Friday, but no rest for the weary

On my trip to Utah, enough people asked me about Maine's fall color. So here are a couple pictures from my neighborhood. Yes, we have very vibrant red and orange and yellow trees. Fall is absolutely not about just trees with brown dying leaves. It is gorgeous right now (and getting disturbingly chilly too!).

****Back to the regularly scheduled program!***

It has been a week. Yes, just a week. A busy one, crazy one, a tiring one. I am battling a cold that I thought ended nearly a week ago. Somebody did not tell the germs it was OK to vacate my body though. And to make matters worse, I did not have my usual calm afternoon of quilting, and I won't get it tomorrow either. UGH!

I helped to set up for a guild quilt show today. The church looked absolutely amazing when I left this afternoon. It is an old 18th century church, with very lovely features - lots of wooden pews, tall ceiling and many stained glass windows, balcony, etc. Boy, do quilts look great hung across the railings of a balcony. I am definitely getting some pictures in there tomorrow. I have a number of quilts in the show, and what is not in the show, is at my vendor table for my quilting business. So yes, it is a dull and boring 7 hours of sitting, talking & shmoozing quilters and the general public about what I do. Someone really ought to tell them that when you have a show in a town of 45000 people, with 120 quilts, four hours really is sufficient! Nobody listens to me though!

So, here is a dozen or so (ha!) pictures from this week's quilt. It is a client that made blocks from the Modified Traditions blog. The fabrics are Arabella and they are simply devine. I spied this on her blog before she ever brought me the quilt. Really wish it could live here instead!... The greens and coral are so pretty. So, she wanted a nice custom. When I get a new quilt, I let it "tell me" to some degree how it ought to be quilted. I absolutely love feathers, but this one was not talking feathers to me. The fabrics have many swirly scrolls and leaves, so I went with those motifs.

The background is a really nice ivory. Oh, how I love to see ivory used rather than stark white. It is so much prettier and richer looking.

Busy borders can be more challenging because the quilting is not as visible. Plus, it is harder to see what you are quilting on them as the quilting is being done. I went for a purely geometric look in her piano key border with a 45 degree cross hatching. It is simple and clean (OK, not that simple to stitch - does take plenty of time with the rulers, but then).

I maintained consistency with the blocks. There are 2 of each type block I think and similar blocks are quilted alike. I also only used swirls, swirls that make a heart, pansy flowers and the leaves. Fewer designs make the overall plan appear cohesive.

If this quilt doesn't just make you want to go buy this fabric line, what will?? If I only thought I'd make something in it in the next 5 years I'd already own it!

Such fun I had. Hope the owner appreciates it as much as I do.

Sampler quilts are so much fun to sew. If only I had the time... They are perfect for those that tire of making 50 of the same block (like me!).

Have a good weekend. And quilt more that I likely will~