Putting Some Sparkle In the Stars

I've been working on my Stars in Your Eyes quilt/wall hanging. I have it all basted and have begun quilting it. Since some of the fabric I used had some metallic gold in the fabric, I thought I would continue that theme and quilt it with metallic thread.

I'm really enjoying this project and given that this is just a small wall hanging I may just be able to finish it quickly.

Today I'll link up with Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

An update on how Simon, my new pup, is doing. He is a smart little guy. Here he is practicing stay.

Such a good boy!
 

WIPping out the Pillows

Gosh, it feels sooo good to be able to sit down at my machine and FMQ without any thread burps or birds nests. Yippee Skippee! I so enjoyed stitching out this week's homework, "Lava Paisley" (Leah, just so you know, your husband's name for it was stuck in my head as I stitched it! Please tell him thanks a lot! ;o  )

 I was surprised how much I liked the texture of this motif when stitched with matching color thread. The best part is that I was able to use it a UFO/WIP and move it towards completion. I plan on making this into a pillow.

The fabric and buttons I plan to use for the back.

Aren't those buttons cute??!!  I found them in my tin of spare buttons. How lucky am I?

So my question for Leah this week is, If you FMQ with polyester Isacord, why do you piece with cotton Aurifil. Don't get me wrong, I love Aurifil thread, it makes a great seam because it's thin. But, what is the advantage to piecing with cotton?

On to other projects this week. I finished up my Gilty Quilty pillow that I started last week.

Front and back of my Gilt Pillow

And I also, FINALLY, started working on the my Library Quilt.

I was able to sash all of the blocks the kids (and librarians) in the library created. I'm still working on the center blocks. But since I'm doing this project as a QAYG, I can sandwich these blocks and start quilting them.

So all in all it was a pretty good week for sewing.

My stats for the week:
In-process: (6)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
Sew Cal Gal June FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.

New projects: (0)


Finished (1)
Metallic FMQ pillow

I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat
P.S. Besure to check out Quilty Embellishment Day (QED) for September! I have a WONDERFUL guest blogger Gene Black an Alabama Artist and Quilter. There is still time to link up any of your QED posts from this month!

Gilty Quilty Pillow is Done!

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday! I love to join this linky party because it means I've finally finished something. Yippee Skippee!

Last Saturday I took a FMQ class from Molly Waddell. I took my practice project and turned it into a pillow.

The front is a FMQ sampler done with Yenmet metallic thread (tan Isacord in the bobbin). It sparkles a lot more in person than in the pictures. It was fun to learn new motifs and try them all with metallic.

I think I will hop over to see what everyone else has finished up this week at Quilt Matters (you REALLY need to check out M-R's quilt finish, it's SPECTACULAR!!!!) for TGIFF!



Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIPped Cream and A Cherry On Top!

I have been very good lately, not starting new projects, working on whittling down my WIP! But this week my best friend Kate was in town and that went out the window. We took the new machine class and a FMQ class with Molly Waddell. The best part was that I was able to hold my own in the FMQ class - Thank you Leah Day!!!!

Pillow top from my FMQ class with Molly Waddell

So I was able to do my homework this week, the class actually taught us paisley - which just happens to be one of my favorite designs. Of course, I had to be a smart aleck and use metallic. I am a glutton for punishment, but it looks so cool!

Paisley with metallic thread on black fabric

The back for the pillow  - and the reason for using metallic thread!

While I was at Quilters Corner for my class, I purchased a book on FMQ by Angela Walters. It has a form of paisley too. So I thought I would give it a try.

This paisley is a little more open and no travel stitches.

Angela Walter version of paisley

I like both versions of the paisley, I think they would both be used for different reasons.

Leah, I want to tell you that you were right when you told me to give myself some time to get to know my machine. While I still have some issues from time to time, my machine is now FMQ quite well. Thanks!

I also had fun dyeing this week. It seems that September is my month to dye, the last time I dyed was last September.

Hand dyed fabric

I even was able to write up a primer/tutorial on my process for dyeing. This week was WIPped cream and a cherry on the top!

