Bloggers Quilt Festival - Sun City (Scrappy Category)

Sun City is my second entry to the Bloggers Quilt Festival hosted by Amy of Amy's Creative Side.  I have entered Sun City in the in the Scrappy Category.

I made Sun City as my response to my Guild President's Challenge - Log Cabin Revisited. The rules were simple - no  more than 24" square, must use either black or white, and any variation of log cabin was acceptable.

Sun City is composed primarily of log cabin blocks. The strips are cut at 1", and finish at 1/2".  This small quilt was fraught with big challenges, which I have documented in an earlier blogpost - Mini Quilt, Major Challenges. 

Getting to Sun City was a long journey. There were wrong turns and several forks in the road.
In the end, I love how bright and cheerful it appears.  The densely packed, multi-storeyed houses, with bright windows and black chimneys was worth the long, arduous path.

How do you choose what category fits best?  Sun City is small, scrappy, art (since it is a wall quilt), modern (may be), and was quilted on a domestic machine.

I was struggling when I decided to look at the quilts in various categories. 
Those that are art quilts are way more artistic.  Sun City is not.
Those that are in the modern category do not suggest that they are modern - they scream it.   Sun city does not.
Those that are in the domestic machine quilted have exquisite quilting.  Sun City is quilted simply.

Small or Scrappy.

In the end, I chose to go with Scrappy since every fabric came from my stash and did not even make the tiniest dent in my stash. 

I quilted it from the back to follow the slanted lines of the backing. This was also my first time using faced binding.
All entires to the President's Challenge received a small gift.  There were no winners.

Honestly, I was bummed.  I was competing. I was really stretching myself and then to receive a participation gift was an anti-climax.  This time, I am just participating in the Bloggers festival.  No expectations.

However, if you vote for SUN City, I will be over the MOON.

Please take a look at all of the quilts and be wowed and inspired.  After all, that is the purpose of this festival.

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Queen's Necklace (Large Category)

If you are a quilter/blogger, you must have heard of the Blogger's Quilt Festival, hosted by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side.  This year I decided to enter the Queen's Necklace Quilt in the Large Quilts category.

Finished Quilt - 70" by 86"

I made this quilt for my mother, who is recovering from back surgery.  I blogged about it earlier here and here.

I wanted the quilt to be visually stunning - a bold pattern that engages the eye and draws you in.

A Queen's Necklace

I realized that quilt blocks that make secondary patterns are the ones that make the eye travel along the pattern lines, till your eyes spot the secondary pattern and then there is this AHA moment.  Oh look circles!!!

Basted

Since I would visit and leave in ten days, I wanted her to engage with the quilt and may be, just maybe forget about her pain - even if for a little bit.

The choice of the colors was simple - pink and orange.  My mom likes warm and bright colors.
The choosing of 20 fabrics that were all bright and yet distinct from each other, while none of them stood out too much - that took a little (a lot of) agonizing.

Orange & Pink

Pink and Orange became Blush, Berry, Coral, Peach, Melon, Rose, Fuchsia, Azalea, Camellia...and so on.  You get the picture.

I chose a dark purple border and quilted it using my walking foot in gentle curves. Thanks to Jacquie Gering.  The choice of a striped fabric in candy colors for the binding, matched perfectly.

Purple Border, Candy Stripes Binding

My mom is a sewist (and a perfectionist).  She is the one who spot errors quickly.  I wanted this one to be perfect.  Since my mom loved the quilt, I believe it is.

That is why I chose to enter it in the festival.

Dimpled, after a wash

My dear friend Sandra (Musings of a Menopausal Melon) provided the necessary push.

Please take a look at all of the quilts.  They are a celebration of color and a feast for the eyes.
I do hope that you will vote for the Queen's Necklace.

Dip my Toes, Take a Plunge

This blogpost is so last minute but I wanted you to not miss out on this Craftsy Sale.

All sewing and quilting classes are under $20 through the weekend!!!

Bags & Matching Zippers - Audition

Since I am making bags and pouches and baskets for an upcoming festival, some of them (Becca Bags) based on Joan Hawley's class, I highly recommend that one.

This class by Anne Unrein was highly recommended by my M* forum member, Renate.

Did you see there are about six new classes in quilting?


Jacquie Gering is an all-time favorite of mine.

If you are interested in modern quilting, I recommend Elizabeth Hartmann.  She is very precise and she has a free class - Creative Quilt Backs.  Perfect to dip your toes, without having to take a plunge.

I know you are wondering which class did I get. I bought Debbie Caffrey's Clever Cuts for Efficient Quilting.  She teaches amazing piecing techniques. I have only explored it a bit but whatever I saw was all new!!! So much to learn.

Paul's cast is off and he will return to work this Sunday.  I am a bit concerned about him.
He may push himself to do the whole 10-hour shift, when his arm may need resting.  Being concerned without being a nag is a tightrope to walk! Any advice?

Ever since I returned from California, I have been wanting to make falafel.  I so enjoyed these at Babalou's Mediterranean Grill in Walnut Creek.  No, I have never made them before.


Me: I so want to make falafel.
Paul: I will stop preventing you from making them
Me: And I also want to make a flourless chocolate cake with a molten center
Paul: Go for it
Me: Yes, but I am so absorbed with the festival prep for now
Paul: Looks like you have plenty of bags and pouches
Me: How do I know it is enough?
Paul:  Why don't you make some baby blankets and bibs.  You can whip those up in an afternoon.
Me: Terrific Idea. There is a reason I keep you around.
Paul: Uh huh!!!


