Bird Haven

 Bird Haven is a new applique project.  I am taking a class at the local quilt store with a couple friends.  The class starts next week, but I picked up the pattern last week and as you can see in the second photo, have a few of the blocks already done and a couple more started.  They aren't trimmed or blocked yet, but at least a couple of them are done except the embroidery.  The basket block will have ruched roses in it and there are a couple more blocks with ruched flowers too.  I am going to let Nancy show me how to make those next week.  For some reason, this quilt seemed to call out for pastels, or maybe it's just spring...  The rose fabric in the top left corner will be the border and I pulled the other colors from it.  A couple colors came from the stash and are left-overs from Kate's quilt but I did purchase some fabric when I bought the border fabric.  It's different from anything I've made in a while, but it will be fun to work on it with the women in this class.    

I have also been hand quilting on the oak reel quilt.  I have it all marked with wreaths of oak leaves in the empty blocks and a border of oak leaves and acorns on all 4 corners.  After I get those quilted, I'm going to do a fairly close set diamond design over the whole quilt, so this is a long term project.  I have one wreath done and 3 to go...   

My guild's quilt show is next week and I will be busy Thurs, Fri and Sat.  I'll help set up on Thursday and do white glove, help with food, take tickets and whatever else is needed during the show on Fri and Sat.  On Thursday, I'll drop off my Star Light, Star Bright quilt and the hand quilted baby sized quilt to be in the show.  One very wonky and one very traditional...  I'm really looking forward to seeing them hang in the show.  The show is every two years.  My goal is to get the hand quilted oak reels quilt into the next one.   

This is the center for a medallion quilt.  We have Quilters Night Out once a month and we are working on different border and sashing designs.  You could do a row by row quilt with each design or you could do a medallion quilt and put the borders around the medallion.  I had seen a feathered star quilt in the NY Red and White Quilt Show a couple weeks ago and thought it looked pretty cool.  I hadn't pieced a feathered star before, but I was really careful and it turned out pretty well, meaning the points more or less match.  I really like the scrappy reds, which is a good thing because I got carried away cutting fabric and must have 500 triangles of various red fabrics, so several of my borders will be done with triangles.  Fortunately we are doing a pinwheel design in May so that will take a few more... I only have 300 or so of the white/cream/gold triangles...  this star is only 16 x 16 so it will take many borders to make this a bed sized quilt.      

Progress

I know, it has been forever since I have written.  There just isn't much to take pictures of...  or write about.  Everything is in progress.  I'm in the middle of a really cool basket-making project at basket guild, have marked and just started hand quilting the oak reel quilt (which is going to take me about a hundred years, I have over-estimated my hand quilting abilities to the point where I seriously hope I live long enough to finish this), have finished 3! knitted dishclothes, am about 3/4 done with the baby blanket on the loom, have signed up for another applique quilt class at the LQS (because some really good appliquers are taking the class and I will get better just being around them), and best of all, tomorrow Harold and I are off to order my new Gammill long arm quilter.  It will be really cool to be able to quilt my own tops.  Harold also thinks that I should learn a skill that has the potential to make money (to support my "therapies"), and since I told him that I needed a lot of practice and I don't retire for 4 years, well, you get the picture.  I think I have 4 years to practice, Harold, of course thinks I really only need 4 months of practice... we will see.  He even went down to Detroit with me to see the quilt show last weekend so he could check out the "competition".  I'm not going to be "competition" for a long time.  I think we are going to one of the big national quilt shows this summer, so he can see real machine quilting...  Anyway, I have 4 full size and 4 baby quilts waiting for the LAQ so I will have plenty to practice on for a while.  The baby quilts will be first, since the babies are all here...  It will be a couple weeks and I'll post photos when I get it.