I gott'a secret

I am working on a rather large swoon block that in the end should finish at around 26 inches.

I was inspired by Kirsten's 'Love of Solids' pillow she made for a swap - is it not amazing!!
Check out her blog Gemini Stitches, she is sooooo talanted!!!

Photo belongs to Kirsten

I used Electric Quilt 7 to draft and figure the rotary cutting measurements. Also used this HST method and this flying geese method.

Do you see my beautiful assistant, Tessa in the photo. Her real name is Madame Quintessa Imadeapoo but we just call her Tessa as to not let it go to her head, you know the whole 'Madame' thing and all  ;)

She has approved it and now its spray-basted and has been quilted. What will I do with this block you ask?

The block is for the Modernista Homemade {a sewing swap}, and the rest is a secret just for now - sorry!

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight

I wish I may, I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight.

 **I am going to use the abbreviated form of improvisational = improv, in this post and I hope it's ok? yea - spell check is a screamin"

Finally finished the ECMQG's Madrona Road Challenge (our guild received the fabrics late and therefore did not participate in the world wide challenge), but we are having fun with our own challenge and we all reveal our quilts at the March 9th meeting.

I used Silly BooDilly's Wonky Star Tutorial to create the two stars and with the scraps I created a mismatched border.

Front of quilt

Quilt size is 37 x 37 inches, fabrics are Madrona Road boy color way and Kona white for the background.

There are a lot of firsts on this mini for me. I like plans and drafts and designs to follow, it's a control thing but I have been trying to challenge myself when doing a "challenge quilt' (ha ha sorry I'm goofy).

I ran out of white fabric twice - yes twice! You would have thought when I ran out the first time I would have gotten enough to finish it, but I didn't have a coupon for Joann's Fabrics at the time so I only bought 2 yards thinking that when I do get a coupon I'll get over there and buy a ton.

back

The first improv pieced backing I have ever made - now I've done backings with blocks but it's usually pre-planned. This was very challenging because you see the white 'was' to be the backing, just plain fabric. After piecing the front borders I realized I didn't have enough for the back so I thought why not use the scraps and try to improv piece a backing (and the fact that a quilt buddy has been telling to try improv-piecing). Using the scraps of Madrona road and kona white I made the biggest block I could and then pulled out of my stash the blue madrona road fabric to make it large enough to cover the back.

A different angle

corner

A first for improv borders - I had planned on placing the strips evenly around the quilt, but after making the strips of the scraps my husbands was like 'Hey, what if you make it wonky like the stars". 

I did miter the corners, so this was the planned part that helped me cope (you know the recovering perfectionist).  It turned out to be a great idea. I am definitely doing this again!

A first try at improv quilting - really I had no plan (it was quite scary). All I kept thinking was "it's going to pleat or pucker I just know it" - but it didn't or at least I can't see any after washing it.

The first time ever finishing the binding 100% by machine and using on grain bias, I had always hand stitched the binding down and used bias binding. I used the blanket stitch and Pat Sloan's tutorial.. For this quilt you can't even see the stitching, and thank goodness I had a horrible time as the thread kept breaking and knotting on the back and I never found out why. I would only use decorative stitches on the binding when there is contrast because my thread disappeared into the text print, and decorative stitches take way more time to stitch out.

The quilt is a little wavy but it's cute, and I am sure once well loved the waviness will disappear. 

And a first of taking photos at work in the office. It's Friday and my brain is fried, but I did this on my lunch hour so if my boss reads this no worries I wasn't goofing off today - I promise :)

Is it improvisational, improvisation or improvising and can I say improv??

I did find this at Merriam-Webster on improv.

oh well, I was never known for good spelling and grammar in school, or math either come to think of it - was I doomed.

I'm linking to Quilt Story, see my sidebar for their button :)

http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/2013/03/fabric-tuesday.html

Sneak peek: what I'm working on

Quilting the Madrona Road Wonky Stars Mini

I hope to have the quilting finished tonight after work and then bind it tomorrow night.

Quilt Show Lately? If you haven't maybe you should!!

Many of our guild members had quilts in the show last weekend at the

 Emerald Coast Quilt Retreat and Show

I even submitted the quilt 'Cosmos' 

I was asked four things from my experience of having a quilt in a show -

what were my fears, why did I enter, what did I expect and what was the reality of it all in the end.

Since it's so hard for me to translate my emotions into words I did a word game - you know, make a list using one word answers to describe your feelings in each category  Using the topics 'fear', 'why', 'expectations' and 'reality', I came up with these answers answers.

Fear

• opinions- I am scare of others opinions of me, and the quilt only shows one side of who I am
• judgement- if the quilt is a failure and a horrible example of quilting
• criticism- what if no one likes it or worse what if they hate the quilt
• negativity- could my quilt put a negative spin on the modern quilting movement

Why

• experience- to have the experience of actually having a quilt in a show
• group- if not for the ECMQG I would have never had the confidence to show a quilt
• share- spread the word about modern quilting and the wonderful community of quilters
• voice- to have a voice or show what I can do 
• represent- again to show how wonderful the world of modern quilting is by being an example

Expectations

• feedback- to get feedback from the judges 
• skills- learn what skills I need to work on and what skills I have accomplished
• learn- from this and be a better quilter and share with others what I have learned
• interest- to build interest in ECMQG and modern quilting

Reality

• good- none of the fears I had became fact, I was silly to even think them!
• pride- in oneself and as a quilter, and with our quilting community
• community- our diverse quilting community is open and welcoming, not at all judgmental
• interest- we received lots of interest in the guild and modern quilting
• accomplishment- a general sense of accomplishment that I plowed through my fears and came out in the end just a little be better! 

So if you've been afraid to take the plunge and enter a quilt in a show, I say DO IT!

You won't be disappointed!!

Cindy's Wonky Stars

Melanie's Awesome Quilt

There were even more great quilts from our guild - but my computer is not cooperating with me today. Our wonderful members- Cindy, Marcy, Wendi, Kelly, Melanie, Leslie and all the members that made a block for the Modern BOM Charity quilt (who didn't even realize they had their works in the show) you did a wonderful job!!!!!

For more pictures and to see all the quilts in the show click here

a wonderful experience

Can you tell from this picture that all the fear was gone and nothing but sheer delight was to be had Saturday!