Garden of Quilts 2019 Review

Oh my goodness, I am so excited to get a chance to see
some of this amazing event through Riley Blake's YouTube video!  For
those who don't already know, they accepted 4 of my quilts to be on
display at this event.  And about 19 seconds into the video, there's one
of my quilts being admired by a couple of people!  YAY!

I am hoping and praying I can be there in person for their 2020 Garden of Quilts show... it would be a dream come true for me.







Here's a screenshot...

Happy Friday... Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Happy Friday to All! Have a safe and happy Labor Day holiday weekend, and remember the reason why we celebrate... (click below to read all about it)!

Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day?

 

Scrap-Happy Meets Wild & Crazy!

Earlier this year I decided I wanted to do something with all the scraps of leftover fabric I've got in my stash from previous sewing projects.  And right around the time this idea popped in my head, Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side was hosting an Improv with Amy sew-along/tutorial event on social media, so I decided to challenge myself and join in...  And here it is!

 This was the start of my #improvpieced quilt top, featuring many un-matching fabrics that kinda make it look like a Wild and Crazy quilt!  🤪 

Besides all the scrap fabric pieces I was using in this project, I also used a number of my own #spoonflowerfabric designs. For example, the purple petunia is one of my own personal fabric designs, along with a number of others. 😊

 Let the piecing begin...

 

 Below shows a closeup of a number of my Spoonflower designs

incorporated into the piecing along with the scraps.

 And the quilt top is completed...

 Just another closeup...

 Curved piecing below = great practice and I love how it turned out!

AND FINALLY...

My Improv with Amy quilt is completely finished!

I designed my quilt label using Bazaart and PicMonkey,

then ordered it through Spoonflower.

 

The best part about this quilt?

Well, that would have to be that Amy Ellis quilted it for me! 🥰.

I love her Broken Glass Quilt Design on this quilt...

it works perfectly with the busy fabrics!
 

While geocaching at an old cemetery after work,

I decided to take some of these photos.

I just love the history and reading the headstones,

especially when they’re from the Civil War era.

 

 

More Fun on the Farm Blocks!

Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day...

For those of you who love BOM programs...especially FREE BOM's, then this is definitely one you should look into.  It started a few months ago, but it's never too late to jump in.  I participate through the Facebook Group page: Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day (click to go to the group page)

I’ve fallen behind on my #funonthefarmbom by a few months due to having too many sewing projects going on at the same time, but here's some more blocks I did manage to get made since my last post on this particular BOM subject...

Here's my “Matt the Sheep” quilt block.  However, I decided to make this block my own way, rather than following the sheep pattern provided for April’s block. Instead, I made the #folkartsheep using a #paperpiecedpattern purchased online. Then raw-edge appliquéd all the rest to complete the #quirky look I wanted. I do wish I had used a different shade of sky fabric for the background, though, so the sheep would stand out better. But it’s too late now!
Note: Here’s where the pattern can be purchased for the Folk Art sheep:

 http://equiltpatterns.com/folk-art-sheep-paper-pieced-quilt-pattern/

Love me some quirky, paper-pieced, #farmanimal #quiltblocks,

with added #appliqué embellishments, LOL!

Just had to get a photo of these two blocks, side by side!

My #sheep is bigger than my #horse 🤣🤣🤣 LOL!

 Next, here’s my #chicken block, which of course, I did my own way

rather than following the pattern that was provided for this BOM.

(Lighting is not the best since it was night time when I took the photo,

and the ceiling lights always tend to make photos seem yellowish).

Anyways, I love #quirky and #wonky so my chicken is quirky,

and my bale of hay is wonky, LOL! 🤣🥴😂

The chicken is paper-pieced, and her name is Lotta.

I purchased the pattern for Lotta from Regina Grewe a few months ago at

http://www.reginagrewe.de/04muster/0439petrillafreunde_e.html

 

And most recently, I made a second

paper-pieced / appliqué Lotta the Chicken block...

this time for someone else, though.

After sharing my photo in the Fun on the Farm Facebook group
of the first Lotta block I made,

another group member jokingly commented she wanted one, LOL!

I told her I would make her one if she really wants one, so I did!

Now that it’s finished and mailed, I can share a photo of it. I hope she likes it! 

