Layer Cake--Block 5

Here is the next in the series for the mystery Layer Cake Quilt a Long that I am doing.  The challenge was to get a mix of fabrics and not use stripes, as the designer said they wouldn't work too well. I have several stripe fabrics in my LC and I need to get using them or I will be left with a few blocks that are all stripes!! (That could be fun.) I did sneak a stripe in the center and it was a left over piece that was just the right size, yeah.

 I am thinking that for the accent fabric I will use the green that is in some of the fabrics. Each block will have a small,1 inch or so, border and the green will go there. I will try it out and see if it is too,"in your face". There will also be at least 2-3 other borders to use the red /blue/khaki. When the final clues are given as to the setting etc, I may revise. After all, one must be flexible in quilting. How often I have an idea for quilting the final top and re think it as I am quilting away on it!

More pictures and updates from my longarm quilting coming. Right now my room has be taken over by my son and DIL who are visiting from Hong Kong. We are still having holiday fun!

Merry Christmas to all..

May all your borders be square,  and all your points match. May you find the perfect fabric in your stash..and there is enough of it! Here's hoping that quilting brings you  much fun and joy as you tackle your next project. May the Quilt Police only visit you to hand out a commendation!

Merry Christmas !

Cecilia

Road Trip ..to Christal Carter's !!



View from Living Room !

Mid December my friendship group, CottonPatchers, took a trip to visit Quilt designer, author and artist Christal Carter who lives near San Diego,Ca. What a fun day!!  We had a lovely lunch plus a tour of her studio and beautifully decorated house and to top it off...Quilts! We were treated to a small show of some of her quilts,plus previews of upcoming.



Wool applique

Wool hand prints from family.

Then we got to see the incredible Play House that she and her husband built for their grand kids. It's all decorated with quilts too.

Playhouse

Running water in the playhouse!

Everywhere we looked there was something unique and clever to see. Christal uses many of her quilts throughout her house along with antiques and finds from thrift stores and yard sales!

Lots of inspiration. We all enjoyed the day and we all wanted to have our birthdays in her playhouse too!

Please visit her website, http://www.christalcarter.com/ and take a look. If any of you are going to Road to California Quilt Show this January, she is teaching classes and will also be a vendor. Stop by her booth and say hi !

Catching up..Tis the season!

Okay, I'm still here! I have been busy getting all the quilts for customers who need them by Christmas finished and out the door. Here are a few:

Here's a close up of the quilting. I used a goldish thread color and it picked up on the bits of gold in the fabrics,

Echoed Swirls/Cloud color of Glide Thread

And finished the next block in the LC quilt a long...Now , just one more quilt to go and then I can do one of my own or maybe get my Christmas shopping done!!

This Friday my son, Tim and his wife, Sabrina come in from Hong Kong for 2 weeks, YEAH !!! It will be great to have everyone here.

Are you done shopping? Decorations up?

Quilt a Long...Basket Block

Layer cake-Block 3

This cute basket block is the third in the Layer Cake Quilt a Long over at Moose on the Porch Quilts. It's not too late to join in the fun. (See link button on side.) New block every 2 weeks is doable.  You are working with 10 inch squares and it's a little tricky getting some of the cuts right. I had to improvise because I fussy cut the center rose.  Of course, it was in the center of the square. Not enough left on either side  to do all the handle pieces. That's the challenge and fun... have to use what's in your layer cake!

Christmas Carolina Lily

The Carolina Lily pattern has long been one of my faves. I saw this top offered on ebay and jumped on it. I don't have many red/green quilts so that was an added plus. There were a couple issues with the piecing..some of the points are off, but who am I to scold.(some of mine are too!) It was a blast  to quilt and do what I wanted.

 So I chose feathers, which are my favorite motifs. Did them with pearls in the outer border and triangles and a feathered cross in the plain red blocks.

Anita Shackelford design

Karen McTavish design

The only problem area was in one green border. This was a pesky little border! After basting and stitching in the ditch, this area had a lot of extra fabric. Can't figure that out, the other 3 green border were perfect angels.

Where did this come from?  What to do !!!

     Piano key beadboard pattern was a godsend. This great  pattern with beadboard and pearls by Julie Lawson had been my plan all along, as I like some straight line work to contrast with the feathering.  It sure helped this area. Sprayed some starch and pinned ,smoothed and tried steam, slowly quilted and manuevered the fabric as I went. Not too bad, a small little tuck...don't tell the quilt police. I can live with it.

whew...not bad

Julie Lawson design



Tammy Finkler feathered pearl border

 This is quilted with Glide thread, colors to match the fabric. I love how this thread works in my Gammill. It is strong, thin and has a bit of sheen so it really shows off the designs and my background fills. Hobbs 80/20 batting. Wool batt would have been fun , but didn't have a batt big enough. Next quilt.

This will soon be my holiday quilt on my bed..once I get it bound!!

 Now on to the next quilts in the line up that have to be done for Christmas..yikes it's December already!!