Saturday, May 14, 2011

Blogger' Quilt Festival


Amy has created this virtual quilt show to coincide with Quilt Market in the spring and fall of each year.  For those of us unable to go to Quilt Market, it gives us a wonderful opportunity to share and be inspired by other's quilts.  I encourage you to hop over to Amy's site and submit a quilt of your own, and then make sure you take a look all all the incredible quilts that are linked!  Select this link,


 Directions to my Heart was made for my husband because the dog ate his other quilt. That's right, for some crazy reason the dogs loved to chew on his quilt.  I had repaired it twice, but the third time I was done and the old quilt was given to the dogs. Fingers crossed, they haven't chewed on a quilt since I gave them the old one. But on to the new quilt.  This is one that is partially my design.  I took an EQ7 quilt and modified it.  I do want to start designing my own quilts some day, but this was about as close as I could get for now.  It was in electronic form (on the computer only) for about six months.   I actually thought it was going to be too hard and I wouldn't be able to complete it.  But one day something stirred in me and suddenly I was brave, I can do this!!!  So we went shopping for fabric.   My husband picked the fabrics, I had veto power but only had to use them once.

I learned on this project that a bias tape covers mistakes wonderfully!!  on the radiant beauties, that small circle at the corner of the block was just a bit to much for me.  The small curved seams weren't working, ugh what a mess.  So I appliqued the small red circles on.  But when it came time to sew the blocks together, again I was having trouble matching the seams.  So I simply took my 1/4 inch bias tape maker, made some orange bias tape, sewing it on and problem solved!!!  There's more than one way to get things done.  Here's a picture of the quilting.  I tried not to get too heavy in the quilting, mostly SITD.  On the blue I tried to add a pattern that went with the rest of the quilt.

If  you are interested the pattern in EQ7 format and in PDF for those that don't have EQ7 is available here  .   This was the first time that I ever put a pattern together so lots of learning going on.

26 comments:

  1. Oh, my goodness! This is just exquisite. Those dogs better not get to this quilt! I am definitely bookmarking this to try your pattern. Thank you for offering that. It looks like a good challenge to make.

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  2. What is about about dogs and quilts? Mine chewed a corner off of one of my favorites a few weeks ago. He's lucky he's so darn cute! I hope you can protect this one, because it is a stunner! Really really beautiful!

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  3. Yeah Sue - so glad you joined the festival with this quilt because it is a stunner.

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  4. Your quilt is lovely. Those compasses and geese turned out great. --Julia

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  5. What a fabulous quilt!!! Thank you for sharing.

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  6. This turned out so well. Glad you got your courage up and completed it.

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  7. How gorgeous. And I think the bias tapes add to it beautifully!

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  8. oh wow... Stunning! the colours, your design... the amazing movement those flying geese offer. Gorgeous! and the bias tape idea is just brilliant!
    Good luck on your designs, sounds really exciting... :)

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  9. Truly a masterpiece. Better keep it away from the pups!

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  10. This is a wonderful quilt. It has so much movement and the colors are spectacular.

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  11. Stunning, great job. Isn't cool to learn tricks, like the bias tape. Please don't let the dogs near this one.
    Come see my 2 entries- #211, repro cheddar orange stars and #215, antique 1850 applique flower garden

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  12. Very spectacular, congratulations:)

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  13. A very striking quilt!! I hope the dogs don't eat this one!

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  14. Love this quilt Sue and especially the story behind it. So glad your dogs have laid off this one. Mine lay all over mine during construction but understand once it's quilted it's off limits!

    Amazing quilting too!

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  15. My goodness, now aren't you the quilt maker, designer and all around fixer! Love the bias tape idea.

    In all your quilt is amazing, beautiful, colorful and a tender gift for your DH.

    Thanks for sharing a peek into your life as a quilter. Loved it.

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  16. when The header came up I was awestruck. I adore this quilt.

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  17. Absolutely gorgeous! It looks perfect, so your fixes were inspired.

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  18. Wow! Your quilt is spectacular! What a wonderful accomplishment. Don't let those rascally dogs near it!

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  19. I know about dogs eating homework but this beats it any day. Hope nothing happens to this one. Your quilt is truly stunning. So much work. I love the way the bias maker was the solution to all problems. I will now keep that in mind. Congratulations o a wonderful quilt.

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  20. This quilt is beautiful! I sure hope the dogs don't take a liking to this one because I'd be heartbroken for you if they chewed on it. Your hubby is a lucky guy to get such a wonderful quilt.

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  21. I was horrified to read about the dogs chewing the quilt! EEEK! But perhaps all things happen for a reason because WOW ... what a fabulous quilt you made to replace it! I love that your husband chose fabrics for it and I'm awed by the complexity of this quilt. Too hard for this beginner quilter, that's for sure, but maybe someday I can aspire to something as technically challenging as this! I love the way you came up with inventive ways to deal with tricky spots. Good on you and thanks so much for sharing!

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  22. Beautiful. How great you were able to do designing on it and colors are fantastic. Fabulous quilting too. Thanks for sharing and have a great day

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