QuiltMouse

Quilt Camp 2010 – Baby Quilt #1 – Random Tumbling Blocks

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Quiltmouse

Top is Completed! Finally took a break from the Preschool Audit to finish putting the borders on the Baby Quilt that I finished piecing at Quilt Camp a month ago. I need to calculate yardage for the backing and purchase it before it is complete.

The kit was for one Baby Quilt, but it only had 3 color combinations which really didn’t give me enough colors. So I purchased 2 more color combinations (light/medium/dark of each color). This gave me an abundance of blocks – enough to make two Baby Quilts. This is #1 — I used all the colors and created a random "pattern." Baby Quilt #2 used 4 colors and created a cascading affect. That one is not put together yet. Will have to set aside a day to work on it.

Traditionally, the Tumbling Blocks requires stitching a "Y" seam. This pattern uses strip piecing & cutting to create 1/2 blocks which are combined in vertical rows (or columns) which, when stitched all together, completes the tumbling block pattern.

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2010 Blue Ridge Quilt Festival – Blacksburg, VA

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Quiltmouse

Although this is a small, regional Quilt Show, it has some absolutely marvelous Quilts. This one received the "Best of Show" Ribbon in the Hand Quilting Category. This lady is a serious quilter. She maintains a record of the number of hours it took her to Hand Piece, and then the number of hours it took her to Hand Quilt. I’m not sure you can see the detail. She hand quilted it with Metalic Thread – which is a bear to quilt with because for each stitch which is pulled through the fabric, the tread begins to unravel.

I overheard one of the ‘White Glove Ladies’ (Event helpers who wear white gloves to allow them to carefully touch the quilts so that viewers can see the back of the quilt. Individuals are not allowed to touch the displayed quilts.). She told another lady that this quilter took 300 hours to piece and 800 hours to hand quilt this. Calculating at 8 hours per day, that translates to over 37 DAYS to piece and 100 days to quilt – if she worked 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, it took her better than 1/2 a year to piece & quilt!

Here is a closeup – hopefully you can see some of her stitching details.

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One Project Completed at May Quilt Retreat

Posted on May 30, 2010 by Quiltmouse

Well, ok, it really isn’t quilted, but it was a fun project to make for Aiden the week before he was born.

I made it using Donna’s favorite color – Purple; and her favorite character – Tinkerbell. It has pockets on the outside, including 1 large, 1 cell phone, 3 pens/pencils, & 4 more! I added the straps to go all the way to the bottom for added strength.

Inside there are a number of pockets – 2 half-sized on the back & 1 full-size on the front for those smaller items. I added a key-ring clip and elastic loops for holding water or formula bottles. The bottom has a sleeve to hold a support to give the bottom a firm flat base.

Of course, no self-respecting diaper bag is empty. So this one is filled with diapers, wipes, bags, lotions, creams, water & sanitizer.

I think I will make me one – it makes a nice size totebag.

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Happiness Is…

Posted on May 19, 2010 by Quiltmouse

A New Grandson!
Aiden Lee Futch
b. 05/19/2010 3:30 am
w. 7 lbs 3 ozs
l. 20"
Radford, VA

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Ta-Da! Spring is Here!

Posted on March 20, 2010 by Quiltmouse

Some say Spring started March 1st – Others say is starts with the Spring Equinox, which was today a little after 1 pm. Whichever way you think — SPRING IS HERE! Blizzards are a thing of the past; though I do realize there is a slight possibility that cold weather will return and we’ve even had an Easter Snow once or twice. But the past several days, temps have been in the 60’s & 70’s with bright sun.

It looks like we have some work to do in the yard. This winter was rough on the plants. See our poor Pompas Grass —

It almost looks like a bale of hay that is falling apart!

But other parts of the yard are showing signs of Spring.

Mini Daffodils –

The Camellia Bush was crushed by the snow – between blizzards, while working on the gutters, M did gently move the snow off and then packed the snow around the outside of the bush so that the Part #2 of the Blizzard did not do any more damage. It has lots of buds bursting to bloom!