Pajaro Valley Quilters aka: Quilt Show Santa Cruz

"f l e a   m a r k e t"

pattern by Quiltin' Cousins

Quilt and Fabric Bundles by

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

Greetings from Pajaro Valley Quilters quilt show!!

Well, actually, greetings from the Studio.

The show is over for this year.  The volunteers are putting their feet up, patting themselves on the back, enjoying the success of the show, the auction and the weekend.  If they're not, they certainly should!!

You know a Quilt Guild show - well, any show - is a lot of work.

Then come the vendors, and that's a lot of work too.  

There's no need to go to the gym to lift weights on a quilt show setup or break down day.

Believe you me.

But when you get to see smiling faces like these two (who I have the pleasure of seeing two times a year),

well, it makes it all worth it.

Thank you, all of you that come to the shows to see us, to see what we've been making, to see the quilt show quilts and be inspired, and to inspire us all to do better every show!!

And if you have a chance, next February, please come to the Pajaro Valley Quilters quilt show.

It's held at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.

They take THREE buildings.

They have something going on in every building, on every day.

This year, we taught Little Wonders on both days.

Hopefully, we inspired and delighted, too.

Thank you, Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz, Capitola and the California Coast.

Thanks for thinking of 

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

Natalie.

If you're interested in the pattern for the quilt above, or the fabric bundle, please visit

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

(it will be posted by tomorrow morning; thanks!)

Aloha Fish are HERE!! aka Quilted Origami Series

a l o h a   f i s h

...the fish are here.  Well, actually, the fish were at Road to California.

And if you signed up for the class at

Luella's Quilt Basket

you received the pattern before anyone else, anywhere else.

We had a great class, and accomplished a lot.

Some people that have taken other Quilted Origami classes from me

said the fish are easier than the Aloha Shirts or Aloha Muu Muus.

That remains to be seen.

After all, they took the class!!

As a bonus, we discussed color theory, and even got some needle turn applique techniques in as well.

You never know what you're gonna get in one of my classes as a bonus.

Last time we were at Luella's we were dancing - hULa!!

In the Quilted Origami series of beyond the reef patterns, there are no raw edges when you're done with your model.

All that's left to do when you are done, is stitch it down to the background fabric.

And so it is with this little fish.

(well, except for the tail, which you needle turn under, then you're done)

The patterns are completed, and the quilt is completed, and the class is taught!!

We did have a lot of fun in class, tho - - I hope you'll consider taking a quilt shop class in your neighborhood.  Remember to support your local quilt shop and your quilt Guild, as they support YOU!!

Thanks for thinking of 

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

Natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

PS - my apologies if the pics are loading slowly - - 

I am trying a different camera, and the settings might just be a little off...

let's see how this goes...

Try another COLOR for a while...aka creativity break!

Lately,

I have had many an inquiry, 

"Are you okay?"

"Have you been gone?"

Well, actually, I have been gone.  Please read the next two blogs to catch up.  I promise I will make them short...and then we'll be back to our regularly scheduled inspiration. 

 I promise.  

Please don't give up on me just yet.

I didn't realize....

"HERE I AM!!!"  I shout out to all of you - wow.  ALL of you - across the globe.  THank YoU!!

Without delving into personal matters here, I have been a little 'off my game', 'under the weather', and all that. 

So this week, I gave myself permission to sew something left over from my stash - a kit I bought from another vendor at a quilt show, a little something NOT beyond the reef.  Because you probably DO know that I have a hard time slowing down, being laid up, sitting still, RESTING...so I have to devise ways to 'fool' myself into sitting.

Wait.  Back to the color theory talk...

Oh my gosh, you might ask - - what is she SEWING??? 

 Well, sometimes, to rest my brain, I jump ship as the saying goes.  

I switch it up.  

I sit and sew nine patches for no good reason.  

I work out of color. 

But before you know it, my brain starts dancing with brights!!!  Try it.  Deprive yourself of your own palette - work out of your comfort zone (atho I do like primitive and I do like historical) and you'll run screaming back to your last known project.  I promise.  It will happen.  You'll gladly pick up that last square of applique.  You'll gladly finish that quilt with blocks made from 54 pieces each block.  You will...

And now that I have sewn these squares, well, I'm over it.  They're being donated to my Guild for the Little Red Hen auction fundraiser.  No, I do not need another old world colors quilt...and I'm ready to start designing and sewing and working in my own palette again.  All the while I was piecing four squares and half square triangles, I was looking down - checking out the fabrics in the basket under the sewing machine.  (I sew on an industrial bernina, but that's a blog for another day)  It started calling me - no, not calling me, not a whisper but a full blown altogether full force, 

"HEY!!"

So, let me get back to work.  I'll post the next two blogs and let you all be.

Besides, there's COLOR calling me now...

Thanks for thinking of 

b e y o n d   t h e   r e e f

Natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com