From Lanai to Florida Room

We moved into our home in June, 2012. It took nearly six months to buy new furnishings, and really settle-in. On December 14, 2012, I blogged about what we'd done and the progress we'd made. One of the pictures shows making our 10' X 26' screened-in lanai a comfortable outdoor space with outdoor furniture. 

We had the concrete lanai floor painted to "match" 18" tiles on the inside of the house. 

Fast forward to 2025. We recognized that we weren't using the outdoor space for two big reasons:

1. it was too hot - more hot days than comfortable days, even though the lanai is on the east side of the house; and
2. it was always dirty. Mowing lawn turned up dust. Wiping off the table top always made the cloth yellow with pollen. I'd clean the furniture, scrub the floor, and a week later it was dirty again.

Last fall we decided to enclose the space to make it liveable year 'round. Beginning on September 11 the first of three contractors came to give us estimates on the cost and time frame. We went with the third contractor. A crew came October 24, 2025 to remove the black-colored screens and black framework. 

It was replaced with more sturdy white (our choice) framework. 

Then measurements were taken within the new framework for double-paned windows. Since a 2012 county code change, the new windows had to be more hurricane-proof with a higher insulating factor.  

After the framework was installed October 24, we waited until December 15 for windows. 

In the interim, insulation was blown into the crawl space above the lanai, and a young man spent an entire day sanding the paint off the lanai floor in anticipation of putting down tile. Let me just say that I'm really glad the windows were not yet in when the paint and concrete dust was flying! Hubs washed down the lanai walls and floor after the floor paint was removed. 

On December 16, windows were installed. 

Most of the windows (large ones over short ones) are stationary. On the left side, the swinging screen door was replaced with a sliding door with a screen. 

Also, at the end of the room, the upper window slides either direction with a screen. Check out the drooping fan! That's what happens to an outdoor fan that's been exposed to 12 years of Florida humidity.

Disappointingly, two lower window frames arrived damaged, so though they were put into place, they weren't permanent.

At least, with the room enclosed, we could move forward with having tile put down. I won't go into detail about the decision-making process choosing tile but it involved a lot of discussion! We chose 12" X 24" porcelain tiles. 

Laying down tiles happened December 23, so perhaps it's no accident that tile spacers were all green and red. 

The team returned the next day to spread grout. 

While we waited for replacement windows, on January 19 the drooping ceiling fan was replaced.

The new fan has a bigger motor, a changeable down light, reversible blades (the palm side is out now), and a remote control. 

After getting estimates from three different painters, on January 21 the interior walls were painted, and the exterior stucco was patched (damaged when black framework was removed) and repainted with the exterior color.

Previously the now-interior color was the same color as the house exterior. Now those walls are Sherwin-Williams "Welcome White."

Above the sliding glass door. 

 

As I "just knew" would happen, the two replacement windows arrived February 19 while I was at QuiltCon. But yippee!

After the replacement windows were installed, a county building inspector came to approve the installation, checking that all the framework window screws were in place. Then followed another visit from the window guys who put caps over all those screws.

On February 24, after four months of storing the lanai furniture in the house, we moved it back into the room... hours before houseguests arrived. 

In spite of the dirty windows, we enjoyed the space with company.

On March 7 windows were washed, compliments of the window company. 

What a difference! I can't tell you how much that improved my outlook.

Today, March 13 was the last step... shades installation. Again, we received estimates from three companies, feeling sure we made good choices that suited us. 

Tah-dah.

View from the kitchen. 

View from the living room. 

Though it took from mid-September to mid-March to accomplish, we agree that we have a nice addition to our home.

We're considering a cabinet for the end wall behind the chairs, and I will definitely hang something on that wall (hmm, a quilt? 😄. 

The braided rag rug I've been working on for months will (hopefully) lay on the lanai floor. It's a 66" X 53" oval thus far and will help define the conversation space. I'm nearing the end of my clothing and bedding strips, so it should be finished soon. 

All I can say is... Gosh, this room took a long time to make liveable, but I will happily spend time in it. Linda

QuiltCon Raleigh - Part 7 (Last)

When I attend QuiltCon, I'm primarlily there to see quilts, and attend lectures. Secondarily, I like meeting up with friends. Lastly, I'm there for browsing and shopping vendors. This year, for the first time, I didn't even take a workshop, though I was on a waitlist for a hand embroidery one. 

What little shopping I did happened mostly on Sunday afternoon, after the crush of people had headed home. 

Of course I made the obligatory purchase of the annual issue of QuiltCon magazine. My blogger-friend Patti Dudek @elmstreetquilts has a pattern in it - Lavender Marmalade - on page 90. I also discovered that some vendors offer discounts on Sunday, so I was able to pick up EQ Printables (for making quilt labels) for 30% off. The orange zipper was just 50¢ in Latifah Saafir's booth. A cone of Scanfil thread was full price at $55 - yikes. 

Fabric purchases: I couldn't resist the "Sugar Cone" print that will sew into a cute Cielo top for myself (Appropriate for wearing when I go to the new Twistee Treat when it opens!) The "Counter" print by ebond will be suitable for a new Sunshine Crossbody Pouch to go with the cork (above) and "Quilt Tattoo" fabric I bought from Salty Hippo. 

See the two orange fat quarters on the right? Salty Hippo prints lower and upper case alphabet letters - Ransom Mixed Letters - on Kaufman Kona fabric. I'm considering what I want to say on the side of my Sunshine bag. 

I would have purchased more fabric but QuiltCon vendors did not sell solid color fabrics by the yard. I specifically looked for Painter's Palette solids and Kaufman Kona solids, and none was to be found except in pre-made bundles. Only at the end of the show did I see several bolts of Riley Blake solids sold by the yard in the Modern Mashe booth. For this being a modern quilt show, and solids being used predominantely in modern quilts, wouldn't you think more vendors would sell solid fabrics?

