The Saga Of Ashley's Quilt

This is the saga of Ashley's quilt.  

It all started out with a note to my DIL, Heather, that I would be willing to make a quilt for one of her friends that doesn't quilt.  What happened was her friend that does quilt, Ashley, had me make one instead.  I'm not sure why Ashley requested this, but she did.  And the fear I have of "Will my work be good enough for her?" came into my head.

I received the fabric, patterns, batting and backing in June when my son, DIL , and grands came to visit.  Heather helped me decide which pattern to use. 

The patterns came from a book Ashley had, but I don't know which book.  And the pictures were black and white.  The pattern is called "golden strips" and was done in Kaffe Fassett fabrics. (Bet it was beautiful.)  So I used graph paper to help me figure out the strips.  

I had a Retreat in July and I got busy.  I got the strips or columns sewn together.

I started sewing the strips together and I didn't pin cause I thought I didn't need to. 

 WRONG!!!  

It was so wonky.  One of the friends at the Retreat, Vicki, does quilting as a business in the Kansas City area and advised me that there was no way to square up that quilt.  The only solution was to take it apart.  

Yes, I literally cried. 

SO over the Fall months I got all the stitching ripped out and had just strips again.  Had this been my own quilt I would have stuck it in a plastic bin and left it for a few years.  You know, how quilts have to be put in solitary confinement when they have been bad?

End of January I had another Retreat and I took it along.  This time I carefully pinned and pinned and pinned and pinned. Success! 

Nice and flat and not bending to the corner.

While sewing I started thinking about the next step, quilting.  I have another friend, Cindy,  that has a quilting business in this area and I asked her if she could quilt it as her machine has a stitch regulator.  She doesn't really like to do Pantos, so this was perfect.  She had time and I had came up with this quilting design while working on the quilt.  

It's kind of hard to see, but it's bicycle wheels with "dust" between each wheel. So it's done.

Binding is on and it's at the finish line!  Woo Hoo!

It's scheduled for delivery this coming weekend.  Hope Ashley likes it.

Excited!

I'm so excited!  My friend Cindy finished quilting the quilt for my DIL's friend and I loved how it came out!

I love these colors.  So Spring like.

I created the quilting design and figured out how to do it in a continuous line. Cindy did an amazing job of quilting it! Thank you Cindy!  I'm in the process of trimming and getting it ready for the binding.

Colorfast

I'm in the process of making my picture colorfast.  There are a couple of steps to do according to the package directions and one is to get it wet and let dry.  Takes a little time but it is worth it.  I want my friend to be able to wash this by hand if needed.

Bouncing

I'm bouncing back and forth between two projects that I want to get done this month.  First is the BOM for 'It's a "Wild" Life'.  I had pulled the fabrics and traced the pattern pieces on Heat N Bond and they are cut out.  But I discovered I only traced one set, not two as I'm making 2 quilts.  So now that's back on the list.  

My friend Deb sent a few pictures of her chickens so I could pick a picture to use in the quilt I'm making her.  I'm trying to make it a surprise, but since I asked for pictures, I think she is guessing.  Here is the picture I went with.  Since we have a cheap printer, the color isn't the best.

But I think it will blend well with the fabrics.  Check out her barn quilt!  I used Colorfast fabric sheet.  I have used this before and I like how it sews.  I'm excited to get this finished!

Play With Fabric

Play with fabric or also known as search stash for fabric.  I came up with the fabrics I'm using in my "It's a 'Wild' Life" BOM.    These are the deer fabrics.

I even have the pieces traced on to Heat 'N Bond.  Check out the background that is all made up!

Again some golden oldie fabrics.  I can hardly wait to see what this looks like!

Two More

Two more hens!  They are just so cute, I can't help it!

Hens

Back to work on my little hens!

Oh My Goodness!

Oh My Goodness!  I have pink eye!  It started yesterday and I stayed home today, but I'm heading back to work tomorrow.  Just have to be sure I don't touch my eye.  Or forget to wash my hands if I do.  It's been years since I've had this.  Not exactly sure how I got this as we don't have any children at school with it currently. 

As a result of hanging at home today, I finished Polo.

Look at that beautiful blue sky!  It's been so cloudy and dreary, it was nice to see the sun and the beautiful blue sky as a background for my new quilt top.  Soon the grass will green up and Spring will be here!

Narrow Borders

The narrow borders are done on Polo, a pattern by Villa Rosa Designs.  Two of the wider borders are pinned on and ready to sew!

Progress!

Finally

Finally, this quilt is getting ready to go to the finish line.  I got two quilts pinned, so I have more than enough to keep me busy this month.

I love when I get an opportunity to have a place to pin my quilt tops so I can get them quilted.  You may remember that I made another quilt like this last summer.  I got the two tops sewn, but only one quilted and done.  I hope to make it two very soon!

A Little Flock

I'm getting a little flock of hens at my house.  See!  

I think they are so cute!

Borders

Narrow borders for Polo are cut.  Now to attach them....

I Won!

Villa Rosa Designs on Facebook has been giving away finished sample quilts to people for a Service Group or for a person in need and I won!

March 1st I received an email telling me I had won GOLD MEDAL Feather Flock.  Here is a link to the Facebook page and I have downloaded the picture from that site.

I received it in the mail yesterday.  It will be donated to the Piecemaker's Guild service project, Quilts Of Comfort.  I love the colors and the fabrics up close are so cool.

Thank you Villa Rosa Designs for your generosity!

March Goals

I've been doing some thinking about March Goals.  Do you set goals?  Sometimes they work for me and other times I just get mad at them as I over-schedule.  So I hope this going to work out just right.

Chicken/hen quilt for co-worker's birthday at the end of the month.
Binding for Ashley's quilt
"Wild" blocks (2)
Sampler blocks (3)
Polo, the CUAQ challenge for the month of March

Sorry the pattern looks wonky, I was trying to keep the reflection off of it.  I'm going to use a Charm Pack I won at Cut Up and Quilt along with some frosty fabric I just bought there.  That startitis thing always gets me....and I seem to find a way to justify it.

The chicken/hen quilt is the only thing on the list from the cutting I did last month...hmmm, I think I'm seeing a pattern here.

A Block

I have a block!  I love how this little hen turned out.  

The fabric line for the hens is called "prairie" by Cory Yoder of Little Miss Shabby. I bought a layer cake and it has worked out perfect for this. The colors are so fun.  The background fabric is chicken wire fabric by Windham fabrics.  The line is called "The Hen House."  I have 8 little hens to make all together.  Hope to have another one done soon!

Chickens!

I started making some chickens!  The pattern comes from the book, "Farm Girl Vintage" by Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet.  I've had the book for a while and finally cut out some hen blocks.  They will be 6 inches big when finished.

The new block for It's a "Wild" Life BOM is also available now.  So it's printed and I'll look for fabrics to make that one up this month.  Here's a link in case you're interested in following along.