I'm a Traveling Girl . . . .

This week I'm traveling to Paducah, Kentucky to attend the AQS Quilt Show.  This is my seventh straight year attending this show.  It's a fun week of learning new things in classes, drooling over the amazing quilts on display, playing with all the latest gadgets and machines that are currently available, and trying not to spend too much money at all the vendor booths.  Leaving the menfolk behind at home to do their own cooking and cleaning is a nice little perk too!

I always come home from the show full of inspiration and ready to tackle new challenges. 

 The quality of creativity and craftsmanship on display at this show rivals no other show I've attended.  Each year I've attended I've always wondered in the back of mind if I had one of those amazing quilts in me.  Turns out I do have one or two of those quilts in me! 

 I'm so happy to tell you that I have two quilts  accepted into this year's AQS Show in Paducah!

First up,  my Red and White Tribute Quilt!  

What an adventure this quilt has been.  When I started this quilt I was just wanting to quench my desire to make as  many red and white quilts from the NY Infinite Variety Show as I could.  When I got going on this project I had no idea how it would all come together.  To go from that to the AQS Show is mind numbing!

The official title for this quilt is, "My Tribute to the Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts show".  It's in category 9 - First AQS Entry -Large and is Quilt #905.

This quilt was accepted into the show also.  

I have no problem admitting that it's not my piecing skills that got this quilt being accepted into the show, it's Judi Madsen's quilting that turns this lovely quilt into a masterpiece.  Not only is the quilting exquisite and perfectly executed, it's unique.  I'm so happy folks from all over the world will get to see in person the wonderful work Judi did on this top.

The official title for this quilt is, "Two Score and Seven Stars", it's in Category 7, Large Wall Quilts, and is Quilt #706.

If by chance  you are going to the show, I would love nothing better than to get a picture of you standing in front of one or both of these quilts!  Email your photos to me at cupcakesndaisies@gmail.com.

For more information on - 

Red and White Tribute Quilt see Red and White Tribute Quilt tab on this page orclick here.

Two Score and Seven Stars see Lifetime Quilt #62 in my Lifetime Quilt section orclick here.

I'll be back next week to share all the great stuff I saw and bought!  I hope you have a great week too!

Read more

What a week . . . . .

So as if this week's not been exciting enough, between starting Birdseye and getting a look at my quilt on Judi's blog, look what arrived in my mailbox yesterday . . . .

the latest issue of American Patchwork & Quilting. I've been quilting for over 7 years and have subscribed to this magazine from the get go. I'm always happy to see this magazine arrive in my mailbox, but this issue is particularly special to me, there's a nice little write-up on page 51 about my Red and White Tribute quilt. Can you believe it, my quilt is in a magazine!!

It's been a real whirlwind getting the top quilted and off to Iowa for photographs before the deadline. A big thanks to Connie Lancaster at Quilts Plus in Indianapolis for taking the time to work this quilt into her busy schedule, do an amazing job of quilting the quilt, all within a narrow time frame.

This is how it all came to be, the day after I blogged about my finished top I got a note from Elizabeth Tisinger Beese, Senior Editor for the magazine. She said they were working on some red and white quilts for the next issue and that they would like to add a small article about my quilt. I was pretty much in shock, I'm a quilter, just like you, not a pattern designer, not someone who ever dreamed of having a quilt in a national magazine, just a someone who enjoys taking pieces of fabric, cutting them up, then sewing them together again, at home, alone, just for the pure joy of it. After the initial shock wore off, I wondered how Elizabeth had found my blog and read about my quilt, so I asked. She said someone who reads my blog had sent her a note about my quilt and she was so glad that they did. She also sent me the email that she received that started the whole thing, and here it is . .

"Greetings~

Fresh on the morning's blog(s) is a most amazing quilt that you just have to feature, aMUST in my opinion! Just wait 'til you see this quilt~! And HURRY, before another publication beats you to it~~ Trust me...this is unlike no other quilt you've EVER seen!!!! This is a huge, huge, huge story~~~~

You can go to Thelma's blog and read all about her creation and her tribute to the Red & White Quilt Show in NYC....It is truly an amazing journey~

Hoping to read Thelma's story in a future issue~ Heck, Thelma's story could be an entire (special?) issue in itself!! I'd love to have a follow up confirmation (should) when you feature this story if possible~~ that would be awesome!!

