Olympic Torch Quilt Block, Sharks Teeth and Memories

Suzy's Nifty Fifty One Quilt

One of our original Nifty Fifty Quilters contacted me through our website this week.  I was so excited to hear from Suzy.  She represented Georgia in our first Nifty Fifty Swap.  She designed her Georgia quilt block after the Olympics by doing an Olympic Torch.  It was always one of my favorite quilt blocks in our swap because it was so original and it represented the Olympics which were in Altanta Georgia the year of our swap. You can visit Suzy and her crafts on her blog. 

Suzy's Georgia Quilt Block

 

NF Georgia State Quilt Blocks

Suzy was one of the quilters in our swap who traveled to Virginia to help Wendy and I sort the 2500 Nifty Fifty One quilt blocks and to sew the first Nifty Fifty Breast Cancer quilts together.   

Stafford's welcome for our Quilting Group

 We had a great weekend of sewing, socializing, show and tell and laughter.  One of my favorite stories was about Jeri...our Oklahoma swapper.  She also traveled to Virginia for the weekend.  Jeri confessed to our group that she was a beginner quilter and she had bought and cut up enough fabric for 2500 quilt blocks. She thought she had to make 50 quilt blocks for each of the 50 states. Our other swappers jumped in and helped her out by buying her extra fabric squares.

Jeri's Oklahoma Quilt Block

We had so many memorable quilting stories from our first Nifty Fifty Swap.

Nifty Fifty Quilters from our weekend gathering.

Here is our group of quilters holding the Breast Cancer Charity Quilt. Suzy is on the bottom row fourth from the left.  Jeri is pictured on the top left holding the corner of the quilt.  I am in the top right row third in from the left.  We are holding my son's Nifty Fifty Signature quilt.  My son Sean swapped fossilized sharks teeth for signature blocks from our Nifty Fifty Quilters.  He collected these 15 to 20 million year old sharks teeth on the banks of an island on the Potomac River. My son Sean is pictured between the two quilts. Below is a photo of one of the sharks teeth and photos of the island  on the Potomac River in Virginia.

Shark's Tooth Island Potomac River

Shark's Tooth Island at Sunset

15 to 20 million old fossilized Sharks Tooth

 I would love to hear from other Nifty Fifty Quilters.

January Challenge Completed

 I finished several Mug Rugs in Blue for the month of January.  Here are my Snowflake Mug Rugs for the cold winter days.  The snowflakes, borders and binding was done in Glow in the Dark Fabric so they are easy to spot on those dark winter nights.  Great way to enjoy your coffee, tea or hot chocolate on a cold winter day and there is room for your snack too......which my first choice would be chocolate but you know us quilters and our chocolate.

I decided to make a Spring/Summer Mug Rug in hopes that warm weather will be coming soon.

I am not saying which Mug Rugs I sent to my secret buddy in the Mug Rug Swap but I also included a goodie in my packet to her.  It is one of my knitted 100% cotton Angel washcloth.  I hope these goodies will help warm her up this winter whether she uses them with coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

 You can find the pattern for the Angel at http://frogiezplace.blogspot.com/2007/12/angel-cloth.html
Now that is it Feburary, I must start thinking of a project for my Red scraps.  Valentine's day is coming up and my Granddaughter lives four hours away.  I wonder what quick project I could whip up for a 6 year old.  If you have any ideas for me please leave me a comment.