Quiltwalker

A MONTH GONE BY???

2011-03-22T18:36:00.000-07:00

I swear I thought it was only last week when I posted and it is almost a month... I remember when I was young and time seemed to crawl by waitng to become a teenager, going to high school, going to college,getting married, having kids, living life to the fullest. It seemed like time stood still then, now it spins so fast I can't keep up. I honestly don't know where this last month has gone. I hope I'm not the only one who feels this way. AM I????

Our sewing group is so busy.These are really talented ladies. They are always creating and sharing. It is so fun to go on Wednesday nights and play!

We are making placemats for Meals on Wheels as our community service project for the Quilt Walk. The meals that are delivered will have a wonderful placemat that should bring a smile to their faces! Lana jumped right on this and made these 4. We have the greatest ladies!

Helen's and Lana's placemats.

Don't thse pictures make you want to come play with us???

Dianne made this darling little boy quilt. So darn cute!

Shannon is doing a twister quilt. Here's the first step!

Friends of ours in town had a terrible house fire and so the ladies are tying a couple of flannel quilts for them. I tell you we have the greatest ladies!

LaVee and Marylou have been busy too!

Here are two cute skirts I made for a friend's daughters who both have birthdays in March! Happy Birthday Brittany and Mallory!

On Wednesdays we have been working on our raffle quilt for the Quilt Walk, blocks with charm packs. I love Wednesday nights! I learn so much each week from all of the ladies! If the world is spinning out of control I'm glad I spinning with my friends!
Claudia

OPEN TO IDEAS!

2011-02-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

My neighbor Sharon called and wanted me to run over and help her with a quilt she was making for her granddaughter. She couldn't decide how to lay it out. She was still making these fun blocks and wanted my ideas for pulling it all together. It was fun to share ideas and see what she came up with. She is so creative and finished it in 4 days. I love the colors and the layout she ended up with.

This is the center and she decided to surround it with a teal blue to bring out the blocks.

Then she added the extra blocks to the corners along with more teal and finished up with the floral print.

It just makes me smile when I look at it! Awesome job Sharon!

Claudia

WEEKEND'S OVER

2011-02-21T19:15:00.000-08:00

Don't you just hate to see a three day weekend come to an end? I sure do. Even though I worked really hard, I didn't get everything done that I planned. I didn't even do anything on Sarah's quilt or Emma's but everything else got worked on and even an extra item. It was great. I am really glad I got as much done as I did.

These are blocks for the quilt we started up in Brigham City at the retreat. Love to make this block/ Pattern is Labor Day Stars by Pat Speth,

I'm out of baby quilts right now, so I thought I better get one made just in case. Never know when you might need one. I started this one a few days ago and finished it over the weekend.

Our quilt guild is doing a fun block of the month this year. It's black and white and you add a color that you pick out of a can of crayons each month at guild meeting. You're not supposed to look so it will be a random color quilt. It's supposed to have 12 blocks, but I decided that I would make 2 of each block so that I would have enough for a queensize quilt when I'm done. I love the BQ pattern so I am going to set my quilt together with that. So here are the first two blocks done little differently.

I remembered on Saturday that a friend of mines birthday is in a few days. She loves Nativity sets and I had this great one. Laser cut and fun to do. I think she will like it.

My friend Becky came over and brought me two wonderful treasures. Calendars from 1940 and 1960. I love these. How cute is that baby? The calendars are in terrific shape. I am thrilled.!

Jan has wonderful pictures of Emily Bailey's class at the Quilt Walk. She is one talented lady. Skip on over to take a peek. Get your registrations in. We have lots of fun surprises for you this year!

Tired but happy!
Claudia

YIPPEE!!! IT'S A PAJAMMA KIND OF DAY!!!

2011-02-19T08:53:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to at least 6" of snow and still snowing hard! The perfect kind of day! No where to go! Do what I want! Home by myself! PJ's it is!

My to do list this weekend:

1. work on taxes for a short (I mean short) period of time
2. finish baby quilt on sewing machine
3. work on Sarah's quilt
4. cut out my friend Emma's quilt
5. work on quilt from Brigham City
6. browse my favorite blogs
7. work on Quilt Walk

Don't you just love 3 day weekends!!

How do you plan to fill your time this weekend?

Don't forget to check out Jan's blog to see the Quilt Walk Teachers.

Also check out Jen Allyson's blog for a wonderful giveaway of her new fabric line Quite Contrary. Beautiful! I want some for sure!

It's still snowing! Yippeee!
Claudia

Happy Valentines Day! More delectable treats for the eyes!

2011-02-14T18:03:00.000-08:00

To continue on with the trunk shows at Ruby's Inn, I want you to see these wonderful quilts. They got my blood racing and my mind spinning. Just what I needed to kick in gear.

Don't you just love new ideas??

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Claudia

WHO SAID DELECTABLE THINGS HAD TO BE FATTENING???

2011-02-12T17:37:00.000-08:00

I spent the last couple of days up at Ruby's Inn at a Quilt Retreat put on by Bonnie. Great fun! There were great vendors with all sorts of fabric, kits, books, notions, potions, candy soaps, and everything imaginable to entice us! Yes I did my share (and probably yours too) of shopping! New treasures to add to the collection!

The highlight of the days were the trunk shows and so without further ta doo I am going to show you some of the fun things we were lucky to see!

It was hard to get good pictures as we were all trying to see everything, but I hope this give you a taste. I'll post again tomorrow with more.

I just know that my inspiration well was filled to over flowing!

Just dreaming!
Claudia

Favorite things ...Snow and Quilting Retreats

2011-02-08T17:55:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up to 2" of snow and still snowing. How much fun is that. Now I can say that because I work 2 blocks from my house. If I had to drive anywhere further than that I would not like it. This is the kind of day that I would have liked to stay home, by the fire(we heat our home with a woodburning stove)sew a new project, drink hot chocolate, and basically just putter, while every once in a while just stopping to gaze out the window. I love that.

What is your favorite way to spend a snow day?

This afternoon Nan and I went up to Ruby's Inn to a Winter Quilt Retreat that Bonnie puts on every February. It is so fun to see all of these ladies. Some of them we only see once a year. It is really good to rceconnect with old friends.

Bonnie was teaching a class on Pineapple Log Cabin Blocks today so Nan and I signed up. It was a technique class and alot of fun.
The following are more of her samples:

Love these colors!

Each was so different!

This one is the one I want to make.

Nan and I just took scraps to make couple of the blocks. It was really fun and I have added a pineapple log cabin quilt to my to do list! Here's my sample block.

