Quilt Damage

We got back from our week of camping at the Cornerstone Music Festival.  I took along a quilt to do hand quilting on the 8 hour drive to and fro.   I carefully folded my quilt in the front of the van to keep it clean.   Sunday morning I went to get my new shoes out and the laces on one was shreded.  When I  put them back in the car I picked up my quilt.  Low and behold it had mouse droppings on it.  I opened it up and the back has about 6 by 8 inches of damage where the mouse chewed it.  (Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!) I knew I hated rodents.

Flynn Quilt Frame

I just got my flynn quilt frame and was really surprised at how great it handles.   I only put a small scrap piece in to try it out so I couldn’t stretch the sides correctly.  The frame only allows about a 4 inch depth on my machine, but you can quilt from left to right over the entire quilt.  I love that it holds the backing rolled up as you need it.  No more wrinkles or caught pieces from trying to squeeze my quilt through my home machine.

Can’t wait to try it on some of my quilt tops.

Trying my new frame

My first attempt

Rock On Challenge

I almost forgot, my “Rock On” challenge piece, “Chuck E’s in Love” was published in the June/July 2009 issue of Quilting Arts magazine.

God’s Grace

This is my unfinished quilt on God’s Grace.  The stairs are white fabric that was painted increasingly darker.  Strips were pieced with a blue organza fabric over the stair fabric.  This would have been so much easier if I made a template or used freezer paper.  I just eyeballed it and if it didn’t match my picture I unstitched and adjusted the angles.  Oh well, I learned my lesson.

Now, I just can’t decide how to quilt it.

Horse Quilt

I took some pictures of a friends horse and then turned it black and white.  I drew it and simply numbered the color values 1-6.  Next I made 6 piles of brown fabrics for the 6 values and began to cut out all the shapes for this quilt.  I tried to turn under most of the shapes.  I think it looks like a paint by number.

Click thumbnails for close up of stitching.

Studio Mess

It took only a few days to completely trash my studio with new projects.

Horse Project

Beach Quilt - tight squeeze

Design Wall overflow

My cutting table

What a mess!

What am I doing?

I have been working hard, but seem to have little to show for it.  I have been making quilted journals and giving them away to friends.  I am also continuing to work on my stations of the cross series.  My main endeavor is working toward having everything ready to be juried by KY Crafted next month.  Wish me luck.

I am also trying to organize a portfolio of my work so I can start finding a venue for sales.  I did get my business license and tax id.  Now what?

Horses — With the equestrian games coming I am trying to work on some horse ideas.  I have one designed, but it is very complicated and slow work.

“To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe.” Anatole France

Last evening instead of repainting horns made by the children in our co-op, I ended up having to remake them.  (mold – yuck) One of my friends is in charge of a play and the horns are for the march around Jericho.  So instead of quilting, I spent the evening on the porch covered in paper mache.

It was a beautiful spring evening in the company of my daughter and serenaded by twitterpated birds.

Updates on Ezekiel’s Dream

This is the eagle face with the thread painting for feathers.  I still need to do the beak.  Below is a color tryout for the round background.

Ezekiel’s Dream

I’ve started another quilt called Ezekiel’s Dream.  Posted are the four faces and one of the feathers.  I will be thread painting the faces and have about 100 feathers to sew.  The background of the quilt is a large circle made with a 12 inch wedge.

Quilted Journal Covers

I’ve been working on some quilted book covers.  I gave several away before I thought about photographing them.  Others were photographed before all the beading and extras were added and given away before I rephotographed them.  Hope you enjoy!