Announcement!

I Have A Notion blog and store have moved to:


the store can be found at


There is a much easier to navigate store, with new items. The blog has its own page as well... new content too.

The blog is now at www.ihaveanotion.com/blog

Please come and visit!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Golden Tapestry -Anita Goodesign

Can you believe the beautiful quilt that hung in my booth at Kaleidoscope of Quilts is a beginners project, Golden Tapestry from Anita Goodesign? It's true...Golden Tapestry is honestly a beginners project!!!  My girlfriend, Diane Giveins made this for my booth and I had people oohing and ahhhing over her quilt.


 Diane used Silk Dupioni for the background and borders.  I think the color combination really makes this quilt spectacular.  She used  Floriani Gold Metallic Thread and had absolutely no problems with the metallic thread :)  Warm N Natural was used for the batting and Diane used 2 layers of Floriani No Show Mesh (one layer vertical and one horizontal).

Each block is stitched out separately and then joined.  Below you can see that the design stitches the quilting first.
The the gold work is stitched.  Notice the outline stitching around the design, that is the outline for joining the completed rectangles.
The completed rectangle can then be trimmed -- see below.
After joining the two rectangles, the bird gets his bum attached...(couldn't resist)


After the rectangles are  joined, Diane suggests that you hang it on the wall for a few days to get a feel for how well you have stitched the rectangles together.  I think that is a great idea for all quilts honestly...that way you can see if you need to make any adjustments before you finish.

The border is completed the same way as the rectangles of the design.

The quilt is then bound as you would on any quilt.  If you make the Golden Tapestry and decide to enter it in a quilt show, it is best to add a backing and then outline several of the motifs so that the piece is quilted. 


Diane brought her Golden Tapestry to show last night at our Black Swamp Quilt Guild meeting. 

See how simple this project is to do!  Even I can manage this one :) 


I have it on good authority that if you purchase the Golden Tapestry from I Have A Notion® that you will get free lessons at the Machine Embroidery Guild (MEG) workshops.  The workshops are every third Monday of each month. Click HERE to learn more about MEG.

Appreciative Smiles,
Kelly

Monday, August 5, 2013

Winner!

The owner of this beautiful pin cushion is Patsy Thompson, from Patsy Thompson Designs.  She was at the Kaleidoscope of Quilts and I took the opportunity to snap a photo of her beautiful pincushion.  What I would have really liked to do was kidnap her pincushion and hold it for ransom....but I just didn't have the courage to do the napping. 

The winner is Debbie (debbiesther@xxxx.com)!  Congratulations Debbie.  Bet you are wondering what you win?  How about a $15.00 gift certificate to I Have A Notion®?  How would you like that?

I apologize for the delay in writing this post.  I was invited to a friends lake house for a few days and I just could not pass up the opportunity :)

 Smiles,
Kelly


Monday, July 29, 2013

Who does this Pincushion belong to?

Can you identify the owner of this pincushion?  Do ya really think you know who it belongs to?  If you think you can identify who it belongs to please e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com.  I'm not accepting comments on this blog post.  Why?  Because I'm going to put all the names who e-mail the correct answer into a bowl and pick a fun prize out for them.  You have ....oh I don't know....how about until Friday to send your e-mail with your guess.  Only one per e-mail addy and please put "Pincushion Guess" in the subject title of your e-mail.

Giggles & Smiles,
Kelly

Friday, July 26, 2013

Some Hightlights from the Kaleidoscope of Quilts 2013, Sylvania OH

Well, well....I've been busy putting my inventory away and didn't even follow up photos of the beautiful show....I'm sooooo bad!  Sorry for the delay and here ya go:
 "Kaleidoscope Memories" by Kathy Kanitz 
Quilted by Irene Rose
Binding by Londa Burkett
I really got a big kick out of this quilt.  From a distance it looks like a Kaliedoscope quilt....until you see the blocks up close and then you see they are faces.  Kathy used photos of the members of the Toledo Gathering of Quilters over a 30 year period and made a quilt.  What a wonderful inspiration....how fun would it be to do one of all your family members?

"Christmas Bouquet" made by
 Jean Overmeyer - Design, Thread Painting & Quilting
You probably recognize this piece.  I have posted about it before and have drooled every time I see it.  Jean taught a class at Kaleidoscope...more on that later :)

Oh....time for "Where's Waldo."

LOL....Here's Waldo!  People ask me all the time, "how is Rosemary."  I'm so glad to tell you that she is well and out and about.  Waldo's grand daughter, Claire, is affectionately referred to as our 4th daughter and she came and helped too :)
"Wildflowers" by Annie Tate
Quilted by Jodi Appel
Wildflowers is an machine embroidery and applique pattern from Smith Street Designs.  Annie said she was surprised to see that she had gotten a ribbon for her beautiful quilt.  My reply was something like, "Annie, we've been drooling over your quilt for awhile now...you think us girls don't know what we are talking about?....LOL"   Way to go Annie!  :)

 "Applique Playground" made and quilted by Jo A Coon
Pattern is "Applique Affair" by Edyta Sitar
 I really was enamored with this quilt and the way the applique was set, the borders, colors -everything was just beautiful.

