Tuesday, November 26, 2013

There can be only one!

 
you're the
 
WINNER
 
of my Giving Thanks -
Quilter's Blog Hop Party giveaway!
 
 
Thank you to everyone for a sharing a little about yourselves.  I thoroughly
enjoyed reading each and every one of your comments.  I even found some
time to visit several of your blogs....so much talent out there!
 
Thanks again!
 


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Giving Thanks - Quilter's Blog Hop Party

 
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!
THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED.
 
 
 
 
Welcome to my stop on the Giving Thanks Quilter's Blog Hop Party. 
Before I share the giveaway, I'd like to show my most recent finish. 

 
I'm calling it Sweet Baby Tula. 
(36" x 42")
 
This little quilt is a smaller version of a larger one that I made for an upcoming
quilt show.  Not sure how to quilt the larger one, I decided to use the leftover
blocks to make a smaller version that I could practice my quilting ideas on
without worrying about messing up and having to rip out stitches.
 
Here is a closer look at my feathers!  I'm no master longarm
quilter but I think I do a pretty good feather.

 
 
I know the quilt above looks a little wonky but I swear it's not.  Cameras do funny things
to objects when they are not laying perfect flat and/or blocked.  And to prove it,
here is a photo of the quilt after it was quilted and before it was washed.
 

 
Now for what you came by for...the GIVEAWAY!
 
Since the winner of my last giveaway never responded...I'm giving away her stuff! 

 
Up for grabs is "101 Fabulous Small Quilts," an Olfa Splash and a
Seam-Fix seam ripper.The lucky winner will ALSO receive a
40-piece Charm Pack custom made from my stash to go along with the book. 
 
For a chance to win, simply leave me a comment telling me what style of quilter 
you are (traditional, modern, arty, somewhere in between) and what fabrics do you most
like to use (Civil War, 30's, batiks, modern...maybe a favorite designer).  
 
If you don't answer the questions, you don't get the charms. 
 
This giveaway is open to EVERYONE.  It doesn't matter where you live.   
Just make sure I have a way to contact you. "No reply" commenters that
do not leave their email address are not eligible for the giveaway. 

On Tuesday, November 26th, I'll announce the winner which
will be chosen via random number generator.

Good luck to everyone!!!
 
To see all the bloggers participating in the Quilter's Blog Hop Party click HERE.
 
P.S.  Followers get a second chance to win.  Just tell how you follow my blog...I'm curious.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Done!

 
 
 
I promise it is much squarer than it looks.

Monday, November 11, 2013

It's a work in progress...

Remember this from a couple posts ago?
 
 
This my interpretation of the Black and White Challenge our local guild is doing. 
The challenge put to us was to do a black and white quilt with one or two colors added
equally less than 25%.  The quilt must be no less than 120"
in circumference and no more than 160". 
 
"The Butterfly", as I have named it, was not my first choice.  But after a
cutting disaster with my first idea, I kinda lost my quilting mojo for
a while.  And the butterfly idea came to me in the 11th hour.
 
Well I am almost finished quilting it (thank goodness because it's due Thursday)
and thought I'd share some photos of what I've done so far.
 
Coming up with the idea of how to quilt it was the hardest part I think.  It always is for me...especially now that I'm doing my own quilting...how to quilt within my
current abilities.  After several failed attempts, I came up with
a diamond shaped frame and feathers.  It was a start.
 
Once I had the basic shapes drawn onto the quilt top, I started out by stitching around
the butterfly applique pieces and then set out to tackle the feathers next.  I practiced
a few quick feathers on an 18" x 20" piece of fabric to get the feeling back. 
  
 
My feathers were rusty but acceptable. 
And quilting black was going to be just fine.
 
 
The next step was to create a template for the feather spine for the four corners.  Since
all four corners were a mirror image of one another, I cut out one spine that fit them all.

 
 
Here is a shot of all four corners.  I didn't feather them all exactly alike because
1) I knew I wouldn't be able to do each exactly alike with my current ability,
and 2) I liked the idea of them being similar but not exactly the same.




