Quilting Story Quilt

 My first attempt at quilting with the Pattern Perfect templates on my Bernina Quilting Frame! This is the way to go when I need something super QUICK!
I am working on a surprise baby quilt for a shower this weekend. I will post a pic soon!

Blended Lizzy Mae's Medallion finished

 Yesterday I finished my blended version of Lizzy's Mae's Medallion, I love this quilt, Marsha McCloskey's Blended Quilts technique allows me to turn any pattern into my own version. I seldom use patterns but when I saw this one on a blog I knew I had to make it! Quilting with my Bernina 430 with the BSR on the Bernina Quilting Frame is feeling more comfortable to me now. Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Stitching Memories Holiday Festival and Sew-Cial

Today I am posting pics from my Guild's Holiday Festival and Sew-Cial. Our members worked over a year to make quilted items for sale. 

 

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" the quilt I designed and made for this fundraiser brought in $1,523.00 WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

My booth area was Spring, Garden, Easter. I brought rocking chairs, wreath, bird houses and rabbits and fresh flowers to decorate my area.

                                                                 Christmas Booth

                                                   Fall, Halloween , Thanksgiving Booth

Bake Sale

 

                                                                              

Valentine's Day/St. Patrick's Day Booth

 Luncheon Tables

Our cooks!

Kitchen Booth

Summer/4th of July Booth

 Western Booth

my quilt in Silent Auction

Quilting on Bernina Frame - Lizzie Mae's Medallion

I am slowly getting to know my Bernina Quilting Frame. This week I quilted Lizzie Mae's Medallion. I slowed my speed down and took my time instead of being a speed demon. Slowing down was very helpful. With this project I only broke 2 needles so that is improvement! My blended version of Lizzie Mae is a perfect complement to my living room so it will be mine! I have loved this design ever since I first saw it on Quilter Blogs, I think it was on Joanne's blog Thread Head.

Holiday Festival and Sew-Cial

Stitching Memories Quilt Guild, Duncan, Oklahoma invites you to attend our first Holiday Festival and Sew-Cial. Sept 17, 2011. Come join us for lunch with recipes from our cookbook "Homemade With Love". Lots of beautiful quilts and quilted items for sale! Also buy a ticket to win the Raffle Quilt. You can see a good pic of it on my blog. "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is the name of this beautiful one of a kind quilt. I designed the Log Cabin surrounding the window with a snowy view of a neighborhood decorated for the Holidays. Wool applique accents the center medallion with on point log cabin border and prairie points! You can see it on the chuck wagon above!
You can also view the quilts for the Auction at our website:
www.smqg.org

Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Today I sewed sashing strips to Whirlygigs, there is a bumble bee in each connecting corner.

Quilting on Bernina frame

This is my second try at this quilt, the first was AWFUL so i took it all out with seam ripper and re did  it trying to work in sections within the small amount of room to quilt each path across the quilt. My first try I did several freemotion designs that I enjoy but learned that the overall quilting wasnt the look I wanted for this batik quilt. So I did loopy flowers on the borders, e's and l's in the blue border and no navy thread across the inside gold border. I did have trouble sizing the designs within the blocks but that will come with practice. So far I have not trimmed so the mood may strike me to take all this out and start over again. Stay tuned for whatever update happens!!!

Whirlygig progress

Whirlygig circular border sections are done, all paper pieced there are 32 of these sections, I love the colors, they will be inset between the applique whirly center and the bumble bee background. This project has been a lot of fun. I learned paper piecing and needle turn applique techniques.

I have started the appliqued outer borders and enjoy the needle turn lots more than I expected! Thank you to Becky Goldsmith for broadening my quilting horizons.

9 Whirlygigs whirling

Quilts on the Prairie

Posting some advertising photos of my quilts that will be fundraisers for my Guild. The Christmas quilt is for raffle. The Quilt Along that I did with Joanne of Thread Head blog and the red lilies hanging from the top of chuck box are for an auction! One of our members husband built the "Hoodlum Wagon". It is a smaller wagon to be pulled behind a Chuck Wagon to provide more places to cook. We had the privilege of a photo shoot out on the Prairie with Long Horn cattle and a mule named "Vonda". Several members attended the shoot, but I was not able to go.
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Progress on Whirlygig!

