Design Wall Monday

The weather up here in Gaylord had been absolutely beautiful - sunny and warm and everyone was happy again after such a long hard winter.  People took down their 'For Sale' signs and started working outdoors again!!  Then, this happened...

 
Happy Mother's Day!!  Surprise!!!  This photo was taken out the back window at 8:30am on Sunday.  It warmed (?) up to 40 later but most of the snow was still there.  This morning, there were just a few places where the sun doesn't hit.  So, it was a good day to stay indoors and work on my DGD's quilt.  I need 35 blocks and I have 28 completed.  Not long now and I will start sewing them together.  The picture below shows my planned border treatment.  I am looking forward to more progress this week.

 

 

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day and did the things you love best.  Hop on back to Judy's blog to see more inspirations from quilters all over this great country and world!!

 

Happy Stitching!



Design Wall Monday

I am happy to report that I have made some progress on my projects - a birthday gift finished and sent to one of my BQFF (Best Quilt Friend Forever)...

 

(the picture was taken on the carpet)



The pattern is a Buttermilk Basin BOM pattern done in wool.  It is about 12" square with the center square measuring 8".  Happy Birthday Barb!!

I also finished the top that was on my design wall last Monday (sorry, it didn't get posted) but now you will get the full effect.  It's a scrappy baby quilt (42" square) made from a McCall's Quilting pattern called Baubles and Beads by Susan Guzman...fun to make and a no-brainer!  Love it!!  I will bind it with more scraps from my overflowing bins.

DGD's quilt has not made much progress but I finally have the fabric decided upon so I will start cutting strips and getting some blocks made.  It's a Strip Tube quilt in pinks, green, and violet.  Anyone know where I can get more of this green fabric?

The actual fabrics are similar so come back next week to see how far I've gotten (fingers crossed).  Thanks for checking in on me...now go back to Judy's blog to see more great projects on Design Wall Monday.

Happy Stitching!

APRIL GOALS

My good intentions for March were just that - good intentions.  Here it is April 7 and I have made no progress on my March goals which are now my April goals.  But here is one of the projects that I have been working on - mostly samples for the classes I will be teaching at our LQS, Delphine's Quilt Shop in Gaylord, MI:

 

It is a Disappearing 9-Patch (2 blocks worth) made with Brannock & Patek's "Audra's Iris Garden."  The class is a "technique" class and the students will learn both the Disappearing 9-Patch and the Disappearing 4-Patch.  The patterns have been around awhile and are readily available on the internet but it's more fun to work on this with the wonderful gals in a class.

Another project which is for a class AND for DGD's 16th birthday, needed some help.  The picture below shows 4 blocks but they are so blah - no pop, no zip, too calm, etc.  I found some other fabrics which I will incorporate into the mix to see if I can spice them up.  The pattern is a Strip Tube Quilt called "Just Too Easy" (which it is when you have the correct fabrics!).  My GOAL FOR APRIL...get these blocks made and sewn together.  It has been sitting in this "started but not finished" state for too long - DGD will be 18 if I don't get a move on!

Finally, I did finish something!!!  Hooray!!  I made this table topper for Easter/Spring.  We had a very nice Easter but still no spring in northern Michigan.  As a matter of fact, it's snowing right now AGAIN.

Good luck everyone with getting their goals accomplished.  Be sure to check out all the other brave quilters on "A Lovely Year of Finishes" and inspiring projects on Judy's Design Wall Monday.

My March Goals

"A Lovely Year of Finishes" has proven to be a wonderful incentive for me to "shrink" my UFO pile.  Just so you know (this is my excuse), I teach at our LQS so I am constantly starting small projects, some more than once, to use as examples in my classes.  They are in various stages of completion so that I can show my students how something will look before it is all sandwiched, quilted, and completed.  Consequently, I have two UFO piles.  One that is for class work and will probably stay in their incomplete stages until I retire and one UFO pile that is my "personal" quilt pile.  Which is the bigger pile?  I'd have to say my personal quilt pile would win in a heartbeat!!  LOL.  No contest there!!

This month I have 3 goals:

     1)  Complete the blocks of a Strip Tubing quilt which will be used as an example for a class and then stitched together and quilted for my GD's birthday in June.  This is a wonderful technique by Daniela Stout and Georgette Dell'Orco.  Here is the first flimsie that I made for a class...



"Just Too Easy" designed by Susan Van Alyne



New top - same technique using just 4 fabrics

     2)  Begin quilting the appliqued top that I finished last month.  I now have the backing, the batting, and the binding.  Can't wait to start that.  It will be machine quilted on my Bernina.

     3)  Complete 2 mug rugs for an exchange.  Can't show you that yet.

Hmmm, that should keep me busy this month!  How (or what) are you doing?  Be sure to check with Judy L's Patchwork Times to see what's on our friends' design walls this week and Melissa's and Shanna's "A Lovely Year of Finishes" for all the March goals.


Happy Stitching!

Spring Time Applique

My design wall is empty right now because I finished my February project!!!  Woohoo!!  The flimsy is done at least.  Now to find backing and get it done!  I hope the bright colors chase away all the snow - it has been a long, hard winter and we need some warm days, birdies, and spring time flowers!!  Soon, I hope, very soon!

The binding will be either the same blue as the border or the pink (you can see just a bit of it in the picture below).  Here are some close-ups of my hand appliqued blocks. 

 

This pattern was taken from a wonderful Piece O' Cake book with instructions for all kinds of applique.  Check back with Judy L's blog to see all the other fantastic design wall projects AND see all the February finishes on Shannon's and Melissa's "A Lovely Year of Finishes".

Happy Stitching!

Design Wall Monday

Here we are again - Monday morning - and my applique quilt hasn't changed since last Monday.  However, I did decide to add a skinny orange border before the blue border.  The skinny border strips are cut so hopefully they will be done later today and you will see it next week.

I do have something to show however!!  The Wedding Quilt!!  DGD received the quilt on Friday and she and her hubby love it.  I am so happy that they are happy with it.  (click on the photos to enlarge and see the quilting!!)

 

 

(You can see the hearts in the upper right corner)



 

  

The heart block was designed by my friend Lisa, I designed the setting, and it was quilted by my friend Cathy - I asked for a simple, modern quilting pattern.  I am pleased with the result, and most importantly, DGD is happy!!  (sorry, Blogger won't rotate the photo)

 

 

 

Check back with Judy L's Design Wall Monday for some amazing quilts in progress. Until next week, Happy Stitching!! 



Design Wall Monday

Wow, this week sure went fast.  I worked at my LQS on Friday and a customer brought this quilt top in.  She said that it started as a small wall hanging but ended up a very nice sized lap quilt.  The fabric is all batik - her left over bits - and we found a beautiful dark purple/scarlet batik for the back and the binding.  Those little pieces are about 1/2" wide!

I'm working on my applique top and I have most of it done.  One more seam, a few adjustments, and then the borders.  I am very happy with it so far.  Kinda bright but happy I think.

From Piece O' Cake Designs

I also found some "cuff" fabric that matched this old Christmas panel that I've had for awhile (like for years) so I made this pillowcase.  Hmmm, who shall I give it to??  With all the snow we've had up here, the snowmen fit right in!!

Thinking ahead to March, I hope to be teaching a one day (4 hour) class on fusing and machine applique'.  Here's the project I came up with:

Needs an embroidered mouth - Snowman from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks

I'm also getting ready for a free motion quilting class and a binding class that I will be teaching next week.  I really enjoy sharing my love of quilting with my students!

That's all from me this week. Be sure to check back with Judy L. and see all the amazing projects on the design wall.

Happy Stitching!!