Another Finish

Finally, the Liturgical quilt that was started last year is finished.  The only task left is to attach a hanging sleeve to the back and bind it.  I was asked to quilt it simple and not too densely.  Here are a few pictures of the quilt hanging in my dining room.  Do you see those white cords at the top of the quilt?  You'll never guess what they are.  Have you ever seen those stretchy elastic holders with the pincher clips on each end for holding a mattress cover on your mattress, well they work very well for hanging irregular shaped quilts in order to take a straight picture.

Stitch in the ditch was done on both sides of all the grey "lead" and between all blocks and around the cross and heart.  There are  two crosses quilted in the top squares on either side of the main cross and continuous curves in the light squares to give the windows a cathedral look on the stain glass windows.

I tried to make the center cross look more dimensional by quilting irregular lines and knot holes running the length of the wood.  In looking at this picture though, I can't see them at all.  

This original design was first made by Joanne Wietgrefe for the First Congregational Church of Ithaca, New York in 2006. Her original is 7 ft. wide and 11 feet tall and hangs in the sanctuary of her church.  This smaller version measures 70 inches by 82 inches and all the fabrics used in the design are batiks.  It is to be a gift to the pastor of a church in Indiana.

This was definitely a challenge and learning experience for me and my customer.  I can say now that I did enjoy the process of figuring out how to make it without any pattern, but not sure I'll be making many more quilts in the future from a tiny picture out of a magazine. 

Design Wall Monday

My design wall is empty at the moment.  The liturgical quilt has been taken off the design wall, all the applique is finished and it's now loaded on the longarm in the process of being quilted.  I've got a good start on it, so hopefully before the end of the week, this little baby will be done!

Also, because it's Trick or Treat time of the year soon, I put out a few items to get in the mood.

Here's a little tablerunner I made for decorating at Halloween along with pumpkins and other "wicked" items scattered around the house.  A motion-activated ghost, a witch that hit the telephone pole while flying through the night (she's not IN the house), and orange and black candles placed around the house for when the lights go out and the wind is blowing and strange sounds can be heard howling at the full moon.

 This is the back.  I just love those little ghosts on there.

This Halloween is going to be a very special one for me.  I'll tell you more about it later.  It involves a trip with friends and lots and lots of eye candy.  Did I mention there would be lots of wonderful things to see?  I might even see some of you there.

Stop by Judy's and take a look at more Design Walls.  There's are lots of design walls that you will enjoy.

Design Wall Monday 10/7/13

Here's part of my design wall today.  These is an old, old UFO that I was experimenting with to learn how to do reverse applique.  I used my own hand-dyed fabric.  The blocks still have the 2nd contrasting piece of fabric behind the top one and they are not very well done, but I can't throw them away. I'd like to something with them and not have to make any more.  Maybe I should just add these to my orphan box with other partly finished things and incorporate all of the orphans into a backing for a scrappy top. Any ideas you might have would be welcomed.

Reverse applique schoolhouse blocks

The other design wall has the liturgical piece on it.  I'm working on the applique section and it still needs some tweeking, but here's a peek.

Drop on by Patchwork Times to see more design walls today.

Get It Done -Results for August and new for September

Since I was a bit over confident in making out and finishing my August Get It Done goals, I'm being a little less aggressive in setting goals for September.  What I didn't finish on August's list, I'll roll over to September.  Here was my progress on August goals.

August Goals
1. Quilt String quilt - Done
2. Piece blocks for Autumn Plume - not done
3. Finish Easy Street top - needs 1 more border
4. Get liturgical quilt done - nope, did work on it though
5. Quilt RWB baby quilt - not done

Now for September Goals
1. Put binding on String quilt
2. Piece blocks for Autumn Plume
3. Work on applique on liturgical quilt
4. Quilt RWB baby quilt
5. Piece 20 QOV flag blocks for Alycia's block drive - New goal added to the rollovers.  It has a deadline, so I know this will get finished.

I have much more success with my goals when they involve other people.  When they are just for my benefit, I tend to procrastinate more often and they get done when they get done.  I guess because there is no penalty if they don't get finished. When others are expecting an end result, we don't want to disappoint.  Oh well, que sera sera.

You can see what what others are working on for their September goals over at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall 9/2/13

Here's what my design wall looks like today.

Blocks that will be leaving my house

The 3 blocks to the left are optional blocks for one of my quilting guilds that will be added to many others in the group.  We were given the pattern and told to use Fall colors. Some lucky person will win all that are donated in a drawing this week.

The 6 little blue and white 9-patches are for a friend at our block exchange group, Pieces of Friendship which meets this week too.   

My other design wall is still looking the same, except I did sew the outer row of bright blocks on the right side to the stained glass row.  Now I'm ready to start the applique in the middle, WHEN I figure out how big it needs to be.  Nothing was added to the hexies. 

