Once in a Blue Moon

 Today is a Blue Moon!

... and it's been about that long since I've been back up to the lake...

So it was up up and away from the heat in Chico! I closed down the studio until Monday, too hot to run my machine and computers anyway. Drove up to the lake on Wednesday and spending time with my BFF Sally, two quilting friends that came into Tahoe for family reunions and visiting friends in town and in my old neighborhood. It's hot here as well, Tahoe City was 90 degrees on Wednesday when I drove thru, hot for the lake but still allot more comfortable than the flat land!

I finished the borders on Sandy's quilt before I left...

A few more details, a little outlining in the blocks and some SID 

and this beauty is ready for binding :0) 

Off to pick up Mary Kay and then a visit to Quilting Tahoe which is sadly closing! Penny is closing her shop due to health reasons and smoke related allergies. We will miss her and the shop. Back to trips down to The Quilt House in Gardnerville, NV for a LQS like it was back in the day when I lived here. 

Spent Wednesday afternoon and evening with Marilyn and Jerry, they are from the Palm Springs area. An online quilting friend since 1998, we would meet each year during her annual Summer visit to the lake. Yesterday was a visit with Mary Kay who flew in from the St.Louis MO area. They are both here for family reunions and birthday celebrations. My good fortune to see them both! The weekend will be spent with Sally which we are looking forward to. Last night we had dinner together when she got off work. It's been 2 years next week since we spent time together! Yea, a much needed lift to my spirit altho, just spending time here in the mountains would have done it! 

Enjoy your weekend!

Tot ziens, Jo

Finishes this week

A wall hanging made by Tess

 Tess' request was for a circular design in the blocks

 This wall hanging will go to a Mammography center.

I quilted a circle of hearts with echo stitching around them

and then repeated that design in the borders and corners.

Added a little ruler work in the HSTs

All quilted with two Glide threads in Pearl and Black

with two layers of batting ~ Wool to give it loft

with an under layer of cotton to help it hang nice. 

Thank you Tess

Tess also dropped of a wool applique quilt that I am anxious to play on.

Meanwhile got caught up on a few more...

This quilt is made by a new to me customer, Sally V

Love the fabrics!

Quilted with Williamsburg e2e

using an Omni thread from Superior Threads

on Quilter's Dream cotton Select.

Love the paisley backing fabric too!

Thank you Sally :0)

One for Claudia

 Quilted with Escargot e2e

Using Omni thread from Superior Threads

The backing fabric is the dark blue background with yellow flowers. I used two layers of batting for this quilt as well. A wool with a cotton layer. The reason for this quilt is because thru wool dark backing would shadow the light fabrics on the top. The cotton helps keep the top nice and bright white. Claudia also added some of the strips to her backing.

 Love the loft of the wool, you can see it in these pix taken early in the morning

 with a bit of sun as it rises.

Thank you Claudia!

Perfect piecing and good fabrics as always :0)

You are very much appreciated

 Christmas in July for Barbara H

Love her pieced backing altho it was a challenge 

to center the top with the backing

both horizontally as well as vertical.

Close up of the back 

with my Points and Berries e2e

Quilted with Omni in Indian Paintbrush

Its a wonderful red! 

 This baby quilt was quilted yesterday for my good friend Janie

She is so creative and loves to challenge both of us!

Top fabric is a knit, that when washed, created the crosshatch pattern

The batting is wool and the back is Minkee!

Kind of like trying to quilt three sponges together! 

Janie raw edge appliqued all of the fabric squares onto the white knit fabric

using a decorative feather stitch on her machine.

That was a challenge in and of itself :0)

Really cute fabrics with Fox, Owls, a squirrel and a hedge hog

Stitching is added to the animal block prints

with Omni and Glide threads

and an extra square of wool batting

 behind the blocks

 and this is Little Tweet on the Minkee backing...

Thank you Janie! 

Took a break this morning to post pix, now off I go to add the binding! 

See you soon! 

Enjoy your weekend

Tot Ziens, Jo

"We will be known forever by the tracks we leave."
Native American Proverb

4th of July Finish!

Lori ~ Humble Quilts finished her Flags of the American Revolution quilt!

Complete with binding and buttons

Click here to see Lori's finished quilt posted this morning on her blog
with pix of the buttons, they really add to the quilt :0)

Humble Quilts

Congrats on a finish Lori!

 Your work is gorgeous

A patriotic finish to a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

Tot Ziens, Jo

Take the time to make some stitches :0) 

4th of July weekend

Totally missed posting the July moon on the 1st! As my friend Donna reminds me these daze, I'm not plugged in... and it's true. It's kind of getting better and then, it's not. I miss my Mom. It's a very big hole, Grand Canyon big as I said to another friend. Good to have friends :0) and especially friends and customers that quilt because it's also good to have wonderful quilts to play with! Working on Lori's quilt felt really good and this week I finished quilting another beauty for Judy J. 

Judy is up in the mountains right now and plans to pick up her quilt after the weekend. Good place to be in this heat. Way too hot with triple digits here in the valley. Judy emailed yesterday afternoon they were having mountain thunderstorms and rain. I miss that after leaving the mountains a few years ago. We sure could use some rain down here in the North Valley. 

Which brings this blog post to the July Moon or Thunder Moon. Thunderstorms are frequent during this month. Also known as the Full Buck Moon. 

A cycle of nature however, it's very scarey this year following years of drought combined with dry lightning. It was reported yesterday that with yesterday's thunderstorms, it's so dry right now fires started despite the rain. So not good. 

A pic of this week's quilt that I sent along for Judy to see. Will blog more about Judy's quilt after she sees it in real life after the weekend. The picture of Judy's quilt has been removed for now. She asked that her quilt be kept private until it is shown in upcoming quilt shows. Pics will be posted after Annie's Star Quilt Guild show in November.

I am so grateful to have these two beautiful quilts to work on right now, quilting is definitely good therapy!

Enjoy your 4th of July weekend! Please, take care to be safe.

 Tot Ziens, Jo

Lori's Flags of American Revolution

Buttons and binding

is what's next for this wonderful quilt 

made by Lori ~ Humble Quilts.

I had the best time quilting this quilt and it could not have been at a better time for me and the Fourth of July holiday coming up. Flag Day would have been appropriate as well, altho I got to enjoy Lori's quilt that day while finishing the quilting ;0) I loved working on this quilt!!! Each block is different and was quilted with a different design working with each of the applique motifs. Much thought went in to each block with the goal of adding texture with minimal, understated design. Love prim :0)

  echo 

  outlining

 Ruler and grid work... love my Innova!

 The center of Lori's quilt...

 

77 x 77

Flags of American Revolution

made by Lori ~ Humble Quilts

Pattern by Jan Patek

Quilted by Jo ~ Moonbear Designs

Batting is Quilter's Dream natural cotton Select. 

Thread is Omni by Superior Threads. 

I used Camel (good blender) and Dark Slate on the dark fabrics.

Thank you Lori!

Your applique is amazing!!! 

This quilt is a QAL that Lori hosted in 2014 on her blog. This morning Lori posted pix on Humble Quilts as well. Thank you Lori and to everyone that commented on the quilting. Made my day and lifted my spirits, both the comments and the time spent quilting this quilt. A very good feeling as I work thru the grief with the recent loss of my Mom. Again, Lori, I can't thank you enough for trusting me with your quilt. Hugs, Jo