My Quilt Year in Review

Most people are writing and commenting about how quickly the year sped by.  It was a difficult year for us and couldn't go by quickly enough, so now that it is over we are relieved. 

While I didn't "officially" participate in any of the "11 in 11" challenges, I'm proud to say that I fininshed more than 11 quilts this year.

1.  My version of our guild's challenge quilt.  It is hand-quilted!  It wasn't my style fabrics, but it was lots of fun to play with something different.

2.  I made this little guy for my Mom who donoted it to a fundraising auction

This is my husband who left March 20th for Afghanistan.  That is why the year was difficult and seemed to drag.

3.  Oh My Gosh Quilt.  It is off being quilted, but I counted it as done since I gave it to the quilter this year. 

4.  My Thimbleberries version of Eldon (a Laundrybasket Quilts pattern)  After completing this, I am now quite experienced at Y seams.

5.  My Peekaboo quilt for a boy.  You see the effect in the bottom picture where the flaps open to reveal hidden "pictures" inside.

6.  My version of Roll Roll Cotton Bole (A mystery by Bonnie Hunter.)  I did an Americana color scheme and I love how it turned out.  However, there are so many little pieces (a look I LOVE) that the quilt if fairly heavy and I can't sleep under it here in Hawaii.

7.  Granny Squares from the cover of an American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  Fun but lots of bias seams to deal with!

8.  Alex's Quilt which I finished back in June and "put away" for Christmas and then totally forgot to include it--but that was lucky as that box of presents got way delayed--so much that I thought it was lost--but luckily it showed up after Christmas.  It will hopefully go to the post office today.

9.-12.  Four different Aloha Quilts made from the fabric and free pattern by Jennifer Chiaverini.  I made one for me, one I donated to a fundraising auction (it made $225!), and two left over for gifts.

13.  The girl Peekaboo quilt.  Both of them have no designated purpose.  I thought I needed a baby quilt for a gift but then I didn't.  I will put them away for now.

Not numbered because they aren't a quilt, but I did make these three pieces--bags for laptop, purse, traveling, etc.  The patterns are ByAnnie and really fun to make!

14.  The Palm Circle Quilt which I made from a Miss Rosie pattern (with a palm tree in the corner instead of a star.)  This quilt is donated to a charitable group for fundraising purposes.

September 23--My husband got home safe!!!!  The BEST day of the year.  (And FYI, the quilts are put in roughly chronological order so you can see that I spent my time alone quilting!)

15.  Lastly, my daughter's Cake Walk quilt.

I think I got a lot done even though I had a month's staycation in January when I spent time sightseeing with my parents here in Hawaii, and then another 2-3 week staycation when my husband got home.  Plus, I spent a nearly a month on the mainland this summer.

What will 2012 bring?  Can I do 12 in 12?  I have no idea, but I do know it will probably be a moving year, so that will take out at least 1-2 months where I won't have a machine.  (Normally I take Bernie with me in the car when we move, but that isn't possible going to or from Hawaii.)  I think I need a good applique project for the year.  I have one in mind, as a matter of fact.  More on that later.

Aloha and Happy New Year!
JoAnne

At last--the reveal!

I hope everyone is having a lovely holiday!  We had a very nice Mele Kalikimaka as we say here in Hawaii.  It was quite different in that it was our first celebrating without our daughter, who is in Indiana and had to work and we just couldn't bear to undertake holiday travel this year.  Now that she has opened her presents, I can finally share the quilt that I "teased" you with in my last post.

 It is the pattern "Cake Walk" by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet.

 I purchased the pattern and a layer cake of the Sew Cherry fabrics that are used in the sample quilt last fall.  It was really an easy but fun pattern to put together.  My biggest challenge was that I'm not a big sewer of white fabric, so I had to buy some white thread and pay attention to pressing, etc. so none of the bright colors "bled" through from behind the white to shadow.

But, as you saw in my previous post, the most fun I had was with the quilting!  Playing with patterns other than my "go-to" meander has really opened me up for more exciting free motion.   Again, all these patterns I learned from Leah at her Freemotion Quilt Project blog.  Thanks Leah!

Here are some detailed photos:

I copied the quilting ideas on the cake stands from the pattern photo. I love how this quilting makes the cake stand look more realistic.

There was a bit of applique, which could easily be done by fusing, but I needle-turned because I love needle turning.

The cakes were trimmed in ric rac, and there was ric rac around the perimeter, under the binding.  Don't you just love ric rac?  It makes me happy!

I think I neglected to mention that I made this quilt for her because she decorates cakes for a living. 

Aloha,
JoAnne

Out of Thread!

Ugh!  I was quilting away yesterday and ran out of thread.  It wasn't a surprise to me, when I started quilting this project back on Saturday, I thought I wouldn't have enough thread so I ordered more.  It would have been so convenient if when I ran out around 2, I could have skipped down to the mailbox and discovered the package from Superior Threads that I ordered over the weekend, containing more thread, but no such luck!

Instead, I worked on a different holiday project and got the tree decorated, but I really hated to abandon my machine quilting when I was in such a groove.  Normally, when I machine quilt (and it is only projects lap-sized or smaller) I simply meaner over the whole thing and call it done.  Most of my quilts tend to be scrappy and so there is a lot going on on the quilt top, so the meander is good.  However, on my current project, I didn't think it would work.

I would love to show a photo of the quilt, but it will have to wait until after Christmas, because I really want it to stay a surprise, but I will show a picture of some of the quilting I''m doing.

I learned the pattern from Leah over at The Freemotion Quilting Project and if you haven't checked out her blog, complete with awesome how-to videos, you should!  I have to say that I'm really pleased and somewhat impressed with myself.  I think I'm gaining the confidence to move away from the "safe" meander and work on developing new skills. 

I'm really hoping that package comes today!

Aloha,
JoAnne