Thanks for listening...
Debbie"

Aren't quilters just the most amazing folks in the world! If Debbie hadn't taken the time to send the note to American Patchwork & Quilting my quilt would not be in that publication. And isn't her note hilarious, I think Debbie is quite a salesperson, and her enthusiasm for my quilt just warmed my heart. I've had the privilege of meeting Debbie in person at the Prairie Star Quilters Guild meeting where Carrie Nelson was presenting a trunk show the fall of 2010. Debbie is more of a lurker on my blog, I don't hear from her on a regular basis, which makes the fact that she took the time and effort to contact AP&Q on my behalf even more amazing. Debbie, thanks so much, I'll forever be in your debt.

If you've yet to receive your issue or don't subscribe, here's a link to Elizabeth's blog that talks about the Red and White quilt show and my quilt. click here

So that's the latest from here, next week I'll be back to my normal routine, decorating for the holidays, doing some shopping, and of course sewing!!

Thanks to everyone who has sent notes or left comments regarding my Red and White Tribute quilt. When I started that project I didn't even know what the finished quilt would look like, and here it is, in a magazine. I could not be happier or more grateful, it's really been a fun adventure, a once in a lifetime event, thanks for following along.

Read more

Quilt-y-ness . . . .

Several of you sent me notes about my blog redesign saying not only did you notice that my blog was now sitting in the middle of my Red and White Tribute Quilt, but it looked like my Red and White Tribute was quilted!

Very observant of you, and so right!

Yes it's true, my Red and White Tribute Quilt has been quilted.

It was quilted by Connie Lancaster at Quilts Plus in Indianapolis, IN.

Here it is, all done. I could not be happier.

Each mini quilt in this project was quilted uniquely. Connie went with a perfect combination of new and old quilting designs, I think it adds so much to the overall look and feel of the quilt.

So here's the center, it's hard to go wrong with feathers.

We chose a more modern design for the Jacobs Ladder quilt.

And some swirls for the snowball blocks.

More feathers to surround the stars,

and some wreaths and crosshatching for my houses.

Finally, a different wreath pattern for the double nine patch quilt.

It's so hard to believe that after spending my whole summer devoted to this project that it's all done. Nothing left to do now but enjoy it!

Read more

Red and White Tribute Quilt - The Final Chapter . . . .

Or, "How I spent my summer vacation"!!

After torturing you with 10 Red and White Tribute Quilt posts I won't make you wait any longer, here it is . . .

The idea of this quilt is to make you feel like you're walking into the Infinite Variety Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts Show and all that you see is red and white quilts.

This quilt has no border for one reason, I wanted my mind's eye to continue with each quilt that was on the edge and to the other quilts in the show. Having a border made this project have a stopping point, and it doesn't, not to me, after all, the show wasn't called Infinite for nothing!

I was also a maniac about the layering of each quilt, the center tree quilt is the only piece where you can view the entire quilt, the other quilts show at most two borders, because the quilts "hang" in front of or behind the other quilts.

This is the picture that gave me the idea to create my quilt in this manner.

My first plan, assembling the quilt using graph paper, was a good starting point but when it got down to the final few filler quilts I went with a different approach.

I placed painters tape on the floor the size I was shooting for, I also ran tape down the center and side to side to keep the tree quilt in the middle.

This approach made playing around with the final placement of each piece much easier. I guess easier is a relative term, as I mentioned in my last post, it took me 22 hours to get all the pieces to fit together perfectly .

This shot gives you a better feel for the size. I don't think there is anything I would change. I enjoyed the challenge, the process, and the quilt has the look I was going for.

This is Lifetime Quilt #72, it finished at 67 1/2" x 83" and has approximately 4,054 pieces. (900 less than my personal high of 4950, Oh Christmas Tree has that honor)

If you would like to review my process, start to finish, just select "Red and White Tribute Quilt" in the "Categories" section to the right.

Thanks so much for your support, enthusiasm, and bewilderment as I worked on this project. I loved working on my tribute quilt but sharing it with you was just as much fun and a real motivator to see this project through.

So what's up next? I'm not sure, but it won't be red and I'm NOT designing it!

Read more

Red and White Tribute Quilt . . . .

The Infinite Variety Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts show in New York City consisted of more than 650 quilts. When I started working on ideas for my tribute quilt, I knew I wouldn't be satisfied with making one red and white quilt, but also knew I didn't need to be making more than 650, that's how I came up with the idea of combining several mini quilts.

