Wow!

I will never forget this quilt show!!!  Ever.

Here's why......

Mr. Boss decided that we would take the whole family.  He felt that this was really important to me and that the boys should share in it.

There is some serious news...so hang in there all the way to the end of the story, okay?

As we first walked in...a quilt car. 

NOTE:  Please excuse blurry/non-focused/horrible photos.  It was VERY busy and I didn't want to annoy any of the more serious ladies that were there!!!!

My 14 year old son found these two special areas.  Apparently, I am old because all quilters need scooters....in his mind...

 And that he needed to know where the first aid station was because he felt that he was in dire need of help.

But the boys discovered that quilts aren't all flowers and butterflies....

And Bean LOVED the animal quilts.

Bunny was fascinated with this one...it made you get dizzy and the optical illusion was mind blowing!

There might have been a few yawns since we were there during  naptime...

But there were certainly some occasional giggles.....

Taken with Camera phone by the oldest.....he posted this on Facebook.....

Where else, but a quilt show would there be a "Ladies Only" sign at the Mens' restroom door!

I can't even tell you how many booths there were.  Too many that my brain was in overload.

And the boys had a lot of fun test driving long arm quilting machines.  I think they made the salespeople nervous, but they used them like pros...and it kept them busy!

And the quilts entered into the show?  Amazing.

You weren't allowed to take pictures of some of them.  But I took just a few of the ones I could.

Wearable Quilt Art Winner.

My mom would love this.  She loves all things "oriental" especially since she was born in Okinawa, Japan (on a military base..)

Oh...shopping you say?

I just couldn't decide.  But Mr. Boss wanted me to get this kit:

It didn't take much to twist my arm...we saw the finished project.

I think it will take me 10 years to finish it!

So many gadgets....

I only picked up the quilting paper, powder pounce, proportional scale, and tape measure.  They are tools to help with pantograph quilting.  They came with these.

Huge spools of quilting thread.  

Why do I need that you say?

Oh, I didn't tell you why my husband is the

BEST HUSBAND EVER?

Because I am picking up one of the demos of these...

Today!! 

My frame will be here by the end of next week!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!

I am a proud owner of a new Handi Quilter  longarm machine!!!

HQ 18 inch Avante with Studio Frame

I will tell you who, what, where, and why I chose this brand tomorrow.  

I have to go pick my new girl up!

Oh....and recover from the shock...No more gifts for the next 20 years of birthdays and Christmases!

History of Hawaiian Quilts

About two years ago, I had read a short blip on the back page of my quilting magazine and was absolutely fascinated!

It is usually a quilt with one single HUGE appliqué on a single color fabric...usually white. It is traditionally cut after a large square of fabric is folded into eighths! Then it is hand appliqued and hand quilted in a echo quilting pattern.

This beautiful quilt was displayed at our hotel (Grand Wailea Resort)

My main mission when I stopped by at the Maui Quilt Shop on our vacation was to pick up the throw pillow quilt kit they had available.

Little did I know there would be a very generous collection to choose from!

I didn't have a lot of time, so I chose mine based on it's colors. 

I just knew I wanted something that would go in my studio.

I then picked up some "local fabric" see HERE.

I couldn't leave without a book.  

I quickly found a pattern book. 

There are over a dozen appliqué patterns and some Polynesian quilting patterns. 

Fabulous!

 I was easily distracted.  I found myself eyeing this one.

I couldn't resist.
As dear hubby can attest, I cannot resist a good book, especially if it involves the history of any crafting. 
I can read ANY of them over and over.

Of course, I dived in as soon as the wee ones fell asleep en route back home. What else was I supposed to do on our nine hour flight other than work on my needlepoint!

I had big plans to share the process.
Until I read the book.

Apparently, it is bad kapu (taboo) to share not only your pattern, but no one is to see the quilt until it is finished. 

Then, I realized that I had chosen an ulu (breadfruit) pattern.

It is said that if you do an ulu quilt first, that you will be as prolific as the plant and will go on to make many more quilts for your family.

How is that for choosing the right one in such a quick time?!

The other major kapu (rule/taboo) of Hawaiian quilting is that you must "feel right in your heart".

So in honor of Pele (the goddess of volcanos), I've decided to share my quilt throw pillow after it is complete.

After all, she decided to keep Haleakala quiet during our stay!

Borrowed this photo from a  Park website.  It is the crater of the dormant volcano.  It is due to erupt within the next 200yrs.  You never know!  Those clouds you see in the distance?  The day we were there, they were covering us!

A Quilt for the Button

 I am so excited!  I gave my new girl a bit of a run and feel confident to start working on some "orders" for friends and family.

I finished little Button's quilt!!

I think Button is excited too!

I have only made one other quilt for one of my children, and that one sits with her memory box.  

This quilt was therapuetic in many ways.

  I bought the "if its a girl" and "if its a boy" quilt kits from Joann's.  

I planned to do them BEFORE he arrived, but I think there was fear.  

Fear that if I made a quilt, I would be coming home empty armed again.  

So demons where vanquished as I worked on it. Cutting went smoothly.  Placing the squares?  Not so much.  Too many mishaps to explain the amount of times my flannel fell and squares fell on the floor.

  I was very anxious about deciding on my quilting plan.  I let the quilt hang out in the studio for a while. 

The usual struggle in my head occurred!  Should I free-motion?  Should I do even lines.  Should I cross even lines to make small squares.  Should I try to make hearts in each large square?

Then I started to doodle. 

Don't you just love post-its?

I decided that I would meander, but cross my lines.  And every so often I would add a heart. 

My heart!

  I emphasized a few of the larger hearts by mimicking the pebble quilting effect.

I will be honest....I let my stitch lengths go a little long.  I have to practice getting them a bit shorter.  My new machine was a bit quick for me!

But I don't think Button cares!

Or maybe he wonders about my ability to quilt?

 

Or is he more worried about my ability to bind it?

 

He should be.  

I usually hand stitch my bindings, but wanted to try to do it solely by machine.

 Ewww......YUCK!

 Major FAIL mom!

But I pulled it out in the end!  A little time and a seam ripper, and some handstitching. 

I was back in business!

Phew, Mom....That was a close one!

I'm so glad that I pushed through all the difficulties to finish it.
  It sure was worth it for this little guy!

Edited:  Took a few better pictures of the kit and doodle.  And somehow I was missing a picture of the hand stitched binding!