Today we went to the EAA fly-in at Joel & Quinten’s place.

A lot of planes flew in.

Paul visits with Bob and Aero.

Quinten gives Kirby a ride in Cecil’s Cub.

Kirby gets an interview with Cecil.

Business meeting and lunch.

This is the first stop on Star Struck Quilts’ blog tour. I’m one of the author’s sisters and am so pleased to join the rest of the blogs on tour and share her book with you.

First I must tell you that Barbara, another sister, Polly, and myself are planning to share “Our Quilting Journey” with a Power Point Presentation and Trunk Show in Hattiesburg, MS on Oct. 8 & 9. In preparation for that, I brought a few of Barbara’s quilts along home with me from Virginia from a recent trip up there so she wouldn’t have to check them in at the airport. Then, since I had her quilts here in my home, I decided it was time to give my balcony and walls a new look, so I helped myself to her quilts and hung them up.

Paul and Dustin tried 3 or 4 times before they got her “Spinning Sister’s” quilt mounted just right.

Now I have a newly decorated living room.

When I first saw the cover of Barbara’s book Star Struck Quilts I was amazingly pleased. It is so professional and beautiful and I’m so “proud” of her. C&T has done a wonderful job in publishing the book.

Tell us a little about yourself and sewing beginnings.

I was born the seventh sister in a family of eight children. Around age 10, I embarked on my first sewing project, which was a simple dress. I learned the importance of precision and perfection after mistakenly stitching pleats where they didn’t belong. My first quilting lessons came, in my early teens, from my deaf grandmother, who was an expert quilter.

What inspired you to write the book?

In short, my sisters and friends encouraged me to write the book.  I had designed the quilt “Ivy Spangled Banner” and wanted to create a pattern for it.  I felt that for a quilter to piece this particular pattern they would need some background teaching on star making.  The idea of a book would take care of that problem.  I sent my book proposal to three different publishers and C&T accepted my proposal. 

Be sure to leave a comment by Sept. 6 to enter my giveaway. (If you are not a member of Xanga please “message me”  or use ”anonymous” and leave an e-mail address.)

Each blog on the tour will have a giveaway.

Julia Graber     August 23            

Polly the Patchworker    August 24

Quilters Corner   August 25

Dorcas Smucker    August 26 

Canton Village Quilt Works   August 27

Deb Girotti   August 28

Spun Sugar Quilts  August 29

Quilternity  August 30 

Burgundy Buttons    August 31

Little Lady Patchwork  Sept 1

Tazzie Quilts  Sept 2

1st place winners will receive a book Star Struck Quilts. 2nd place winners will receive this set

(Pen-style Chaco liner, Flower head pins, Best Press spray).   Plus there will be a giveaway of  RJR fabric and a $25.00 gift certificate from Patchwork Plus that will be drawn at the end of the blog tour.

Today was our regular PTQ’s meeting in Columbus. I enjoy “Show & Tell” so much. Here is Christine’s quilt top that she made with her BOMs from earlier this year.

Brenda showed a “Sunbonnet Sue” that she made for her granddaughter.

Judy showed a “Turning 20s” quilt, only she used 12 fat quarters, so she calls it  a “Turning 12s” quilt. Her focus fabric has frogs in it for her young grandson.

Watana showed us an “Alabama” quilt that she’s working on.

Judy made this “Stack-n-Whack” for the Red Cross using donated fabric.

Brenda’s choice of the BOMs was a “Double 9-patch.”

Linda chose “Granny’s Star” blocks for her BOMs.

We finished quilting this quilt for Habitat for Humanity today.

I’m trying to sew all I can on this quilt, but I still have a long way to go.

We recently attended the wedding of Chris & Melinda.

Chris drives truck for us. They call him “Number One.” And he really is a number one truck driver.

I’m so glad to claim Barbara Cline as one of my sisters.

She likes quilts and ice cream.

 She has written a quilt book called “Star Stuck Quilts” put out by C & T Publishing.

