A most enjoyable challenge ~

Every year one of the quilt guilds to which I'm a member gives us all a quilt challenge.  One of the major challenges is whether to participate or not!  This year, I did and loved the making of this paper-pieced confetti star block....an Amy Friend of During Quiet Time design.   Thanks, Amy.

While the fabric choices were (mostly) mine, the dominant colorway was not.  Susan asked me to name my favorite color and my immediate response was orange.  She then handed over an aqua fat quarter.....the basis of my challenge quilt.  Along with the challenge instructions I found that my challenge quilt must be predominately aqua and must contain stars.   White may be dominant but that aqua fabric rocks my shining stars.

The original improvisational modern quilt design and free motion quilting got favorable comments at the show 'n tell.  Thanks to all for your generosity.

Foothills Quilt

Today is the perfect day to post about a finished foothills quilt top.  The sun is out (for a change) and while the air is a bit chilled, my camera and I ventured out for a photo shoot.

I headed South a few weeks ago for a workshop with Canada native Mary Elizabeth Kinch, and finished one block that day.  Knowing that if I ever put this one away,  it would get buried deeper and deeper and never get finished so at every sewing opportunity, I set a personal goal of completing two blocks.   Block by block until almost to the finish with only 5 more to go.  It took one very long sewing day but all 25 foothills quilt blocks were done.

Made only from scraps.  The corner half-square triangles required two 5 1/2" blocks of two fabrics and the other fabric requirements were even smaller.  Needless to say there were a lot of scraps out on the table.....

 Finding the sashing strips was easy.  You see, I have plenty of fabric, but not much of any one design.   I knew I wanted the lime green to accent so began by pulling all fat quarters of that colorway.  Still not enough, I dug into the mustard/green to finish the job.  Now, that's the cat's meow. 

Mary Elizabeth's Foothills quilt was inspired by her love of vintage quilts.   She was especially intrigued by one she saw in a quilt museum (maker unknown) and designed this near replica.

Mine is sans outer borders by personal choice.  I'm enjoying the 70" x 70" manageable size and what I consider a more busy, a more flirtatious design.

Oh, and by the way.....a Happy Thanksgiving to you all.  The HuMan read on the internet that The Queen had all of her invited-to-sup guests weigh in before dining, then weigh out after dining.  Wonder if she wagers who gained the most.   Oh, the humiliation!   That won't be happening here at our Thanksgiving feast day.

Orange You Glad You Are A Pinwheel ~

My "Orange You Glad....." was just featured on My Quilt Place along with many other quilt wonders.

Orange Pinwheels 

and re-folded.....hour glass blocks become visible.

and pinwheels

One of the few times my binding is the same fabric that is within the quilt.

It's seldom I make a two-color quilt, but since orange is (one) of my favorite colors, it just seemed to be the color to add to the white I had on the bolt.  What a great way to end the month.  Thank you My Quilt Place.

On Becoming Minimalist ~

Becoming minimal as to blog posts has not been my main goal.....however, it has happened of late.  While not here musing, I'm over at North Louisiana Quilters  and also currently blogging for Quilters Guild Acadienne.  Join in and celebrate the art of quilting. 

A more minimal lifestyle is something I've been striving for for the past several years with good success.  Reading Joshua Becker's  "The Invitation of Minimalism" reinforces my thinking that less is better.  Joshua writes that minimalism gives us less stress and less debt, but more importantly, time to enjoy and value life. 

Speaking of value.....my pile of scrap fabrics is a major value and out of that came my favorite quilt top of the week....not necessarily minimal!

Here's looking at two quilt finishes ~

September, you've been a very good month.  It's only the 12th and I've several projects finished.

Let's see...how long have I worked on the 2017 Sarah Fielke Down the Rabbit Hole BOM?   I stopped counting the months after 12, but it's now ready for the quilter!

My last round of pictures didn't include the final border since my space was too small for picture taking. This is one big quilt, finishing at 96 inches. I agonized every inch of the way, but do like the finish.

Yay....and here's my version of Tabby Mountain started at a retreat last year.....finally got it quilted yesterday (and the day before).   It was a bit cloudy out but I hung this one two ways for picture-taking. 

It really didn't matter the top or the bottom....both angles of a finished quilt are good!

Oh, yes.  September, you've been good for me. 

I'm No Genius ~

But Albert was

and so were his quotes....pure genius

Everybody is a genius.  

But if you judge a fish by its ability

to climb a tree, it will live 

its whole life believing that it is

stupid......Albert Einstein

and

Weak people revenge

Strong people forgive

Intelligent people ignore.....

Albert Einstein 

I'm hoping to be intelligent today and into the future.

Marty 

Fleur de Lis Quilts and Accessories: Meet Marty Mason

I had the most fun Thursday last.  Traveling alone down to Cottonport was quiet and beautiful and filled with interaction between myself and me.   You see, I was guest presenter for Cotton Quilters in Cottonport, Louisiana, and always have to gear myself up so as not to be nervous.  I do so enjoy showing off my quilts, but it's still a little nerve wracking....especially when you know the group is going to be traditional quilters.   

On arriving, I  was so warmly received.  I felt as though we had been friends for years.  Their comments, oohs and aahs were most sincere.  Their questions about this and that made me realize that they really wanted to know about the diverse fabrics I use, where I find inspiration, my approach to quilting without a pattern and quilting from the heart in my make-do attitude.    Cottonport Quilters, you were the best audience and I thank you for the pleasure of your company. 

