First Round Robin

Our Local, Boulder River Quilt Guild, decided to participate in a Round Robin.  We split up into manageable groups, swapped our initial middle square and each subsequent person in the group added a border.  What a stressful, confidence stretching, learning and fun time it was.  All the quilts were absolutely gorgeous.  Not one ended up "ugly".  I'm quite proud of this group of ladies.  I wish I had taken pictures of everyone else's quilts.  Big oops on my part, however; pictures were taken and put on our Facebook page.

Once the last border was placed it came back to the original owner to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound.  Here is the final result:

I decided to quilt it in a leaf pattern

I put the binding on by machine, sewing to the back and turning to the front.  I love how sturdy it is and how quick to put on.  I also like how it looks when it's done.

If you ever get the chance to participate in a Round Robin, I highly recommend it.  It does stretch your limits but I know it allowed me to build more confidence and learn new techniques.

Happy Quilting!

Woven Fence Christmas Quilt

About a month ago I went on a fantastic road trip with my local Boulder River Quilt Guild.  We visited the town of Great Falls and four Quilt shops I personally had never been to before.  It was a trip with lots of laughs, roads that probably shouldn't have been driven, (friends you know what I am talking about), and the chance to build even stronger ties with this group of woman.  I truly feel blessed to live in such a blessed community of authentic women.

While visiting one quilt shop I found a kit with gorgeous Christmas fabrics. All the fabrics for the top were included, I had to buy the backing separately.  It also included the pattern:  "Weave it to Me, Black Cat Creations, Designed by Judy Dohrman."  It just so happened that I was looking for Christmas fabric for a quilt I planned to donate to my sons local Robotics team for a raffle.  When I saw this I really wanted to make it.  

I set out to make this as quickly as possible.  The intent was to raffle it off at the local Boulder Christmas Bazaar..  Thankfully, my quilt guild has had two sew-in dates where we sew till we drop all weekend.  I was able to almost complete the quilt top the first weekend and I finished quilting and binding it this last weekend.  Just in time! 

I decided to quilt it in a scroll pattern.  Maybe I will call it Elegant Scroll?  I played a lot on paper first to find something I liked.

En Provence Finish

Well, I have to say I think this has been my least proficient year quilting to date.  I spent almost a full year working on Bonnie Hunters En Provence Mystery Quilt.  I did thoroughly enjoy making it and I am surprised how spring like it turned out.

For the quilting I just wanted a free flow design, so I did feathers, bubbles, clam shells, whatever felt right.  I did enjoy the process but I am so happy it is done.

   To see other peoples finished products:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/02/mystery-monday-link-up-finale.html

Wildlife Panel Free Motion Quilting

Quite a while ago I purchased a dear quilt panel that I absolutely love.  As time went by though I was so incredibly intimidated at the thought of quilting anything with such a beautiful panel because I did not want to deflect from the artistry of the panel itself.  Finally I decided I would free motion quilt it in a way that hopefully would not detract from it's beauty.   I'm actually fairly happy with how it came out.  I'm hoping that in the future I  won't be so scared to attempt quilting a wildlife quilt panel that it takes me years to finally do it.

Here is my interpretation of how to quilt a wildlife panel...(I wish I could say who designed the panel but unfortunately their was no salvage on it and I have no clue...I did a quick search but this particular panel did not pop up for me).

I am using my panel quilt as wall decoration in my entryway, it is covering up a horrid gray fuse box.

Allietare finished and a few more too.

I cannot believe my last post was from January!  I feel like the year has gone by in a flash.. Honestly I have not spent near enough time quilting.  I worked, I lived, I went on vacation but quilting was definitely on the back burner.

What I was able to complete was the Allietare Mystery Quilt by Bonnie Hunter.  Her link to the finished quilt is here:   http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/01/mystery-monday-link-up-reveal.html.

Allietare under my needle as I prepare to FMQ.

Swirl and feather quilting

All finished!

 For a couple years now I have been doing a free BOM from Craftsy.  I really love their classes; both their affordability and the content they provide.  

Flowers and loops for quilting

In the middle of the summer I really felt the need to pull out my acrylics and put color on canvas. For me it is therapeutic to mix colors, play with the brush strokes, and just have fun.  Its by no means finished but I did what I wanted to do.

Last but not least I finished a simple Log Cabin..

Recently the hours I work have changed so I am hoping I will have more time to be creative.  My heart and soul need more time in my sewing room.

Allietare Part 2 and Part 3

I am so thankful for this holiday season. Just like for everyone else, it was crazy busy.  I feel like I had no time to be in my sewing room.  When I finally got back to sewing and attempted to use my treadle again, it wouldn't work.  The foot stayed in the up position, it was making noises it had never made, it just didn't run right.  When I researched I came to the conclusion I really needed to take it apart and give it a good cleaning and oiling then put it back together..  That was a sad day... I simply don't feel up to that project right now.  I dislike intensely taking things apart and  I just don't want to do it... So my goal to sew this whole quilt on my treadle-not a reality.  I'm finding these goals I make for myself don't always end up the way I anticipate. I'm finding I am more flexible than I thought.  Instead of forcing things to go the way I intended, I try to make it work and if it's obvious I don't want it to go that way any more I let it go. However; as my family can attest to, if I really want it I will fight tooth and nail to make it work.   Maybe this is an analogy for my store?  I'm not sure... More thoughts on that another day.

This Christmas my husband bought the family a wonderful bundle of energy, excitement, and love.

This guy named Frankie, has taken all my spare time... I just remind myself he will only be young for a short space in time.

In small bursts I have been able to complete Part 2 and 3 of the Mystery found at:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/allietare-mystery.html.  Of course on my Juki sewing machine.  I tried one more time to make it work and decided I would just let go for now.  At some later date I will clean my beauty.

Clue 2:

Clue 3:

Now back to my sewing room, all the parts of the mystery have been revealed and I so want to see how mine is going to look!

Allietare Mystery Part 1, Learning to Sew on my Treadle

Yes it is time for another Bonnie Hunter mystery!  You can link up with us on her site if you want to share!  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2015/11/mystery-monday-link-up-allietare-part-1.html

I had every intention of doing Bonnie Hunter's mystery this year, what is there not to say to commend it?  It always challenges me, I learn a ton, and I love the camaraderie (even when I dislike the nitpicking and quilt police),...So with all that to commend the mystery why would I add one more layer?  Well, lets start at the beginning.  A couple years ago my husband and I bought an old Franklin Long Shuttle Sewing Machine.  It was love at first sight, however; I had no clue how to use it.  

I initially attempted and failed and then it sat and sat and sat.

This fall I decided to move it to the living room, knowing that if it was visible I would be more apt to open it up and attempt to do something on it.  To learn how to treadle.

This last Sunday, instead of working on clue one I opened up my treadle, oiled it's parts, watched YouTube after YouTube video to learn how to wind the bobbin, how to thread the machine..how to operate the treadle to make it move in the right direction.  I had to clean up some serious screw holes that were oh so gunky. I know it could use another serious clean like I've seen online but that will wait for another day.  

These are the colors I am using from my stash... If I need to buy more I will.  I am not sure that my yellow works-that is definitely the one that I may go out and purchase more of.

At the end of the day I cut a few triangles with my Easy Angle and gave it a go and I LOVE IT!  I have decided that this mystery is going to be my quilt to learn to use the treadle, I hope to even quilt it on it- we will see how that goes.  By the end I hope to be proficient.

And look at this handy dandy seam guide!

This is AWESOME!  My seems have never been so accurate...holy cow.

Alright then,  time for me to try to get caught up...7 down and a whole lot more to go.