A real Finish!

I wanted to get something finished to enter in the Springville Art Museum's annual quilt show. I had a friend visiting last week and I had pulled out this top to show her. She gave me some very good input, so I was able to finish this piece in time.

Making matchsticks

I decided to try matchstick quilting. My piece is curved, so the lines are slightly curved to match the piecing.

And more matchsticks

You start off with quilting lines that are spaced out and then quilt in between. And then again, in between. Helps keep everything smooth and secure, no shifting.

another view

The colors are more accurate in this photograph. Again, blogger rotated my photograph.

I think it is enough

I could have gone one more session of adding lines in between, but since I was already into the sixth bobbin on a 30"x 24" piece, I decided it was enough. I would like to try it another time, maybe on a smaller test piece.

close up

I used a dark charcoal colored thread. I am pleased with the effect! One of the things that Helen and I had done was audition thread colors.

Finished!

I have titled this piece "Embrace the Curve".  

Loved this!

The car club in town hosted a little park and show your stuff downtown this week. We went down to look. Fun! Only about a dozen or so cars.  But fun anyway.  I loved this sign on a mini cooper.

I am linking to Nina-Marie, Myra, Amanda Jean, April, Tweety, Beth
Emily Beth, Judy Nicole, Lorna

At least one thing is done!

Fern

I finished my Sweet Sixteen for March, Fern. I now have 4 of 12 completed. What a stupid idea to start a year long, monthly challenge to myself while in the midst of the longest move ever! I had March started in March. I finished April a while ago, Fern was stewing for a bit.

Fern close-up

The background color is correct in the first photograph. I did a bit of free motion quilting to make the little leaves that unfurl. The rest is quilting with my trusty walking foot.

Fern back

Since this was for March, and it was green, I used some shamrock fabric for the back.

Never ending Grandmother's Flower Garden

I pulled out my hexagon quilt to work on at the local guild's weekly sew day. I prefer not to drag a machine along and since I am trying to meet people it is a good take along project. I have no idea when I started this, but I am pretty sure it has been at least ten years ago. I started off wrapping and basting to papers. I didn't count, just started cutting squares and wrapping. Then I started to put some of the hexagons together into flowers. I am using repro 1800's fabrics and a red print for the centers.

Starting from the center

Once I had a dozen or so flowers together I decided I should figure out a layout.  This is the center of the quilt. I haven't figured out what is next. I am setting these flowers together with black prints in between. It is a slow process and I might never finish it, but it is fun to work on.  Every once in a while.

I am linking to Nina-Marie, Amanda Jean,  Myra, Sarah, Emily, Judy, Beth and Beth

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Maple Leaves

Close up

Back

I am entering my Maple Leaves in the Art Quilt Category at Amy's.  It is a little over 20" and made freeform pieced. The maple leaves were cut by a Silhouette machine and fused on. Walking foot and free motion quilting were used.


I am also linking to Beth, Emily, Judy, Beth, Nina-Marie, Amanda Jean

September

I did one last dye session last week. As we are in the midst of a  move, I had some leftover dyes that I wanted to use up before the final load. I do know that old dyes lose some of their umph, but sometimes that is a good thing. And I just didn't want to waste it, dyes are expensive.

Mop rag

I always put down a damp soda ashed piece of fabric when mixing my dyes to catch any stray powder. I reuse it several times and then use it to dump the dregs.  I am pleased with this one!

Forest green and yellow

I was surprised how the green looks more blue.I believe that the dye had degraded and the blue held on in the forest green. This was accordion folded and then I poured on the dyes in a ziplock bag.

Purple and yellow twist

If I were a few years older, I could have been a hippie! I love the look of tie dye. This piece was twisted and then tied in a knot before adding the dyes. The deep purple dye also degraded.

Blues dry folded

I used a piece of fabric that had previously been soda ashed and left to dry. I bi folded it and dumped on cobalt, navy blue, and the last of the deep purple.  I think this guy has possibilities of some surface design.

Blue and brown dry 

Another tie dyed look. I folded this piece like you do for Hawaiian applique. I then dumped the dyes on it, in a ziplock bag. Some little bits of black, terracotta and blue (cobalt, maybe?)

Brown and gold dry folded

I folded this accordion style and then accordion folded it in the second direction.  Not sure if you can see it in this photograph, but I had dripped a bit of the deep purple on it by accident. It is about the only spot in the dye session that the purple turned out purple! Terracotta and gold. Maybe it was actually deep yellow.

