Persimmon Quilts’ blog

Happy Independence Day! 

I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday. We are staying close to home this weekend, and plan on a relaxing one. Scott is taking Mitchell and a friend to a kids' fishing tournament locally. It's been an early morning 4th of July tradition, and they enjoy it. Not sure what Mom's going to do with a quiet house, but I'll think of something (quilty)!

 

4-H Youth Sewing Project

My QOV friend, Linda is a 4-H Leader. She took some Autograph Star blocks to their meeting last week, and the kids made blocks and signed them. Linda then set them into a top.  I have really enjoyed looking at these blocks and reading their words of comfort, thanks, and encouragement. Their artwork is awesome, too.  It's wonderful to see our youth learning sewing (quilting) skills, and contributing to civic projects, too.  Kudos to Linda and the 4-H'ers!!

 

What's on the frame

This is a very pretty Sampler made by my QOV friend, Linda.  She is giving it to her mother for birthday. It's a HUGE quilt with many blocks. Each block is different, and I enjoyed studying each and every one of them as I quilted.  Good job, Linda!

 

 

 

 

Here is the finished special request QOV I have been working on. I have to get it quilted and shipped out later this month, along with a 2nd request quilt, too.  Will post pictures of that one as the quilt comes together. 

 

 

I worked on my website this weekend, pulling my design and photo files from one very slow computer to my laptop. I also added a shopping page to my website.  Check it out at www.persimmonquilts.com

The 2nd clue to my latest QOV Mystery is posted on my website, too. 

 

 

Special Request Quilt for QOV Foundation

Last week I had to take Princess Margaret, my longarm, to the repair shop in Wichita for service. Unfortunately I had to leave it for a week. I drove to Wichita and picked it up yesterday.  I am so glad to have her home again and stitching like brand new.

I was able to get some projects done (or started) this week, even though I couldn't longarm. The Quilts of Valor Foundation has asked me to make two special quilts for a ceremony later this summer.  This is one of the quilts -in progress. After taking this picure I assembled the top 2 rows and machine appliqued the eagle on. I'll post a picture of the completed quilt in a few weeks.

 

 

What's on the Frame

This  is a cute John Deere quilt for a customer's little boy.  How fun is that?!!!

 

STORMY FATHER'S DAY

    We had a relaxing Father's Day afternoon and evening. Our middle daughter, Mandy, and her boyfriend came up to visit, fish, and go out to dinner with us. As the evening wore on, the sky was looking ominous. They were on their motorcyle, so they left ahead of the storm.  Fortunately they made it home before the storm hit us.

    The Weather Service is saying no tornadoes touched down, but we must have had a microburst, since we had trees uprooted and broken off.  We also had golfball+ sized hail for over 30 minutes, completely destroying my gardens, pounding the paint off our house, and ruining our roof.  We received 5+" of rain in 2 hours. We have no water in our home, but our yard is flooded.  More rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, with severe weather again tonight.

I realize we live in Oklahoma, and severe weather is normal, but ENOUGH!

I was going to take some pictures yesterday of my perennial gardens in full bloom, but with company here I decided to wait until later this week.  I wish I would have taken them. I took some pictures tonight of my ruined beds. I'm hoping some will survive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT I'VE HAD ON THE FRAME

Last week I quilted a nice black-white-&-red quilt that is to be a gift for my customer's son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRIP TO WICHITA

Friday I took my longarm to Wichita for servicing. Unfortunately I had to leave it. I was given a loaner machine to use until I return to Wichita later this week to exchange machines. If it would  just quit storming long enough for me to get some work done.....

Quilt Daze Show in Tulsa

This weekend's show was one of the best I've been to in a long time. The ladies at Green Country Quilt Guild should pat themselves on the back for a great show with lots of quality quilts and vendors.

