Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2012!

It is time once again for the Blogger's Quilt Festival!  My entry is my "Stretch" mini wall hanging.

 

Finished quilt measures : 19″x 19″

Special techniques used : hand applique, beading embellishments 

Quilted by : hand quilted by me

Best Category : Applique Quilt, Hand Quilt, Scrap Quilt

It was during the Blogger's Festival Fall 2011 that I realized that I was in a design slump and needed to expand my skills.  I declared that 2012 would be my year to try all new designs and new techniques.  So far, it has been great trying new things.  New things are good - but maybe in 2013, I might declare it to be the year where I finish things (LOL).

 

My word for this year is "Stretch" and I made this mini as part of the Lets Get Acquainted Blog Hop which I wrote about here. 

 

I think it is also interesting to look back at my previous Blogger Festival entries and see how I have stretched my quilting in a new direction.

 

 

For great quilty inspiration, please check out the Blogger's Festival entries at Amy's Creative Side.

 

 

Vote - Bloggers Quilt Festival

Hello everyone!!!  I just got back from my cruise vacation and I am simply honored, stunned, and amazed with the comments on my "Busting Out" entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  I hope that I have responded to everyone and thanked them.  When I say that your comments made me smile, I mean it!

And.....can you believe it? I have been nominated for an award.  Really, its true!  Please check out the entries as there is some amazing inspiration out in the blog world.  There is also a bit of time left to go to Amy's Creative Side and vote in all of the categories.  My quilt is nominated in the hand quilting category.

(exhale and deep breath).......OK.....I am so, so, so hesitant to write this.  And if I do post it, I may go back and delete this entry later.  But as I alluded to in my last post, I am having internet issues.  The truth is that a few days before I left for vacation my house was broken into around 3 p.m. when I was at work with only the schnauzer at home.

The usual things were taken as well as the ice cube trays from the freezer, trash can, dresser, plant stand, and yes.....some quilts too.  I don't want to go into it, but I can tell you that during all the hours that I spent creating and hand quilting these quilts, I never once thought they would be used to carry away my shoes, handbags, and other items.  I am sure my mom didn't think about that either when she made me a Christmas quilt that I displayed year-round because I liked the colors (dark blue/red). 

I have quilt pictures in the PCs, iPad, and camera that was taken.  Busting Out was somehow spared because I had moved it to a different location to take photos for the festival.  My passport was also left behind so I was able to go on the cruise.  Although my quilt room was ransacked and some WIPs were destroyed, I found the fabric that I received for the In the Bag, Ugly Fabric Challenge in a neat stack downstairs.

So, looking ahead.....I still have the fabric to participate in the Ugly Fabric challenge.  And my mom is finishing this month's Color Palette challenge piece so I will try to post tomorrow using my dad's PC.  Also, I will be participating in the Lets Get Acquainted Blog Hop later in June at Plum and June.

Trying to stay positive.....

Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Who doesn't love a festival?  It is the Spring 2012 Blogger's Quilt Festival held by Amy at Amy's Creative Side.  I have been looking forward to this because I realized something big during the last festival.  I didn't have anything to enter because I give most of my quilts away.  I needed to make some quilts for me.  This led me to declare that 2012 would be my year of trying totally new techniques and stretching my quilts skills.

My entry is titled "Busting Out".

This is a piece that I would never have thought that I could make!  When I saw the inspiration piece for the 2010 Mod Mood quilt along at Daintytime., I reminded myself that 2012 was my year to stretch and I decided to go for it.  

First, I am not someone with a history of working with solids.  But when I started to pull out all my scraps (I save everything!), I was amazed at the variety of colors.  The instructions for the quilt along are excellent and I soon found myself sewing arcs together.

The piece was then hand quilted in a random design using random colored thread.

I absolutely LOVE the way that this turned out.  Although the title is "Busting Out" (as in the scraps busting out of my bag), I also thought of calling it "Willy Wonka's Music Factory".

Please stop by the festival and check out the entries.  There is so much inspiration out there!

(Note:  I'm having some internet issues, but will reply to comments as soon as I can.)