My First Quilt Show Award

I didn't expect it, but was so pleased to receive a third place ribbon for my Deseret beehive medallion quilt at HMQS (Home Machine Quilting Show). In fact, I wasn't planning on attending the award ceremonies. But  since I arrived at the show while they were going on, I decided to hang around until the two Handi Quilter-sponsored awards were given out.

The awards for the category my quilt was in came up in the meantime. Imagine my surprise -- no, make that SHOCK -- when I saw my quilt up on the projection screen. Yup, a third-place ribbon in the Utah's Own category. I didn't quilt it (only designed and pieced it), but I was glad that Jen Alexander, my quilter for this quilt, was in the audience so she could join me on stage.

 

A ribbon for both Jen and me.

Too bad there wasn't  a ribbon  for my mom who did the embroidery and binding!

My few moments of quilting fame for 2014.

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Stash Reduction

I've been using up my stash -- or rather, using up a little bit of my stash. I've also managed to add to it in a big way. Who would've known that when I don't have the energy to sew, I also don't feel like buying fabric. The opposite also happens. As soon as I start thinking about a new project, I want to see what fun fabric collections are new in stores or will soon be in stores.

So I recently splurged on ten Moda layer cake packs. After all, it was "buy nine and get one free". Who could resist? Certainly not me! I really like the flexibility of the 10-inch square. Cut it into strips, squares, or a combination. So it's ironic that two of the quilt tops I've been working on recently were each made from jelly rolls of 2-1/2-inch strips. Here's the first one -- quilt top is finished:

Fabric used: Hello Luscious by Basic Grey -- a jelly roll and some yardage (the light background and the aqua fabric for the triangles)
Design: Based on Thimble Blossom's Rise and Shine quilt (although I made it a bit smaller)

The EQ7 version

And here's the real version (in need of a good pressing!):

I originally intended to finish this and give it to my almost seven-month-old grand niece Pyper. That was until her mother told me they decided to decorate her nursery (in their new home, having just moved back to Utah from Del Rio, TX) in browns, reds and tans. So, now on to plan B. Maybe it will go to baby Rowan, born Dec. 26th instead?

The next top isn't done yet, but I've done all of the cutting so it will be a quick process to sew it up. (Several co-workers and I are escaping to my brother's ranch, where I have a cabin, and we're having a quilting weekend in mid-June. I'm thinking this is one of the projects I'll work on there -- that is, unless I finish it sooner.)

Fabric used: Hometown by Sweetwater -- a jelly roll and some yardage for backing, background, and borders
Design: Daisy Chains by Fig Tree Quilts

I took a class from Joanna Figueroa a couple years ago and this was the project. I couldn't get into the project at the time, but now I'm eager to finish it. Here's how I put it together in Electric Quilt. I only have the light-blue blocks completed, so not much to share in person yet. I'm thinking this will go to my grand nephew Malcolm. He just turned 6 months old. I figure I have until the first birthday to deliver the baby quilt. so I've got lots of time still. (I know that still leaves Thom and Jack, twin boys born last May 10 to my nephew and his wife. I likely won't have their quilts done by their first birthday -- although I did get them designed and have picked out the fabrics. Just a matter of time.)

The EQ7 version

So many quilts -- so little time.

Folk Art Mexican Rose

EDITED TO ADD: The three winners have been selected and have been notified. Thanks to all who stopped by and especially to those who commented!

I'd like to welcome you to Bountiful Heirlooms, my humble (and sometimes neglected) quilting and stitching blog (more quilting than stitching lately). Today's my day for the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 9 Blog Tour. And it's your chance to win one of three copies of this fabulous special issue -- one from Quiltmaker or one of two from me! You just need to make a comment before Sunday, May 4 at midnight mountain time.

I'm thrilled to be included among such talented designers. Plus, every interaction I have with the staff at Quiltmaker magazine is always a pleasure. Congratulations to Quiltmaker for another terrific issue!

So, let me start with my block.

This block was inspired by a hand-carved chest I bought in Guadalajara, Mexico. I chose warm colors that also reminded me of the summer I lived in Mexico.

But when I decided to make the block into a table runner, I selected fabrics from my stash -- scraps, actually, from a quilt that went into my book Triple-Play Scrap Quilting. (You can see that quilt in the header for my blog -- third quilt from the right.)

Here's the table runner (44 inches by 16 inches) as it appeared in the Quiltmaker gallery:

I made the table runner in about two hours. It took longer to quilt it than to sew the top -- but I'm sure you'll agree that in this case the quilting definitely makes the quilt!

Although I quilted the borders and sashing with straight lines, it's the fabulous free-motion quilting done by Vicki Hoth, education coordinator for Handi Quilter and my co-worker, that really makes this table runner shine!

Vicki quilted the table runner on an HQ24 Fusion longarm machine. It has enough throat space that the entire table runner fit and there was no need to even roll it. I quilted some plumb lines through the batting and backing, squared up the table runner with the plumb lines, and basted it down along all four edges. Then Vicki worked her magic!

Don't you love the trapunto-like dimension the quilting created? And we didn't even use a double batting -- only a single 80/20 white batting.

Time for some tips for how I did this block.

I typically use Kim Diehl's freezer-paper method for machine applique. But I was in a bit of a hurry and decided to use Mistyfuse. Mistyfuse is different from other fusibles in that it doesn't have backing paper. So, instead of tracing a pattern to the paper, adhering it to the fabric, and then cutting out the design, with Mistyfuse there's no paper to on which to trace your design first. You simply adhere the fusible to the fabric and then cut out the shapes.

I had ordered a custom die from AccuQuilt to further simplify cutting the pieces. It didn't cost much more than buying one of their standard dies, and it ensured accuracy with every piece I cut (not to mention being fast)!

After I received the die, I traced over the cutting lines with a Sharpie to make it easier to see where the fabric would be cut. Since the price was the same regardless of how many pieces were on the die, I added a couple extra circles in smaller sizes for future use.

Next step was to fuse the Mistyfuse to the back of each of the fabrics. Note that the photos of the fusing and cutting process show fabrics from my test block -- not the fabrics I used in my finished table runner blocks. I used the Goddess Sheets recommended by Mistyfuse for pressing.

Above are two of the pieces I used in my test block. Just need to add another Goddess Sheet on top and press away.

After all of the fabrics had Mistyfuse on the back, it was just a matter of layering the fabrics over the cutting lines on the die and running it through my AccuQuilt Go! Baby. I cut through two layers of fabric backed with the Mistyfuse at a time, although I probably could have layered more.

And here's the finished result -- perfectly cut pieces ready to fuse to the background.

I layered the pieces on the background fabric, carefully topped with a Goddess Sheet, and ironed them in place.

Then I used monofilament thread on top and a light neutral thread in the bobbin (probably should've used white -- duh!) and used a tiny blanket stitch to secure the fused pieces.

I was quite surprised that the fused fabric was able to take the quilting so well and create the fabulous trapunto look.

I can safely say that I'll be using Mistyfuse again in the future. Plus, I have a feeling there are other custom dies from AccuQuilt in my future as well!

Now, be sure to leave a comment by midnight on Sunday, May 4 for your opportunity to win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 9. But if you're not one of the lucky winners, this fabulous issue is available to purchase on May 6.

And thanks for visiting!