While in Michigan, I visited few participating Row-by-Row quilt shops.
The first is Attic Window Quilt Shop in Comstock Park. This was a lovely shop with quite a good selection of Civil War & 30s/40s fabric. And the modern row at the top lead me to my next stop…
What fun! My quilt, Labor of Love, made it to the American Quilt Society show in GR!
Although it won no ribbons, the category was listed as Bed Quilts – Quilter’s Choice. I’m happy to note that it garnered plenty of accolades from many viewers for the hand-quilting and use of Prairie Points. And everyone loves hearts!
Funny story two-step:
In June, I made a simple little quilt block out of 4 squares of citron/blue print fabric and a striped yellow strip that I’d found during a de-stash event this Spring. It was very sweet, and I really didn’t want to swap it, but I let it go. I figured that if I ever stumbled upon more of those fabrics, I could make something more substantial than a potholder.
What’s funny is that I gave my block to someone, who turned it in to the organizer 
with several other blocks. When she redistributed the blocks, I ended up with mine back! Since I hadn’t really wanted to part with it, I decided not to (!) and searched my ReStash Box for another block start to make into a gifty. Lo and behold, I found this little beauty:
What a whirlwind week!
Once again, I wasn’t planning to take a workshop, yet after a little research on our July speaker, Ann Shaw (as well as her mentor, Ruth McDowell), I realized that the piecing techniques these women pioneered were exactly what I’ve been looking for in modern, art quilt making.
Since the workshop sold out quickly, I completely lucked out when a second day was added. Sadly, Ann’s pattern ‘Gallus Gallus’ was sold out and I wasn’t in love with any of the other chicken patterns. Instead, I decided to make the ‘Mountain Chicken,’ which is a frog! Plus, my sister is a frog fan, so this might be a gift for her.
With furious sewing and quilting over the past few months and weeks, I finished the 2014 Hoffman Challenge. True to form, I ran into some strange issues I didn’t experience previously.
Unlike the Magenta version, the Indigo fabric has colorful orange/pink filigree in the background, instead of subtle purple or blue. Thus, I spent much more time fussy-cutting:
Hoffman Challenge, Part 1: Earlier this year, I stumbled on the annual Hoffman fabric challenge. My friend, E thought it might be grand to enter and I decided to give it a whirl myself.
When I saw the multi-color mandala wheels, I knew exactly what to make. (wait for it…) A Carpenter’s Wheel!
They say that travel broadens the mind. In my case, it also expanded my stash! While driving to Bar Harbor at 2am, I noticed a small fabric shop (actually, a bright Pfaff sign) and vowed to check it out after the island festivities concluded this weekend.
As luck would have it, my timing was perfect on Sunday and Sewing by the Sea had just opened for the day. I chose some fun nautical fabric of boat drawings as well as swimmy fish. I regret not buying the destination t-shirt from the island with one colored fish in a school like this, so fabric was the next best thing. Lastly, I found some adorable lobsters!
Recently, I attended a Quilty retreat and finished a couple projects and apparently start a few more! I had much fun and even tried a little Mystery Quilt action. Okay, so right now, it’s just a one-block-wonder that I turned into a pillow, but I really like it and might make some more, although I’ll run out of the print. If I make 8 more, we can play tic-tac-toe!
Another ‘orphan’ block I pieced for the BAMQG Swap/Challenge we’re doing w/the St Louis MQG this summer. The idea is to swap an orphan block w/a fellow BAMmer, then make a nifty item (potholder, zip bag, tote, chickie, etc). And lastly, we’ll ship all the finished items all off to SL & they do the same, so each participant receives something fun in return. Of course, now that I made this one, I kinda like it and wish that I had more of the fabrics.
There are so many things I haven’t done in the sewing world, but this week, I crossed off machine appliqué and using transparent threads! I’m pretty excited with the blocks I’m making and what a process!
Seems the smartest way to get me out of my quilting rut is to try a new technique. Thus, I jumped into Cara’s Voluptuous Appliqué Block Design Workshop using freezer paper and invisible thread. I was truly in my element designing my own block and playing with color! Pair with her easy appliqué instructions and I made some fabulous spiraling blocks. Yes! I finished five of them and decided to continue for a kaleidoscope quilt. More photos later…
The County Fair is just around the corner and I’ve been working to finish this project to enter as part of a group exhibit.
Back in July, I began a Round Robin journey with the Mod Quilt Guild I’d recently joined. Thus, I’ve posted the other blocks I’ve worked on in Aug, Oct and December. It was much fun and now, my own block has returned and it’s taken on a New Direction!