Where the sun doesn't shine: Chicago

Gratuitous fabric photo because no one likes a quilting blog

without photos and that squirrel fabric is just too cute.

Today I went to the first meeting of the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild. I'm getting excited about this group. I miss belonging to a guild. I was very active in my Orlando guild. When we first moved to the Chicago area I joined the local guild, but there were too many things going on (new job, new employees, selling a house, buying a house, husband diagnosed with cancer) that I made only one meeting. Even now, I haven't been able to swing the weeknight meetings. Heck, I've cancelled my last two hair appointments because of work interference on a weeknight. (Roots aren't as bad as I thought they'd be.) Looks like this group will be meeting on weekends. Yeah!

Everyone had lots of great ideas for things we can do. A few people brought show and tell. That's something I really miss: Looking at other people's quilts and seeing what fabric, quilting and patterns they used.

When I came home from the meeting, I found that a Girl Scout had visited while I was out. What more could I want than seeing, touching and talking quilts and then having a box of Thin Mints waiting for me? Sunshine. Yes, more snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

Haven't sewed much lately. (Been shoveling.) I did finally finish my Sue Ross block of the month for month 1 (month 6 should arrive any day now). I've started prepping block 5, which is applique, which means, like block 1, which was hand piecing, it will take me some time to get it done. I'm not big on hand sewing, except for binding. I like sewing binding. How weird is that? Can I trade anyone binding for applique?

Where's your sense of adventure?

Just got back from a few days of babysitting my sister's children. Apparently my husband has no idea where the grocery store is. So first thing I did after the taxi dropped me off at the house was head out for a sandwich before food shopping. Then it was time to empty the suitcase in the washer!

I brought books, quilting magazines and Block 1 and 5 of the Sue Ross BOM with me. I'm not sure how long I thought the girls would be in school during the day, but it was not long enough for all that I brought. Nor was the Chicago-Boston flight! I was able to read Jean Wells' Intuitive Color & Design on the plane. I don't normally read quilt books, but I read this one cover to cover, and I'd like to work my way through the assignments in the book.

There was no sewing or reading when the girls were around, but we had lots of fun: Made Valentines for both their classes, went to the Currier Museum (great little museum), painted ceramics at the mall (glossy finish with sparkles, of course), and went to two dance classes and two soccer games (indoor).

My friend Beth (from college) visited one night, and right after we ordered pizza, the whole neighborhood lost power. The girls seemed a little freaked out by this, asking if we could drive somewhere where they have electricity.

"Where's your sense of adventure?" Beth asked them.

"Pretend your Laura Ingalls," I said.

"Who?"

I'll be mailing them a copy of Little House on the Prairie soon.

The delivery guy found the house in complete darkness, and we ate by Yankee Candle-light (melon and harvest scented). Thankfully the lights came on about an hour later.

Arf! Arf!

Liking the new ironing board cover.

This is what I have to show for the weekend. It took me all day Saturday to sew the final borders on my olive green Material Obsession quilt because I was so distracted thinking about this Scotty dog, which I saw here. And then again somewhere else. So finally, I just gave up and pulled fabric.

Yeah, picking fabrics is messy.

I think I was a little influenced by this to pick red, which is my favorite color, and then the link to Jane Brocket's post. Red probably accounts for the largest color in my stash. And yet, I don't make that many red quilts or quilts with red in them. Can count them on one hand. Hmmmm. Wonder why.

Easy pattern by Denyse Schmidt. Took awhile to sew though, and that's how I spent my Sunday. I had done the box corner thing only once before. I don't think I'd attempt making Scotty with smaller squares.