May I Have Your Attention, Please...

DPQG 2014 "American Treasures" Album Raffle Quilt

I can finally show you more photographs of the completed applique' quilt for

the 2014 Disconnected Piecers Quilt Guild Show. This is a queen size quilt

and it will be raffled at our show in February 2014. Imagine this...one lucky

winner will take this home with them (or have it shipped to them) after the show!

This is the block I designed and stitched myself.

Susan's custom quilting really made this quilt come to life. She does 

truly incredible work, and it's so perfect for all the handwork that went 

into each and every block that was a part of this heirloom-quality piece.

One of my very favorite blocks.

I don't think this album quilt would be complete without the eagle.

(Of course, I love the acorns, too!)

Another favorite...

This block makes me smile. I love how Susan quilted the sky

behind the lighthouse, and the lobsters were expertly created, too.

Of course, I have to show you the alligator block!

Can you almost taste the oranges, feel the sunshine and hear the sea?

It really doesn't take much imagination.

If you'd like to see all of the blocks and special features lovingly and 

expertly stitched into this piece, you can go to the Flickr album I created.

Just click here to see more. 

These are not the "official photographs", which will be taken soon for our

advertising images, but I just couldn't wait any longer to share them with you.

I began this quilt journey in August 2012. I am in awe of the dedication and 

talent of all the women who helped to create this masterpiece - and that we

completed it in a mere eight months! Thank you, everyone!

Our raffle tickets will be printed soon and I'll make them available for 

anyone who is interested in a chance to win the quilt. More details soon.

 For now, I'm just going to crow about my incredible quilting friends.

Taking A Day Off...

Martta Wendelin

I'm going to take the day off to catch up on my emails and play.

Thanks for all the wonderful comments you left for me the last

few days. The class was so much fun and my students are all so

enthusiastic. We stayed right on schedule all day and, if they do

their homework between now and the 31st, we'll finish all of their

embroidered envelopes so that can take them home - ready to use - 

after the next session. I can't wait to see how their embroideries turn out.

I will answer one question from the comments I received

about the American Treasures Album Quilt:

Mandy said:

"Very impressive work. Could I ask what size each block is?..."

Thanks for asking, Mandy. Each of those blocks will finish to be 15" square.

I haven't decided yet whether or not they'll be sashed, and we're still 

thinking about how the borders are going to look. It's a very exciting process.

This sentence is a link to Pearl Pereira's (P3 Designs) quilt.

She's the designer of most of the blocks. (I designed "Wisconsin" in her style.)

She didn't use sashing between the blocks and it's quite impressive that way.

We won't applique' the borders as she did, but we may use all our

fabrics from the blocks to do a patchwork border. Still deciding on that.

So, I'll be catching up with all of you who left comments for me in the 

past week, and doing a little "homekeeping", too. I'll be back tomorrow

to show you what I'll be working on next. Have a great day!

Inspired...

After our guild meeting on Tuesday evening, I came home inspired to make some serious progress on the block I've been working on for our guild quilt. (Thanks to Barb completing her block for providing the motivation.)

This is how my block looked when I resumed work yesterday. I'd say I've been doing pretty well, considering I've worked on this block all by my "ownsome". (That's really is a word here at Brynwood!)

I had already prepped the robin's nest, badger and a significant number of leaves and flowers...but I had more to do.

So, after attending training all morning to be an inspector for our local precinct in the upcoming election, I headed directly to the studio when we got back home.

The first thing I did was pull the large green stem out of the block (the one that runs up the right side from the robin to the large lily on the top photograph). I decided it was too thick, so I made a thinner one that I much prefer to the other.

I designed this block in the style of Pearl's other blocks (because she hasn't designed the Wisconsin block, which we needed.) I'm styling it as I go, so I give myself some leeway to adjust or modify my layout or elements as I preview placements. I forgot how much fun it is for me to design something from the ground up.

Handsome had rehearsal last evening, so I stayed in the studio until nearly ten pm. You'll notice a few stems without lily blossoms - and I still need the flesh it out with more leaves - but I'm planning to have it completed by the end of today and then I'll start stitching on Saturday.

Now you know what I'll be doing on Saturday and Sunday. I'm looking forward to a relaxing and productive weekend! How 'bout you? What do you have planned?

I Can See Clearly Now...

I thought you might enjoy a few photos from Saturday's guild workshop.

We all got together to begin creation of our American Treasures Album Quilt.

We had twenty quilters in attendance, and when we packed up at 4 pm, 

eight blocks in progress left the workshop in the hands of the leaders 

of each group. (The leaders are the women who will be responsible 

for the actual applique' stitching when the blocks are ready.)

 We began by watching the dvd which is available for purchase from

Pearl Pereira at P3 Designs, followed by a little hands-on practice

using small kits we'd assembled. Each kit included a pattern, fabric

and template paper for each attendee to get a feel for the process.

 In no time at all, they were all ready to get started on the actual

blocks and patterns, and the rest of the day was spent creating

elements that will go into their respective blocks.

 It was especially interesting to see how the groups for each block

formed and how well everyone worked together toward a common goal.

The leaders chose the blocks they wanted to work on, and then the women

broke off into groups. Once they opened their kits, there was the option

to switch out a few fabrics if they saw something they liked better for

individual elements. Thankfully, most of them were completely satisfied

with the fabrics that I had selected for their kits, so that didn't take long.

