Tuesdays are Just For Me

I know you have seen this quilt ad nauseum this year, but the very nice quilter Melinda sent me these. She lives in the Atlanta area, and taught classes at the Georgia Quilt Show, where the quilt was last week. Melinda has done my Four Seasons Quilt Swaps in past years, so I figured she'd be happy to take a few pictures for me. "Primavera" earned a Special Recognition ribbon. I'm not sure what this ribbon really means, but it is better than a kick in the pants! Mostly, I wanted to get the opinions from another set of judges on my work.

As you might have guesses, I did have plenty of time last week in airports to stitch on this piece. I managed to get the entire ribbon swag appliqued on mostly before I left. I am onto the 2nd corner appliqueing the vines and leaves.

Here's a poor quality closeup shot. The stems are actually stuffed with yarn to give them some dimension. There is quite a bit still missing on these corners, like the many (many!) grapes, embroidered tendrils, few flowers and leaves of a different shape.

The grapes are far from hard to make, but I figured I will need in the vicinity of 125 grapes for the border. Yikes!! I have about 12-15 of the templar circles in the appropriate sizes,so I have started to make the grapes a few each day.

And, lastly...look what arrived yesterday in the mail! Here is the offending pair of scissors that were confiscated by TSA last week. I really never thought that the'd actually arrive. My husband, of course, saw them and said they should have just arrested me for attempting to take them on a plane! Nice guy... They are a brisk five and a half inches long, but are not in the least bit pointy! Like seriously, how could I threaten anybody with round edge scissors??

Take a risk, Take a chance, Make a change

I am back from a whirlwind long day at the Maine Quilt Show. It's only 75 minutes for me to drive to Augusta, but I left at 7am and did not get home until nearly 8pm. Next year I will need to plan on coming an additional day if I opt for a class. I took an all day applique class yesterday from Karen Kay Buckley. The class was fast-paced and really good. It was my first official quilting class, ever (hard to believe). I have always learned things on my own or by doing research. This was a nice change to have someone else tell me what works for her. Though my applique piece is far from done, it is looking nice technically. I have an entire new dream list of gizmos and threads I need too! But...because of being in a class all but 2 hours yesterday, I did not get near as much time to just stand and stare at all of the quilts as I'd like. Likewise, I had to pass on shopping at all the quilt shops too.

It was really great to see both of my quilts hung amongst the competition. I am so proud of how they both looked. I was kind of upset because I did actually find out from my mom later on Friday evening that they both had 3rd place ribbons. I really wanted better. But to see them hung was confirmation enough that they looked really good. The demarkation between 3rd and 2nd place is a hard one to define. Many of the 3rd place quilts were very impressive, while I saw a couple 2nd place ones that I had to roll my eyes at. I am anxious to receive the judges comments in the mail this week to see how they really did, by the numbers.

"Summer on the Beach" surprised me. I thought for sure this would score like a dog turd, but for some reason judges like it. I guess it just has SO many triangles that they didn't look long enough to find the ones I chopped to make it all go together. I'm not sure all of you can access this link, but it's worth a try. Here are more pictures of this quilt, as are some here. This quilt is officially retired from it's brief show circuit to take it's new place on my bed.
And here is my newest quilt "Primavera", also sporting a 3rd place ribbon. It's not inconceivable (depending on what I hear from the judges comments) that this quilt may make an appearance at another show next year. It looked so fantastic hung under the show lights. The crystals on it (all 700 or so) twinkled beautifully. And seriously, it hung between two really nice quilts, both with yellow ribbons. I just LOVE that hibiscus flower quilt.
My mother, the so-called-photographer, didn't get such great pictures of me with either quilt. I look stoned, drunk or just looking the other way in most of them. Lovely!
Here's a few detailed pictures of these...The back is so textural. Partly this is from using 2 layers of batting (poly and wool), but partly from the amount of quilting.
The borders which I initially worried about the Rainbows thread, actually looked really good. I'm sure a judge will have something to say about that lime green flange that I stitched down though :-)

The experts at MQResource gave me such great advice on my quilting plan. I'm really glad someone suggested doing the radiating lines. It was a little bit of a pain since I drew them on with a compass and a ruler (rather than the specialty and $$ rulers that do exist), but it was worth the time.

This brings one event in my life full circle. A year ago when I went to this show, and entered my first quilt, I also tested all of the longarms. At that point, I only dreamed of being able to own one. It never dawned on my I'd be able to quilt as well as I do. By September 2009, I knew I was buying a machine, but I still had personal doubts about whether I could make a home-business successful. How long would it take to get up to speed? How would I attract clients? The rest is history now. As I left the dealer that last time (after testing the HQ Fusion), I heard a song on the radio. Now I am by no means a Kelly Clarkson fan, but the words spoke to me. I found the encouragement and motivation to "Take a chance" in this song. Most ironically, as I was getting on the highway last night to come home, this very song came on the radio. I felt like an angel was watching overhead. Follow your heart. Follow your dream. Take a chance.

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky

And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Out of the darkness and into the sun

But I won't forget all the ones that I love

I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change

And breakaway

Intentionally Evasive

My mother emailed to tell me that my aunt had been to the Maine Quilt Show today. She said she knew something about my quilts. I kind of figured that meant that they probably had a ribbon. I asked her to elaborate. And all I know now is that there are 2 ribbons...one for this quilt and this one. Right now I could wring her neck for not telling me more, knowing I cannot go to see the quilts until mid-day Sunday! Part of me wants to preserve that surprise, assuming it is a surprise I will be tickled with.
The first quilt "Summer on the Beach" (the one that won a ribbon at MQX this year) I really don't think will do all that terrific. I'm not really looking forward to reading the judges comments because I know where it falls short. It was not quilted with the intention of going to a show. It was not pieced with the intention of being show-worthy. I never envisioned that it would actually be featured in not one, but two magazines this summer! It was sort of a whimsical decision the morning before I drove to Providence to go to MQX that I decided to enter it, and for it to be judged. It has some "just fudge it" piecing here and there. I've always been neurotic about my triangle points, but there's one row of 1" HST's that I decided really didn't matter that much! It's only destiny throughout the process of being made was to end up on my bed. And it will.

The second quilt is one I have yet to show finished pictures of here. Call it a jinx. Call it whatever. You can even say that I am just like my mother, being slightly evasive by only showing you a picture of the quilt's back!! I designed this one from the start to be this year's show quilt. I second guessed each thing I did on it from the appliques to every patch of quilting. I solicited guidance from MQResource on my quilting plan. Now, I have posted this quilt there, and many very nice people have given me kind words of praise for the quilt. Click on that link if you feel compelled to see before Sunday. I look at it this way. I started the applique mid-Fall 2009. I'd stitch on them as may Thermo students took tests. In January of this year, I scrambled to get the relatively detailed (in terms of applique) corners finished. I know that I have been longarm quilting for 10 months. I'd only consider the last 5-6 months within the window of skills required to quilt this quilt appropriately. To get a ribbon of any color for my first year of machine quilting is an amazing feat. I am proud, as I should be. I'd be lying, however, if I said I am not greedy in the particular color ribbon that I really want!

Greed. One of those so-called deadly sins. Or is it? Perhaps it is just the fuel that motivates each of us to be better at our trade.

Have a great weekend-

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.