Additional Vase Block for my Civil War Bride Quilt

I've been playing with the layout for my Civil War Bride quilt and decided to make an extra vase block so I can put a vase in each corner. Here's what I came up with.........

Civil War Bride Quilt - Block #15 & Groom Block

Here are the next two blocks I've been working on for my Civil War Bride Quilt.

I thought the Bride looked lonely so made a groom for her. I've also completed Block #15,the redwing blackbirds block.

I'm getting close to another decision point on this quilt - whether I'll stop at 16 blocks and make it a square quilt or push on to making the full 20 blocks. The next block I'll make is another vase block so that there will be one for each corner of the quilt and then think about which block I'd like to make for my 16th if I decide to stop there. Decisions - Decisions.

Eagle in a Garden of Janes

At our quilting group this year we had a panel challenge.  We were to use a pre-printed panel and turn it into a quilted item (quilt, wall hanging, something for our sewing room, kitchen, or other).  Here is my entry.  The panel was a Dear Jane panel.  When I was first attracted to quilting, it was because of a picture of a Dear Jane quilt that I saw.  I've always longed to have one and now I do.  I quilted around each of the lines in each of the blocks so it would be hard to tell that the blocks weren't pieced (unless you look really close-many of the pre-printed lines weren't straight).  I added a center - a needle-turn applique eagle taken from the book, "Simple Seasons" by Kim Diehl.  I was so surprised and pleased that I was voted first place in the panel challenge.  Here is a close-up of the eagle so you can see the quilting.  The quilting in the outer border is feathers.

A Tisket A Tasket Baskets Quilt

I completed the final step of adding borders to my "A Tisket, A Tasket Baskets" quilt. It was a free Block of the Month from the Bunny Hill Blog. Next I'll try to decide how I want to quilt it. The quilting will probably be something simple because I want the embroidered blocks to be the stars of the quilt and stand out as much as possible. I took some close-up pictures of the blocks and will try to add them but my Blogger is still acting up. I have to add the pictures in "compose" and the words in "HTML" to get even this much posted. For the past several weeks there's been an error message at the bottom of the page that reads "Error on page". It's such a pain. If anyone knows how to fix this, please share.

Noah's Ark Wall Hanging

I've completed the Noah's Ark wall hanging for Bobbi that I mentioned at the end of last month. It was started by a friend of ours who recently passed away. It was nearly completed - all I had to do were the leaves on the sides and top and the berries - the leaves on the bottom and the apples were already done by Marty, as were all of the animals and the ark. Bobbi helped find new homes for some of the unfinished work. I'm the happy recipient of a few items and will post them as I'm working on them or as they're finished. So here is the first one - the Noah's Ark wall hanging. Isn't it cute!

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks Sewn Together




 

Here are my Home Sweet Home blocks sewn together.  I've made some design changes to the blocks - mainly to the lower part of each block (the pieced blocks & items on the grass).  The swag border is next.  I have the swags drawn and cut out so am making progress.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blanket Stitch in Process

 

I'm working on the blanket stitch on my house blocks using a King Tut veriegated thread.  Here's an example of how it looks.  I'm so pleased with how it's turning out.  I've completed the blanket stitch on 5 blocks so far - each one takes me about 1/2 a day. 

I'm having some difficulty with my blog though - it will only let me type between pictures.  There's been an "error on page" message for the past several days.  Nuts.  I'm hoping to post a picture that shows how I changed the flowers on block 2.  Crossing my fingers that I can figure out how to include it. 

After some difficulty and experiementation, here is block 2 with the new flowers.  Below that is the picture of the 5 blocks where I've completed the blanket stitch.  It won't let me type by that picture.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks 8 & 9

Here are the final two blocks, blocks 8 & 9.  Now onto the pieced blocks, the machine applique, and the swag border.  I'm happy with how the blocks are turning out.  I'm excited to finish it so I can hang it in our entrance-way.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Block 7

I feel like I should start a count down - I'm getting close.  This is block 7 - only 2 more to go.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Block 6

Here's Block 6 - slightly modified from the original pattern.  Can you find the 4 changes?

Before I finished this block I thought I'd post pictures of the way I prep my blocks when doing fusible. 

This picture is of the 4 remaining blocks all drawn on the fusible - the first step.  I've drawn whatever pieces would fit within the outline of the house base and those that wouldn't fit are placed in a baggie marked with the block number.

The picture below is of the second step that I do - cutting out the centers of the larger pieces so that the fabric won't feel stiff on the finished quilt.  I do that as I'm ready to work on a block and before I fuse them to the fabric.

