Stars in Her Crown : Victoria's royal Childern - a ten week quilt along

I recently had the honor of quilting this gorgeous quilt made by Dennielle Bohannon. You can find her on Facebook @Louanna Mary Quilt Design and Instagram @danniellebohannon.  The quilt is designed by Barbra Brackman and can be found here. The colors of this quilt are just amazing,  that deep purple, can you get any more royal than that?  The blocks were so creative and fun to quilt.  I added the touch of a crown in the last border.  This beauty will be hanging in Chicago at the Quilt Festival, stop by and take a peak!.

The quilt has two layers of batting, Hobbs Heirloom Blend and Hobbs Wool, glide thread on top, three different colors.  Thanks Dennielle for letting me quilt this beauty!

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Tools of the trade, the usual suspects.  Glide Thread, Quilted Pineapple curved rulers, Quilters Rule  multiple curve ruler.  Margaret Soloman Gunn's book on Borders. There was a lot of point to point so very little marking required on this on.   In the border I marked a line down the center and mark the cross points on the way down.  Lots of feathers, lots of quilting, my favorite!

I've got so much more to share, a Bonnie Hunter quilt that is amazing, a mystery quilt that I have to wait to share and some more finishes for H2H 2019.  But I want each to have it's own day. And I have a king size monster of a custom quilt on the frame so I'm gonna need something for the next few weeks :)

Don't forget the International Quilt Festival in Chicago, I'll be there selling tickets for Country Quilters of McHenry Raffle quilt in the morning and white gloving in the afternoon.  Stop by and say Hi and grab some raffle tickets, the quilt is amazing !! I've got a quilt there, Old Friends and Dennielle has 2, this one and the one above, it's going to be a great show!!

Old Friends

Rhapsody in Blue on line tickets sales here

Check out all the linky parties on the side bar, so much inspiration and creativity out there!

Quilting Marathon!!

Phew, that was some weekend!! I can't believe how much quilting got done.  These wonderful people did it again, they used every inch of the design wall and two tops got finished with the rows of two others sewn!  Look at this, just amazes me how much they do. Hands 2 Help 2019 we are making it happen over here!

I just love these big Blog patterns - 2 tops complete 

we used the entire design wall.  So sorry I didn't get a picture of the spools, it will be wonderful when all those rows will be together

I really am just enamored with the big block quilts this year. We started working on three today!  We had our heads scratching a number of times, especially on the one with the dark blue background.  Then blocks went missing, then found and missing again.  Perhaps we learned three at time might be a bit too much!  But I LOVE LOVE LOVE them.  There's only one more that is cut and ready to sew.  I think we might want to recover from these before starting that one!

Betty gave us block to finish the quilt, we need to do a little planning here, Kim and I were thinking of the wood pile blocks in the guild  opportunity quilt.  But it's going to look wonderful when it's done

These are Betty's blocks.  She has a friend who has cancer and we are trying to finish this for her.  It's going to be beautiful when it's done!

Hared workers!!  Little bit of a different configuration with Loretta down there

Last one stitching!  Had to pull her away for lunch

Every machine was in use, they were humming

 Every machine was spoken for today, they were all going, these folks were so motivated today and their hard work paid off!!

As usual, Tom put out a great spread.

Where would we be without Tom?  He always takes care of us!  He wasn't there last week and believe me we noticed!!  So wonderful to have him there today.  Even though he's not stitching, he is definitely a key part of our team. 

Jodi blinded but all the beautiful brighness of the fabrics

 Jodi is working a quilt that is filled with sunshine.  She's using a Missouri Star Quilt Co pattern.  The creativity in her is overflowing!

Isaac letting Liane know how much he appreciates her effort, he's cheering her on!

 Isaac joined in the fun too, he was there always encouraging everyone and looking for a little love in return.  He was so proud of all the team members. 

Isaac looking for a little love among the hustle and bustle. Veronika giving a little cuddle, hard to resist. 

Here's the stats - our goal is 8, stretch is 10

• Quilts completed              1
• Tops completed                4
• Tops in progress               3
• Tops cut                            5
• Kathleen is taking strips   1
• Annette is making one      1
• Grand total                      15

I also had my first machine rental this weekend.  So while Loretta was busy quilting with someone else (yes there was just a hint of jealousy seeing my girl with someone else!) but then I moved over to April (my Millie) and the world was good again.  I got this sweet table runner completed using the new Circle 2 (circle squared) rulers from Quilting It and these rulers are amazing!  I know these are going to be used on a regular basis, love them!!

perfect colors to match with my family room.  It amazes me that these were picked and sewn over a year before we went with the new color scheme. 

I have two wonderful quilt finishes that I can finally share, but I want them to have their  own post so check back in later this week.  So  much quilting going on over here.  It's heaven!!

