Changing It Up

This was my son and his wife's first year in their house. They wanted to host Thanksgiving dinner, and I would never turn down a meal that someone else cooks!

We were not surprised at all when they told us they were going to fry the turkey. This couple loves adventures. It was a first for us all.

My son was an Eagle Scout, so I knew he was in charge of the turkey when I pulled into their driveway and saw a fire extinguisher sitting there along with the fryer and a few chairs.

 

The first step was the heating of the oil.

 

We all stood and watched the lowering of the bird.

40 minutes and done. The house did not burn down and the turkey was delish. Success!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by the live of your family.

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And the silk goes to...

Phillydina!! You won a beautiful trio.  Shoot me an e-mail with your address.

 

Today I went to Serger Club.  I really want to know all the ways I can use my serger.  Pamela Leggett is the Queen Serger at Steve's Sew n Vac n Quilting.  We are so lucky to have her teaching in our area.  If you check out her website , you will see that she has her own pattern line ,nationally recognized and travels around the country to share her knowledge.

 

Serger Club is every other month at Steves.  Today the project was a tree skirt and the goal was to learn to use it to do set in seams.  I made mine the size of a tabletopper and used fabric that I had in my stash. 

 

The pattern, designed by Pamela used only one pattern piece and 4 different fabrics.

Serging is messy and makes a lot of lint.

One of 6 wedges

 

One half

2 halves.  Can you see all the thread chains?

 Finished top with the teacher, Pamela.

If only I had done this in blue and white, I could have had a Chanukah present.

 

How did I feel about using the serger to piece this tabletopper? Well, it was more about learning to use my serger.  Sergers are fast.  I did this in 2 1/2 hours.  Precision? 

 Probably would have been better with a sewing machine. 

But that cutting blade that gives such a nice edge can also be the enemy. 

Sadly, 3 nicks.

 

 Buttons anyone?

 

 

Giving Thanks – Quilters’ Blog Hop Party

It's getting close to Thanksgiving.  It's a great time for me to thank all of you who visit my blog on a regular basis and those that are new readers.  It has been such a joy for me to share my quilting comings and goings in what has become a career, and of course to share my bicycling exploits too.  I live my life wearing quilting colored glasses.  I also have a website that has a gallery with lots of my quilts which are not quite traditional and lean more towards art:  www.CherylLynchQuilts.com

 

I have decided to join Michele Foster of the Quilting Gallery  and lots of other bloggers on this blog hop giveaway.  Click here  to see what other bloggers are participating with wonderful giveaways. All the links will be posted on Thursday afternoon.

 

Recently, I have been doing a lot of quilting with dupioni silk. 

 

It is an exciting, beautiful and elegant fabric. 

It can be used with a traditional pattern or in something more contemporary. 

 

I decided it would be fun to share this fabric that is hard to find and some patterns,

so I opened an etsy shop, called Sewing With Silk.  I think I have some really good prices and I just added a bunch of new stuff.

 

For my giveaway, visit my etsy shop. 

 

I have put together these fun kits called Trios.  They contain 3 fat quarters of silk, stabilizer and my tips for sewing with silk. In your comment, tell me which Trio you would choose if you were the winner. Make sure you come back if you don't include your e-mail.

 

Don't forget to come back on the 26th to see if you have won

or sign up with Bloglovin' if you want to be notified. 

 

 

Road Trip!

I visit a lot of quilt guilds in NJ as a guest speaker.  I have heard so much about Olde City Quilts, located in Burlington, NJ.  It is a shop whose name comes up over and over again as a not to miss shop.

  I finally had an excuse to go - not that I need an excuse for a road trip.  But sometimes I do need to be pried out of my house.  Barb Persing, author of the book, Listen To Your Quilt,  custom quilted a silk quilt for me. Frankly, I was a little intimidated to quilt the wide open spaces. I couldn't wait to see what she did. She was teaching at the shop, so it was a great place to meet. 

Olde City Quilts is definitely worth the trip.  I walked in and this is the view from the front door.

