Last weekend, DH and I (along with 50 other quirky folks) took a bus trip sponsored by NET Public TV/Radio, to see the Prairie Home Companion Radio Show (Garrison Keeler) at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul. Taking the bus, rather than driving, took the edge off of driving in strange areas, the show was great, the additional tour of the Guthrie Theatre for Performing Arts was incredible, a drive around U of Minnesota, as was a tour of the Gold Medal Mill, now closed, but so interesting! Our hotel/rooms were wonderful. We also stopped in Mason City, Iowa, to see some history on the production of The Music Man.
BTW, what happens to your body on a bus, that your feet and ankles turn into elephant legs? Whew - glad THAT condition went away!!!
OK, as far as quilting. I've been working on my Karen Stone Star, a WIP, so I'll post something I did several years ago.
This was a class taught by Donna Lynn Thomas and was my first introduction to bias squares. My gosh, how did I manage not knowing how to use that technique earlier in my quilting? I LOVE the colors in this quilt, and especially like the colored binding, but using black fabric comes with it's own set of problems. And black is not particularly 'cozy.'
It is hand quilted - and in the border and blocks I used black thread. My stitches turned out pretty good, but I see evidence of bearding. I don't remember what batting I used.
The plain setting squares are also hand quilted with spider webs. The quilting is OK, but again, bearding is happening. I don't use this quilt often. (The photo looks gray in color - effect of the camera.)
I thought this quilt looked like stained glass in an old church. The spider webs seemed to be in keeping with 'old' and the border has a vine going round. The last black border is quilted in a brickwork pattern.
Sounds like you've had two good bus trips! Love the quilting you did on your quilt. The spider webs are a neat idea.
ReplyDeleteI like the quilt - I tend to use a Midnight Dreams Black Poly batting on these quilts to avoid any bearding.
ReplyDeleteBlack has it's problems but you have to admit it sets brights off beautifully. I'm sitting here singing the "black hills of dakota" now and can't believe some people go there to quilt shops! Tracey
ReplyDeleteIt sounds funny to go north to get to South Dakota.
ReplyDeleteI love black on a quilt. It makes the colors stand out so well. It is a bit of a pain to work with though. Hard to see what you are doing.
Love those bright colors against the black!
ReplyDeleteLucky you getting to watch A Prairie Home Companion being recorded. We sometimes get that show here in New Zealand on our national Radio when it is holiday time. I love it, it is SO funny! I wish they would play it all the time.
ReplyDeleteGoing out to the Dakotas is on my someday list! Beads have a way of creeping into fabric stashes!
ReplyDeleteyour quilts are super. Black is so stunning. Thanks for stopping my my blog. aubirdwoman
ReplyDeleteluv all your quilts soooo pretty!
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