Home from Quilt Colorado

Colordo is a beautiful place. The quilt conference was very well organized and successful. I met great quilters from Colorado as well as a few from other states, including New York.  The classes were held in Estes Park, the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park. I was fortunate to be driven into the park one evening where I experienced amazing scenery and wildlife. Pictured below is a Montana Cartwheel class. Great students! With all the quilters, sewing machines and irons the classroom became very warm, but we all survived.

I'm home for a few weeks. Time to get some new class quilts completed and do some yard work. It's been very cool and cloudy here in Oregon. The weather has finally turned warm so I think summer may be on the way.

Happy Quilting to you all!

Quilt Colorado

I'll be leaving early in the morning for the Portland Airport to fly to Denver, Colorado then by car to Estes Park where Quilt Colorado will be held. This is my second time to Denver, first to Estes Park. I've been drinking water like crazy to help prevent altitude sickness. I hope it works. I'll be teaching three classes. Thursday is Hunter's Star (pictured), Friday, Montana Cartwheel and Saturday is Diamonds and Arrowheads. I'm rooming with Karla Alexander. Even though we're both from Oregon, we've never met but I hear she's a wonderful teacher. She has five books including "Stack and Deck" and "Stack a New Deck." The trip to Colorado will be fun and I'll be home on Sunday, just in time to take my husband out to dinner for Father's Day.  Happy Quilting!!

This week we celebrated one year in our new home. We are much more settled now than a year ago and the yard looks a lot better. I've heard summer is coming tomorrow with 80 degree weather. I'm sure what we've planted will enjoy the warmth.

I had the opportunity to teach for a group in Tigard, Oregon this week. A very nice group of 11 ladies from several groups brought together by my friend Bonnie. They wanted to learn how to paper piece with freezer paper. It's a great technique where you never sew through the paper so there's no paper to tear away and the pattern is reusable. Here is the pattern they learned. I ran out of fabric for the border and found it this week so the border is yet to come... I'm  thinking a pieced or appliqued border. It's a fun block to make. I struggle with naming quilts so right now it's Whirligig or Giggling Whirl...who knows. Maybe something will hit me. So when I get it completed, a class and pattern to come.  

Here are my grandsons. Aidan 8, Oren, 6 mo. and Nathan 11. Aren't they adorable. I'm in love with them! Being a Grandma or Nannie as I am is a wonderful job!

I love strawberries. After 22 years in Alaska, with fabulous seafood but berries that had been shipped from who knows where, good ripe Oregon strawberries are heavenly. So far this season I've made 4 strawberry pies. I wish I had a picture but I guess the pies have been eaten before a picture could be taken. They are a wonderful treat; one of our favorites. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Gala Strawberry Pie

(Reprinted from the Portland’s Palate Cookbook)
One 10-inch baked pie shell
1 cup whipping cream
1 (8-ounce) pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1-1/2 c. granulated sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh strawberries, mashed
4 cups whole strawberries for garnish
In a small mixing bowl, whip cream. Set aside. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream and beat lightly by hand. Spoon into baked pie shell. In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup sugar and cornstarch. Mix in water and mashed berries. Over high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Let cool. Arrange whole berries on top of cheese mixture, then spoon on berry topping. Refrigerate 3-4 hours. Garnish with additional strawberries