you were one of those kinds of girls!

 

This was another of my block entries one year.

Yikes, it that the same t-shirt?  Must not of been able to afford a new one that year.

You can see there were many more entries than the previous year.

I think this is a photo I received of the winning top, that I didn't win.  Someone must have snitched on me that I didn't do the last one justice, that in fact I down right may have ripped it apart.  Oh my!

Oh, this little quilt was really a favorite of mine.  I've always loved little nine patch quilts.  Here it is hanging inside at the Sisters Show and I can't tell for sure, but I think that's some sort of judging sheet with a ribbon.  How nice.  I also think this was a class sample for Jessie's shop Quiltwork Patches, when I taught machine quilting there.  Boy, that was when I still lived in Springfield and drove up to Corvallis to teach.

OK - here's a workshop I took in Sisters from a woman and I can't think of her name right now.  I'll come back to this when I do.  She did fabulous quilts where she hand painted some of the fabric and made quilts around it and with it.  I absolutely loved her work.  Bought her book too!  It must be in all that stuff I still have stored.  This was what I worked on from a photo of my husband fishing in Alaska.  I recently came across this piece and have it around.  Has it progressed from this point in the photo you ask.  (I just took it out to look)  No, it's still at this point.  Is it something I think I'll finish someday. . . . well, yes.  I still have an interest in it and I know it will be a beautiful wall quilt someday.  Unless I die first.  But I think it would be perfect to hang in our new house, especially since we have that fishing theme going on!

New Directions

Our move from Marcola to Philomath happened around Dec. 1999.  The first photo is of me in my new "quilting room".  It's the first time I didn't have to sew off the dining room table and I didn't have to put my toys away after playing!!!

Another thing just crossed my mind, which I think I'll mention here.  Prior to moving from Marcola, Mike had been commuting to Corvallis for about 2 years.  So we were use to the area, had already changed Dr's because of insurance, knew the area for shopping, etc.  Not only that, Corvallis had a quilt shop.  Quiltwork Patches is where I found my 1st quilt shop teaching gig.  Jessie hired me on to teach machine quilting, and in the photo below you'll see one of my new (then) class samples that hung in the shop to advertise my class.  I loved that little quilt.  I wonder if I still have it around?  (since I drafted this post I've found it safe in storage)

I'll probably find a large number of things when I tackle the huge piles of plasic bins of stored fabric. . .  supplies, half finished projects and so forth,  in the next few weeks.  I'm sensing a renewed energy to go through things, sort, organize and eventually set up my new studio space in the new house once we decide to move in.  Now I'm just waiting for the wood floors and carpet to be installed.  Soon, very, very soon!

This quilt is all machine pieced, machine quilted, fused applique and has button embellishments!  This quilt was set to be made into a pattern and I think it's still worthy - I should put in on my list again!

This quilt was designed with a vision of my imaginary beach cottage, hanging above mantel of the painted white brick fireplace.  Fabrics were chosen based on the theme "sand and sea".  Machine pieced and machine quilted with a few seagull motifs, and real sea shells stitched onto the bottom border.  It remains in my private collection.  I still love this quilt.  Especially those aged antique blue reproduction fabrics.

One of the other cool items that I collect and have an embarrassing number of in my personal stash, is old flour sacks, feed sacks, and sugar sacks, and some misc. cotton sacks with graphics on them.  I pretty much stayed away from the florals, although a have a few of those as well.  I am always attracted to the graphic designs and the text for some reason.  One day I plan to photograph and catalog my entire collection.  One day!  Below on the left is a quilt that I designed for a friend around her favorite feed sack.  I've done a couple of these and called them "kitchen" quilts.  Karren, didn't I make this one for you???  Below on the right is the first one that I made for myself.  It's still in my private collection and as all the others, it's one of my favorites too.  The two photos below these quilts highlight the flour sack panel on the front (one of the keys to finding an approx. age to a sack is that, like this one, there's no zip code and the weight is 98lbs).

 

                    
This quilt was machine pieced and machine and hand quilted.  I chose to hand quilt the sack in the center of the quilt because it was one I really loved for it's graphics and it's aged color.  In the next photo of the back of the quilt, you can see another feed sack that all of the graphics, lettering, all except that red barn shape has dissapeared.  This type of sack often ended up being used as dishtowels or being made into aprons, or even clothing of the unmentionable type!

Here's a close up of one favorite graphic that has been replicated on many, many signs and other such memorabilia.  That pointing hand!  I love it.

The next quilt below was made as a dining room quilt for our Philomath house when we first moved in.  Somehow this quilt and myself ended up getting an interview and front page photo in the Benton Bulletin.

I think it also won a couple of ribbons, one at the Benton County Fair and one at the State Fair.

This quilt and the next quilt were both machine pieced and machine quilted.  The challenge with the one below was piecing all those little blocks and it really felt like quite the accomplishment when I'd finished that one!

The next quilt down also won some ribbons, but I can't for the life of me remember which one won what.  The joys of getting older I guess.

I think in these days I had little idea of what an "art quilt" might mean or maybe I hadn't even learned the term yet.  Probably I had admired some artistic types of quilts, but was so intimidated by my lack of artistic expression that there'd be no way that I'd ever dreamed I'd be doing and loving the stuff I drool over now.  No way.

The little quilts below measure about 12x12 or 14x14 - they're small and they were made for class samples at Jannilou's Quilt Shop in Philomath.  I had many happy years there teaching small quilt design, but mostly teaching free motion machine quilting!

