19 Quilt tops to choose from!

I got an invitation to my niece's wedding recently. It is the weekend after Labor Day. Since she is quilt worthy, I wanted to make her and her fiancé a wedding quilt to celebrate the occasion. My time this summer is limited, so I pulled out a bunch of quilt tops to photograph and email to the happy couple so that they could choose one that suits their style. I sent them 19 photographs! Oh My! And that did not include tops that were smaller than lap, needed borders and ones that they were not allowed to choose from. (ones that have already been spoken for) I really need to get  going on some UFO's!

Here are the 19 quilt tops:

Row Robin from about 2003 or 4

Scrapbag Bargello started in 2002 borders later.

Wales Star Sampler I designed this about 3-4 years ago for my guild

Before and After Curves about 2009 or so

Tropical Treasures About 2009 or 10

Allegra I made this top for my bed, my sweetie looked at it and said 'boy that is busy". So it got thrown into the UFO pile. About 2010-11 or so

Bird of Paradise class sample from 2004 or so

Another class sample, can't remember the name right now. 2002- or 2003

From a class I took 2 or 3 years ago. The Amazing Race

Cloth Carousel's $5 quilt Block of the Month from 2002. I was working at the shop by the end of the year and designed this setting.

Serita class sample 2014 or 15

Sarah another version of Serita 2014 or 15

Garden Path. I used this as a leader project. Top was finished about 2003 or 4.

Nancy's Pinwheels Another class sample. About 2008 or 9

Another of Cloth Carousels $5 BOTM I believe it was 2003

A retreat project designed by my friend Diane Don't remember the name. I believe it was 2014 

Jazzy Another class sample about 2010 or 2011

An old UFO. It was another leader project. It would be pre 2001

Yet another class sample. I forget the name of the log cabin variation. 2004 or 5

Remember, there are more tops and almost finished tops (just needing borders). So the happy couple chose this one:

Now known as the wedding quilt.

I have a backing selected, need to sew the seam and then baste. Hope to get this quilted in the next two weeks. I think it needs something more than just my usual all over wiggle quilting. Stay tuned.


Linking to

Nicole

Lorna

Emily

Beth

Nina-Marie

Sarah

Myra

Sarah G

Judy

Beth

Sego Lily

I made a fiberart piece that I could not show until now.  It is for the Stretching Art and Traditions Challenge. Here are my in progress photographs.

Working on the petals 

 The piece needed to finish 18" x 36". The theme, Under Scrutiny, needed to be a very close-up of something. I used a photograph of a Sego Lily. Of course, I have not been able to find the original photograph so that I could post it.  I used a quilt as you go method that I just kind of made up. First onto the backing is a piece of batting. Next up is some petals.

Background

 It then tucked in some dark green pieces to form the background. I made sure to trim it close in shape so that it would not shadow through the white petals. I stitched down the edges, going through all layers.

Floral details

 I then fused stamens and the red of the petals. I also stitched those down through all layers.

Petals quilted

 I quilted the petals using my trusty walking foot. Just some simple echo quilting.

Detail stitching

I quilted the background with horizontal straight lines. It does not show up very well in the photographs. I also quilting some red lines to add detail to the red of the petals.

Sego Lily

Trimmed and bound, it went off to the coordinator in time to go to the first show!

BFL roving

 This was some quickly acquired roving bought so that I could try out the new spinning wheel.

Yarn!

On the right, the beginner's first day's worth of spinning. On the left is the beginner's second day (in a row) spinning! I am really enjoying the art of spinning!  Not sure that I will ever get to the point where I can spin lace weight yarn. But I think I have the hang of spinning fun, chunky, playful yarn!

We had three reasons to make the trip to Tennessee. One, visit family. Two, pick up the spinning wheel. And Three, attend our sister-in-law's graduation from the University of Alabama Huntsville! (yeah, that is 2 states. Their farm is in Tennessee and Huntsville is about an hour and a half drive away) I am so proud of Christine! She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in English! As I told you last week, her short story won Best in Fiction in the English department. If you did not get a chance to read it, here is the link again. Very timely story, thanks for all the positive feedback. I have been reading your comments to her. Now that she is done with classes, she will be working on more of the stories in the series.

I am linking to:

Beth
Judy
Emily
Nina-Marie
Amanda Jean
Sarah
Myra
Summer

Road trip!

I have been offline for a while. We took a road trip to visit my brother-in-law and sister-in-law in Lynnville, Tennessee. It was a 7 day drive with the truck and 5th wheel camping trailer. Right before we left home I quilted another UFO for the guild challenge I knew that I could work on the binding during the trip to Tennessee and get a photograph submitted before the 1st of May. And I did get it done in time. We did not have any internet until we got to the farm.

Starting the spiral

I have quilting spirals on smaller pieces, but wanted to try it on a large-ish quilt. I think that I started the center a bit too large. I did try to go back and walking foot it into the center, but it was not a success, so I backed it out to where I started and left it a large center. I may try to go back and try to FMQ the center.

Still spiraling

I don't have the best space to machine a large quilt, but I just make it work. I run into the window and have to adjust constantly. I may have to adjust my space to add another table. I will figure it out when we get back home. I really want to make a dent in my pile of quilt tops.

