Design Wall Monday - 2/10/14

Today, let me show you a few things that are NOT on my Design Wall ....   because they are FINISHED!!!!

The First Noel

29" X 29"

Gotta LOVE classic blue and white!!!  This was a Guild Mystery quilt a few years ago, designed by Melissa Gann of the Doodlehead Stitches blog.  She gave us instructions for both a large and small wall quilt - of course I chose the small :)  This has been a pieced flimsy for several years now, and I'm delighted to have it finished!!!

Our Guild started a new UFO Challenge this year.  We were to make a list of twelve UFO projects we wanted to accomplish this year.  Then the VP calls out a number each month, and we are to complete the item listed on that number.  The thing I really like about this challenge is that you don't have to list an entire quilt project.  We could list, "finish 5 blocks" on a UFO, or "apply borders" to another - which is much easier than "finish my Dear Jane!"  Getting The First Noel quilted was my #5 for February.

I did a lot of stitch-in-the-ditch around the blocks because I liked the design a lot!  Then I used a Lori Kennedy (Inbox Jaunt blog) snowflake motif around the tree in an iridescent metallic thread - I really liked that effect, although the thread gave me fits!!!

Below is a look at the back which gives a good view of the quilting.  It was draped over the back of a chair, so it's not laying flat :)

The next finish is probably one of my oldest Dinosaur UFO's.....

Indian Summer

Trimming it up for the binding :*)

This was one of the first quilts I ever lusted after LOL!!!  

In my first year of quilting - really in the first few months - one of the ladies in my sit-n-sew group who lived near me asked if I wanted to go with her to The Quilters Attic, a quilt shop in Goodlettsville.  Of course I said yes!!!   This quilt shop is located in an old building with a lovely upstairs display room.  Their Indian Summer was hung up really high, overlooking the room, and it simply took my breath away!  I just stood there, mouth agape, and stared at it!  I told myself if I ever made a quilt that beautiful, I would then consider myself a "real quilter"!!!

So, I suppose I am now a "real quilter" LOL!!!  Within the year I had purchased the Judy Niemeyer pattern and some lovely batiks to make it.  But I couldn't start right away because I had not yet learned how to paper-piece.  Soon after, a lady in my Guild offered to teach us how to paper-piece during one of our scheduled sit-n-sews.  Paper-piecing was love at first stitch for me!

This was my first true paper-piecing project, and it is still one of my favorite quilts!  However, the finished quilt top sat again - for years! - waiting for me to grow my FMQ skills.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Joanne let me know that I could have a day on her longarm if I wanted it - did I ever!!!!  I had this quilt and backing already in a bag, ready to go.....

And now it's a finished quilt!!!!

Well, okay..... it's all trimmed up and the binding strips are cut - I'll have it bound and done by the end of the week :*)  GOSH!!!  Isn't it nice to have FINISHES?  This Dinosaur UFO is now extinct and has been marked off my list.

What's on your Design Wall?  

Check out all the great projects at Judy's Patchwork Times!!!

Also linking up with:
Freemotion by the River - Tuesday Linky Party
Confessions of a Fabric Addict - Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

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Joy to the Goose!

Have you made a Christmas quilt?  I’ve been quilting now for about 5 years, and every year I’ve said, “This year I’m going to make a Christmas quilt.”  But I never managed to get to it until this year.  It’s still not quilted (story of my quilting life!), but here is my first Christmas quilt top.  Isn’t it a beauty?!?  (Pardon my lack of photog skills!)

It is a pattern by Carrie Nelson called Toulouse from Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co.  Did you know that there is a variety of French goose known as a Toulouse?  Carrie didn’t either until she googled it.  The big blocks in the middle are called Goose in the Pond, and of course the large border is Flying Geese.  So I call this Christmas Geese.  Didn’t take much imagination to come up with that, huh? 

The background fabric is an oriental print by Kumiko Sudo for In the Beginning fabrics.  I got about 6 yards of it – all that was on the bolt – on sale at one of our local quiltshops and held onto it until I found the perfect pattern for my Christmas quilt.  I love the way the scrappy greens and reds just sparkle against the background!  I still have about 2 yards left – yum!!!

                                                           I think my family liked it!

 

I also finished this quilt that I consider a Christmas quilt.  It is an original design by the multi-talented Melissa over at Doodle-head Stitches.  She designed this to be a monthly mystery quilt for our Guild last year.  The directions gave the option to make the quilt either 30” or 60.”  I chose the smaller blocks of course – I love small quilts!   I call this one The First Noel.  Isn’t Melissa an awesome designer?!?

I’d love to see some of your Christmas quilts!  Or are you planning your first one for next year?  Tell me about it!

Teresa

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