Here are some happy little Christmas themed quilts.  I believe they were also class samples - - but on second thought they may have been made to sell.

Now this quilt. . . . I don't believe it's ever made it past this design board.  I think this was from a Roberta Horton Workshop at the Old Mill School but I may have to edit this once my memory comes back.

My, my - what a journey back in time this was for me.  I think this could take quiet awhile for me to journal all my past quilting memories and projects.  It's kinda like an archeological dig, unearthing little bits and pieces.  What a slow tedious process.

Kids In Stitches Sewing Classes

In 1990 I created "Kids in Stitches" and taught children's sewing and crafts out of my home. It was a great time and I loved encouraging and watching the girls sew their fun projects. I also loved sewing the class samples. Here are a few random photos of several of my students. I do hope I planted and sprouted a little seed, and that they have continued to sew and enjoy the process to this day. And I want to thank my friend Liz Deck who blazed the trail with her kids sewing classes in Eugene, OR. She freely shared her information and offered so much encouragement for me to develop my own "sewing school". Oh, I don't want to forget to mention that I only had one student sew her finger! That was a plus. A special thanks to the moms who trusted me with their precious children!

Look at those smiles! I still run into some of these kids or have their parents tell me how much they loved their sewing classes. Right now I'm in the process of trying to email these old photos to the parents that I can still get a hold of. And one young lady I recently ran into was expecting her first baby. Wow - they do grow up fast don't they! They're having children and I'm a grandma now - 4 x.

Early Works

Even before quilting, I sewed.  My earliest remembrances of sewing instruction are from taking Home Ec at Oakridge Jr High.  I also loved art classes, so making things was especially fun for me.  The photo below is of me hanging "hippie" clothing that I made under the name of "Son Rise Clothing", which I sold over the course of about 7 years at the Eugene Saturday Market and also at the Oregon Country Fair (my booth below).  That vest hanging to the left of my back (at the back of the booth), made out of black, rust and grey corduroy was one of my first original designs and it incorporated appliqué and Trapunto quilting.  I was so proud of that vest!

From early on I loved small quilts.  Each one machine pieced and machine quilted.

1987 a baby shower gift, I think this is one of a few hand appliqué pieces I've made.

Original design - stenciled, machine pieced and machine quilted.  Handwritten scripture under one house says:  Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord".  I made and sold many versions of this quilt.

1988 machine pieced and machine quilted. Made to sell. (see note below)

This was a quilt made by request for a special friend of mine. Afterwards I knew I'd never, never made this pattern again. Those bias edges wore me down!

Here's my special friend, Dee (on the right) with what was left of her daughters quilt that I had made years before. Now that is a well loved quilt!!!

The blue and white "snowball" pattern quilt was made by special request and as a trade for haircutting services.  Machine pieced & machine quilted.  It had such beautiful texture.  Should never have taken the photo with the quilt over the sofa!!!  What was I thinking?!

Here's a close up

One of my first classes that I taught at our church.  Photo is a student using the design board.  My class sample in progress, is to the left of the student.  Finished quilt is below.

This quilt was an original design, finished as a class sample and became my imaginary "beach cottage" quilt.  The neutral tan's represented the sand and landscaping, the blues represented the ocean and sky.  The bottom center panel had shells stiched on as embellishment.  Machine quilted.

1988  Below is a group of pillow tops that I would construct from old "cutter" quilts for College Hill Quilt Works in Eugene, OR.  One of the first and many contract sewing jobs that I would take on over the years.  There's that sofa again!

Samples and students at another class session at our church where I was teaching quilting.  See the quilt in the hoop. . . it's the one above (or like it) that I made to sell.  Actually looks like I may have hand quilted some or all of it.

A group project with ladies in the church (Springfield Faith Center) that was made for our pastors Rob and Joyce Tucker.  I machine quilted it.  Most likely "in the ditch" and with a walking foot.

My original design.  Machine pieced and machine quilted.  I entered this in the Lane Co. Fair

This quilt was created as a trade for dog obedience classes from a long time Eugene dog trainer - who will remain nameless.  If I remember correctly, he was a diving enthusiast and asked if I could design a quilt representative of the ocean as it gets darker the deeper you go.  It was worth a try and I think it turned out well for my skill level at the time.  But I'll never forget when I dropped the quilt off at the new owners house.  Basically he answered the door as he was talking on the phone and as I handed him the quilt he nodded a thank you and shut the door.  How rude!  The cute little boy standing by the barn next to the quilt is my youngest son Josh.  I'm not sure if he asked to be in the picture or if I had to bribe him.  I think he just like being in pictures!  Funny thing is he married a photographer!  Check out http://bethanyfphotography.blogspot.com/ I happen to think she's one of the best out there!  PS I no longer have the dog or the quilt.  That wasn't a great trade!

This was our Eugene quilting group at Camp Quilt Patch.  I'm on the right, back row in the apron. Those were great years getting involved with quilters from around the state and country.  I always worked in the kitchen to pay my way.

This was a transition time for me. . . I can't remember if I still lived in Marcola or if I'd already moved to Philomath when this photo was taken.  Here we all are, Eugene/Springfield quilting friends and Corvallis/Philomath quilting friends (some I met at Camp Quilt Patch) enjoying time together at the cabins during the Sister's Quilt Show one year.  I'm on the right, sitting.  One thing I have to say is that I certainly learned a lot from each of these ladies.  Quilters inspire each other to pieces!