Prairie Patchwork

.......... a Quilt show we had here in Watrous for the last month featuring a few of our quilters in the area and some of my students. I have been asking different ladies to show thier talent off a little and a few agreed to do sew.....

nicely done ladies I am sew glad that you shared  your beautiful quilts with us all. I am looking forward to another show next year sew get your needles ready , I'll be calling.

in stitches
Annette

FMQ Challenge and WIP'S

I have been stitching out this months FMQ challenge and playing with it a little. It has been kind of fun just doodling with thread, and filling your spaces with many different designs. I have found that I need to use a better contrast of fabric to thread for it to show up nicely in a picture. This is what I have come up with this month.

I think I can practice this one more on some smaller quilts and loosen up my spacing. I find that I was wanting to stitch very tight and small, sew more practice will be required on my part to get this where I think it should be.

Thanks to SewCalGal for hosting this FMQ Challenge and to Cindy Needham for teaching us this month and showing us a different way to look at our quilting. I am always open to new ideas for my quilting,/playing. By learning/playing with our FMQ skills we will always be improving upon what we can do for ourselves and our sense of accomplishment grows......just watch that pile of quilt tops become quilts......

Now for my WIP's I have my Square in a Square quilt ready for the hand work part of the binding.

The doll has a little bra ( I may redesign that ) and I have started on her clothes. I just have to figure out how much embellishments will be done to them. I have tweak the top/jacket pattern by changing up the hem line and the sleeves, as well as adding darts to help give it shape.I do not remember if she had her hair last week but I know she has a do now. I may bead up some jewelry.

She's looking a little better now ....... just some fine tuning and hemming to do...

printed on fabric to make a garden flag

I am also making a garden flag to let folks know that I am participating in the McCall's QDS Challenge. I want to let people know that this is going on and for them to see what everyone in the challenge has created and to vote for their favorite.
 If you use my link to pop over to the voting you can use the slide show or gallery to view all the quilts in the professional category and then go to McCall's Quilting to find your way to the amateur category.

I will be linking up with SewCalGal`s FMQ June Challenge

as well asThe Needle and thread Network      ( a little later today I'm a ready a bit to early to post )
have a great day
In stitches
Annette

W.I.P. Wednesdays

Sew  now that the voting is in full swing on the McCall's Quilting site, I have some time to catch up on projects started.
I have most of the quilting done on my Square in a Square quilt from the conference

I love doing the candy ribbon in the small border      

I put a bust line on the doll from the conference as well now I can work on the clothes and then her hair sew she will not look like and alien.

ready to design some clothes and a hair do

I have Guide Me Safely Home all ready to machine quilt as well. That's the nice part about this competition the first two rounds it is a quilt top only that has to be completed and the last round it is a finished quilt.Quilt Design Star 2012 home page. Check out the site and read up about the participants on the Editors blog.
If you would like to vote for me I have a voting link on my side bar.

I also will be linking up with The Needle and Thread Network,
 check in there to see what everyone else has been up to this week . Here is a link to help you find your way      The Needle and Thread Network
 I also want to say thank you to Flo for the little package I received yesterday in the mail..... a prize for the correct answers to her name that tune post cards.

thanks Flo

I'm  sure we all will be stopping in to check out the new to us shop
and all those threads you have in store

and another goes to Creative House .... they sent out some lovely threads with Monika when she taught a thread painting class here.  they also gave us each a spool of thread and a coupon for their shop..... a little late but thank you just the same.

thinking of new projects to try out with these goodies

And lastly Thank you to McCall's and all their sponsors for the QDS.  The box of goodies will take some time to fully enjoy ( a lovely selection of fat quarters from different companies as well as some other great  quilting items) The McCall's site has a better shot of the goodies.

And of course I want to thank you all out there that are supporting me with your votes.
In stitches
Annette

McCall's Quilting QDS has started and a Tuesday tidbit

First off  I just want to let you all know that the voting has officially started ...... link on my side bar. Stop on by and vote for your favorite quilt remember that there are two categories and you can vote once a day in each one. If you go to the McCall's Quilting home page you will find links to all the quilts in the competition.
Good luck to all the participants. There are some great quilts in this round.

And now for my Tuesday tidbit I kn ow it's been a while
sew with out further a due here goes
While working on Guide Me Safely Home in the camper I came up with a way to hang my design wall...aka plastic picnic table cloth with a flannel backing.

I used ..... what else but picnic table clips on my cupboards above the couch

This worked perfectly, and did not take up any extra space and did not damage the cupboards by slipping  the clips on. ( the clips are still there waiting for the next project )
I also will use the clips to hold a garbage bag at my work area just to try and be a little tidy.
 Now to  come up with a way to hang it in the house.... right now I use a bunch of pins into the frame of a bookcase.
That's all for today.