Another mop rag

Another mop rag.  I also use them to wipe up the table after the dye session (I have the table covered with a plastic table cloth while dyeing)

Stacked

I finally finished stacked! I took this class at the Bryce Winter retreat, eh? 4 years ago?  My friend, Lisa B. taught it. It was fun!  She is teaching it again this year at the Utah Quilt Guild Quilt Fest in a couple of weeks. I wanted to have it finished so she could have another class sample.

Stacked closeup

So things are happening with our move and hopefully we will be home (200 miles away) in 3 weeks. Right before Quilt Fest! I will head North to the Fest and sweetie and the puppy dogs will head South to our home in Kanab. It has been a long, stressful move.  I will be glad to finally be settled and move on to the next adventure in our lives.

I am linking to Beth, Amanda Jean, Nina-Marie, Sarah, M-R, Lorna, Myra, Emily,  Beth Judy

Design Wall Monday

Scotty

Table topper version

Signature quilt

I have been at a quilting retreat in California this week. Tons of fun with good friends! I taught a mini mystery with two versions. A baby quilt or a table topper. The quilts turned out great!  I also brought along a UFO. I had made these blocks 12 years ago and recently got them put together into a top. It is my California Quilters signature quilt. I was gathering some more signatures to fill in the empty blocks. Hopefully I can get the borders on this week.

This is my Design Wall Monday post for this week.

A gift!

Chocolate Cream Pie

I had entered a drawing at LeeAnna's blog in December. She was making these cute pie shaped pin cushions! I had commented on how chocolate cream pie is my favorite and she drew my name! She made a special pie pin cushion just for me! With the Holidays and all, I forgot to blog about it until now. Check out her blog, she has a lot of wonderful ideas!

The only thing on my design wall is something that I cannot show publicly. So this is my design wall post for this week.

Half over

Border blocks

I got my border blocks sewn for my Wales Sampler quilt. Wednesday is the meeting, so I need to sew the border on and write up the instructions. I will have a photo of the completed top next week.

Emerald Pools

I am getting down to the nitty gritty of my leader project on the wall. And in the bottom corner I just noticed that a triangle is missing! It could easily have been knocked down, and since that corner of the design was sloppily slapped onto the wall, I didn't notice it was missing until I tidied it up. Luckily I had more of that fabric, several of the black and whites were used up when I cut for this quilt. I hope to have this guy finished and off the wall this week.

More bowls for the shop!

I worked the shop on Friday and Saturday. While it was slow between customers, I was able to wrap more cord for bowls. I just need to trim some threads and then photograph them to list in my Etsy shop. I have so much fun making these! The little ones are perfect to put next to your machine as thread catchers.

Cute little guy!

I also made this little guy! My sweetie loved it so much that I told him I wanted him to have it. He put it on his dresser for a loose change catcher. And today is his birthday! So I will be baking his favorite Rum cake as a special treat.

This is my Design Wall Monday post.

Oh, and BTW, I drew a name for my giveaway. I will announce the name after I hear back from her. Thanks to everyone who entered! It was fun to hear all about your favorite treats!

Monday Morning

Wales quilt

I have one more section to sew on and my Wales block of the month quilt will be sashed! I have the border designed, but just need to select what fabric I want to use. And also to write up the final instructions.

Emerald Pools

I am getting close to finishing my Emerald Pools leader project. I really love how the colors glow!

I am participating in Sew Mama Sew's giveaway day! Check out this post to enter.

This is my design wall Monday post for this week.

December?

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful time. The kids and grands were down for the weekend. They left yesterday afternoon. Sweetie and I did a bit of clean up and then plopped down in our chairs, exhausted! I did not get into the sewing room at all. But after I get some chores done today I plan on getting back in there.

Sashing

First up is to finish the sashing for the block of the month that I designed for one of my local groups. I would also like to get the border on the top before the next meeting.

Wales Sampler blocks

I used all star block patterns for the 12 blocks and then used a star sashing design to continue in the same theme. The border also has stars.

Emerald Pools

I am still hammering away at this class sample as my leader project. It is slow, but steady progress. I hope to get it off the wall this week.

I also booked a class at a shop in California for January. I am going to be out there for a quilting retreat that my friends put on and so called the shop where I used to work and teach to see if the new owner would be interested in a class that week. She accepted! I miss that place! It will be fun to be back in the shop teaching. I will add it to my schedule after the owner gets a chance to announce it at her monthly Block of the Month event.

