A Finish!!

Well, I finally finished the top of the "Irish Chain" Quilt along Quilt! I'm just going to post a few pics tonight because it is so late.

The lighting isn't the best, but it's nighttime so this is the best I can get.

It's a picnic size (71x81") It uses alot of Fig Tree fabrics.  I chose the greenish fabric to go with our new trailer..  So I will be finishing it ASAP !  Good night:  I'm falling asleep as I type this!

Irish Chain Quilt-Along

Irish Chain Quilt Along

 

      This is what I've been working on for this quilt-along.  I've decided that the white background behind the navy X blocks stands out too much and doesn't blend with the rest of the blocks, so I'm going to have to make more X blocks in the cream fabrics.  Ugh!!  So I guess I've made a start on another quilt with navy X blocks with a WHITE background!!  :-(   I did check with Steph and Paul and they both think the white blocks should be removed, so I know my instincts were right about this.  Oh well, live and learn.

        So here is this weeks assignment for the quilt-along:  make the petal blocks.  I'm making a picnic sized quilt, so I had 8 blocks to make, or 32 individual petals.  I was so glad when they were all done:  it seemed to take forever to make them!!  

 `I decided to do a turned under petal applique, because I knew that if I made them the raw edge way it would always bother me.  I did the freezer paper method and glued them on with the Jillily Studio Appli-Glue.  It sure is great stuff for getting appliques in place and not having your thread catch on pins while you stitch it down!  I tried to machine applique the petals down, but the only matching thread I had was a DMC two ply for hand stitching, and it kept breaking in the machine, so I'm going to have to hand stitch all those petals down:  eek!!!  That'll take me awhile! 

                          ~A close up of the petal block.~

Most of the fabrics are from various Fig Tree Quilts fabric lines, with a few other fabrics added in navy and the greenish blue (the petals above really are more greenish, but this was taken at night.)
And speaking of night, it is ridiculously late, so I'm off to bed!!  :-)

Hugs,
Helen

Bokeh Card

 So someday I'll figure out how to make separate tabs on the top of my blog, one for quilts and one for cards, but for now they are going to go all together!  ;-) 
  This card is for the Ellen Hutson "Mix It Up" challenge  here.

The challenge was to use Ellen Hutson products with Hero Arts products.  I used the Hero Arts Flag Pattern stencil and H.A. inks:  Tide Pool and Fresh Peach, along with Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze ink.  The stamp set I used was Ellen Hutson Bokeh Dots, and the word stamp was from Waltzingmouse Stamps, and I added a few sequins to finish it off.  It was much  easier to use the stencil and add the stamping on top than I had imagined!!   It's not publication quality, but I'm pretty happy with it since it's my first attempt at this technique!

Quilts from the Past

Just thought I'd share a few of the quilts I've done in the past:

This was done in Oct of 2013.  It was a Schnibbles Quilt Along.

A close up detail.  The fabric line was designed by Sandy Gervais.  Love the fall colors!


This one is titled"Pacific Island Sunset"
       I made it for a competition in 2008 sponsored by Quiltmaker Magazine and Robert Kaufman Fabrics. Made from batiks. It actually made it into the traveling exhibit and traveled around the US for the year! 

  A close up of the quilting detail.  There are sun rays coming out from the red "sun", oriental "clouds" in the light blue sky, swirls in the darker sky area, waves in the lower area where the "water" is, pebbling in the brown "sand" and swirls like vines in the foliage on the right side.  Pics aren't the best, but   I 'm learning about digital photography.  I got pretty good at film, but those days are gone, and I have a new set of things to learn!!  :-)

                                                       


I'll post more later!

Hugs,
   Helen

          

Irish Chain Twist Quilt-Along

     Well, today I'm going to actually start my blog posts!  :-P  After having the blog set up for almost a year, I guess it's time!  I've been a little scared to do it, but here goes!

I've decided to start with Melissa Corry's Quilt Along, celebrating her new book which is coming out soon.
                                                           

Today was the "Teaser" post on her blog:  go check it out.  http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/2015/01/irish-chain-twist-quilt-long-its-coming.html

                                           

Now to go think of what fabrics I want to use!! 

Hugs, H

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