WIP -- The Start of Something New

I began a new project with this piece of fabric for my background.

I cut out 1 1/2” squares and then shaped them like a lily, thinking I would fuse them to my background fabric. I placed a few of the cut out lily shapes onto the background flowers and thought they didn’t show up enough.

Then Emily took the little tiny leftover triangles and fused them on to a yellow background here, and I love what she has going on.

So, I decided to change my background too.

I added a border to make it bigger and then …

… proceeded to lay the lily shapes on the yellow background. But … I just wasn’t happy with the way it looked.

So … I went back to my original idea, the flower background and laid more lily shapes onto it. Now I think I’m liking it!

And now I've added borders and finished the background.

New Recipe and Rise & Shine Quilt

Life …

These boys invented a new recipe. Take 3 cups. Add 1/2 cup of laundry detergent to each cup. Then add 1 tablespoon of party mix to each cup and fill with water.

You really don’t even need to stir it.

The next step is to clue Gramma in on what’s happening. And then … throw it out!

We enjoyed piano music by Carolyn while she was here. She just didn’t play often enough!

… as a Quilter

I helped Carolyn finish her “Rise and Shine” quilt.

The label.

~~~ Parting Shot ~~~

Magnolia Sewing Circle

One of my favorite days of the month is getting together with our church ladies for sewing circle.

Lia was hoping I had a pink lozenge for her.

Rhoda cuts out sashing for a small comfort top.

I love to hear the sewing machines humming with all the chatter of fellowship.

It's so nice that the young girls and young mothers with children come to help with the sewing projects. I love it!

Brittany cuts out squares to make a comfort top.

These ladies are tying a comforter. There are little holes in the sheet that is laid on top of the comforter top. They tie a knot at each hole being careful not to hook the sheet fast.

The South Carolina cousins decided the floor was a good place to trim off the batting and fold and pin the borders.

Shawn pulls Joshua to give him a ride.

“Chopper” Quilt

Life …

I love the way Carolyn likes to work in the kitchen. She made some delicious white chocolate chip cookies.

…and oven baked BBQ chicken.

… as a Quilter

I have so much enjoyed my sister Emily living close by for a little while. She took a picture of a silage chopper they use in Texas to harvest corn.

She decided to make a small fiber art quilt using this picture for inspiration.

Here you can see her work in progress.

And this is her finished piece. Great job!

Detail

And now her husband doesn’t want her to sell it.

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Dana has finish three (actually it’s four now) blocks for her quilt and …

… Emily has started two more projects.

Design Wall Monday -- Carolyn's Quilt

Carolyn finished piecing her quilt top together. Now we need to think of a name for it. Any good ideas?

Emily, Dana, and Carolyn Make Quilts

Life …

I captured this picture over the catfish pond on our way to Quintens house for supper.

… as a Quilter

This has been a fun week, almost like a mini sewing retreat.

Emily needed something to do while her husband Perry helped with field work.

Dana continues to work on her blocks.

Carolyn is here for a week with us. I got her interested in making wonky log-cabin-like blocks for a small quilt or throw similar to what Dana is making and Gina made here.

She is intent on getting the edges cut straight.

… in progress …

And now she has all nine blocks finished and is ready to sash them together.

Fiber Art Quilts -- Fractured Roosters

Recently I took a "Fractured Quilts" class using 4 identical panels. The size of the print on the fabric and also the subject matter made a difference in how the quilt tops turned out for each student. You can see some of the fractures by clicking HERE.

When I finished "fracturing" my fabric, I was disappointed how some of the roosters had 2 heads and how the top rooster on the left had green background showing between the rooster and his breast.

I studied the piece for a while and picked out a blue border to match the blue in the rooster. As Diane said, "The piece as a whole is rather unsettling. There is no place for your eye to rest, and while movement in a piece of art is good, this one is hyperkinetic - for me." Since I didn’t care for the 2-faced roosters I cut out other rooster heads … 

… and fused them to the top of my quilt.

And then since I didn’t care for just the tails of the 2 bottom roosters showing on the quilt top, I cut out more roosters and fused them to the borders to make it look like they were walking out of the picture.

Now … I think I’m ready to quilt it!

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I joined a swap with our regional SAQA members and was tickled to receive this "Hot Coffee" postcard quilt from Ms. Martha.

And I’d love to sit and sip coffee and visit with her a spell too.

One of my little Sequoia Trees ...

...went to Sharon B. who makes quilts of the sky. Her "work is an interpretation of God's majesty in outer space. Nebulas, stars, galaxies, comets, all unseen with the human eye but captured for our viewing pleasure through NASA's Hubble Telescope photographs."

I hope to meet her someday.

Grandchildren and Denim Comforter

Life …

I took care of grandchildren a few days last week.

Ashton and Georgi played “Air Balancing Engineers” with old joy sticks and computer paraphernalia. As I walked by I heard Georgi say, “Nice landing, Captain Graber!”

Is that a salamander or a lizard?

Why is it so “cool” to wear your hat backward?

… as a Quilter

Evie made this comforter from denim jeans and added bright colored fabric for Stacy.

The boys used it for fields and roads as they farmed.