Quilt Shows

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege to judge a local quilt show.  This quilt was entered in the antique category, which meant it had to be at least 50 years old.  The quilt's owner told me her mother pieced the quilt more than 60 years ago.

Antique quilts are usually easily identifiable in a quilt show, but really, I think they all sort of have the same look to them, but I found this quilt to be such a contrast to my prior definition of an antique quilt.  I see quilts made today that are called modern that look just like this antique one.

I enjoyed helping with the quilt show, I hope you enter your quilts in your local quilt shows, I know some folks are scared of the criticism, but there's nothing like seeing a quilt you made hanging in a show, so get over it.  Plus, those shows are a lot of work, the more quilts entered the better.  And if I've still not convinced you to share your quilts with some shows, then please share your time.  The organizer will love you either way.

Speaking of quilt shows, this week is the AQS Show in Paducah, Kentucky, my 9th year to attend.  It's my favorite show because it has such a different feel to it, the whole town of Paducah is in Quilt City mode.  There are quilty things happening all over town, not just at the convention center, the Rotary Antique Quilt Show, Eleanor Burns Shows, Finkel Building book sale and vendors, the Quilt Museum, just to name a few.  There is so much to see and do.

And I thrilled to share with you that this quilt has been accepted into the show.  Coastal Lily, Lifetime Quilt Number 105 if you want more details.

The pattern is Coastal Lily by Minick and Simpson and still available here.  Don't you want to make a summery colorful Coastal Lily?

Coastal Lily was creatively quilted by Judi Madsen at Green Fairy Quilts.  If you're attending the show please take a few minutes to study the quilting on this quilt, she made the most of the white space in this quilt. Judi is teaching at Paducah this year and has another quilt in the show, Just Call Me Modern.

For more details on Judi's quilting of Coastal Lily click here.

So I'm in for a week of classes, catching up with friends, plus hosting family members who are coming to the show to see my quilt.  It should be fun week!  If you see me be sure to say Hi!

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Flowering Snowball - Done!

My Kaffe Fassett Flowering Snowball quilt is "in the books". "Put it n the books" is what my husband says to me whenever his favorite baseball team wins.  I think the announcers say it too.  Sometimes I get a text that says, " put it in the books", that tells me two things, his team won and he'll be in a good mood.  Sometimes I love baseball season, sometimes I don't.  Baseball season officially started last week, it's a very long season, figuratively and literally.

But back to this beauty! I'm not adding a border, I like it just like this.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 155

I guess I've named this quilt Kaffe Fassett Flowering Snowball.

For the most part the fabric is Happy by Kaffe Fassett

It finished at 57" x 64"

It has approximately 378 pieces.

I started with this roll, which was a gift from a friend. (Thanks again Lisa)

I used all the prints except two and added 6 more that I purchased online.  I enjoyed working with this fabric and having a family of fabric to get me started was a big help.  I think the thing that fascinated me the most were the big prints, prints I would probably pass on if I saw them in a store because they were so big.  But I used the big prints in the roll and was amazed how different they looked when they were cut up.  In the quilt they sometimes look like they are from different prints instead of the same print.  I'll be more open minded about using large prints for smallish blocks in the future.

This is the template set I used for my blocks.  It worked great and I would recommend it.

Baycreek Quilting Products has different size options for this block and several other templates.

So I worked with new templates, sewed curved pieces, and used fabric outside my normal milieu,  what an adventure!  I have decided for sure that this will not be my last project using Kaffe Fassett fabric.

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It's Snapshots Time!

Are you ready for a new Snapshots block?  It's that time again!!  It nearly snuck up on me, I made my block over the weekend.

This month's pattern, Block Four, is Puppy Love, my latest favorite.

I made a few changes to my block.  I used the Puppy Love fabric to make my sewing machine, block two, so I needed to select different fabric.  I really liked the basket print so I just used a different color way. And since my puppy is a boy, I went with a blue bow.  I also exchanged the puppy fabric for a beige and white dottie print from my stash, that matched my puppy a little better.  Also,  my puppy has a big brown nose and brown eyes, so I used some brown stash fabric for those.

The pattern was very easy to follow, the easiest block so far, it only took me a couple of hours to cut and piece this block.  I played around with the eyes some, the pattern calls for buttons, I went with some fabric circles using the Kay Buckley Perfect Circles,  but coming up with the perfect size took a couple of tries.

Four blocks done, 8 more to go.

