2010 Central Vermont Quilt Show Raffle Quilt Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek at the 2010 Central Vermont Quilt Show’s raffle quilt.  I did all of the piecing for the quilt based on the pattern 40 Fabulous Quick-cut Quilts by Evelyn Sloppy.  It was a really great pattern.  I used more fabrics than the pattern called for so it would have a really scrappy look.  Believe it or not, the pattern called for only 2 different blocks – churn dash and a modified nine patch!   Each of the blocks is unique with no duplication in all of the fabrics and/or placement between them. 

The woman who quilted it paid me the most wonderful compliment – “(She) had never quilted a more perfectly pieced quilt.  All of the corners matched perfectly and it laid so nice and flat.”  WOW!

 

Pastel Pinwheels

I have recently been working on a douple pinwheel quilt for a customer who wanted it done in pastel stripes and polka dots.  Using Eleanor Burns’ Quilt in a day pattern, Double Pinwheel (you can also see instructions for the block here), I have just finished assembling the quilt top today.  Tonight I hope that my kids will allow me the chance to quilt it up and (maybe) get started on the binding.  With the way they have been acting lately, that might be too much to ask!

This first shot is my initial attempt at laying out the blocks.  You get two different “spins” to the pinwheels – the dark centered blocks spin opposite to the light centered blocks.  So you want to try and keep the like types together.  This first attempt was really pretty on the inside, but left the outer border too “wimpy”.  It really needed a stronger color scheme to make the quilt feel more balanced – too much of the focus to the quilt was on the center and not the overall design.

Here is a shot of the finished top.  I switched the wheels to the dark centered blocks on the inside and the light centered blocks on the border.  Originally, I was going to use a solid large dot fabric in place of a pinwheel in each of the four corners, but it felt wrong.  It didn’t fit with the rest of the quilt.  So this morning, I made 4 extra blocks for the corners – much better.   With the sashings, the quilt’s overall size is now 40″x50″.  This is my favorite quilt size to make – just right for floor play, snuggling, and fits a crib beautifully.

 

Blocks of Pineapples

Or is it Pineapple Blocks? 

Here are shots of my latest project, a custom order of my Organic Baby Quilt, but in a different color way.  It will be alternating red and blue blocks with a blue border and red binding.  I think this will be really sweet and classic for my client’s new grandbaby.

 Lately things have been pretty crazy.  Both of the children are sick and I have been knee deep in stuff for the CPSIA (see previous posts or my Facebook page).  On Monday, I was asked to testify before the state Senate Appropriations Committee and after waiting three hours, I was not given a chance to talk.  Typical government – they cut off more than a dozen people waiting to testify in my location alone (the state capitol) and many more at the satellite locations.  We were all connected together through an interactive TV network – which, by the way, is on the chopping block of the fore mentioned committee.  Typical.

On a happy note, my kids are jumping out of their skins with excitement.  We fly out next Thursday to Orlando and we have promised to take the kids to Disney and Sea World.  We have tickets on my son’s birthday to have lunch pool side with Shamu, which should be a lot of fun.  Grandma and Grandpa have rented a villa for a month and we get to stay with them for free.  All we have to pay for is the plane, food, tickets to parks, entertainment, car rental (their only request was that we must have a mini van), and anything else we do down there.  I am nervous about the cost, but as my husband said, how often will we get a chance like this?  I will admit, though, that the tickets to Cirque de Soleil look like a lot of fun!

 

Memory Quilt Top

The top for the memory quilt is now finished!!  I am so excited and just LOVE how it came together!  The details and little treasures in each block are simply precious.  All the stains, pockets, ruffles and bows are adorable.  Tonight will see it in my frame, getting quilted!

 

Memory Quilt – Blocks 11-20

The blocks are all finished for the memory quilt and I am sorry I did not post them earlier this week.  Life has been more hectic than usual – I thought it was supposed to quiet down now that the holidays are over! 

Tonight I hope to finish putting together the quilt top and will have photos (hopefully!) posted tomorrow.

 

Memory Quilt – Blocks 5-10

Here are some more shots of the blocks for the memory quilt:

I had to leave the spit up stain on the white fabric.  Such a great memory with the fuzzy bunny from her bib!

Look at the little bunny from one of her booties.  Isn’t it sooo cute!!  My son says both bunnies look like a bunny ice cream cone! 

 

Memory Quilt – Blocks 1-4

My recent project has been to create this really sweet memory quilt for a family out in Germany out of all of their daughter’s first year clothes.  The mother wants all of the baby’s things preserved in a quilt in a throw size done up in crazy quilt blocks. 

The finished quilt will be about 48″x60″ with 20 12″ blocks.  She didn’t want any sashings or borders – just her baby’s things over the entire quilt.

Here are the first four blocks.  You can see some of the sweet details like some ruffles from around shirts and lace from dresses and appliques from onesies worked into the blocks.  I love the whimsy and fun that is in this quilt and believe it will be treasured when completed.  Do you see the pocket in the center of the last block?  It is completely intact and is so fun!!

 

Turtle Quilt – Finished

I managed to finish up the turtle quilt and mail it off to my client in time for Christmas.  The outer border and the backing are the same lovely batik from Robert Kaufman and you can see it here.  Here are some final shots of the quilt with just the binding left to be completed.  Due to its size, it was really hard to photograph.  I had my 6′2″ tall neighbor stand on a chair so I could take a photo – and it still doesn’t all fit in the frame! 

 

Turtle Quilt – Day 13

The turtles now have eyes and the inner border is finished.  I really like how the green has swirls of the same blue as the “water” in the batiking.  You can also see that all of the applique is finished.  My customer did not want the spots on the flippers, but really wanted the eyes.  Tomorrow, I will wash off the marking pen and give them a second coat.

 

I wish I could take better pics since the quilt looks totally off square – but I promise it is just me and the quilt is square! 

 

Memories

Over the last three days, my husband and I have been deconstructing some baby clothes for a memory quilt for a little girl.  Her mommy asked me to take all of the baby things she has outgrown from her first year and make them into a crazy quilt!  How cute is that! ?

I will have to admit that cutting up clothes is a bit bizarre and really upset my 6 year old son.  He eventually understood what we were doing, but he thought we were cutting up someone’s clothes! 

I want to use some of these great appliques from her clothes and feature them in the quilt.  Maybe use them as the centers for some of the blocks and such.  I am also saving the ruffles from some of the butt covers and lace off of dresses to accent the blocks, too.

I just zipped off a mock up to my client to see if she wants any borders or sashings with the quilt, but I think I definitely have enough here to make a sweet quilt.