Here's Nan's:

Tommorrow we are taking a class to service our featherweights and Friday I am teaching a class. Something fun everyday! This time of the year it is nice to get out of the doldrums of winter and playwith our fabrics!

Let me know what you do to get out of the winter doldrums!

Keep Smiling!
Claudia

Organization Escapes Me!

2011-02-07T20:33:00.000-08:00

Know that I try! I really do, but I am one of those people who love to create in chaos! If stuff isn't stacked up everywhere then then my mind is not in gear. Now I look at all the blogs and get all the ideas, and my intentions are so good....but bottom line, when it comes right down to it... I thrive on chaos! Why fight it!

My cat Missy is such a big helper. She is so supportive. Right now she is wondering why her favorite basket is loaded up with stuff. Quite offended that she couldn't curl up in it. There is always some wonderful place to find to curl up on! Great company!

My friend Jan is giving me a wonderful gift. She is helping me with the Quilt Walk by highlighting all the teachers on her blog. She is so good! I am really blessd with great friends. Check out her blog often, because she will have great things to tell you about our teachers and classes.

I am excited to tell you that we will have the Last Supper Quilt hanging at the Quilt Walk.This quilt was made by Don Locke. Check out his website to see exactly how this masterpiece was made.

It will so amazing to have this quilt in Panguitch. Please help spread the word that it will be here. Hope you can all come to see it!

June will be here before we know it!
I must get with the program!
Claudia

ANGEL IN BLOGLAND!

2011-02-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

I know you have all had one of those moments..."the ahah moment" when you are totally blown away with the kindness of strangers! Well today was one of those days for me! I was looking at blogs last night and pulled up John'aLee's blog. Wow! Beautiful! Now I am green with envy because...she has a button! I want a button. I have been trying to figure out how to do a button with no luck for a week. Joh'aLee has a button! Too cool. So after reading her explanation of how she got this incredible blog I emailed Madam Samm. I know she thought I had lost all my "buttons" but guess what! She is an incredible lady who agreed to do a button for me. Well one thing led to another and another and now I have this totally awesome blog background and guess what..I HAVE MY OWN BUTTON!! (the button links you to the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival). I even have business cards!! I am still in shock over the kindness of Madam Samm. I felt like I was floating on air all day! Thoreau said "to effect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." Madam Samm did that for me today!

Now Madam Samm is one busy lady. Two blogs going at once! Check out Sew I Quilt and Stash Manicure
Fun stuff. I am totally in love with both . Now I am going to make a mug rug tonight! I just don't want to miss out anymore! But honestly, Madam Samm you are my hero! THANK YOU!!

To all those who have never heard of the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival here is a little history. Fourteen years ago I was on the Main Street board for our small town in Southern Utah. We were trying to come up with ideas to bring people to our town. Now we are only 22 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park so lots of people pass through, but we needed them to stop. Panguitch is a town full of old red brick homes steeped in history. It's history starts in 1864 when the town was first settled. The winter was brutal, food was scarce and the settlers were starving to death. A group of 7 men, with a wagon pulled by two oxen, set out to get food from Parowan, 40 miles away.

In their weakened state, the men struggled with every footstep, sinking up to their hips in the deep snow. Eventually they abandoned the wagon and oxen and continued on foot. As they held a prayer circle kneeling on a quilt, they discovered they did not sink into the snow. The men completed their journey by laying quilts over the deep snow and walking across them, retrieving their quilts and repeating the process over and over again. The story became known as the Quilt Walk and is treasured in the annals of Panguitch history.

But when I suggested a quilt festival to the city council they could not believe that women would come to our small town to take quilt classes, see a trunk show and a quilt show. And surely they wouldn't spend any money to do that!! What was I thinking???

A few weeks later a bus of tourists came to town and stopped at my quilt shop. It was closed and so when they went to the restaurant for lunch they ask if there was anyway it could be opened for them. The restaurant called me and I went down and they bought a ton of stuff. Luck would have it, when they went back to the restaurant to pick up the rest of the group, they were really excited about the quilt shop. So at the next city council meeting they thought it was a great idea to start a Quilt Walk Festival.

This is our 14th year. We have 3 full days of classes, free trunk shows daily, a big quilt show, historic home tour, dinner theater, heritage fair and a Chocolate Fest! It has grown leaps and bounds and we love it. The town gets decorated with quilts everywhere. There is a fun spirit wherever you go! We are so lucky to have this. The past 14 years we have been saving all the money from the festival to buy a statue for our Quilt Walk Park. In September we dedicated the statue and the park. Dreams do come true!!

So long story short I have a "BUTTON" so my dream came true also! Click on it and see where it takes you! I hope it brings you here!

Walking on air!

Claudia

Grandma's Helper

2011-02-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

We have our 7 year old granddaughter with us this week. She is off track and loves to come to Grandma and Grandpa's house. She loves all of our antiques, anything old, and junkie. She is an avid garage sale fan. In her eyes everything old is a treasure. She has had a bad cold since she has been here and not felt like doing much. But tonight she got my big button jar out and made a necklace.

Amazingly the buttons she picked out were all antiques. Each one she picked up deserved a comment. How fun is it that she sees treasures in such simple things! Time flies so fast and they are grown!

She designs doll clothes out of everything from batting to my really good fabric. She is into all of it. Do you think it will last???

Isn't it fun to be a Grandma???
Claudia

Cathy Miller the Singing Quilter is Coming!!

2011-01-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

Cathy Miller is a Canadian quilter and folksinger from Victoria British Columbia. Since September 2000 she and her musician husband John have toured a program of songs, stories and quilts to guilds and quilting events across North America, Australia and New Zealand, the UK and Germany.

They have performed at over 500 quilting events for more than 50,000 quilters worldwide. These include appearances at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, the AQS Nashville Show, Ricky Tims' La Veta Colorado gallery, Eleanor Burns' Quilting retreat, and on Alex Anderson's now defunct TV program, "Simply Quilts".

To date Cathy has released four CDs of songs about quilting. These songs range from the historical, through the poignant, to the drop-dead funny! This program is sure to entertain and inspire both quilters and non-quilters alike.

Cathy is doing our trunk show on Saturday June 11, 2011. She is also teaching two classes for us on Friday. She is awesome and her classes will be so much fun.

