Thank Goodness it's Finished Friday!

Before I share some quilt finishes, I want to say "Thank Goodness the Black Forest Fire is Finished!"

(Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

I chose this photo to symbolize the end of the Black Forest fire because the Fire Crew is from my home state of Idaho.  That's a long way to come to help fight the fire, and all the residents of Black Forest, Colorado Springs, and Colorado appreciate you.

The fire burned 14,280 acres, it is 95 percent contained. Officials hope to have the fire 100 percent contained by 6 p.m. Thursday, June 20. So far, 509 homes have burned, 28 are damaged and 3,653 remain unaffected.

I've been asked by several blog followers if there will be a "quilts for victims" effort, and yes, there will be. Details will be published on this blog when they are available.

Now, let's turn our attention to some happier news.  Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday!

I posted my first finish yesterday -- but it wasn't really finished!  Can you find the mistake in this quilt?  Thanks, Anne, for being the first person to point it out!

Even the DH found the mis-oriented orange chevrons!  Just so you know I really did fix my mistake, here is a second photo of the corrected quilt:

I also finished piecing the August Jelly Roll Party sample. It's "Ring Toss," pattern by Allison Harris of Cluck Cluck Sew.  The fabric is Sweetwater for Moda, "Reunion." background is Moda Bella Solids in Porcelain.

What have you finished recently?  Link up below to share your "Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday!"

From the desk of your

Spring Block-a-Day Quilt

Karen Snyder, who blogs at Anna Lena Land, tells us "Can't find time to make a quilt? How about a block each day! Every season I'll showcase a new block, post a tutorial on my blog (annalenaland.com) and try to give you lots of inspiration"

She is right!  For Spring 2013, she showed us this super-easy chevron block.  Despite weeks in Idaho and being glued to the TV watching the Black Forest fire, I finished my quilt top.

It's hard to see in this taken-indoors photo, but all the colored fabrics are polka dots. I  used Kona Snow for the background and setting triangles. This quilt is perfect for one of the twin beds in my downstairs bedroom.

I'm hosting Thank Goodness it's Finished Friday tomorrow -- I hope you'll join me and link up your own finish!


From the desk of your

Saturday in the Park

To get away from the fire, the DH and I drove to Berthoud, Colorado yesterday to take in their annual "Quilt Show in the Park."

[BTW, the Black Forest fire is still burning, but is now at 65% contained and they are gaining ground. 482 homes destroyed, 14,198 acres. Rich Harvey could be elected governor by acclamation!]

It was a perfect day for an outdoor quilt show. Blue skies, light breeze, temperatures in the mid-70s!

I would estimate 75-100 quilts hanging between the trees in the charming city center park:

We were there early, so there was only a "light crowd."

It was fun to evesdrop on the quilters and hear their explanations of "why I made this quilt," and "the problem with this one was . . . . "

Quilt sizes ranged from this beautifully pieced mini to king-sized quilts that had to be doubled over the clotheslines. (I am so sorry my camera battery was dying and I can't read the photo of the label. So I can't tell you who made it, but she was close by and I told her how impressed I was).

DH really liked this quilt, The pattern is called "Labyrinth," it was pieced by Kate Huxford and quilted by Kim Waite.

 

It's no wonder I liked this one, it is one we made last year for Fat Quarter Fun! Flim Flam was pieced and quilted by Judy Luppens-Huntley.

 

Even though this quilt is made from a traditional block, the two-color design and wonderful use of "negative space" make it fit right in with my favorite modern quilts!  "Cheddar" was pieced by Pam Topping and quilted by Kim Waite.

I do hope I have the right label with this quilt. I took the photo because I need two complementary colors for my Margaret Miller class at Quilt Wyoming next month! I'm pretty sure it was pieced by Jo Howalt and quilted by Bobbie Kwall.

The first round of photos, every picture I took was of a quilt pieced by Nancy Cole! "I need to make friends with this person," I thought.

Of course I had to photograph her Scrappy Jacob's Ladder! Pieced and quilted by Nancy Cole.

I also am taken with the colors Nancy used in her "Harvest Moon"  quilt.

 

And the rest of the story? When I went to the Laughing Ladies Quilting shop three blocks away, I asked "who is this Nancy Cole?"  Oh, she's in the back room cutting fabric!  Thanks, Nancy, for inspiring me to work on some more scrappy quilts!

I'm off to the mountains to escape the fire coverage. I'll be back in time to share my "Block-a-Day" quilt for spring on Thursday (or Friday!)

From the desk of your