Wacky Pac Quilters

Seasons Greetings everyone! The Wackies got together for a wonderful dinner last night at a great restaurant in Madisonville, Texas. On the menu was prime rib, boneless pork chops, rib eye, steamed veggies, baked potatoes, salad, mushroom soup, mushrooms, and wine or mixed drinks........yummy. We decided to eat out and not exchange gifts but just enjoy one another's company. The restaurant was very accommodating, the service excellent, the foods mouth-watering. Needless to say, we had a great time.

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 The above numbers are links to "How To Make Stockings" Here's a challenge for all the "Wacky Wannabees" and other WACKY blog readers and followers..........We challenge you to make one stocking of your choice and share a picture of it.  Let us hear from you.     Enjoy!

Attention all quilters.......  Toni alerted us to the flooding that has taken place in Ireland .  Please pop over to this LINK to find out how you can help.

Attention Wacky Wannabees and Wacky blog readers ..........Follow this LINK for great savings during the holidays and everyday.

Here's a great paper-piecing site of various sizes. Enjoy!

The Wackies are starting something new......again....LOL Every now & then, we run across interesting sites, sales, books, gadgets & such that we want to share with you. We've titled this sharing....... "Linked" so that each time you check our blog, it will be easy to find that particular post. Here's a site worth seeing.

Greetings Wacky Fans. Pop over to Rhonda's blog and view her tutorial on "shadow blocks." This method has been used by her many times with great results. Here are 2 examples. It looks difficult but it really isn't.

Getting set up at Alford Inn, Van Alstyne, TX!

This old quilt was one of my first ones from a great book - "Quilts Without Corners" by Cheryl Phillips. This particular quilt is Hopi Sun. This is not a great picture of it because you can't really tell that it's a round quilt. I used a nine degree wedge ruler & I hand quilted it to accomplish this stunning quilt. It took me about a year to choose and purchase the fabrics which I thought was the most fun. The quilt measures approximately 45 inches. If you're looking to try something different in your quilting world, try something like this.

This old quilt, we titled, "The Blue Quilt" for obvious reasons........blue & beige blocks. We donated it to our local Quilt for a Cure fund raising organization 3 years ago. Each "wacky" made 2 blocks each then we had a sew-in to put it together and Kathy L. machine quilted it for us. Note the border applique` of a vine with stars, leaves & red berries and a two-toned blue ribbon. This little extra really tied the quilt together.

This old quilt is actually a quilt top that Kathy L. put together at one for our "Wacky" retreats. She said that it was fun choosing the scraps and easy to put together. She used one of E. Burns' quick methods. This is a fairly large quilt measuring approx. 72"X94".

143 down 357 to cut. Just look at all those tiny, little squares. If you're wondering what this is all about, it's all about "Charm" quilts. The Wackies decided on the next challenge for the fall. Well two of us cooked it up, the rest kind of nodded in confused delirium.......LOL..........our goal is to cut and bag 100 different fabrics measuring 2 1/5 inches for 8 participating Wackies . Even though I was not in the original "cooking up" part, I have been cutting my little buns off. I've bagged the allotted sets of 100 and am now cutting the rest of my own goal of 800 tinny, little squares!!!!!!!!!! Molly , Annie, Kathy and Kath have begun but I'm trying to get there first....... hehehehehehe

This small quilt (appox. 36 inches square) was my first try at stitching by hand using the buttonhole stitch around the chickens. I can't remember the exact name of the design or where I saw it in the first place. Maybe someone could help with that but I loved all the different colors and crowns of the chickens. The eggs were something I added because I thought there was too much black sashing.

Take a look at this beauty. I asked Vicki if I could post her mum's Hexagon quilt, which we call Grandmother's Flower Garden. Vicki says that her mum started the quilt in the 70's and didn't get to finish it. When she passed away in 2005 Vicki inherited the king size quilt top. The pattern is an English pieced hexagon method with lots of fabrics Vicki recognizes from dresses she and her sister wore way back when. Thanks Vicki for allowing us to enjoy this beautiful quilt. Pop over to Vicki's blog and say hello!

This old quilt is one of my favorites. It was a group effort from several ladies from a guild that I was once a member. The quilt started with the eagle and all the other blocks were made from that patriotic theme. Paper piecing, applique`, templates and other methods were used throughout the process. I'm sorry to say that I don't have a close-up of this quilt. At the time, it was hand quilted by guild members (me included) and auctioned off to a wonderful couple who collect unique quilts. I have seen the quilt once since it was auctioned. The couple said that everyone who looked at it were always amazed to see what all went into it.

