Will Work for Yarn

I take in the occasional quilting project to support my yarn habit.  The latest project was a Dresden Plate Comforter that I finished today.  Hooray!

When I was first asked to complete this project, I had some reservations about it.  Goodness knows that I have enough of my own UFOs.  Now, here I am taking on someone else's!

Alas, I am a sucker for yarn money...

How much time can a 6 block quilt take???  Well, in this case, it took 3 months. Life has a way of getting in the way of what we want to do.  This time work and Quilt Show preparations got in the way of quilting.

Have you ever worked on a project that someone else started?  That can be a challenge in itself.  We don't all operate at the same skill level.  Nor do we all work with the same attention to detail.  (Not to mention the fact that I wasn't provided the original template for the Dresden Plate!)

Another thing that I found is that it takes a LOT longer to hand applique a Dresden Plate block than the sum of the time it takes to apply one blade/petal x the number of blades/petals making up each block.  Considerably longer!

All in all, the piece turned out well and the recipient was pleased with the end result.  (And I got a bit of yarn money, too!)

Photos will be added when they become available.

Until next time...
Happy Quilting!

Simple Gifts. Give Thanks.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and/or friends.  My (nearly) local extended family enjoyed a delicious feast.  We all ate too much and had too much fun!

In a pre-Thanksgiving Day "light bulb moment", I made a small mug rug for my SIL's mother as a thank you for a thoughtful little gift that she sent me this summer.  In a moment of spaciness, I forgot to take a photo before delivering it to her yesterday.  :o(

I used one of my six-and-a-half inch "Crumb" blocks for the mug rug.  I had set it aside with a group of extra blocks to make pillow shams to match the quilt.  Before I did the quilting, I inked the words "Simple Gifts. Give Thanks." While quilting, I added the recipient's name.  She appreciated the gesture.

I'm sorry that I neglected to take a photo.  I would have liked sharing it with you.  Hopefully, my next completed project will be accompanied by "picture proof."

Until then...
Happy Quilting!

Quilt Show Results

Durham Orange Quilters Guild had a very successful show at American Tobacco Campus in Durham, NC this weekend.  It was great fun viewing all the quilts and attending some of the technique demonstrations.  I still have some "Raffle" Tickets available for our beautiful opportunity quilt.  I'm hoping to sell them between now and the December guild meeting.

I have news of my show entries.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I entered two quilts and one jacket.  My quilt, Purple and Green Coins, was for "display only" due to the tardiness of the entry.  (Yes, I missed the deadline!)  The jacket that I finished for the Spring 2012 UFO Club, Patriotic Improv Jacket, received Honorable Mention.  (I managed to get that entry in on time.)  That leaves one entry unaccounted for...

What quilt was that?

The (Glencoe) Mill Quilt was entered, as part of a 13 part series, in the group quilt category.  Twenty-one feet of quilty goodness was prominently displayed at the main entrance to the show.

Why such good placement?

The grouping won 1st Place!

OK, so what?  That doesn't explain why it got such a primo spot.

You're right.

What if I told you that it received Best of Show???

Let me tell you...

The Mountain to Sea Trail quilt WAS awarded Best of Show.  There are 13 VERY happy quilters (all busy doing a happy dance!)  Thank you to all of the participating members of the DOQ Art Quilt Bee.  I am so thankful to share this honor with such a talented group of quilters.  It's a shame that we also have to share the actual ribbons because they would look REALLY good hanging in my studio!  LOL

The AQB is now plotting and planning for future showings of this display.  I'll be sure to post updates as The Series travels to various venues over the course of the next year or year and a half.  You will also be informed when it reaches its final destination (in full or in part.)

Until then...
Happy Quilting!

Quilt Show Weekend!!!

I have two quilts and one jacket in a Quilt Show this weekend.  For those of you in the Raleigh - Durham area of North Carolina, please read the following notice:

Quilt Show

October 19-21, 2012

“A Thread Runs Through It,” Durham-Orange Quilters' Guild’s 2012 quilt show at the American Tobacco Campus, 324 Blackwell Street, Bay 7, Durham, NC 27701. 

The biennial show includes over 225 quilts and wearable art in a judged exhibition, vendors, a boutique featuring members’ creations, fat quarter raffle baskets, a raffle quilt, 

a junior show, and charity quilts, all in a beautifully restored former tobacco warehouse.  Come enjoy the show, then have lunch or dinner in one of the fine restaurants at 

this lovely venue in downtown Durham.  

Hours are: Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Admission $5 (children under 12 free), parking is free, and the site is handicapped-accessible. 

For information or directions please see the show web site:http://www.durhamorangequilters.org/2012-quilt-show/

Fall 2012 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The List

It's that time, again.  Time to profess to the world which quilts I intend (read HOPE) to finish during the next three months.  My list for the Summer session will morph into my list for the Fall session.  I only completed ONE quilt so 9 remain to be finished!

Follow the link to view the list:

http://thejoyfulquilter.blogspot.com/2012/07/summer-2012-ravelry-ufo-club-list.html

(Ignore the Mill Quilt.  That's the one that I completed.)

Summer 2012 (Ravelry) UFO Club - The Results

The Summer 2012 UFO Club session is now CLOSED.

This session began on July 1, 2012 and any qualifying UFOs were completed (and posted to the thread) by midnight (EST) on September 30, 2012.

Membership: (15)

NO SEND (9)

ThePoch
loisbemis: 1 completed project
basketcase9702: 1 completed project
KK454
needleb: 1 completed project
aerieiris
monicarose51
fishandstitch
PickKnitTime: 3 completed projects

SEND (6)

Lucky13: 1 completed project
Estieknits: 1 completed project
dancergrrlliz
nhsarab: 3 completed projects
fidissimus: 1 completed project
andimc13: 2 completed projects

Session Totals: 9 quilters have completed 14 projects. Thanks to all who participated in the Summer 2012 UFO Club and Congrats! to all of our finishers! I would also like to say a big thank you to everyone who cheered us on. THANKS!!

Mill Quilt (Completed)

Quilting 015, a photo by basketcasejoy on Flickr.

This quilt is part of the Mountain to Sea Trail exhibit created by members of the DOQ Art Bee for the 2012 Durham Orange Quilt Guild Show. The show runs from October 18 - 20, 2012 at Bay 7, American Tobacco Campus, Durham, NC. Admission is $5.00.

My quilt depicts Glencoe Mill, Burlington, NC. The river section shown at the top is my portion of the actual "Trail." This piece was quite the test of my creativity! I was afraid to begin for months. (If memory serves me correctly, the challenge was issued in August 2011.)

I was finally able to wrap my mind around the project in April 2012, when I went out to the site to take some photos for inspiration. These photos were then translated into a "quilt pattern" in June (Thanks, again, Hilary!) and I finally began the task of turning my vision into a completed quilt. Ultimately, I am pleased with the result.

All of the fabrics came from my stash. I used quilting cottons and even some bits of an old T-shirt or 2 from a T-quilt that I made last year. The only fabrics not in MY stash came from my good friend Britt, who can often be found "shopping" in my stash, too.. (Thanks, B!)

Remember, if I can do this... so can YOU.

Happy Quilting!