OH almost forgot - raffle ticket on sale now for this beauty made by the Country Quilters of McHenry and quilted by me!  Tickets are $1 each, or 6 for $5.  A few options for paying - Paypal friends and family (the business account charges a fee), Apple Pay, send a check.....once payment is received I take a picture of the tickets filled out but before detaching and placing in the hopper.  It's an incredible quilt, appraised at $2725!  And it could be yours.  Just leave a comment and I'll get back to privately about paying options.  I'll be at the Quilt Festival in Chicago on Thursday March 28, selling tickets in the morning, white gloving in the afternoon. Stop by and take a look, it's so much better in person.  Double batting Hobbs Heirloom Blend and Hobbs Wool.  Heirloom quilted, cotton sateen on the back (unbelievably soft).  Tickets now available!!

Take a look at the linky parties in the side bar, so much creativity out there!

H2H2019 and Care Givers Quilt Drive - off and running

Wait a minute, hold the presses - guess who won a FABULOUS giveaway over at Quilting It by Leisha Farnsworth  I seriously won the entire set of Circle2 (circle squared) rulers!  They are a dream.  I'd love to show you what I"m doing with them but gosh darn it I can share the quilt yet.  But I love  love love (really love) the rulers!  Finally I have a set of circle rulers.    Stop by and she some of the quilting Leisha does with these, amazing!!

What a great start we had.   Our first get together was a cutting day.  Quilts planned, quilts cut, quilts sewn and even a finish, yep that's right a finish.  I've decide to use my Good Fortune  for the care giver quilt drive. Honestly, I have a basket of Bonnie quilts all with the same color, I don't need another!  So that will go in the mix. I'm really into the big block quilts this year!

We are very excited to have new members!  Jodi, has a great idea for a quilt and got started right away.  She even took it home for home work!  Abbey is joining us and hit the cutting matt getting stuff cut.  Kim joined us as well.  She not only, but started sewing a quilt.  Veronika, an original member got a chance to sew and has the center of one of the quilts done.  I was able to get a little sewing together and finished a top, woohoo!

This top has been in progress for at least 5 years.  We've been using the little two patches as leaders and enders for a few years now.  This beauty is what became of all that work.  I love it and can't wait to quilt it.  It's going to be a little cozier down there this year since Loretta joined us.  I've got 6 machines set up here and one over by the long arms (the time out machine).  If we have to we can set up some machines up stairs.

Have you signed up yet for Hands 2 Help?  Check out the side bar and go take a look.  New causes this year, so many to choose from, so much love to spread.  Not only do you get that warm fuzzy feeling from spreading some quilty love but she's got prizes!!!!  Good prizes too, so get on over there and sign up for a quilt or two or four :)

Here's our stats this week - goal is 8, stretch is 10!! and I believe we're lined up for 13 right now!

Done -   1
Flimsy - 1
Cut       - 9
Out for homework - 2

1 done - 9 to go!

First Finish of 2019 - Good Fortune

I have lots to share today, I finished Susan's Cake Walk quilt, my goodness that was so fun!  You know how I love free motion and this is just filled with it along with sprinkles of ruler work just makes my heart sing!  Look at those cute little cakes!  Pandora was playing and we were having a party in the studio.  Each little cake is decorated differently and each cake plate has a little something different too.  I used glide 60 on top.  At first I was going to change colors but because it was a thin thread I did the whole thing with one color and it looks great.  The back being red was a bit of a challenge.  White thread would look like string on the back even 60 wt and I certainly wasn't going to use rid on the front!  So I went with as dark of a pink as I felt comfortable with.  I didn't want any little pink pokies on the top and I didn't want any white pokies on the back.  The thread just looks like a thin layer of icing front and back.  Batting is hobbs 80/20 heirloom.  Pattern is Lori Holt's Cake Walk .  Thanks for letting me quilt for  you Susan!

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Now aren't you craving a nice little piece of cake?  For me, it was yellow cake with white frosting, I still think of that every time I see this quilt

Well what do I have here????  My first finish of 2019!!  Bonnie Hunters' Good Fortune Mystery is done!  Oh this one got me a couple of times.  The first was part 4, those bonus triangle were more than just a recommendation!  When I saw that border it hit me, dang!!! So I got out the accuquilt dies and found these little triangles which I think worked great!  I needed that border with the purple but really really didn't want to make that many HSTs.  I think the only time I do that is in the middle of the Bonnie Mystery, never outside of it.  Funny what she gets us to do right?  Then I decided to go 6x8 rather than 7x7.  Which was all wonderful until the last border and those blocks just didn't match up.  So I just did the corners.  Pantograph is Flower Fans by Mountaintop Quilting Studios, backing is a grey cotton sateen. Batting Hobbs 80/20 Heirloom

Hobbs 80/20 Batting

Flower Fans Pantograph from Mountaintop Quilting Studio

H2H is starting sign ups going on now, lots of prizes! (check out the button on the side bar)  We've got 4 new people in our group and goal is 10 quilts.  I think we can do more but we'll see!

Don't forget to stop by all the linky parties - so much inspiration out there!