Nouveau Gingko

This is Linda's pretty Chinese Coin quilt. I finished this quilt using a pantograph. "Nouveau Gingko" by Kathie James. It's sort of a blend between a beautiful Gingko tree leaf design and a baptist fan. Nice texture. I found the lower arc which is about 10" inches across and just below the two leaves quite difficult to keep smooth and even. Even at the last roll of the quilt I was still struggling with this long sweeping arc effect. I liked doing the leaves though, so I'm thinking about remarking the panto somehow with my sharpie pen to eliminate at least one of the two sweeping motions of that particular part of the design, and if I attempt this quilting design again, just do the leaf portion by hopping over to the next leaf. (click pic. to enlarge)
Details: Linda provided the Mountain Mist 100% Polyester batting. I used Superior So-Fine lavender colored thread top and bobbin.

Self Portrait

Mary over at Making Scrap Quilts from Stash blog asked "can you take a good self portrait?" So I took the challenge.

It's harder than I thought....how far do one's arms reach forward, and how steady can you hold the camera or cell phone? Looking into the web cam was even more difficult. I felt like I was peering down a well!

Hi! out there!

Projects Galore!

Here are two pretty donation quilt tops my friend Linda made. It's fun to drape them across the long arm so that as I pass by I can admire them---and hopefully be inspired with ideas for what design to quilt on them. The one on the right is a pastel Chinese Coin top, and I don't know if you can this in the picture, but those are cute red & white striped basket blocks.

The design wall has the uncompleted doggie blocks. We are auditioning sashing, and also a few completed pie & tarts are up in the corner. I have plans to do a variation on a whole-cloth quilt with the large machine embroidery birth announcement Amanda completed for me last week, and the blocks you see pinned together have no room to spread out on the design wall...yet. I think I need a bigger design wall! or I better get busy and complete at least one of the projects hanging there don't- cha-think.

Quilted Tiny Tumblers

I finished quilting this top that I made months ago with Pat Yamin's tumbler template using her Brooklyn Revolver which by the way she no longer makes or sell on her website. So, if you happen onto any other websites or ebay and find one of the original rotating Brooklyn Revolver cutting mat I suggest you snatch it up as they seem to be at a premium nowadays.

I've had mine for years, and it's great for cutting stacks of fabrics super fast. This is the 14" size cutting revolver. It's very sturdy and rotates so smoothly. Not like some of the copy-cat versions of rotating cutting mats. This is the real thing. Put some of those little sandpaper stickers on your templates and you can cut stacks and stacks of fabric up on the revolver ---fast! I cut 12 pieces of fabric at one time with the 3" tumbler template.

I used 3" tiny tumblers of 30's prints for this quilt. It measures approx. 58" x 45". I quilted it using a favorite Jodi Beamish pantograph. "Butterfly Gardens" with Superiors So-Fine thread and Hobbs 80/20 batting.



The quilt backing is pieced with some Little Red Riding Hood fabric I had in my stash. I was very tempted to go to the fabric store and buy several yards of new 30's print fabric to matchy-matchy the front prints, but I'm also determined to use up fabric that is in the stash if possible. I thought at first this particular print was not going to work, but after adding the red binding it turned out better than I imagined!



One more project--finished!

Scrappy Bargello

Just completed the quilting on this scrappy bargello made by the Remnants. I used the Circle Lord "Square Dance" template board. My-goodness!---these template boards are fun and fast to use. I love the effect of this particular design across the bargello fabric stripes.

Quilt of Valor Scrappy Stars

I love this Quilt of Valor quilt top that JoAnn and her sister Dora sent for quilting. The pattern is "Scrappy Stars" from the book "California Cruisin" by Terry Atkinson.

I really like the twisted blue ribbon effect of the sashing around the star blocks. Although it was a bit of a challenge deciding on a quilting design for that particular part of the quilt. I finally decided on free motion looping E's.

I'm sewing on the binding and label and then it's on it's way to one of our soldiers.