HSTs

Half Square Triangles...lots of fun with color!

Have a great day!

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

It's time again for Amy's Bloggers' Quilt Festival...and here's my submission...

I had a great time making this string quilt.  Never made one before and was inspired by Julie   http://juliekquilts.blogspot.com/

Homespun plaids are a little different to work on I found out...for one thing they don't cut true....no matter how hard you try.  I sewed the strings onto a muslin foundation.  They don't look too pretty while sewing...but when the blocks are pressed and squared up...they look great.  

 As I was making up the blocks...I found that spray starch made a huge difference...I never use starch, but am glad I did for these blocks.

When I finished the quilt and washed it I was sooooo impressed, this may be my favorite cuddly, crinkly, down home feeling quilt!

I just love it! I'm thinking of making another...already have started making some blocks!

Thanks for stopping by...and don't forget to visit the FESTIVAL!!!


Can't get the button...but here is the link 
http://amyscreativeside.com/2011/10/28/bloggers-quilt-festival-fall-2011/

***Evelyn Sloppy's book should get the credit for this beautiful pattern...I don't know the name of the book, sorry!***

Homespun Plaid String Quilt Top Done!

Here it is...the top is done...This quilt was amazingly EASY to put together...thanks for the inspiration Julie!

The colors are not as bright as they look in these pictures.

Next step batting, backing and quilting!!

I got my new computer...a real beauty...a week and a half ago...still trying to figure out Windows 7!  

Seems when they try to update things, they only get harder and more confusing. I'm totally LOST without Outlook Express for my mail...it was soooooo CLEAN.

Well, I must get back to sorting out my files.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Computer Troubles

A few days ago my computer just up and died...can't get it to start...Luckily when my son was here in June he hooked up an old tower.  So I have internet and email...but no printer or camera hookup... so, alas, no pictures to share. 

I'm having a great time putting the homespun plaids string quilt together...it is going so smoothly...I'm really impressed.

My 9 patch blocks came out slightly smaller than the 3 1/2" they are supposed to be...but I'm easily able to line up all the intersections.  Wish I could show you, but I am taking pics for later.

Hopefully I will either connect this old tower to the camera...or get a new computer...either way it will be awhile.

Have a great day!

Yeah...I may have done it right!

Here is the preliminary block for the plaid quilt...just thrown down on the cutting table to see if it all fits!

It actually looks like it might come together...I've been secretly worrying about this quilt...cause my measurements might be all wrong.  But it's not over yet...they have to be SEWN together not just placed side by side!

Right now I'm HAPPY CAMPER!

Just a quickie

I've been working on my homespun plaid string quilt.  Got my string blocks done and the 9 patches...

This basket hardlly looks like it's been touched..

I'll post more later when I've started to assemble the quilt....

BTW....RANDOM is NOT as easy as it sounds!!!

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

COUNTRY ROAD TRIP

It's a quilt...it's a game...comes with 8 machine embroidered cars and a handy little attached pocket to hold a pair of dice.

Whew...I started this back in April or May...finally it is finished and already hanging in the Alliance of the Arts...and it will also be in my Etsy shop soon.

Here is a picture of the back...a really nice road print by Michael Miller, Toy Town Merryville.

These are some close ups.

CLICK...THEN CLICK AGAIN TO ENLARGE

A fun quilt to make!

Thanks for stopping!

MY STRINGS RUNNETH OVER........

I have a whole drawer full of homespun plaids, checks, etc....been wanting to do SOMETHING with them for a long time....found just the right project at http://juliekquilts.blogspot.com/    She has the most gorgeous quilt as her header and I want one too!!  So this past weekend I started cutting...barely made a dent in my stash...

I've made about a dozen blocks so far...I think I may have over cut!  But I'll just keep on making these blocks and see where it takes me.

I also managed to finally get my road game/quilt quilted and bound.  Just need some major thread trimming and I'll show a full picture.  Also got another small quilt to the binding stage.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

QALs, Winnings, Yeah!

Well in the last month I have won twice in giveaways!!!  How about that!!!  I won a layer cake from Charming Girls...http://cottoncharmquilts.typepad.com/charmingchatter/
picked the beautiful collection 'Breakfast at Tiffanys',


and from LuAnn of r "May Your Bobbin Always Be Full".  http://luannkessi.blogspot.com/ 


I won one of her unfinished landscape quilts!  That's really something.  She was cleaning out her studio and decided she would probably never finish this...and I was the lucky winner!

This past week I've been busy....got a late start on Monday but was able to complete the top for the quilt along going on with Charming Girls...

Glad I got it done this week, it was a challenge for me as I don't do a lot of traditional block piecing...and these blocks were REALLY small!!

I used a 'Recipe for Friendship' charm pack.

I'll be heading for New York on Monday (my daughter just had a hysterectomy) and I'm going to help her out for the next week and a half!  So when I get back I had a few things that I need to complete.

