Library Llama tote with Island Batik....

Here we are...the last Island Batik assignment for 2018!! Whimsical and Wonky is the theme.
My brain being the Squirrel that it is---had another project in mind--and even half started--I still really like it so will finish it sometime.....

.....but then this adorable Llama just spoke to me with his whimsical attitude and challenged me to some play time!!!
Earlier this month I joined an online club offered by Jaculynne Steves called The Art of Home Club.
Once a month she provides a collection of line drawings to either embroider or possibly applique, along with ideas for quilts, totes or various other items to use the drawings with. Llama is from the Hipster Animals collection.

After tracing the design onto the Basic white batik with a Micron pen, I applied a tear away stabilizer to the fabric back. Put the #23 embroidery foot on my Bernina. Threaded the machine with black Aurifil. Lowered the feed dogs......

......and started to free motion thread sketch, following the black traced lines as best I could. I was going for a doodly whimsical look.

Then it was time for some fun. Coloring!!! Playing with Derwent Inktense watercolor pencils is something I don't do enough of!!! The color will always look different after liquid is applied, so I made a little chart with actual colored samples to help in choosing the right pencil!!!

Look at the vibrant color that appears after the textile medium is applied!!! The nice tight weave of this batik makes this process so smooth and easy!!

Next, I used 4--10" sqaures from the Spirit Rythm by Bella Nonna stack leftover from THIS bucket bag project.
The sqaures were cut in half, then randomly sliced up and sewed back together again to form the border strips.
Partial piecing was needed to make the borders spin around the center block.

By now it is evening, and I am thinking it is time to be finished in the studio for the day. I find this 12 weight Aurifil hand quilting thread in just the right color!! Off to my chair for an evening of slow stitching!!!

What great definition this thread gives the front and back pieces. Along with the Theramore batting from Hobbs!!!

The corners were boxed. Then my camera batteries died!!!

And the Llama Library tote is finished!!!

My grandson just loves the Llama Mama book series, so I am thinking this might become his library tote!! Doesn't this face just make you smile?!?!

Thank you to Island Batik, Hobbs and Aurifil for supplies to create this tote!!

Home again!!!!

Early 6am on the bus and up I-29 to home....used up just about all of my Dramamine yesterday--so before leaving went to a convience store to pick up a pack--and since I didn't have a choice but to take what they had--these were NOT non-drowsy!! I sat down on the bus--started listening to my book and the next thing I know I am scared awake by the announcement that McDonalds in CouncilBluffs is the next stop!!! I might have to relisten to a few chapters!!! Just after Sioux City I get a call from Loren that Josh's girlfriend has a softball game in Sioux Falls--and that should work out just right. Bus gets to Sioux Falls about 12noon and since we were both craving pizza--Lois and I went to Red Rosa pizza and it tasted sooo good!!! Loren picked me up and Lois took the car home--worked out quite convienently!!

So off to Sherman Park we went...met up with Josh and a couple friends. The sunshine was beautiful and hot--so I am sunburned and tired. After playing 2 games from 1pm to 6:30pm both games ended in a loss for SDSU. Marlee had a nice game--hit a triple and a single. And I remembered why base/softball is my least favorite sport---it takes a LONG time with not much excitement!! Plus I already had bus butt--now add bleacher butt to that and I was so ready to get home. Taking all that into consideration it was still fun to watch her in her element and do her thing!!!
And so ends my Great Quilt Adventure.......until next time--Terri

St. Joseph, Missouri

Take Dramamine. Ride bus. Ride Bus. Play Bejeweled Butterflys. Ride Bus. Play Bejeweled Digger. Ride Bus. Stop at McDonalds so other riders could get senior discount coffee. Take Dramamine. Ride Bus. Listen to book. Ride Bus. Dinner at Cracker Barrel.Take Dramamine. Ride Bus. Listen to book and play solitare at same time. Ride Bus. Drop off passenger in Kansas City. Ride Bus. Listen to book and play solitare at same time. Eat NutterButter cookies. Ride Bus. Get to Drury Inn in St. Joseph. Wasn't very hungry so had some broccoli soup and nachos and cheese. Went for walk in neighbor hood. Better head to bed soon as the bus is loading at 6am tomorrow!!!
Not a lot of photo opportunities today. Plus my camera batteries are just about dead, so thought I would share a FEW of my purchases with you...

This adorable kit was found in the very first booth I went in--40 X 45 wool applique and flannel piecing wallhanging. It came in that sweet racoon bag. There is an owl, bear, rabbit, fox, wolf,racoon deer--and I forget the other ones. Just too cute of kit to not come home with me. I never seen it at any other booth either!!!

 

This photo isn't that exciting but it is the supplies needed to do some snow dye of fabric. I would like to try dye some fabric and using snow gives a great mottled effect. Click the link to a blog with a tutorial and gorgeous photos.So I wanted to have everything ready for next winter. Chartruese, Eggplant, Pumpkin and Turquiose. Can't wait to see what it makes!!!

