Prepping for a show

Last year I submitted a quilt to a judged show called Quilting in the Mountains.  It was held at Sun Peaks Resort and provided a venue for apprentice judges to achieve their certification.  Here in British Columbia most quilt shows are hosted by Guilds and as such are not judged or juried.  The judge's critique was positive and provided some very helpful suggestions.  It was an enlightening experience. 
Anyway let me cut to the chase.  This year is the 8th Annual Quilting in the Mountains and I've decided to submit several of my quilts this time.  Yup the fear of entering a judged show has dissipated.  One of the quilts I've registered is the result of a workshop I took with Ionne McCauley.  It was her Sliced Circles workshop.  I've called my quilt Once in a Blue Moon.

TST #17 - Donated scraps

Have you ever donated a quilt to a worthy cause?  Sure you have, and so have I.  This Tuesday and next Tuesday, I'd like to share some of the quilts that I've donated.  These were made from various scraps in my stash proving that even the leftovers can create something useful, comforting, and "pretty". 

“A Mile a Minute” – this quilt was made from scraps sewn together in a “higgilty piggilty” fashion and sashed.  Members of my Guild made several of these quilts at our Guild’s drop in center and didn’t even make a dent in the number of scraps that we had on hand. I had made another one of these and posted about that here.  We did this again at one of our Guild meetings and ended up with a few more quilts…and more scraps.  This one I donated to a senior care centre.  Hopefully the senior that received it can feel the warm hug that I sewed into it.

“My Blue Hearts” – This quilt was made from fabric given to my sister.  The person who gave her the fabric had started to cut out the hearts, but did not finish. It was one of the first times that I appliqued using freezer paper.  I spent considerable time basting everything and restitching, but it finally came together.  The sashing fabric was purchased.  This little number was donated to our local hospital's neonatal ward.  What better place to send a quilt with pink and blue hearts.    

TST #16 - A Japanese Exchange

Started in 2004 and completed in 2005, here is the story behind this quilt.

After a fall retreat, Carol, a member of our Guild, asked if I would be interested in joining a group that were going to do a block exchange with ladies in Japan. Honoured to be invited, I accepted.  Carol organized the group in BC and Naoko Hirano organized the Japanese group.

There were twelve ladies in each group and each made a 12” block;  the Canadians depicting something uniquely Canadian, the Japanese something uniquely Japanese.  I chose to use the image of an Orca whale. Others chose a cabin in the woods, a turkey, a Canada Goose, maple leafs and dogwoods.

We each had one year to complete the required number of blocks and then the 144 blocks were sent to Japan. We took pictures of the blocks that we sent so that we would have a record.  Along with the blocks we sent along fabric parcels and other gifts.   In return we received the same number from Japan.  The Japanese ladies in return sent along lovely fabric swatches, ikata cloth and various post cards.  Each of us was asked to include something about ourselves and the block we created. 

And here is a picture of one of the quilts made by one of the Japanese ladies.

My block is in the third row, first block on the left.  My apologies for the quality of the photos.  These were taken before the technology that we have today.

Fun with Margaret

Two weekends ago our guild sponsored a workshop with Margaret Miller of "Angle Play" fame.  What a fun two sessions those were.  Margaret's enthusiasm for individual creativity was contagious.

After selecting our fabrics, some gnashing of teeth and discovering that cutting things on an angle helps with creating motion, I mounted my 6-inch blocks on the wall and started to play.

These are what Margaret called "A" blocks.  Hey! I just go with the flow.  So I played some more.

These are the same blocks, just moved around differently.  Funny thing though...while we cut the pieces for these blocks, we also cut the pieces for mirror image blocks.  We didn't have time to sew those in class, so I took them home, sewed them together and added them to my design wall.  I'm still playing...

Nah...mix up the blocks and come up with somthing else.  How about this?

I'm going to play some more before I sew these all together.  I might even add some more blocks.

Then we added angles to some pieced blocks.  So then I played some more.

But I want more than just a table runner or bed scarf.  So move them around again and come up with...

Not sure where I'm going to go with this.  Any suggestions?

TST #15 - My Mexicali Stars

I had been making a number of lap and bed quilts and decided it was time to go smaller for a while.  Somehow I thought that a smaller piece would mean that it would take less time to actually get the piece completed.  Read on.

I initially saw this pattern displayed as a seminar sample at a quilt shop.  Intrigued by how the curved pieces were created, I registered for the class.  Fabric selection was a challenge.  The sample was done in a wine tone but I preferred an autumnal palette.  The 2-day class also called for a considerable amount of homework, especially the curves.

The top was finished inthe class in 2003 but the sandwiching, quilting and binding were finally completed in October 2006.  Three years to do a wall hanging.  I guess I got tired of all those curves and decided that I needed a break. So much for getting it done in less time.

I was going to donate it, most likely to a senior center or hospice, but have decided to hang it at home for a while. 

Row houses completed

Well I finally got this one done!  Remember?  I posted about it here.

 I had only completed four of the houses, but after adding 2 more to the neighbourhood, and adding a colourful "fence" to close them in, it's finally finished.  Yes, yes I know the border doesn't look like an actual fence, but use your imagination.  I've called it "Brenda's Row Houses".  Why? because Brenda commissioned this piece and it's going to hang on her wall at home.

TST #14 - Grandma's Garden

A friend of my sister gave her some patches, pieces of fabric and partially completed blocks.  She had started the quilt but for some reason had not completed it.  My sister, knowing that I had developed a quilting obsession, gave the patches and pieces to me.  Some of the patches had been stitched into “Grandmother’s Flower Garden” blocks, while some of the patches were simply cut into hexagons that were most likely to make more blocks.

I decided to continue with the plan that was started and stitched several more Grandmother'r Flower Garden blocks.  As you can see I appliquéd them to a background square, added sashing and completed the top.  I hand quilted it by echo quilting around the hexagons and took it with me when I went to my Dad’s for Christmas.  While working on it there, he and his wife liked it so much I finished it and gave it to them as a gift.  However I forgot to put a label on it.  I must do that someday.