Let's not even talk about the fact that January just blew right on by! You know how it is, you get so completely focused on something and it seems like everything else in your life just falls by the wayside. I lost two months, all of November and December, without one stitch at my sewing machine, so there was no way I was coming up for air until I had something to show for it this month!
Originally I had great plans to make this quilt and have it completed for Christmas 2015. Needless to say, that did not happen and the most I had accomplished before the holidays was pulling fabrics for this quilt.
I dipped into my stash of gorgeous florals (that I never seem to want to cut). I wanted something that could play a background role without adding a lot of competing color. This floral is an older Moda print, Seaside Rose, and I love how it worked with the pinks and greens. Due to its popularity, it has been re-released and I've seen it available on several sites again (shabbyfabrics.com currently has it in stock).
This is my own design, inspired by an antique quilt. I added the chevron inner border (note all those Y-seams!) which repeats the small diamond shape in the stars and a large outer floral border for some feather quilting I am planning. The smaller dark pink stars in the floral squares are appliqued. At this time, there is no pattern available. I am still playing around with titles for this quilt. It reminds me of peppermint candy for some reason, so I keep coming back to the title "Peppermint & Roses."
I am really happy with how this turned out and hopefully, I will have it quilted by Christmas 2016!
Earlier in January I attended the Florida World Quilt Show in Orlando. This is the same show that has always been in West Palm Beach until being moved this year. I was very excited to see the show promoters moved it to Orlando, since that is almost in my backyard. I entered my quilt, "Grandmother's Cabin" and was honored to have received an award for Best Sewing Machine Workmanship. It was so nice to be recognized for all those long hours of free-motion quilting hundreds and hundreds of straight little grid lines!
Following are more photos from that show for inspiration, in no particular order or preference:
Moonswept by Nikki Hill St. Augustine, FL Third Place
Winter in the Garden by Olive Gobin, longarm quilting by Ruta Hardenbrook Fruitland Park, FL
Best Longarm Machine Workmanship
Best Longarm Machine Workmanship
Winter in the Garden (detail)
Gradation by Kathleen Burford New Zealand
Off the Floor #1 by Gael O'Donnell New Zealand
Off the Floor #1 (detail)
Nursing Home Quilt #2 by Marge Hurst New Zealand
Nursing Home Quilt #2 (detail)
They are Bees not Flies by Jenny Hall New Zealand
Persian Dream by Ansa Breytenbach New Zealand
Persian Dream (detail)
Affairs of the Heart by Lorraine Baker New Zealand
Affairs of the Heart (detail)
Roses for Katrina by Gail H. Smith Barrington, IL Honorable Mention
Roses for Katrina (detail)
Humming Bee by Judith Wilson United Kingdom Honorable Mention
Humming Bee (detail) by Judith Wilson
The Never-Ending Fame of Gustav Klimt: The "Kiss" Revisited by Lesley Jurgens South Africa
Happy as a Clam by Rachaeldaisy Australia
Happy as a Clam (detail)
Nordstern by Claudia Scheja Germany
Lone Star Among Friends by Margarita Schuh Germany
Lone Star Among Friends (detail)
Sunkissed by Theresa Olson Jupiter, FL
Flourish on the Vine by Donna Douglass Apollo Beach, FL Best of Show
Flourish on the Vine (detail of hand quilting)
Hopefully that makes up for my absence! Sorry if this post has bogged down your computers and iPads! I wanted to cram everything in while I had the time to blog. I will be attending another large AQS quilt show at the end of February which is being held right here in my backyard in Daytona Beach, FL! This is a first for us and quite a big deal. I am looking forward to going and will have my Grandmother's Cabin entered in that show as well. Stay tuned, I hope to have lots of photos to share. Until next time. . . .Happy Quilting!