I studied all the quilts and narrowed the list of potential projects down to nineteen. It wasn't even really that hard. A lot of the quilts are similar in nature, so I knew I would pick only one from quilts that used the same block. Some of the quilts used techniques that I don't have the skill set for, like Hawaiian Applique quilts, there were several of those, and I eliminated those right off the bat. Some of the quilts required a pattern that I just didn't have the ability to recreate, so they were out too.

I ended up using 10 from my original list of nineteen. There wasn't a big plan to only use 10, that's just how it all worked out, the quilt told me it was done, and I listened.

I though perhaps you would enjoy seeing the nine quilts that didn't make the final cut,

Quilt #853, Pavilion 4 Exterior Middle - A pineapple quilt. I love pineapple quilts, making a pineapple quilt is on my To Do list. Maybe someday I'll make a red and white one, just like this, but there are no pineapple blocks in my project. I just didn't think they fit in with the other blocks.

This is Quilt # 907, Pavilion 2 Exterior Middle, Churn Dash block. I personally feel like this block has an old time quilt feel to it. I've never made a churn dash block and thought this quilt would look so good in my project, I just ran out of room. Luckily the Farmer's Wife quilt has two churn dash blocks, so there are some in my future.

This is Quilt #831 Pavilion 11 Chairs - I loved the look of this quilt, and there were several of these. I thought about having just one row of these blocks in my quilt, but I was afraid if I stuck in single rows here and there, you would loose the feel of an entire quilt, even though my project has just sections. It's hard to describe and hard for you to imagine, me not wanting my project to look too busy, but believe me, even I have my limits when it comes to busy!

Quilt #963 - Pavilion 2 Interior Middle. I thought this pattern needed to be on a corner to work, and I used up my corners before I got to this one.

Quilt #1023 Pavilion 2 Interior Middle -I loved the look of this quilt and thought I would enjoy the math challenge of making a mini one of these. Then I decided I would need a good chunk of this project in my quilt to look like this pattern, and I didn't have the space to give.

Quilt #1074 Pavilion 2 Interior Bottom - there were several checkerboard designs and I loved them all. My grandmother made this type of quilt, cutting her blocks with scissors and using a cardboard template. She made a brown and white one, a red, white and blue one, a pastel colored one (I got that one!) and several others. I initially thought this pattern would be good filler, but it looked too busy when put in the mix.

Quilt 1189 Pavilion 11 Interior - Irish Chain - there were several Irish Chain patterns in the show, I went with a very simple design, but I really preferred this one, but I didn't have the space I needed to pull this one off.

Quilt #822 Pavilion 3 Interior Middle - There several of these plus some were the reverse, white blocks with red sashing. You just don't see this design anymore, I thought this one would be a good filler or background project, but I just didn't need it.

Quilt 689 Pavilion 1 Exterior Top - Dots! I love these dot quilts. There was another one that was red strips with white dots next to a white strip with red dots, back and forth, too cute. Of all the quilts in the show, I would say I'm most likely to make a red and white dot quilt, they just tickle my funny bone for some reason.

So that's my parade of "almost but not quite" quilts. You'll be relieved to know my Red and White Tribute Quilt is DONE!! It took me 22 hours to get all the pieces together perfectly, and one section took 4 tries. I'm surprised you didn't hear me hoot'n and a holler'n when I finally got the last section to fit, it was a celebration at my house, that's for sure, and a huge relief. I think it was worth every minute, stop back by next week and see if you think so too!

Read more

Filler . . . .

I've finished the last two "quilts" for my Red and White Tribute Quilt.

I just knew I needed some flying geese in my project, and there were several quilts with geese that caught my eye.

Like this quilt for example, #765, displayed in Pavilion 1, Interior Top.

Same theme different version, # 892, displayed in Pavilion 10, Exterior Top.

In the end my decision was driven by the space I had to fill, and this one fit the bill perfectly.

This is quilt #1026 and was displayed in Pavilion 12, Interior Bottom. The quilting really makes this quilt, there are braids between each row of geese and in the border. I plan to ask my quilter to do the same.

So here's my version of 1026.

I also felt pretty strongly that some log cabin blocks needed to be in my quilt.

