The last six months in my quilt life

As they say: My road to hell is paved with my good intentions.  I really thought that I would carve out the time to blog on a regular basis and I just haven't done it.  So I will try again.

In the spring of 2014 I took a class from Janna Thomas at the Mancuso Quilt Show in Savannah.  It was a great venue for the quilt show and a really enjoyable class.  The Blocloc system is a little fussy but boy do you get some nice results.  While shopping the vendors I found some fabrics to add to the quilt and essentially ended up changing 60% of the fabrics based on my purchases.  I blame Meg Latimer for unabashedly encouraging me (she knows my fabric preferences better than I do and manages to help me spend money on a consistent basis.).

When I got home and had time to work on the quilt I was really pleased with both the pattern/ruler and the fabric. 

I did finish the quilt in November 2014 and worked with Page Johnson of The Quilting Page to do specialty quilting.  She went a little over the top with this one but it is fantastic.  The quilting really plays off the stripes and stars in the quilt.  Between Page and Mary Reinhardt they talked me into using a double ric-rack as a finishing edge with the binding.The effect is just too much fun and fanciful.

I think I put the last stitches into the binding the day I took the quilt to Glad Creations for the annual "Staff Quilt Show" the first week of January.  Our theme for the year was stripes.  I used a really cute striped fabric for the center of the blocks that I cut on point and mirror imaged for a "square" setting.  With the crayola colors carried from the centers out to the points and accent stars the whole quilt is just fun.

The quilt has been in a couple of quilt show and received 2 Teachers ribbons at MQX East and a teacher ribbon at the Minnesota Quilt Show in Duluth and made it into the Duluth Newspaper.  I entered the quilt in Non-Judged for a couple of reasons and  I was thrilled that it took the Viewers' Choice Ribbon.  How great is it when other quilters enjoy the quilt as much as I do. 

The quilt is back at Page's studio in Eagan hanging up on the wall.  With a black lab that sheds and a white background quilt, I think it is better that the quilt live at the studio for now.  Someday I will figure out a good home for this quilt.

Janna was at the Minnesota Quilt Show in June 2014 where I saw her book "The Block Maker II" with some great quilt designs.  I bought the book and a couple more rulers (like I need more rulers in my sewing room) and have been tinkering with some additional quilts for the future - but hold that thought.