Quilting Economics

Very Productive Day

I made a major  progress on the Stunning Universe quilt today. 

At this point Stunning Universe is 51 1/2" wide x 56 1/2 long.

Got the images transferred to fuse - unfortunately I did not reverse the pattern so in turned out as a mirror image of what I had envisioned. But I was not going to throw away all the fabric, time and effort so it is what is is. The boarders tie it together. I do not know what I am going to do with the top and bottom boarders as of yet.

I love it!

And the center of the circle is not done yet either. Here is an enlargement of it. I found an image on line and printed it on fabric using the freezer paper method. I looks OK here in this photo but actually the pinks kind of clash and I should not use it. I experimented with several other ideas and I keep coming back to this one. 

Then I went on to try and finish:

#ELEPHANTS ON PARADE

DONE!!!! Quilted! Bound! Labled!

Here she is. I did add the pinwheels in the corner as I said I would. 

Really glad I started a baby quilt - my way of being prepared for the future... well now have to start another one.... yes as you will see on the label below this one has a home. One of my neices is going to have a baby and this Friday night - there is a "Find Out The Gender Party" - never heard of that one before.... but actally I have a notion it will end up as an Engagement Party. 

These youngsters - do everything backwards.

In any case I so excited to await the arrival of a new family member. CONGRATULATIONS!!

Here is the label. See the bar code in the center of the 9 patch? I will link that back to my blog so if you ever really wanted to know more about this quilt you can use your smart phone, scan the label and learn more about the whole process. The bird was one I did facing the incorrect way so I redid it instead of using it on the front. I hand stitched the words with floss. 

I wanted to show you my quilting on this quilt - look closely at the quilting. See the giraffe and the elephant in the stitching? I used a pantograph and long armed it myself - look mom, no computer. It feels good to be able to actually complete a top and quilt the quilt.

This pantograph also featured a lion.... see him?

Quilt Inspector photo bombing!

Hope your day was as productive as mine.
Hop eto see you soon!

Stunning Circle Closing In

I have finished the circle and in trying to get the scale correct I pulled out and taped some pieces of drawing paper together, layed the piece on it, and started penciling in some lines. I added shading to the circle and pulled out a little piece of circle that I had cut incorrectly - the quilt is taking on a universe look with a dark hole, or sun - and a comet. The length is being determined by the background fabric I purchased in class. I bought a yard and a half... wish I would have bought 2 yards now. Oh well. I will be adding some boarders 

This will be one of my first art quilts with an original design. 

I am really liking the direction it is taking. I love pink and grey together. 

While on a quilt run with my friend Ann and her children, we came across an adorable, friendly cat that needed rescue. I made a bad decision to take her home. The kids named her Lilly.

Playful little thing!

STUNNING CIRCLE QUILT

My guild had a fantastic speaker last week, Andi Perejda, she is really a wonderful creative person. Ann (my bestest of friends)  and I decided to take her workshop at the Orange Quilt Bee so we played hooky from work Wednesday and joined the fun. 

The stunning circleThe class was on her stunning circle quilt. It is a modern take on an old version. Andi uses a 9 degree angle ruler and strip sets to simplify this completely complicated looking design. It is unbelievably simple and goes together like a breeze. While we were all sewing, Andi went around the store and did some shopping for everyone. She picked out fabrics that would go with each persons blocks. The fabric she found for my pink on pink circle block was fantastic and I just had to pick up a couple of yards. There goes my promise not to purchase any more fabric.... but I justified it with the gift card I got from my son for Christmas... so no money out of pocket...Thank you Mr.M!

My strips.

Beginning to take shape.  In the background upper right is the
fabric for the background Andi choose.


Here is the fabric she chose. Pink fading circles repeated. I love it. It has modern qualities and certainly goes along with the psychedelic theme of the stunning circle.

I have decided to shadow the circle with some grey fabric in my stash, then for boarders I am putting together some pieced lines that are suppose to be star bolts shooting down from the sky, using the 2 pinks and some more gray's. I think my quilt universe is coming together.

The center of the circle needs to be special. Taking cues from our teacher who loves hand dying fabric.  This weekend Ann and I are going to delve into fabric paints to try and come up with appropriate centers for the focus block. I have a collection of fabric paints that I have put together in anticipation of a creative moment... so we are going to use them. Look at the prices on the packages.... most are from Tuesday Morning... see why I had to pick them up? 

Classmate Patti looking at trim options.

Beautiful red and white.