 
 
FYI...the only thing that I actually quilted on the longarm is the feathers.  I've been doing everything else on my Husqvarna with a walking foot.  Straight lines and going around appliques are not in my barrel of tricks yet...but I'll get there...just not on a competition piece.
 
Here is where I was two days ago.  You can see the beginning of the diamond frame.

 
 
And here is where I'm at as of yesterday. 


 
All that's left now is to quilt something in the frame and then the quilt is ready for
blocking...ACK.  I've never blocked a quilt...let alone a black one!  Wish me luck. 
 
I'll be back later this week with a photo of the finished quilt.
 
Till next time...

Monday, November 4, 2013

Highlights from the 2013 Houston Quilt Festival - Part 3

 
Four Seasons for Kirara
by Ayako Kawakami
Funabashi City, Chiba, Japan
 

 
Bless My Sweet Home
by Tomoko Endo
Minamisoma-Shi, Fukushima, Japan
 

 
Around the World
by Reiko Kato
Tokyo, Japan
 

 
Hand in Hand
by Reiko Kato
Tokyo, Japan
 

 
All the Basket with Love
by Mieko Arihara
Chiba, Japan
 
 
 
Flower Basket
by Akiko Sakai
Fukushima, Japan
 

 
Flower Basket
by Yoshiko Sekine
Saitama, Japan
 

 
Chatting Baskets
by Kazuko Nakasha
Tochigi, Japan

 
Beautiful Life
by Kyoko Takano
Kanagawa, Japan
 
 
 
Pray for the Land of Green
by Masa Yanagimoto (pictured with her quilt)
Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan

 

Highlights from the 2013 Houston Quilt Festival - Part 1

After a whirlwind trip to Houston, I'm back with lots of photos to share.  There were so many great quilts that I couldn't possibly share them all.  But here is Part 1 of some of my favorites.
 
Enjoy!
 
 
Watching
by Jo Dixey
Helensville, New Zealand
 

 
Night Owl
by Sharon Hightower
Claremont, California
 

 
Hoffman Challenge - Honorable Mention Pieced
Celestial Fantasy
by Lynne Reamey
Prairieville, Louisianna
 
 
 
Dance Flowers, Dance
by Frances Holliday Alford
Grafton, Vermont
 

 
Indie Vibrations
by Amy Friend
West Newbury, Massachusetts
 

 
Fireworks Quilt
by Tara Faughnan
Oakland, California
 

 
Jeweled Diamonds
by Christina Belding
quilted by Ken Grantham
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
 

 
Dandelions
by Kathleen McLaughlin
quilted by Debbie Loeser
 

 
Pelican Express
by Phyllis Cullen
Ninole, Hawaii


 
Monterey at Dusk
by Melinda Bula
El Dorado Hills, California
 

 
Nemisis III: Elton
Cindy Henneke
Brenham, Texas


 
Fanciful Flora
by Lois Podolny
Tuscon, Arizona

Highlights from the 2013 Houston Quilt Festival - Part 2

 
The Great Barrier Reef
by Miki Murakami
Kawasaki-Si, Kanagawa Pref, Japan
 

 
Brian the Basilisk
by Jane Haworth
Auburn, California
 

 
The Wrath of Poseidon
by Marilyn Belford
Chenango Forks, New York
 

 
Jack
by Sandy Curran
Newport News, Virgina
 

 
Bohemian II:  Ferris Wheels and Kites
by Sandra Peterson
Muncie, Indiana
 

 
Tiger
by Jeannie Moore
Escondido, California
 

 
Renaissance
by Theresa Fetch
Uvalde, Texas
 

 
Zen Magpies
by Helen Godden
Latham Canberra, ACT, Australia
 

 
Mark's Magnificent Marlin, Murphy
by Helen Godden
Latham Canberra, ACT, Australia
 

 
Letter Carriers
by Janet Stone
Overland Park, Kansas
 

 
Willow
by Debra Crine
Marco Island, Florida
 

 
Fire Baskets
by Karen Garth
Henderson, Nevada