Goin' Crabbin'

This is our row for Row By Row Experience this year. It is called Goin' Crabbin'. As soon as the theme, On The Go, was announced we had a pretty good idea what we wanted to do. We have learned over the years that when we put a crab on something it just seems to sell better. For some reason the people here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland love their crabs. And who doesn't love the old red pick up truck?

So, as I was saying, the crab is very popular. We are located just off of the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab can be caught in any of the waterways around here. When the crabs are live they are a blueish color as pictured above. When they are steamed the become reddish orange.  

Here are our rows from previous years.   

2014 the theme was seasons.

"Day At The Beach" was summer on the shore.

2015 the theme was water.

"H2O 4 Shore" showed water each season here on the shore. 

This was the worst year for our row! 

Was it because there was no crab or was it because there were so many little pieces?

2016 the theme was Home Sweet Home. 

"Crab Feast" went absolutely crazy!

We had a crab dye made for the AccuQuilt, 

so the crabs in the kits are pre-cut and pre-fused. 

We are still selling this kit and it is available here.

When I am trying to figure the layout of a row, I print the components on paper and play with the placement. I thought it looked better to have the crab in the foreground to the rear to look like it was left behind. 

Once I have the applique pieces prepared I iron them onto parchment paper. Then I can place the entire section onto the background fabric and fuse in place. 

I prefer to stitch around my applique with a double blanket stitch. This really outlines the shape and makes it stand out. For the crab it is best to stitch around each leg first and then come back and stitch around the shell. 

Chris, one of my team members, suggested the dog and the sign on the truck door. 

I think they are great additions to this row. 

I was having trouble getting a good picture inside, so I took it out and laid it on the porch. 

We have this row kitted, and it is flying out the door. 

If you can't get into the shop this summer and would like to purchase this kit, 

you can order it here and we will ship it November 1, 2017.

We decided last year that our license plate needed a crab too.  

This year's license plate also has a crab and can be purchased here.

I don't know how long people are going to continue running around collecting rows in the Summer, but I hope it continues a long time.

A Garden of Quilts

My guild, Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore, held their quilt show a few weeks ago. It is held in Oxford Maryland, the most beautiful quaint little town I have every been in. The show is held every other year and is growing more each time. The main part of the show is held in the Oxford Community Center, the vendor mall is in the Fire Hall, and there are antique quilt displays in two of the local churches.

Here I am with my Quilt Vine Crew at the Show Party on Friday evening.

Left to right; Lou, Candy (me), and Chris

Kris and Karli selling tickets for the raffle quilt. 

"The One That Got Away" is a Quilt Vine original pattern and kit. 

The entrance into the show.

The display of quilts hanging form the rafters is stunning!

The purple quilt, "Strip Simple" and the blue & yellow quilt, "Lola" are Quilt Vine Patterns. 

I quilted the quilt that you can only see part of on the left, and it was made in a class at Quilt Vine.

Lou is standing under her quilt, "Starburst".

She will be teaching this class at Quilt Vine August 3rd.

I quilted this one.

This is the wall of Challenge Quilts. 

The challenge this year was "Quarter" in observance of Bayside's 25th Anniversary.

There I am pointing to my challenge quilt. 

Guess I need to do a post about that quilt.

These three quilts were made in a class with Jacquie Gering. 

The Grellow and white one is mine.

Laura's is the blue and white with the little hot pink center. 

The aqua and white one is Kate's, and I quilted it. 

The solid one on the left is mine.

The one on the right is Sharon's. She made this in a class at Quilt Vine and I quilted it. 

The one at the way top is my "Wedding Star" quilt. 

This quilt on the left is Elaine's, and I quilted it. 

This is the Shell Quilt that I made with my daughter. 

You can read more about it here.

The quilt on the right is Nita's and I quilted it. 

The quilt at center top was made and quilted by our Junior Member, Karli.

Karli quilted this on my longarm.

Karli is Lou's granddaughter. 

Sorry I can't tell you more about the quits that I was not a part of.

All of the quilts on display were amazing and I wish I could tell you more. 

Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore puts on a very nice show. 

You should come to the next one in 2019.

Shell Collage Quilt

 This Shell Collage Quilt is one of my entries in the show,A Garden of Quilts , put on by Bayside Quilters of the Eastern Shore, in Oxford Maryland this coming weekend. 

The making of the shell quilt was a collaboration with my daughter Faith. Faith did most of the work on the shell and I did the background and finished it. This was started in January 2016 in a Bayside Class taught by Bayside member Laura Boehl. I chose the shell because I wanted something I could hang  in my own home. Of course Faith and I are fighting over who gets to keep it.

It all started with a picture of a shell. 

Faith was off of school for Winter Break, so we decided to do the class together. 

Faith actually did all of the shell work.

 She told me where to put the fabric and I glued it on. 

By the end of the day and a half class the shell was complete. 

Faith went back to school and I had to do the shadow and background all by myself. 

I finished the fabric collage in a timely manner and the quilt sat around for about 9 or 10 months waiting to be quilted.

Of course I quilted it on the longarm. 

This quilt is truly a work of art so I mounted it over a canvas. 

Even though I really can't take credit for this,

 it is my favorite piece I have ever worked on!

To see this piece in person, come out to the show in Oxford this weekend.