Art of Quilting - Final

I am so glad to be writing this final post about the Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt.  I finally finished it and will be starting the new year without this UFO.

I learned a few lessons quilting this one.  Stitch in the ditch and echo is just too time consuming for such a large project.  Quilt as you go would definitely have been a better choice.  Although this fabric was not my choice but came with the magazine, polyester cotton does not lend itself very well to quilting as it does not have any stretch whatsoever.  So, as a result there is plenty of puckers.  Definitely not a show piece, but it will keep my son warm.

I did not realise when I started quilting it that it would keep me busy for almost 6 months.  In my defense, my husband broke his femur in April just when I started it and my mother had been in hospital for 2 months as well.  I sandwiched it September 2015 and just put it on hold until I finally plucked up enough courage to quilt it.  Concentrating on one block at a time finally got me through it.

For the back I used sheeting and utilized the leftovers for the binding

and added this label I embroidered. 

Our little sheppard boy

Our kids from England have been visiting the past two weeks.  It was such a blessed time with Aiden (4) and Nathan (22 months), Megan and Mark.  The house is very quite now and with everything packed away just the memories remain.

Megan asked me to make a Sheppard's costume for Aiden's school play so while they were visiting friends on Friday morning, I came up with this.

He looks so proud.  It was such a privilege to be able to make this for him.

Block a day quilt completed

Another one bites the dust!  Yeah!  I can't believe this took me 4 years.  But in my defense, I only worked on this quilt Saturday afternoons.

Now to finish The Art of Quilting Sampler quilt.

Baby Stuff

It'd been two months since my previous post.  My mother was in hospital for these two months but she was finally discharged last Friday and is on the way to better health again.  She is turning 80 in January, so it is rather an uphill battle.

Between quilting The Art of Quilting's double bed sampler quilt and finishing my Block a Day quilt, I embroidered some items for my dearest friend of 36 years newest granddaughter.

I made this beautiful banner with monograms I collected for free from Embroidery It.

On this close-up all the detail is visible.  I am totally in love with these monograms!

I also embroidered a spit cloth with this adoreable elephant I bought a while back from Appliquetion Station.  Yes, another one, again...  He is just so cute, I can't help myself!

I also included two washcloths which I finished off with some crochet lace.

Spit Cloths

Fighting migraines and then the flu meant that very little time had been spent creating.  I am busy quilting the Art of Quilting quilt and finishing the Block a Day quilt, but they are still works in progress.

The only project I did finish was 4 spit cloths using the Two Peas in a pod set from A Stitch and a Half.

Stained Glass Butterflies

After our annual meeting on the 19th of August, the Two Old Broads from Bethulie, Charlotte and Aletta, showed us a quick and easy way to achieve a stained glass effect without having to stitch bias binding strips.

I opted for a butterfly made from Jinny Beyer fabrics.

Then I started working on a background using Langalapu Fabrics which I cut into 1.5" squares after ironing applique paper to the back.  These squares was then ironed onto a piece of silver/grey taffeta with 1/4" space in between.  Another technique demonstrated to us by Charlotte and Aletta.

I used two color ways which I wanted to combine but my husband advised me against it and as both pieces was already cut up, I now have two backgrounds to play with and 2 new projects in the making!

Le Mesh Quilt

At our Guild's previous General Meeting held in May, quilting teacher Mari Strydom demo the Le Mesh weaving technique and every member received a packet of satin ribbon, pins and a threading needle to inspire us to try this technique.  It was also set as a challenge for the next meeting held yesterday.

About a month ago I decided to participate in this challenge and started weaving the first block for which instructions were included.

As I had already decided to make a small wall hanging with 3 different 6" blocks, I surfed the Internet and found instructions for the 3d tumbling block as well.  This block did not go so smoothly as I just could not get my head around where to weave the 3d color through.  After my husband suggested I draw the block, I finally realized what I had been doing wrong the whole time and was finally successful on attempt number 4!

A little more surfing produce this log cabin look alike block.

And this is how the completed quilt looks with buttons in red, white and blue added. 

The quilt was selected as the winner for the challenge.  The prize included fabric, a pincushion, chocolate and instruction booklet by Mari to weave additional blocks.

The chocolate did not make the photo however....

Presents

I embroidered presents last week.  First up is a set of towels for a colleague of mine's mother in law who was so kind as to lend her walking frame for my husband after he broke his hip.

I then did a set of kitchen towels with these designs from Loralie designs

and a washcloth.

Block a day Quilt

The last 4 blocks is done and the quilt is ready to be assembled.

Bag

The past two months our quilting group, the Rotary Cutters, attended a handbag course at our local Bernina Dealer.   One of our members, Marietjie, was so kind as to arrange it for our group after hours as we are all working ladies.

We picked our fabric at the shop and Susan of Bernina  did all the cutting.  I had no idea which colors to use but quickly fell in love with this black, green and purple selection.

On the inside is various pockets as shown below.

We are all totally in love with our bags and very proud.

Another UFO finished

I embroidered this cute little handbag some time ago and finally finished it in time to send with the boys picture books to my daughter, Megan.

I used black satin fabric with metallic silver embroidery.

This is a design from A Stitch and a half and you can find the design here.

Baby Books 2

The other two books I embroidered from Ellen Maurer Stroh was Baby's Toys and Baby's Zoo Book.

The patterns are offered for free, so even if you don't have an embroidery machine you can download the charts for free and embroider by hand.