circles

Here is a close-up view of the finished Circle quilt, blocks made by Beyond the Sunset (BTS) members, which I blogged about previously (click here to see my blocks).

Once the blocks were collected, Liz Broussard took over the piecing together the variety of circle blocks.  We had given her some of the scraps from making our blocks which she put to good use in the sashing.  Once the top was pieced, Liz quilted it.

Time to play "I Spy" and see if you can identify my block(s) in the finished quilt.  How many of mine were used?  This quilt raised money for our guild, the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston (QGGH), when it was sold during our QGGH Quilt Show and Auction this past summer.  One of our own Beyond the Sunset members had the winning bid!  Susanne, if you ever tire of owning this quilt, just let me know, as I'm positive it will find a happy home with me!
 

Stay tuned for photos of what Pat Marek did with the many unused Circle blocks.  Apparently, we were quite an ambitious group and turned in far more than Liz could use in a single quilt, which is a good thing, don't you think?

Innovative Piecing

When asked to select a quilt from Quilting Modern: techniques and projects for improvisational quilts by Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen, my son selected "Shattered Quilt" (pp 92-95).   These blocks are the start of his new quilt. 

I fell in love with Marcia Derse fabrics and have used one (the blue) in these blocks.  Look at her website http://marciaderse.com/ to see more of her art and fabric line.

It is fun piecing the wedges into different sized blocks.  Hey, I am making a two-color quilt!  Possibly my first ever as I tend to make scrappier looking quilts.  I am enjoying the simplicity of working with just two colors, just two fabrics.  Maybe I will do another two-color quilt .....

But first, to finish this one!  I wonder how easy will piecing the quilt top be, since I am altering the quilt to be longer and wider than the pattern given in the book.  Then once I have the quilt top, how will I quilt it?  Or shall I have it quilted?   

Another Little Quilt Swap #8

It's official....

Another Little Quilt Swap (ALQS8), hosted by Kate North in the UK, is open and recruiting interested quilters.  I've participated in Kate's swap a few times now -- I haven't always made it to the final deadline, but the times I succeeded in swapping, I have LOVED my new quilts!

For more information, check out the website: http://anotherlittlequiltswap.blogspot.com/

If you are interested, send Kate a note (her contact info is on the blogsite listed above).  Be sure to read through the rules first.  It is a no-obligation swap.  If you miss the deadline - you're out of the swap, but not penalized nor does it hurt the swap (other than we don't get to see your quilt or trade for it either!)

Come join the fun ... If you have any questions, ask me as I'm happy to recruit a few new ALQS#8 swappers.



Click here to see posts about this swap that took place earlier.

July 18, 2013

I started making this special little quilt many years ago as part of a 'flat round robin' but never quite finished it until this summer.  My nephew and his new bride were getting married and I wanted to make something special for them, and as I was pondering what to do, I had a Eureka moment and was inspired to finish this for Josh and Emily and to do so before their wedding.  And I did!  Here is the finished quilt:

July 18, 2013

This quilt features the classic school house block with a color-wash garden embellished (hiding the color-wash!) with 3-dimensional flowers.  The tree providing shade for the home has 3-d leaves, and the sun is always shining in their world.  Then for added measure - the wedding date has been embroidered in the sunshine and is the name of the quilt (perhaps this anniversary will always be remembered).

Here's a view of the back:

July 18, 2013 quilt back with sleeve and label.

I wish many years of health, happiness, love and joy for my nephew and his beautiful bride!

Circle blocks

My Beyond the Sunset art quilt bee had another challenge as well.  This one was to piece circle in solid colors onto white backgrounds.  Here are three of my circle blocks:

 Circle study #1

 Circle study #2

Circle study #3

Granted the photography is horrid (did you notice?), the colors are way off (the background is a white on white print), but I had to show my work, because I hand appliqued all my circles (the full, the open and the pieced arcs).

The finished quilt turned out fabulous (Thank-you Liz) and sold in our Quilt Guild's auction at our  quilt show this summer.

a challenge

Some time ago, one of my Art Quilt group members gave us a challenge to make a block with design inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's work and color inspired by a lovely floral print that she gave us (but do not use it in the blocks, please!).

Here are most of the blocks made by our crowd:

Aren't they grand?

I'm still waiting to see how they were all put together into a quilt ....

Cows in Chicago = ChiCOWgo

     I enjoy whimsical quilts and I saw a fabulous display of whimsy while attending the International Quilt Festival in Chicago last June.  Here are three quilts from that fun exhibit:

 

Vino Cow by Sandy Thompson 

 

 COWmen Miranda by Sue Cresse

 

Van Gogh’s Cow by Mary MacNeil

     Other quilts that appeared in the exhibit were Purple Cow, the Cow Jumped Over the Moon, and Cowculator (a mathematical genius of a cow, of course!). 

 

     The quilters made their quilts using The Purple Cow pattern from Mary Lou Weidman's and Melanie Bautista McFarland's book Out of the Box with Easy Blocks then added their own whimsical twists for this creative ChiCOWgo quilt exhibit.

Aren't they fun?  

Makes you want to drink a glass of milk....

.... maybe grab a cookie too.