Two Challenges under way

I am still quilting on a friend's Vintage Moments.  It's taking a lot longer than I anticipated, but I'm now on the last border!  The end is in sight.  I had to leave it for a few days as I have two challenges due the end of August.

One is done except for sewing down the binding, the other I started yesterday.

The challenge for one guild was to use a book from our guild library and either make a quilt from the book or use it as inspiration to make something.  I chose Nickel Quilts by Pat Speth.  I've heard a lot about her, but have never made a quilt using her techniques.  She has a great way to make 4-patch units using 5 inch squares.  I needed a quilt for a new niece, so of course I collected pink 5-inch squares.  (This makes this a two for one quilt!)  I can leave it as is - and 40 inches means I don't have to piece a back - or I'm thinking to add a white border. It's due in two weeks, but that's doable.

40 x 56 inches

Oops.  I should have rotated the shot, but you get the idea.

This next quilt is a playing card challenge for a different guild.  I'm not sure it's obvious, but I drew the Queen of Hearts.  The crown was created in digitizing software.  I've been watching a lot of webinars about drawing your own designs.  I scanned in a black line master that I traced, made it the background art work, and drew my embroidery lines (and curves) on top of that.  I learned a lot!
For the quilting design I used Cindy Needham's template set and rulers I've been collecting for quite some time.  Construction of this quilt was a real learning experience.  I have no idea what to do with it after the guild meeting!?  It's not really something to hang in my home.

25 x 25 inches
Excuse the binder clips.  I still need to stitch down the binding. 
This one is due the day after the pink one.  

Thanks for checking in.

Seven Sisters Quilt Show

The show has come and gone.  It was a lot of work, but we put on another successful show.  The quilts were amazing as usual.  Check us out at http://www.sevensistersquiltshow.org
If the winning quilts are posted yet, they will be soon.  Next year our teacher will be Bonnie Hunter!!


I entered three quilts and had two of them judged.  I had Granddad's Truck judged at Best of the Valley, read the comments, made some changes, and entered if for judging again.  Good results!

I didn't take a close up photo, but I added some threads,
ribbon, and beads to the grass under the truck.

This quilt was awarded the NACQJ Award of Merit
(National Association of Certified Quilt Judges)
"represents excellence in design and/or workmanship"
I was VERY excited!

"13 Days of Halloween".  It received the Judges Award.

This was a hit with viewers.  One person said "I never liked Halloween
quilts, but this one made me change my mind."  Nice words!

 I entered my red whole cloth.  Since I hadn't changed anything after Best of the Valley, I didn't enter it for judging.  I did get a lot of questions about it though.

Dupioni Silk.  Wool batt.

I took a two-day class with Susan Carlson immediately after the show.  The project hasn't left the container since I got home.  I slept a lot the next three days!

Next year our show is June 28 & 29, 2019.  I'm stepping up and will be one of the co-chairs.  We always rotate a new person in and an "old" person out.  It's a two year commitment, but I'm ready!

Thanks for checking in.

Catching up

I'm back to the blog.  I've been busy with quilting projects, but some could not be shared (gifts or challenge) and others weren't close enough to being done.

Here's my latest:

I did something I will never do again.  I entered a quilt in our Seven Sisters Quilt Show that was not complete.  I knew I could get it done and I wanted to (!), but what a mistake.  It's due this week and last night I finished the quilting, rinsed it, and put it on the wall to block.  I still need to attach the sleeve and do something about the eyes on all the creatures.

13 Days of Halloween.  63 x 64 inches.

The original pattern is for hand embroidery.  I scanned the images on my Destiny

(IQ Designer) and digitized them for machine embroidery.  I used a font in my

embroidery software for the words around the two borders rather than using fusible.

Cranberry Pie Designs.  I just saw another one:  Twas the Night Before Christmas. Very Cute!!

The original pattern did not show the sashings I used. 
The ones with the pattern were very plain.

Can you see all the "eyes" I quilted in the block.
I'm thinking of adding sparkle eyeballs for each one.

Following is a table runner I made for our guild challenge.

 The required fabric was the blue with circles. 
I got third place.  (Viewer's Choice)

I finished my top for Bonnie Hunter's 2017 Mystery, On Ringo Lake.  I ended up with extra blocks because I made the quilt square.  I used the extras to make the quilt below.  I originally called it "Ringo Lake Leftovers" but someone changed it to "All That Jazz".  It will be the donation quilt for our 2019 Seven Sisters Quilt Show.  Bonnie Hunter will be the guest artist the week before the show.  We use the quilt as a prize for people who fill out our info survey.  Not a bad prize for just telling us how you found out about the show and where you're from.  Mark your calendars:  June 29 & 30, 2019.  Bonnie will be teaching June 24 - 28, 2019.

All That Jazz.  42 x 42 inches.

