Silo Quilt

I’m excited to be teaching a class on how I make an art quilt from a photo.

 

The sky is acting as my background and I fused the green bushes, pale grass, and road to it in that order. Then I layered the top, batting, and the backing and quilted the sky with fairly straight lines.

After quilting the green bushes with meandering circles and the grass with a straight stitch I am ready to iron my pre-made silo to the background.

Ready for detail on the silo.

Using a fine disappearing chalk marker I drew curved lines for the wire that goes around the silo and then quilted those lines with black thread.

Then I outlined the silo and chute with a triple straight stitch and added dark areas on the chute.

Finally I added the dead vines that had grown up the side, added more grass, and then quilted the road out front.

I thought maybe I could call it ‘done,’ and go ahead and square it up and bind it; but I’m thinking now that I really should add those 2 cedar trees before I call it finished. What do you think? This is a small piece, only 8”X10”.

 

Linking at WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.
and Live a Colorful Life.

    

Haiti Benefit Auction in Florida

Life …

Paul and I traveled to Florida with my sister Coleen and Glen from Georgia. Mother had been visiting Coleen and her family for a number of weeks so she came along with them. Here we are with Vernon K. and my cousin Ann Marie and Aden, waiting in the extra long line for a catfish supper plate.

The Voice of Praise acappella quartet harmonized beautifully as they sang songs of encouragement.

Many people gathered around to watch these men saw that huge log into boards.

I enjoyed a ‘blooming onion’ made by the group from Meigs, GA. So very delicious with either Ranch or Southwest dressing. This gizmo made quick work of slicing the onion.

Paul and I spent the night with his sister Dorcas and Randy and family on our way home.

Another sister, Lois and Titus and Kelly along with Melinda, Paul’s niece came for lunch before we left for home.

… as a Quilter

I was fascinated by this quilt at the Haiti Benefit Auction and loved the design and colors. Upon closer inspection we found it to be a “cheaters” cloth! It was beautiful anyway!

Mother and Coleen take a close look at this different quilt. It almost appears to be smocked.

I loved the color and design of this unusual quilt.

Family Christmas

Life …

Our family was finally all … all 18 of us … all together for an evening meal.

We invited Scott and Fred to join us.

“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” with Gina at the piano.

“If only he wouldn’t cry when I hold him.”

These pecans will make good cinnamon rolls and party mix.

Rummikub is fast becoming a favorite game.

I miss the singing and guitar playing that Dustin created.

Amy and Ashton hang out with Dustin and Gina.

Now that Georgi is 4 she gets to go to Sunday School and has graduated from a child’s car seat to a booster seat.

During that cold snap not too long ago when our water pipes busted, there really was ice on the pond thick enough to hold a few small rocks, but nothing more.

… as a Quilter

While Gina was paging through one of my quilt magazines she found a small modern quilt that inspired her to try to make it. I quickly encouraged her to pick some fabric, cut off the amount she needed,  and find backing and batting, before her enthusiasm waned.

I decided that each of the children could pick something from our “stuff” instead of us buying Christmas gifts for each of them. Gina chose my quilt “Rice Paddies and Cranberry Bogs.” She thought she could use it in decorating their house.

Mountain Heritage Challenge – CELEBRATION

On my design wall …

I’m taking on another challenge to use specific fabric to make a quilt that depicts CELEBRATION. I decided to use a technique by Marilyn Doheney that I learned in a class that I took HERE.

First I sewed together strips of the challenge fabric to make a strata.

Then, using Marilyn’s ruler, I cut the strips into wedges.

I took those wedges and sewed some of them together making a ‘fan’ that I’m hoping will look like fireworks.

Another strata and more wedges produced more design possibilities.

And Amy’s cat Clyde just happened to walk by at the most opportune time!

Linking to
Patchwork Times “Design Wall Monday”
Anything Goes Monday's at Stitch by Stitch
A Round Tuit
Show and Tell Tuesday

Busted Water Pipe

Life …

With freezing temperatures this morning, 10 degrees for us, we had an outdoor faucet freeze and bust. I couldn’t get help fast enough. Water ran out from under the washer and dryer way too fast.

After the farm help turned the water off to the house they started finding a way to fix the faucet.

And then they came inside and cut a whole in the sheetrock down behind the dryer and fixed it.

Water had flooded under the carpet into my fabric closet. So I had to clean out and dry everything that got damp. Now I have a heater and fan blowing to get it all dry.

On the good side, I now have clean carpet and a clean floor under the washer and dryer!