And thank you, Mary Marcotte, for your invitation to be Cotton Quilters' August presenter, and a special thank you for blogging about my visit and sharing your story of the day.  Yes, Mary, we are blogging friends indeed. 


Fleur de Lis Quilts and Accessories: Meet Marty Mason: On Thursday I finally got around to writing about our August meeting . In that post I teased everyone with a little about our special guest,...

Leftovers~

Even in this summer heat......I'm still making quilts. 

We'll just call these leftovers!  There's always a story but let's keep it short and sweet.  You see, there was some Asian designer fabric on sale and it wound up in my cart.....last year.  And it's been taking up way too much shelf space.  My first quilt top experiment (not pictured) didn't give me goosebumps so I cut it up and got two really different quilt tops made. 



Improv Log Cabin Leftover No. 1
 

Improv String of Pearls Leftover No. 2

Someone asked me if I liked the finishes.  After a minute of being taken aback at such a question, I realized that, yes, I did like both of them....very much!  What's not to like?  They kept me out of bars, off street corners, out of trouble and therapy for a few days.  Yes, of course, I like them! 

 

Dis, Dat and D'udder

Inspired by the style of Maria Shell, Gwen Marston (Lindsay has the most delectable Pinterest board sharing Gwen Marston Quilts)  Eleanor McCain and others of like improvisational style.  This one has been on the design wall for a month....or more....but now both the quilt front and back is pieced and ready to be quilted.   

Knowing well enough that one should not be vain, yet I can't help but brag just a bit about stepping out of my box.   I can very easily mix and mingle with all those fabulous prints and florals and can easily add a few solids, but man, how hard it is using only solid fabric!  So, yes, very proud  not to have used a single print in this one.....only solids of Bali shot cotton along with shot cotton from the Kaffe Fasset collection.

While out taking pictures this morning I also remembered to grab these two  from awhile back that I included in an improv to the 9-patch workshop. 

And using every leftover scrap from the project, filling in as needed with whatever fabric was nearby that I could grab, cut and sew. 

Life is good....well, actually, life is very good ~

 

Getting my big panties on ~

Remembering ~

as a child how thrilling to grow

 into the larger size panty!

  I'm not

thrilled

    anymore.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Threads of Glory Exhibit

The fabulous "Threads of Glory" exhibit features an array of fabric artworks - quilts, knitted items, weavings, and on and on----created by regional artisans......and I am one of them.  The exhibit will run April 25-June 2, 2018,  at  Union Museum of History and Art, 116 N. Main Street, Farmerville, Louisiana.

Yes, I am one happy camper viewing my handmade crafts on public display.....

Here is Old Blue happily hanging as a backdrop to the beautifully knitted black dress in silk yarn made by Nancy Wallace of Monroe, Louisiana.  I'll have to go back to the museum to get the name of The Rooster art quilt maker.  My apology to the maker for this sad oversight on my part.   

 

My flying geese quilt, even folded,  was quite stunning on display with The Butterfly thread stitched wall hanging. 

 

 

The bowls, oh, the rope bowls pictured below with the linen red hat! 

 
 
 
 
 

And finally my original hand crafted, painted and bound books. 

Thank you, "Threads of Glory" Exhibit Curator: Karen Bradford
Exhibit Designer: Alan Futch, The Dean of Flowers
Museum Coordinator:  Jean Jones and all 51 individuals who contributed treasured fiber artwork to the exhibit.

 

But I'm not a pink person!

And I never said you were!  However, often times pink is just the right flair, especially in quilt making. 

I had the most fun opportunity to teach two improvisational patchwork piecing workshops for Red River Quilters in Shreveport this past weekend.  I took a lot of my scraps for the workshop participants to enjoy and while auditioning different fabric possibilities in an improv patchwork manner, one particular fabric was rejected because "I'm not a pink person!"  And I'm not green either!! BUT, what if green was never incorporated into my quilts.  Just imagine a landscape quilt without green. 

When life gives me a challenge.....still reflecting on rejects and discards without a fair chance, I decided to improv to the pink to see where this one went.  Here is my first fabric selection with that very focal lush pink flower added to the improv 9-patch. 

Yes, you're seeing right.....red and blue, black and PINK in this totally improvisational 9-patch

Next step was to slice and dice and add more fabric....the aqua and the little patched slice using aqua and red, yellow and pink.  This one is beginning to come to life. 

Challenging self, more pinks were added and not necessarily the same shade of pink....or black.... or yellow and blue that's already in the patchwork.  Oh, my! 

and so it's full grown.....30" x 36" basted and ready for quilting.  Yeah, Baby....we are in the pink.

 

Spring has sprung in my neighborhood ~

Spring is in the garden

and on the street

in the air

and yes, spring is on the porch.  I've been patchwork piecing with strings and loving the look of all that wasted fabric coming together in this quilt top finished today. 

  Doesn't each string patch feel like a flower garden in full bloom! 

 

Yes, it's springtime here in my beautiful neighborhood.

 

It's Been A Ghastly Winter ~

The coldest for the longest that I can remember.  The HuMan has to go out every morning and break the ice and pour the birds hot water for their bath!

 

Then he hot foots it back inside!

 

 

"Ghastly " Alexander Henry, De Leon design team fabric perfectly described this ghastly cold winter. 

 



And the camera lens nearly froze as did I, but I really, really wanted a picture of this ghastly quilt outside in the ghastly cold winter.  

Brrrrrrrrr.   But thanks to the cold weather, I've stayed in and now this one is quilted.  It's a good cold weather lap quilt size at 45" x 65".  No borders, but improv sashing added to give it a few more inches.