Friday, September 27, 2013

Back from NC Quilt Show

 I got home yesterday from my travels in time to teach the FMQ class at Midlands Tech.  I enjoyed it and hope the ladies did.
 Between visits in GA I spent the weekend with my sister and helped at her guild quilt ( Ashe County Piecemakers) show in Jefferson, NC. She received 5 ribbons. Here are 3 from the fiber arts category- all hers.


Following are a few photos from the show.
Best of Show -large quilt

Best of Show - wall hanging (although very large)

Best Hand Quilting & Best Hand Applique


    I spent most of today at home for a change and most of the time piecing the top of the third grade quilt project from my daughter-in-law's school in GA.  I am pleased  so far.  I should be able to sandwich and start quilting soon.

I must say it is colorful.



Saturday, September 14, 2013

Works In Progress

    Sunday I will headed to assist with childcare for my youngest granddaughter and for my sister's guild show  ( http://www.ashequilters.org/ ) so will not have time for quilting at least for the next week so I thought I would share a few of the projects that I have in progress.
    While I am visiting my grandchildren, I will take one afternoon to work with the third grade on a quilt project.  These colorful fabric shapes have pressure sensitive fusible applied.  Students will be working to create blocks.

    For SQG we are each working on a simple strip pieced lone star using Eleanor Burns directions from her "Radiant Star" book. Here is a paste up plan for my diamond.  The 2 mirrors are very helpful to show how the pieced lone star will look. I'm pleased so far.   My strip sets are sewn but this project is on pause.

   I have borders added to the scrappy 16 patch and trapunto block top so I plan to sandwich it today.  I hope to start quilting on it and have it finished for my trapunto presentation in October for the Ashe County Piecemakers Quilt Guild.

Keep trying new techniques!
Elizabeth

Monday, September 9, 2013

Adding Trapunto Alternate Blocks

      I decided to add alternate trapunto blocks to the scrappy 16 patch blocks.  I used a blue marking pen and light box to trace the chosen design onto the fabric blocks.  Then I added high loft poly batting and water soluble thread to stitch on the lines.


Next, I carefully trimmed away the excess batting.  I laid out the blocks in an on-point design and sewed the rows together.  When I started the construction, I realized the problem I had created for myself.  By marking with the blue pen and using polyester batting, I had to be very careful in pressing the seams because if heated, the blue marks would become permanent and the polyester batting would melt. The center panel is constructed and I hope I have avoided the problem. 


I am excited to work on this quilt.  I have been wanting to add trapunto blocks on a quilt for sometime. 



Thursday, September 5, 2013

Pine Burr Trivet

    Last night I was looking for a quick project to work on.  I remembered months ago seeing a photo of a pine burr quilt and the directions.  I saved them thinking it would be a good use of scrap squares.  Here is a photo from those directions.  The Pine Burr quilt has been named the official quilt of Alabama. 



    I pulled out my scrap bin of 3 ½" squares, cut a muslin foundation and batting.  Each square of fabric gets folded twice and pressed into a small triangle ( Prairie Point style ) so it is 4 thicknesses of fabric.  I only added 6 rounds and decided to finish a different way.  I can NOT imagine a whole block, much less a whole quilt, being made this way even without the batting.  There are sooooo many overlapping layers of fabric to sew through. On mine I had also added a piece of heat resistant batting so it would make a protective trivet.  I’m pretty sure this will be one of a kind. 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Grocery Bag Dispenser

     I had a worker here this morning putting in my new range hood vent so I did not want to pull out a big UFO project to work on.  Instead, I made a grocery bag dispenser.   I need a hand made item for my guild auction (fundraiser) this month.  I had seen GenX’s tutorial for a grocery bag dispenser on her blog. I had thought of making one for myself and maybe for the auction.
Here is my first.

  It was pretty easy.  I am thinking there should be a way to make the hanger easier to attach to hang. You can check out at http://www.genxquilters.com/2011/03/grocery-bag-dispenser-tutorial.html
   The grocery bag dispenser is quilted so I also used it to try out a new free-motion overall quilting design.  It is sort of echoed meandering hearts.  I don’t remember where I saw it.


Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Pina Colada Finished

    I spent another day doing free-motion quilting on the Pina Colada quilt trying out new designs, and I am very happy with my practice experience on this quilt.   Here is a photo of the finished quilt.  I'm sorry the quilting on the whole quilt does not show up in the photo.
 


Here is a close-up of the FM feathers I quilted in all 8 of the large green triangles.  I am very pleased with them.  All I marked was the spine.  I had practiced on paper ahead of time.


I know that the quilting throughout this quilt is not balanced, but it has sufficient quilting to be stabilized for the type of batting.  If I had the time to spend another couple of days I could fill every area but I have a stack of quilt tops waiting. 

Now on to the next UFO.