Marsha Bray, Quilt Dabbler

This is my second day at The Quilted Fox retreat. I’ve finished a paper-pieced Christmas tree block for my block exchange group. Then I tackled my Terrain by Kate Spain layer cake. I used the Sassy Frass pattern by Sweet Jane. The quilt above is the finished quilt top. I’ve also finished the backing and binding, so it’s all ready to quilt when I get home!

I’m home again after another fun-filled week working at Bryerpatch Studio in Paducah during quilt week. Where else can you find color, quilts, good friends, and tons of fun!

I had a very special treat this week! One of my wonderful quilter friends obtained an invitation for me to attend a “meet the author” event with her. The author is one of my favorites, Alexander McCall Smith. He’s currently on tour promoting a new book in his Ladies Detective series set in Botswana. The reception was sponsored by the St. Louis Public Library foundation and it was held at a beautiful home on Westmoreland Place.

Yes, I have been sewing! I’ve been alternating between two really big projects! First, I’m still quilting on my Christmas Lemoyne Star. The center part is all quilted but the borders are really wide. The quilt is a large queen so it is really taking a lot of time!

For the last two years, I’ve been working on Kim McLean’s Flower Pots pattern. I’m using needleturn applique. I finally have all the center section appliqued and I’m assembling the blocks. I still need to applique the borders which include 40 double circles. Here is the original pattern.

Over the weekend, we took some time off from household projects and headed to the Missouri Botanical Garden to enjoy the spring flowers. Here are a couple of the many, many gorgeous places in the garden.

Right after the quilt show was over, I was off to the spring retreat at the Arboretum. With the early warm spring this year, it was gorgeous. We hiked in the woods and saw many kinds of wildflowers in bloom. There was a whole meadow of these bluebells in bloom.

Judy taught us how to make these cute little bags. I thought they were so much fun! I came home and made a couple to try it out. I think I’ll be making more of them! The hardest part is eating all the candy!

The 2012 Fanfare of Quilts Quilt Show has come and gone! It was a great show with about 1550 in attendance. There were great quilts, lots of vendors, excellent demos and tons of fun. I’m sad that we won’t have another until 2014! I was thrilled to have two quilts receive ribbons. The very creative and beautiful ribbons were made by a guild member.

My “What Tickles My Fancy” challenge quilt won 3rd place Viewer’s Choice for the challenge quilts.

Channeling Candy won Best Group Quilt! The blocks were made for me by my block exchange group, Pieces of Friendship.

As a proud member of the Rambling Art group, I’m thrilled that our latest project will be exhibited for the first time at the Bit ‘n’ Pieces quilt show on March 17 & 18. Each member made a wedge depicting a place in the world that was meaningful to her. There are 14 wedges in this 80″ circle. Do come see it for yourself!

Wow! Take a look at this fabulous new fabric designed by Hoffman especially for the 2012 St. Louis shop hop! It’s available from The Quilted Fox.  You can call them at 314-993-1181 to reserve your yardage.

Seven members of Bits ‘n’ Pieces guild joined together last year to tackle the Whisper challenge. The challenge was based on the whispering game or telephone game that many of us played as a child.  Each person started by making a small quilt. Mine were 12″ x 12″. Then each person passed their quilt on to another person who made the same sized quilt inspired by the first one. She then passed her quilt on to the next person. Each person made a quilt based on only the immediately preceding one in the series. At the end, each person had seven quilts based on their original quilt. Mine are in the photo above and another view below. All 49 whisper challenges will be shown at the upcoming Bits ‘N’ Pieces Guild quilt show on March 17 & 18.  Come see them!