I am normally not a chicken!

I love participating in quilting challenges of all kinds. I have used fabric belonging to other people, I have used UFOs belonging to other people, I have used a challenging fabric, and I have designed quilts based on a concept, however this challenge has me really nervous.

The challenge is Fat Quarter Frenzy from Quilting in Indiana. We have exchanged 4 coordinating FQs and we're to make something from those FQs alone without any additional fabric.

I have always wanted to try weaving fabric, so I thought this would be an awesome way to try the technique out by making table runner. But before I slashed through Jennifer's fabric, I wanted to make a sample from my own FQs.

In progress:

Finished with Jennifer's fabrics intended for the "real" one:

Now I am faced with a few problems/questions.

#1 The finished size shown is 35"x12" and I used every bit of the FQs to accomplish this. Unless I wanted to cut the length down to around 20" I will still need most of the fabric supplied which leaves me next to none for binding unless I wanted to piece it. My solution is to buy prepackaged binding and call it embellishment :-)

#2 The large floral print is frightening to me, will it remain cohesive looking if only 1¼" square blocks are showing?

#3 The fabric strips are fused to a fusible webbing, because I am not allowed to use any extra fabric, I will not be able to back it, will the non fusible side provide enough strength to make the table runner usable?

#4 How long will the fusible hold? I really do not want to use batting and quilt it because I will lose the braided effect if I stitch it down. Also, stitching off every strip is a bit of a pain, I am considering using a Heat and Bond tape, but once again, how long will it hold?

If you have an answer or comment to anything, please post, I'd like all the help I can get! Thank you!

a meme

From Floribunda

1. If you were to attend a costume party tonight, as what or whom would you go?
Ghost...I think I have a clean sheet! :-)

2. What are your choice of toppings on a hamburger? And do you prefer gas or charcoal grilling? The standard is lettuce, tomato, Mayo and pickles. I prefer gas for convenience, but charcoal for flavor.

3. You are chosen to have lunch with the President. The condition is you only get to ask one question. What do you ask?
Are you proud of what will be written in the history books about you?

4. It’s your first day of vacation, what are you doing?
Napping.

5. What is your concession stand must-have at the movies?
Have not been to the movies in years, I'm a rent them months later kind of person. So I'd say nothing.

6. How long was it from ‘the first date’ until the proposal of marriage? How long until the wedding?
Hehe, first date Sunday, moved in together Tuesday, pregnant with twins 2 months later, six years until his divorce, proposal as we left the lawyers office, wedding a month later when we both could get off work at the same time.

7. What is one quality that you really appreciate in a person?
Honesty.

8. Everyone hears discussions that they consider boring. What topic can put you to sleep quicker than any other?
Religion.

9. If you had to have the same topping on your vanilla ice cream for the rest of your life, what topping would you choose? Strawberry topping.

10. What food item would need to be removed from the market altogether in order for you to live a healthier, longer life?
All white flour products.

...Feel free to tag yourself for this meme if you need something to write about today. If you do, leave a comment and let me know.

Knock on wood, I'm actually ahead

Here we have step 1 of the Orange Crush Mystery at Quiltville. Now I'm anxiously awaiting on step 2. Naturally I went shopping in the stash for coordinating fabrics, no sense in making a scrap quilt from assorted scraps and then buying coordinating fabric. I have been thinking that I'd like to try something a little brighter than normal which is why I decided to use the fabrics shown.

Also, this is a RxR from Mailblocks....sure doesn't look like a RxR does it? Well Mindi has decided to use some blocks from a previous blue, black and white swap as a starter and wants to add more to it to make a full size quilt for her son. So I pulled out all of my non girly looking blues and just had some fun making different blocks. (please forgive the crappy photo)

Cursing Myself

"Oh My, not another mystery!" I say to Myself. Myself says back, "Hush, dont worry, its not another mystery quilt I am loading upon you, its two!"

Bonnie at Quiltville's Orange Crush Mystery

and

Gayle at Sentimental Stitches Shipshewana Amish

Currents

So this is what has been consuming my time recently, its a charity quilt for Relay For Life scheduled in May. I have since added some borders and am currently working on an additional border for the top and bottom to make it rectangular. The fabrics are a collection called Heirloom Lilacs by Debbie Beaves from RJR.

So to break the monotony of purple and green, I chose to make some lotto blocks for Mailblocks. They were quick and easy and just
the perfect break from the other

.

My sister

This is my dad and my sister Amy from a visit in September, perhaps you can see a likeness in the painting from the previous post? To answer a couple questions that I have been asked, Klye is 17, a junior in high school and he does plan on a career in art, most likely graphic arts. He got an A- as a grade, his teacher wanted to keep it to display in the annual art show and he said, "No way, I want the money!"
My mom saw the photo of the painting and is very pleased that I bought it for her, we all agree, that's Amy fifteen years ago!

Some things just can't be explained, but are just so cool!

I work nights, so Friday afternoon I woke when the boys returned home from school. As I walked into my living room, I saw this painting of my sister resting atop my printer. I said, "Wow Guys! Which one of you painted your Aunt Amy? It's great!" They responded that it was made by their friend Kyle who happened to get off the bus with them at our house. This painting was based on a photograph Kyle was given by another classmate in his art class, the students were to exchange photos and were to create a painting based on that photo. DH came home from work and had the same response, so I know its not just a sister thing, this painting is an incredible likeness of my sister in FL.
We discussed it and decided to offer Kyle some money for it, I think my mom would be thrilled to have it. Kyle was stunned and agreed to let us purchase it, but only after Monday when it needs to be presented to be graded! :-)

Quilting in IN lotto blocks

Just a couple of lottery blocks for Quilting in Indiana using Fancy Flowers block pattern from Quilterscache.com

Wool Woes

This wool thing is really starting to frustrate me. I have always been a jump before looking kind of gal so naturally when I decided to start dabbling in wool I went crazy, purchasing from many different places.
My wool collection started with a Marcus Brothers wool packet, which I have since found out is not 100% wool, but rather 70% wool and 30% nylon.
So then I bought some 100% wool from Quilters Quarter which I found to be rather expensive, but after researching, the prices are pretty comparable. I bought some Mill Dyed and hand dyed just to see the difference in coloration. When it arrived, it was plain un-felted wool. So after washing it several times, I have now felted it myself, but lost yardage due to shrinkage. I bought a pre-packed kit also 100% from The Back Door which is just up the road from me. Their wool looks nothing like the wool I felted, it has a softer, more ripply texture.
To add to my experimentation I also bought several 100% wool sweaters from the thrift store and felted them. I have found this wool to be very dense and thick. I also bought what is supposed to be 100% wool from several eBay stores, some new and some recylced all of which has completely different textures and drape.
Now I am just confused. I cannot even say which I like best, well yes I can, the hand dyes are my favorites because of the color variations. I am seriously thinking about loading up a sampling of all my wools and heading into The Back Door for some professional advice. Of all that I have learned on the Internet, I guess there's no way of ever understanding the 'hand' of any fabric without using, you know, your hand!

Penny rug attempt

wool

My first shot at a penny rug. I enjoyed it so much I went out and bought loads of wool, and have been perfecting my felting technique on new wool, and recycled wool from the thrift store.