Let's Get Acquainted!

Welcome everyone visiting from the Plum and June's Blog Hop!  What a fun event Beth has pulled together - a clever way for us to get to know each other a bit better.  I thought for my stop on the hop that I would put up some Between Quilt soundbytes to give you a snapshot of what's going on around here.  

1.  I accidently fell into quilting about 10 years ago (that includes a three year hiatus from sewing when I had 3 kids under 3 years old.  Yup, I'm still recovering from those years in more ways than one.)

2.  My All-Time-Favorite Quilt I've made is probably this one, called Racing Stripes.  I made it in 2011 for the Kona Solids challenge with the Triangle Modern Quilt Guild.  It has been featured on Modern Day Quilts, 100 Days of Modern Quilting, and was exhibited in an art show called Throw:  Great Lengths of Innovation in Modern Quilting.

3.  My Favorite Recent Finish - a wall hanging I made for my oldest son's kindergarten teachers.  I am so proud of how hard my little man worked this year, and reading has been a major part of the past year.  What an amazing thing to watch a confident reader emerge!  Our family is a lover of books so this seemed just the right thing to make for them.  I confess, though, it turned out MUCH larger than originally intended and I was almost embarrassed to give it to them.  Something 6 feet large isn't exactly subtle, and I didn't want them to feel like it had to go up if they didn't like it.  Thankfully, they seemed to really enjoy it so I think all is well!

4.  My Favorite Recent-Block-Finish.  This ones called Dutch Rose and I found the pattern for free online.

 I made it to go in my Circle 7 Bee starter panel, which ended up like this.  This traveling quilt will come back to me next December after 6 of my friends have added to it.  I cannot wait to see what it looks like in the end!

5.  A Quilt-I-Love-But-Will-Never-Make-Again.  Come on, we all have them - that quilt that was such a painstaking labor of love that we swear with every stitch "Never Again."  And I think I mean it.  But I do love how it turned out (pattern Love Beads by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr) and it now lives on the wall in my parents family room, where my mom swears it is loved everyday.  Good enough for me.  And I have learned never to say never, so maybe someday I will tackle this again.  But really, probably not.

6.  My Favorite I-Started-This-Design-Then-Promptly-Stashed-It-Away-For-The-Past-Eight-Months-And-Don't-Know-When-I'll-Get-Back-To-It Quilt.  Ay-yi-yi, what can I say about this one?!  I like it just fine, and certainly spent enough money buying the fabric for it.  But something about the design isn't quite right, so I set it aside.  Someday, I will figure out the answer, and tackle it fast and furious.  This quilt will see it's day!  Please tell me that you too, have an least one project like this?  Pretty please??

7.  I'm starting a Charity Quilt Drive called Quilt Lemonade.  Details coming soon, but here is the first quilt I made for that group.

8.  Hmmm, what else can I tell you??  I'm a stay at home mom (former LCSW - who knows when I'll get back to that?!) to three kiddos and married to my best friend.  None of what I do would be possible without my sweet hubby, who even holds down the fort at times so I can go to places like Sewing Summit, Quilt Con and Sew South.  I'm blessed beyond words.

Be sure to check out all the other great blogs in the hop - loads of great inspiration to be found in this group!

Friday, June 7th

Amy @ 13 Spools

Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day

Casey @ The Studiolo 

Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood

Kim @ Robot Mom Sews

Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

Friday, June 14

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots

Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads

Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

Cari @ There's A Thread

Valerie @ Between Quilts (me!)

Friday, June 21

Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage

Stacy @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday, June 28

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5

Christa @ Christa Quilts!

Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce

Anna @ The Crooked Banana

Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After 

Stephanie @ Quarter Incher

Kristy & Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs

Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness

Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

Fridau, July 12

Leona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure

Karen @ Karen, {Novice} Quilter

Anne @ PlayCrafts

Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...

Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm

Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain

Cath @ Wombat Quilts

Sarah @ {No} Hats In The House

Friday, July 19

Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio

Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures

Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma 

Alison @ Making Happyness

Sarah @ Sowing Stitches

Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room

Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

Nicole @ Modern Handcraft

Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya

Friday, July 26

Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission

RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts

Elisa Lea @ Lovelea Designs

Elizabeth @ In The Boondocks

Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew

Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers

Emily @ Sew E.T.
Em @ sewing by moonlight

So, there you have a little snapshot of me.  I started this blog about 2 years ago simply so I could be part of the ongoing conversation that is the online sewing community, and it has certainly been a source of joy and inspiration to me. I wish someday I could sit down with each of you, share a cup of coffee, and chat about what's going on with you.  And of course, fabric.  It always comes back to that.  
Until that day my friends, I'll see you in blogland!
Valerie