 There were people who prepared the template paper, traced pattern

pieces and then cut them out, arranged the pieces on fabric and made

each element for their blocks and then arranged them on the pattern.

(Disclaimer: Those pizza boxes were donated by Michelangelo's Pizza 

in North Port, FL specifically to store and transport the blocks and pieces as 

they're being created. There was no food on the tables while they were working!)

As the elements were created, members went back to the pattern to insert the

 elements into the layout, and then decide what should be made next. My task

 was to make sure they had the supplies they required or answer their questions.

 I got excited right along with each of the women as their blocks started
to come together. Small successes which lead greater successes.
Greater successes to result in our wonderful 15" blocks when they're finished.
Then we'll be ready for assembly.

We'll be having more workshops to start the other blocks, (there are 

twenty in total) and the leaders will have workshops on their own, too.

There will be "hives" of activity within our guild as we all work

toward our common goal. There is going to be a stunning result.

I can see it so clearly already.

Broken Dishes And Workshop Day...

Farmer's Wife #11 Broken Dishes

Just look how accurate the blocks end up when they're paper pieced!

I managed to finish this block today after I finished preparing, 

packing and stacking my supplies for the workshop I'm teaching tomorrow.

 This was the last of the supplies to be packed into my Explorer.

I'll be off on my way to the workshop early today so I can set

up before my sister guild members/participants arrive.

I'm really looking forward to starting our guild quilt together.

 These women are all incredible quilters, and I have no

doubt that this is the beginning of one incredible guild collaboration.

I hope you all have a grand day, and that you are able to 

share something marvelous with someone you admire

as I will be today. If you're doing something you love

with someone you care about, how can it not be wonderful?

Working For The Weekend...

P3 Designs - Florida Album Block

 I was so busy yesterday that I never picked up a camera.

This weekend is the workshop that I'm holding to start our guild quilt 

for the 2014 quilt show. Two of my friends from the guild came over to

our home to learn about the techniques ahead of the workshop, and then

they tucked right in to help me with some of my last minute preparations.

Pat K. and Joan B. were a godsend! We got so much accomplished!

They came over at 12:30 pm and left around 4 pm.

They're both guild board members (like I am), and we had an evening board 

meeting last night, so I only said goodbye for a couple of hours. 

I couldn't wait to thank them in front of the rest of the board.

P3 Designs - Iowa Album Block

 Pearl (of P3 Designs) completed two more blocks that we need for our 

quilt, so as soon as the girls left, I went to her online site and ordered them.

I love these two!

Check out the alligator on the Florida block, and the great use

of a specialty fabric in the Iowa block for the corn! So clever.

(You can see all of her album blocks by clicking here.)

Work officially begins on the construction of this quilt on Saturday.

I promise to share lots of photos of the workshop.

Today, I'm going to work on Farmer's Wife blocks again.

As Scarlet O'Hara says, "Tomorrow's another day."

I'll be working on the applique' blocks then.

I hope your day is filled with you doing things that make you happy.

See you again tomorrow!

Colors...

I'm really having a great time getting ready for my presentation to the quilt guild on Tuesday evening. There's so much enthusiasm from our members to get started on our joint effort for our next guild quilt show that I can hardly wait to unveil it for them.

This is a preview of the board I'm working on. I've shown what our blocks will look like by posting images of each block, and then I snipped a sample of every fabric that we'll be using in our quilt. I just know that the finished quilt will be stunning!

We'll be choosing a name for our quilt at the meeting (we've chosen three that they'll vote on), and then we'll be watching the technique dvd recorded by the designer of the American Album blocks. 

I still have more to do to get ready for the meeting, but I'm going to have time for fun this weekend, too. (We're going to see Hope Springs - starring Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep - later today!)

Have a great weekend - and do something nice for someone you love. Goodness always multiplies and returns to you tenfold.

Dee's Big Bite...

 I don't think I told you yet, but this spring I was elected as 

recording secretary for the Disconnected Piecers Quilt Guild.

It's a two year commitment and I'm honored to serve.

In March, I volunteered to be the chairman for the creation of

the quilt that will eventually be raffled at our 2014 Quilt Show.

(I can do this. Breathe. I can do this.)

 It's a huge commitment and this quilt needs to be completed by

April 2013 so that it can be photographed and shown prior to the raffle.

My goal is to have each guild member (who wants to) have a hand 

in its creation so that we can say it was truly created by everyone in the guild.

Additionally, we've chosen an ambitious design, 

in that its going to be a Baltimore Album Quilt.

(In case you're not familiar with the term, a Baltimore

Album quilt is created using hand applique' for each block.)

Pearl Pereira of P3 Designs is designing an American Album Quilt

and has given us permission to use her designs for our quilt.

 I'm happy to say that the fabrics have been chosen, cut and sorted,

and most of the kits have been assembled.

We'll debut the kits at a September workshop that I'll lead.

We'll watch the designer's dvd so that all of our applique'ers 

are executing the same technique for every block.

There are days when I fear that I've bitten off more than I can chew,

but I'm enthusiastic and committed to the project and I believe

that our members will share that enthusiasm to create a

fabulous finished product - and beat the deadline, too!

I promise to share progress on this ambitious project.

I look at myself as the facilitator, but I'm looking forward to

having a hand in the the actual work, too.

We'll decide on a name for the quilt at our next guild meeting this month.

I can't wait to tell you what we decide!

There's a saying that "You can eat an elephant - one bite at a time."

Wish me luck!