Shop Samples

While visiting Quilting Sisters in Payson, Arizona, I was quite impressed with their shop samples.

So many beautiful quilts lining the walls!

From the book "Quilts Without Corners" by Cheryl Phillips

Made by Patty McKinney
Quilted by Debbie Stanton
What a team!

Block of The Month: Memories of Provence

It looks like Quilting Sister's BOM just started in June and will continue through May 2013.
If you are interested in joining along, you can find more information on their web site.

Border Workshop

These blocks made me think of The Great Granny Quilt Along led by my friends Lori Holt and Jodi Nelson.
I wish I had seen this quilt first before I finished the edges.

This would have made a great border.
*hint hint for those of you who haven't finished yet.

Christmas will be here before we know it.
From the book Tis The Season by Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks

Made by Monika Hancock
Quilted by Debbie Stanton

Quilting Sisters

Whenever we visit a new (to us) town in Arizona, one of the first things we look for is a quilt store.
While we were in Payson on Saturday, we stopped by Quilting Sisters.
What a great store!
Such a friendly staff, and they were overflowing with current fabrics, fun classes, and a wealth of new ideas.
They have so many delightful things going on, I know I will be back.
Soon.

Located in a beautiful location along the Beeline Highway.

A large offering of class samples dot every corner and cranny of the store.

From vintage aprons to Southwest designs, Quilting Sisters offers a little bit of something for every taste.

I was especially interested in the classes working with Amy Butler patterns and fabrics.

Cute displays offering suggestion on how to create with selvages.

An entire wall of Batiks for the batik lovers.

Applique classes in a warm cabin type atmosphere.

And even Rug Loom Weaving classes.
A great way to use up left over scrap fabrics.
It was wonderful to see a store with so much going on, from retreats to quilt lectures to clubs.
If you are driving this way through Arizona, Quilting Sisters is definitely worth the stop.
You can also learn more about all the wonderful things going on with their store by visiting their web site at quiltingsistersaz.com
*Tomorrow I will show you some of the beautiful quilts and ideas displayed through out their store.

Tonto Natural Bridges State Park

As we continue to explore the wonderful state of Arizona, we drove to Payson on Saturday, just 80 miles NE from our home in Chandler.
I was happy to get out of the heat, and make the climb to 5,000 feet.
Payson is surrounded by the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the country, and is famous for their rodeos, hosting the oldest continuous rodeo in the world.
These small towns in Arizona truly are the Wild, Wild, West, with Payson carrying the nickname "Zane Grey Country".
We even saw a signed picture from Garth Brooks at a local restaurant.

One of the other features that is a must see if you are in the Payson area, is a visit to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.
Spectacular.
One of the coolest places I have seen so far in the state of Arizona.

There is a short 1/2 mile hike down to the cave.
The drop is a steep 200 feet, although the park has done an excellent job placing stairs, and benches along the way.

Once you reach the bottom, there is a long bridge that leads you across the stream into the cave.

Tonto Natural Bridge is the largest known natural Travertine bridge in the world
150 feet wide
400 feet long
From the top, the spring waters continuously drop year round to the cave floor 183 feet below.

The mists of the waterfall are a pleasant way to cool down as you head into the cave.

Park rangers are there to greet you and answer any questions.

A beautiful pool of water, and interesting rock formations bring families and school groups from miles around.

The rocks are slippery and quite challenging to climb, but many give it a try.
There were a several families with young children who made the hike down, which made us wish we had our grandchildren with us.

Under the right conditions, Travertine can grow up to 1-inch per year.
It is said "Where the water flows, Travertine grows."

The walls are ribboned with long streams of stalactites.


View from the other side.
"Travertine, which forms the bridge is a composite of plants and minerals carried by the underground springs."

We were pleasantly surprised at the magnificence of this cave, and the well run state park.
There were several nice hiking trails, and the park offers clean picnic grounds and barbeque areas.
We can hardly wait to bring the rest of our family here.

Crazy Quilt Trunk

If you are going to do a Trunk Show with Crazy Quilts, it's only fitting that you bring your wares in an official
Crazy Quilt Trunk.
Darlene Reid does things right.
As a teacher and lecturer, she inspires on so many levels.
I keep telling Darlene that when I grow up I want to be like her.
We are so fortunate to have her as a member of our Nimble Thimbles Guild.

A very nostalgic look with wonderful quotes



I know some people like this :)

Light and Dark Crazy Quilts

Not only was I impressed with Darlene's selection of a wide variety of mediums to make her Crazy Quilts, I was also taken with her use of light and dark fabrics.
The sky is really the limit when picking your own style in making a Crazy Quilt.

This one in Pastels made me think of Easter

With purples and yellows, buttons and lace.

Pieces of vintage dresser scarves and hankies.

And I loved how she set the corner of the quilt with a 3-D Crochet piece, with the dress free and unattached to the base.

Several of Darlene's quilts were made with traditional black backgrounds.

Each piece is unique as she includes photographs and sayings.

"I slept and dreampt that
Life was beauty.
I woke to find...
That Life was Duty"



Red Work as the center focus.

And notice how the stitching continues clear to the borders with a herringbone stitch.

Some of Darlene's blocks were placed in a traditional setting with sashings.

Use of old thimbles, tie labels and initials to remember the maker.

And this little guy with his tail hanging over the corner just finishes off the quilt perfectly.