This is my Puppy Love model, Cooper.

I am thrilled that the FQS has already surpassed it's initial goal of raising $10,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and its new goal of $20,000. The last time I checked the amount raised was over $21,500. Great job, give yourself a pat on the back!  As a reminder, the monthly patterns are a free download, a donation is up to you, the suggested donation is $5.  Here is a link to the pattern, instructional video, donation page, and everything else you need to know.  (click here)  

Here are a few more folks participating in the sew along, be sure to check out their puppies.

Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms

Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way

Pat Sloan of The Voice of Quilting

Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet

Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life

Pam Viera-McGinnis of Pam Kitty Morning

Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs
Stephanie Kendron of The Modern Sewciety

Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt
Greg Jones of Grey Dogwood Studios
Jessie Fincham of Messy Jesse

And finally, be sure to also check out instagram, #fqssnapshots for some great blocks and inspiration, the tea pots were amazing!

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What's going on at my house . . . .

Here's my April quilt of the month,  Lifetime Quilt #140.

 I just got this quilt back from the quilter and was so pleased with it I immediately hung it up.  The fabric is Persimmon by BasicGrey for Moda. The pattern is Metro Lattice by Sew Kind of Wonderful.    I didn't add the lattice, lol.  I don't know if that Persimmon line is a spring fabric but I love it and think it works for April, especially since we've not had much of a spring yet. (click here for more details about LQ#140)  I know some quilters think using a family of fabric is sort of cheating, and I sometimes add a few pieces from my stash when I work with a family of fabric to make it more my own, but this quilt is all Persimmon, and I wouldn't change a thing.  The Fat Quarter Shop still has a few pieces of this fabric left in their inventory.  They also have charm packs and Jolly bars.  For less than $20 you could make something really cool using this fabric and a jolly bar!  This quilt was wonderfully quilted by Connie Lancaster at Quilts Plus in Indianapolis, IN.  

I seem to have a circle theme going here.  My Kaffe Fassett Flowering Snowball is progressing nicely.  The blocks are really easy to piece.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all the pieces line up perfectly when I sew my blocks into rows.

Right now I'm really not paying much attention to my fabric placement, I just don't want two like fabrics touching (that's against the law you know).  For those of you who left comments saying you too were overwhelmed by selecting Kaffe Fassett fabric, look for a bundle like I'm using, it gives you such a great start. I've eliminated two prints from the roll and selected 6 other prints online to add to the mix.  It's wild but I'm still liking it.

And finally, summer is a hectic time of year around our house.  It seems we are on the go more, after hibernating all winter we're usually up for anything going on outside the house for a change of pace.  Since I don't spend as much time in my sewing room I thought maybe a hand project would be a nice way to fill the few extra minutes I do have here and there throughout the day and the time in the car.

I've decided to try this Sue Daley pattern called Gathering Pieces.  It finishes at 54" x 54"

Instead of going with a white background like the pattern, I'm using the orange dot from Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.  I'm also using the navy truffula tree print from Happy Go Lucky for the outer border.  I wanted a project that felt like summer and I think this fits the bill.

Only 216 more orange octagons to go!

Have a great weekend!  

Truffula tree, from the Dr Seuss book The Lorax, don't those look like truffula trees to you?

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Flowering Snowball

If you search Pinterest for Flowering Snowball quilts you get a lot of inspiration.  However my inspiration for my Flowering Snowball came from a fellow blogger and friend, Nicole at Sister's Choice Quilts. (click here)

Based on Nicole's experience I'm using the same template set made by Baycreek Quilting Products.  There are several sizes, 8, 9, 10, and 12 inch finished blocks. I'm making the 10" size. I am very happy with these templates, they create perfect pieces which creates perfect blocks.  Baycreek has several templates, I'm so happy with this set I plan to try some of their other acrylic templates.

And like Nicole, I'm using  Kaffe Fassett fabric.  This roll is the perfect size to make 10" blocks.  I have two Kaffe Fassett books and love most every quilt I see made with that fabric, but this is the first quilt I've made using that designer's fabric.  I've tried to shop for Kaffe Fassett fabric to make specific patterns but I seem to get overwhelmed by the prints, their various sizes, and all the colors,  and just walk away with none. This roll was a gift from a friend and it's just what I need to get going on my first Kaffe Fassett project .

Cutting the pieces was very easy using the templates.

Sewing the pieces is just as easy.  I'm eager to fill my design wall with this wonderful fabric.

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