Remember to go and vote
in stitches
Annette

McCall's Reveal and give away winners

 The next round of voting begins June 19 - July 8

                                                           Guide Me Safely Home
My Challenge 1 piece using The Storm at Sea block from the McCall's Quilting Web sites free block patterns. Be sure to check out what everyone else has created and start to vote for your favorites starting tomorrow June 19.

doing a re- think on my layout at this point
sew I made my sea while I thought it out

a few close ups of the Applique,some hand and some by machine with a little thread play for detail

I hope you all enjoy what I created. I have enjoyed this challenge and how it got me thinking outside the block. I may have to do up the other quilt that I had designed using this block sometime this summer.





And now for the give aways of some of Marci Bakers QTools . Last week I mentioned the give away and from the comments left on that days blog  here are the winners

SharonB
Bonnie58  could you please contact me sew that I can get your mailing address ( non-reply comment)
Sheila from Sheila's Quilt World

I will be adding a generous fat quarter of a camping themed fabric for you to play with.
Thanks for playing along.   For more infor  about QTools check out Marci Baker's web site, while there check out her videos for using these products as well as many other useful videos.
Have a great day..... rain or shine
In stitches
Annette

W.I.P. Wednesdays

Well I have been busy with my McCall's QDS  Challenge 1 and have submitted it to them, you can check it out on the 19 of June on the McCall's Quilting web site. I will have a pic on my blog as well.
And now that I have that all taken care of I have started on my square in a square quilt from the conference 2 weeks ago I have put all the blocks together and now just have to cut the setting blocks and put it all together. There is no right way or wrong way to do this one. You build your base pieces and play with them from there to create your blocks, each a little different and no two quilts will be the same. I found that the scrappier your choices in fabrics the more variety you will have with your finished blocks .Here are a few of the blocks I put together.

this is what a scrappier one would look like with 16 blocks
I did manage to get 21 sew I will use 20 to make my little quilt.
they are 6 in finished blocks

I will be linking with The Needle and Thread Network this week , be sure to check out what everyone else has been up to as well. ( link on my side bar)
in stitches
Annette

Featured Quiter

Today I am the featured quilter on the McCalls' Quilting blog  here is a link to find it easier

McCall's Quilting Quilt Design Star

Last night I submitted my quilt for the next round of voting. Which starts on the 19 of June Once a day until the 8 of July.
Be sure to go over and check out what has been created I am sure it will be a goo d show.
in stitches
Annette

Callenge 1 piece, ready for photo shoot

We spend the weekend at the camp grounds setting up for the summer. Now if the wind would die down we could go fishing too.

All set up at the camp grounds...... loven``
the little deck hubby built for the camper

I just finished my next piece for McCall's Quilting Quilt design Star 2012
We had to use the Storm at Sea block for the professional catagory ,the amiture catigory used the Amish Star. I will only tease you for now as I need to get a good picture of it and submit it on line to McCall's Quilting. I will post other pictures after the voting starts next week.

ready to play

Now with the piece done I can play with my new Elna 740, which has been watching me all week and waiting for it's turn to play. Not sure where to begin .... finish some blocks from the Square in a Square Mystery class ...make a bra ... play with the painted fabric etc.   I will just have to go and grab a bag and work with what is in it i guess.

Qtools give away

I do have a little give away Marci Baker gave me 3 sets of samples of the sewing and cutting guides that will stick to your machine or ruler to help guide you in your quilting.The Sewing Edge is  the purple one which  makes a nice little bumper to keep your stitching true. the Cutting Edge is  orange strip attaches on the under side of your ruler to aid you in your cutting.  Thanks Marci.
I may add a fat quarter or two or maybe even a charm pack. I will draw next Monday for the winners.

 These are part of her Qtools, the other one is Qtools Corner Cut 60 which has trimming edges to take of the dog ears and also can be used with the Sewing Edge to line up your quarter in seam allowance ( 3 choices there regular, scant and generous quarter inch). Marci has videos showing how to used these tools as well as very good instrucions included with them. Look for it in your local shops or check out Marci`s shop Alicia`s Attic.
In stitches
Annette

Sewing up a storm

Well I have been busy sewing up the storm at sea blocks for the McCall's QDS challenge 1. I think I only have 3 more to finish up and then on to the borders. I am enjoying working on this one as it is the first time I am working with this block. I have looked at it many times just never found the quilt that I wanted to make. I am hoping to have it finished by the end of the weekend. I have to have it posted by next Sunday.
And then I will play with the Elna 740. Right now it out of the box and looking at me, waiting. From looking at the manual it looks like it will be fun  to play with it and learn what all it can do. It did come with it's own quilting table. I think I will make another bra on it while I play.
I did get the garden all planted yesterday before what I thought was going to be a good rain, but it was mostly noise and just a sprinkle.
Well I best get moving..... have a great day
in stitches
Annette

W I P Wednesday

Seams like a long time since I posted a wip. And right now I have a ton of pigs ( projects in sacks) from my classes last week. They are on hold as I work on the Challenge piece for McCall's due  for the 17 of June.

sneak peak

I just did a little sewing of another sort

in the garden now it can rain ... the sky was grumbling while I planted

Now to get back to my sewing.
I will be linking up with The Needle and Thread Network , link on my side bar.  Check in and see what everyone has been up to.
Last picture is of a visitor we had last night while eating supper.

in stitches
Annette

resting out of the wind