Friday morning Cathy will be teaching the most amazing project...Mock Mola Raw Edge Reverse Applique.
This is a great way to use "holy" fabric, that you can't bear to cut up. Students will learn this technique by working on a small individual project using two layers of fabric, plus batting and backing. With Cathy's help, each student will design their own piece. Machine quilting will attach all the layers together, then the top layer is cut to reveal the design. The pieces will be mostly completed at the end of the three hour class. This is a hugely popular class!

Skill Level: Machine appliqué. Some free motion experience required

Pattern: Written instructions and design suggestions will be supplied.

BSK

Friday afternoon she will be teaching Slow and Steady Turtle Applique.
A very classy looking turtle, made with fabric scraps and hand appliqué. Students will learn freezer paper appliqué using three techniques and the best situations for each. This charming turtle pattern will be ready to finish in the car or in front of the fire at home – a perfect hand work project to carry anywhere!

Skill Level: Hand appliqué suitable for beginners.

Pattern Fee: $10 (required)

This is a rare opportunity to learn from a wonderful teacher, a new technique that will amaze and inspire you. Try something new. Expand your horizons. You will be glad you did!

But the best part is, she is going to sing the song she wrote about the Panguitch Quilt Walk! Now I can't think of anything cooler than that! I'm still in awe just thinking about what an amazing thing it is to have a song written about the history of our own town!! Major Goosebumps!!

Time to get those registrations in!

Claudia

IT'S UP! CHECK IT OUT!!!

2011-01-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

Ok! I'm EXCITED!!! It's up and running! The Panguitch Quilt Walk site is ready for you to choose your class and get your registration in!!!. There are prizes for the first 3 registrations!! So pass the word! It's Here! I'm EXCITED!! Lots of fun classes and fun ideas. I'll be featuring them for the next while so you can see how great they all are!

This year we will be having Cathy Miller The Singing Quilter, teaching and doing a trunk show. We have Dave's Bernina from Provo and St George donating another wonderful sewing machine.
Here's another fun thing to shoot for... Bring a friend who signs up for a class that has never been before and your name will be put in for a drawing for another special prize! We want your help spreading the word!

We love to have you all come to our wonderful town and share our fun!

I just got home from a quick trip to California and so I will post more tommorrow, but I am so EXCITED I couldn't wait to tell you!!
Claudia

My Gosh How Time Flies! Quilt Walk Countdown!

2011-01-23T19:30:00.001-08:00

I know I said I would post again with fun things from the trunk show that the Village Dry Goods hosted with Pat Speth. I just didn't think it would take me over a week to get back to it!! You would think that I could find 20 minutes a day to post something. Sorry!

Pat Speth was awesome. Her thing is 5" squares and what you can do with them. Check out what she does with them! The first quilt is made with the left over corners she cuts off.

It was a wonderful retreat and trunk show! I learned so much and enjoyed every minute!

I have 8 little girls birthdays to think about this year and so I took an idea from Jerilu and made aprons. Here are 7 of them and one was sent off last week. Really fun to make and turned out cute!I decided to make them all at once so I wouldn't be doing them the night before their birthdays like I usually do. I'll add some cooking utensils and a package of cookie mix or something and voila I'm done!

The end of the month is coming rapidly and the website will be up for the Quilt Walk. Hopefully it will be up the 31st.
We have lots of fun classes and we have Cathy Miller the Singing Quilter.Cathy is is our featured teacher this year. She is also coming to sing the song about the Quilt Walk which is incredible and her cd cover is awesome. I might be a little prejudice because my Quilt Walk quilt is part of the inside art work!

Invite your friends! Bring your family! I promise you will have a great time at the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival! We have lots of fun things planned this year!

Claudia

CAUTION:LOTS OF NEW IDEAS COULD OVERLOAD YOUR MIND!

2011-01-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

First off my update on the Joseph Smith Tribute quilt. I have finished 9 log cabin blocks(Block 1) and one large 9 patch variation (block 3) and have blocks 4 & 5 cut out and waiting. I skipped #3 but will get it cut out this week. I am really going to try hard to get alot done on it this weekend. A 3 Day weekend! Hurray!!

I got sidetrack on that quilt last weekend as Nan and I took a trip to Brigham City to The Village Dry Goods quilt retreat. Oh my gosh what fun! We were nervous about going due to the weather...OK Leon was nervous about us going due to the weather, but it all worked out great. Too much inversion though. Now I remember why I hated January in northen Utah. It's such a small world. Roylane and Fran own the store. Rolayne and I went all through middle school and high school together. Rolayne and Fran had invited Pat Speth who wrote all the Nickle Quilt Books to be the teacher. Everything you could possibly do with 5" squares. It was really fun and Pat is one awesome teacher. So many wonderful ways to use the 5" squares.

We got there Thursday night and the class was all day Friday and Saturday. Nan really packed light on this trip ...one bag of her clothes stuff amazing! Now we won't go into details about all the stuff we packed for class!

Motel rooms need to rethink their set up. How can you possibly sew with only one small table? But you all know just how flexible we quilters are! Good thing I am so tall. The bathroom counter worked just great with the help of a couple of pillows in the chair. A girl's gotta do what a girl's got to do!

Friday we were at class at 8:30am eagerly awaiting our day! It was fun because we knew lots of ladies there and many we hadn't seen for a year. Have you noticed when visiting with quilting friends even it you haven't seen them for ages, once you start talking it's like you saw them last week.! Pat started by showing us several quilts to inspire use. What an amazing trunk show and this was just the ones we were going to make. She was doing a large trunk show at dinner Friday night.

I love to go and learn something new. You always pick up those tips that make things so much easier. It's fun to walk around the room and see every one's gadgets and fabric. Here's some more pictures we took in class and tomorrow I will post with pictures from Pat's trunk show. Unbelievable!

Today was a hard day. We buried a good friend and fellow quilter. Anita got sick at the Quilt Walk last summer and I took her to the hospital. Last Monday she died of cancer and was buried today. A hard day. Peace be with you my friend.

Enjoy every minute!
Claudia

OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW AND FAVORITES TO BOOT!

2011-01-01T12:20:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love the New Year? I love the thought of a clean slate..a new beginning..possiblities galore! On New Years Eve I always finish something that has been sitting around waiting... Yesterday I finished a quilt top that had been sitting there for just a short while actually. Two star blocks were done and the other two waiting to be put together. So I finished them and made 5 alternate blocks and added a border and it's done. The blocks are big (14 1/2")so it worked up fast and I had my finished project to end 2010. Now I would have quilted it too, but my longarm is out in another building and it takes too long to heat it up so I can quilt comfortably so the quilting won't happen till it warms up.

