Friday, October 29, 2010

Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2010

Welcome to my Gardening and Quilting blog.  Today it is all about quilting, since it is the beginning of Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Amy writes the blog "Amy's Creative Side" and she has been doing a bloggers quilt festival since the spring of 2009. My post for today will tell you more about one of my treasured quilts. 



My entry for this season's Blogger's Quilt Festival is one which I made for Thimbleberries Club.  Once it was finished, it became one of my favorite quilts.  I have not always been drawn to such a traditional and dark color scheme since I usually favor brighter hues.  However, once I saw how nice the throw looked in my living room, I was hooked!  I am on my third quilt now with this same dark palette. 


A little work once a month is an excellent way to make the dozen blocks over the period of the entire year.  Each of the blocks was fun to put together.  However, if the directions suggested using paper piecing I would have skipped that and found a way to make templates or remeasured and cut the small pieces with a rotary cutter.  I never can seem to get the hang of how to paper piece correctly.  It seems I don't know what side of the paper to sew on and which way to place the fabric.  I really have to get better at that technique.


corner view showing quilting close up

DOUBLE THE QUILT... DOUBLE THE FUN


My sewing friend made this quilt too and we had a great time with the photo shoot last week.



When Margaret of Sewing and Quilt Gallery was getting started in her quilting business called Mainely Quilts of Love, my friend and I got in on a special offer as she was building her clients.  We got a very good deal on pantograph quilting.  She even offered to do custom quilting on it, but we both liked the stitch pattern called popcorn, so that is what we asked her to stitch.  We just loved how they looked when we opened the package that came in the mail just a few short weeks later.  If you ever need something quilted by a long arm artist, she's your gal. 
The only thing better than seeing the quilt just out of the mailing box, was when we took it out of the dryer after the first washing.  Unless of course, you count taking a nap with it!

I hope you will be able to enjoy the quilts of the season by visiting the many blogs over the next week or so.  The entire list will be archived by Amy at her blog, enabling you to go back and check them out even after this event ends.  She has a list of great sponsors that are offering many wonderful prizes so check them out too.

Look up quilts of past festivals by clicking on these links:  Spring of 2009, Fall of 2009, Spring 2010.


link for My entry from Fall 2009

link for My entry from Spring 2010








45 comments:

Karen said...

Thimbleberries are just such warm and inviting quilts. Love the picture of your quilt being used. Yes they are wonderful to snuggle under.

Rebecka said...

What a fun post!! Your quilt is beatiful! I do love the colors. And, your photo shoot is great. My favorite photo is the one with the bronze kids and dog. But, all the photos are great!

Gina said...

Great quilts

Love and hugs Gina xxx

Terriaw said...

Beautiful quilt! I love the variety of blocks, and those warm rich colors. How fun to go out and photograph these in such great settings!

Deborah OHare said...

I love the photos you have taken of your quilt. Looks like you had fun. (Love your quilt too!)

Carol said...

The quilts you both made are gorgeous. Love the photographs of them with the statues. Teh colors you used would look good in my front living room. Mmmmm, something to think about.

Sara @ Sew Sweetness said...

I do think the colors you chose look great together. It sounds like a great idea working on your quilt a little bit every month, I feel like I burned myself out trying to finish my first quilt before starting on my next project (I usually sew bags or clothes, which are much quicker!). So fun seeing both of the quilts together, too!

Kristen said...

Pretty set of quilts! The photos are great too!

Marika said...

Very beautiful QUILT is work!

Denise said...

Very pretty colors. I adore the patched borders!

Allie said...

That is a really beautiful quilt - love how you did the pics too!

Sandra said...

What a cozy quilt and love the photo shoot, looks like you had fun. Here's a paperpiecing tip--remember you are doing regular piecing (1/4" seam, right sides together) with a paper pattern on top.
Try again--and don't forget to cut generous pieces.

Thanks for visiting/commenting on both my entries.
black/white/pink miniature and
1890 antique schoolhouse quilt

Calicojoan said...

It just doesn't get better than Thimbleberries! At least I didn't think so until I saw how you photographed yours. How much fun was that to do??? I have to tell you it was great for us to see! Very creative and inspiring. I wonder if my horrible quilts would look better if they had a great background. HUMMMMM... have to think on that one! :-) Thanks for sharing.

