EQ Quilting on Val's Tuesday Archives

I am linking my EQ Designs on Val's Tuesday Archives today. 

I began using EQ5 when it was first released. I now have moved up to EQ7 with the EQStitch upgrade this past year.  

I have shared some of my EQ Designs on my blog with my first post when I joined Bea Lee in her Animal Blog Hop in April 2013.  Click HERE to see my blog post and get the PDF pattern by clicking the link in that post. 


I posted another tutorial for a little apple applique with Bea a few months later. You can see it HERE.


I also posted about using Easy Draw+Patch Draw.

I have also participated in many of the Club EQ challenges. Here are some of them. 

Last Quilt Shop Stop

Hopping on the bus once again, we made our way to Little Italy in Cleveland. We were dropped off in front of Murry Bolt & Spool, on a narrow road which was a bit tight for the bus. We could begin exploring here or the other stores and restaurants of Little Italy. 

Roxie and I decided to get dinner first at Mia Bella. 

I had a bowl of the zuppa di casa. . .

(I ate half of it before I remembered I wanted a photo!)

and the arugula salad with fried egg plant. Both dishes were very good. 

We walked back to Murry Bolt & Spool. 


This fabric boutique is housed in an old school along with art galleries and other stores. 

We were welcomed by owners, Deb Christensen and Nan Webb, two enthusiastic, cheerful proprietors who are knowledgeable and very helpful. 


















On the large landing outside the store entrance we were treated to cold bottled water, cookies and seating under umbrellas.



















Bolt and Spool features a variety of fabrics with a focus on clothing, unique sewing patterns, and the most beautiful ribbons I have ever seen. They carry craft and sewing books, notions and buttons. 

Roxie found the wool she had been looking for on the trip as well as a homespun-type fabric for dish towels.

I had never seen, or, of course, touched Liberty of London fabrics--oh, what a treat that was.

I found the sale area! It was just in front of this fun chair (for the husbands). I bought some buttons, a large bag of good-sized wool scraps that I plan to use for making pincushions and maybe a purse and/or hat for winter. (There will still be some left.) It was a tough decision which ribbons to purchase. I bought a yard of owls for my daughter and a yard of measuring tape ribbon for me.













It was an enjoyable evening of food and shopping. On my way to the bus, which was parked on a wider street, I bought a small cup of blueberry gelato (fruit makes it healthy, right?) and then we were off for our night's sleep at Laquinta Hotel to get ready for our last day of travel and THE MYSTERY STOP!

Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a place I did not think I would have ever visited. But it was on the itinerary, so I gave it a go. 

I was impressed with the building itself--so unique.

I read the information on the website regarding the architecture of the museum. From the website I learned it "is a striking state-of-the-art facility that rises above the shores of Lake Erie.  It is a composition of bold geometric forms and dynamic cantilevered spaces that are anchored by a 162-foot tower.  The tower supports a dual-triangular-shaped glass “tent" that extends (at its base) onto a 65,000 square-foot plaza, providing a dramatic main entry facade." 

It was designed by I.M.Pei, who is a world-wide acclaimed architect. He said, "In designing this building,it was my intention to echo the energy of rock and roll.  I have consciously used an architectural vocabulary that is bold and new, and I hope the building will become a dramatic landmark for the city of Cleveland and for fans of rock and roll around the world." 

Knowing this helps me appreciate the look of the museum, because architects, like quilters, express their ideas and concepts through their projects. 

I have never been in Cleveland, so after we got off the bus, I had to take a look around. 

Great Lakes Science Center, next to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Skyline across from the Great Lakes Science Center

Skyline to the left of the Hall of Fame

Well, into the museum we went with 1-1/2 hours to explore. 

I started from the upper levels and worked my way down.  I found on a lower level two exhibits I really enjoyed: the 12 minute introductory film Mystery Train and the hall explaining The Roots of Rock: Blues, Gospel, R&B, Country, Bluegrass and Folk.

I did not take photos of all the exhibits (in some exhibits, no photography was allowed). But I will share just a few of the photos I took that brought back memories of long ago (I date myself).

The exhibit showing old radios, reel to reel tape players, 8 track players, etc. was very interesting to me. Guess I get that from my dad who was always tinkering with different tools and gadgets while I was growing up.

My next post includes another quilt stop and dinner in Little Italy. 

JEllen's House of Fabrics

Our next stop on Day 5 was the second of 3 quilt stores we would visit this day. It, too, had recently be relocated to a temporary building. But no less, JEllen's House of Fabrics in Lyndhurst, Ohio, was bright, cheery and inviting. This shop had been featured in the Better Homes and Gardens Quilt Sampler 2013. Take a look at the photos on the BHG site to see the former shop inside. Both Sarah Ely and her mother, Joyce Ely were there to welcome us to the store along with Sarah's grandmother. 

Brights are my favorite fabrics and I had a great time looking at the quilts on display and the bolts of fabrics, and embellishments. It was fun to see the various ways jars, bowls and other items were used to display the buttons and other supplies. The white background of walls, bowls, furniture sure made the fabrics and quilts stand out. 

