Tone It Down Progress!

I have the first two rows finally sewed together. It took me much longer than I expected. I'm trying so hard to keep same fabrics away from each other. That's so hard to do! I must admit that a sashing has the same fabric next to it in one of the blocks. I'm going to ignore it and continue on! I already moved some blocks after sewing them together. I got all sorts of fraying fabric. It just wasn't worth it.

Here's another view.

I'm happy that everything is matching. Piecing this together is a little more difficult than I expected.
I'll keep at it and get it done eventually. Three more rows to go!

I think my next project is going to be a whole lot easier!

Why I hate the Dentist!

I had hoped to get so much sewing/quilting done today. I ended up having to go to the dentist after my crown fell out. Looks like I'll be needing an implant instead.  He removed the remaining root that just happened to crack in half. So instead of sewing, I've been sitting on the couch holding ice to my jaw. I have been knitting so decided I would share the picture. It's a scarf called Maedwe from the book, Free-Spirit Shawls by Lisa Shroyer. I love the little ruffle running down the left side. I'm just using some sock yarn I had in my stash. It's a fun knit and easy to do while your mouth throbs!

 

I had to take this picture with lighting running against the quilt to show you the quilting. I had done some McTavishing when Amy of Amy's Free Motion Quilting Adventures featured tutorials on this technique. I decided to use it for the background of my Dresden Plate. I've only done one block so far but I love it! It's not perfect but since the thread matches so well, it's fine! It's a great way to practice and get my quilt done! I was hoping to complete another block today but it doesn't look like that's going to happen. Darn tooth!

 I'm also hoping to make more progress on my Tone It Down quilt. I'm working on the sashing. I plan to have pictures soon. Hopefully, my mouth will be better tomorrow. 

Mancuso World Quilt Show 2014

I went to the Mancuso World Quilt Show this past week in Manchester, NH. This has always been one of my favorite shows. There are quilts displayed from all over the world and plenty of vendors.
I must admit that this year was a little disappointing. The quilts and vendors both seemed a little thin this year. I still had a nice time and found plenty of stuff to buy but I expected a little more. Maybe next year will be back to normal?? Anyways, the above quilt, "Peach Within Reach", was a favorite! It measures 58" X 78". It's made by Marilyn J. Smith of Bakersfield, CA. Such a great quilt

This is "Out of Many, One--E Pluribus Unum" by Mildred Machiko Tahara. This is all hand quilted. What a beauty! So much hand work went into this one. So amazing!

I loved the bright colors in this one! This is "Agave Garden" by Tina M. Orlita of Lisle, IL. I love the contrast between the brights and the black background. It measures 72 inches square.

 

This is "Ribbons and Blooms" by Kate Behrens of  Germany. It measures 92" by 92". I loved the applique and pieced blocks together. Perfectly executed!

 

 



This is "Wreath of Roses"  by Gail H. Smith of Barrington, IL. It measures 62 inches square. I love the quilting in the white background! Pat Barry was the long arm quilter. I took a class with her and love her work. 

This is "Dunes Duet" by Ann Long of United Kingdom.  It measures 65" X 53". I love the low contrast of this quilt. The circles overlapping each other were quilted perfectly.

 

Here's a close up of the quilting.

 

 

 

 

This jacket was an entry in the Hoffman Challenge. This jacket was made by Janet Fishman of Belleair, Florida. This jacket was beautiful!! The detail was amazing. My pictures don't show how great this jacket actually is. 

 

 

 

 

Here's the back. This jacket is awesome!

 

That's my peek into the Mancuso Show. Hope you enjoyed it! There was so much more but I couldn't show you everything!!





20 Blocks!!

 



I'm so excited and happy to say I finally finished the 20 blocks for the Tone It Down Quilt Along! I'm way behind but I don't care. I followed along at my own pace. These blocks were a challenge for me. They're made up of 97 pieces. Each block took me a long time, not only to sew but also to cut. After each block was cut, I had to arrange the pieces so same fabric pieces weren't near each other. Too much to think about!

 

Here are the last 4 blocks I made.

 



 

My next step is to cut the sashing and make the corner blocks. Each corner block will be a 9-patch that will continue the pattern within the blocks. More work to do! I'm just glad this big step is done! Each block measures 15 1/2 inches square.  

One Done, Another Ready

I finished sewing down the binding on Basket Case today! I used leftover 2.5 inch strips for the binding. I like that the binding is made up of different fabrics. It adds a little interest to the edge. I also like that I was able to use up a few more strips from the jelly roll. I have the label all ready. I'll wash it after I've sewn it on. 

 

My Dresden Plate is finally ready to get quilted! My daughter helped me spray baste the layers together. It's so much faster when you have a helper!



Here's the backing. I actually bought this fabric for another quilt but I didn't buy enough.  It's the perfect amount to back this quilt.  I tried very hard to match the pattern when I pieced it together. You can see it if you look close enough but I like the results. 

I just have to decide how to quilt it. Hope that doesn't take too long!!

Pets On Quilts Show 2014

 

It's time to flaunt those Pets on Quilts! Lily Pad Quilting is sponsoring the annual Pets on Quilts Show. It's always fun to see those pets giving some furry love to our gorgeous quilts. We all know that fur adds a great textural element to all of our wonderful projects. There are 6 different categories but my category is definitely cat on a quilt!

 

My cat, Lily, loves adding her own spin to my quilts. Here she is hanging out on Basket Case. I think she likes my quilting! She enjoys rubbing herself on the quilt. She knows she's helping me! As soon as I lay my quilt down, Lily comes running and plays with the edges of the quilt.

She lays down and rests for a little while. She know she's chosen a soft and warm place for herself!

I'm not sure why but she always ends up under the quilt! I think she gets extra warm in there! She'll sleep for hours under any quilt I lay down in the family room. Maybe I'll try that the next time I have trouble sleeping. It sure seems to work for Lily!

Hope you get a chance to visit the quilt show! I'll be linking up to Lily Pad Quilting. Go take a look and enjoy!