Fall Quilt

For the first time I put my fall quilt on the wall.  I want to use the border fabric in some other pieces so I have to determine how much of that fabric is available.  I need to decide what to use for the sashing as well. 

When I completed Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice mystery the quilt was so busy I didn't add a border.  Now that I've looked at this one I'm not sure if I want a border.  I'll have to think about it.

Thanks for checking in.

Melinda Bula workshop

I had an opportunity to take a guild, two-day workshop with Melinda Bula.  I remembered how much fun I had at a 5-day workshop with her at Empty Spools in 2010, so I gladly signed up to work with her again.  This time I concentrated on her Renegade Thread Play so I can overcome my fear about quilting the rose I created with her 4 years ago.  Once again she inspired me to "go for it!".  Since the class was really not about the thread work, I worked through the exercises with the class, then waited patiently for times she could give me some individual assistance.  It was well worth the two days and her guild lecture was just as inspiring.



This is what it looks like from the back.  I used
black so the stitching would show clearly.  It helps
when I analyse the stitching.

I need to work on being more "free" with my free motion.
Notice how my stitches seldom cross over and blend into each other.
This is why I want more practice before I start my rose.

Thank you for checking in.

Past due baby quilt

My latest great-nephew will be one in a few days and I still owe him his first quilt.  I've been working on it for the past few days . . .  and the top is finished.  Yea!!


I will stitch around all the applique pieces.  I took a class with
Sue Nichols at Empty Spools so I've been using her method of a
small blanket stitch around each piece.

putting the fish together

Lots of bears!

The pattern is "We Bearly Made It" by Karen Brow, Java House Quilts.  I made a few modifications.

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Tulip Table Runner - update

The tulip table runner is together.  Now I get to quilt it.  There's not a lot of room so I'll probably echo the applique then use a filler design.

I'm happy with how it turned out.  I think
I'll use the dies and make a quilt with this pattern.
What color tulips??

Thanks for checking in.

Tulip Table Runner

I've been working on a table runner.  The tulips and leaves are die cut then fused and stitched.  It will be three full blocks set on point, then 4 half blocks for the setting triangles.  I'm excited about how it's turning out.  I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Thanks for checking in.

Class: Hip to be Square

My guild offered a class by a local teacher, Bobbi Porter.  She developed the pattern from an embroidery design.  Once you get the hang of the process it goes well, but there are lots of partial seams.

I didn't like my final product from day one but thought I'd like to try it in solids.  Very different look.  I don't usually work in solids so this was also a learning experience.  Of course on the way home I had to stop by one of our local shops and purchase solids at their storewide sale!  The poor sales person.  I picked out 15 different solids.  She kept encouraging me to go back and look for more.

Day 1.  I tried using scraps.

Day 2.  I think I'm OK with the solids.  I do
know I like it more than the scrap project.

It was a good two days.  I always enjoy classes; the instruction and the fellowship with fellow quilters. 

I came home and used the die cutter to cut tulips and leaves to be used on a table runner.  (More on this later.)  I'm happily tired!

Thanks for checking in.

Summer Solstice (Bonnie Hunter Mystery)

I just finished attaching the binding to my Summer Solstice quilt.  Bonnie Hunter called it Celtic Solstice in her Mystery.  The photos don't really show a lot because the quilting is in the ditch - or as close as I could get!  The binding is attached 100% on machine.  I found a flange, binding technique on a blog that I had done years ago but forgot. 

http://www.52quilts.com/2012/05/tuesday-tutorial-susies-magic-binding.html

I tried to show the ditch quilting.  I first did horizontal and vertical,
then quilted around the brown pieces to accent the curve.
I did not do ESS - every single seam.

I'm thinking about quilting the 4 patches.  Maybe an arc

around the edges.  Most of the quilt could be done in

continuous "lines".  One diagonal green, the other pink, with

only a few spares to pick up individually.

Back of the quilt.  I used up pieces of leftover fabric.
The brown print is what I used to pull fabrics. 
It does not appear on the front of the quilt.

The binding is attached to the back and pulled to the front.
You then stitch in the seam connecting the binding and flange.

Thanks for checking in.