Joyce told us that not all of Sarah's quilts were displayed as they were going to the National Down's Syndrome Convention in July. And Sarah will be demonstrating her sewing skills at the convention this week. 

The front of the store with quilts in the windows.

The entrance

Inside the store. There is a room in the back to the right.

We (including our driver)
had a little time to relax in lovely weather on the front lawn.

I bought some picnic styled fabric for potholders and a few colorful zippers for purses or cosmetic bags. After boarding the bus, we were on our way to Cleveland. . . . and. . . .

the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!

Cleveland, Here We Come. . . By Way of Quilt Stores

Day 5

We were up early in order to get to Schoolhouse Quilt Shoppe in Canton, Ohio. This is "home" to Judie Rothermel, designer for Marcus Brothers Textiles since 1987! Some of her more notable collections include Aunt Grace, Baltimore Album and various Civil War prints. 

We had NO idea that Judie would actually be at the store to visit with us--but she was! She is a lovely person. I did ask permission to take photos and told her I would like to blog about her store. She granted me permission (thank you, Judie). 

She even cut the green fabric I bought. (I hoped it might match the old linen tablecloth my mother had that covered the card table years ago.) 

The store was relocated just days before we came. The former site was being demolished to build a fast food restaurant (I won't mention which one). But Judie and her crew had things looking as if they had been there for a while. And I must say, they are a very efficient staff when it came to helping 56 quilters with their selections.

The only fabrics you will find in her store are those she designs. She has her books, patterns, tools and kits available, too. I will let you take a peek at what we got to touch and the quilt eye candy displayed throughout. 

A ladder in the corner displaying some of her quilts.

Her Baltimore Album and a new quilt on display.

The sale table. I bought a pack of fat 1/8ths.

Miniature kits. I bought the one pictured below:

In her back workroom where she fills many mail/internet orders.

We had a wonderful shopping trip at Schoolhouse Quilt Shoppe. Thank you, Judie and staff. We thank you, also, for the use of the table which our guide set up outside in front of the store for us to fill our plates with pizza for our lunch prior to leaving. 

Some of us finished shopping early, so we visited Bead Boutique which was just a few doors from Judie's shoppe. While I don't make jewelry, I do use beads for embellishments on quilts. I found a few in a sale box. Not sure where I will use them yet, but I will be prepared!

One more quilt store, Rock N Roll, and Little Italy before we head home. . . . 

Smoot Theatre, Bolts of Fabric and Oglebay

Day 4 

Early to rise, eat and drive! 

Parkersburg, West Virginia, home of the Smoot Theatre, was our first stop. The theatre was built in 1926 as a vaudville house. It closed as the Depression hit.  In 1930 Warner Brothers bought it to show movies, redecorating it into a posh theater which was used for 56 years. 

It fell into disrepair and was scheduled to be torn down in 1989 and turned into a parking lot. A local group of volunteers bought it, seeing its historical value. You can read more about its history at the website http://www.smoottheatre.com/history/.

We were given a tour of the theatre's remodeled foyer, seating area and backstage. Before going backstage, we were treated to a snack of cheesecake and coffee at tables on stage! And live musical entertainment with songs! 

 

The backstage was actually in the basement, down a steep, narrow stairway located in the back corner of the stage.

One of the original showers looking very nice. 

Fabric Shop---Here We Come!

Lunch was on our own at one of 3 fast food restaurants in a shopping area. Then we left for Moundsville where we were dropped off at Theresa's Fabrics (no website). There were bolts and bolts of fabrics here. I bought a panel of 6 barn pictures from which I will make placemats. The line was long with all of us waiting to have fabric cut. Some ladies went across the street to an antique store which they found to be very nice and staffed by a pleasant clerk. Fat quarters will be kept in a long, narrow toolbox that Christine bought there. 

I had a few minutes to walk down the street to another quilt store, Finishing Touches Quilt Shop. I found the exact thread to use on one area of my daughter's chevron quilt at this store: Materpiece thread by Signature. I had been carrying a piece of fabric in my purse during the trip looking for this green color. Yea! I found it.

Moundsville is named for the many Adena Indian burial mounds constructed more than 2000 years ago. Moundsville is home to the largest conical burial mound in North America. I would have enjoyed seeing a bit more of this area.

( I live 35 miles from Grand Rapids, Michigan, which had 46 Indian burial mounds along the Grand River before 1850 when they were leveled along with trees to make room for homes and businesses and this is interesting to me.)

But we needed to be off again. This time to Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, W. Virginia. 

We had time to tour the mansion

and the Glass Cottage and Museum as well as the Greenhouse. We had a guided tour of the mansion grounds and the gardens and learned more of its history.

A buffet dinner was included that evening as we celebrated our friendships and contests in a private dining room. 

The lodge was just the place to rest our heads that evening. I took a little time to sit on our not so private deck before shutting my eyes.  

If you celebrated Independence Day this weekend, I hope you had nice weather and good food. 

Day 5 coming up next.