Monday CQ project

Our Monday sewing club, has decided to do a CQ round robin, as if I haven't enough projects to do now.
Oh well, what is one more pressure.  We are only doing 1 block and each person embellishes a 1/4 of the block.  We chose a hexagon design with the intent to make a hexagon CQ quilt.  However, 1 block does not make a quilt, so I guess we plan to do more round robins this year.

I have to say, piecing the original CQ block is so hard for me - I never end up with the right seam allowance.

Here is the block - it is made entirely with satins.  The colors look better in person, but even if not, when the block is embellished it is amazing how great it all comes together.

Jackman's CQ Round Robin

Jackman's fabric store has a Crazy Quilt club.  The club is really taking shape and we just finished one round robin and are starting another.  We are supposed to have a theme.  I can't seem to name it, but have made the original blocks.  We were to create 6 blocks.  Similar to the CQI round robins, we will pass our blocks and each particpant will embellish a block.  On their return, we will have 6 finished blocks ready to assemble.

Here are my blocks.  I know they are all blue - but still don't know what to call the theme.

Victorian House

A quilting friend found "In the Beginning" a book by Sharon Evans Yenter at a local flea market.  As we always share our finds, I looked through the book and found a wall hanging of a Victorian house.  As a crazy quilter, I decided the Victorian house would make a great CQ project.  The pattern said to stabilize the pieces with fusible.  I did this but think it will be too difficult to embellish - so I plan to remove and back with muslin.

This photo shows it with the fusible.  As you can see, the flowers on the right are a piece of floral fabric.  I may remove this and embellish instead.  Also, I don't know how to do the windows.  The pattern calls for the windows to be fabric, and of course it will have 4 windows on the right side instead of the one shown.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Trees..Wall Hanging

Several year ago, I took a class by Jane Kennedy on Winter Trees.  The pieced portion is done (photo) and now it is time to fill in with thread art.  Thread art is a new technique for me so one can only guesss how it will turn out.

Round Robbin - Aug Quilt

Attached is the Aug quilt.  The directions were to add 3 color strips.  I chose to add a strip of repeating 3 color strips.  There are 8 people in my group and not one person has interpreted the direction the same.

Round Robbins

One of the quilt guilds I belong to has a Round Robbin.  Attached is the July quilt.

  I added the outside row of squares on point.

Izzy's Saddlebag

Recently I participated in a Judy Niemeyer workshop held by the Thimble & Thread Quilt Guild.
Cappucino was the pattern offered.  Not caring for this pattern, I decided to only make 1 block.   I used fabric that I absolutely hated.  After making the block, the contrast fabric worked perfectly with the hated fabric.  I still would not want to make this quilt, but the block could be used individually in other ways.

I decided to make a saddlebag purse for my granddaughter to carry her school books.  The picture attached shows the finished bag.  The first picture shows front of the purse with the JNiemeyer block on the left.
As you can see, there is great contrast in fabric.  The second picture shows the bag with the flap down.  Here I added Isabelle's initials.

Fabric Sale

Friends & Quilters

June 14th and 21st will have a major fabric sale...

All are welcome....

Barb's quilt

A friend Barb, found a panel of 4 Minnesota prints and wanted to create a lap quilt for her brother.

The brother of course lives in Minnesota.  I took the prints and created this quilt.  It is a complete design as you go.  

She sees it for the first time tomorrow and I hope she likes it.

2nd UFO Challenge

Getting my first UFO completed, I was inspired to try another.  This UFO required applique.  Applique work is not my passion and possibly the reason this quilt had become a UFO.  However, I recently took a class with Suzanne Louth on "Broderie Perse" and she totally released the fear in applique.  I pulled this project from the bottom of the stack and completed it in only a few days.  Wow!! I feel great!! Another UFO bites the dust.

Hopefully I can get both quilted before the Jan 14th deadline.

Guild UFO Challenge

As the program chair for our quilt guild, I set up a UFO challenge.  This meant I had to pull out some of my UFO's and complete at least one before the Jan 14th deadline.  Below is the first UFO I pieced.

I started this project in 2004 from a kit I purchased online.  All the pieces were cut and prepared in 2004 before I developed any of the necessary skills to do this advanced piece.  Still, after making a few adjustments, I think it turned out pretty good.

Book Review - Material Obsession

Modern quilts are not my favorite, but use of color perks me up.  At a recent sew-in, a friend introduced me to a book "Material Obsession" by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke.  The book highlights modern quilts and has a remarkable use of color.

I have just ordered 2 books and hope to order more from this pair of writers.

Hanging quilts at a show

Circle in the Square is holding their Quintessential Quilt Show beginning Sunday at the University City Public Library.  Tonight we hung quilts and their was a lot of floor work done.  Luckily, my daughter and her son came along and rolled around on the floor to hang quilts from the 2nd floor.

It created quite a stir in the library.

Another UFO

I found this pattern in "the Quilter Magazine" Sept 2004.  I cut out the pieces and then let it lay.
This years -New Year's resolution was to finish a UFO per month and this is one of those UFO's. 

The border or borders still need to be added.  Those are more difficult.  The border has to fit the quilt.  So far nothing I have tried makes the quilt sing.  With my huge stash- there has to be the right fabric here somewhere.

Happy "sane" or "crazy" quilting!
Also, I have been working on my "fan" crazy quilt and will update you tomorrow on it's progress.

Crazy Quilt FAbric

We all know, quilters love fabric, well crazy quilters are even worse.  At yesterdays CQ meeting, one of the girls brought fabric to share.  Wow, I feel I have died and gone to heaven.  I love all of them.

Art Project

I found this artwork in "The Quilter" Sept 2004 issue by Maria Chisnall.  It has been on my list to make for years.  At last, I plan to start.  I just need to figure the best stabilizer.  Any suggestions???

This is my first real art piece and I have a lot to learn.

Completing a UFO

I spotted this pattern by Tiffany Burrow in McCalls June 2003 magazine.  Being a new quilter at the time and an accomplished seamstress, I did not appreciate the skill level required to piece this quilt.  At last, I have retrieved it from its hiding place and finally finished it.  Completing a UFO just makes you want to shout out loud.

UFO

All quilters have UFO's in their stash and I am no exception.  The above is one of them.  When I first started quilting 8-10 years ago, this was one of my first projects.  Recently I decided to pull some of my UFO's and finish them.  On organizing the project, I looked at my seams and they were HORRIBLE.  I had no idea how bad a job I had done.  It required me to rip out all of my seams and start over.  Hopefully, I will have the finished project in a day or two.

I really love the color combinations.  What do you think???  Color really makes a difference.

Almost a Flower Garden

The attached quilt has been in my catalog of quilts I wanted to make.  After lots and lots of piecing, it is done and I think I might make it again.  The pattern instructions worked perfect.  Now, I begin working on a quilt I started years ago.  It is time to finish it.

Crazy Quilt Project

It has been a struggle to find the colors that fit my personality and decor.  But, at last here the are.  The fabrics I have chosen are very soft and the embellishments will need to be sharp contrast to stimulate the eye.