Better Late than Never!

I can't believe we're already more than a week into October!  And, I know, I know... I neglected to post a blog entry for September.  I think I got a little overwhelmed with the end of summer, school starting for my brand new 6th grader son, and just overall busy times.  So, here I am trying to play catch up.  Quilt-life-wise, let's talk about what's been going on in my world. 

Did I mention before that I entered a couple of my miniature quilts into the juried show at the Houston International Quilt Festival?  Well, I did!  I entered Baby Bear and Rings of Love, and Baby Bear made it through the jury and will be hanging in the show.  So exciting!  I didn't win a ribbon for her, but I'm still very proud that I am a finalist and will have a quilt hanging in "the big show" here in Houston.


My miniature Baby Bear quilt.

We also had the exhibit of Mom's quilts going on all summer at the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange, Texas.  Mary and I, along with a group of quilting friends, went out there (finally!) to see the exhibit in mid-September.  I have to say, it was absolutely fantastic.  The building has a wonderful history, and it provides a perfect backdrop for the quilts.  The curator told us that it was one of the most popular exhibits that they've had, especially where the two main galleries were taken up by only one artist.  She said that she called Mom the Picasso of quilting because, similar to Picasso, her talents went through a variety of phases and periods, and touched on all different facets of the art form of quilting.  While we were there, we got to do a "walkabout tour" with the museum guests, where we toured them through the quilts and talked about our memories and knowledge of the different ones that were hanging there.  So fun!

 

And what have I worked on and/or finished since August?  Not as much as I'd have liked.  That's for sure!  I caught up (again) on the next couple of months of the Antebellum Album BOM that I'm doing through Barbara Brackman's website.  Month 8 was a very simple and very quick Southern Cross.  And, month 9 was a bit more complicated Lexington Belle block.  I'm really liking the way the whole quilt is turning out... and I'm tempted to go to Barbara's Etsy page and buy the patterns for the last couple of months so I don't have to wait!!!

Month 8 - Southern Cross

Month 9 - Lexington Belle

On the design wall and coming together quite nicely!

I also finished a block to send to Corey Pearson of Linda'sElectric Quilters.  He asked a group of women, all of whom attend an annual Statler retreat, to each send him a 6" (finished) block of their favorite pattern, made of all grey and white fabrics.  It's a surprise whatever he is planning to do with all of them.  I picked a variation on a Lone Star block, called a Prairie Star.  Why did I pick a block with so many y-seams?  I have NO IDEA!!!  I always have trouble with them, and I have trouble making the seams in the pieced points matching up.  You can see in the photo below that it's definitely not perfect.  I'm pretty sure I'll be taking it apart, at least parts of it, to do a little rework before I send it to Corey.

My 6" (finished) Prairie Star block... forgive the mismatched points!!!

Last thing to mention this month... I finished quilting a beauty last week.  It's one of Joyce Lundrigan's All-in-One patterns called Stars Encompassed.  I think it's absolutely beautiful!  Now, I will say that my Statler was giving me absolute FITS throughout the process, which slowed me down a lot.  It wasn't stitching smooth lines, so the curves weren't smooth and the lines weren't always straight.  I did all kinds of troubleshooting, and am now down to checking on my quilt loading skills, testing particular patterns, and playing around with all of the different variables (thread types, needle sizes, tension adjustments, etc.).  I need to get moving on getting some quilt tops quilted and finished!

Still on the machine being quilted...

Unloaded and being turned to finish the outside borders.

Overall quilting... it's a beautiful design!

A little closer view of the quilting... oops, my toes are in there!

That's all I've got for now!  Besides, I've only got a couple of weeks until November.  OH!  Which reminds me... I think we can all count on my post being late in November so I can post plenty of pics from Festival!!!

Keep on quilting,
Jenny