They were gracious in donating a booth space to our Quilts of Valor group.   We had 2 sewing machines set up for piecing blocks. Some spectators stopped and sewed awhile, too.  We had 2 men from the local Army unit helping us. They were pretty reserved until they found out we didn't bite! Then they became our "Carnival Barkers" and started greeting spectators and getting them over to our booth to sign Autograph Star Blocks.  We asked them to pose for pictures. We set up a block at each machine, and asked them to pose as though they were sewing. Even though they know all about sophisticated military machines and weapons, they were so intimidated by our sewing machines, but they were game to try them. Before long we had them chain stitching and piecing blocks!  I love the look of determination on the face of Sgt. Ekiss' face in the middle picture as he tries to line up the block pieces!! 

I'd like to thank my booth partners, Linda R., Sue W., Adabelle R., Betty B., and especially my good friend, Mary Ellen Thiets. It was a lot of hard work getting the booth together and working the show, but we did it, and feel a great deal of accomplishment in getting the word out about our organization and it's mission.    For more info: www.qovf.org 

 

The Quilts of Valor Foundation recently asked me to write an article for their monthly newsletter explaining how our group got it's start.  Here's the link.... click on June '08 "How many POCs"   My article is on starts on pg 5

http://www.qovf.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=89&Itemid=53

 

Emma Goins' Beautiful Applique Quilt

 

This is a quilt I quilted for one of my favorite friends, Emma Goins. I wish I had taken closeup shots, but didn't.  She won a 3rd place ribbon! It was an absolute joy to quilt, and definitely deserved the recognition. 

 

Speaking of ribbons..... Our Pryor Patchers Guild quilt won an Honorable Mention at the show. It is the paper pieced bird quilt I've written about previously. Way to go, ladies!

I've been working on getting things ready for our Quilts of Valor booth at Quilt Daze quilt show in Tulsa this coming weekend.  Reminds me of the days I used to vend at shows when I had my quilt store. The show itself was always fun, but the planning, hauling, setting up, tearing down, and hauling it all back  - not so fun! 

 

What's on the frame?:

This is one of the QOV tops we made into a kit using the blocks we received from our Autograph Star Block Drive.  Linda Rasure pieced this one, and it was a joy to quilt.  I've been working on the binding this evening. It will be on display in our booth at the show.

 

This morning was my son's class Awards Ceremony.

He made us very proud with all his hard work this year,

bringing home 11 awards!  You go, Mitchell!

 

Mrs. McCubbin's Friendship Sue Quilt

After awards we gave Mrs. McCubbin the Sunbonnet Sue quilt I made for her. She ooh'd and ahh'd over it, then I told her to check out the label on the back. She read all the details of maker, dates, etc, then when she came to the dedication part, and saw that it was for her the tears started flowing!  I was behind the quilt with Mitchell in this picture.  He whispered to me, "Sure enough, she's crying. I told you so!".   She was so surprised! 

Mrs. McCubbin is an outstanding teacher and friend!

 

QOV Work Day

Yesterday my QOV buddies, Mary Ellen and Linda came out to my studio to work on Quilts of Valor kits. We cut out Autograph Star Block kits for quilters to assemble in our booth at the show next month. Then we made finishing kits. We got alot accomplished, and had a very nice visit, too.  We are very low on patriotic fabric yardage, so we brainstormed ways to get our hands on more.  If anyone reading this has extra red, white, blue, or patriotic fabric in their stash that they aren't using, we'd gladly take it off your hands! 

We have 6 quilts made from the Autograph Star Blocks completed, and enough blocks to make about a dozen more.  

 

Loose Change - Quilts from Nickels, Dimes & Fat Quarters

Finally! We have a release date for our book, published by Martingale & Co - That Patchwork Place.  The book will be available October 27, 2008.

My co-author, Claudia Plett, and I will have copies available on our websites this fall. You may also find it at your local quilt store, or most online bookstores will have it, too.

There's 12 projects, ranging from table runners, to baby quilts, lap quilts, and bed quilts.

It's been a busy week in my studio.  I've been working on several personal projects, and am steadily whittling down my list of customer jobs.  And I've managed to work in my yard - between storms.  It's been a rough spring in Oklahoma. I'm ready for the severe weather season to end, but am not looking forward to the next season - HEAT.  Sigh....