These great buttons from the 70's that will become earrings on my Quilt Diva lady that I cut out the applique pieces riding the bus down to Kentucky.

Of course there were more purchases. A few ZenTangle books--someday I should actualy try tangling--but I love to read the books and they can inspire my quilting!! Some machine quilting rulers, DVD, and a few Digital Machine quilting books.

This trip as been quite a journey and inspiration overload. I have seen some amazing quilts with painstakingly small and precise quilting, great color combinations and inspired design!! I have met some great people on the bus who started the trip as strangers and ended the trip as friends.

Thanks so much for all the notes of encouragement and kind words that you have given me--they are all treasured and help to spur me on to the next level and challenge that the Lord may have in store for me!!!

Last day at the AQS Paducah....

Well the sun has set on my last day here in Kentucky...and it's only 9pm this time!!! Started the morning with a drive down Dogwood Trail. The dogwoods are in full bloom and absolutely beautiful in front of these stately old brick homes with wraparound porches--hard to get photos on a moving bus--but trust me--great spring blooms here!!!
I had a request for some views into the show areas...so here they come...the crowd wasn't quite as large right away this morning as because the weather was rainy yesterday the crowds stayed inside--and today they ventured out to some of the other sites.

 

 This is the line of people waiting to enter the show doors!!

Just inside the show...people deciding whether to go to the right or to the left...either way the choice will be wrong and the crowds will be thick wherever you want to go!!!

 

 

Looking down the quilt rows--the black curtains are arranged into 3 sided cubicles--so that 3 quilts can be hung together--right, left, and one on the rear. The chain keeps people from touching the quilts--but that doesn't mean that you can't get really really really close--so close in fact that sometimes the "white glove" ladies will follow you around to make sure that you are not touching the quilts!!!!

 

Just the start of row upon row of vendors--each of them with something that will make your eyes sparkle and your wallet lighter.....

It's been about a week since I played with my APQS--so I had to stop here and play--so I don't get rusty!!!

 

So yeah--there are always quilting celebraties selling their product and most of them are gracious enough to do a photo op. Ricky Timms has hand dyed fabrics and has written some great books. My quilt Deep Blue Rhapsody was made useing a technique from his book. And yes we did get matching shirts again!!! But we felt that this saying was just too true for us--as my stash IS bigger--and stash could mean several things!!! Sure wish I had a dollar for every comment on our crowns!! I could have bought more thread!!!!

We walked the few blocks to the Quilt Museum--the largest fiber arts museum in the world. How inspiring it was to see these works of art. When a quilt is awarded Best of Show at the Paducah show the quiltmaker is given the option to donate the quilt to the museum so there were some awe inspiring quilts to look at

On the way to the museum we passed by a BBQ vendor that was not part of the food tent--but on a side street and the owner asked if she could take our photo by her sign so she could post it on their facebook for advertising the quilt show--and being the good businesswoman that Loren taught me to be--I said sure for a sandwich!!!! She laughed and said--Come back for one at lunchtime...

So when we went back past again--we got our sandwich and put the lawn chairs by their sign and waved at passerbys!! The pulled pork was sweetly smoked and just right juiciness--and best of all the price was right!!!

 

These views are from the second level balcony. The men in red coats are volunteers who for $1 will keep your packages together for you--the packages stay safe--you don't need to carry the heavy bag around and you can even add to it if you need to. A really handy service!!!

Up next on our agenda was taking the bus system to Hancock's of Paducah!!--this is not the chain store. What a crazy outfit---rows and rows of fabric and people and carts with bolts overflowing trying to get through!! I didn't find any bargins--but a few nice gray and black pieces.

The resturant we wanted to try tonight was across the street from our hotel--the only problem is the street is actually 6 lanes wide with no crosswalk!! Since we were the actual youngest ones on our bus we decided that it wouldn't be a problem for us. It was well worth the risk. A lovely meal on the patio was an amazing way to end our stay here in Paducah. The rest of the evening was spent trying to organize the purchases back into the suitcase so nothing will get lost on the bus.

 

 

 

Accuquilt Barn Quilt Block--contest

My name is Terri and I am addicted to quilting contests....I guess that is what I would have to say if there were a 12 step program for quilt contest addictions!!! I just find such a rush in the challenge of designing for a specific project!!!
I received an Accuquilt Go Baby as a prize for making it into the final round of the McCall's Quilt Design Star contest--no dies to cut the fabric shapes--just the little machine to make the cuts--yeah--didn't seem right to me either--so when I found this contest put on by Accuquilt to design a Barn Quilt for their factory in Omaha--thought it was worth a shot--might even be able to get a cutting die out of the whole thing and then finally be able to use the Go Baby!!!
I was working out in the studio and came upon this block scrapbook on my bookshelf...