 (I love how much better this photo looks than my first Lotta block...

I'll have to retake the other one outside in the daylight to get a brighter shot)!

A Photo Memory Quilt

Last March (2018), a friend lost her husband and youngest son to a devastating farm accident.  I wanted to do something special for her, and since I love making photo memory quilts, I thought this would be a good way to show her that I was thinking about her and cared about what she was going through. 

I saved a few photos from her FB profile, and printed them out on fabric using Spoonflower. 
Once finished, I hand delivered the quilt to her in June of 2018.  It was a tearful moment had by all.  It wasn't my intention to make everyone cry, but I know my gift of love was and still is so very appreciated.  I just wish I could have done more.  I can't begin to fathom what a person goes through after losing a child or spouse, let alone both.  She has a true faith in God that is helping her and the rest of her family get through all the devastation.  She is an inspiration.

The beautiful long-arming was done by Meandering Mary, New London, WI.  Take notice of the words she quilted in the background... That really made the quilt even more inspirational.

2018 Finishes

I was diagnosed with cancer in April of 2017, and spent the rest of the year having chemo and radiation.  I lost most of my hair, which as a woman, found it very devastating.  Especially since I'd had long hair for over 10 years.  I had to quit my job due to being too sick to work, and finally after all the cancer treatment was done, I got really sick with a viral infection when my immune system was at its lowest.  I landed in the emergency room where they gave me an antibiotic that in turn started shutting my kidneys down.  I spent almost a month in the hospital fighting for my life.  My kidneys were only working at 20% and I was facing dialysis if things didn't turn around quickly.  After all was said and done, I ended 2017 with the news that I had beat cancer.  2017 was one of the worst years of my life.  It came in with bad news but thankfully went out with good news.  I obviously didn't sew much in 2017.  So in 2018 I made it my goal to finish as many projects as I possibly could.  I am proud to say I feel accomplished in all that I was able to do last year.  Now I'm hoping 2019 will be even better.
And in light of all this, it explains why I haven't been very active here on Blogger in the last couple of years, but here's a recap of some of my 2018 finishes that aren't already part of their own post. 

 

Wingless Wyrm is a paper-pieced quilt block I made
using a pattern design by Jennifer Ofenstein of Sewhooked.com 

Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day

For those of you who love BOM programs...especially FREE BOM's, then this is definitely one you should look into.  It started a few months ago, but it's never too late to jump in.  I participate through the Facebook Group page: Fun on the Farm with Quilt In A Day (click to go to the group page).

Here's my completed blocks so far...

"Labyrinth Walk" Quilt

I purchased the "Labyrinth Walk" quilt pattern a few years ago, hoping to have the time to make it someday.  Well, that time finally came in 2018 when a friend asked me to make one for him to give his granddaughter for Christmas.  I was thrilled to have this chance! 

I am fascinated by optical illusion quilts, and now that I've made this one, I'm scouring the internet for more to make!  I have seen so many versions of this quilt, and each and every one is unique, due to color choice.  It's actually a simple quilt to make, so anyone wanting to make this quilt, don't feel intimidated.  There are NO Y SEAMS and it's unbelievably easy to make this effect... it's all in fabric/color choice, and how it's long-armed when finished.  I have my friend, Dorie H. to thank for her beautiful long-arming work on this quilt.

"Washing Day"

Over the years I've made a number of random quilt blocks.  Mainly because it's my way of trying out a new technique, or just because it's a pattern I like, so I make them and throw them in a pile.  I have made so many random quilt blocks, with no idea what to do with them, when I finally came up with the idea to make a quilt that looks like a clothesline with "quilts" hanging out to dry, and here's what I ended up with!   I even added some kitties at the bottom from some vintage fabric I found at a thrift store.
The blue floral borders on the top of the quilt, and the green patch of fabric on the scrappy back are both true vintage fabrics found at a rummage sale.  I love incorporating vintage fabrics in some of my quilts.
I started this project in 2015 or 2016, and completed it in 2018.

Added Note 6/18/2021:
I'm linking my Washing Day post up to blog post "Show Me Something Outdoors" over at Sarah Goer Quilts.  Give her blog a look and follow for great inspiration!