I know, I know… it’s been awhile. Somehow, time escapes me during the busy
holiday season and my priorities get all discombobulated! Let’s see… where to begin? I think I’ll start with a quilt that I
actually finished, including even getting the binding stitched down! By the way, speaking of binding, if you ever
need some really great step-by-step instructions, check the April 2015 entry for
this blog. Mom really spelled it out
nicely. I actually have a printed copy
that I keep near my machine for reference whenever I’m working on a binding.
So, the quilt. Last
time I posted, I showed a photo of the Bezels All-In-One club pattern called
Bezels from Joyce Lundrigan. I finished
it! The quilting is really spectacular…
thank you, Joyce! I learn so much with
her quilting patterns and they’re so versatile.
I’ve used them on other quilts quite a few times already.
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| Completed Bezels quilt! LOVE the quilting! |
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| Shot of the back of Bezels. You can really see all of the thread color changes here. |
Another thank you to Joyce, and to JoAnn Knight, for their
new Skill Builders club. It’s a monthly
club where you focus on learning (or sharpening) some of your techniques using
the Gammill Statler. I went crazy with
the first one, which was to make some super cute winter pillows. Seriously, I’ve made six of the darned things
so far and I have fabric and pillow forms to make more for myself and a few
more friends! I used minkee fabric for
the red pillows with a white jersey for the lettering and snowflakes. The grey fabric is still super soft, but more
of a velvet or velour feel (and much easier to trim on!). These were really pretty quick to make,
really luxurious and expensive feeling, and fantastic gifts!
A smaller project that I completed was a block for LakeviewQuilters Guild’s raffle quilt for next year.
It’s going to be absolutely gorgeous when it’s complete! It’s a medallion quilt with gorgeous fabrics,
the pattern roughly based on Stars for a New Day, but with the pieced block
border replaced by applique blocks from Afternoon Delight. That’s where I come in… I picked up one of
the block kits from the committee to make my contribution for getting it
done. So cute!
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| My raffle quilt block. This is just glue-basted down, and not yet stitched down. |
A top that I finished but haven’t gotten to quilting yet is
a mini Storm at Sea. I’ve always liked
the pattern and how it has so much movement and looks so curved, yet there’s
nothing but straight stitches. So, I
picked up a laser cut kit from Flynn Quilt Frame Company at Festival last
year. I actually started it almost
immediately when I got home, but realized that I needed to hold off a few
months before finishing it… I’ve been told by my quilting friends that it’s
against quilter law to finish something that you purchase at Festival too
quickly. Hahaha! I did clear it with them and make sure that
three months was long enough.
In non-actual-stitching news, I’ve got a couple of lovely
(and very fashionable) braces on my right arm for at least another week. My elbow had been bothering me for awhile,
just feeling kind of achy in that little dimple thing (that’s the technical
term for it) on the outside. I went to
my favorite orthopedic doc and he said I basically have tennis elbow… braces
and anti-inflammatory drugs for a couple of months and I should be good as new. I have no idea what triggered it… it’s can’t possibly
be too much quilting. Right???
I picked up a new
beauty for house a couple of weeks ago… not sure yet if it will be functional
or just a decoration. A friend of mine
texted me a photo from an estate sale she was browsing through, and I
immediately texted back, “Get it! I’ll
pay you back!” So, I am now the owner of
a 1926 Singer sewing machine. It needs
some love and care, but it sure does look nice just as it is, too. If anyone has a suggestion for places to take
it for refurbishing, please let me know!
Last, but not least, I’ve got a special kind of quilt loaded
on the longarm right now. This will be
in the guild’s annual auction in August this year. The 9-patches were Mom’s from an exchange she
did years ago. She had given them to our
friend, Becky, a few years ago to do with as she pleased. Becky put them together with alternating
squares and added the border, then gave it to me to quilt. The original pattern had hourglasses instead
of squares… I like this better. It also
had some applique flowers and vines (very simple ones) on the border, but I’m
putting on the beautiful quilted border of feathers and piano keys from Joyce
Lundrigan. It’ll be a pretty one when
it’s all done.
That’s about it for now.
I’ll see y’all next month!
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