Angie @ CraftedAngles said...

This is a beautiful sampler quilt! I am working on one right now with underground railroad blocks, where there are several from this quilt too!
Angie - www.craftedAngles.com

Mary said...

This is a beautiful quilt...dark quilts just seem cozier in the winter, don't they?

Anonymous said...

How fun to do a quilt with a friend like that! Love the dark palette!

Vicki said...

great quilt! I love all your photos of it.

Vicki @ DottyJane said...

You can't beat a nap with a beautiful quilt! Very pretty:)

The Calico Cat said...

Love the border!

A mom said...

Your quilt is beautiful. I may have to make one in those colors as well. Absolutely love it! I love your photo shoot too!

Karen said...

Hi Kathy.
I always love the Thimbleberries designs. It looks great! I love the quilting that was done, too. What great fun having a friend making it, too.

Michelle said...

Double the fun, that is adorable taking all those photos with both quilts, really enjoyed the tour and the quilts are beautiful, looks like a lot of piecing work.

mamammelloves said...

I love the colors! Gorgeous quilt! :)

Anonymous said...

Aren't sampler quilts fun? Great job!

pinsandneedles said...

What fun you had on your photo shoot! Great quilt!

Elizabeth Dackson said...

Wow, what an awesome quilt, not to mention quilty photo shoot! Like you, I've never been drawn to this color palette, but now I'm curious and might try it out. Thanks for sharing, I'm really loving this quilt festival, it's so much fun to see all of the different quilting perspectives!

Linda said...

Love the quilt! And your photo shoot was spectacular!! Love the ones with the sculpture of the kids!!!

Nat Palaskas said...

Thanks Kathy for a treat of your quilts - Really enjoying seeing the photos of your quilts in locations - Enjoy the festival - Hugs Nat

Bec said...

Beautiful Quilts Kathy!!! I have a sampler in the cupboard unfinished..you have given me the inspiration to drag it out and finish it..these are just amazing!!

Marit said...

This quilt just say "home sweet home" to me. It's so lovely. Thank you for sharing it with us!
; )

grendelskin said...

What fun! Thank you for sharing your quilt and its sister-quilt. Sometimes it's good to break out of our usual fabric inclinations, the results can be surprising! What a great friendship token also.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful work. I especially love the photo with the kids and dog statues. The ground there looks like a quilt too!

~ Meagan

Christine said...

Lovely quilt and warm colors!

Kate said...

Very pretty quilt. It also looks like it was well traveled before it settled down on your sofa to be your nap assisstant. Those are the very best kind of quilts!

Kate said...

Such a lovely sampler quilt!

Attic Clutter said...

Hi Kathy
love all the quilts -and crazy quilts are so cool.. We had only about 7 kids ..am glad I hate to say ..love not having to jump up too much but enough to see some cute kids..
hugs,Patty

Cynthia said...

I really like those darker colors too! Makes me want to whip up a fall quilt! Beautiful work!

Kriza said...

lovely quilt, no wonder, it is one of your favourite!
Kristina

Anonymous said...

I love the different blocks on your quilt. Looks like y'all had fun at the photo shoot. Yep, a nap is in order after that... and with your lovely quilt!

Eileen said...

wonderful quilt and how fun to make one along with a friend!! my friend and i both quilt a lot but we're always showing the different things we do...maybe someday we'll find one we both can work on. love that idea. thanks for sharing (and i like the dark colors even though i'm mostly a bright color person) have a great day!

Sarcastic Quilter said...

I love the quilt but I think I like the fun photo shoot just as much! :)

Deb said...

I've enjoyed perusing your blog. Wonderful quilt you entered in the festival!

p.s.phyllis sews said...

I love those colors, too, through it seems as if I pick other colors more. Your quilts look so wonderful, warm and cozy! Thanks for sharing.

Aunt Spicy said...

I love that you made two quilts and that they went on a photo-shoot fit for a model!

Heckety said...

Oh that quilt is just delicious! And the quilting is lovely too,I love well quilted, and shrunk quilts- the smell, the feel, and the whole 'thing' of them! There's nothing else like it!
Love your photo shoot too, those sculptures are very attractive!