 

 

Pizza Box Guild Project

   This month I had Jean J's pizza box. She had vibrant colors for me to work with.  And a neat stripe!  I love to work stripes into a quilt.  I used a paper pieced pattern called New York Star from www.quilterscache.com .  I'd been wanting to make that pattern for a long time, and this was the perfect fabric to do it in.   The color in this photo is not correct.  The background is actually a very bright, grape purple color.   Isn't it cheery!

 

 

 

Guild Donation Quilt

 

    In an earlier post I showed a picture of a paper pieced hummingbird from my guild's, Pryor Patchers, Donation Quilt.  It will be raffled in December. It's our major fundraiser, and proceeds go for education and community charities

It's 104" x 104" and would be a great quilt to win.  If you'd like to purchase tickets to win this gorgeous quilt, contact me.

 

QUILTS OF VALOR

It's been a busy week for our QOV group.  We are working on getting our show booth ready, and a last minute push to complete as many quilts as we can for displaying in the booth, before they are shipped off to their destinations. 

I have had so many lovely Autograph Star blocks arrive in my mailbox!  I cut kits this weekend, and made one of the tops myself.  Kits are available at SewFlakes (formerly Cyrilla's Artful Needle).  If you're in there shopping, please volunteer to take a kit home and make a top for us! 

I have posted the final clue to my QOV Mystery.  We'll be available to take your completed mystery tops in our booth at the Quilt Daze show June 6-7, in Tulsa.

A new QOV Mystery begins June 15th.  Details and fabric/cutting instructions are posted on my website: www.persimmonquilts.com . 

I also posted a couple more Autograph Blocks.  Please consider making a block(s) for us!

 

Tonight's storms have passed (for now), and I'm seeing fireflies in the woods.  I think I'll go sit on my porch awhile, and listen to the night sounds before I go to bed.  'Nite..... 

 

Hens & Chicks Internet Forum Swap

Here's some pictures of the "flock" I received from my swapping friends.  This was a very fun swap. I plan to make a wall hanging(s) for my kitchen, since it is decorated in roosters.   Thanks to all my poultry swapper friends!   Click on picture for close up. 

 

QOV Block Drive

These are just some of the many Autographed Star blocks I have received since starting this block drive 2 weeks ago!! You gals are the best!!

Keep those blocks coming! We'll keep setting blocks as long as they keep showing up in my mailbox!!!

 

Sunbonnet Sue Friendship Quilt

 

I finished quilting the Sunbonnet Sue Friendship quilt I've been working on (for a long time!).   I cut a pretty checkered fabric on the bias for binding that I have yet to hand stitch down. It's a present for a friend, so I have to get it done soon.  I hate binding, but I'll suffer through it!

 

It was a lot of fun to quilt.  I hope she likes it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been a busy couple of weeks.  I have been working in my yard, and have my veggie garden planted, too.  This week's wind has wrecked havoc on my tomato plants, so will have to re-plant a couple this weekend.

I went to the Master Gardener's plant sale last weekend, and brought home a truckload of finds.  It took a couple days to get it all planted, but I know I will be able to sit back and enjoy them later this summer.

 

We have 24 duck eggs in our incubator now.  We should have a nice brood in about 2 weeks.  We have 2 goslings that are about 10 days old. They are SO cute! 

 

 

 

What's on the frame?

I've done a lot of longarming this week, in between all of my son's school activities.  Here's a picture of one of the quilts.  It's a Strips & Curves quilt done in beautiful fall colors.  Gorgeous!

 

QUILTS OF VALOR MYSTERY

    There's one more clue left on my 1st QOV Mystery (May 15th).  I will leave the pattern on my website for several months, in case anyone missed out and wants to do it.   I will be posting QOV Mystery #2  June 15th.  It will be another 6 week mystery.  Details coming soon!    www.persimmonquilts.com