Calla Lilies

The lily block is my "half way mark" I just realized I am about half way through this project. These are painted lilies and I need to thread paint them to finish. So half way through the project. this was my class at state. It was taught by Annette Kennedy from Colorado. Thanks Annette for a wonderful class. I enjoyed every minute of it and it gave me a new skill to use on applique quilts.
The basket of flowers was my auction piece for the state guild meeting this last week. It sold for $60 to the lady who was my class assistant. Thanks Gaye for purchasing my quilt.

Done

Another thing off my list. My drawing block for state meeting. as you can see it has been inspected and approved by my four legged "quilt inspector" Patches approves. ha.

New piece

I bought the fabrics for this piece at Vivians sale. I made dimensional petals, glued them onto the heart wreath then added a dab of jewel glue to the centers of the flowers and poured beads into the glue. Let it dry and now I have a cute dimensional piece. The background was quilted in tiny heart shapes before the flowers were glued on. what fun!

Another purchase

bought this at Vivians "quilters garage sale" also. I have always thought this was really a neat piece too. Besides I now have two things for keepsakes now.

Its working!!

I bought this small quilt from my dear friend Vivian. She is moving to Minnesota and was downsizing her "stash" and "stuff". I always thought this was the cutest little quilt. with the sunbonnet girls in "stripes".

Checked

Looks like blogger is having a problem with photos so will try again later.

Painted Batting

I just finished this little fun piece. It is done with painted cotton batting. I cut some squares of batting, painted them with diluted setacolor paint. Let it dry overnight, then cut into smaller squares. Stitched the center squares over the larger squares, then did some zig zag stitches to join the batting squares together.
I then quilted the circles on top of the joinings and around the edges. Added beads to the center block.
Layered with a backing and a batting and stitched around the outside edges, turned and it was done.
I can see some possibilities of adding the painted batting into landscapes and putting dimension on some pieces in the future.

Play day

I spent the afternoon playing. This mornings mail brought the season 2 of Quilting Arts programs. WOW. I have so many new things to try I can't believe it. This is a small piece I did using some of the techniques on the programs. I quilted a free form feather on a deep green fabric. Light green on back. First photo is the back and pretty well shows the feather design. Photo 2 shows the front where I did the quilting, then took copper metallic paint and with a brayer, rolled the metallic over the quilted surface. The photo really doesn't show the effect very well but the close up kind of shows what happened when the copper was rolled over the quilting.
For the edge I did zig zag over the raw edge. Then stitched a fuzzy yarn over the zig zag. I really like the effect that has.
The free form feathers was my first attempt at using a new method of making feathers.
There are several other techniques I want to try sometime soon.

4th!!

Happy Fourth of July!!! Lots of firecrackers going off around here today. Poor kitties just go and hide all day. They will come out once all the kids go to bed. ha.
Didn't get to stitch anything fun today. Did sew a pair of curtains for DS#2 's garage window today. Doesn't that sound exciting? But he wanted something to cover the window so no one could look in. Less temptation that way.
Quilt show registrations are due on Tuesday so will have to get that done. may get some more stitching done this next week as it is to get hot. Hasn't been hot yet this year, only ran the air about 3 times so far. Usually we turn it on in May and do not turn it off until fall.
Pictures when I get something accomplished.

Personal progressive

Yea I am caught up. PP for May was "bird" so did a thread painted bird. PP for June was tree. The tree is fused trunk and leaves, then leaves are thread painted over the top of the fused greenery.
I do believe this catches me up with my challenges etc. And even some days to spare before the next challenges come out.

TIF June

Finding fabric to match the color bar was the hardest thing about this month's challenge. Three road trips to find the colors.

Word Challenges

The first word was "signs" so I found a Burma Shave sign and printed it onto fabric and framed it.
The second is "invisible" so it is called invisible ancestors. The foreground heads are under one layer of net with thread painting for the lace around the necks of the ladies. The "ancestors " are tone on tone in the background and have 3 layers of net over them. Now only one more challenge to go this month and it is in progress. Was fun projects though.

Fund raising quilt block

Finished the stitching on the last fund raiser quilt block that I have. I think we have them all stitched now. Only border left before we assemble the quilt top and get it quilted. Whew, will make the December deadline for having it completed.
Now to finish last months chooseday challenge. Its ready to stitch, but just haven't had time to do it. Next months word is invisible, have an idea, will see how to get the time to complete it.

July August Quiltmaker 08

Yea, my Stars In, Stars Out pattern is in this issue. Its always such fun to see one of my designs actually done in fabrics.
I have around 50 graph paper notebooks with designs sketched in them. At approximately 50 pages to each book, thats a LOT of designs.
I love to sit and just draw lines on the graph paper to see what I can come up with. On this pattern it was exciting to see what happened when I made the diagonal seams so that it make a double outline around the stars. then the alternate stars appeared when the blocks went together. I just love it when something good happens in a sketch. There are 4 different sizes given for the quilt, so if you like it, get the magazine and make one. AND send me a picture if you do the pattern.

May take it further

For my May take it further challenge I resorted to the color bar. The star points are made from the one seam flying geese technique and the center is a dimensional cathedral window block. I found I am NOT a pastel person.
This is a last minute piece as we had a flash flood Thursday night (in fact two--first at 10:30PM and again at 2:30 AM Friday morning.) A second cloud burst sent the little creek a block behind us into a roaring river twice in one night. We had ground water seepage into the basement and lost our fence, but at least we didn't get water in the house.
Anyway I finished on time.

Blocks

Here are some of the blocks for our guilds fund raiser quilt for next year. The background is 4 squares of different blacks then the appliqué added on top of the backgrounds. Two more are complete but I do not have pictures of those. 5 blocks and the border to finish. Whoo hoo!! Can't wait to see these all completed and into a top.



Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day. Services were earlier in our park. Lets all remember our service men and women today.

trunk show

Traveled this past weekend. Presented trunk show and did a class for the Panhandle Guild. What a fun day that was. I so enjoy going out there as there are so many talented quilters in the group. the show and tell was wonderful. Hope they thought the trunk show was Ok too and that the class learned to do the ironworks technique. Had a minor glitch when some of the fusible web was to narrow, but thats life. It all worked out in the end. some beautiful pieces were started and lots were ready to layer and quilt by the end of the day.
Stayed with a friend (wonderful quilter and member of the guild) and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise at her home. She lives on a hill with a beautiful view of the valley. The birds were singing while the sun came up. So peaceful. Thanks Jan
Saw several other of the members that I know from previous state guild meetings and met others who I hope I will see again in July at State meeting.
Sorry no photo's as I forgot my camera. Oh well.
Hope to have some photos to post soon, so don't give up on me.

Aprils challenge

Yeah my April chooseday challenge piece is done. The word was "bird", so finally found a use for the chicken wire fabric background fabric. That has been in my stash for "years". ha.
Mays word is "signs" so will have to do some thinking on that one.
The Take it Further challenge for May is pretty challenging so may go with the color theme this month. Will see how that goes.
Have been pulling quilts for my trunk show and class next week. I think I have about 50 pieces pulled, so should be a good trunk show. Maybe I should take pictures and post them before I put them away again.

change

finally something to put up here. Finished my "change" for April. Made a small 4 x 6 to add to a personal progressive I am doing with a friend. Kill two birds with one block sort of deal. The "change" is the three stages of a butterfly. cleaver or what? grin

windy day

Small quilt made for the CPQG mini quilt auction that will be next Monday night. Hope someone likes all the little character buttons I put on it.
Its been a very windy day here. Gusts of wind to 50 mph. yikes. Wasn't fun driving in it this morning,but at least coming home it was with the wind.