Fire & Ice

 It has been some time since I have posted, wow time flies. 

I want to show some of the work I have finished during this pandemic.

One piece in particular I am very happy with, it is Fire and Ice a pattern by Kimberly Einmo. This is the first quilt I quilted with the back in mind. I chose a hot pink solid, then chose thread colors to match the top. I used 17 bobbin colors. Yes a lot of winding bobbins and a lot of thread changes- top and bottom, I think over 45! I still need to work on my starting and stopping to get a more continuous look. 

Eight "Skewed Spirals" make up the center block.

My friend Ann recently gave me as an early birthday present some wonderful free motion quilting books: Rulerwork Quilting Idea Book by Amanda Murphy and Grafitti Quilting by Natalie Barns. Needless to say those book were heavy inspiration for this quilt.

Some of the close up quilting

My friend Ann also made Fire & Ice hers has a white background.

Her quilting is unsurpassed!

Shown at Quilts in the Garden, Aston Gardens, Utah September 2020.

Linking with Free Motion Maverick

I Need to Catch Up

I started this blog to have notes on my quilting journey, but I haven't been keeping up and time has marched on and so I would like to post all about the quilts that I haven't shown yet.

Yesterday was a great day. I finished a quilt I started in 2017. At Road to California I saw the Tula Pink Butterfly and fell in love with it. While it has been pieced for the longest time, I decided it would be the first of my quilt start to be mounted on my new 30 year old Gammill longarm!

Yes, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, since all the stores were shut down including The Sewing Escape where I had been renting their sit down mid arm to quilt the old butterfly. I tried to hall that huge quilt through my domestic and that was not working out too well. I ventured onto a Facebook group ....Used Longarms and Accessories. in all of California there were 2 long arms and would you believe one was only 1.2 miles away. The stars aligned and I was able to bring her home.

I entered this quilt into the "Garden of Quilts" at Aston Gardens, Lehi, Utah, which takes place at the end of this month. My friend Ann entered 5 quilts and all got accepted, we are going to brave the pandemic and take a road trip to see them hanging. I will try to post photos of that show.

Detail of the white space in the Butterfly Quilt.

See the lotus blossoms? I chose a rather art deco design to embellish the lower center white space.

Quilty Cards

Loving Lori Holt Barn-A-Long

Loving Lori Holt

I wrote this post several years ago (2104) and never posted it... so here it is now because I have an update. In the next couple of posts I will show what I have done with some of these blocks. They ended up in an orphan pile and in August 2019 I took a guild workshop called "Orphans and Aliens" given by Leah Zeiber.

Awhile back Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet Blogspot had a Barn-A-Long. I always wanted to do a barn quilt so I started with her design that was free on line while it was a free pattern on line. The barn above was my first barn - I did not like the way it turned out. I always have a problem with picking coordinating fabrics from my stash. Lori's design are simply simple and she has many great tutorials on her website.

These blocks are: 14" x14"

This was my second barn. I think this one turned out much better. The "traditional" red helped define the project - the barn quilt was the problem with this one. Kinda of washed out.

 My third barn used the silo pattern, again the barn quilt just looks plain.

I decided to try the tractor. 16" x 20". Love it.

I really wanted a more detailed barn. I searched Google Images and found this type of barn appealed to me. I copied the idea of the pattern and made it myself so it was free. These barns are 17" x 16"- so a rather large block.

I tried again and added more detail to the door - 

I took it a step forward and added more detail to the doors and also used the barn red fabric I had. Getting Better!

Love it!!

House Blocks

These are a few of the house blocks I have made. Again someday I plan to make a house quilt.

This block is: 7" x 7"
It is paper pieced.

This little house to the right is: 9.5" x 5.5". I really like the sky fabric with the crescent moon.

I will continue to look at house blocks and fabrics.

Orange County Fair

Winning at the Orange County Fair!

In total we won ten ribbons! 

I say "we" because I entered one of my husbands collections and it won 3 of the ribbons.

Mama Mia
Winning two Ribbons
"1st Place Twin Size or Larger" and
a "Judges Award"

Mama Mia shown at the Orange County Quilters Guild Quilt Show.
Winning "Peoples Choice"

My "Recycled American Gothic"
Winning three ribbons.
"1st Place Wallhanging", A "Judges Award"
and the "Division Winner"

So "VATS 69"....

The collection started in 2001 when the historically correct movie BAND OF BROTHERS was made. In WWII officers were allotted a bottle of whiskey, the supply ships from the US were carrying vital military cargo of which whiskey was not a part of.  Supplies for the allotments came from Britain and VAT 69 was considered one of the finest. The whisky was at first bottled in port bottles (1882) and was not changed for the next hundred years.

There are 16 items in the collection. The items presented are the most interesting ones. 

1.  Vintage VAT 69 Crate
2. Port style large VAT 69 bottle
3. Port style liter medium VAT 69 bottle
4. Port style 28 ml small VAT 69 bottle
5. Current VAT 69 liter bottle
6. VAT 69 flask
7. Ashtray - glass “VAT 69 Finest Scotch Whiskey"
8. Glass Tumbler



Vats 69 Collection
Three ribbons
"Most Unique"
"2nd Place"





E-I-E-I-O
"Theme Award"
"Judges Award"

9. Frame with (a) Band of Brothers VAT 69 advertising.

E-I-E-I-O

This quilt will be given to my daughter. She is kinda a farmer.

She LOVES animals. She has a pig, "Gracy",  chickens, three dogs, I don't know how many cats at this time and is always trying to rescue any poor little animal that needs a helping hand. 

Comforted by Love

New Quilt
E-I-E-I-O

I started a new quilt by One Sister from the Udder-ly Crazy book in the Buggy Barn style. The quilt is named E-I-E-I-O. It has cows, chickens, goats and barns in it. Here is my design wall right now. There are 25 wind mill block and a couple of the animals. All in all it is sewing up quickly. Again I am determined not to purchase any fabric so it is all from my stash. 

OCMQG QuiltCon Charity Quilt
"New Beginnings"

The Modern Quilt Guild charity quilt this year is finally finished. I sewed the hanging sleeve on it last night. Of course - just in the nick of time. Our meeting is Thursday and it should be shipped Friday to get there in time. 

 We used the selected color palette and the theme was "Small Piecing"

The Birch tree represents new beginnings, the birch symbolizes growth, renewal, stability, initiation and adaptability because it is highly adaptive and able to sustain harsh conditions with casual indifference.

Finishing Up UFO's

I finished three quilts that have been on the back burners for a long time. I showed them at my last guild meeting.

Kimono's

To be gifted to my neighbor who recently lost her husband.

The label reads:
 "To my friend Eileen, May this quilt warm your body and comfort your soul.
"Pieced and Quilted by Julie McCxxxxx
2018

Fiesta de Flores

With the look of Catalina Tiles

Fiesta de Flores

 Cutting Corners

 It looks like an optical illusion

For our November Challenge

Skeleton Cat was gifted to

Orangewood Childern's home.

A total of 28 quilts were gifted that night... Good Job OCMQG!