So now on January 1st I start a completely new project. This one is one I have had sitting on the shelf for several years and this year it is going to get finished. So today I will cut out Block # 1 of the "Joseph the Prophet Tribute Quilt". This quilt kit is at least 5 years old and needs to be done. I will be making 8 (9") log cabin blocks for Block 1.

Can I just tell you of my new favorite things??? A few months back I was stopped in Costco by this really nice guy who wanted me to see his books. Now I am the biggest sucker in the world when it comes to things like this. Demo it, show me, tell me, let me touch it and you have me...hook line and sinker. Anyway, he told me about his books and I thought "what the heck I need a new read" and bought them both. Well I didn't start reading them for a while, but one Sunday afternoon I picked up the first volume, snuggled down on the bed and set to read. Remembering Isaac the Wise and Joyful Potter of Niederbipp
Well I couldn't put it down. I read all afternoon and into the night. I finished it in two days. The story is wonderful, but the messages that are told are what we all need to hear and remember. It reminds us to live the kind of life we are suppoed to be living..full of gratitude, love and caring. So then I started the second volume and finished that post haste. But were was the third? It didn't come out until a while ago and as soon as it did I bought that one too. I have now finished all 3 and have my husband reading them(he's on #2). We gave them to our kids for Christmas, sent them to friends and I am starting over with a higlighter to mark my favorite spots.

But the best part of all is I went to his blog http://www.rememberingisaac.blogspot.com/
and discovered he was having an open house in SLC in December. I told Leon I wanted to go. We headed up there on Dec 11th and what fun we had. Ben Behunin is a potter and we went to his studio and I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. All the pots, mugs, trays and bowls that he writes about in his books are here. Now remember what I said before about demos, touching seeing.... well we came away that day with trays, plaques, a mug, a bowl, more books. We drank the special peppermint tea, had molasse cookies and candy that was incredibly delicous and totally enjoyed ourselves. What a fun atmosphere. He is such an artist and so kind and humble. I wanted a mug so I picked one out. I like big mugs. Nothing I like better than a mug of steaming herbal tea. So I buy this big mug, but when I get it home I realize that it is too big and I have to hold it with both hands when I drink it. But I love it.
Well come to find out on Christmas morning, Leon had already gone to the pottery shop and bought me a mug and christmas ornament. The mug he bought me is the one that in the book Jake made for Amy on their wedding day. It's the perfect size(the one in the picture with the flower). Leon amazes me!

Anyway I totally recommend that you pick up these books and enjoy the potter and his life in Niederbipp. It will make you laugh, cry and appreciate the world around you! The books are full of wonderful thoughts, one of my favorite being:

"Art is the healing ointment that oozes from our hearts and minds and heals our aching world." Fred Babb

I don't know about you, but that's how quilting is for me.

Enjoy your journey though 2011. Maybe it be all you want it to be!
Claudia

Christmas Surprises!

2010-12-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

Marylou brought this wonderful quilt to sewing the other night. Her daughter had sent the material to have her make a quilt for her father-in-law. Marylou is so good and agreed to piece and quilt it. It is not quite the pattern her daughter wanted, but Marylou used her artistic license to create this wonderful quilt.

She is flying to Texas to deliver the quilt in person. How fun is that!

I wanted to make something special for my mom this year. He mother had died when she was 15 and she helped her dad raise her 3 brothers. Her mom had died in childbirth and her sister went to live with my grandmother's sister.I found this picture of my grandparents together, so using this as the base of my idea I completed this little vignette.

The poem in the picture was one that hung by the door in m Grandmother Gladys' home.

There are 5 little words
I would like you to know;
They are:
Pardon me
Thank you
and Please.
Oh, use them so often
wherever you go
There are few words as
important as these.

Unknown

I hope my mother likes it. I think it turned out pretty fun. I love Christmas surprises! Don't you?? Hope you are getting your surprises done!

Claudia

MY NEW FAVORITE THING!

2010-12-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

I love these socks! They make me smile everytime I put them on. They're called Little Miss Mismatched and they are so fun. You get 12 socks all different but co-ordinated so you can wear what you want. Stripes, polkadots, stars, puzzle pieces it's hard to decide. All I know is that when I wear them, and have a hectic day, they make me smile and relax a little when I see them on my feet!

Just because I'm 58 or maybe BECAUSE I"M 58 I can wear these and not care what people think! Life is so short and precious, why not smile and enjoy every second!

This time of year when we all run around like chickens with our heads cut off, take time to remember that feeling of magic we had when we were children. Christmas lights took our breath away. The smell of gingerbread baking warmed our hearts and the sound of jingle bells at the door was way over the top. (one year when I was growing up 3 Santas visited our house in one night!) Don't forget the reason for the season. Be grateful for what we have, who we can help, and the grace of God for all!
But do it all in fun socks!
Claudia

HOW THANKFUL ARE WE!!

2010-11-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I woke to the most beautiful scene in my yard. I love the snow. Granted I came home from SLC earlier than planned to beat this storm. I am definitely not a big fan of driving in the snow! But to wake up in your own bed, the world white with snow, with not major drive ahead of you is so wonderful!

This cabin is in my backyard and is one of my favorite things! We moved this cabin from Huntington, by taking it apart and numbering the logs, then reconstructing it here.

I think it is time to put my bike away. My sister Jodi is awesome in restoring bikes and fixed up my C J Higgins and I love it. I love to ride the old style bikes. There is something about riding them that grounds you and brings you back home again.

This was the year all of our children went to other family for Thanksgiving. Leon and I could have gone to SLC, to have dinner with my mom, or his sister, but we have not been able to stay home for a number of years. We were still debating what to do when Mack ask if we were going to be around for Thanksgiving and if we would like to help with the dinner at the Senior Citizen's center. Last year we had gone up to SLC and helped a friend who does dinner for the homeless under the viaduct. That was such a great experience that we wanted to continue doing something like that. This was just the ticket.

Leon woke up early and put the turkeys on(I got to sleep in). I got up and went in my sewing room and was met by this wonderful surprise. Ice had made lacey patterns on the windows. Later we heard it was 29 below in Panguitch. No wonder I had this wonderful ice display on my window.

