Late Halloween Goo

First off---HELLO and THANK YOU to my new followers!! Welcome!

I don't normally talk about my personal life here but this is just too cool to pass up... My babies are the bestest babies ever! While I was out of town in October, they came home from college and decorated my house for Halloween as a late bday gift to me. The pumpkins were carved, quilts were hung, cake was made and in the fridge for me, favorite candy in the dish, and a gift certificate to Floyd's 1921 --one of my favorite restaurants.

As an added Halloween surprise, one of the pumpkins molded in the most spooky way I have ever seen....
I loved the way it ooozed out of the openings in the word "Boo". Enjoy!

"Las Flores de Amigas" New Role

This is my quilt, "Las Flores de Amigas", that has been juried into AQS Paducah and Mancuso Mid-Atlantic shows. This year I was approached to resize the block and have it used as a border block in my guild's 2010 raffle quilt. The raffle quilt committee was headed up by Patti Brown one of our local quilt shop owners and designer of the raffle quilt.

I believe it turned out beautifully and I just love it.

First,my normally 24" blocks were resized down to 15". Volunteers from the Crystal Coast Quilters Guild took the new templates and appliqued all 16 blocks. We then had another work day at the shop where the applique blocks were assembled with the 9 patches and setting triangles.

Patti had a photograph, donated by Eileen Williams, blown up for ease in cutting the various components of our scene. I spent an afternoon at the shop tracing and cutting along with Patti to recreate the photograph of

Cape Lookout Lighthouse for the center of the quilt.

This is the final quilt...STUNNING!
"Winter Light"
Queen size

Of course, it wouldn't be this amazing without the quilting talents of Laurie Mayo. Her long-arm creativity just makes the quilt. Now you have to go back through the photos:) Check out the metallic snowflakes in the sky and the feathering in the black background.

This quilt can be seen at The Quilted Butterfly, Morehead City, NC. where you can also purchase raffle tickets. You may also contact me at robin_koehler@hotmail.com for raffle tickets.

Houston Part 2

So, part of the fun of market is getting to meet people in person that you have met online. This is Cathy Winter who will be part of my foursome for the Dream Rocket project. I can't wait for our project to take off together :)

I had already met Ms. Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods but this trip I had the privilege of being her roommate as well: Sweet, considerate, talented and FUN! Thank you, Celine for wonderful memories. Make sure to take a look at her new book as well.

I am always amazed by the enormity of the room and how many people and businesses are here on the floor. This shot only covers maybe a third of who was there. It is invigorating and exhausting all at the same time. On my travels of the show floor I had the opportunity to meet Susan Knapp, Susan Brubaker-Knapp, and Sarah Ann Smith. It was great to meet you all. There really was a theme this year among friends: Suzn Quilts' new book, Celine's new book, along with Susan Brubaker-Knapp and Sarah Ann Smith releasing new books. All 4 women have great directions and offer something for everyone.

I found some lovely threads for a new pattern and show quilt that is being feverishly worked on right now. I used Weeks Dye Works beautiful variegated floss years ago when I cross stitched and now they have those same beautiful colors in quilting thread. I also spent 4 days across from Superior Threads since that is where Susan's booth was. It was like being on a diet and having your favorite food passed in front of your face 24/7...all the colors!!

Along my travels I talked with a fabric company and a book publisher...no guarantees but wonderful opportunities that I am very excited to work toward.

Last but not least is this beautiful quilt made by my good friend, Eileen Williams. "Taylor's Creek" was her first entry to Houston and the detail is stunning. It looked wonderful hanging with all the other terrific entries. Great job, Eileen!

Houston Part 1

Here I am at Market with my dear friend and designer extraordinaire, Susan Marth of Suzn Quilts. In case you were so busy that you missed her new book, here are some peeks at what is in the book. The whole booth displayed every big and little item that can be made for the best friends in our lives.

From small pillows to framed quilts to table covers and lap quilts...the book has it all plus recipes. The lap quilts use jelly rolls and the table covers use charm squares.

This picture shows off 2 new jacket patterns as well.

I loved that I was able to capture the booth from above...so cozy you could move right in. This book has something for everyone since we all have a mother, sister, or friend who is dear to us. Depending on how much time you have or how many gifts you need to make, you will find the perfect gift here.

I would also like to thank Susan for bringing me along for the second year in a row. It is a wonderful opportunity for me to be at market and I have learned so much being her assistant.

Yard Sale Treasure

When I was but a young bride with a new baby, my husband received orders to Guam. At the time I had no idea where or what Guam was but we entered into the adventure with wide eyes and open minds. While there I did a ton of growing up, had my first civilian job that started a trend in advertising, and had a second baby.

One of the things we learned about the South Pacific culture was one of their vices is called a Betel nut. It is a rather ordinary looking green nut found on certain palm trees that the locals wrap in a leaf with lime powder and chew as a stimulant. It does terrible things to their teeth and was deemed off limits to the military personnel.

I had forgotten all about them until recently at a local yard sale when I found this wonderful little box that just screamed out to have notions displayed in it. As I paid my $3, the owner proceeded to tell me what it was and I knew exactly what she was talking about. This is a Betel Nut Box to store the various components needed to chew Betel Nut.

I never tried it and never wanted to but I will most definately enjoy using this fantastic little box to put my own wonderful treasures (vices: thread, etc.) into.

Cape Lookout Lighthouse 150th Anniversary

To celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse in North Carolina, they will be holding a juried art and photography show. I decided to enter one of my Threadscapes and this time I changed it up a bit. Instead of using one of my photographs, I chose to try my hand at painting instead. The picture above shows the piece once it was painted and you can see the threads laying across it while I choose which threads will work the best.
Going back to painting has been on my list for awhile now and this seemed the perfect opportunity to do so. Once the paint was set (acrylic mixed with textile medium) and the threads were chosen, it was time to take it to the machine and do my magic. I am very pleased with how it turned out and hope that whoever is jurying the art show will feel the same. I will be thousands of feet in the air on my way to St. Louis while this is happening and so I won't have time to fret over it until later.
Some are surprised to find that I don't decorate with lighthouses since my husband is in the Coast Guard. I was in the CG at one time as well and that is how we met. So even though I do not decorate with them, I have a huge respect for the men who have served them for so long before automation....my father being one of them. Although he didn't get to serve in one of the traditional ones as he would have liked, he spent a total of 4 years on 2 separate lighthouse platforms out in the middle of the ocean before they were automated as well.
We are a Coast Guard family and so I painted this lighthouse and entered this show in honor of all the lighthouse keepers and their families.

"Majestic"

If you are in the area, please go visit the show at the Core Sound Museum, Harker's Island, NC. It runs from Oct 10th- Nov 1st

Skinny Kitties by Pepper Cory

Meet the "Skinny Kitties"
Over the weekend I quilted this wonderfully whimsical sample showcasing Pepper Cory's new fabric line for Avlyn Fabrics.

I have long thought there weren't enough gray or brown fabrics around and now that problem has been solved. There are some fantastic accent fabrics in this collection. Be sure not to miss them at Market next week or ask your local quilt shop about ordering them for the shop. There is something for everyone in this line.