I'm going with 3 inch finished blocks. I'm thinking they will be good filler for the space I have left. (I paper pieced these blocks)

So that's it, all that's left is putting together all the pieces.

And here's how I'm doing it. I'm shooting for a quilt around 68" x 82" and using graph paper to get a general idea of how it should all go together. Scary, I know! I'm guessing this isn't how the professionals do it.

Thanks so much for your continued support and interest in this project, your comments have motivated me and convinced me that this will all come together, hopefully it doesn't all come together in my trash can . . .just kidding, I'm too stubborn to give up now!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, the temperatures here are finally bearable. After heat indexes in the triple digits, 80 degrees is feeling great!

Read more

Yet Another . . . .

There's just no other way to say it or make it anything other than what it is, yes it is yet another update for my Red and White Tribute Quilt.

Here's the inspiration,

Quilt # 1040, Pavilion 10, Exterior Top.

Here's my version,

29" x 29"

406 pieces.

Thanks so much for continuing to stop by and watch my progress, it must be like watching grass grow, nothing but red and white somethings every post.

Hang in there, the end is in sight!

Read more

Mise à jour de Couvre-lit d'Hommage rouge et blanche

I sure hope my title says Red and White Tribute Quilt Update! I thought maybe you would be ready for a change of pace, and since I'm still working away on my red and white tribute quilt, (and have been since the middle of JUNE!) the best I could do for a change of pace was messing with my title . . .

so this is where I left you last,

a little zigzag pattern that turned into

a little bigger zigzag pattern. This will be trimmed to fit somewhere.

This was my inspiration, Quilt #930, which hung in Pavilion 11, Exterior, at the Infinite Variety Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts show at the American Folk Art Museum.

Next up, something like this,

this is Quilt #132, which hung in Pavilion 1, Interior Bottom.

Or maybe this . .

Quilt # 1041, which hung in Pavilion 10, the Interior top. There's something going on in this quilt that gives it more of a presence of white fabric which I find very interesting. The white side of the block is the same size as the red side with the hsts, subtle isn't it!

So far, my "quilts" have been predominately white, so I figured I better go with quilt 132, even though I really prefer quilt number 1041. But at this point I need to think about the finished top and stop picking what I like the best.

So I made this. The blocks with the hsts finish at 5 inches.

On another note, winner, winner, chicken dinner!

I was so excited so many folks were interested in my Saltbox Harvest by Deb Strain for Moda scraps. I plan to do this more often with future projects since there seems to be so many folks willing to try and make something out of my leftovers. But really, in this case, there is quite a bit of leftover, more than my usual projects.

I enjoyed reading about everyone's favorite vacation destinations. Hawaii and Alaska were already on my list, and I've done a pretty good job of hitting the major Pacific Coast destinations, but I've not been to the North Atlantic coast at all, and after reading your comments, Maine is now on my destination list, plus some of the other coastal cities out east.

One thing I have to agree with, sometimes it's not the destination but the company that makes a vacation. I take a one week vacation each year with my daughter, and it doesn't matter where we go, it's one of the best weeks of the year for me.

So I put all the comments and emails that I received in a bowl,

and out of 110 folks this is the winner,

Brandie, at abc (a Brandie Creation). Congratulations Brandie, and thanks to everyone who took the time to share their favorite vacation destination with me.

Read more

The House that Thelma Built . . . . .

So here are a few of the "house" quilts from the Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts show.

I've noticed online that this block has two names, sometimes this block is called "Little Red Schoolhouse" and sometimes "The House that Jack Built".

This is quilt #755 and was hung in Pavilion 5, Exterior Middle. I'm guessing these are more houses that Jack built since they're surrounding a church, like a a little red house town.

This is quilt #1012, and was hung in Pavilion 8. Another little red house town surrounding a church.

This was my favorite house quilt.

I like the fence and how that one row of houses are upside down.

This was the inspiration for my little quilt.

My houses are 4 1/2 inches, and even though they were pesky, I love them. I would love a whole quilt of these houses but not houses that are only 4 1/2 inches, I would want to build bigger houses for a full size quilt.

My version is 21" x 39" and has 450 pieces.

For the whole project I'm now up to 2,090 pieces. I think I'm over the half way point.

Next up, a few of these.

Do you know what these quasi four patch blocks make?

This rickrack design! Did you know that? At least that's how I think I make this pattern, that's what I"m going with, stop back by to see how it all works out!

Read more