Friends, fun, and Fatty McButterpants..........

The title of the post?

Oh, we will get to that.......

I was able to spend some time with good friends this past week, and we did have fun!

My friends Vernie and Bev and I decided to take a little road trip to Kansas City.

We HAD to visit Quilter's Station.

Rita is the owner standing to my right, and is ALWAYS so welcoming.

We had a blast at her shop being inspired by the beautiful works of art.

Rita has offered to teach me a few things later this year

as I am travelling through the area.

If ever you are in the Kansas City area, you MUST stop at this shop!

Vernie, on the left, is a scrap quilter, not to mention a BONNIAC!

Here she is showing one of her latest scrap busting quilts,

Bonnie Hunter's "Scrappy Trips."

We are converting Bev into a scrappy quilter as well......

it's only taken a few years for her to catch on!

But, look who learned how to use the EZ Angle Ruler and Companion Angle Ruler???

Bev decided she wanted to make "Talkin' Turkey" for a friend.

I invited her over to use the Accuquilt Studio to cut her scraps, and 

I taught her how to use the rulers.  I think she had an "AHA" moment!

It's neat to see it when that happens.

Here are few more photos of my version of "Talkin' Turkey" in progress:

And here are a few photos of things I have seen around my house....

So.....

If you have read my blog any length of time..........

You KNOW I LOVE to cook!  

Take for instance this delicious Zucchini Bread.

I make it for all of my neighbors and they actually beg for it in the summer.

However, eating things like this, and sewing for MANY, MANY, MANY

hours at a time have led me to become........

FATTY McBUTTERPANTS!!!!!!!

This is a nickname Doug on 'The King of Queens" was given by his

wife Carrie.  I watch TVland sometimes when I sew, and this name 

"stuck" with me......literally.

I am going on the Military Diet to see if I can maybe lose some weight.

Has anyone else done this diet plan?  Did it work for you?

We shall see if this helps me lose anything besides my mind!

What have you been working on?

Here's hoping I become Skinny McGinny!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

D'OH!!!!

Greetings everyone!



Prayers for those of you who are having weather woes!



Here is the reveal of the quilt I made for Humble Quilts Doll Quilt Swap.

"V" is for "Vermont"

My swap partner is Lorraine who happens to live in....you guessed it....Vermont!

Again, many, many lessons were learned in the making of this quilt.

I appreciate Lorraine's kind comments regarding the quilt.

We have become friends on Facebook, and I think we will be long time quilting friends!

I just received my quilt from Carolyn of Lee Prairie Designs.

Carolyn selected some really great blue fabrics, and the over all feel 

of the quilt is quite masculine and I love it!  She hand quilted it as well!

She and I have become Facebook friends too!

Thank you so much Carolyn!

In other news...........

It's beginning to look.......AND TASTE.......a lot like summer!

Caprese Salad with fresh tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, olive oil, 

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper!

I am still working diligently on "Talkin' Turkey" which will be my very own Christmas quilt!

D'OH!!!!

READ THE PATTERN!

LOOK AT THE PATTERN!

SEE IF EVERYTHING IS CORRECT ON THE PATTERN!

Bonnie has given us plenty of notice to check the Errata page on her

blog for any corrections that need to be made to patterns in her books.

Well, guess who didn't!

We are all human, and we are bound to overlook things.

Thank goodness the goof up I made will work itself out in the end.

However, if you are going to make this quilt, please follow the link I gave to 

see the changes that need to be made.

The geese are literally flying out of the machine at this point!

Geese droppings.........

So here are all 67 gazillion flying geese units and some can't keep their wings from flapping!

Here is the problem........the border unit geese call for the goose center to be red.

I just followed the number of geese to be made in the pattern.

Oh well, Bonnie provides the easy fix....just sew the units together and flip it.

The seam will be running through the red instead of the neutral (my green).

Again, I am not mad, or upset at Bonnie.....trust me!  I thank her for sharing her beautiful

creative patterns with us!

I should have paid more attention to the actual quilt photo!

It'll all work out just fine!

LESSON LEARNED!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

Talkin' about "Talkin' Turkey"........

Greetings dear blog readers and friends!

I guess one address is as good as the other because I consider all of you who read the ole' blog a friend!



Let's see..........




What has happened since I last made a blog entry.........

Mother's Day was spent with my beautiful Momma and family!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that woman!

I thank God every day for the parents He gave me!

My little Momma is pretty dog gone happy when she gets to be with all of her family!

I am too for that matter!

 I was able to harass my beautiful yet dingy sis on Mother's Day as well!

Just one of the many joys of being a baby brother!