We went down to the Senior Center at 10:00 and got busy setting up the place for dinner. Leon loves to cook and he set off making stuffing and gravy. We had cooked 2 turkeys that morning and others had cooked 5 more. I love the smell of Thanksgiving. It just warms you all the way through. Pat and Mack had it so organized that we had everything done and ready for dinner by 1:05. It was so nice to see those who came and shared Thanksgiving with us. Wonderful food, visiting with friends old and new, great music by Brad and his family, what more could we want. We shared dinner with about 80 folks and many dinners went out to those who couldn't come in. Truly the spirit of Thanksgiving was evident here. Leon and I were so glad to be a small part of it.

Pat checking Leon's progress on the stuffing.

This was the only bump in the road the whole day and I didn't even think it was a bump. This is the way I love my marshmallows any time. So I sacrificed and spooned all the burnt marshmallows off into a bowl and ate them(can't waste anything). The only thing missing was chocolate and graham crackers! Loved it!

Leon is giving Shawn a hard time about making the potatoes(which turned out awesome by the way!)

A big thank you for all the hard work that Mack and Pat do to make this a great event. We felt very blessed to be part of this fun day.

I do have to say though I went home got into the tub, promptly fell asleep, woke when the water was cold and got into bed at 7:30. 7:40 I was sound to sleep! Woke up at 6:00 got up and got ready for work. Amazing what a little sleep can do for you!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and travel safe where ever you must go. I will leave you with this quote I love from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"The only gift is a portion of thyself."

May we give thanks every day for the blessings we have and remember those in need of a friend, food, a hug, a moment of time, a kind word, a smile and a listening ear.

Claudia

MY! HOW TIME FLIES!!

2010-11-13T17:38:00.000-08:00

Has it been a week since I had time to sit down and write a note? Lots of things going on this time of year to fill up the night. I have really good intentions and by 10:00 I am saying "Tommorrow's another day." I have been really busy and gone alot, but now I'm home and can get caught up.

Panguitch has a big craft fair each November and today was the day. I don't make candy, or cookies or fun things like that to help support the Sub for Santa drive, so I made a Christmas throw to donate for a raffle. I have had the kit for probably four years and finally got around to making it. It turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself. I think they are having the drawing for it on the 17th of Dec.

I finished my turkey wallhangings. I had three to do and got them finished and given away. Love these cute turkeys. They just make you smile. They were done except for the buttonhole stitching, quilting and binding. Check that off the list of things to finish.!

Quilt Walk 2011 News flash!! I will be showing various classes that will be on the Quilt Walk schedule for the next few months. I want to entice you into planning on come to Panguitch and bringing your friends to have a wonderful time with us. So follow this blog to get a sneak peak!

One of my best friends is having a new granddaughter at the end of the month. I wanted to do something special to give her to commemorate this wonderful event. Then I remembered that Holly is teaching this wonderful class at the Quilt Walk this June and wanted to try it out on us to see what we thought. So I got her lined up to teach a few of us and I must say I have not had that much fun in a long time. I am not a scrapbook person, never have done it, have no clue how to get started and am frankly out of my element doing it! But guess what! I had never been taught by the likes of Holly before! Amazing! She is so awesome and patient and encouraging that I really didn't feel any pain at all! Check out the fun book I MADE!!!

We made all the pages put them together in book form, and decorated the pages. Too much fun!

The pages have cornerstones and slots for putting pictures in and the pages themselves have slots in the top and note cards for you to write down those special memories. Cool right??

Don't you think this will be a fun gift for a new grandma to fill with all sorts of pictures and memories??

I stopped by H & R to get some embroidery kits for my sister and JeriLu showed me this new line of fabric she just got in. Now I am not a flowery person, but I fell in love with this wonderful floral by Henry Glass. It's called "Fresh Palette" by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's quilt Company.

So I bought some of all that JeriLu had and added a couple more pieces out of my stash and came up with enough to do this wonderful block that I found on Wendy's blog.

Love this block and love Wendy's website! So here's my sample block and I love it so much I am going to get busy and make 15 more (they're 14") and sash them to make a queensize quilt. Best of all... It's just for me!!!

So guess what I'm doing the rest of the weekend?? I am just going to take time for me! Hope you all do that too!

Claudia

My Favorite Quilt

2010-11-04T22:26:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Amy for the wonderful Bloggers Quilt Festival. It is so fun to see all the quilts and read about them.

I have made this quilt a zillion times in my mind the last 13 years. I based it on the story of the pioneer Quilt Walkers who walked on quilts over the mountains from Panguitch to Parowan to get food for the starving settlers of Panguitch. I drew it and drew it and each year I thought would make it. This last spring I finally got around to starting it. I wanted it finished before the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival in June and before we dedicated our statue and park to the Quilt Walkers.

This festival is such a part of my life that I knew I had to do a quilt to represent how I felt about it. We now have a wonderful park to commemorate this incredible journey and the 7 men who made it. And I have a quilt that when I look at it gives me chills to think of the struggles these men had walking 40 miles each way in deep snow to bring supplies to their families. I am very blessed to live in such a wonderful town and have them many quilting friends who fill my life!

Thanks for stopping by.

Claudia

Enjoy the View!

2010-10-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

My view the last ten days has taken in every one's projects. There are so many talented ladies in Panguitch and in the blogging world that I have just taken a week off to check everyone out.

Last week at sewing night we had several fun projects shown and then we worked on a special one.

Donna brought her baby quilt to show us. How sweet is this!!

LaVee finished her beautiful star quilt. It's all hand quilted to boot! She also did the Christmas trees. We love those trees.

Becky finished her UFO for guild. It is awesome and how great is that to have it finished! She also finished a block while she was here!

I quilted my baby quilt and it now has the binding on it ready to take in the car this weekend.

Shannon is doing this spectacular Nativity scene out of wool. She hand dyes her fabric and it is amazing what she does with this wool.

She also brought tonight a fall table runner out of wool. The colors are so rich.

Holly is teaching us a class that she will be teaching at the Quilt Walk. It is the most amazing memory book. Here is a picture of her getting us started and I will show you pictures as soon as we finish . It is incredible! Love it!

Tonight Marylou taught us the clothesline baskets. There should be a law against having this much fun(NOT)! We all enjoyed ourselves and finished our baskets! Here are Marylou"s:

And here is mine and my new iron!

See how much fun I had and I didn't even get to the blogs. More next time!
Claudia

A Productive Weekend!!!

