Blind Quilter

I just finished watching this video news clip from the Texas Country Reporter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lfaSmDxVZQ

It is about Diane Rose a blind quilter. This woman has the right attitude and she's not letting anything get in her way from being a happy and productive individual.  It's quite the story.

EQ 7 - Crazy 'Bout the Mouse? SewCalGal's EQ Challenge

A few weeks ago SewCalGal http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2011/01/crazy-bout-mouse-sewcalgals-eq.html issued an EQ7 challenge to design something in EQ7 that E-Q the Mouse would like and then post it on E-Q The Mouse's Face Book Page.  Yesterday I finished making a block with custom fabrics that any mouse I'm sure would love and it has been posted.  It is called Cheese and Crackers.  I realize that not everyone is on Face Book so here is my quilt block for E-Q the Mouse.  If anyone is interested in designing something for E-Q the Mouse you have until the end of January. Details are on the link posted above.

Goodies in the Mail

Marj from Eclectic Quilter http://eclecticquilter.blogspot.com/ had a giveaway at the beginning of the year and her cat Chipper picked my name from all the entries.  Today in the mail the fabrics arrived and I'm now to proud owner of some lovely grape and fall motif fabrics.  Here is a picture of Jordie checking out the goods.  He gave it 2 paws up.

I meant to post about these little goodies but was so busy with finishing the Cherish Nature quilt that I just never got around to it.  Back towards the end of the year SewCalGal http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ had a challenge to use the EQ 7 online Bennie Harper lessons and I got this lovely charm pack of fabrics.  Jordie also liked these and at one point he decided to take one of the charms off my sewing machine for himself.  I guess he thought it was the perfect size for a cat :-).  I did rescue it and all the charms are now safe and sound.

Tammy's Secret Garden - Part 2

I got the top completed this afternoon and I'm pleased with how it turned out.  When I was taking the picture I noticed I didn't hang it very straight though.  I now have to put together a back for the quilt. I will use the rest of the purple fusions fabric but because I don't have enough I will piece it with some of the lilac fabric.  I hope to get that done later today and then hopefully tomorrow I can work on getting the quilt sandwich made.

Tammy's Secret Garden - Part 1

I've started on my first quilt for 2011.  It's for my friend Tammy (fortunately she doesn't read my blog so I can post the progress on this quilt) who will be turning 50 at the end of Feb.  Her favourite colour is purple and one of her hobbies is gardening so what better quilt that one that incorporates floral prints and purple.

I wanted a pattern that would showcase some of the bold floral prints that I have collected over the years and found one on the All People Quilt site ( http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/ ) but it was almost a twin bed side so I needed to resize it. I used EQ 7 to redesign the quilt and I also took digital photos of my floral fabrics and imported them into EQ 7 so I could actually see what the quilt would like. This is the end result and I think Tammy will like it.

I have all the fabric cut out and now am ready to start sewing.  The top should come together fairly quickly which should give me enough time to get the quilting done for a Feb 27th deadline.  In terms of quilting, I'm thinking of a flower motif in the rows that have the floral fabrics and either leaves or vines in the abstract purple and turquoise rows.

2011 New Years Goals

I've done my review of projects that I would like to get done this year, and here is the list. As always it will be interesting to see what gets completed, what doesn't and what new projects come along.

I also listed my UFOs that have no commitments at this time for completion and this list is growing - no surprise here. I think as quilters it seems that everyone has the never ending supply of UFOs.

Feb: Tammy's Secret Garden – this is a 50th birthday present for a dear friend of mine that I have known for many years
Feb: Signed up for the "In Full Bloom" workshop with Elaine Quehl which is a flower wall hanging and I will be doing a poppy
Feb: Also signed up for a second workshop called "Surface Design Techniques" with Elaine Quehl
Mar: Finish Falling Splendor quilt
Spring: Create a Kaleidoscope quilt based on Ricky Tims techniques from his quilt seminar that I attended last fall
Spring - Summer: Create a landscape quilt based on the Picture Piecing techniques of Cynthia England
Jul: Another birthday quilt present for a friend
Aug: Create a small quilt for the silent auction for the York Heritage Quilt Guild 2011 Show in Nov
Sep - Oct: Create a quilt to enter into the York Heritage Quilt Guild 2011 Show in Nov
Christmas charity quilt: Using blocks from the Friday Block Party 2009

Any time:
One block wonder quilt ( I already have the fabric and am curious as to how this will turn out)
Start my own unique design of a Rhapsody quilt based on Ricky Tims techniques – the plan here is to have a completed design ready to start a quilt the following year, this in my books is a major project

UFOs that are outstanding: I would like to get a few of these off the plate this year
Hawaiian orchid pillow – hand quilting
2 wall hangings from Gloria Loughman’s workshop – colour is magic and layer by layer
Kaffe Fassett – colour in design diamond quilt
BOM: Drunkard’s Path Variations
Tranquil Moments quilt – quilting left to do

So there's my list for 2011. It will be interesting to see what new things will come in to tempt me and change priorities along the way.

Happy New Year everyone.