Sandra's Sister's Choice made and quilted by Dale Burnett
Dale quilted "Momma's Quilt" too.  She has a heart bigger than Texas!  "Sandra's Sister's Choice-This quilt is for a very special lady whose life was torn upside down oChristmas Day 2012.  We had the opportunity to help her re-build her home and I'm hoping that the quilt will bring her comfort."
 "Year of the Never Ending Spring"
 made and quilted by Patsy Thompson.
 "Tropical Harlequin" made and quilted by Amy Reitzel
(Sorry for the fuzzy pix...the quilt is beautiful)

 "Honeycomb" made by Linda Blaesing
Quilted by Sheryl Guess
Talk about a knock your socks off quilt!  When I walked around the corner and saw this quilt it just grabbed me.   The colors and fabrics are perfect together....in my mind :)

"Iris Medallion" made and quilted by Sue Gruber
 The original photo I took really doesn't do justice to Sue's quilt but this close up does a better job of highlighting her beautiful work.
 "Seascape" made by Shari Wiesman
Quilted by Dick Wiseman - Quilt Wise
 You really have to see this quilt in order to grasp its grandeur.  Shari has added some netting and embellishments that skyrocket this quilt (again, in my opinion...giggles) to the top of any show.
I really liked that Shari added this piece to the side of her quilt....she is giving me ideas for my future projects :)
 "Sample This" made and quilted by Barb McLean
 You just can go wrong with these Westminster Fabrics!

 "Curve Carnival" made and quilted by Amy Reitzel
 Love this quilt using fabrics by Marcia Derse.  She was at the show vending her beautiful fabrics and I'm telling you....I just wanted to lay in the middle of her fabrics and roll up in them.  I don't think she would have appreciated that very much.
 If you like hand embroidery, and know about brazillian embroidery....prepare yourself for this next quilt....it is a special visual treat!  I was so taken with this quilt that I only took close up photos and forgot completely to take one of the whole quilt.  Luckily for me, she took a First Place Ribbon at Sauders Village for Best Hand Quilted.
 I've done some Brazilian Embroidery in my time....nothing as breathtaking as this piece for sure.
  "Aunt Millie's Garden for Lydia" made and quilted by Diana Trost

 "Spring Bouquet" made by Kathryn Bartley
Quilted by Rosanna Williams

"Painterly Flower" made and quilted by Jean Overmeyer

 "Pretty Petite Squares" made and quilted by Rita Trumbull
This is a miniature quilt....mind blowing to me!

"Mandala & Noel", both made and quilted by Diane Giveins
 "Winter Beauty" made and quilted by Mary Clark
"Sherbert Glacier" made by Lisa Spaulding
Quilted by Crystal Smythe
 "Glacier Star" made by Lynn Michel
Quilted by Anita Shackelford

 Youth Quilts
"Purple Country Music" by Sarah Higbie (age 11)
Quilted by Lisa Spaulding
"To Infinity and Beyond" made and quilted by Caytlin Schultz (age 13)

Impresssive young ladies, wouldn't you agree?

More quilts from the show:
 These are quilts that are being donated to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative
I don't know who made this quilt, but it blew my mind.  Having lost my mother so recently I could easily see a photo of my mother there...it depicts grief and joy so very well.  Absolutely amazing!  If you know who made this quilt and would like to leave a comment or e-mail me...I'd love that.
There were so many more quilts that I didn't get time to photograph.  I hope you enjoyed the ones I did grab during one of my breaks.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Smiles,
Kelly

Monday, July 22, 2013

Setting The Record Straight

First, I did survive vending at the Kaleidoscope of Quilts in Sylvania this past Friday and Saturday. There were times I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk on my own accord....but I made it! Setting up a booth entails hauling tons of stuff and I was short a few tanks and military personnel. 

There were two huge highlights for me.  The first was being able to see lots of friends and receiving so many loving hugs. 

The second....this is the part where I'm setting the record straight....and a wee bit of the background story.

When my Mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was told she had 4-6 months to live in February,  I was beside myself....naturally.  My girlfriend, Diane, asked if there was anything she could do to help.  The very first thing that came to mind was "Momma's Quilt."  She had selected the fabric (from my stash) and the pattern and I was going to make her a quilt for her birthday, May 25.  I asked Diane if she could ask some of our mutual friends if they would be willing to help with the quilt for my mother.  Within an hour of sending the e-mail....she had lots of help.  In 3....yes THREE days...."Momma's Quilt" was made.  I asked Diane to leave off the binding so I could do the stitching thus having a part in making the quilt. 

Diane wanted to enter the quilt in the Kaleidoscope of Quilts as a group quilt but somehow the label does not indicate who the real winners of the First Place ribbon belongs to.
 The TRUE WINNERS of the First Place Ribbon belong to the following amazing ladies:
Diane Giveins (she made the beautiful label too)
Sandy Dallas
Marty Deer
Carol Eiben
 Linda Hill 
Joan Jaffray 
Nancy Lee White
Peggy Mlynek
Ellen Snyder 
Lynda Torres
and Dale Burnett who did a beautiful job long arm quilting "Momma's Quilt."

"Momma's Quilt" hung in the back left corner at the show, a perfect place because I felt as though it was somehow sacred space....like Momma was there with me.  She was able to enjoy her quilt for almost 8 weeks before she passed.  I don't think I could express my gratitude enough for the gift these ladies gave to me....the ability to give my Mother her birthday present. 

In my mind, these ladies are truely the:


With huge smiles of gratitutde,
Kelly

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