The next picture is of the 3 remaining blocks - centers haven't been cut out of the larger pieces for these blocks yet - I'll do that as I start to work on each block.  This helps space out my scissor cutting so I don't get a sore hand from the repetitive motion.

You can also see how I wrap my bias stems around a cardboard roll so that they hold their shape.  I made a lot of 1/4" bias stems but, as you can see, most have already been used.  It's time to make enough to get through the last 3 blocks so I don't have to stop and do that later.

 

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks 4 & 5

Two more houses to add to the collection.

 

Guess you can tell what I'm calling my quilt.  I plan to make a few more variations to the pattern as I make my quilt.  You'll have to see if you can tell what they are.  Of course, I may slip and give them away or here's a picture of the original quilt.

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Blocks 2 & 3

Here are blocks 2 and 3 for my Home Sweet Home quilt:

Home Sweet Home Quilt - Block 1

I finally got back into my sewing room a few days ago - on Thursday.  I hadn't sewn since early May when they found my husband had advanced cancer in his prostate.  The stress of the unknown seemed to impact my creativity.  He's now passed the half way mark in his treatments and is doing well.  We also had relatives staying with us for about a month - that made quite a big impact on my sewing too.  Now that things are calming down around here, I'm finally back in my sewing room. 

On Friday I started selecting fabric for a new project - a Home Sweet Home quilt (Blackbird Designs).  It's an adorable house quilt.  Some of the gals on the About.com Quilting Forum are each working on one and encouraging each other as a group.  When my friend Kim forgot her book at my house, and I had a chance to look at it a little bit closer, I decided to join them.  I worked on the 1st block yesterday.  Here's my block #1:

Even though I love to do needle-turn applique, I already have a number of that type project going, so have decided to do machine applique on this one.    I will probably save the machine applique until the end - but not sure about that yet.  I considered doing a blanket stitch by hand, but after giving it a try, I decided I don't like the look.  Now I need to rip out what I started using that method - maybe tonight while watching TV. 

I have all of the background fabric cut and ready, the bias stems made and waiting, and the fabrics kitted together for each block.  I plan to have fun with these darling blocks and go at a comfortable pace.  This will be a nice leisurely project to ease back into quilting.

It would be nice to embellish the blocks with some embroidery too.  My friend Misha from the Forum posted some picture examples so we could all drool dream about touches like that for our quilts.

Just a little bit more news since I've been away so long.  On Thursday I pulled out my "A Tisket-A Tasket Basket" quilt (Bunny Hill) which is very near completion.  It needs the embroidered border sewn on and the corners embroidered.  Then the final red border can be added and it will be ready to quilt.   Toward the end of the morning, I got a call from my friend Bobbi.  She invited me over to select some applique projects our friend Marty, who passed away, had started.  I'm beyond happy to give them a good home.  I'm very excited about a block of the month project that was there, the Fruit Basket quilt.  There's a drawing of the quilt lay-out, but it's missing most of the patterns, and monthly fabric kits.  I got on the internet to see what it's supposed to look like and I think I can draw what's missing.  There were also several Hawaiian quilts that Marty had started.  I'll be very excited to work on those - they'll be looooong projects though.  There was also a darling appliqued angel quilt that only needs about a day or two to finish, a fused floral wall hanging that may also only take a few days, and a darling Noah's Ark applique wall hanging that Bobbi asked me to finish for her.  I've pulled the fabric for it and will give it top priority since Bobbi was so kind, and generous to think of me, and send such lovely projects home with me.

4 Patch Posey Quilt

Another UFO (unfinished object) nears completion - now on to the binding.  This 4 Patch Posey Quilt has been on my To Do list for about 3 or 4 years.  I'm so pleased to have it quilted.  I put feathered wreaths in the 4 patches, feathers with curles and leaves in the first border, and meandering feathers in the outer border.

Pumpkin Wall Hanging for Judy

This is a comfort quilt/wall hanging I made for Judy.  Her favorite season is fall so I hope she'll like the pumpkin.  This is my first attempt at hand quilting a quilt.  I took a class at Foothills last year and finally decided to give it a try.  I really enjoyed it so may do some other small pieces in the future.

Embroidered House Quilt Quilted for Joy

The other custom quilt I finished in April was a cute embroidered house quilt for Joy.  This quilt has feathered wreaths, feathered swags, and a meandering feathered border.  It's a little bit hard to see because of the dark fabric.  She was thrilled with how it turned out. 

Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilted for Darlene

I quilted this colorful Grandmother's Flower Garden for Darlene.  I decided to put a feathered wreath in the blocks.  When I took it to her at our Foothills Meething in April she showed it to the other gals.  They seemed to like the quilting and said that the wreaths made it look like the blocks were spinning. 