Greetings! In keeping with our "Wacky" theme - "This Old Quilt," here are four beauties we named Tube-U-Er. Kathy L. taught us this quick little method in a couple of hours at one of our retreats. All who participated walked away with a quilt. It is neat to see the similarities and differences when using your preference of color choices.

The "Wackies" invited out Virtual Wannabees to join in the fun of showing off our old quilts. Debbie was the first to start things off. She collects vintage quilt tops and then quilts them herself. Her Pink & Black one, she says is really neat because several shades of pink and some reds were used. Can anyone tell us the names of these designs? We'd love to here from you and don't forget to pop over to Debbie's blog to see what else she's up to. Thanks Debbie. You did a great job!

Remember this design? It's the Lone Star which is usually made from single 45 degree diamond shape. Later methods call for strip piecing which these Lone Stars were made. The New Lone Star Quilt Handbook by Blanche Young & Helen Young Frost, published by C&T Publishing in Lafayette, California is the book that I used. It's an old one but can be found on eBay or other methods.

Here's to all the soldiers who are fighting for our country, to all the veterans who served our country and to all those who died and will die in service to our country. We salute you all. On the sidebar, the "wackies" have included "Taps" which has a rich history. To find out more about the origin of it and the Union General Daniel Butterfield , click on the link. It's amazing that no matter who you are or where you are, when TAPS is played, we all know and feel the emotions that it elicits. But there are also some facts that you might not know about it. So, please check out the link and do have a safe and wonderful Memorial holiday!

Kathy's "Little Person" quilt. KathyL's Blooming Nine Patch Annie's thinking about starting a new project. Kathy L's Star quilt which she started when on vacation with her hubby. (By hand) Charlotte's Stain Glass quilt. She's recently finished it after 2 years of working on it off and on. Annie's partial Nickel Square quilt. This pic does not do it justice. Another quilt from Charlotte. Sisters!

This is a the newest of our "wacky" ideas......"This Old Quilt" segment is a look back at our past projects and fond memories. The Double Wedding Ring was my first and only attempt at making one. I was fortunate enough to take a class from a wonderful lady (pictured with me....Lee Fidel). Lee's quilt shop, County Fair, Waco, Texas which is not closed, was my first experience with cotton fabrics and gadgets such as rotary cutters, rulers, cutting mats....I mention those because in the early 1990s I was using scissors and pins. Anyway, the Double Wedding Ring was my second project under Lee's tutelage. I was the only one of 9 ladies to finish my quilt top.......crazy me......LOL.......Where is the quilt top now, you might ask......a long story short, Kathy L., my "wacky sister of the heart" now owns it. Would I make another, I don't think so but I won't comment to anything at this point.

This video is just a taste of how much fun we "Wackies" have when we go retreating. This is Patty's rendition of a song she remembers from childhood. Who else remembers it? You will hear me laughing my head off in the background because of the way Patty is holding her hands. I can't do that but she very good at it. Enjoy! BTW...... turn off the "Player" before viewing the video.

The Usual Suspects (WackyPac Members)......KathyL, Charlotte, Patty, Molly , Annie, Rhonda , Jerri, KathyE and Kathleen . Yippie Skippy....it's almost time for another "Wacky" retreat. We have already invited the "WestCoastWackies" to join up, in spirit, as we plan on sewing up a storm, eating healthy (sort of), laughing until base-layers are ruined and getting some rest, when needed. If you'd like to sew along with our groups the date is May 13-17. We'll be out of touch as we'll need to concentrate on some serious sewing time but will take plenty of pics to share with everyone on our personal blogs and the "Wacky" blog.

Choose a fat quarter, squares or rectangle scraps, one 36"X 6" and two 24"X6" strips of coordinating fabrics. Before ruffling one of the 36"X6" fabrics, turn under one length of it for a hem. Then stitch it to the bottom of the fat quarter. Make a pocket from scraps to stitch onto the fat quarter. At this point turn under the rest of the fat quarter for a smooth finish. Finally sew two 24" X 6" length strips together, press in half and attach as the tie band. More prefer long ties on their aprons. This apron is winging its way to a special friend of mine, so shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! This one, I haven't been able to part with, so far. I did a box pleat on the bottom. I love the look of it.

Please join me in welcoming our newest Virtual WackyPack Wannbee member, Beth . Beth has said that she has a strong desire to do the "zip-line" thingy so we know that she definitely has the "wacky" spirit. Welcome, Beth.