A new computer was purchased.  The old one gave up the ghost!

ALL photos were lost......thank goodness I have them on disks!

One of the reasons I missed out on some blogging......grrrrrrr!!!!!

I have been helping out at O'Sewpersonal!

I have really enjoyed it!  It is so different from flying!

I get to play with fabric and visit with quilters!

The shop is gearing up for the "Row by Row" experience and

is joining in the "Farm Girl Vintage" craze that is sweeping the nation!

You can find out more about "Farm Girl Vintage by visiting

Lori Holt's blog at Bee in my Bonnet.

You may remember me showing you all a peek of this quilt in this post?

This is a 'techniques" sample I made for my friend Kelly at 

O'Sewpersonal.  It is really unlike anything I typically make.  However, it was made

with "tween" girls in mind.  She has asked me to demonstrate for some beginning quilters how to use her Accuquilt Studio to make strips and how to paper foundation string piece.

I am really excited about this opportunity!

And, remember me talking about a "Friendship Triangle Exchange?"

Well, my little group that I joined showed great interest in participating in one!

We are doing a color each month for a year.

April's color was brown, and for May it is green.

I can't wait to see how this turns out!

For those of you who follow Lori at Humble Quilts,

you will know she is hosting a Doll Quilt Swap.

I have really wanted to step out of my comfort zone as of late, and with Lori's

encouraging words, I joined in.  I have NEVER made a doll quilt, nor worked with

miniatures.  I did like the thought of playing with reproduction fabrics, and went to work

creating this quilt for my swap partner.  A LOT was learned during the process, and I truly hope

my partner will like the little quilt I made for her.

I will reveal the whole quilt after everyone has received their quilt and Lori hosts

the show and share linky party on her blog.  I realize it wasn't a "challenge," but, for me, it WAS!

Now..........let's talk about "Talkin' Turkey!"

"Talkin' Turkey" is a design by none other than Quiltaholic, Bonnie Hunter.

The pattern appears in her book:

"String Fling"

Available for purchase in her online store here.

I have had an obsession to make this quilt, well, since I first saw it!
I have a TON of red strings as well.

After seeing my blogging friends Andee and Rhoda having fun with the pattern, I put 2 and 2 together and decided it was time to make "Talkin' Turkey!"

I worked on cutting the quilt out for a couple of days and

my friend Bev and I had a sew day together to make the string blocks for the quilt.

 My friend Mike even helped take the foundation papers off!

He said it was really relaxing!  I concur!

So, here is my take on this design.......

A work in progress still.........

I am using GREEN for the NEUTRALS and I am going to 

make MYSELF a CHRISTMAS quilt!

Can you believe it?  I am actually making a quilt for me??????!!!!!!

This idea has been in the back of my mind for a while now.

I am thoroughly LOVING using up so many small scraps in my

green and red bins!  Did I mention how much cutting is involved????

I made the 9 patches and was digging it.......

Bev and I made the string blocks and I was loving that.......

and........

IS THIS NOT DELICIOUS?????

Not completely sewn together as I am following the way Bonnie tells us

to make it in the book.  But, I just had to lay out the test block with some sashing!

Santa will truly be able to find me this year as I sleep under this quilt!

I hope he won't steal it away from me?????

And before I sign off, please thank a Veteran this Memorial Day!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

Wego Quiltn'.........

Wego Quiltn'......

What a WONDERFUL name for a quilt guild, don't you think?

My blogging friend Cheryl of Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting invited me to Oswego, Illinois on behalf of her guild "Wego Quiltn'" to do some Quilt of Valor presentations and to talk about some of my work making scrappy quilts.

I was incredibly excited to meet Cheryl as she has a tremendous knowledge of vintage sewing machines!  She was kind enough to offer her expertise to me concerning my maternal grandmother's Singer 127, my paternal grandmother's Spartan, as well as my Singer Featherweight.

Here are photos from the absolutely wonderful time I had while in Illinois!


I took the road less traveled and really enjoyed the sights along the way.......

Barn Quilts!!!!!

Beautiful courthouses.....

 Antique quilts in an antique mall with a make-do mentality.....

 Beautiful hand quilted quilts......

AND

tons of SCRAPPY QUILTS!

After some very enjoyable driving for several hours.....(remember I am a flight attendant, so I enjoy a good road trip from time to time)........I made it to my destination.

My extremely hospitable hosts, Cheryl and John.

They had a wonderfully delicious dinner ready when I arrived!

Ratchet greeted me!

As did Katie!

For some reason, I didn't get a photo of their son Chris, but, he was a super nice guy too!

