Challenge Quilt

I just took my MQX Challenge quilt off of the longarm. I know the judges will have a grand time with this one! I've never done trapunto before, never done a challenge quilt for a show and have never entered a quilt in a show, so I call this quilt "Courage". My big mistake was using a thread in the border that was too dark, so in many areas there is the appearance of "thread build up" where I've overlapped the quilting design too much. This quilt is rather stiff...not a good snuggle quilt!

Next comes blocking, binding, rinsing in cold water to remove the blue marks, warm water to remove the water soluble thread, adding three dimensional flowers and maybe a few beads. Of course, I've also never blocked a quilt and have no idea whether to bind first or block first, or how to go about blocking it! This is definitely a quilt of firsts! And it has to be in New Hampshire by April 3rd. I think I can, I think I can...

Saturday Afternoon...

It's a beautiful Saturday here in South Jersey...sunny, temperatures in the 60's, but far too wet to work out in the yard! Besides, with it dipping back into the 30's this week, I don't think I want to get anything started out there!

So, instead of playing outside, I've been playing inside! I've finished the first layer of quilting for my MQX challenge quilt. What you see in the picture is the first layer of batting on the back. It's a thick batting and I've done the quilting in water soluble thread. I will trim away all the areas that I don't want to be trapuntoed, then will put it back on the longarm with another, thinner batting and backing, then quilt it again. I've named this quilt "Courage". It's the first time I've ever entered a quilt into a show to be judged. It's also the first time I've ever done trapunto. It's taken a great deal of courage for me to get it this far...now I can't wait to get it done!

In the meantime, I think I'll load a quilt onto the machine that I can get finished quickly and will require a minimum amount of "thinking" to get it done. Sounds like my blue nine patch and some Baptist Fans will be the perfect thing to start!

Swimming Upstream

That's how I've been feeling lately, like I'm swimming upstream. The more I do, the more is left to do! As a result, very little has gotten done. I started marking my MQX challenge quilt, then had to stop to "erase" an area that didn't quite lay out right. Now that it's dry, I'll have to remark it. I plan to get that on the machine so I can start the trapunto on it next week. I've sent in the entry form, so I have to get it done! :o)

I should have lots of time for quilting in the next few weeks, my DH will be in Europe. Now that my older daughter has passed her driver's test, she takes herself where she needs to go, so now I'm down to playing chauffeur for one child...that frees up a huge amount of time!

Last week when I gave my friend her journal, I wound up with orders for several more! Today I ran and picked up the fabric for those, so will have to make a pattern and get started. I'm thinking of making a load of journal covers and a few other items (eyeglass cases, notebook covers...any other suggestions?) and getting a table at a few of the local fall craft fairs to see if I can make a little money with them. Once school ends in June, I'd have the summer to stock up on them. If they don't sell I can always give them as Christmas gifts!

First Finish

On January 1st I had my first finish for the new year, it just took me a few days to post it! This quilt has been in the works for about 4 years...an awfully long time for such a simple quilt! Once I finally had quilted it, I couldn't decide what to do about the binding. I didn't have any of the red left, didn't want to use white to bind it, so finally settled on the navy blue. I love how it turned out. I'm not sure where it will wind up but I may send it through Quilts of Valor.

Other than that, it's just good to be back to normal here! The decorations have all been packed for the year, we're all back to school (although almost everyone in the house is sick!) and we're eager to see what the new year brings. For me, I'm hoping it will bring lots of time for quilting, knitting, reading and all the things I enjoy. I have 2 or 3 quilts which I'm considering entering into the Machine Quilter's Exposition (MQX)show up in Manchester, NH...I have until March 1st to enter them, if I can get up the nerve! Of course, only one top is made and needs to be quilted, one small one is almost a finished top and the Whitework quilt I'd like to do is still living in my mind! If I'm going to be brave and enter them, I should get to work, I guess! :o)