Fountain de Sulpher

I know some of you will remember this quilt.  I did it for the challenge "Interpret This".    Well today I sold it to a very nice woman who is also a quilter.  We had a very  nice visit here at my antique store.    It is a birthday present to herself.  I hope she enjoys it for a very long time. 

"Pears"

"Pears"

12" x 12"

Rawedged fused applique

Machine Quilted.

I finished Pears and now have completed all my 12 X 12 inch quilts.  (Nine in all.)

I liked giving myself a challenge.  It keeps me focused and working towards a goal.

Next will be a larger piece and I am excited about starting it.  I have been thinking about it through this entire process of working on the twelves and hope that it will work out like I envision it.

I have posted all of these small quilts in my "Quilt Shoppe" so if you have not seen them all you can find them there.  Click on the "Quilt Shoppe" in my side bar.

I will be putting these in my new Etsy Shop which I have not opened yet.  I have to find the time to

set that up soon.

Entry and Redrawing

 I have entered "Honorable Mention" into the Quilt Expo this year.  I hope he makes it.  I should know in a few weeks.  Cross your fingers.

 Back to work on "Pears".  I start out by redrawing my sketch on tissue paper so I can flip it over and have the reverse side to trace onto my fusible.   I pay attention to all the shapes of the shadows etc.
I know many fusers do this differently but this works for me and I continue to do it like this.  I think each of us have to choose our own techniques that we are comfortable using and have the most success with. 

Here is what my fusible will look like after tracing shapes all over it.   I number the ones I may not recognize once they are cut out.  I have very little trouble with fraying so once again I choose to
fuse my shapes onto my fabric choices, cut them out and then pull off the fusible later while I am constructing the object.  Sometimes I purposely fuse on a fabric that does fray to get a more earthy natural look.  In the case of Pears you do not want that "usually".    Never say never because you don't know what works from one quilt to another.

So with this rather tedious step finished I will start fusing and constructing my pears and bowl onto my background.

"Carrots"

 "Carrots"

12X12

Rawedged fused applique

Machine Quilted

Couched yarn binding

I am happy with this and how well the leafy part worked out.  Now to start my final and the 9th !2 by 12.

Spent the last couple days mulching the backyard.  It has been very hot and humid so we got up early to do it each day.  It looks great and we used the Free Mulch from the City Garage.  Our front yard
is nicer mulch for a more formal look but the back looks great with this chopped up stuff since we have so many full plants.  Huge job though and I am glad it is finished.

Carrots Sketch

I think my next 12X12 in my series will be "Carrots".  Here is my sketch that will be what I start with.  Not sure how I will do those lacy greens yet.  May have to experiment first.    Also have to go through my stash of orange and see if I have enough variations of that fabric to do this or will I have to shop first.  I am pretty sure I have enough. 

Here is where I am now.

"Radishes"

Finished "Radishes" my 12X12 inch quilt in my series of quilts in this size.  I bound it in a yarn binding keeping it earthy and natural in feeling.  Two more to go and I am finished with this size and the challenge I gave myself.

A Little of this & that

 Finished quilting and binding "Coneflowers".
 

 Finished quilting and binding "Flight".

Then this morning we went out to lunch with our friends Mel and Heide.  After lunch we drove up to Manitowoc to the Gardens Along the Lake.  It was 48 degrees and drizzling.  Could not believe the change in the weather but we tried to make the best of it.  Had to take a photo of these old trees with branches of strange shapes.

 This one layed on the arbor.  (Notice the parking lot.  We were the only ones there in this awful weather.)

 Most of the flowers were just beginning to bloom.  I loved this varigated leaf yellow iris.  I have to find these somewhere.

 The Koi pond and waterfall was just beginning to have lily pads and blooms in it.

 These dark red velvety iris were stunning.

 Mel and Bob were troopers with collars up and hands in their pockets.

When I got home and headed to the studio, my buddies Ozzie and Watson were waiting at the top of the steps for me.  They almost match!

