New Top

I'm getting very busy at work so quilting time is limited.  But Sunday afternoon is sewing time and I got this top put together:

I'm pretty sure I'll add a dark outer border.  Since I might hand quilt this, I'll decide on the border stencil to use before I cut the borders, so they'll actually fit the quilting design I choose--that's a novel idea!  Most of us add the borders then hunt for quilting designs to fit the space we have.  This time, I'll design the borders to fit the quilting design I select from my closet--I have quite a few stencils. 

Next up is this hand and machine piecing project:

The template is called Antique Rose Star and comes from Material Obsession in Australia.  I learned about it from an English quilting teacher friend, Barb Chainey, when she wrote about it on her blog.  This blog has terrific photos showing how to make this block by hand.  I've done some completely by hand, one completely by machine, and some are "hybrids":  the units of 3 pieces, with a slight Y seam by hand, then joining those units by machine to create the star.  Each way works.

I'll be teaching this to my guild at a summer "Quilt-In" we're having so I hope to get more of these done this winter.  Each block has 72 pieces, and cutting and marking them takes some time.  The hand piecing goes very quickly, believe it or not. 

The quilt show Road to California is held in a beautiful building, with a long atrium inside the convention center.  Each year they feature a California guild and display their work hanging above the crowd.  This year the featured guild is Camarillo Quilt Association and the very first quilt visitors see when they walk into the building is:

Joyful Journey Too--a quilt I made in collaboration with Pamela Joy Spencer Dransfeldt, a super longarm quilter from Camarillo.  Pam was able to attend the show and took this shot as she entered and saw it hanging there.  We are both pleased to see it look so welcoming.  This one belongs to Pam.

Take a look at Judy L's blog to see what others are doing this winter.

I hope the weather isn't terrible where you are--we had a beautiful day here today, upper 50's, with 7 the predicted overnight low for two days from now--crazy!

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Best of Show Makes My Day!

"Our guild has its' bi-annual quilt show this weekend, October 11-13, 2013.  Our members are a very talented bunch and our show is a beautiful, exciting, and eclectic display of textile art/quilts.  I am thrilled to have received the Best of Show Award for my quilt, Red and White, By The Numbers:

 Inspired by the 2011 NYC exhibit “Infinite Variety”, these blocks were free patterns from 2 websites in 2012.  There are 2770 pieces and 59 different fabrics. 

It was quilted spectacularly by Pamela Joy Dransfeldt, the Joyful Quilter, from Camarillo, CA.  Here are a few detail shots:

On the Frame

So this weekend I get to enjoy this experience, do the happy dance, then it's back to normal on Monday. 

Let's Quilt!

Barbara

Too Many Irons?

I am often asked how I get so much done.  That's ironic, since I feel like I don't get enough done! 

Maybe it's because I have too many irons in the fire?  Thought you'd like to see a shot of my current design wall:

At quick count I can see 6 works in progress--and at least 2 more that are covered up by the Small Feathers quilt and one that's in the basket.  Grandmother's Choice is almost done--only 2 blocks left, then borders and it's fini!

Some are hand pieced, some hand appliqued--they just go on until I decide they are done.  The Scrappy Trip Around the World was a class sample--class is over so I'll work on that as a "leader/ender" project until it's the size it wants to be. 

There is another "leader/ender" project to the left of the Scrappy Trip--it is lots of four-patches--1" finished size.  First there are 4 of them in a block with 1" sashing, then 4 of those become an 11" block, then 4 of THOSE become a 23" block--those are joined with 2" wide dark teal sashing and cheddar cornerstones.  This will be a special birthday quilt for my sister and is half done so far.  I have another couple years to get it done but think I'll try to wrap it up this year--I'm getting tired of all those little 1" squares!

Today I'm off to Long Beach, CA for the Summer Quilt Festival there.  I work for Quilts Inc in the Education department and look forward to these shows every year.  It's our last visit to Long Beach--next summer there will be a great new show in Portland, OR.  I will get to see my wonderful longarm quilter friend, Pamela Joy Spencer Dransfeldt, this Saturday when she and her husband Steve come to the show. 

Do you think I'd get more done if I stuck with one project until it's done?  Is that how YOU work?  I don't think I'd be able to do that--more is better for me. 

For more inspiration check out Judy L's Design Wall Monday blog.

Let's quilt!

Barbara