Finished Valentine Crazy Quilt Squares

Some major progress has been made on our Valentine Crazy Quilt that we are donating to the MCC sale in April. This crazy quilt has 14 small 10 1/2 inch squares surrounding a 20 x 30 inch large big piece. Here are the five finished ones I have and the other squares are still out and about among the 7 of us working on the quilt. Enjoy the eye candy and I'll keep posting finished squares as I get them.





Talk to you later!

My Funny Job!

My job as a crazy quilt teacher, is sometimes interesting. What is always strange to me is when everyone else is busily working on Christmas stuff, I am working on spring stuff. That is always so that the projects I am going to teach in the spring are ready to go. The other side of that is, in May, I am working on Christmas stuff while everyone else is working on flowers and summer stuff. It's just how it is, but sometimes it is hard to work on Christmas stuff while you are out lounging by the pool!

Anyway, the picture above is stitched on a project I will be teaching in the spring...so enjoy even though it is Christmas!

Christmas Gift Idea's

If you are looking for great Christmas gift idea's for your favorite crazy quilter, here are two great idea's. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am involved in making a crazy quilt for the MCC sale every year. To raise money to make the next quilt, we sell calendars featuring pictures of the quilt. This calendar features the 2009 Crazy Quilt, but it is a 2010 calendar. We would really appreciate it if you would buy one to help us out! As you know, a crazy quilt is not a cheep venture! This year's theme is a Valentine Crazy Quilt.

Another great idea would be Judith Baker Montano's new book Fibreart Montage. When she was here in November, she sold all 36 of the books she brought! It is an amazing book that is oversized and is spiral bound so it can open flat.

Both of these items are available on my website, www.valeriebothell.com.

Thanks so much,

Odd's and End's

Here is something I pieced today for a customer. I just love to piece around pictures like this and I can hardly wait to see what she does to embellish it. I think she is giving this to her friend for their 65th wedding anniversary.

Here is the same piecing method I have used to go around this picture. I did this one several years ago. Can you guess who it is a picture of? Your truly of course!
I have had some comments about the fact that everyone is thankful I got a new camera so they can actual see the photo's I take. Ha! Well I thought I would show you a picture of my camera, because of course, it is PINK! Did you know they make pink camera's? I really love it and it was made for especially bad photographers like myself!

TTYL,

Victorian Stitchery Retreat Part 3

I think this will be my last post on the retreat and then I am ready to move on to some other things going on around here! Pictured about is a crazy quilt done by Claudina Hruby..I think it is just gorgeous.

This is a picture of the 1st place winner of the pansy contest I had. It is a beautiful purse done by Heather Brighton of Canada. I just love everything about this purse.
Here is a picture of the 3rd place winner of the pansy contest. It was a cover for a photo book. I think it was just amazing and was done by Sherry Johnson. I don't have a picture of the second prize winner, but it was a beautiful mussie tussie done by Chris Norris.


Here is a picture of myself with all of the three teachers! This picture was taken the last day after it was all over, hence I may look just a little bit tired. All in all it was a wonderful time and I am already looking forward to next year with only 11 months to go!

More on the Victorian Stitchery Retreat

This was a colonial lady done by Sherry Johnson. I don't know what there is about colonial ladies, but I just love them. I thought she turned out....well so cute.



These three squares were done by a Pam Peugh and I thought they turned out beautiful! She made them from Miss Carole's pattern Mommy's Ties. Of course I know that pattern well because that is one of the classes I taught for her in Maine. I just love that class and I love the idea of making "needlelace" for the top of a fan.


This square was done by Sherrill Lewis and it is a result of a class she took from Judith Baker Montano when she came last. I thought it turned out fantastic!


The show and share time at the retreat this year was, well AWESOME! I don't think I have ever seen so many beautiful crazy quilts in the same room before. I'll try to post more in the next few days. We also had a Pansy contest, so I'll get you some pictures of the winners.

Talk to you later,

Wow, The Victorian Stitchery Retreat is Over...

I cannot believe that the retreat is over! I already miss everyone so much. Over the next few day's I will try to post pictures from the retreat and give a recap on all of the wonderful things we did. Betty Pillsbury brought her award winning quilt "Crazy Diamonds", much to my delight, she had incorporated the ribbon that I had given out at the last retreat. I thought it looked stunning! This picture was taken with....gasp....my new camera. I think they look much better than the pictures my old camera took.

We had a catered dinner one night and then there was a show and share time afterwards. Many absolutely stunning crazy quilts were shown. One that captured my attention was a crazy quilt that made for the top her casket! It also incorporated one of the ribbon's I gave out last year. I remembered that she had us all sign it.

Well, that's all for now, I'll keep you in suspense for a couple of days,