Two finishes

Over the past few weeks I've finished two quilts.  Yea!!  One of them is a challenge quilt for two different groups - not due until July and December . .  . and I'm finished in MAY!

Actually, both quilts are for challenges.

The first challenge was 9 Fabrics, 9 Blocks.  You had to use exactly 9 fabrics and make exactly 9 blocks.  The setting of the blocks was your design decision.  Even the binding had to be one of the 9 fabrics.

Here's mine.

The pattern is "Isabel" by Fabric Confetti.  It's machine embroidery applique.
This is the first time I've done this type of applique for a quilt. In various
workshops I've done some little items:  Monogram a bag, etc.

The background is two different grays so I could make my 9 fabrics.

The pattern called for fabric here, but I chose to leave it off. I eliminated some of
the stitching.  I didn't need placement lines and omitted the close stitching around
the exterior of each piece. I still did all the machine quilting on my domestic machine.

The second finish is for two different challenges.  One of my friendship groups selects a "challenge" for the year.  I wanted to do state patterns (NY Beauty, Road to CA, Lone Star, etc.) but was outvoted.  We selected Stack 'n Whack - Kaleidoscope.  The next month our guild challenge was announced:  Use a book from the guild library for inspiration or make a quilt from the book.  You know where this is going - we have the Stack 'n Whack book!  One quilt, two challenges!!

I showed a close up of some of the kaleidoscopes in an earlier post.

There are "twirls" in each block and you can see the lines in the background.

Thanks for checking in.

Challenge top complete

I belong to a friendship group that usually meets (formally) only twice a year.  In December we set a group challenge for the year.  We usually meet up during the summer just to check in with each other.  This year's challenge was to do a "stack and whack" quilt.  It wasn't my first choice, but of course I'll go along with the group.  

The next month my guild announced their challenge for 2016.  Take any book from the guild library and make one of the quilts or use the book for inspiration.  Do you see where this is going?  Yes!  The guild has the Stack-n-Whack" book by Bethany Reynolds.  

One quilt = two challenges . . . . again.  I was able to do this once before with paint chip colors and Dresden plate design.

I can't show the entire top, but here are some teaser shots.  Since the guild challenge is due in July I know I will have the quilt ready for Material Girls in December.

The piecing was difficult due the the angle of the seams coming together, but I was determined to make them match.  It was a lot of sew, rip, sew, rip, sew, repeat.  I made this my slow quilting project.

Another plus.  I made the kaleidoscopes using a fabric from my stash!

Thanks for checking in.

Quilting for a friend

I've been busy! . . . . just not all quilt related.  Over the past few weeks I've had fun with family and friends coming to visit.  They just all happened to come one right after the other.  I always enjoy the time they're here because they're great guests.  We have meals together then they go off and enjoy their day while I do what I want at home.

I begged a friend to let me quilt a quilt for her.  She usually sends her quilts out, but when I saw this top I asked if she'd trust me with it.  It just begged for custom quilting and feathers!  It was good practice for me to quilt for someone else.  I had to work on it to get it done!  I'm always amazed at the concept that things get done when you actually work on them.  The hardest part is getting started.

Fun with feathers.

Back of quilt was a wide batik.  The bottom is the
outside border.  Piano key design in the middle border.

The back could almost be a whole cloth.

I did the fill lines free-motion.  No marking.

 I'm also working on my guild challenge.  The binding is almost complete, just need a label.  Labels are easy now that my 10-needle embroidery machine is always up.  I usually just select a thread color already loaded then let it stitch out.  Expensive toy, but I'm having fun with it.

I'm finding mindless audio books keep me in the studio.  Sometimes I have to back it up, but I can work and "read" at the same time.

Thanks for checking in.

Victoria Findlay Wolfe - Empty Spools Seminar

I'm not sure where I've been but I notice I haven't posted for over a month.  Hmmmm.....

I just returned from a 5-day workshop with Victoria Findlay Wolfe at Empty Spools Seminar.  Victoria is an amazing teacher with wonderful and exciting ideas.  The workshop concentrated on Double Wedding Ring, but she inspires you to look beyond the basics.  She would get ideas while talking to us and then show us how to incorporate them into our "blocks".  If you get a chance to take a workshop or even attend a lecture with Victoria, don't miss it!

This is my first quilt made during the workshop.  I had to work
to keep it from being symmetrical!!

Victoria making comments/suggestions on my second quilt. Notice:  It's
too big to fit on the design wall AND the pieces kept falling off.

When I got home I could put up the entire quilt so I could see what I really had.
I can now see places to make changes based on suggestions the final day.

I have to put these quilts on hold for a while.  I have some deadline quilts I need to get finished.


Thanks for checking in.

Friendship Quilt

A Soroptimist friend is starting chemo so I made a quilt for her to use during treatments.  Since her favorite color is red it was easy for me to select scrap reds from my stash.  The back is pink flannel.

The pattern is Double Disappearing Nine Patch.  After the second cut
I chose to leave the pieces unsewn and then randomly put them together.
Thanks to Sara and Anna for that suggestion.   56.5 x 56.5 inches

I did minimal quilting just to hold everything together.  Soroptimist friends
will tie the quilt symbolizing prayers and positive thoughts.

I have other quilts to get on my blog, but I need to find photos.  I'll be back.....

Thanks for checking in.

Allietare!! Bonnie Hunter Mystery REVEAL

I had a friend visiting this weekend and we quilted in the New Year.  She got a lot of machine quilting done and I worked on Bonnie Hunter's Mystery - Allietare.  The pieced top is together.  I just need to add borders.  Yea!  I added additional blocks to make my quilt square so it would fit on my queen bed.  (36 gold and 25 red.)

Look at all the others!
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/01/mystery-monday-link-up-reveal.html

It doesn't need much of a border to fit the bed.

It's funny, but when the quilt was on the wall (and even in this photo)

the stars stand out.  But when it's on the bed and I'm looking at it, the

red blocks stand out more.  Interesting!

I used Christmas colors so I could use the quilt on my bed next

holiday season.  I added a few definite Christms fabrics.

I used green instead of gray.  Otherwise my colors match those 

suggested by Bonnie.

Thanks for checking in.
Happy 2016.

Allietare!! Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2015 CLUE 5

This morning Bonnie released clue 5 in our mystery.  All we had to do this week was combine pieces completed in previous weeks.  Although we had to make over 100 total, it went very fast.  And yes!  I'm managed to keep up this year.

You can follow the progress of others at this link:
Monday link-up:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

(Not sure what's happening here.  When I test the link it doesn't seem to work.  It's been OK in the past??)

These are the blocks for this week.  I used green in place of Bonnie's gray.

The other color are basically the same as hers.

For the first time in the three years I've done the mystery, I put the pieces

on the design wall.  I just wanted to see how my fabrics were working together.

This is only my third Bonnie Hunter mystery and I'm thinking I like using

scrap fabrics rather than a controlled palette.

Thanks for checking in.