The needle turn applique has been so much fun! I never thought I would enjoy it so much. Now that i am back home I can do more paper piecing to complete these blocks. If you ever have a chance to take this class from Becky Goldsmith, Piece O Cake Designs, you will love learning from her, she is a great teacher!!!
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Colleen's Garden Fiesta - story quilt has a NAME!

COLLEEN'S GARDEN FIESTA!

After all these weeks of working on my first story quilt I have finally given it a proper name! A garden full of fun for sure! More things to add after my vacation to Albuquerque, our little squirrel who visits all the bird feeders and grandchildrens names on sidewalk. My borders are on but top and bottom both need adjustments, all elements are sewn down except the large hot air balloons. When I looked out early this morning I saw one up in the New Mexico sky!!! The weather here is a nice break from 6 weeks of over 100 degrees many up to 110. No humidity makes 90 feel like 75 in Oklahoma!
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Raffle Quilt advertising pic

Stitching Memories Quilt Guild will have a Holiday Festival on Sept 17, 2011. This is a pic to advertise our Raffle Quilt. It is my original design and is shown on a chuck wagon with Longhorn cattle in the background on the Oklahoma prairie. Nice shot!!!

More Whirlygigs

More Whirlygigs done and two more basted. I havent had time to do the paper pieced outer circles but have at least completed 2 whirlygig centers. Going to Albuquerque for a few days to visit my daughter. Hand applique is becoming an obsession, I never thought I would have enjoyed it so much!
This is cutaway applique, the marked unbasted areas between the swirls are cut away a little at a time as you make your way around each swirl.
When I get back I will once again work on my story quilt.
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Whirlygig class with Becky Goldsmith

Our guild held a 2 day workshop on Monday and Tuesday with Becky Goldsmith of Piece 'O Cake Designs. She was a wonderful teacher. We learned paper piecing, cutaway applique and needle turn applique. Quite a complicated block - Whirlygig! What fun! but kind of intimidating at first. All these techniques were new for me. But with a little practice last night my confidence is BACK!!! Sorry about the bad color in one pic. The middle block shows the true color.

I finished my block this afternoon! I plan to design a bumble bee wall hanging for my future grandchild! Just hoping for now. Planning to make at least 4 whirlygigs, each a different color. The applique flowers will be made with the checks in several colors.
Becky gave a program for our Guild meeting. She taught us so much about color! I have not worked with such bright fabrics before my story quilt so this is a whole new area of color and design for me. Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Katie the Calico Cat and Quacker added to Story Quilt

I have been working on Katie our calico cat that lived with us for over 14 years and the little Easter duckling that ( you might not believe this!!!) wandered up to our back porch a few days after Easter in about 1980. A friend of our daughters took that little duckling to her Grand dad's farm!!! A great part of the story!!!

Saturday's work on Story quilt

Can you spot the changes and find the additions? This project is ALL about changes! LOL! I forgot to pin the small hot air balloons back on before taking this pic so they will be there in the sky. The banners from the large balloons were giving me some issues so had to clear the sky to place them. Notice my pedicure! This is so much fun. I have a 2 day workshop on Monday and Tues and Guild meeting Mon night. Becky Goldsmith of Piece O Cake Designs will teach workshop and give program at Guild. I am so excited!!!
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Story quilt more changes and additions

Today I did some planting in the flower beds and potted some tulips in a mosaic pot. Also I repotted the large flowers into a wooden barrel and made some decorative garden stakes. This is so darn much fun!!! Also formed my steps. I received some very nice comments today. One was from Mary Lou Weidman herself!!! Boy did she make my day!!! and Duff too! I appreciate the encouragement, thank you both.
Tomorrow will be a sewing day.
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Story quilt progress

I sewed a bit today on my Story Quilt. Made some changes --- I realized that my feet looked like the house had landed on the Wicked Witch of the West --- NOT GOOD !!!!!!!!!!! It looks much better with more of my legs. The brick bannisters were driving me crazy, I realized I was trying to be too realistic  with the placement of the steps, so that change is good, I think. Also I didnt like my flower pots so one more change. Actually I changed the hot air balloons too so they have more color and contrast with the border and blocks. With all the colorful crazy patch borders and hoochy mama blocks, it is hard to get enough contrast. This is certainly a learning experience and I am learning from all the necessary changes. I am using Mary Englebreit garden frames with sweet phrases and cut a heart shape to add to the gate.
I may be sorry, but I have not used any stabilizer or fusible for the applique, just sewing them on. Since I cut everything freehand I can re cut as I go and have used pinking shears on some edges.
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Story quilt WIP / allergy attack

