My Very Own WIP

Yesterday, I was finally able to finish my Joyful Harvest shop sampler! I’ll tell you the placemats turned out adorable…but I’ll have more for you on that later.

With the sample being done, I have time to focus on my own WIPs, such as the Tennessee Waltz quilt that has patiently been waiting in my sewing basket. But, alas, I may not get to the poor Waltz because a new quilt idea has been percolating in my head for a while and it is slowly engulfing my creative side.

I think a cute little farm scene would be adorable in all 30s repo fabrics… Can you see why this is taking over my mind? (Please ignore the icky picture; I have this baby hanging right next to my machine to inspire me to get things done and my sewing room has horrible lighting, as you can see.)

In the mean time, I will hopefully get to some of my other WIPs, just so the don’t feel left out.
What are you working on this week?

State Fair Recap

I kinda hate to write about this because it still rustles my feathers but here we go…

Yesterday was Quilt Day at the State Fair. I was fortunate enough to be selected to represent my county in You Can Quilt!.
After a three hour drive, I arrived at the Fair and I got judged pretty much right away. The judge was a very nice lady by the name of Pat (I believe) and she gave Stretch and me very nice comments.
“The squares are lined up very well.”
“The quilt is square.”
“Your quilting is great considering you didn’t use a hoop.”
Her only constructive criticism was that my stitches were too large, which I knew that. (Don’t go to see Amish quilts before a show; they really make you think twice about your work!)

At State, they give out two types of awards. The first is the Clock Trophy, essentially first place. The second type is an Outstanding of the Day, the Top 20% judged. They awarded four girls in my category. I was not one of them.

I am a good sport, so I didn’t get mad until I received my score sheet back. Excellents all across the board. The only thing I can think that knocked me down was my pattern. For You Can Quilt! you receive a project book with a pattern for an alternating four patch or a rail fence. Obviously I didn’t do either. I knew making Stretch was a risk but no where in the book does it say you must make the patterns given; in fact there was one question that asked if you did the book’s pattern or your own.

I think to make the State Fair’s Quilt Day much fairer, they should make categories much like they do in real Quilt Shows. It is not fair for some one who tied their quilt to be put up against some one who hand quilted theirs. It just isn’t fair.

Another thing I question is how there can be a Top 20% when we are scored by Excellent, Good, Fair, etc. If there is a higher scoring system, shouldn’t the exhibitor be allowed to see it to make improvements?
Do you guys agree?

(Please don’t take my rant meaning I think that I should have won and everyone who did didn’t deserve it. I do question it but I am sure everyone who placed deserved it!)

What’s next for Stretch? Well, he won’t be taking his rightful place on my wall just yet. I have two more real shows to put him in (and of course the Bloggers’ Quilt Festival!). After that, he should be able to go into retirement…Maybe!

“Rug”ged Finish

So this mess of a WIP has been sitting on my wine rack for the past two weeks. It was supposed to be a potholder to practice mitered corners for my 4-H project but it just didn’t get done for county judging (though it didn’t matter!). I figured thought that it should be done for State so I sat down and got it done.

I think it came out really cute! I used a scrap piece of that awesome floral out of (you guessed it) Honey Honey. It was bound in the same thing. I used the machine to machine quilt a little asterisk, which makes the center really fun to move around!

As I said earlier, it was,an exercise of mitered corners and everything went easy peesey until the very last one (top left hand corner) and that one just had issues. O well, its practice so it shouldn’t be perfect!

I’m super excited because Sunday (July 28) I’ll pack up and head to the State Fair! I hope Stretch and I do well… Wish us luck and I’ll definitely let you all know how we do!

A “Joyful” Finish

In the late hours of the night, I crawled from the cold darkness of my quilting corner/ basement. A finish was born. (Sorry, it is late and I am weird.)

I was finally able to sit down and finish A Joyful Harvest’s table runner. Structurally, the pattern was easy, but I was not impressed. I guess shop sample making isn’t for me…

*Please ignore the crappy late night, indoor photos!

I loathed making it but I must say it is cute.

Look at this panel! Look at it!!

Now, all that’s left is the four placemats!

WIP Wednesday

This week I have a lot more WIPs than usual. Here’s the rundown:

1: This is technically an old WIP. It was meant to be shown for 4-H but I set it aside to finish the Donkey Quilt. I unexpectedly picked it back up this week… I love it when that happens! When I left this bad boy I had just started putting the squares into columns. Now, the squares are all in columns which are patiently waiting to be put together.

2:. My newest shop sample is coming along slowly but surely. The pattern is very straightforward and simple. I think its turning out well!

3: This is my newest WIP! Remember Strike Out!? Well, its recipient wants to learn how to quilt! He decided he wanted to make a HST quilt based off one from Pinterest. Woohoo 250 HSTs!!! We’re starting off with this pile o’pretties (12 fat quarters) and we’ll go from there.

I love those little birdies and that black is so…BLACK! Know what I mean??

Whoop Whoop!!

On Wednesday, I finally had my local 4-H judging for You Can Quilt!. I wasn’t crazy about the judge; I sort of question her judging style. I felt she didn’t look at the construction as much as she should have, but that’s just me. But, she must have liked Stretch and I because we got State Rep (First Place)!!

We got a score of 48 out of 50. She docked one point for not knowing what a bias is and another because she felt the Honey Honey distracted from the Donkey. I disagree and so does my local quilt shop. What do you think??

Sample #2

I don’t know why, but I cannot keep my hands idle. After going to my local quilt shop, I came home with a bundle of Joyful Harvest by Sandy Lynam Clough for Red Rooster for another shop sample.

These fabrics aren’t really my style but the table runner and placemats are pretty cute. This is another panel pattern and theres some cute piecing as well. Hopefully this one has fewer troubles than Holiday Frost.

A Frosty, Flimsy Finish

I was up late last night pushing to finish up the holiday shop sample. I liked the top until I got to the borders…I realize now that I really hate borders.

The quilt top is made using fabrics from the collection Holiday Frost by Jan Shade Beach for Henry Glass. The pattern was a freebie from Henry Glass and it used the panel in the collection.

The pattern was very straight forward, though monotonous at times. One thing that’s weird in the pattern is that the star points closest to the border are noticeably smaller than the rest of the points. Personally, it drove me insane! I also had issues with the sashing being longer than the panels, so there is a lot of puckers. Hmm, I wonder if it was me or the pattern..?

Speaking of the panels, these critters are absolutely adorable!

My favorite has to be the owl though. He looks so peaceful!!

As cute as the quilt is, it was a pain in my bottom and I’m glad its gone!

A New Sewing Machine… Maybe?

Today, I finally went around town to look at new sewing machines. As some of you may know, I’ve been sewing on a Singer Featherweight that the wonderful ladies at my local quilt shoppe let me borrow for almost two months now. As much as I want to keep that fabulous machine, I need to return it and get my own machine.

I made four stops and tried pretty much every brand on the market (except Singer, which, according to an old seller, has been putting out some stinky stuff) and have narrowed it down to two brands/machines.
Drum roll, please? Its between Baby Lock’s “Molly” and Brother’s Simplicity sb3129. Do any of you guys have either? What do you think? Any experience with the brands? I would love, love, love any help you awesome people could give me!

A New WIP

Because I can’t sit still, last weekend I volunteered to make a shop sample for my LQS. Both the fabrics and pattern are absolutely adorable!

I really like how quick the panel quilts come together!

My goal is to have it done for next Monday…. I think I can do it!