Quilt Show Preps

Next weekend is the wonderful Chadron Festival of Quilts.  These two quilts have not been shown at that show, but have both been on my blog previously.  Today I am filling out paperwork, measuring, etc., and giving them a good airing. 

This "rebuilt" scrappy log cabin is one of my favorites.  I have instructions on my blog, and have made at least 6 so far.  The standard, traditional border was finished and on the quilt but was toooo ordinary.  I laid it out, measured the angle of the tilted blocks and WHACKED OFF the border, using the same angle, then exchanged sides of each of the 4 pieces and sewed them back on, all tilted.  I LOVE it --  that is after my heart started beating again.  Machine quilting is done in a variety of methods, which we are finding very popular these days, although I made this in 2012.  I call it "Step Lively". 

This is another Pineapple, made with 2 different blocks, made in 2016, called "Pineapple Parade".  I really loved making it, and it's similar to one of mine in a different coloration.  This design was inspired from a DVD lesson, by Gyleen Fitzgerald, purchased from Annies Craft Catalog.  

 

Again, I MQ'ed in a variety of designs, for the simple reason is that I have to keep practicing ALL the ones I've learned.

 Dig that neat backing!

"Pineapple Parade" - DONE

Yeah - It turned out DONE and good!   If you have not made one, I would encourage you to try.  Design possibilities are endless - note that there are 2 blocks in this design, making that "spool-like corner" and dark center in the same block, and the other block is traditional, and mine is scrappy.  The block corners are where much of the design ends up.  Get a good ruler and a good design and go for it.  No paper is needed for this 8 inch size, no drawing on muslin, ... those are other options.  My Pineapple DVD with several patterns was found in Annies Craft Catalog and designer is Gyleen Fitzgerald.  You will LOVE the DVD, (currently $14.99!) even if you don't make the quilt.  (There is another DVD option for the same quilt, but higher cost - not sure what that is.  I learned from the DVD and instructions on the DVD, and did not "join" the on-line class, another option.)  I DID purchase the ruler she recommended but others are available.   Again, she has a simple ruler, but Annies has a more complex ruler that that did not appeal to me.

My geraniums this year - almost all of my gardening is right here!  The foliage was so dense, and the leaves were thick and triangular - very pretty when weather was good.  Here, they have had one frost and one heavy wet snow, but they did survive under a blanket.  See all those green/yellow crawling ivy trailing things? I forgot what they are called,  but this year they survived the winter and returned.  8-)))

Now, I am off to sew on a project that is going to take a long time - my house is overflowing with quilts that get turned out every month, and there is NO room!  Yesterday I delivered 2 Linus quilts so there is a little bit of space again!  Happy quilting!

Tried something new and it worked!

I generally, don't "do" stippling, but I tried this foot to help keep the curves more uniform, and surprise - it worked very well for this area.  This is the corner treatment for "Pineapple Parade". 

The foot is one of 3 for quilting that came in one Janome package, and is round clear plastic, with several guides on it, for various size circles or lines or ... stipples.  This corner needed larger curves. 

That worked pretty well, so I tried something new in this  outermost border on "Pineapple Parade".    (The batting is not trimmed yet.)  You can see the foot on this photo.  BTW, this foot does NOT hop.  It took me some time to learn how to use it, but in the end, it does the job.    

Today I'm sewing on the binding - my favorite part.  8-)))   This quilt is about 70" x 90".