My stats for the week:
In-process: (6)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
Sew Cal Gal June FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.

New projects: (1)
Metallic FMQ pillow

Finished (1)
Hand dyed fabric and tutorial!

I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat
P.S. Saturday is Quilty Embellishment Day (QED)! I have a WONDERFUL guest blogger Gene Black an Alabama Artist and Quilter. I hope you all will stop by and link up any QED posts from this month!

I Love Quilting!

I had a blast yesterday in my FMQ class with Molly Waddell (NQA certified quilt judge) at Quilters Corner. My confidence increased each time we stitched out a new fill. Of course, I couldn't go the easy route, I had to FMQ with METALLIC thread. But it looks so cool on black - unfortunately the sparkle doesn't show up well in the pictures.

I have to finish filling in a few areas, but then I think with will make a great pillow top!

 Molly Waddell is a fantastic teacher. She would draw the design on the white board, the stitch it out so we could see the design on the machine. This was only my second quilting class I've taken, what fun it is to have people in the room all working on the same thing. Thanks so much Molly for your patience and generously sharing your talents!

My friend Kate has been here the last few days, so I haven't worked on my library quilt much. But I did listen to all of your wonderful comments from last week and found some wonderful blue dyed fabric for my library quilt. I had several comments to keep the dark purple, but put it around the center block. What a great idea!!!!

I added some embroidery in the middle and a blank block to FMQ the name of the library. I think this is going to turn out to be such a cool quilt. Hopefully by next Sunday this project is a true WIP and not still in the UFO phase!!!

I'm linking up with UFO Sunday with Leah Day! Then I'm off to dye!!!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

A Day to Say Thank You!

If you are looking for my Sew, Mama, Sew giveaway, click here! Your response so far, has been AMAZING! Thank you, Thank you! You can enter daily through May 25th!

But today I get to announce the winner of May's QED (Quilty Embellishment Day) participant.....drum roll please..........

Ashlea from Ashlea Tenner Quilts!!!!

Photo from Ashlea Tenner Quilts!

Ashlea has won two spools of Yenmet metallic thread. Can't wait to see what she creates with that! Ashlea, I will be emailing you shortly to get your postal information.

Thank you so much to everyone who linked up or visited QED! And a HUGE special thanks to Jenny @ Sew Kind of Wonderful for guest blogging! I really love and appreciate this quilty community! You inspire and encourage me every day!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIPped

I love spring with it's lovely soft colors as new growth emerges. But along with spring comes the Spring Battle Plan....how best to attack the gardens and I do have gardens - I actually even like gardening.

Spring 2012 Garden Battle Plan

Main Garden

Shade Garden

Beach Garden

New shrub, Sorbaria Sorbifolia 'Sem"

Five yards of mulch spread, 1 new tree and 5 new shrubs planted. I'm whipped! But more importantly, I'm DONE! (at least for now). So back to our regularly scheduled quilting!

I finished the tutorial for my Rose Window block

Rose Window Block

I'm currently hosting my second Quilty Embellishment Day linky party with guest blogger Jenny @ Sew Kind of Wonderful. The link is open until next Tuesday (5/22) and every linker is automatically entered to win two spools of metallic thread.

I'm also hosting TGIFF (Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday) this Friday. This is a great chance to show off all of your finished WIPs!  Challenge yourself this week and stop by to link up or just see what everyone else got done!




I'm madly trying to finish my storybook quilt in time for the Spring 2012 Bloggers Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side. If you haven't heard of the Bloggers Quilt Festival you really need to check it out. Bloggers across the quilty blogishere link up and show off one of their favorite quilts. I think last fall there were over 600 entries.

Just need to finish hand stitching the binding.

My stats this week are:
In-process: (9)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (2 out of 9 Urban Nine Patch blocks done)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 1 -   finishing the hand-stitched binding
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
 
New projects: (0)

Finished (1)
QuiltCon Challenge block - Tutorial for TNT Thursday.
 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat