My Current FAVORITE!!!

I am busy trying really hard to complete some of my UFO's for a special event.  I will let everyone know after I am absolutely sure it will happen.  In the meantime, I want to share my current favorite.  It is a quilt that I designed myself---really simple--nothing fancy.  I started it actually two years ago, but I put it aside---it was getting a little tedious with all the tracing and painting, so I needed a small break.   I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and started working on it exclusively, and finished it!

The center of the blocks are unbleached muslin and I have drawn (with the help of stencils) and painted in black ink various African symbols.  This was a very tedious process and it took a while for me to get the right ink...something that is a good color, but doesn't spread...fabric paints do not always work, ask me how I know.

The blocks are bordered in African fabric and I have added a African Scrap Piano border.  The sashing is Osnaburg (sp) also known as African Cloth/Linen since historically, it is said that this is what the slaves clothing was made from.  I added a really thin black border to "quiet" it before adding the border.  I am naming this quilt, "I believe.....", since each symbol means something special, and I chose them carefully and deliberately (once it is quilted I will post a better picture of the entire quilt.   I will also make a label that identifies the meaning of each symbol).  It is going to be a wall hanging (albeit a large one), so I am going to use very thin batting.  I think I will use my circle board since it seems circles are important in African history---at least this is what my research says...and everyone knows, if it is on the Internet, it has got to be true :)!

I like this quilt!  Well this is what I have been up to.  Thanks for stopping by!!!!

One More Quilted!

I finished quilting the auction quilt.  I used the CL "Swirls" Board.  I think it turned out great.  The circles are a great contrast to the Hex's.  I had GREAT tension and only had to "un-quilt" one little spot where my stylus came out of the guide (I was busy watching TV and not paying attention).  I am going to bind it in a bright yellow 30's print.  Since I am going to keep the scalloped border on two sides, I will sew the binding on by machine, but sew it down by hand.  It is taking me a little while to complete putting the binding on because of all the mitered corners.  It isn't perfect, but I really think it will end up really nice since I can manipulate it easier when I sew the binding down.

I worked on another WIP and will try to finish at least one of my "yet to be finished projects" before I start anything else.  I also have two more tops that need to be quilted, including "African Abacus", so I have LOTS to do to get "caught up".

Have a great evening!

A Busy Saturday!

I got up really early this morning--took my shower, and was drinking a cup of coffee in preparation for Guild Meeting.  Thank goodness one of the members called me and after talking, it was clear I had the wrong day---it is NEXT Saturday!  I don't know what is happening!  You would think I had just had a baby and had "placenta brain".  I think it is because I am having a little stress in my personal life and I am distracted a lot.  Anyway, since I was up, I decided to bind some quilts---all the more for Show and Tell next week.  I am getting pretty good at machine binding.  It is fast and perfect for quilts that will be used a lot!  I was able to bind three of them this morning!

One of the quilts that I put a binding on was one I quilted using the other new Circle Lord Board, Wanders.  I was not sure I really liked it at first, but it is growing on me.  There are more open un-quilted spaces.  I don't know why I feel this way since I have several panto's that leave spaces but I think the straight lines make it seem even more open.  It does however make for a soft quilt.  This is another lap size/child quilt.  I am not sure if I will donate this one either since it is nice to have this size available for covering cold feet or using when traveling.  I will wait and see.  I didn't use the high loft batting so you can't see the definition as well on this one as the other.  I think when I use the Board again, I will see how it does with a higher loft.  This would be a great pattern on a solid quilt too.  I think the "busyness" of this top makes the quilting get lost, but again, maybe that is what you want with a quilt like this.  At any rate it is done AND bound.

I pieced the back (a little) so you can see the pattern much better.  Everything from my stash!  It feels good to use what I have.

Have a great remainder of the week-end.

A Good Day To Quilt!

I am trying to keep my promise and blog more----so here I am!

The other day I was minding my own business and surfing the web and quilting message boards.  On one of the boards, there was "talk" about a couple of new Circle Lord Boards.  I looked and of course, had to have them---so before you could say "No"----I had called Canada and was talking to Michael.  He is so very easy to work with---has a great sense of humor and within three days I had my new boards.

It is funny---I had been looking at a paper pantograph very much like the first one ("Wanders").  These are perfect for "modern" quilting (whatever that means) and according to feedback are easy to use---so I thought I would give them a try!

The first quilt is a top I have had for quite a while.  It is a large lap and is made from leftover strips.  The bottom quilt is the baby quilt I posted earlier.  Doesn't this quilting board  (Egyptian Eye) add great texture.  I quilted both of them today, so they are EASY to use.  Next I will load a quilt and use the other Board.

Thanks for stopping by!  I think I will quilt a couple more tops and then stop and finish the binding and work on some of my WIP's.