Over the years we have enjoyed having Miniature Schnauzers in our family. Three are riding in the hot air balloons, Fritz, Millicent and Bridgette.  Samantha and Taffeta are with us now and are sitting in front of the gate. They are all made of felted wool. All these pieces are just pinned on. Our grandchildren love to draw on the sidewalk. I will be adding their names to the sidewalk, but not sure how to replicate chalk. Each decision I make requires lots of changes!
We are having record heat in Oklahoma and drought. The sprinkler system in flower beds have kept everything alive but looking so burned. I usually can enjoy this porch all through the summer especially in the evenings, but not this year.
I spent 5 days with my middle daughter, working on 3yr old Payten's room, she now has a big girl bed. Her Strawberry Shortcake quilt is on bed with cupcake sheets and pillow cases and her nursery quilt is hanging on the wall. Her "Mimi" quilt, a 1930's reproduction pinwheel is folded on top of her toy box. I made a 24" bolster with fabric from her nursery valance and a really cute appliqued cupcake pillow trimmed with large rickrack and ruffles. I came home Friday with an allergy attack, and have been feeling too bad to sew. You know I am sick if I don't feel like sewing!!! LOL . Temp was 103 yesterday, that was my temp, the outside temp was 111 !!!!!!!!!!! No fever today, only a sore throat so I am encouraged, and hope to get in to my Dr. tomorrow. I have way too many things to do to waste time being sick.
Happy Quilting!
Colleen

Story quilt day 8

This afternoon I worked on story quilt, adding my feet propped on the bench, and our 2 Mini Schnauzers. I have moved the furry girls all over, they are in front of the gate in this pic, but they may run around to find their favorite spot. I also made 2 more hot air balloons. They feature Alex and Payten's art! The lace angel under the arbor is my niece Jennifer who was killed in 2000 in an arson fire. I actually have a sweet angel - fairy statue in a planted birdbath in that corner. I wish I really had some capris as cute as the ones I created! I guess I also could have given myself a suntan but didnt! I will do some "planting" in the flower beds next. This is fun but soon I will have to take it all off to start sewing.

Saturday Story Quilt progress

All the elements in the story quilt are just pinned on, I am changing my drawing with additions and deletions! Happy so far! My feet will be last --- everything so far has been cut freehand with only my drawing for guidance. I will have to take everything off to do the fusible applique. But I think I will have to trace my feet. If you are wondering why my feet are going to be a part of my story quilt--- well, this is a view of my garden from my favorite chair on the porch. I sit with my feet on an outdoor foot stool. We have a wonderful old home built in the early 1900's and moved to this location in 1920. The porch in the story in facing the South and is between our living room and master bedroom, each room has a set of french doors going out to the porch. It is my quiet place sometimes and fun family place too! I really should get a cup of Earl Grey tea into this quilt because "hot tea on the porch" is one of my favorite things to do!

story quilt day 5

Three days sewing at quilt camp has given me lots of sewing time dedicated to my story quilt. The crazy pieced borders are attached to center, the hoochy mama blocks are ready to sew on. I used all my green scraps to crazy piece shrubs along the fence. The brick porch banisters are almost working, all this is pinned on. I have a long way to go but so far this has been fun! I decided to have a hot air balloon fiesta to honor daughter #3 who lives in Albuquerque. The large balloon and banner will say "I love you, a bushel, a peck and a hug around the neck", the flowers in pots are my grandchildren, each in their favorite colors.
More to come, after a little time to rest!
Happy Quilting,
Colleen

Story quilt Hoochie Mama blocks

These Hoochie Mama blocks are additive!!! also made inner border all from scraps from the blocks. NO WASTE AT ALL!!! I cut a strip border from my favorite multi colored stripe to separate the border from the blocks. Tomorrow I will begin sewing blocks together and determine how many more I need to make and also what background colors I need to add. This is FUN!