Quayquilter: October 2016

Monday, 31 October 2016

halloween in Houston

Server in JoAnns today

Today we shopped. First Jo-ann's always intended to be my most major purchase shop and so it proved as I bought large and small mats, and a large rotating mat and packs of large and standard blades. My fabric purchases were relatively restrained with small amounts of Halloween fabrics to make Trick or Treat bags for or group sales table calico or muslin as it known here and bright blenders for my Linus quilts.
This was followed by a trip round Walmart where my friend bought presents for family members while I tended trolleys. I got a few FQs destined for Linus quilts.

Belinda and me with loaded trolley

We registered for the show and checked where the bus is due to leave for tomorro Halloween.w's tour and found ourselves among a very happy crowd going to watch the Houston rockets. Lots of razzamatazz.
Then cocktail time at the hotel. The barman took a shine to us and gave us special treatment with ameretto margarita then Blue Hawaiian. culminating in strawberry daiquiris.

The third and last cocktail

Now we've unpacked the shopping and prepped stuff for tomorrow and are tucked up on our beds watching films and keeping up with social media.
Over cocktails I was thrilled to chat to Victoria (Vicky) and Beverley fro Generation Q magazine, already a firm favourite with me. We ere presented with our very own advance copy.

Victoria and Beverley - we were all in free flow

The a
mericans really do know how to celebrate
Halloween

Breakfast in the hotel

Winner of the Houston
Halloween competition.

Adnother entry

And more

Ghosts in the potted plants

Sunday, 30 October 2016

Houston !

Myself Belinda and Tracy at High Fashion Fabrics

The other half of the vast store

When we we got out of the taxi at our hotel we were greeted by a wall of wonderful heat. After mega unpacking we took a taxi to High Fashion Fabrics which didn't prove to be too far away. What a store. On entry we were greeted by a wall of printed silk and the vast space was doubled when we realised there was another hall of cottons etc. The staff were very nice. There was a warm but refreshing breeze blowing as we emerged and we walked several blocks back to downtown. It was good to get the exercise. And we then shopped hungrily for food at the very upmarket Phoenicia grocery and deli on our street and returned to enjoy a relaxing gin and tonic and lovely healthy salad and also crisps and Welsh Cheddar on crackers. Bliss!
According to my bio clock it's 4am so off to bed.

Shopping for food

Monday, 24 October 2016

Last of the retreat

My Linus blocks

Here are my remaining photos from the retreat. On the final morning I framed and trimmed some Linus blocks. I really enjoyed my time but it is also good to be home once again.

Farmer's Wife blocks in 30's fabrics by Yvette??

Kathy's cosy Rail Fence

detail

Mandy's blue cobblestones

and detail

The pattern matches on all four border corners

Kathy's "Recession" bags

and Caroline's Christmas stockings

Isabel's double pinwheels

Sunday, 23 October 2016

A good retreat's work

I finished my quilt top at 11 tonight and hung it up and am so pleased with how it looks. I know it is not to everyone's taste but on its own terms I consider it successful and am pleased with myself for keeping going and getting over the hurdles of drafting setting blocks and marking borders to piece it in a matter of days rather than dragging on.

From across a crowded room

I pieced it in sections rather than rows

Saturday, 22 October 2016

Heather's quilts

Heather brought in quilts she had made and which had been by quilted by Mandy. The Winding Ways ones create lovely circles but I like the scrappy pineapple best.

Winding ways in soft batiks

and in red and black batiks

Wonderful scrappy pineapple

and detail

Tessallations

Isabel showed a tiny tessellated piece then made a larger one with layer cakes and Colette took up the idea and made one too, also using the twister ruler. First squares are pieced with a border; then an angled square is placed on the top with seam crossings at the centre and the new squares are marked then cut and turned to form the new pattern. The border becomes incorporporated into the twirling pinwheels.