Maybe next weekend, I will dip my toes into Mediterranean cooking.  For now, I will plunge deep down into baby blanket making.  Oh look at these uber cute frogs and cows!

Farm Animals and Frogs

Soothing & Popping

Hope the buyers find them irresistible.  Are you dipping your toes?  Or taking  a plunge?
I'd love to hear from you.


This blogpost contains affiliate links.

Aquaculture & Addiction

Happy Friday to you all. I have a finish to share.

Friday Finish!!!

I chose to call this quilt Aquaculture - aqua for blue and culture for green (imagine growing a culture in a petri dish) Since it is growing, it is green.

Green Blocks

Blue too!

But it could also mean growing things in water.

Piecing in Progress

And the green blocks within blue outlines seems like green things growing in water. Therefore - Aquaculture.

Charmed

I bought the charm pack (Pineapple Fabrics) from the Quilt Show in 2015.  Threw in a couple of other fabrics to match/make do.

Assembling Rows

OK, I admit, it was a UFO. But I am happy to announce it is  FINISHED  now.

Aquaculture

No body in mind.
Just a quilt.

Quilted

I am sure  a recipient will miraculously appear.

Quilting Detail

The batting is Warm & Natural.  I quilted it in a grid - horizontal and vertical lines, using my walking foot and a decorative stitch. on my Janome.

I chose the same teal blue for the binding to bring the quilt pattern together.  I think it works.

Backing and Binding

The backing is just so cute!!!  This is my September finish (one of them at least) and I will be linking with Heidi of Red Letter Quilts.

Friendly Animals :-)

Here is what the label looks like -  Name on one half, and care instructions on the other half.  I got it from ikaprints. 

My label

This is how the finished label looks.

Labelled

Since my quilt holder-upper is still out of commission, the mail box will have to do for now.

What are you working on?
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Let's talk about Addiction now.  Fabric addiction that is.
Let's admit that there is  no cure. We can manage it...or at east try.

I have allowed myself to buy new fabric in the following conditions
1. When I finish a UFO.
2. When a desired line goes on sale.
3. When I do a giveaway.

Amazingly, all three are true for right NOW.
I just finished Aquaculture.  I just completed my first giveaway. The packages in the mail today.
And look at all this yumminess on sale!!!

Here are a few of my favorite picks.


Cotton and Steel FQ box - Just over a dollar for a fat quarter, this needs no introduction.  Grab it before it is gone.

Andover Sun Print by Alison Glass - This is the fabric line that Molli Sparkles has been raving about.  Need I say more? Fine, it is also on sale!!!

Arabian Nights - Love the rich dark colors. And it is 50% off.  I probably won't use the kit for the pattern (I think it needs some lighter colors too for the eyes to rest), but boy do I love the fabric?

Moda Ombre Basic by V & Co. - Such a  great value for such versatile fabrics. Wow!!!

Which one of these caught your eye?  Do let me know because I love to hear from you!
I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties.


This blogpost contains affiliate links.

Goals & Winners

Somebody shoots a goal and is declared a winner!!!
Let's reverse that order. Shall we?

Becca Bags (Sterling Fest on 10/8/16)

Winners first.  I conducted the first true giveaway (orphan adoption event excluded) in celebration of 101 blogposts.

Here are the winners.

70 # 70– Allison CB won the Craftsy Class

11 #11– duelingthreads (no-reply comment blogger) won the FQ Bundle 1 

37 #37– Mary@ Fleur de Lis Quilts won the FQ Bundle 2

33 #33– Kate won Charm Pack 1

59 #59– Sylvia H won Charm Pack 2

52 #52– Tish Stemple won Charm Pack 3

Congratulations to you all.  Hey duelingthreads, please contact me with your email address.
If I do not hear from you by Monday September 12, 2016, I will pick someone else.

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Speaking of goals, I have a problem...
What is that?

Well, I do not want to show my work until it is complete.  Then, once it is finished, I can make a very big deal out of it!!!

Woven 

But what is a blogpost without pictures?
Exactly.

What a Treat!

Ooh Wow!!!

So this blogpost includes pictures from my trip to Philly over the Labor Day weekend.

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, there was an exhibit on African fabrics called Threads of Tradition.   And they also provided building blocks to play. Of course, I played :-)

Plenty of inspiration and tons of eye candy here.
 

Cat's Eyes?

Falling Leaves

Yellow and Purple

Stunted Mushrooms?

Sterling Fest is on October 8, 2016.  My September will most likely be dedicated to making items for sale at the fest.  In addition to that, I have the following projects in the pipeline

Love love love the droplets

1. Finish a UFO - Aquaculture Baby Quilt
2. Angel's Quilt - Design is finalized, Fabric is cut, and first test blocks completed
3. New Pattern Quilt - Finish the Quilt, Finalize the pattern, Publish it (more like October)

Let's see what I can get accomplished.

Light & Shade

Trendy Block

Playful!

Girls will be Girls!!!

Fine, something for the boys

Spools - Someone likes to sew!

Of course a sewing machine!!!

I had no idea that I would find this exhibit. Just lucky.  Speaking of lucky, I saw this chair in the museum workshop area.  Just because it is a chair, does not mean it cannot be a work of art.

Just a Chair!!!

So much gorgeous fabric and I could not touch??? That is why, I bought this.
I love these super cute jellyfish and puffer fish.

So, what are you trying to finish in September?

As always, I love to hear from you. I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties as well as
Red Letter Quilts for the One Monthly Goal.