Chicago World's Fair 1892 Quilt

A quilt top finish.  I used a free pattern designed by Karen Witt to make the "Chicago World's Fair 1892" quilt top.  The pattern does not show a border but I felt it needed one.  The top is approximately 71 inches square.

The fabric line is not current but I found some online.  My friend Jean also made one.  She had some fat quarters of the same line of fabric in her stash.  So we combined our fabrics together along with a few shirtings from stash to come up with enough.  The fabric line is by Nancy Gere.

Here is a link to the free pattern.
http://www.windhamfabrics.com/cgi-bin/fabricshop/projects.cgi?patternID=32

I will share a few pictures of the fussy cut block centers using one of the fabrics.

I hope to get it quilted at the local shop and have a finish in the New Year.

Karen

Buhl Quilt

The first part of the left border for the Buhl quilt.  The pattern is being sold by the Virginia Quilt Museum.  I am enjoying working with a bit brighter palette than I often use.

Karen

Parkersburg Quilt and Celebrating Mary Brown Update

A bird blck for my "Celebrating Mary Brown" quilt.  Last month I shared a picture of the upper left corner section.  The bird block is the next block in the top row.  I am not fond of the leaf right behind the bird wing but that is the pattern design. Some of the other sew-along participants will be sharing their blocks.  Some will get going when they have recuperated from surgery or the need to fabric shop first.

I completed the "Parkersburg" quilt top made from a pattern by Jo Morton.  My friend Jean also made one.  We decided to make the blocks an inch larger than the pattern directions so the applique center size was also increased.  We cut out the quilt parts together.  A fun quilt project.  Love the border print!   I have the backing ready and will take it to be machine quilted.

Buhl Quilt Update

This month, I worked on the center blocks for the "Buhl" quilt.  I paper pieced all the pointy arc sections.  While at the beach in South Carolina with friends, I did several applique arcs.  I have one complete block section for you to see.  I am using an Edyta Sitar bird fabric for the center section of these and am fussy cutting the birds.

I will also post a picture of some of the border with this block so you can see where the colors are coming from.

Most of the quilts I make are more to the dark side but this past year, I have tried to expand my range somewhat.  I am still drawn to darker fabrics but it is fun to push myself a bit to the brighter side.

There is still time for you to join in on the sew-along.  The patterns are available through the Virginia Quilt Museum website.  http://www.vaquiltmuseum.org/our-shop

Karen

Celebrating Mary Brown

I have started the "Celebrating Mary Brown" pattern by Corliss Searcy.  There is a small group of ladies that have joined in for a sew-along.  A no rules kind where you post if you are ready and catch up when you can.  Because the corner of the quilt we have started with has vines that go over three blocks, we agreed to do all three at once instead of one as most times it will be.  Since, I sewed four pieces of background together to make placement easier, I went ahead and stitched the pineapple block.

The other participants are Cathy B. and her blog is "Big Lake Quilter".  Nan from "Chopin - A Passionate Quilter",  Jennie from "Over the Hill and Running" Robin from "I Like To Create" (formerly Soltice Studio), and a friend of Nan's who does not have a blog named Jan.  Nan will be posting pictures for Jan.  Also participating using a different pattern is Julie K of "Julie K Quilts".

I am sewing along with a friend on a Jo Morton pattern.  Here is the center medallion applique block.  I have pieced several of the surrounding blocks but I am not ready to sew rows of them yet.

I am just back from a week's vacation.  I have a lot of catching up to do.  I did a lot of applique stitching while gone including finishing the Mary Brown blocks.

Karen

Dearest Boy.....Top Complete

"Dearest Boy" is ready for a trip to the quilt shop for machine quilting.  I am ready to get back to other projects that are partially completed and a new one in the works.

This has been a challenging album style quilt.  The block patterns were not always the clearest instructions.  The pieced blocks tended to be meant for a hand piecing style instead of machine done.  And many of the blocks had no layout given.  Just a picture.  I am glad to have the top done.  My favorite block is the bird on the basket of eggs.  I also am drawn to the strawberries design and, of course, the cow in the center.

Each participant has done their own thing on a few of the blocks so none of the quilts will be quite the same setting.  And the fabric choices are quite varied.  We did not have a set date to have the tops complete so Julie, Cathy, and Carole will set their own pace and share when they are ready.

Thanks for stopping by.

Karen

At Last The Cow

Finally, it is time for the cow block.  A few of you have been waiting for it for several months.

I started sewing all the blocks together but find that one of the pieced blocks is a bit on the small side.  I need to do some work on it.

I completed the second snowman block and have one more left to do.  Then assembly of the quilt comes next.

I will be back on September 1st for a Buhl quilt update.  We are in hurricane preparation mode.  I will be working on applique blocks to keep my mind off of the uncertainty.

The basket quilt I shared with you recently that had a sideways block.....I donated it to the family reunion auction fund raiser.  It brought in $200.  The quilt made it's way to Dallas, Texas after the reunion.

Karen