2010-10-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had numerous projects to finish.. You know that feeling...you have a schedule and no one around to bother you and you're off. I had three Turning Twenty quilts to sew together and get quilted, a baby quilt to quilt and a patriot star throw. My quilting machine is in a building in my back yard that has no heat and in the winter when I quilt, I plug in an electric heater. Now depending on how cold it is, it takes a while to heat up. So my theory this year was to get most of my Christmas quilting done now. It is warm outside and inside and peaceful. Give me a book on tape and I am set.
Saturday I quilted the king sized Turning Twenty. I love to quilt on my machine. This quilt is for a friend of mine who is getting married in two weeks. Western Boots and hats fit Justin perfectly and that's what the pattern was I used to quilt it.

Sunday I quilted the patriotic throw. I am just loving practicing free hand quilting. There are so many wonderful ideas to us. After I got done with the quilting I finished embroidering a sampler.

Today the last day of my three days off, I quilted the baby quilt. It's bright and colorful and for a wonderful friend's daughter who is having her first child. It's a little girl and I think this will be really fun for her. Now I just have bindings to put on all of them. Yes I didn't get the other two Turning Twenty quilts sewed together, but I am loving making something and quilting it in the same week. Amazing!

The best surprise this weekend came in the mail from Canada. Cathy Miller the Singing Quilter wrote a song about the Quilt Walk and put it on her new cd. She used my Quilt walker quilt as part of the inside cd cover. She sent me a copy and I love it! She is coming to the Quilt Walk next summer to teach and do a trunk show and of course sing the song! I'm really excited about that!

Now was that a busy weekend or what. Leon was in SLC, and so I just sewed along all weekend. I love it when I can see progress. I am excited with all the possibilities that I have to do. Oh and guess what I found while looking for a back for the baby quilt? 4 flannel quilt tops (throw size) that I totally forgot I had. I really like to have some on hand to give away when needed and so now I just need to quilt them up. It is pretty scary that I have that much stuff that I couldn't even remember doing them. How about you...have you come across hidden treasures you forgot?

It was such a beautiful weekend, I did get out and go for a walk each day and lunch with friends two days., so I wasn't a total hermit. But I really love my sewing weekends. Don't we all?

Claudia

Rainy Days and Family

2010-10-06T20:17:00.000-07:00

It has been raining in Panguitch for 3 days. We have had over 3" of rain. Incredible! I tried to get a picture of the rain running off the house, but it doesn't show up. The air smells so good, pine trees, dirt, wood, all equals fall is here.My front porch is full of wood, there is a stack outside the fence thanks to Joe and Alex, and a load of coal. We owe them big time. Let winter come.

A couple of weeks ago we took my sister and mom to Thanksgiving point for the afternoon. Leon, myself, our daughter, grandaughter, mother, sister had a great afternoon. I have been wanting to get a special picture of the 4 generations and we were lucky enough to get it done. We added my sister to the mix so there is 4 generations and one extra special hand. Love this. A mile stone that we needed to document.

I have a major sewing weekend planned. I am not going to show you pictures today, but hopefully by next Monday night I will have a bunch of fun things to pull out of my hat for you! I love 3 day weekends that I have no plans except sewing. I will be quilting them on my longarm and hopefully get done what I plan.

What are your plans for the long weekend??? Take time for yourself and enjoy the weekend!

Claudia

DEDICATION!!!!!!

2010-09-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

Who knew that 7 men fighting to save their families and way of life over a 150 years ago could make such an impact on us today? These 7 men saved this town and made it possible for all of us to live... no I think to really enjoy life in Panguitch, Utah.

Our Quilt Walk Park will be dedicated tommorrow at 1:00 p.m. and we are so excited!! We would invite all of you to come and share our excitement!

This project has been 13 years in the making. Each and everyone of you, who has attended the Quilt Walk, took classes, donated chocolate to the Chocolate Fest, donated to the jars in the stores, bought bricks, attended fund raisers, volunteered your time and talents, encouraged, supported and rallied us... we will never be able to thank you enough! We are so blessed and humbled by everyone around us.

The Quilt Walk Festival is held the second week of June each year. It is an all volunteer organization and it is really a fun event. I truly appreciate all the people that help to make it a fun time for all that come! Thank you to everyone!

Claudia

WHERE DID THIS ALL COME FROM???

2010-08-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

Nan called and told me to run up and see her sewing room. "It's almost back together again, but I have alot of stuff!" Now just what quilter doesn't! We love stuff. I love all the newest gadgets, a new ruler or pattern will give me a sleepless night, yardage...well we won't go down that road. These are the things I pondered as I drove up the road to Nan's house. Now Nan and I are alot alike. You can never have too much stuff. Our only problem is the time we need to do something with that wonderful "stuff". Nan just took everything out of her sewing room, repainted, carpeted, put up in new shelving, new totes for various fun things and sorted for days. I was excited to see the results!

Nan got an incredible sewing table and chair. We all need room to spread out! It's perfect! Check out the shelves with totes all labeled with what's inside (how great is that?). There are boxes and bins with all of the same things, Jenny Beyer kits, levis that are sewn for a rag quilt, levis that are cut for one, squares, strips, patterns, fat quarters have all found a new home in this wonderful room.

Now Nan's favorite color is red, and if you are ever looking for extra red, you might want to check with her... she probably has it! I love it! It is so good to see someone else with the addiction that I have! As I have said before "You can't have too much fabric".

Now I am inspired to do something with my spaces.(notice I said spaces) I don't know as I will go to the extreme of painting etc, but I do have a bunch of totes waiting to be filled. I just love Nan and she always inspires me to be a better person and a better quilter, and if I haven't seen some new fabric, blog, book or pattern she keeps me updated on that too! Now who could ask for more! Thanks Nan for sharing your sewing room!

Isn't it fun to see where we sew? I don't think it matters where we sew as much as it matters that we sew. With the events in my life in the past few weeks I realize how lucky I am that I have something that literally takes my breath away and I have friends like Nan to share it with. Life is so very good! Make sure you breathe deep and enjoy every day!
Claudia

Life's Journey

2010-08-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

We have been in Huntington since Wednesday night, but came home last night on a special errand. Joe (Sherrie's husband) ordered a handmade cherrywood casket from Figs in Orderville and we told him we would go get it. What nice people! The casket is breathtaking! There is a plaque the size of a turkey platter on the inside top that you can have any picture woodburned into. Sherrie loved the property up on the Fishlake and so they had a picture of the valley woodburned onto the plaque. So personal and meaningful. We felt very honored to go pick it up.

Today I made a throw for the casket. I quilted it in heart shaped leaves. I had ask JuNette what she thought about having everyone in the family sign it as a form of saying "Goodbye". She thought that was a great idea. It is a very simple quilt, but it will be full of love.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the whole family.

