March 2017

March was filled with quilting.

Early in the month I made St. Patrick's Day "cards" for my great-nieces and nephews.  Today I finished Easter cards as well.  I forgot to take a photo of the St. Pat's cards before I put them in the mail.  I've been having fun making something to send the kids.

I didn't create this design.  It's from Embroidery Library.
For the St. Pat's cards I scanned a shamrock and used
IQ Designer on my Destiny to create the design.

I actually finished a challenge quilt one month BEFORE it was due!  That is truly amazing for me.  I actually scrapped my first attempt and created a similar second version to use for the challenge.  That means I completed two table runners in about one week.  Of course, this was only possible because I was working ahead.

Two table runners.  The top one is my first attempt.

I cut the pieces with my Sissix, then just quilted, thinking I'd cut it down to size

afterward.  However, I liked the quilting and didn't want to cut it 

off, so I made the second one.  The challenge was black & white, with the

red fabric given to us.  There are actually three different blacks, but even in person

you can hardly tell.  I didn't want to make a 24 x 24 piece, so decided the table runner

could fit the size restriction and be something I would actually use.

I didn't want to cut off all the feathers.

I had to use a recognizable piece of the given red fabric. I made red piping.
The quilting is similar, but I marked the outside edge first then stayed
within the boundary.  

This is the quilt I gave my sister this month in honor of her award.  I
tried making a beaded fringe, but it wasn't adding to the quilt.  I cut
off the beads and left it plain.  Actually a good choice.

I started my block of the month for The Quilt Show.  (no photo - just because I didn't take one)  I had finished month two, but took it apart to correct a size error that would only grow as the quilt progressed.  I know in a couple of months I'll be glad I did.  So even though tomorrow is the end of March, I'm actually only one month behind.  Not bad for me!!

I have three quilts in Best of The Valley quilt show.  April 7 - 9, Lindsay CA.  Although I never expect to get a ribbon, it's always exciting to see if there is one on the quilt when I get there.

As I finish writing this it doesn't seem like a lot of projects, but it felt like I was at the machine a lot this month.  I'm still working on finishing projects and getting them out of the studio.  That's why I finished the challenge.  It's already delivered . . . . . out of the studio!

Thanks for checking in.