My most exciting purchase was from LDH Scissors. This is a business that I like to call "mine" because LDH are my initials. Every pair of scissors from there have my initials printed on them. 😀

When I went to the booth and told owner Roy that my name was Linda and that, "I am LDH," he got a big grin on his face. He grabbed one of their tote bags for me, and invited me to pose for a photo with him. It was a fun moment.

Roy told me that though their business is based in Canada, they're now offering free sharpening services for LDH scissors (not rotary blades) out of Houston, Texas. Also I learned that LDH stands for: Love. Dedication. Happiness.

Honestly though, LDH scissors are the best scissors I have ever cut fabric with! Yep, they're better than Ginghers (Gingher shears are no longer sharpened in the US because that service isn't offered anymore.) I happily purchased 45mm and 60mm rotary blades (which I have yet to try); two pair of snips (if you were lucky enough to get a QuiltCon Swag Bag, a pair of LDH snips was included)... 

... 5" (end to end) curved blade scissors.

See my initials on them?! Ha, ha.

Since I missed my end-of-month (February) blog post where I share my monthly fabric tracking, I'll conclude my QuiltCon posts with that data. Incoming fabric totalled 3.50 yards, all purchased at QuiltCon. Outgoing fabric was not quite a half-yard of fabric used to make the Scrappy FPP Hexagon. 

I haven't been at my sewing machine since February 16, but I expect that to change soon. I have a paint chip challenge due in May! I see a bias tape project in my future. Linda

QuiltCon Raleigh, Part 6 - Other Quilts

Continuing with my QuiltCon review, I have only a few more quilt photos to share, most of which I took on Sunday afternoon when the show was winding down. That's when it was mostly just me, the quilts, and the vendors.

Since I wasn't fond of the colors of the Windham Artisan Fabrics Challenge chosen by keynote speaker Hillary Goodwin, I have only one  quilt from that category to show. 

Flight, Melinda Gerber @melindas.creative.journey, California

Domestic machine and hand quilted, and embroidered. I like the way Melinda hand stitched one color and then re-hand stitched in between the first stitches. Original, isn't it? 

Balance of Light & Dark, Lauren Klementz-Hart @creativelifesampler, California

Lauren won 1st place in the Handwork category with Midnight & Noon, and the quilt below was in the Handwork category too.

Lauren says this work is "the creation of interesting composition given random remnants from my scrap collection." Hand appliquéd, hand embroidered, hand quilted. 

Another QuiltCon challenge was the Diamond Quilting Challenge sponsored by American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. I adore this one, and would voted for it if I'd had more than one vote for People's Choice.

Bolt Loads of Fabric, Lindsey Eisenhardt @wildeandpurdy, Wisconsin

Foundation paper pieced and domestic machine quilted.

My friend from South Florida MQG, Sarah Muslim Lefebvre @sidestitchesdesign made the quilt below also for the Diamond Quilting Challenge.

Broken Splinters From Fallen Stars

Foundation paper pieced and domestic machine quilted. Sarah told me she thinks she used five color values.

Group & Bee Quilt - Hilma, Stephanie Ruyle @spontaneousthreads, Colorado

Participants made blocks that "channel the major artwork of Hilma auf Klint." 

Other makers are: Leanne Chahley, Debbie Jeske, Karen Foster, Felicity Ronaghan, M-R Charbonneau, Marci Debetoz and Kari Barber.

While at QuiltCon, a special treat was getting to meet-up for the first time with two Bloggers whose blogs I have read for several years, and who read my blog! 

On the left is Mary of ZippyQuilts. I recommend following her to see the creative quilts she makes. Here's her blog post about seeing quilted clothing at QuiltCon - something I didn't get into because... I don't have occasions to wear cold-weather clothing, and some of the clothing was way over-the-top. Prints, designs, colors in a mishmash that could be overpowering. 

Another Blogger I met was Joy who blogs at The Joyful Quilter. When I met her I wasn't feeling well (a head cold) so I didn't get to hug her. 

I also briefly talked with Doris Brunette, a long-time friend from Iowa. Doris and I knew each other when we both worked at Drake University in Des Moines, and then later, in 2010 we co-founded the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild, now the Central Iowa Modern Quilt Guild. Doris is currently the Editor-in-Chief of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine and presented awards to the winners of the Diamonds Quilting Challenge sponsored by American Patchwork & Quilting. 

Lisa Ruble @quiltyzest DMed me on Instagram to come to the Benartex booth where she was promoting her fabric line. She wanted me to see the tote she'd made using my Confetti Pouch tutorial. 

Lisa used leftover project scraps to make this. Didn't it turn out cute? If you're interested in the tutorial, go here. 

This is Emilié Trahan, a Canadian who's a previous QC Best in Show winner, and who had several quilts at this QC. I stopped her to ask for a photo of her in her crocheted top. Of course, I shouldn't have been surprised to learn that she designed and made it herself! So cute and colorful. 

Since I mentioned People's Choice several times, I'll add a photo of the quilt that received the People's Choice award. In nine QuiltCons, I have yet to vote for the winner which I suppose says a lot about my taste in quilts. 

Frances, Jeanne Eileen Garcia @jeanne.garcia, Colorado

I don't have any quilt details except that this is a portrait of Jeanne's mother. She's certainly beautiful. 

I've just scrolled through all the pictures I took of quilts, and realize I've shared them all. I'm sorry I missed taking photos of quilts in the Improv Category, but perhaps my psyche was subtly reminding me that I'm no good at improv. One more post about QuiltCon, and I'll call it a wrap. Linda