Autumn Whimsy - Bloggers Quilt Festival

Today I am posting about my entry into the Bloggers Quilt Festival. Are you familiar with this awesome event? It is hosted by Amy Ellis of Amy's Creative Side and occurs twice a year coinciding with Spring and Fall Quilt Market. Be sure and check out all of the wonderful creations in all different sizes and creations. And be sure and vote for your favorites in each category.

Bloggers Quilt Festival Fall 2013!

 

It is that wonderful time of year where so many wonderful quilts and projects from across the blogging universe are shared!

If you are looking for inspiration just take a peek at all the pretties being entered over at

Amys Creative Side!

 

This year I am entering my Good Luck Star in the Wall Hanging category. This mini quilt wall hanging was made for the SewSewModern 3 swap on Flickr. This group has so much talent! It really challenges my creativity and sewing ability - which I love.

This project is scrappy and paper pieced. I used darker, more saturated colors for the star along with a lighter shade of the same color to off set the swirl and give the star movement.

 

I then used a variety of grey based low volume prints to frame the star. Many of these were charms from swaps and a few were from yardage, but the combination is unique and allows the saturated colors of the star to stand out against the background. Again I tried to place darker and lighter greys so that your eye moves in a circle around the star.

I then used the lighter shades to make an inside border - if you read my earlier post on this quilt here - you know that this ended up being the most difficult part of the process. I wanted a border with color but something that allowed the star to shine and be the center of attention!

The back showing the great Cloud Nine fabric (available at JoAnn's) and the quilting done with my favorite Aurifil #50 pearl grey thread.

 

Here is the completed quilt just before sending it off to my swap partner! I just love the Architextures binding - it was the perfect finish for this quilt.

 

 

 

I loved everything about this quilt, it challenged me and turned out just like my vision - and my partner loved it which is just the icing on the cake! Win! Win!

Name: Good Luck Star

 

Size: 19in x 19in

 

Pattern: Good Luck Star by Banner Creek Designs available on Craftsy

 

Technique: Paper Piecing

 

Fabrics: working from Stash - including Architextures, Half Moon Modern, Tsuru, Silent Ciniema, Squared Elements, and a variety of Low volume prints

 

Quilting: In the Ditch/Straight line/Stenciled Chain by me and my Janome Horizon

 

Thread: Aurifil #50 Pearl Grey

 

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure and check out all the amazingness over at the festival and vote for all your favorites.  

Happy Stitching!

Ginny

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Measure twice, cut once; sound familiar.... I am sure most of you, ok none of you have been busy cutting away on a beautiful piece of fabric and Bam!
It hits you.....you don't have enough....or you cut it wrong....and you don't have enough.... or the repeat is off....and you don't have enough to finish the fussy cutting....

I hate that feeling!  Don't you? And if you are on a timeline and running behing (Moi?never) That is the worst! I don't know about you but most of my fabric comes from online shops as there are few LQS's here that carry anything but traditional lines. The closest is about an hour away, not like you can just run down to the corner and snatch up a 1/2 yd of that Tula Pink and run home. This is where you just have to deep breathe and put the rotary cutter down.....put it down, do not shred the remaining pieces into fabric confetti like a fabric ninja......remember scraps, we love scraps, not all is wasted.

Ok a little humor for your day....did you get the Ninja with a rotary blade cutter visual? LOL

So lately I have been in alot of fabric swaps, 10in and 5in charms, 1 spot or 2 spots, 40 in a group or 32 in a group.....I might have cut a few charms lately... 56 charms, 120 charms, 240 charms, just saying....might have cut one or two wrong... and had to hurry over to the computer and order that extra bit of fabric to correct it...

Like here: I was fussy cutting these pretty little Tula Pink squirrels, even ordered 1/2 yard extra just for that purpose....well for 5 in squares the repeat doesn't allow for keeping the squirrel centered,,,,,,,,,
(squirrel tracks) at least not with my math.

One is skinny, one is fat, and one even lost his head, Oh my!

So an extra yard of Squirrels in the Mist was ordered and the remaining charms were cut and sent off to the Swap Hostess who was very gracious about my mistaken measurements and now I have some squirrels living in my scrap bag -- it could be worse.

Swaps I am currently in:

I Spy Swap hosted by Knotted Thread (closed)

Modern Designer Swap hosted by Snowgoose (closed)

Japanese Fabric Swap hosted by Happy Than A Bird Quilting (closed)

Low Volume Swap hosted by Making Rebecca Lynne  (closed)

What Was I Thinking! Swap hosted by Lilbunnymama-- This is a great way to move some of that stash you are no longer in love with or never were. 120 five inch charms from 5 different fabrics - 24 charms from each or even 120 totally different charms. In need of 1-2 Angels due to members not being able to complete their spot, at least one spot open in each group. Check out this link:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1995059@N22/discuss/72157631552594241/


Send Me A Text Swap hosted by Buttoncounter  ---there is discussion of a 3rd group, check out all the fabulous fabrics on Flicker and this link: http://www.flickr.com/groups/big-ten-inch-swap/discuss/72157631546107473/

Almost Neutrals Swap Hosted by kejreeves. There are still openings, check it out here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/big-ten-inch-swap/discuss/72157631282573188/


So if you would like to add some great new prints to your stash or latest project, while measuring twice and hopefully cut just cutting once, check out the above links!

Have a great week! See you soon!

Ginny