Go on over to Judy's to see more design walls and be inspired.

Design Wall 8/12/13

It's been a bit since I've posted to DWM, but this exercise is a motivator for me, so I thought I'd get back to one of my older projects.  I've added more stained glass to the outside of the first panels that were completed.

Next will come the center and hardest challenge -- applique a cross with a heart draped over it.  Figuring out the dimensions and how best to achieve the look I'm after may be more than I am capable of doing.  Might have to call in a "real artist" to advise me on perspective and size.

To see what is on other design walls, go to Patchwork Times.

Get It Done - August

Well, it's been very quiet here on the blogging front.  It seems like the days roll by so quickly from the weekend to the next weekend and I haven't accomplished a lot in my sewing room.  I totally forgot to post my July Get It Done goals and here it is August already.  To bring you all up-to-date, here's my July list and the results and what I hope to accomplish in August.

August Goals
1. Quilt String quilt
2. Piece blocks for Autumn Plume
3. Finish Easy Street top
4. Get liturgical quilt done
5. Quilt RWB baby quilt

July Goals
1. Continue working on Autumn Plume - did not do anything on this project.
2. Finish Easy Street top - not yet
3. Quilt a charity Quilt - yes
4. Finish putting string blocks into a top - Done

I'm linking up with Judy's Get It Done.  Check it out to see what everyone else is up to.

Stash Report - Week 28

I finally have some good numbers to report.  At this week's retreat I finished putting all the rows of my Easy Steet together and adding the first inner border; completed a baby quilt top; my UFO string quilt and made some progress on the borders of the liturgical quilt.  I also gave some fabric to a friend to help her finish a child's quilt.  All-in-all I am happy with what I accomplished in the stashbusting area. I still haven't broken even with the starting point in January, but getting real close!

Used this Week: 6.43 yards
Used year to Date: 65.54 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date:  73.95 yards
Net Added in 2013:  8.3 yards
Check at Judy's. to see what others have accomplished with their stashes.

Design Wall Monday - 6/24/13

It's been a very long time since I've posted what's on my design wall and that's because it was still Easy Street.  Well, it is now off the wall and onto my sewing cabinet waiting for me to finish up the rows.  In it's place, I've put back one of my other projects and a new FO for June, a red and blue baby quilt.

A new friend at retreat gave me some leftover blocks from her baby quilt , so I'm going to make one too. They are very easy blocks and a good way to use up scraps.

And this is all I've gotten done on the church liturgical quilt that I started last fall.  I've added the leading to all the pieced blocks.  Now the task comes to design the applique cross and heart for the middle section.  Hopefully I will get more time to get this going.

To see what is on other design walls this morning, jump on over to Patchwork Times.  

Hope everyone has a good week. 

Design Wall - Monday Oct. 26

Here's my design wall today.  I finished the side blocks and am starting the auditioning process for the background of the center portion.   I love picking out fabrics for quilts, but I must confess it is sometimes frustrating and slow.  I keep changing my mind and seeing new possibilities and then it's hard to decide which way to go!

For more ideas and to see what everyone else is working on, take a look at Patchwork Times.

Stash Report - Oct. 28, 2012

I was looking forward to this week's Stash Report.  Since the weather has gotten cooler, it's motivated me into doing more sewing and I'm using my stash. Being in a hurry and working into the wee hours of the night has it's drawbacks though. I  miscut and ruined the only fabric I had bought this week. Ugh. Now I will have to rebuy that piece again, or be creative in trying to selvage the pieces.

Fabric Added this week - .3/4 yards 

Fabric Added Year To Date - 29.5 yards

Fabric Used this week - 6. 25 yards

Fabric Used Year to Date - 76.83 yards

I finished piecing the back for the QOV Tilted Stars.  I decided to use up so many smaller pieces and cut 10.5" blocks.  I tried to keep them somewhat organized into a pattern, if I had enough of a color to do so.  I did pretty well, I think -- only ran 1 block short on one color.  Does it stand out too much?

The other sewing I did was on my 25-patch stain glass blocks.  I added setting triangles on all 8 of them.  They are now ready to have leading added to them; and then decide what fabrics to use for the next phase of the project.

Drop by Patchwork Times to see more Stash reports.

Design Wall Monday - October 8, 2012

Today I'm recuperating from two days at our local quilt show and I'm on "eye candy overload".  I now have at least 10 more quilts on my "Want to do Bucket List." ha.

But, those UFOs are calling me and a few new projects are already on my design wall this morning.
The red, blue/grey blocks are orphans from another friend that are waiting to be made into a charity quilt, the colorful batik checkerboard squares are the start of a liturgical banner and the 2 colorful blocks at the bottom are my "Bingo Blocks" for our Christmas party.

What's on your design wall this beautiful Monday morning?  Stop by Judy's and see more.