A friend was moving out of state, so we decided to make her a quilt. 
We each made a block, Anna put it together, and I quilted it. 
Can you guess her favorite color combination?

It was difficult for me to quite each block differently.
Overall it turned out very good and Barbara was pleased!

Just little Easter goodies for the great nieces and nephews.
I put a surprise in each one.  I was able to hand them out
Easter Sunday at our family gathering.  Often I mail
the holiday projects, so I don't get the fun part of seeing
them 'open' the package.

This was a bed runner I made for my step-mom to give to her daughter for her 60th birthday.

I know the mom liked the end product, but the daughter just got the package this weekend, so I 

haven't heard from her.  Vivian and I matched the colors in her bedroom.  I had a hard time quilting this one because I really didn't know what to do.  It's so modern and not quite my style.  

Somehow quilting straight lines just didn't seem right.

I thought I had a better photo, but if so I couldn't find it on the computer.

Thanks for checking in.  It was a lot this time.

St Pat's Day Machine Embroidery

I wasn't going to send St. Patrick's Day cards to my nieces and nephews, but then I got an email from Bernina with a cute Shamrock machine embroidery design.  I couldn't resist.  I got them all done today.  They're ready to mail tomorrow so the children should receive them by Saturday.

The bad part is I realized I lost the mailing labels in my computer crash.  I have to locate all the addresses again!

The top is glitter form, fabric applique circle, and foam again on the back.
It's the first time I've used foam.  Very easy! Everything was done in the hoop.
I just had to trim around the outside edge.  

Thanks for checking in.

Busy December

I know it's February, but I did get a lot done in December!

This year's ornament.  I did a lot of it on my embroidery machine.
I used software and created the body and appliqued beard.
It took some time, but I enjoyed the challenge.

30 Santas!

 Right after Thanksgiving, I got involved making machine embroidery table runners.  I made five tops and had my three sisters select the one they wanted.  That way I knew which ones I needed to finish.  They all got their runner before Christmas!  Below are photos of all the tops.

Peppermint Candy.  Claudia's Creations.
This is the design that started the process.  I used my software for some groupings,
but realized it was just as easy to add them one at a time wherever I wanted.

Yard of Snowmen.  Bird Brain Designs.  Blue.

Yard of Snowmen.  Black and gold.  Very elegant.

Ginger Garland.  Turnberry Lane Patterns.
I changed the border so it came out even.

One sister wanted to hang hers and needed a smaller size.  The original pattern made the gingerbread men in pieces, then sew them together.  The second time I put the designs in software
and used the multi-hoop feature for placement.  It was an interesting process to figure out.

The amazing thing was that I had all of this done by December 22.  That's a record for me!!

Thanks for checking in.

On Ringo Lake Quiltville Mystery 2017

Thanks to a friend visiting over New Year's I was able to finish my Bonnie Hunter Quiltville Mystery, "On Ringo Lake".  I only had clue 1 complete when she arrived Friday, Dec. 29, but by Tuesday when she left I was almost caught up.  It's amazing what two focused quilters can accomplish.

I changed colors:  Red, green, aqua, and black for my neutral.  I  made it square by leaving off nine blocks, then added an extra border of three-inch squares just to make binding easier. It finishes at 79 x 79 inches.  The extra nine blocks will become the center for a medallion quilt later.  We took time to play with designs before the final reveal.  All we got right was that the blocks were on point! - but it was fun to play.  I'm using one of the arrangements for the medallion.

I don't do a lot of truly scrap quilts, so I especially like doing the mysteries.  I'm excited to have the top complete.

Here's the link back to Bonnie's Website/blog.

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6-7-8-9.html

It's fun to see all the different variations from one set of directions.

On Ringo Lake
79 x 79 inches

Extra 9 blocks . . . to be continued!

Thanks for checking in.
I'll add my Christmas quilting in a separate post.

Quiltville (Bonnie Hunter) Mystery

It's time for Bonnie Hunter's Annual Mystery.
October 31 Bonnie released the introduction for her newest mystery quilt:  On Ringo Lake.  You can use the information below if you want to check it out.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/10/on-ringo-lake-quiltville-mystery.html

I started thinking about fabric choices.  Rather than use Bonnie's suggestions, I'm putting together my palette.  I have two possibilities:

1.  While checking out Bonnie's paint chips, I picked up some extras for additional ideas.  One card gave a "top-pick color" then showed colors that you can mix and match.  I picked four choices from that card.

colors:  Upholstery Red (1008-3A), Johnny Cake (3001-6A), Notre Dame (5006-1B), and Virginia Soil (1003-9A)
I always wonder how they come up with names!

2.  As I have done in the past, I selected a piece of fabric and used that to select my palette.

Of course, the color is off.  The colors are black, yellow-green (3), orange-red (20), and aqua blue (8).

I have two weeks to make my final decision.

Thanks for checking in.