My Quilt Show

I've mentioned my quilt show here quite a bit over the past few months, but now that it's been hanging for a month, I thought I'd better get some pictures up of it!

I've already posted about these quilts extensively on this blog, with the exception of one, so there aren't really any surprises, but it's fun to see them actually hung up next to each other. I never really see what I make in one big display, and I was worried my exhibit wouldn't have cohesion or look complete, but I think it does and I'm happy with how everything turned out. Two quilts got hung in the sanctuary, and eight more in our social hall exhibit space.

Sanctuary Quilts: Aviatrix Medallion and Frequency

Mermaid Blossom, Wayfinder and Panache

Luminary, Hopscotch and Color Wheels

Pineapple Slice in the Corner

Solar Flare

Flying Geese Circles

Two quilts have sold so far, which was more than I'd expected (they're expensive!), and people have loved it so much, they asked if it could stay hung for an additional month! That makes me happy, to know how much people are enjoying what I make. 

Just a little update

After the bout of fast and furious sewing getting ready for the quilt show, I've enjoyed taking a break and not doing much sewing, or blogging either obviously. I got a very pointed text from a loyal reader the other day though - something like "How come you don't blog anymore loser?" that made me realize it HAS been awhile!

I've been doing a teesy bit of sewing here and there. I pulled out my bin of string scraps (strings are what quilters call long strips of material) and am turning those into some scrappy foundation pieced blocks, using old phone book pages for the foundation. It's very gratifying to see these take shape, because it's fun brainless sewing and uses up LOTS of scraps. I'm sewing colors together without much rhyme or reason, so it'll be a mystery to see how it all turns out.

I also started working on another quilt made out of solids called "Amy's Stars", and each block is made up of 16 Half-Square Triangles, which are easy, but BORING to sew after awhile. I can only tolerate making about two blocks at a time before I need to move onto something else, so the going is slow with this one.

Finally, remember the Jingle Bird quilt I promised to make for my cousin in time for Christmas which is in 27 days? Yeah, I sort of forgot about that and then just remembered a few days ago. I'm going to try to finish it. I still have 1/2 the blocks to make, and then the big center part, and the whole thing is appliqued, and I'm very slow at that. But I said I'd do it, so I'm going to try. Which means it's time to kick the sewing into high gear again, so you'll be hearing more from me soon.

Friday Finish: Abacus

This is an oldie that's been sitting in my "To Be Finished" drawer for quite awhile! It got swept up in the mad race to finish stuff for my exhibit since I wanted something to practice a free-motion quilting pattern on.

I'm calling this Abacus, because part of it is made from the very old traditional pattern called Chinese Coins (those long rows of little strips), and those combined with the angled 9-patch blocks just looked vaguely like an abacus to me.

The free-motion design is one I haven't done in awhile, but I really like it. It's swirly, but a little more spiky or angular than my usual spirals. I was calling it Bearclaw at first, but after doing it for a three hours, I decided it's like Maui's Fish Hook - you make the hook shape and then echo over it a few times.

The backing really doesn't go with anything, but you know how I am with my crazy backings! This will just be a scrappy quilt to cozy up with. It used a TON of scraps, so I'm happy.