"We've Got The Blues" is done.

I finished my "We've Got The Blues" quilt last night. It was based on a pattern called "Confetti" by Jan Bahr from the June 2002 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting. It measures 84" x 92" and is the largest quilt that I've made so far. Our guild does a fat quarter drawing each month and last month's color was Blue - and I won. So I used some of those blues, mixed in some of my own, and this is the result.

Done with The Blues...

I finished quilting The Blues quilt today. It turned out well, I think. I just need to put a binding on it now, which I'll do tomorrow night. Still trying to decide whether to use a solid color binding or a scrappy binding. I'm leaning towards a solid color since the quilt has a somewhat formal look to it. I'd like to use some fabric of one of the ones I used in the top, but can't remember where I bought it! I think it was at Hancock's, will have to go by there tomorrow and see. Pics will follow on Friday or Saturday!

The Blues....

This is the quilt that I'm currently working on quilting. I'm calling it "I got the blues". :)

I got it about 1/3 of the way quilted today, so hopefully will have it finished and done by the end of the week.

Workin' in the cave...

Working on quilting a top that I finished the other day. It's the largest one I've made so far, about 82" x 94". I had trouble deciding how to quilt it but then tried to do something creative with it that didn't quite turn out as expected. But I'll trudge on with it and make do. I think I can salvage it. It's a continuous learning process, so if I don't try new things then I'll be stuck doing old things, right? There, my philosophical thought for the day. :)

One of the quilt guilds that I'm a member of is having our bi-annual show in November. I REALLY need to get busy on the quilt that I intend to enter. It's looking doubtful now as to whether I'll have it done, so may just have to substitute another for it. But I plan on entering several, so it won't be the end of the world if this one doesn't get done in time. Back to the cave.

Rag Quilts

I really like rag guilts, they're a lot of fun to make and they're nice and soft when finished with the raggedy edge around the blocks. Here's pics of two of them that I've made, the first one was made from homespun plaid cloths and the second one was made from flannels. That second one is way warm, I shouldn't have used any batting inside it. A little while under that thing and you're cookin'! Our cat, Stella, really likes the one on the chaise, she spends a lot of time on it taking her cat naps.

"Olivia's Checkerboard"

I made this quilt for my daughter, Olivia, so I named it "Olivia's Checkerboard". The fabric collection used for the 9-patch blocks is called "Fig & Plum" by Fig Tree Quilts, and the green/off-white hourglass blocks were made from some yardage that coordinated well. This is the first quilt that I tried doing a scalloped border on, and I was pleased with how it turned out.

This quilt is another simple design that I acme up with of using half-square triangles with lights and darks, and then orienting them so that the darks make diamonds in the top. The fabric line in this one is called "Fig & Plum" by Fig Tree Quilts. I really like their fabrics, they're one of my favorite fabric designers. I made this quilt for my sister-in-law, Sharla, for Christmas 2009.

Christmas quilt and tree skirt

Here's a couple of pics of some Christmas things I've made. First is a quilt made from the "Cranberry Wishes" line of fabrics and using a pattern called "Pandora's Box" by Pan and Nicky Lintott. The second pic is a tree skirt that I amde using a simple pinwheel pattern. The overall design is my own on that one.

"Civil War Cheddar"

I made this quilt for a good friend of mine using Civil War reproduction fabrics. The pattern is a simple one of half-square triangles that uses cheddar colors for one half of the squares and various other blues, greys, rust, browns, and greens for the other half of the squares. I really like Civil War and 1800s reproduction fabrics and am finding that the bulk of my fabric supply is now being populated with it. So look for a lot more quilts of this style in the future. :)

Bargello Quilts

Here's a couple of pics of bargello quilts that I've made. The one in the pinks and greens on top was done in a simple stair-stepping pattern using a "Willowberry Winter" line of fabrics. The blue and green one on the bottom is from a pattern that's supposed to simulate ocean waves and was made from various fabrics that just seemed to work.

My first paper pieced project

Here's a pic of my first paper piecing project. It's a wall hanging and it was made with 1800s reproduction fabrics. The pattern is called "Ringo Star" and was designed by Deb Karasik. She came and did a class for our guild in June 2010 and it was great. I started this project in that class, did 3 blocks there, and then finished it on my own. Deb is a great teacher, and just a wonderful person to be around. I really enjoyed doing this project and also was glad to learn another skill in doing it (paper piecing), which is something that I had been intimidated to try in the past. Another great reason for joining a guild - you get to try new things!

Quilt Guilds

I'm a member of the Arkansas Quilt Guild (joined in August 2009), as well as the Hot Springs Area Quilt Guild (joined July 2010). Both are great guilds and we have lots of fun going to the monthly meetings of each one. At the AQG, I'm also the Newletter Ad/Publicity Chairman, and in 2011 I will be the chairman of the Spring AWOL getaway in April 2011. AWOL (Arkansas Women On the Loose + guys, too) is where we go to the Ferndale camp with our sewing machines and stuff and spend 3 days just sewing and being creative. What a fun time! Melissa and I went to the one in February 2010, and will be going to the one in September 2010 as well. Looking forward to it!

But back to the subject of guilds. Guilds are great for getting to share your love of quilting with others, so if you're not a member of your local one then I'd really encourage you to seek one out. Unfortunately, my local county guild does not allow men to join (Boo!), but I'm glad I didn't get discouraged by that and instead sought out one that would allow me to join (thank you, Arkansas Quilt Guild!). When Melissa and I joined the HSAQG, the president announced it to the group and said that she was really glad they were a "mixed league" now. :)

Hello, and welcome to my blog!

Welcome to my blog! As you can tell, I'm into quilting, and I already know how "unusual" that is for a man. And one from the South as well. It's a creative outlet that I latched onto about a year ago, and have been on it like a dog on a piece of meat. :)

So, why quilting? I have an art background and have painted a lot, but always found that to be work because I struggled with it and got frustrated a lot. I won some awards, and I think I was fairly good at it. But like I said, it was work. With quilting, it's just enormous fun for me and it's just amazing the different ways you can let the creativity out with fabric and thread. Fun, functional, AND satisfying!