So long for now and thanks for visiting!

Click images twice to enlarge.

Charming Girls Finish

It's amazing that I was able to finish this top......had company since last post and more to come tomorrow!  In bits and pieces I was able to complete this quilt.  I think I will call it Country Road Trip.  It is a game and a quilt...has little machine embroidered cars to play with. 

Here's a close up.

Still has lots and lots of threads to clip and some background quilting to do.

More later.

Thanks for stopping by! 

CLICK TWICE TO ENLARGE



YIPPEE......BLOGGER IS BACK !!

Finally...what a long week!

Bloggers Quilt Festival is over and it was lovely...the quilts were all beautiful...couldn't comment on any though...

I got the top of the Redwork quilt together...have to decide now on the borders.

I also started something new...

Started out with a plan...

Then fused some pieces...

It's beginning to look like something! 

 Lots more to do on it.

Meanwhile...here are the Redwork block

put together. 

Have a great day and

Thanks for stopping by !

CLICK ONCE AND THEN AGAIN TO ENLARGE

BLOGGERS QUILT FESTIVAL

Yeah...it's time once again for the Bloggers Quilt Festival...hosted by Amy. 

http://amyscreativeside.com/

 There are lots and lots of great prizes...Here's my offering...TOYLAND QUILT..

CLICK PICTURES ONCE AND THEN AGAIN TO ENLARGE !

This quilt is approximately 47"x65 1/2".

It was made several years ago...quite a complicated layout, for me.

But it went together beautifully.

Here are some  closeups.  All of the appliques are 'puffy'...like the trapunto.

I did cross hatching in the applique blocks.

And McTavishing in the triangular areas.

This quilt was one of the first, maybe it WAS the first, that I went all out with the quilting.  I learned a great deal with this quilt and it is one of my favorites.

Click on the button and go over to Amy's Creative Side to see all the wonderful quilts!

http://amyscreativeside.com/

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

REDWORK

Yesterday I started on a redwork quilt...been wanting to make one for years.  

I'm making the centers of the friendship star block the redwork...these are machine embroidered redwork designs.  I have over 2 dozen designs-all children-so there's lots to choose from.

Not sure yet how big this quilt will be...I'll probably do straight line quilting, so I can make a larger quilt if I want...will wait and see.  I'm not too in love with making the stars and the small ??? Irish Chain ??? blocks.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TWICE TO ENLARGE

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

PS....SOMEHOW I'VE LOST MY FAVORITES...SOMETIMES THEY COME UP, BUT MOSTLY THEY DON'T.  A WHILE AGO I LOST MY COUNTER...????

STRANGE ISN"T IT !!



I'm Trying to be a Better Blogger !!

I'm going to try for at least 3 posts a month!  Hopefully I can produce some quilty things to fill those posts.  Might keep me motivated.   I'm working on a BIG UFO right now...actually started this quilt in 2004!!

I'm down to the last 5 blocks !!  Yippee !!  Above is the BEFORE....and below is the after...

This is my own version of a micro stippling...actually just filling in the whole area with small stitches...very time consuming and HURTS MY HANDS REALLY REALLY BAD !!



Here is the whole side panel...only 3 more blocks to go.  Trying to work on it everyday.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES TWICE TO ENLARGE.

Thanks for stopping and

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!!

Purple Sampler Quilt

I finished my Purple Sampler Quilt today...I had to get rid of the 'white trapunto blocks'.  They were pretty, but just looked odd to me.  so I used the raw edge (frayed) technique to applicque some large flowers.  I think it came out great...will be putting on Etsy today.

Click the pictures, then click again to enlarge.

Speaking of Etsy...I am so happy...I have sold 3 quilts !!  Doing the happy dance !!!



I started this quilt several years ago...it was a workshop of all different applique techniques as well as different background quilting.

Here is where I blogged about this quilt BEFORE....I had used the crayon technique to color in the trapunto...

http://margretmarysplace.blogspot.com/2010/05/bloggers-quilt-festival.html



Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!

LADYBUG QUILT

I finally finished this Ladybug quilt.  I participated in a 'quilt along' at Ivory Spring

http://ivoryspring.wordpress.com/quilt-along-ladybug-in-polka-dotville/

The quilt has been finished for awhile...just finally did the quilting and binding yesterday.  Came out of the dryer sooooo soft and crinkly.

QUESTION...just wondering...I usually clip my threads BEFORE washing the quilt, this time I clipped them AFTER washing and drying....SOOOOOOOOOO much easier!  The thread

puffs' up and is really easy to grab.

Anyone else do this?

The colors are much truer in the first picture.

Here's the sunflower...it's so darn SUNNY, I can't stand it!

Click the picture and then click again to see up REALLY close!

Thanks for stopping and have a wonderful April week!!!