The Mermaid Quilt is Done!

A few months ago I was at Victoria's studio

to use her sizzix for my double wedding ring quilt.

While I was there, she had a few things up on the wall . . . 

Her Bright Lights, Big City pattern was calling me.

 The more I looked at it, the more I saw a mermaid tail! 

Hehe.

I went right home and started cutting out parts.

I needed to figure out how to make the rest of it look 

like a natural tail.

And of course I could use the wave sizzix die 

to make the ocean waves.

 

So I sketched out a curvy bum for my girl.

And I decided I didn't want it to totally disappear behind the water,

So I used the blue colorway of the same fabric.

See, it looks lost with the waves going right over it.

 

After I got the body and water done,

I let it percolate for a bit.

I needed to do the hair, 

but wasn't sure how I would tackle that.

I cut out paper pieces to see how it looked.

Score!  I cut out a bunch more,

and at our retreat last weekend, I raw edge appliques them down.

I'm hoping when I wash it, it gets a soft rumbled edge.

 

 Onto the quilting and binding.

I used invisible thread!

My first time trying it. 

And I loved it!  My mistakes don't jump off the quilt at you.

I fussy cut the binding to blend into the edges.

It wasn't a total win, but not a failure either.

 

I'm very pleased with the quilting on this.

 

Blustery swirls in the background,

organic waves in the water,

echo lines in the hair.

 

You can't really see it in the body and tail,

but I did clamshell cures in the body of the tail,

and echo lines in the fins.

 

I am just loving this quilt!!

And I made the Sizzix Challenge Deadline!

You have until June 30th!

Our Retreat was a great success!

Last weekend 29 of our guild members and friends trekked into the hills of

Pennsylvania for a weekend sewing retreat.

We had so much fun!

This was our first retreat together.

And so there was a bit of a learning curve for everyone.

We went to the Ladore Camp & Retreat Center in Waymart, PA.

The road trip was only about 2.5 hours by car.

Must have a perfectly packed car!

We were lucky enough to be the only group there last weekend,

so we had lots of room to spread out.

We took over the chapel and game room areas.

Everyone got their own table, and we set up ironing and cutting stations

through out the room.

 

This year's theme at Ladore is safari . . .

There were lots of decorations.  Hehe.

 

Everyone got a goodie box . . . 

 

Our first arrivals setting up and getting started.

Kim's mom was able to join us 

and that was such a treat for everyone!

I finished piecing this top the first night!

Yeah!  My Kate Spain fabric with Victoria's tumbler template.

 

The kid also finished a top with her Kate Spain fabric.

Emily and the kid having a chuckle at my expense.

 

I got to work on my mermaid quilt for the sizzix challenge.

Deadline is June 30th!  I'll make it, will you?

 

I had organized a group activity where everyone brought 

a block and we were going to try to make a quilt during the weekend.

Needless to say, everyone had their own projects that held their attention, 

and this project didn't make it any farther than this!

We raffled off the blocks and Anne D. won them.

Can't wait to see what she does with them!

Hope she brings it to our first meeting in October.

 

We had four sets of mother-daughter quilters.

That was a real treat too.

We played "Chopped - The Fabric Addition"

players got a bag of 20 scraps and had 45 minutes 

to make a block or small top.  No pantry items allowed.

It was hilarious!  

The comments flying around the room were priceless.

Some of these ended up in the block lotto, 

but others went home with the chefs.

Bernadette and the kid horsing around before we left.

I took home our group EPP project.

Hoping to finish it up this summer while I'm travelling.

Here is a group pick.

Such a talented group of ladies!  

I can't think of a better way to spend the weekend.

 

Hope this becomes an annual event!

My last meetting as Prezzy of the NYC Metro Mod Quilt Guild . . .

Yesterday was our last guild meeting of the year,

and also my last as President.

Two years certainly whizzed by in no time!

I have had the MOST fun leading this group.

Of course, it didn't start out too smoothly.

Not that any of them would have known it.

I was terrified!

Haha.

First I was following Victoria Findlay Wolfe as president,

so you know, no pressure there.

Then there was my fear of speaking in public,

my inability to remember names on the first meeting.

And my general fear of failure.

But, what a group!  They are so supportive.

Always suggesting ideas, and helping whenever needed.

I was so lucky to have the best board members too!

Even when they could see I was faltering, 

they stepped in and smoothed things out. 

And after I got into a groove, I was fine.

Richard Branson said, 

"If someone asks you to do something you don't know how to do, 

always say yes.  You'll learn so much."

And boy was he right!

We've done some wonderful things in the last two years.

Charity projects.  Group Challenge quilts.

Group sewing days.

General shenanigans at meetings.

Here is Gotham Quilts vending our last meeting.

The two owners are members of our guild.

We always try to support our mom and pop fabric vendors.

Although I did say to a couple of queeps,

that I felt like I was bringing a bunch of

alcoholics into a bar, by having them there.

Hehe.

I think everyone benefited in the end.

When I got to our meeting space, this little drawing was hanging 

over my desk at the front.

The space is used for all kinds of things and children's

art work shops too.

I was so tickled to see it there!

 

 Then my buddy Brian showed up with this

little lovely.

A mermaid with attitude!

(And my hips)

I only got to take a few pics since I was the MC.

But this one I had to share.

Cynthia made this for the back of 

a wedding signature quilt she made.

I LOVE THIS BACK!

Cynthia is a very talented quilter.

And I am so happy to say, our new president!

I handed over the "coat of arms" and the bell.

She is going to be a wonderful Prezzy for our group.

 

And look at this!  My Mods all made very 

cool signature blocks.  Kim designed the layout so that

you can make all different designs by moving

the blocks around.

It is amazing!  I just threw them up there.

I'm going to play with these!

A few more on their way I understand.

I love a good puzzle.

But, the fun isn't over yet.

Next weekend I take 30 of them on a three day retreat!

Out to Amish country to sew the weekend away.

Emily gave me this hilarious book yesterday too.

I'm thinking there needs to be some kind 

of a challenge here . . . 

So to my Mods,

Thank you soooooo much for a great two years!

I had a ball.