Glamor shot

And my glamor shot on the front porch of the farm in Tennessee!

White Sands National Monument

On our way to Tennessee we stopped in New Mexico and visited the White Sands National Monument. It was so beautiful! I cherish our National Parks. I hope that they will survive.

Texas Bluebonnets

We went through Texas and camped for the night at Lake Arrowhead. Along the side of the road I was able to see Texas Bluebonnets in person. Lovely!

Lake Texoma

We spent a night camped on the shores of Lake Texoma. It is on the border of Texas and Oklahoma. We were on the Texas side. We had the most beautiful sunset that evening!

Dogwood blooming

Our last night on the road we camped in DeQueen Lake State Park in West Tennessee. The Dogwood trees were blooming! Just lovely!

We will be attending my sister-in-law's graduation on Sunday. She is a writer and last week won an award in the English Department for Best in Fiction for her short story! I am so proud of her! Here is a link to her short story. It is the first in a series of stories. I would love to hear what you think of it, it is a very timely story.

Linking to:

Nicole

Beth

Emily

Judy

Kelly

Nina-Marie

Anja

Sarah


Myra

Amanda Jean

Lorna

Ginny

Wild Woods April

April blocks

 I altered the pieced  pattern a bit. I did not wish to do all those square and HST's. I am thinking of fusing some flowers, or maybe a butterfly. I am just not into animals at this point. They might get added later on when the top is pieced.

All the blocks

I save the cut off triangles and sew them into HST's. You never know, they could make something fun!

Linking to Amy.

Springing along

I was knitting the first official pattern of Sock Madness and realized it was not working for me.

Blackberry

It was interesting to learn how to make the beaded blackberry.

Time to rip!

I was not happy with the fit when I tried it on. Also, I did not think that the gray would last for both socks, even with gold toes and heels. So I ripped it out! My sweetie was appalled. So close to finishing a sock. But if I am not happy with it, it would not get finished.

Checkerboard

 So I started the next round using the same gray yarn with a different contrasting yarn. It involves brioche knitting. Something I have wanted to master. And it is a very fun knit! I am ready to start the heel on the first sock.

Guild Blocks

 After the January guild meeting I brought home my show and tell in a tote bag. I finally opened the bag last week so that I could put away the quilts. I found a baggie with some white squares and two patterns. I honestly could not remember what they were for, so I messaged the guild president and she gave me some instructions. But she didn't really say what the guild is doing with the blocks. They need to be turned in before September. I decided it was an easy sew and just made the blocks. I used my "cutting table" fabric selection. Which is digging through the piles on my cutting table that have not been put away yet.

Swirl

 Another block that came up for air, Swirl. I took a demo class at a retreat years ago and made this block. Not sure what I had intended, but I think it could be a good start to something. So I left it on the design wall to inspire me.

Swap blocks

 A few month's ago I posted about swap blocks that I was making for a quilt group that I swap blocks with by mail. I got my blocks back!  What a nice pile! I think I may have won the blocks in the "pot"! It will be fun to play with these blocks.

Bonus #1

When Diane mails me swap blocks, there is always some sort of bonus stuff in there. This package's bonus! Since I live in cowboy country, the bandanas might be fun to play with.

Iris blocks

One of our mutual friends also will tuck in a little something in the packages. This UFO looks like a One Block Wonder. The iris print is lovely. Some of the rows have been sewn and some of the blocks are pinned. It will be a puzzle to line it up (I think). I decided to wait and leave it stacked as it came to me.  So if there is a logical order, I will be able to lay it out easily. When I have some time to play with it.

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

Last weekend my Brother-in-law came for a visit. We drove up Johnson Canyon Road. Which used to be the border of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Lovely rock formation along the canyon. I am not sure if this is still in the monument or not since the borders of GSENM has been gutted. 

Linking to:

Julie

Lorna

Beth

Judy

Emily

Caroline

Nina-Marie

Amanda Jean

Myra

Becca

Sarah

Bambi

Jeannie

Beth

April

I finished 2 quilts in March! I can only show one of them at this time. Stay tuned for the other one at a later date. This is my Skittles quilt. I quilted it at a retreat put on by my local guild. Used a walking foot and one of my standard designs. I am happy with the way the quilting turned out.

Close up

Quilt before trimming

Faux quarter inch quilting

Glamor shot

I used a flannel print for the borders, binding and backing. It should be a very cozy lap quilt! Eddy approves!

Yarn Barf

I knit the qualifying round of Sock Madness. I was having yarn barf issues. I think that there was more yarn that barfed than was left in the skein.

New technique

I learned a new stitch technique. It involved several rows with 2 colors and slip stitches.

Done!

I was just a few hours short of making it to the next round. But since I was close to finishing the qualifying round pattern, I am a cheerleader and will get to knit the other patterns for fun. My project page Here.

Linking to:

Tweety

Amanda Jean

Myra

Sarah

Nina-Marie

celtic

Brooke

Jo

Emily

Lorna

Beth

Judy

Beth

Nicole

Julie