There were shelves and shelves filled with fabric - an assortment that would please anyone's palette.

Isn't this an adorable sewing table and chair?  In my favorite color.

I think they carry every Accuquilt die ever made.

And then I found the room where Barbara was teaching.  These are all long arms.  There must have been at least 6. What shop does this? Where else can you take a class like this?

 

Then I found Barb with her students.

She loved quilting my dupioni silk quilt and it showed.

She did an amazing job.  Right now I can only show you a tiny bit.

 

And of course I had to buy some fabric, although I did try to control myself. I couldn't resist these juvenile prints. Oh Henry - what am I going to make fore you?

 

And there was a diner in town, so we had to go there for lunch.

For those of you not from the area, NJ is famous for its diners. 

The food was delish and there was plenty left for dinner.

My partners in crime agreed.  We can't wait for another excuse to head to Olde City Quilters.

 

 

 

Oy! Blogger Gremlins

My post announcing the winners of the block hop give-a-way was derailed by blogger gremlins.  If you can read vertically, you may have been able to see that are Narelle (who I have already heard from - congrats!) and Lori, quilting lady are the winners.

Congrats to both.  You'll have the magazines soon.

Don't forget about the give-a-way starting Nov 21st.  Lots of blogs.  Lots of gifts.

Did You Win?

I wish I could send a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks to each and everyone of you who commented on my last blog post.  You made me feel so good about my block and the 3rd setting that I was not crazy about.  I also think a lot of you will be making Mug Rugs for holiday presents. (I know I will.)

The 2 winners are Narelle and Lori (quilting lady).  e-mail me with your addresses so I can send out your magazines.  (oyveyquilts@yahoo.com) Congrats!! You will love this magazine.

And remember that on November 21st, Thursday, I will be participating in the Quilting Gallery blog hop giveaway.  I will be choosing one commenter to whom I will send some dupioni silk from my etsy shop. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Blog Tour

I am so excited to be  part of this block blog tour. This is the second consecutive time that one of my blocks has been included in this magazine.  Last time my block was called "Beach Cabanas" and I designed a great summery beach quilt  to go along with my block.  You can see it here.

It is truly rewarding to be one of the few Judaic quilt pattern designers.  A bunch of my patterns are published under the name of OyVey! Quilt designs.  You can see them on my website: www.cheryllynchquilts.com/patterns .  And now I can share a  dreidel pattern published in the newest issue of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 8, called "Dancing Dreidels". It is 12" finished.

It is a paperpieced block  that would be perfect to make into a quilt for Chanukah, or it can be used as part of a wallhanging.  Here are some sample layouts.

This third block set was my original planned set.  The idea was that rotating each dreidel  block 90 degrees, pointing towards each other would make the dreidels  look like they were spinning. But, you can see that the dreidels are unrecognizable! Thumbs down for that idea.

The dreidels can also be used as singletons for cornerstones, or how about as Mug Rugs?

 These would be perfect to pair with some Chanukah gelt!

Be warned: if you are going to use "Dancing Dreidels" for a Chanukah gift, you better get stitching.  This year, Chanukah starts the night before Thanksgiving. That's less than 2 weeks away. 

This confluence of the holidays won't happen again for 70,000 years.

 

Now the fun! We will be giving away 2 copies of this magazine that won't be available in the quilt shops until Nov 19th.  So you could be the first one to have a copy. You can get the directions for my block plus 99 other blocks from some of the best designers around.  Quiltmaker is giving one copy away and I will be sending  a signed copy.  You just need to leave a comment  on my blog before Sunday, Nov 17th at midnight, EST.  I will post the winner as soon as I wake up the next day, and let me tell you that I am an insomniac. Please check back to see if you won or sign up with Bloglovin' (see below) to be notified.  You can see some of the other designer's blocks and submit a comment to try and win a copy by visiting Quiltmaker's blog called Quilty Pleasures.  Click here.

