{Post #846] Quilt Show

The workmanship on all of these was tremendous.  The first two have an amazing use of color.

The Baltimore Album was hand appliqued with needle turn method.  Whew--don't even want to know how many hours that took!  Plus, it was a mini!

I like scalloped borders.  Gonna make me something with one some time.

The last one is a mini.  I forget how small, but small enough to be admired!!

~Joan

{Post #845} More Quilt Show Pics

I have not done a lot of sewing this week.  My dear husband and two of my girls are gone to Wisconsin to check out a college.  I am preparing some gifts for this weekend that involve precise painting.  I aim to make my December "Count On It" quilt soon.  I did get background fabric and buttons for "baby Jesus" yesterday.  To give you something to look at, here are some more quilts from the Asheville quilt show.

This first one was paper pieced diamonds.  I have done some paper piecing.  Not a big fan (one word:  waste!).

Not one I'd have in my home, but cool techniques...

Wonky logs, houses and angels...cute!

Neat playing around with circle template...

My husband's stepfather made ceramic beads.  This quilt has beads made from strips of fabric on each little rectangle block.  A bonus?  A plethora of various textures of ribbon/stuff hanging from the right side.  Had an African feel to it.

~Joan

{Post #844} November Count On It Quilt Finished!

That means I better get a jump on December's before it's 11/30!!  Has anyone "blushed" cheeks on fabric?  Did you use something other than paint?  I am going to experiment with a nativity pattern and "blush" baby Jesus's cheeks before I sew the fabric onto the quilt.

Here is my November quilt.  I like it twice as much as my October one.  Here are some things I did differently that make it more likeable to me. 

I am probably spoiled because I am usually piecing quilt blocks and just use whatever thread without worrying about it matching.  I used clear monofilament thread and zigzagged around all of the applique shapes.  On my first one, I used matching thread and a machine blanket stitch.  I don't like the stitching to show that much!  I only had to change out to coordinating thread for the veins of the leaves.

For this one, I fused the pieces on, then sewed the outside edges to finish the quilt, then did the above zigzagging.  On the first one I did what the directions said and did my applique stitching before assembling the quilt.  That meant I had to quilt it after turning it right side out and all.

I did this hanging sleeve like I do on one of my regular quilts.  The way the book tells you to do it, the sleeve is sewn down before any quilting, so you have to quilt around them, which does not look good along the top of the quilt.

The book also tells one to stitch the opening at the bottom closed by machine.  I did this one by hand, and I think the result is much nicer.

So, overall, I am much more pleased with this one than the last.

On to Baby Jesus!!

~Joan

{Post #843} Border Quilting Begun

OK, so the picture is horrible.  See the lines on the above picture in the top and right side border?  That is where I've quilted so far.  I got a lot done at Rachel's music lessons today.  I had a slow start because I could not get my gray pencil sharp.  The lead kept breaking and that was so frustrating. 

I finished the little bit of hand sewing on my November calendar quilt.  I also tied off all the starts and stops by hand.  More explanation about that later.

~Joan