Final Post

We've now closed this project. But we've started several more on our new Quilt with Us Quilting Community. Join us in our new location.

No I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.... I just got fustrated and moved on to something else. I've actually made 2 baby quilts for my cousins, 1 fall table runner, 1 easter table runner and 2 christmas table runners since I last blogged. My problem was that once I finished the last applique blocks I hated them! They looked like I was not only drunk but possibly on either perscription medication or some type of illegal drug. I was going to throw the whole thing out but once I calmed down I decided that I can save it. I am going to use the top block (the long applique vine) which I do like, add borders and make a table runner. Then I am going to take the 8 blocks from the beginning sew them together in pairs and make 4 placemats. I'll post when I'm done. I have to rip it apart first. I'm going to sew Vicki's Bleeker St. pattern before I work on this though because we are painting our spare bedroom and I need a quilt to go on the bed in there to coordinate with my new paint color. Priorities you know :)

Done Done Done!

Really really done, fini! I finished the binding last night and now it's hanging on my office wall. I have to say it's gorgeous now that Lisa Johnson has quilted it. I've included some closeups of a few areas so you can see how brilliant she is.

Hmmm, I've checked off another project. Maybe I'll start something new this weekend? I have this kit: http://www.connectingthreads.com/fabric/audreys-kitchen-table-topper-kit_KD1634.html

The wonky quilt

Thank you Karen for the use of the pattern.I got my wonky quilt top done and am posting a picture of it. I did the 12" blocks which made it go super fast. It took just as long to cut out the fabric as it did to sew it. If I did not get interrupted by family members I would have been able to make it in less than a day. At the quilt show I bought a group of autumn fat quarters and think I will make another one of these quilts with them. This time I will make the blocks as 9" so that I can get two blocks out of a fat quarter.It was fun and easy

Wahoo!!! It's Finished!!!

Whew! It's finally done AND I beat Karen! I got behind and thought I would never get it completely done but I spent all of last week quilting and binding it and I really like the way it looks. It is a hard quilt to quilt because there are so many possibilities. I did a lot of different designs in the blocks and even quilted every one of the checkered border squares. It's colors are soothing and very feminine. I was going to give it to my granddaughter but I just couldn't see their great big german shepard napping on it so I'm putting it in the guest room. I can tell from seeing parts of everyone else's quilts that they all look slightly different from each other. Just changing the borders makes a huge difference. They are all so pretty. I can't wait to see them all together. We will try to take a picture when we are all done.

Darlene

Long Beach - follow up

We're all home from Long Beach Quilt Festival. Tired, broke, but completely inspired to make more quilts!!! I've included a bunch of photos, but can't make the text line up with the right photo - you'll figure it out.

After dyeing with Diana, she took us on a little shop hop. First stop was Eleanor Burns' Quilt in a Day shop. Eleanor wasn't in, but because we do business with them, and Judy recognized the voice of employee/relative of Eleanor's Judy (yes, that's confusing), we got a full tour of the facility! The highlight of the tour was "El's" office. Seems some fans had sent her a ton of bra's to show their "support" of Eleanor (chuckle). The bra's were all hanging from the ceiling of her office and we got to pose. Later, at festival, I showed Eleanor the photo and posed with her and her boa's. She's such a kick!

Diana came to Festival on Saturday and delivered our finished works of art to Judy. Here is the stack before we divvied it all up. There were so many, and we couldn't remember what belonged to who, so we just quartered most of it so we each got a piece. They were so beautiful! Thank you Diana! Now, what to make from them????

I took two classes from the goddess of crazy quilting, Judith Baker Montano. The first night was a 3 hr class on basic Victorian Embroidery with a touch of silk ribbon. This was a refresher for me, but helped me get my confidence back to restart on my big crazy quilt that's been languishing for a year or more. My all day Saturday class with the goddess was Fabric Landscape/Seascape and was fabulous! Here's my slightly embellished seascape. Her version was much more filled in.....someday mine will be finished, although I like it a lot.

Finally, here's a picture of my Los Angeles friend Kathy. We got last minute tickets to Diana Ross, live at the Hollywood Bowl! I'd never been to the bowl, and she's lived there most of her adult life and hadn't been either. We had a lovely picnic dinner, a long chat, and an excellent concert. Diana can still belt out those classics!

I got home and couldn't wait to get sewing. Unfortunately, I have a pile of UFO's bugging me before I'm comfortable starting so many new projects. So last night I finished my mystery quilt. I'm so pleased with it! Remember Teri's? They turned out so different, but both are great!

Well, I'm back. Between hospital stays, recuperation, vacations and my day job I have been MIA. I finally got the quilt top finished!!! I moved the 4 appliquéd blocks out to the corners - just because I'm a symmetrical kind of gal. I added loops to the vine in the large appliquéd block because I had extra and didn't want to waste it. That required adding a few more leaves. I loved the border fabric from this collection so, like Karen, I bought some more and used it in the borders on this quilt. I like the softness of the colors, it is so girly. I have no idea yet how I will quilt it. There are so many choices. It will definitely be something frilly. I probably won't get a chance to quilt it for a couple of weeks but will post a picture when it's done. I'm afraid I want to use the solid brown for the binding but I don't think I have quite enough. I have several small pieces so it just might have a lot of seams or I'll have to come up with plan B.

Diana, I absolutely love your quilts - you over-achiever! I had a hard time finding time to do one quilt and you did three! One thing I really love about quilting is that even though we all used the same pattern it can have so many different looks depending on fabric and placement. Your hand dyes are beautiful. Karen's feet look good dyed too. Maybe she and Judy can start a trend.

Darlene