Cabin Fever Quilter 2016 Opportunity Quilt

I was given the honor of quilting this Opportunity Quilt for the Cabin Fever Quilters Guild. This is the third one I've done for them and I'm always so pleased when they ask. Its a real compliment and I so appreciate it. 

This quilt is just stunning--and appropriate. The name: Cabin Fever Quilt! It was from a pattern in Primitive Quilts (the magazine) and then the ladies putting it together added some blocks to make it larger. I love how it turned out!

 

I had originally planned to quilt this much the same as the magazine, but those extra blocks made me rethink it.  Following are many pics of this quilt showing the line work and fill behind the applique. Remember, for a close-up of any of the photos, just click on it.

 Don't you love the "suns" with the darker log cabins?  I wish I could take credit for that, but alas, I can't. That was the only design in the original quilting that I used and will use again.  It was perfect with those log cabins!

The hardest part for me with this quilt was the backing fabric. I quilted this whole thing with the same cream colored thread (So Fine--I love that stuff) top and bobbin. The problem??  The backing was a dark gray--almost the same as the frame around the applique. I thought about using a gray in the bobbin, but any little bit of that gray showing through on the top or the cream on the back would have made me crazy! Instead I opted for all cream, so that means the back is almost like a whole cloth--albeit by a crazy quilter that doesn't know the thread is supposed to match!!!

Not sure why the gray fabric is so yellow in this pic, but you can still see the quilting.

Dory

Cowboys, Cowboys, Cowboys!!

This one came from Deanna--isn't this adorable???? Turns out Deanna was a few years behind me at Big Valley High School. She and I never really knew each other while in school, but reconnected due to a common FB friend.  That is one thing I really love about FB--staying in touch and connecting, albeit remotely, with friends.

This is for Deanna's grandson. Its one of those quilts that when you wash it, the seams fray. (I hate to admit it, but I initially thought there was something wrong with the fabric until I saw that the seams weren't enclosed for a reason. I'm a bit slow at times!! *shrug*)

 

We kept this quilting simple, mimicking the pattern and what it showed. Every other block has a cowboy in it and they're all named! Gus was my fave, of course, since I used to have a horse named Gus. So darn cute!!!!

 

The back was plain fabric so the quilting, although simple, really showed up nicely.

 

If you've been reading my blog for long, you'll know that I like to play a bit. I just couldn't help playing around in the border a bit!!

Thanks for having a look!!

Dory

I'm Baaaaaaaack!!!!

Okay, really, I wasn't anywhere.  Just busy and irritated with our Internet Service. We have Dish Satellite and if you use too much bandwidth, they slow you down--the really slow you down.  Its so frustrating!! We even have a package they aren't offering anymore and is better than anything they have currently. Sometimes its really frustrating living off the normal "grid."

But...I'm off my soapbox and onto showing off my wonderful customers' quilts!

This one came from Gail in Port Townsend.  Funny thing about this one was how she got my card. I'd been in Poulsbo that morning at a newish quilt shop and left some cards there; she showed up in the afternoon and picked one up. How's that for timing??

This is the cutest quilt and one of my favorite styles to work on. I love houses!!  Isn't it adorable??

 

Gail let me play, so I had fun doing boards in the houses and shakes on the roof!

I also did three different designs in the trees. 

 

This quilt was so much fun to work on and Gail is such a nice person. Totally a win/win!!

Thanks for your patience and for stopping by!

Dory

(PS...Happy now Susan????)

 

Carolyn's Storm at Sea

This quilt is so gorgeous--as are all of Carolyn's. However, when she sent this home with me back in October, she requested an allover.  An allover??? Really?????

After sending Carolyn a text message confirming that she just wanted an allover and letting her know she was killing me, she relented. Said I could do what I wanted; however, I knew she didn't want the kind of quilting I wanted to do on it. [sigh]  Maybe another time.

In keeping with her original wishes, I didn't go nuts. The outside border is stippled with a pattern through the middle of it going all the way around.  You can almost see it if you cross your eyes and stand on your head!!

I did CC's in all the triangle and diamond shapes within the top with a double CC in the squares. It made for some interesting patterns on the back and just added texture to the top.

Here's a couple of close-ups of the back. Maybe someday I'll have some good lighting that will show the quilting off a bit better. The backing fabric is actually a dark blue--not sure why it photographed as gray!

Thanks for stopping by...

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year--stay safe!

Dory

Milly's Ponies

So after hours of "building fence" and then way too much quilting for a kid's quilt, Milly's ponies were finally finished and delivered last week.

This is a Buggy Barn pattern and I just fell in love with it. The eyes were supposed to be buttons, but since Milly is not yet a year old, I felt that having Dennis embroider eyes was the better option.

The horse in the middle was a bad horse! He had no contrast and just faded into the background. However, some extra quilting and a Pigma pen and he magically reappeared!

I chose a green flannel for the backing.  

A close-up (reverse-style) of the quilting. As you can see, I went a touch overboard. This pic shows the true color of the green; I'm not sure why its so dark in the photo above.

Thanks for having a look!

Dory