 

And there is more good news.  Starting Nov 21st, I will be participating in another blog giveaway.  Michele Foster's Quilting Gallery is hosting a thank you blog hop party.  We want to thank all of our readers.  Each blogger that is participating will have a giveaway.

 After noon, visit her Quilting Gallery and check out all the blogs.

 



Fresh Memories

Almost 2 months ago, my quilt group, the Quiltinis went on a quilting getaway at my place in the Pocono Mountains.  It was at the beginning of the leaf changing season and it was just beautiful.  We had a great time, as we always have, LOL, (what's not to have a good time when you are sewing and eating and talking away) and I couldn't wait to post about it. I even took photos on the way home to share the Fall colored leaves.

The day after driving home, I went to look for my camera.  I thought it would be on the passenger seat of my car since I did take pictures on the way home.  It wasn't there.  So I started unpacking my bags in search of it.  I couldn't find it.  I went through all of the bags of fabric and scraps.  No camera.  I searched the car.  My husband searched the car.  No camera.  I knew I brought the camera home and it was in the car. I was so disappointed that I lost it and all the photos.

 I started using my iPhone to take photos, avoiding the inevitable of buying a new camera.  The photos were just not as good.  Today was the day that I decided to bite the bullet. I went through the Sunday newspaper ads looking for the sales for a new camera.  I did a bit of research and some comparison shopping.  I have bought enough of these point and shoot cameras that I use to throw in my purse or bike bag, so I know the features that I want.   I got in my car ready to head to the store and put my purse in the back seat and GUESS WHAT I FOUND??? It was on the floor behind the driver's seat.  My camera.  I couldn't wait to see the photos that I took almost 2 months ago.  It was so nice to relive our getaway.  Although cameras and photos can be lost, memories are not.  So not to waste those memories, I'll share the photos now.  They will be new to you!

 The theme was definitely tablerunners.  They are quick and fun to do while gabbing away. I lost track of how many Christine made.

 

 This is a pattern by Hopscotch Designs.  Jane Hamilton is one of us and is a very talented designer.

If you want to see a bunch more of her patterns, click HERE.

She made 2 runners using her pattern.  One for Halloween and one for Spring.

Bailey didn't want to miss a photo op on Terry's quilt.

 

We are all Bernina girls.

 

I was working on trying to reduce my blue and white scrap stash.

 

I worked on a string quilt.  When I look at many of the fabrics, it reminds me of many of my previous quilts.  (It's also a great stashbuster.) I just got it back from Susie, my machine quilter. Now I just need to bind it.

Did someone say lunch?

A watermelon, watercress salad with grilled Haloumi cheese.  Yum!

 

Our guild is having its annual auction in December.  We decided to share our batiks and play with the Accuquilt strip cutter while we were together.  I don't know what was more fun.  Cutting the fabric into strips and squares or making it all look pretty.

If you are coming to the auction, you better bring your checkbook!

Don't you just want it all?

I think some of us will be doing some bidding ourselves.

Moving On

Today was my last teaching gig until March 2014. It was at Steve's Sew N Vac in King of Prussia, PA.  I taught a class based on one of my OyVey! patterns, A Merry Menorah.

 

  I have never taught this class and it was so much fun.

There is not much time until Chanukah, so time was of the essence.

 

 I do love teaching, especially sharing what I know with other quilters. The bonus is meeting so many different women and making friends through something we all love to do - quilting.  But teaching is time consuming and now I look forward to spending time in my studio starting some new projects that have been on my drawing board.  But, you'll still see my designs around.

 

The newest issue of Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Blocks, Vol 8 is ready to ship.  This will be my 2nd time in this very fun magazine.

 

My block is called "Dancing Dreidels". 

The blocks are paper pieced and the pattern is in the magazine.

I will be part of a blog tour to promote the magazine.  There will be lots of give-aways, including issues of the magazine.  The tour starts runs from November 11-15. My day is  the 15th and I'll have my own give-away in addition to the magazine's.  So make sure you stop back.

Click here to find out more