 I did some sketching of radishes....

and a Kohlrabi.  Then I cleaned up the studio which needed it.    Perhaps my final 3 twelve by twelve's will be one of these.

Bindings

Spent last night sewing on the bindings and sleeves on the fish and the Poppies 12X12 inch quilts.  Could not finish the Sunflower.  I will get that finished today sometime.  Then it will be on to doing more in this size.

Three Amigos At Home

 Three Amigos was finished last night.  I put on the binding and sleeve as well as the label while watching tv.  I decided to keep this one as it looked so nice in my living room.  I sort of had that in mind color wise from the beginning.
The quilt I had there will go up for sale.   I auditioned all the suggestions but just did not like the change it made, so I quilted the centers for the flower and will leave it that way.

"Three Amigos

Raw edged fused applique.

Machine quilted

33 1/2" X 25"

Urban Poppies & Dancing Poppies

 "Urban Poppies"

I finished binding this quilt over the last few days.  As you can see I decided to add some "pod" to the composition.  I am pretty happy with the results.

 A closeup view.

Then I began "Dancing Poppies"

I am thinking of leaving it this way and not adding leaves.   So it is on my design wall and I will look at it over the next few days since I am pretty busy now with some other projects.

Still finishing up our fence project.  We need to order some dirt to level out the area in front of the fence.  The landscape guy came out and said we need two truck loads!  So the first one will come on Tuesday and they will dump it in our driveway.  We want to save money so will wheelbarrow it over and do it all ourselves.  I am not sure about that part but Bob thinks we can do it.  When do you get too old for this kind of stuff???

Detail Photos

"Honorable Mention?" deserved a better presentation then what it was given yesterday.

So here it is in all it's glory.  I am very happy with it and I finished it before going back to our County Fair and taking more photos this year!

 It all began with this photo I took at the 2010 Cty. Fair.

Now my Grandson, Max is here for the weekend.  We will take him home on Monday.

I plan on getting back in the studio then before we begin our privacy fence project on the 10th.

"Quilt Expo" begins  on the 8th and my sister and I are once again going.  My "Gouldians"  are in the show so it will be great fun seeing it there as well as all the other gorgeous quilts.  Since the International Show has left Chicago this is the largest show I can go to right now because of not being able to leave the store for more than a day on a weekend.   I am really looking forward to it. 

Saved up a little bit of $ for it too!

Fini

Last night I finished my pin wheel/Dr. Seuss baby quilt that I made for my next grandchild due in October!   I will do the label once he or she is born with their name on it and my special message.

It is so cute and will go well in his/her blue bedroom.

Reflection

 "Reflection"

16"X 30"

Raw edged fused applique

Machine Quilted

This piece has a lot of symbolism for me.  I chose a location that is familiar and placed myself  there.

I have been reflecting about my daughter's upcoming wedding and her moving onto another 

phase of her life.  It made me think of my role of mother and how each of my five children are now

adults and living their own lives.   I used birds to show them each in flight moving on.

I don't think I realized the importance of the job when I had my children.

I was lucky to be able to stay at home to raise them and I am proud to let them go.

I began with a drawing.  I intended to show an aging face and hands that have done many jobs, but the piece was too small to properly show that detail.

I placed her on the piece.

"When am I going to show up in something?"

Gouldians

  "Gouldians"

34" X 46"

Raw edged fused applique

Machine quilted

I have been working on this quilt for a few months and finished it a month ago.  I did not want to post it because I planned on entering it in a few shows and first had to find out if they had restrictions on it being shown anywhere.  Now that I have decided where I am entering it I learned there are no such restrictions with them.  So here it is.  I am pretty happy with this one and think it has show potential.

I enjoyed the entire process of working on this one.  The colors were inspiring and the theme was just what I love doing.  The construction of the birds took some time but I do like how they are captured here and have a bit of a personality to boot.

I chose to add more leaves and imitated the leaves found on the background fabric to somewhat hide them in the foliage.  The light is speckled as it works its way through the trees.

The birds are there for the tasty berries but yet are curious about meeting up with each other.