Blooms for Julie OMG Progress

The 3-D flowers have fabric covered kurumi centers. Kurumi are plastic that gives dimension to one's projects.  They remind me of the covered buttons I used to make for clothing but they have not shanks or hasps.  The borders are on and now I am getting ready for the quilting.  I think I will do Big Stitch.  I have not done that before so this will be a new adventure. On to the next phase.

Peek-A-Boo Baby Quilt

I bought these quilt clips after a visit to my sister's.  We had sandwiched a quilt together by first using some quilt clamps.  They worked so well.  I wanted to be able to do that.  My table edge is much wider than my sister's so the clamps would not have opened wide enough.  I had purchased many many moons ago these quilt clips.  I had a few and my mother had a couple more that she had given me.  Back in the day you would roll your quilt and use bicycle clips to help you manage the bulk of your quilt while machine quilting.  They did not work so well.  These quilt clips worked a bit better because they were flat on the bottom, were a tighter clip and did not fall off so readily.  When I discovered that the clips could actually secure my quilt to my table, I searched to see if anyone still sold this product.  I smiled when I found a vendor who described them as "vintage" quilting supplies.  They were inexpensive so I invested in enough to make it around my table.  I will get to pinning with my pinmoors and T-pins.  This quilt should be done real soon.

This quilt is for a special couple, my niece and her wife.  The pattern is from Quiltmaker Classics Volume 1 Summer 2013.  Underneath the prairie points are an assortment of novelty prints. The quilt becomes a toy as well as a blanket.  My sister (brilliant and creative person that she is) suggested using a photo of the parents in place of the novelty print.  I found a picture on facebook of the parents to use.  The red fabric in this quilt was leftover from some curtains I made for my daughter's room and the blue fabric is leftover from a quilt I made for my son.  Go Gators! This quilt is all from stash.

Blooms for Julie Update

I really think I may be able to finish the borders of this quilt this month to meet my May OMG.  I just need 20 dimensional flowers and 8 small leaves and the applique will be finished.  My sister suggested that I big stitch for the quilting.  I think that is a fabulous idea.  I will start looking for thread and the quilting will be my June goal.  I must make the backing for this quilt.  I bought the striped fabric featured in the center years ago.  They were in a clearance priced quilt kit.  (I bought 3 kits.) I really liked the quilt pattern, but was buying the fabric for its bargain basement pricing.  This should be very satisfying.  To use the fabric I bought so many years ago to such a great purpose.  This is a change of plan.  I actually bought a white with grey back for Blooms for Julie from BackSide Fabrics.  I buy wide back remnants because you get first quality fabric for so much less.  To estimate the price I multiply the yardage by 2.5 and divide by the price.  Most of the time I get the fabric for $2 -$5 a yard.  They are great for neutral backgrounds.  I am collecting fabrics for a cover quilt on Simply Moderne issue 4 (the wool applique house quilt).  I went to BackSide to look for a potential background for that quilt.  The directions call for a mauve piece that is 56 inches square.  I decided that I did not want to piece the background so I went looking for a wide back.  I bought 2 yards of Tula Pink's Orchid Free Fall that was in the Blow Out Clearance.  I have admired that fabric for sometime, but had no idea what to do with those 4 inch polka dots.  I am going to audition it for this quilt.  (If it does not work for the front, it will be on the back of this quilt.)   The white with grey fabric that I bought for Blooms for Julie may get dyed mauve this summer if the polka dots are too much.  More fun in quilting this summer.  

May OMG

I measured wrong so I had to add a sliver more white in each of the corners.  I think I will just applique some extra little leaves over those 4 seams.  My May OMG might possibly get done.  I worked on learning the folding for one of the corner flowers last night.  I could not get it to work.  After a good night's rest I tried again this morning and figured it out.  Lesson learned.  I will keep some less taxing work for the evening hours.

Wooly Block 2016

 Yesterday was a travel day.  I was returning from New Hampshire with a stop at my sisters for an evening of stitching and decided to collect some wooly block patterns in New York to add to the one I have from DE.  It rained all the way through Massachusetts but began to clear when I hit the New York border. First I stopped in Selkirk near Albany for a log cabin house block from Log Cabin Fabrics.  The photo pales in comparison to the sample block in the store.  I decided that I would look for some brights to collect for the cover quilt on Quiltmania Simply Moderne.

I hit the road again and headed for Utica to Tiger Lily Quilts which was less that two hours away.  When I got off at my exit and entered the city, I worried that I should have checked on parking before I went on this adventure.  I was worried that I would be looking for non-existent spot at a parking meter or that I would have to parallel park.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the shop was a part of a collection of businesses that had a large parking lot.  Whoopee!!

I went inside to pick up the barn block with the whacky birds and found these displayed. 

These blocks are amazing and I love the little nine patch setting.  I understand that the designers have a story to go with each of the blocks.  The proprietor told me that the husband and wife team were planning on a dozen blocks and now have around 32.  I can not take the class they are offering, but I left my name and contact info for the kits that are soon to follow.  I also picked up some more brights.

 While making my purchases, I asked the sales clerk if she knew how far it was to Hammondsport, NY.  I was worried that the shop would be closed before I got there. She suggested I call.  She said that sometimes shops are not open for retail but that classes are being held and someone might still be there.  I called Fiber Arts Emporium and told them of my concern.  The owner told me that she would wait at the store until I got there.  Wow! That's customer service.  My GPS indicated that it would take me just under three hours to get there.  The interstate took me west but then I got off and traveled south on local roads.  I passed some wonderful scenery.  There was a lake near Geneva with some impressive houses lakeside and lots of wineries.  As I go closer there was Lake Keuka.  I have no idea how to pronounce that.  I passed by more wineries and lots of lakeside vacation rentals and some black and white sheep frolicking in a pasture.  One of the owners was there waiting for me.  I loved her Texas accent.  She told me she was from Dallas and was headed there for a visit soon.  She told me that someone had come in a hour before asking for a wooly block.  She initially thought that customer was the one who had called but soon determined that was not the case.    

Again I looked for some brights.  There had a bin of hunks of fabric that I rifled through. I got a couple fat quarters that were on sale and some squares.

Now back to Delaware.  It was another six hours from the Emporium to home but I had a good audio book and did not anticipate that the traffic would be bad that time of day. At the outset I had been reluctant to start this adventure.  I was not sure I was feeling well enough to handle such a long travel day.  I am so glad I did.  I need to get a couple more blocks to meet the Wooly Block 2016 Challenge specifications.  Now I rest and stitch and think about unloading the car.