Claudia

OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN

2010-08-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Sherri was Leon's ex-wife. She was the mother of their children.. Destry and JuNette. She was my friend. She took her life on Wednesday....

We knew she was suffering from some problems, but we all thought her medication was working and she was improving. We just went to Lagoon with her 2 weeks ago and Leon had seen her at our grandson's Aaronic priesthood special day last Sunday. She was happy and engaging.

We will never know of the demons she fought second by second. We just know that the blackness was too much. I know that Heavenly Father has a special place in his heart for those whose lives are so broken. I know she is in a better place and that in this life she was loved.

Claudia

Wednesday Sewing Night...Re-energizing myself

2010-08-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

We had our Wednesday sewing night last week and I think I had a burn out. I literally did not do one thing but talk. I took my basket with blocks to cut for my Civil War Quilt and even took one out to do...but the rotary cutter never met the mat! I just didn't have the umph that it took to concentrate on any one thing. That is very rare for me and I left early, went home and finished watering, took a walk and was in bed by 10:00. Must have been under the weather for sure!

Good thing the other ladies weren't that way. JeriLu showed 3 three quilts that she had just gotten back from Shari

Dianne is way a head of me on the Civil War Quilt blocks. She has at least 6 done and Marylou is just cranking out wonderful tops. It is so fun to see them all.

Do you ever get a moment that you just can't do it? It is so rare for me that Jan even called me the next day and ask if I was sick. I think we all just need to breathe for a moment or two and re-energize. That was what I must have been doing.
What about you? How do you re-energize??? What is that thing you do to completely redo yourself?

Claudia

Love my Porch and a new Quilt to boot!

2010-08-01T19:58:00.000-07:00

What a wonderful day! Overcast and cooler and quiet. My company all left this morning and they even cleaned the house(how lucky was I?) I came home from church and sat on the porch watching the hummingbirds and picking the songs for Sacrament for the next three months. It was truly a nice afternoon. Do you have a porch? My house was built in 1875 and has this side porch off the kitchen(actually we use it as our front door, since no one goes to our front door) and it is surrounded by lilac bushes and trees so it is vey private. I love it. It is my favorite place in the whole yard.

Friday night I had to do something new and fun for a change. I had received Cheryl Phillips Banded Agate pattern and so I got busy and did it. Fun pattern. By midnight I had it finished and love it. I think I should find that blog that is doing the Friday Night quilt project because I could qualify. I still have my two unfinished quilts on the machine to do, but I needed a project that I could see results from. Perfect!

I loved it so much I started another one on Saturday(company had gone on a bike ride and river raft trip) I will finish it tommorrow and post a picture then. Nice feeling to get something done. Summer is flying by and I feel very aware that my projects aren't getting finished like I had hoped. Oh well tommorrow is another day!
Claudia

Jan's EBAY treasures

2010-07-28T21:24:00.001-07:00

Tonight Jan came in all excited with her treasures she had ordered off Ebay. Darling fabric, endless possibilies... She is so excited and so were we! It is so fun to get together and sew on Wednesday nights. Some study Dianne or JeriLu was telling us about said that association with friends was better for you than dieting or exercise(do you think I got that right?) and we all agreed that we were right on top of that finding! I can't think of anything better than sewing with my friends.

Have I told you how spoiled I am? Yes I have, but I forgot to tell you about my friend Marlaine. For my birthday she sent me the Civil War block of the month. I am still in shock for such a treasure and love her to pieces for this amazing gift. Dianne's husband had seen it in a quilt store he and Dianne had gone in and wanted it done for him so he had bought it for Dianne to do. This is a great thing for Dianne and I to do this quilt together. I think 2 heads are better than one. This will be fun to do! I'm so excited that we are doing this together.

Jolene made a great table runner, Jerilu is working on a turkey wallhanging, Nan is doing a Christmas quilt, Marylou is finishing a throw and LaVee is making a skirt for her grandaughter. Can it get much better than that?

We sewed, had great treats, and looked at books, dreaming of the possibilities out there for us. What better way to spend a raining Wednesday evening. Hope yours was just as fun!

Running Behind! Quilt Walk Statue is here!!!

2010-07-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

I don't know how people keep up with blogs, facebook, and twitter. I can't do one little blog on time, let alone read any! Anyway two weeks ago was our sewing night and I have pictures to show you of that. Many talented ladies doing fun things!

Last week the Quilt Walk Statue was placed on it's base! Too exciting! I knew we would eventually get it done, but it is here now and it is spectcular! So many people to thank for such a treasure! It takes many hands to get something as wonderful as this done! I want to thank everyone...the ladies and men who come and support the Quilt Walk Festival, all the volunteers who have made the Quilt Walk a success, the people who donated money and time and chocolate items, the people who have worked tiredlessly to get our cement done for the park, Panguitch City, Garfield Co Commissioners, Stan Johnson (the sculptor), Zions Bank, Heritage Highway so many of you have added your touch to make this wonderful project a reality. We have truly been blessed with wonderful friends! We are looking at dedicating it on September 11th, 2010.

It is so amazing how this story has impacted people. Check out my friend Jan's blog and read the story. I was shocked as when friends told me that they had heard the Quilt Walk story on the Spoken Word on KSL on the 25th of July . It sent chills up my back. It was rebroadcast yesterday on KBYU and I was just amazed as I listened.
Look at the legacy those 7 men left!

2010-07-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is my treasure. I was so totally blown away when my friends presented this wonderful quilt to me at the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival. Nan and Marylou contacted many ladies who sent in blocks and then they put it together. This is absolutely priceless to me. This is the very first time anyone ever made me a quilt. Just for me. It brings a lump to my throat just thinking about it. Can I say I feel truly special?? I am really blessed with such wonderful friends in my life. I hope when I give my quilts to someone that they have 1/10th the joy that I have received from this incredible quilt.

One Week Later

2010-06-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Wow I'ts been a week since the Panguitch Quilt Walk and I am still tired. I forgot to tell you one of my good friends Jan
Won a Bernina Activa 220 from Daves Bernina in Provo and St George! We were all so excited for her. Now if I can only talk her into letting me try it out and make sure it is running good for her. I figure that should take about 6 months...

I promised I would show you pictures of my class, the New Orleans Puzzle. There were 21 ladies and they all got them finished. Too Much fun!

We have already started planning next years festival. Too many fun things to think about!

