The never ending quilt

The never ending quilt

Have you ever had that project that just goes on and on? I currently have that such a project staring at me as I type away.  I have been working on this quilt for several weeks and it is still not finished.  I know that I could move on and work on another project but then in the back of my mind I would always worry about it.  I think it has been dragging on for such a long time since my life outside of quilting has been so busy! First the State Fair, pumpkin patches and now Balloon Fiesta.  Fall is flying by!  However, today is the day that this project will be done and I can move onto my next project!

Close up of quilting design.

Close up of quilting design.

Photos of remaining animals

With this quilt I left the animals puffy since everything else is quilted.  I am still trying to figure out binding measurements that I feel comfortable with since that is what was most critiqued on my fair quilts.

Next week hopefully I will have a new quilt to update you on and share! Until then have a great week! 

State Fair results

The results are in!

The results are in and I am so pleased.  This was my first time entering anything into any competition.  I really just started machine quilting last December so I was not expecting to win anything!  What a surprise when I saw the results.

Sorry for the bad lighting.  Had to take the photos with my phone.

This quilt is a simple wall hanging that I machine appliquéd and hand quilted.  I entered this one on a whim but I am pleased that I did.  

My trapplique quilt took third place.  I am pleasantly surprised since the category that it was in had some stiff competition.  

View of the whole quilt.

Overall this was a wonderful experience and I am so excited to begin working on quilts for next year! 

Fast forward to this week and what I am working on.  I am still working on the quilt that I am donating to my friends fundraising efforts to get to New York next summer.  

I am hoping to have this quilt finished by next week so I can start my next baby quilt and then my fall projects! 

Until next time,

Holly

Super busy month

What happened to August?

I cannot believe how fast the summer flew by, especially this last month.  It feels like my life has been consumed with my state fair quilt.  Every free moment that I wasn't in the gym or playing with my daughter were spent on getting this quilt ready.  I'm posting some of the free motion quilting that I did.  I am not posting the final result as to leave some suspense.  I am so nervous since this is my first time ever entering anything! Tomorrow is the big day and then I will have to wait! 

Mctavishing-like design placed on whole cloth portion of quilt

My idea of concentric circles.  One of my favorite designs!

Glimpse of whole cloth portion of quilt.  

Teaser shot of quilt being all put together.  Bet you can't wait to see the finished product! 

So what am I working on now? Well tonight I am taking a well deserved night off to prepare for my church meeting tomorrow and relax with my hubby.  Earlier today I basted the baby quilt that I am making for a friend that has asked me to donate a quilt for her raffle.  Final pics will be posted later.    

Panel shot.  Got a great deal on this one! 

Until next time,

Holly

Signed, sealed and delivered

Done!

Last baby quilt is finished, delivered and photos taken.  Again I learned a lot from this quilt! It was another rush order since our power went out for an evening that I was going to use to finish it.  My next goal is to begin the trapplique parts of my state fair quilt and baste the baby quilt that I am going to enter.  I imagine the next two months are going to be very busy! Hope you enjoy the pictures of the finished quilt.  I have also included pictures of the latest storm that hit New Mexico.

Picture of the jungle. (Also known as the backyard.  Had to rescue the pups before they got flooded out. 

Grass and flowers are loving the moisture! 

Finished quilt! 

Close up of the quilt!

Back of the quilt. 

Shot of the whole quilt.

Have a great week! 

Holly

Fun with feathers!

Feathers!

This week I have been hard at work finishing this baby quilt.  However, I ran out of thread! I hate when that happens.  Looks like I'll have to make my way over to the local Jo Ann's in the morning. Oh darn ;). With this post I wanted to share what I accomplished in the time I spent on this quilt since I hope to be finished and have it delivered by Monday! Yay!!

Last Friday I shared with you about the leaves that I had done for the surrounding borders.  These leaves took some time but they turned out beautiful! 

Looking at the next border I wanted to do something different.  For the last several quilts I used stippling.  I used stippling over the panel and wanted something different.  I have only been doing free motion quilting since December so every quilt is a learning experience.  I have never done feathers and after listening to Angela Walters on the Quilt Con video, it made me want to try them.

First time attempting feathers.  I'd have to say they turned out pretty well. 

View of all three.

Favorite part is the corners! So random. 

I say it after each quilt but this is one of my favorites! Even though it is far from perfect it has been fun! I am looking forward to having the final borders complete and having the binding done.  Final picture will be posted next week. 

Some even more exciting news, I received an email from a friend that asked if I would be willing to donate a quilt for a raffle that she is putting together.  I feel so honored that she thought of me.  I never thought that I would ever be considered good enough to donate a quilt.  Perhaps I could sell them in the future. Who knows! 

Until next time! 

Holly

Progress this week

Slow and steady wins the race right?

For the last few weeks I've been hitting the gym hard, trying to continue losing my baby weight.  Well, I think I overdid it and now I am paying for it.  No Zumba or leg exercises for a week.  I am so down but I know that it's for the best.  So now I am doing abs and arms.  I can't wait to be on the mend and doing what I love again.  

I can't imagine what it would be like if I couldn't quilt, better not overdo it with the arms!!  Last night I took the night off since I quilted during nap time and I enrolled in the free class on Craftsy on Quilt Con.  I spent time listening to Angela Walters.  I have a couple of her books, but listening to her speak was very informative.  

On my last post I spoke about breaking thread so many times in my baby quilt that I had reached a point of frustration.  I finally broke down and my little girl and I headed over to the local Jo Ann's.  This is one of mine and my little girls favorite stores and they all know her by name.  We initially went to get thread but we ended up looking at the patterns and material for her Halloween costume, coloring books for her and pattern magazines for myself.  We can spend at least an hour at any quilt shop that we frequent.  I suppose this means Hazel is destined to be a quilter. 

  

Sorry for such a random post but there is so much on my mind and felt the need to write it out.  Next time I plan to have pictures of my finished quilt.

Until next time!

Holly

FMQ Friday

Where did the week go?

Last week if you remember, I was hoping to have my baby quilt done.  Well, that didn't happen.  Life happened and between gym workouts, baby and general clean up of my house the week got away from me.  I was pretty happy with how far I got considering that I didn't work two nights.  

                 

Finally completed the main panel section now onto the boarders.  Flowing leaves idea from Leah Day.

Close up of the two textures. 

I love how the leaves are showing up with the thread that I have chosen but I am afraid the thread is not loving me.  I have so far broken two needles and have countless thread breaks.  I'm hoping this next week I have more success.  

As far as my State Fair piece which I need to start on.  I have been referencing back to the Leah Day videos where where she teaches trapplique.  I was so off track with my idea of how I was going to do it, which was more complex.  I am so grateful for technology when these types of things occur! I look forward to finishing this quilt up and sharing the final result (hopefully) next week! 

Until then,

Holly

I'm linking up http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/