Sweet Surprise

Before I left on vacation, I received notification that my MQX winning quilt was going to be part of a feature article in the September issue of The Quilter Magazine. But today, my Machine Quilting Unlimited arrived. I was flipping through it while my boys were visiting the dentist.
Much to my complete surprise, I found this!!..pictures of MQX quilt Summer on the Beach. It is all set to be delivered to the Maine Quilt Show this weekend (show in 2 weeks). It is so amazing and humbling where this quilt has gone, considering I quilted it after having my longarm only 3-4 months! It's been a very surreal journey-

Tapping into that Euphoric High

Ever since I found out 2 days ago that I had won a ribbon for my quilt that I entered in the Machine Quilter's Exposition, I have been on cloud nine. I had not stitched in nearly a week, but that afternoon I managed to find the mojo to get started on the quilting of this quilt. It was not until this morning that I got the email notifying me of which award I actually won. I am astounded, honestly. Never in a million years did I think that this would happen to me. My quilt won the Rookie of the Year award, with a monetary (& thread!) prize to boot! Yes, I won the Best of the worst quilters!! Ha Ha! I can hardly wait until Saturday to go to Providence to see the quilts!!

This is a rather small quilt (below) in comparison to many I quilt. It is only about 48" square. Frankly, I couldn't hand applique any more to make it larger, and I don't know where I'd hang it in my house if I had! These are "in works" photos, so I am aware that there are things that need fixing. Namely, there are some applique stitches that need some clever hiding via fabric pens. I am a little disappointed in how flat it is turning out. It has a thin layer of poly batt and a nice wool batt (like what I used on the quilt at MQX). I think that the rather dense quilting is part of what is causing flatness, but the batik fabric is the other. It is a tight weave. Who knows, the quilts always take on a different life when they are off the frame. It may poof up a touch in the end. It's a fine line between wanting to have a good amount of detail quilting, and not wanting to create a quilted board.
I have used 2 different background fillers so far -- the pseudo McTavishing in the darkest background and the pebbles inboard of that. I am quilting radiating rays out from the center (as I am sure you can see - they are marked!).

I have made it out to the 1 week post surgery date. We are one-sixth of the way to getting the casts off. Sophie is doing better in terms of the lung infection and her general ability to move around. She's anxious to get the "walking" casts put on tomorrow. For me, however, this is another adventure with general anesthesia I am not totally prepared for. Despite it being touted as a simple procedure, I am sure it won't be a real simple day. It is, though, one day closer to being through with this process.

An MQX Ribbon!

I was sure I was a complete longshot. I was pretty positive that with the caliber of quilts that come to a competition/show like MQX that I'd be the laughing stock. Still, I went with the advice of one much more tallented than myself. She suggested I enter this quilt (my first personal quilt to be longarm quilted my me) in MQS in the Rookie division. I thought perhaps she was just being kind, but looked into it anyways. In a more than insanely crazy moment, I sent in the registration for it. Only, to my ignorance, I sent it in to MQX not MQS! After a sequence of emails with her, she told me it's still good experience, but that MQX is harder competition. What the heck, I thought! So since I didn't have in my head that this was a show quilt while it was being quilted, I didn't second guess every stitch. Probably for the better since I am doing that now with a quilt needed by July for a show. After the binding ws done, I put it back on the frame and fixed a few boo-boos in the quilting and a section I apparently just forgot to do!

With all that has happened with Sophie this last week, I just hope to get to MQX on Saturday as planned. I'm very psyched to see all the awesome quilts.

In an update...we took her in to see her regular Pediatrician this morning. The chest infection is not gone. She's better, but still wheezy. We have a home nebulizer for her and Rx for antibiotics & prednesone. Please...let this clear by Friday. She really needs her casts changed, and I have no idea when the next possible time might be.

Ta ta!