Hopefully in the next few weeks our Quilt Walk Statue will be coming. I'll keep you posted. Have a great week! Claudia

Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival

2010-06-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

The Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival is over for another year. I am glad in some ways and sad in others. It is a huge job getting ready for it, but I have the greatest volunteers to help me that it is really fun. This year it started with the Chocolate Festival on Wednesday night. What could be better than quilting and chocolate. People donated all sorts of chocolate items and wonderful things for a silent auction. We had entertanment, fun and lots of chocolate. All the money raised from this event goes to our Quilt Walk Park.

Thursday starts classes. We had 43 classes over the 3 days. It was really fun. We had free trunk shows everyday with lots of door prizes. There are so many generous people in the quilting community. We also have a historic home tour, dinner theater, heritage fair.. something for everyone.

We ask the ladies to bring pillow cases and we donated 41 pillowcases to the Garfield Memorial Hospital. They were so fun and the hospital was glad to recieve the.

We had lots of vendors, hung beautiful quilts and had great classes. What could be better? You come to Panguitch, which is 22 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park, 1 hour from Zions National Park and 2 1/2 hrs from the Grand Canyon. You can bring your family and send them off to see the country and you can come and play with us. Mark it on your calendar for next year. It's always the 2nd weekend in June. Our website is www.quiltwalk.com.
Tommorrow I will show you more pictures and the class I taught. Way too much fun!

2010-06-13T19:40:00.000-07:00

Whew the month of May just flew by and I don't even know where it went. Yes I did spend alot of time in SLC taking care of my Dad while he was sick, and the rest of the time I was either at work or getting ready for the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival. I did get my Quilt Walk quilt finished and begged my friend Shari. She is awesome! So artisitic and creative! Love everything she does!
When she quilted my quilt it had only on quilt on it, and then when I got it back I appliqued the paper-pieced log cabin quilt on to it, rolling back the corner. too fun.

We have lots of pictures and information on the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival, but I am going to post that tommorrow as I am so very tired tonight. Check out my friends blogs for just a taste of how fun the Quilt Walk was. Nedra, Johna Lee. and Jan. I'll post again tommorrow!

What's on your cutting board??

2010-04-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

My friends in Hawaii have just had twins( a boy and girl). I thought I would make eye spy quilts for them since I have a lot of fish/marine material. Here is the first one withaout the borders. I'm not going to put batting in them, just back them with flannel. Now I wonder if I can talk DH into delivering them in person.....

Check out my sewing machine. I'm in a hurry to finish these 2 7/8" log cabin blocks for my "Quilt Walk" quilt. (Pictures will come later.) I want to take the finished quilt and other parts with me this weekend when we go to Willimsburg for vacation. I'm running out of time.

Yes after you look at my mess, don't you wonder how I get anything done??? What's on your cutting table??

What's on your cutting board???

2010-04-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

My cutting board is FULL! It is an antique drafting table that is huge and very high, which is wonderful for me being so tall. It has an antique cast iron from that is very unique and it tilits if you need it to! It is wonderful for cutting, sleeping (Missy and Big Boy, my sewing companions), stacking, displaying and just plain dreaming of quilts to come!

2010-04-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Here are more photos' from our Wednesday night sewing group.
Donna ia a beginning quilter and is just having a ball learning to cut a Turning Twenty Quilt

This is a quilt that Shannon is appliquing on to her border. Lots of patience required, but totally awesome!

Kenda and Shannon are doing beautiful wool applique. We are all jealous.

MaryLou brought quilts that she has made at previous Quilt Walks. Above is her Mexican Star and below is her Purple Mountain Majesty
It's fun to see what everyone has done!

2010-04-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

The Quilt Walk Festival website is full of fun classes . Check us out!

Sewing with the girls

2010-04-14T22:21:00.000-07:00

One of my stash buster quilts.

Mary Lou's quilt projects

These are two of Betty's projects. She is like the Energizer Bunny. She never quits.

On the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, you will find me down at the Senior Citizen center with a wonderful group of ladies who bring their projects and sew for a few hours. It's the end of a busy day and what a perfect way to unwind. We all have lots of ideas and lots of projects that we are working on. The Quilt Walk's theme this year is "to stash or not to stash . that is the question" so... many of us are working on down sizing our stash! I say "working on" in an abstract way as our stashes are extremely large and will take major over hauls to see any difference in them. We always show what we are working on so here are a few pictures of tonight's projects.

Mary Lou is one of our teachers for the Quilt Walk. She will be teaching a Beginning Piecing class along with Roxanna. They are really fun and have great ideas to inspire and help beginning quilters.

2010-04-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

Check out the wonderful giveaway at www.jaybirdquilts.com
There are so many fun ideas out there. Hard to keep up with them all!

2010-04-12T15:51:00.000-07:00

Here are two pictures of our statue. The first is the minature, and the second is the lifesize face. It will be a full size man throwing a fullsized quilt and walking on a fullsized quilt. It's truly awesome!

2010-04-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

My gosh the wind is blowing hard today. It's surely bringing in a storm. I hope we don't get too much snow. I still have 2" of ice on the back deck! This is my first attempt at a blog and I am really excited. I read blogs all the time and I have learned so much. So to be part of the blogging community is really exciting.

I am one of three chairman for the Panguitch Quilt Walk Festival that is held in Panguitch, Utah the second weekend in June. This is our 12th year and a very exciting year for us. Check out our website www.quiltwalk.com and see what we are doing. Lots of classes, trunk shows, quilt show, historic home tour, dinner theater are just a few of our fun events!

The Panguitch Quilt Walk was started to commemorate the historic event that saved the pioneers that settled Panguitch in 1864. The winter was long and the wheat had frozen in the fields. Food was running low and families were starving. Seven men volunteered to take a wagon and a team of oxen from Panguitch over the mountain to Parowan. They made it about 10 miles out of town when they realized the snow was too deep and they couldn't go any further.

They were at a loss as to what to do. They pulled some quilts out of the wagon, spread them on the ground and knealt in prayer. After they finished their prayer they realized that they had not sunk into the snow while kneeling on their quilts. They left the wagon and oxen and set out walking and when they couldn't get through the snow they would spread their quilts out and walk across them. Leap frogging them the remaining 30 miles to Parowan and the 40 miles back to Panguitch, saving their families from certain doom. It is recorded in the familes diaries and a very important event in Panguitch history.

This year we are really excited about our festival because we have been raising money for a statue and this year it is going to be dedicated during the Quilt Walk Festival. Stan Johnson from Parowan is our sculptor and has done a magnificent job. It is headed to the foundry in Lehi shortly. I can't believe this is really coming to fruition.