Kentucky Stars

It has been a while since I last worked on this project.  The hand quilting was 3/4 done.  So, a few weeks ago out it came and I've been busy working on it since.  Before I knew it the quilt was done!

Then a bout of stomach flu got in the way and so it sat for five days.  Once I recovered from that, the binding was done a little bit at a time.

When I got tired and needed to stop and rest (recovery takes longer at my age), the hanging got hung up on my design wall so that I could sit back and admire it.

Binding ..... DONE!

Here is my hanging washed and pinned onto my styrofoam design wall for drying and blocking

 Here it is all finished and being admired on the wall above where I sit in our living room.

Oh, happy, happy, happy!

This only took 11 months to complete.

Size:  30" x 35"

There is both hand quilting and machine quilting in this hanging.

Pattern for centre came from Electric Quilt Company on one of their separate programs called Classic Applique Folk Art and it is originally known as Kentucky Flowerpot.  I changed out the flowers and inserted my favourite stars instead.  That is why it is called Kentucky Stars.  The border blocks came from another project that I had worked on and ended up not using in that project.  A perfect home was found for them instead.  

So, that is another bin that can be recycled for another project because this hanging is DONE.

If you want to read more about the progress of this project, just click onto the label Kentucky Stars at the end of this post and scroll down and enjoy reading.

Have a great day!

Next up

The next top up for hand quilting is this wall hanging.

A close-up of what has been done so far.  I did do small machine quilted meander in some parts of the centre.  I do like the effect it gives.  For me, there is no problem combining both machine and hand quilting together in the same quilt.

My goal is to get this hanging quilted before the end of February.  That is doable.

I'm linking to The Needle and Thread Network.

Have a great day!

Kentucky Stars

While I have been busy working on other projects, my Kentucky Stars sneaked in and got worked on too.

The top is done .... except for one circle in the star flower.  That circle was lost months ago.  Lo and behold, didn't I find the circle last night while sitting at my computer on the sofa in the living room.  I thought  my pen was lost in between the sofa cushions and while searching for the pen, the circle was found.  How in the world did it get there?  No sewing is done in the living room and my studio is on the lower level of our home.  The circle must have attached itself to my clothing and made it's way upstairs.  So, now, instead of making another circle, I can just use that one.  Yeah.

My garage quilting friends suggested outline embroidery around the cream stars to give it oomph.  I took their advice and it does make a difference.

When I pan out you can see progress with my split apple core.  All those pieces are sewn together.

On my other design wall, this is what remains to be sewn together.  Oh yes, how lucky am I to have two design walls!

I tried to be so careful not to place same fabrics close together.  Darn, didn't  these two yellow fabrics have to be discovered after they were all sewn together.  The right hand apple core will get unsewn and replaced with a different selection.  It might not really be necessary because the whole look is so busy, but the yellow pops and I know they are there.

Then, another two were found.  These two might be left there because they are hard to find once I step back and look.

I've been marking the completed sections for quilting.  Might as well get a head start on that task and be ready for sandwiching as soon as the top is completed.

A number of comments have been left on my posts on how clever I am to make a split apple core.  Not my idea.  A quilt was found on Pinterest and I just had to make one too.

I'm linking to http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/.

Have a great day!

Pizza Box Challenge

Last September, my day guild had a challenge using pizza boxes.  It started off with me putting in one 12-1/2" unfinished block and a half metre of fabric (to be used in each block) into a pizza box and bringing it to the next meeting.  Handed in my box and got to pick another box.  Make a block and hand that box in at the next meeting and get a different box.  Repeat for the next 8 months.  I did request that anyone picking my box to use autumn fabrics.

Last month, everyone that participated in the challenge got to take their own box home.  The challenge is over.  This is what my blocks look like.  What a thrill it was to look at each block.  We all took turns admiring each box.  Mine are perfect!  They say Autumn.  I have plans, but those will be kept under wraps for now as everyone is to bring in a completed pizza box top to the June meeting and I know that a few guild members read my blog and I want to keep this a secret until then.  So, this is what I've been busy working on.

Just in case you are wondering if my Kentucky Stars has been abandoned .... nope.   Only 3 more star flowers to appliqué and some outline embroidery and this top is done.

I'm linking today's post to http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/.  Take a leap and hop on over to see what other Canadians are working on this week.

Have a great day!

Kentucky Stars

For the past few weeks, I have been struggling with a cold virus.  Not much got done.  A little bit here and there.  I missed out on a couple quilting events.  But, I didn't want to pass my cold onto other folks and they thanked me for staying away.

So, what did I do?  My Kentucky Stars got a bit of attention.  One by one, those Lover's Knot blocks got sewn together.  Then one day, the hanging was assembled.   Great, now I'm on a roll.

  

Then the pulling of fabrics commenced and auditions went on.

Suddenly, all the pieces fit and this is where I'm at right now with this project.  A few days of sewing and most of the appliqué will be done.

Today, I'm linking up to http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/ to join in with other Canadian quilters.

Have a great day!

Working on these

Now that my secret quilt is finished, I can get back to working on this project.  Not much has been done except for a few leaves and the bottom row sewn together.

My split apple core has grown but much more needs to be done on it.  This will be my take-a-long project for the cottage this summer.  It will be double size and will fill this entire design wall.  So, a lot of empty spaces to fill in.

Have a great day!

Edit:  I'll be linking this post to http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/.  This site shows what other Canadian quilters have done each week.  So, pop on over and see what Canada is producing this week.

Here comes?

So, I left you all kind of hanging with my last post.  What will I doodle in the centre of those Lover's Knot blocks?

Since I have a few different software programs with EQ7, why not use them instead of coming up with my own idea?  Well, why not?  This layout is called Kentucky Flowerpot.  Very nice indeed.  Now, the question is:  Will I follow this layout exactly as is?

Nope.  Here comes ..... the stars!  I'll use my trademark stars instead.  Are you disappointed or surprised?  LOL

Hummmm ..... how about Kentucky Stars as my project name?

I will be linking this post to http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/

Have a great day!