More Quilts From Grand Rapids

Here are the rest of the quilt pictures from the 2024 AQS show in Grand Rapids.

Starting off is this beauty made by a friend, Joan Brink. She worked on this quilt for many many years, isn't the applique just beautiful!

A close up of these tiny strips. They were only 1/4" wide! Obviously these blocks were foundation paper pieced.

Several guilds had challenges and displayed the quilts from their group. These quilt was designed and quilted by another friend, Kathy Downey

The only thing I purchased at the show (besides my lunch) was this silver thimble. Sorry the picture is slightly blurry.

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

2024 Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale

It's that time of year again, time for the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale held at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds. I don't have a quilt in the auction this year. I had delivered a flimsy to the long arm quilter, she put it into the frame in July and started the quilting. Then she fell while climbing steps and broke her arm in two places up by her shoulder. All quilting came to a stop while she healed. She is now in physical therapy but quilting hasn't happened yet. That quilt will be donated to next year's auction.

Here is a link for you to view all the quilts in the auction. There are 251 photographed quilts in this year's auction. The Relief Sale supports the programs of MCC.

I have no pictures of my own to share with you today, however, in August, Lynn, Elaine and I attended the AQS show in Grand Rapids Michigan and I took lots of photos. Here are pictures for you to view. This is only a fraction of the quilts there. I'm posting the quilt first then the name card. These are quilts that attracted my attention, not all of them won a ribbon.

Detail from Twilight Garden.

Detail from Flowers in Full Bloom, hand quilting!

Detail from Flower Calendar. This quilt was hand quilted, those little squares are 1/4" in size!

What can I say? I love applique quilts!

I have more pictures but I'll show you them next Sunday. This was enough for today.

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap,  Sew & Tell, Design Wall Monday

Planning Party Update, 3rd Quarter Check-In

It's time for a Planning Party update and I'm posting my summer progress. Here is a link to the list I made in January of my tentative quilting plans for the year.

The Anniversary quilt was finished the first of August. This quilt is an anniversary (obviously) quilt that will be gifted next year. The wife loves purple!

In July, Tula Hexies was finished, machine quilted by me.

Several compassion quilts were also quilted by me. You can find links to them here, here and here.

Here is the largest of the quilts I've machine quilted. She's called Dots & Dashes.

Dresden Stars was also finished in August. Colleen Gall was the long arm quilter.

Dresden Stars and the Anniversary quilts were both started and completed in 2024.

Linking to Planning Party, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Blueberry Pie Borders

The borders on my Blueberry Pie quilt won't be completely appliqued, just the corners. However the applique does extend 18 or 20" on each side of the corner.

The first corner is completed and ready to show. I love it!

I wasn't sure about the flower in the point but adding the leaves made the difference.

The pattern for Blueberry Pie is found in the Red, White and Sometimes Blue book but it's not called Blueberry Pie. You'll find it listed as Writer's Block. I thought the name was rather unimaginative so I changed it to reflect the blues used in my quilt.

The pattern in the book does NOT have an applique border, this is my addition. The border is a variation of the center medallion in the Lady Jane pattern, designed by Nancy Rink.

There will be a dark blue border added the outside of the applique border when the applique is finished. 

I was in Wakarusa last week so I took pictures of the quilt garden.

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday

Blue Pineapple Blocks

I'm finished, the 64 pineapple blocks are pieced!

Sixty-four blocks make quite a stack. The next step is to remove the paper from the backside of the blocks. Normally when I foundation paper-piece, I remove the paper immediately after piecing each block. This time I didn't because I had the blocks on the display floor since the first part of August. I could pick them up in a hurry if I needed to and they wouldn't get wrinkled.

We've been having lovely early autumn weather this month. It's definitely sweater weather in the early mornings but the afternoons are perfect for sitting on the porch and removing the papers. That's the plan anyway. 

Finished, these blocks will measure 12.25". 

I purchased the foundation papers from Gigi's Thimble. Gigi had a sew along in 2022 but I wasn't aware of it. I thought her quilt was beautiful when I stumbled across it. Of course it was in blues, how could I resist, so I ordered the foundation papers.

I was surprised when the papers arrived. The pattern was printed on ordinary white paper, just like what I would run through my printer. Normally paper used for foundation paper piecing is a lighter weight paper, easier to tear for removal, less apt to make the edge seams come undone when removing the paper.

I had the papers so I used them, however I do not recommend them. When I wrote my post in April about the blocks, someone commented that they normally use regular paper for foundation paper piecing. After foundation paper piecing 64 of these blocks, I am definitely NOT a regular paper fan and will stick to newspaper weight paper from now on. That's my opinion, you use whatever weight of paper you want to use.

Linking to Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

More Pineapple Blocks

Another group of pineapple blocks have been pieced for a total of 52 completed blocks, just 12 more to go for an eight by eight block arrangement.

When I made the original 20 blocks, I pieced them with more dark blues but I thought they looked too dark. Now I'm piecing the blocks with lighter blues. I think they blend ok, what do you think?

The above picture is not the final layout. Once all the blocks are completed, the papers have to be removed from the back of the blocks. That will take some time.

September is a busy month for me, I don't know if I'll have time to complete the rest of the blocks this month. I hope you all find time for stitching this month.

Linking to Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday, Put Your Foot Down, TGIFF!, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Beauty Pageant, Patchwork & Quilts

Blueberry Pie Borders

The flowers are appliqued in the first corner. The next step is to add leaves and the circles. 

I'm not sure I really like the flower in the corner but I'm not going to change it.

The pattern for Blueberry Pie is found in the Red, White and Sometimes Blue book but it's not called Blueberry Pie. You'll find it listed as Writer's Block. I thought the name was rather unimaginative so I changed it to reflect the blues used in my quilt.

The pattern in the book does NOT have an applique border, this is my addition. The border is a variation of the center medallion in the Lady Jane pattern, designed by Nancy Rink.

Linking to Kathys Slow Stitching Sunday, Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Handmade Monday, Sew & Tell, Craftastic Monday, Design Wall Monday, Monday Musings, To Do Tuesday