This is my Design wall Monday post for this week!

Since this is cyber Monday, I would love it if you are shopping at any of the sites that I have a banner for that you click on the link from my blog. I try not to be very pushy with promoting the ads and so I make very little from the ads. I greatly appreciate any clicks and purchases! I know that there are a lot of deals today and the next couple of weeks. Happy Shopping!

Freezing cold Monday

The weather turned cold this weekend! And we had snow Saturday afternoon and evening. Maybe an inch or two but it stuck. The next morning the temps had dropped to the teens, so it didn't melt off until the sun hit it. Most is gone, but the cold stayed. Hopefully it will warm up a bit today.

Never ending Hexagon

I got quite a bit done on my hexagon project while I was working the shop on Friday. This is my center, I think I am going to do a medallion style layout. I was able to get all the black pieces stitched on. I hope to start adding the next round of flowers this week.

4 sets!

Two more sets prepped

Since I can't make myself work on a piece with a deadline, I did some mindless sewing. A group that I used to belong to in California does a monthly block swap. I have participated from distance the last couple of years. I mail them out when I get a year's worth finished. I am running late this year. Their last meeting for 2014 will be the second Monday in December. I got 4 sets made this weekend and 2 more prepped. I will sew those today and get the last set done so they can go off into the mail this week. Cross that off the list.

Leader project.

My leader project is growing slowly. But I did round the corner so it feels like I am making progress.

This is my Design Wall Monday post.

Design Wall Monday Bring out the UFO'S!

My main focus right now is an art quilt piece that I cannot show publicly until after the book comes out. So I will spotlight a couple of UFO's that have resurfaced recently.

The Never ending Hexagon 

I started this years ago, probably at least 10. It comes out every once in a while and then I get side tracked. I am using shirtings for the lights and 1800's repros for the darks and red centers. The last time this resurfaced I had laid out the blocks that were done and finally figured out a plan. It would have been a good idea to take notes on what that plan actually was! I think that I took a photograph of the layout, so I need to search my photo files and see if I can find it. Meanwhile I have been sewing the wrapped hexes together while I am at the shop and it is slow.

Hand quilting

This is another long time UFO. I was part of a row robin back in about 1999 or 2000. I sewed the rows together in about 2002 or so. Then I started the handquilting about 2005 or 06, I thought I had about a third of it completed. Not. But it came back out again. I am trying to quilt on it every morning for about 1/2 hour. We will see how that works out. I really would like this to be finished and then it can make the rounds of the local shows next year.

Red rock

My sweetie and I took a quick weekend trip down to Kanab! I adore the red rock of southern Utah!

This is my design wall Monday post for this week.

First Snow!

Back porch

We are having a little bit of snow. Nothing like those back East are dealing with. But it still counts as snow!

Birthday Hearts

On the back

This year I had challenged a couple of friends to finish UFO's. Twelve for the year. I did pretty well at the start. Then I had a couple of new projects with deadlines come up.  So in the last couple of months I only got one done, So I am at 7 for the year. Time to catch up. This little quilt top was given to me by my daughter more than 10 years ago. She had taken an applique class and this was the class project. She gave  me the top and said you quilt it! Happy Birthday to me! This recently made its way up to the top of the pile. The fabric that I was going to use for the back wasn't big enough and so I found I had this heart print that would work well. I got it pin basted yesterday and hopefully this week it will get quilted in between the new work that has deadlines and can't be shown publicly yet.

Speaking of not being able to show publicly, a project from last year can now be shown! This is part of the Beatles project and this photograph my friend Kaye took at Houston a couple of days ago. What a thrill to have a piece in the show! 

Photograph by Kaye Evans

My quilt is "Twist and Shout" and I talked about it last week on this post.

This is my Design Wall Monday post for this week.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Entry #2

This is my second entry to the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side! I decided to enter my Rainbow Utah quilt into the ROYGBIV category.

Rainbow Utah

I made this quilt to honor the fight for equality. Since this was finished, there was a ruling on October 6,2014 and marriage equality is now legal in Utah. I may add some more text with TAP to update this piece.

Ready to be bound

This is my first time working with Trapunto. I enjoyed the process! I am looking forward to doing it again. I hand dyed the rainbow fabric in the center.  The quilting lines are intentionally not straight. The colors are more accurate in the second photograph.

I blogged about my other entry here.

Check out the rest of the entries!

Since what I am working on cannot be shown publicly yet, this will have to do for my Design Wall Monday post this week.