So a bit of history behind this scrapbook--it is from my Great Grandmother--Mrs. Joseph {Katie} Horn. It was in my Grandmother's--Mrs. Peter J. {Minnie} Vis' possesion and my Mom gave it to me. Inside are newspaper clippings from the Kansas City Star from the late 1920's to the late 1930's. It has been a fun connection to look through this a feel a conection with an ancestor who apparently appreciated quilting--or at least the free weekly patterns. So I decided if I found any blocks that might look great on a barn with a bit of redesigning--I would enter the contest.

 

Above are 2 of the 3 from the scrapbook that I decided on doing some redesigning with...The Quilt Without A Name and The Secret Drawer. I spent a few evenings working in EQ7 software playing with adding a line and doing some recoloring of the blocks. Then submitted my designs and waited to hear what blocks made the 100 vote.

Last week was an extremely busy week on the farm--3 semi loads of hogs going out--and a big spring ice and snow storm--resulting in many power outages along with a severe lack of sleep. So imagine my excitement to check the website on Wednesday morning to find that 2 of my blocks had made it into the 100 vote!!! Prize for that is points to purchase a fabric cutting die for the Go Baby!!!! But there is still voting to be done to see which of the 100 blocks will be selected to be turned into a Barn Quilt for the factory.

There are still a few days left...so lets see what we can do!!

 

The Secret Drawer block I added some triangles, 16 patch in center, and thread to the spools. I renamed it The Thread Drawer.

 

The Quilt Without a Name I added the flying geese through the center and did some more recoloring. Since this block--has no name--I decided to honor the woman who so carefully saved these patterns from the newspaper and so I call this block Great Grandma Katie's Delight.

 



The link below will take you to the home page where you can find the voting page. There will be 100 blocks to look through and you are welcome to vote for 5. I believe my numbers are 45 and 59--but these pictures are what to look for.

Thanks for joining me in this fun--and if any of you happen to find a 12 step program for quilters--let Loren know!!!!

http://www.accuquilt.com/barnquilt.html

 

 

Blogger's Quilt Festival

I have seen the Blogger's Quilt Festival on many of the blogs I read and decided that this is the year I would try it for myself. I have been "making things" most all of my life and decided to try my hand at longarm quilting 5 years ago. I think I have found my creative place. When I first started I was scared that I wouldn't know what quilting designs to use, now I see designs as the third and final layer of the quilt's big picture!!

This past summer I was part of McCall's Quilt Design Star contest. This quilt "Created to Complete" is my interpretation of Opposites Attract, the theme in the final challenge round.

My husband and I are total opposites--but together we complete each other. Blue and Orange are opposite each other on the color wheel, yet together they complement each other perfectly!!!

 

My husband's side of the quilt--very structured and predictable--log cabin block in a Field and Furrow setting is perfect for my farmer husband.

 A freeform hand drawn random circle design is perfect for my sometimes CreativeADD mind!!!

Yet together it works just as it was meant to!! CREATED TO COMPLETE
Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy yourself on this Quilt Festival tour!!!!

Blogger's Quilt Festival Stats....
Created To Complete
Designed, pieced and quilted by Terri Vanden Bosch --me
Size 36 X 48
Traditional and curved piecing, ruler work and freehand quilting, photo transfers, crystals,piped binding
Best Catagory--2 color, Art, Professionaly quilted

Quiltmakers Schoolhouse pattern tester...

As if I didn't have enough going on in my life--I answered a facebook request that the magazine Quiltmaker needed pattern testers. I sent in my photos and was selected as one of the eight testers. Too cool!!! Everything was supplied--right down to thread and postage!! All we had to do is cut, piece, quilt and bind the quilt--and if desired take any photos of the process.
We were given a list of preferred fabric choices and then the wait for the package...

Mine came in these warm country colors from Red Rooster--A year to crow about...

We were given the pattern and told to piece it how it worked best for us--the color placement was picked by Quiltmaker. I decided to strip piece the filmstrip portion --now that it is finished I am not sure if that was a speedier way or not--but that was my desicion at the time. Hence why all the scribbles on the pattern sheet--was figuring out how many whole or part strip set needed for each colorway.

Curious minds want to know why this happens??? Same fabric company--same collection--and yet the strips aren't even close to the same length!!!! Just wondering....

Since I cut the blue spacer strip on the lengthwise grain of the fabric there is little to no give in it--so I sewed with the strip pieced section on the bottom of the two. That way if there was a little extra in the filmstrip frame it could be eased into the correct size of the spacer strip.  Remeber the saying--Baggy to the Bottom and it will always work for you.

We were given "quilter's choice" option for the quilting. I chose to do an alternating direction spineless freehand feather in each block--working my way left to right across the frame and then right to left on the next row of blocks. Gives great texture and very quick and easy to do with a great custom feel to the quilting.

Finished product!! Overall this was a really fun experience and I highly recomend anybody to try it for themselves. The actual blog party for the magazine started yesterday--check it out at
Quilty Pleasures Blog to get the pattern.