Come along with us on a blog tour to learn more about Barbara and her new book. There will be 10 stops along the way and prizes to be won. Join us on Monday, right here at my blog to get started on the tour. Here is the list of those participating in the tour.

August 23: http://pauljuliagraber.xanga.com   

August 24: http://pollythepatchworker.xanga.com

August 25: http://www.quilterscornerva.com/blog

August 26: http://www.dorcassmucker.mysite.com

August 27: http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com

August 28: http://girottifamily.typepad.com

August 29: http://www.spunsugarquilt.com

August 30: http://imquilternity.blogspot.com 

August 31: http://burgundybuttons.blogspot.com

September 1: http://littleladypatchwork.blogspot.com

Last week my niece Sheri Helmuth came back from Virginia with us to visit here. She enjoyed doing my domestic duties for me

while I sewed a dress for her.

Amy & Ashton took her on a four wheeler ride out to see deer. There came a fast rain and they got soaking wet.

Dustin enjoyed her company on the guitar.

Smiling cousins.

Paul & peep squeek!

Paw paw, you are good!

Give it a try!

Well done!

Parting Shot

On our way to Dave & Parla’s wedding we took Angie’s two sisters, Lora & Joanne with us to Virginia. They were fun and helped to break up a long drive.

Parla is my niece, daughter of my sister Barbara & Terry and Dave is a Sonifrank.

These cousin ushers had a good time together.

We aunts also had a good time together. We sang one song, “When We All Come Together” at the reception. It brought back memories of Paul’s and my wedding. I had my 4 younger sisters as bridesmaids and they sang that same song as we all walked up the isle. Then some of them also used the song in their weddings.

Sheila, Hannah, and Sheri sang a few songs too. They sounded so beautiful together.

Barbara & Coleen in a good moment.

June & Polly catching up before the wedding.

Dave & Parla had a corner at the reception fixed up for people to take their pictures with hats and glasses. That was fun too!

Cousins after the pose.

Coleen and I were so glad to meet Nona. She was a Sonifrank and we worked with her at Park View Press in Harrisonburg doing typesetting and layout back in the 1970′s. Park View Press was where the CLP headquarters is located.

Paul and I had a good bed & breakfast and spent our time with Father & Mother. She is a wonderful hostess.

Here’s Oren Jr. discussing something with Father.

Like I said, Mother is a good hostess. She makes to best vegetable soup!

Father has always enjoyed this walnut tree. Someone offered him $60 for it soon after we moved there and he wouldn’t take it. And he’s so glad he didn’t. He takes pride in that tree.

He fixed us a swing on the bottom branch off to the right. I remember laying on my stomach and winding up tight and then holding my feet up so that I’d spin real fast unwinding.

I know it was funny, real funny!

We drove up to Oren Jr & Cheryls and saw where he’s putting up 2 chicken barns.

Digging a water line.

Alex stops his work and visits with Dustin.

Cheryl had this quilt hanging on a wall above the steps. I remember her working on it at sewing retreat last winter.

This quilt was hanging over a short wall. It is a Farmer’s Delight made by Grandmother Vera Heatwole. Oren Jr. bought it from an antique store and surprised Cheryl with it.

Visit Polly’s & Barbara’s blogs for more.

The other day our neighbor girl Rosanna spent a little time with me. I showed her a “jelly roll” of fabric

and she took off sewing a quilt.

Our Possum Town Quilter’s recently took on the task of making 3 quilts from used clothing.

If I have the story right, three sisters lost their mother in an automobile accident; so their great aunt raised them. Now the great aunt passed away and these are her clothes. Another relative ask us to make a quilt for each of the young girls using the great aunt’s clothes.

We cut up blouses, skirts, dresses, and house coats. Using the String Quilt idea we made this one using blacks & whites & reds with the yellow down the center of each block.

We used the “Stack A Posie” idea to make this next quilt.

And then we used the “Tossed Nine Patch” idea for the third quilt.

This is the back to the “Tossed Nine Patch.”

I’ve added a few more elements, and yet there is much to be desired. What is it lacking?