After dinner, Cheryl gave me a tour of their lovely home, her studio and vintage machines, and some of her antique quilts! This quilt is very special to her as it is a family heirloom.  She told me how she remembered playing on it as a child using the red sashing as streets for toy cars.

The next morning it was time to get to work on the vintage machines I had brought along.

This photo gives you an idea of how dirty my grandma's treadle was!

About 40 years of sitting in a cabinet will do that to you!

Cheryl took her time explaining things to me.

I feel like I have a much better grasp on how to maintain these machines now.

TA-DAH!!!!

Some decals have been worn off due to this machine being used so much.

My grandmother raised 10 children, and sewing clothes and quilts for them gave this machine a work out!  I am BEYOND pleased with the way she turned out after her face lift!

I am so happy to call these machines MINE!

I know I said it a million times while I was there, but, I can't thank Cheryl enough!

I now have the confidence to work on my own machines and maintain them

the way they need to be maintained!

THANK YOU!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

I was able to visit Prairie Stitches Quilt Shoppe!

Some money may have been spent by Cheryl and me here!

This shop carries a wide variety of Civil War reproductions, and that was what I was looking for!Stay tuned to see what I am working on with the fabrics bought here!

It was then time to award some Quilts of Valor!

These U.S. Army vets were both very grateful to receive their QOV!

The quilt on the left was pieced and quilted by my friend Vernie.

The quilt on the right was pieced by my blogging friend Tracey

and quilted by Rhonda in Ohio.

The vets and their families even stayed to see my talk about my scrappy quilts.

The vet on the right said he has an interest in making quilts now and has dabbled

with it before!  I hope and pray I am able to inspire those who see my work.

Cheryl has some really great blog posts about my visit, the QOV presentations,

and some highlights of my talk on her blog.

Here are the links:

Part I    Part II    Part III

Thanks again to Cheryl and her family, as well as the Wego Quiltn' Quilt Guild!

Thanks for all of the memories!

I had a WONDERFUL time!

And my trip to the Chicago area wouldn't have been complete without some

Chicago deep dish pizza by Giordano's!

I LOVE THIS PLACE!

On my drive back home I was able to meet Wanda of Exuberant Color.

It was an absolute treat meeting her, seeing some of her quilts, and touring her studios.

There is a reason why her blog is called "Exuberant Color!"

She has the most EXUBERANT, vivacious, and compelling personality!

Although my time with her was short, I learned many things.

I was honored to be the recipient of some of her scraps!

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

These scraps have been appointed by me to make a quilt ala Exuberant Color style!

Thanks Wanda!  It was a pleasure meeting you!

ON a side note, Wanda's blog has been nominated for the best all around quilting blog in the 

National Quilter's Circle Blogger Awards.

Go HERE to vote!

I hope you enjoyed the photos and stories!

If your guild needs a speaker, don't hesitate to contact me via e-mail on the blog!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

Giving Quilts......

Giving Quilts.......


It's one of my most favorite parts of quilting......

My cousin Marcia and the "Blue Ridge Beauty" quilt I made her for the lovely gift of our grandmother's treadle sewing machine she gave me.

The design is by Bonnie Hunter.

My friend Dar quilted it, and I was able to give it to her during my time in Paducah.

I think she loved the back better than the front!

She is HUGE University of Kentucky fan!

I was also able to give "Apple Crisp" to my cousins Eugene and Paula.

Made and quilted by me!

Thanks Eugene for taking my mom flower shopping in Amish country!

And, thanks for letting me crash at your house during Paducah!

Remember in my last blog post where I talked about thanking my cousin Phyllis?

Well, here is "Second Hand Clothes" by Red Crinoline designs.

This is the quilt I gave my cousins Jerry and Phyllis.

Pieced by me and quilted by my friend Kim.

Thanks Phyllis for being my partner in crime in Paducah, and for taking such good care of my

mom and dad.  And Thanks Jerry for babysitting my dad!  If you all only knew how much my dad and Jerry are alike!  I always say, Jerry is the son my dad always wanted! LOL JK

I LOVE GIVING QUILTS!

I love making quilts with good friends too!

Here is Bev with her version of "Second Hand Clothes" along with my version.

We HAD to have our photo made with our quilts!

Thanks Bev for sharing the pattern with me!

I will be on the road to Oswego, IL to give some Quilt of Valor presentations and share with the Wego Quiltn' Quilt Guild tomorrow.  I also get to meet my blogging friend Cheryl of Cheryl's Teapots to Quilting.  I can't wait for her to give me a master class in maintaining vintage sewing machines!

Hope you all have a great week!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Kevin the Quilter