Here's a close-up of the quilting.  Darlene wanted light gray thread which worked pretty well except I thought blue might have been better in the bright blue "sashing".  She gave me a white backing so she preferred the gray thread.  All in all, I'm pleased with how it turned out.

What a Happy Surprise

Last night I did a search on the internet for the steps to fold a quilt on the bias to store it.  I selected the Ann Fahl site to get the directions.  What a happy surprise when I saw a picture of a quilt of mine shown on the side panel that was posted on someone's blog.  It was my "Heart of Gold" Mini Baltimore Album Quilt.  I had just won a ribbon on it at the AZ Quilters Guild Quilt Show.  This is a quilt I made for my Mom when she was fighting cancer so it means a lot to me.  This site said some very sweet things about my quilt.

Here's the link if you'd like to go to the site:  http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com/

Here's the excerpt that refers to my quilt.  They even listed my blog address.  Not sure where they found it but am sure pleased that they posted it and this nice blog post.

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Excerpt from quilt inspiration blog:

Friday, April 5, 2013

In Full Bloom: Floral Album Quilts

Album quilts, which show a variety of blocks, are on almost everyone's list of favorite quilt patterns.  They provide great visual interest and are often a valuable source of inspiration for your next project. Here are some album quilts which really caught our eye at the recent 2013 Arizona Quilters' Guild Show. 

Heart of Gold - mini Baltimore Album, 22 x 26", by Linda Puttmann

Second place winner in the Miniature Quilts category, Linda writes, "I made this needle-turn applique quilt for my mom to comfort her during her fight with cancer. She said it made her so happy."  We really like the cheerful color combination of the sunny yellow, gold, and coral orange hues combined with the soft sage green tones of the foliage.

Close up, Heart of Gold - mini Baltimore Album by Linda Puttmann

Here's a wonderful example of  Linda's excellent applique skills on a block that is only 4" wide. We imagine that this quilt must have been really fun to make. For more information, please check out Linda's blog, Sew Many Joyous Things.

Block #12 and Picture of My 12 Finished Blocks, Civil War Bride Quilt

I've picked up my Civil War Bride Quilt again, after nearly 2 years with it on the back burner, and completed my 12th block.

I'd forgotten how much I had enjoyed working on these blocks.  I'd like to finally complete this quilt whether I end up with a 12 block, a 16 blocks, or the full 20 block quilt.  I'd really like to make a groom for my bride so am thinking I won't stop at 12.  Guess I'll press on to the next decision point of 16 blocks.

Here's a picture of the 12 blocks that I've completed so far:

Happy Easter

      Happy Easter!

My quilts at the 2013 AQG Show

I entered two quilts in the the 2013 Arizona Quilters Guild show.  I was so happy to win second place on one of them - my Heart of Gold Miniature Baltimore.  This quilt means a lot to me because it's the quilt I made for my mother to hang by her bed while she was incapacitated by cancer.  She told me she loved looking at it and it made her feel good. Here it is hanging with it's ribbon at the show.

Here's a picture of the other quilt I entered hanging in the show.  I call it Home Sweet Home Baltimore.  It wasn't a ribbon winner but has a lot of meaning for my family because it depicts the house where my children grew up and memorable representations of things from those years.  This isn't a great picture because I couldn't move back far enough to get the entire quilt in the picture.  There are other pictures of it here in my blog though if you want to see more of it.

 

Simple Stitches from the Heart finished

Here's another quilt I completed the machine quilting on this year - Simple Stitches from the Heart.  I decide to quilt my Simple Stitches From The Heart quilt with an all-over pattern.  I used the Wandering Daisy pantograph and wool batting.  I wasn't sure how it would look with quilting over the top of the embroidery but decided that if the ladies in my grandmother's time could do it with cross hatching over the top of embroidery, I could do a modern version and quilt over the embroidery too.  I'm pleased with how it turned out.

DaChintzy Mystery Quilts

I've been slow posting pictures of the quilts I made in 2012.  To catch up here are pictures of the DaChintzy Mystery Quilts that I machine quilted this year.

This was a free mystery quilt on the About.com quilting forum.  I call mine Floral Stars.  I wanted a throw for each of our beds so decide to make two of these because the pattern was so nice.  Here is the other one - I call it Floral Stars II:

Throw Pillow for Gift Exchange

Here are pictures of the two-sided throw pillow I made for our applique group's Christmas gift exchange. 

10 Minute Table Runner

Have you heard of the "10 Minute Table Runner"?  The description alone captured my interest so I decide to make one and see if it was really that fast.  I discoverd that the sewing time actually is 10 minutes - amazing (if you have everything cut out and ready to go first).  I decide to make these for Christmas gifts this year.  Here are the ones where I remembered to snap a picture.