Laces Challenge

  A month ago or so, Judy Murrah announced a Challenge using her antique laces.  With the wedding front and center at that time, I knew I had to enter.  Here is what I put together this morning:

The ribbons came from the wedding program, the laces are from Judy, the pearl buttons are from my antique button collection, and there are beads and another old button.  Here is the back:

It is a page from the wedding program explaining the significance of the peacock theme. 

I like the great pieces Judy puts together but don't seem to have the "knack" for it myself.  Maybe I should take a class???  There are lots of great offerings in mixed media/embellishments at the IQF shows--next up is Long Beach in July and then the mother ship, HOUSTON, in November. 

I made another doll quilt this weekend--it's for the May swap so I'm actually ahead of schedule.  Wish I had worked on this lace challenge sooner--putting it off until the last day wasn't the smartest idea ever.

Check out Design Wall Monday to see what other folks are doing. 

Let's quilt! 

Barbara





I made a quilt!

OK, so it's a doll quilt but it was the first thing on my "must do" list for post-tax season.

It's on it's way to Idaho today.  The Doll Quilt Swap has over 30 members now and each month from April-December we are matched up with someone and make a doll-size quilt for them.  I am using the half-square triangle units I received in an international swap a couple years ago.  At this point, my plan is to use the same 8 x 8 settting but change up the design--pinwheels, 4 patches, etc.  We'll see how many different designs I can come up with.  This is 21" square.

This week I have to make a back for "Peacock Love" so I can get that to the quilter.  And finish the applique' block for Just Takes 2, then get to work on the next set of blocks.  And I have to use my laces for the Judy Murrah challenge--that's due May 1.  Never a dull moment!

What is your favorite quilt pattern?  Do you use it frequently or only for "special" quilts?

Be sure to check out Design Wall Monday with Judy L  to see what others have been doing.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Design Wall Monday April 16, 2012

It's the last Monday in tax season--yeah!  By this time Wednesday morning I'll be enjoying peace and quiet in my home, with the whole day in front of me.  I'll pay bills, sort through the clutter of accumulated mail, most of no import, enjoy my garden--the irises are fantastic this year!, and then read a book.  THEN I can QUILT!

And here's what I am eager to work on:

This is the center of the 2011 BOM from thequiltshow.com, designed by Sue Garman.  I am doing the applique' with a turned edge, machine stitched method, which is labor-intensive to prepare but quick to sew. 

As soon as I finish a few of the "must do's", like class samples and the back for "Peacock Love" so it can go to the quilter, I'll jump back on this one. 

I hope your tax returns are filed so you can quilt!

Go check out Judy's blog so see what other folks are up to.

Happy Monday--Let's quilt!

Barbara

What's On Your Bed?

Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com has a Linky this week asking "What's on Your Bed?"  So I thought I'd play:

This is a queen-size that I made extra long because I was making a very strong design by the way I turned the blocks--which I received in a group swap.  It is really long on a queen size bed but when we moved up to this king size it fit perfectly, if I turned it sideways.  And see the folded one at the foot of the bed:

This is the Texas braid quilt I started in Bonnie's workshop May 2011.  It's called "Stash Circa 2000"--100 years from now it will be a great collection of late 20th, early 21st fabrics.

Five days of tax season left for me then I can quilt!

Barbara

Design Wall Monday April 9, 2012

Sunday, my day off,  I spent a good bit of time figuring out what classes I want to teach this summer at Patches & Stitches, my local quilt shop.  This showed me how far behind I am with the quilting things I thought I would get done.  Like this Hexagon very small quilt: 

It is still a work in progress but I hope this photo will show the idea to potential students. 

And there's this Big Stitch Utility quilting sample:

It's from the great book, Utility Quilting by Carolyn Forster, published by Landauer Press.  The whole quilt is one big courthouse step block:

Samples that are done make the best class advertising but it's tax season and I'm running as fast as I can.  I did select this one for a class since it IS done:

The last time I taught this, from the book Colorsplash by Piecemakers, several people wanted kits so theirs could look as much like this as possible.  As this is now about 5 years old, we'll need to pick different fabrics.  Remember to buy what you love when you see it, because when it's gone, it's gone...

There are 9 days left until the end of tax season and then I'm free--to catch up on all these projects, get up-to-date on the Just Takes 2 red/white blocks, make my Challenge entry for Judy Murrah's Challenge , due May 1, get the back made for the Wedding Peacock quilt so I can get it to my quilter, and probably a bunch of other things too.

Be sure to check out Judy's Patchwork Times to see what others have been doing.
Let's quilt!

Barbara

The Wedding

Our youngest son was married yesterday to the love of his life.  Everything went perfectly, even the things that didn't, and a great time was had by all.  Here is the happy couple:

Lauren Santoro and Andrew Black Wilkins

The reception was held at the Davidson Center, at the US Space and Rocket Center, in Huntsville, AL--a great venue for such an event.  The Saturn 5 rocket hangs horizontally overhead and stretches the length of the massive room.   There are many display cases for browsing, a great way for the guests to be occupied while awaiting the arrival of the bridal party and the start of dinner.  It was a wonderful day/night for everyone.   A new family is created.

Now it's back to real life for me as I go into two 65-hour weeks as we wrap up another tax season.  Sure wish I was going on a honeymoon instead!  

After April 17  I can catch up on all the quilting I want to get done.  Right now, time for a nap. 

Let's quilt!

Barbara