Central Park: A Love Story

I've come to the realization that I have a "thing"for Kate Spain's Central Park line.  I've got no less than 6 quilts (some larger, some smaller) already made, in progress, or in my head to make with Central Park.  Here's my stash:  Jelly roll, layer cake, 5 charm packs and yardage - oh my!



First up was Julie's Carnival pattern - made into a wall hanging for my Mom.  Of course that wasn't enough and I'm making the larger version for myself.

Then, at our PMQG sewing day, I saw Becky's Postage Stamp Quilt (from Rachel Griffith at P.S. I Quilt's quilt-a-along a while back), and I had to make one of my own.  I loved how Becky did hers in "stripes" and copied hers shamelessly did mine the same way!  However, I just couldn't quite wrap my brain around the method Rachel used in the quilt-a-long for a scrappy look, so had to figure out another way to get my striped look.  This quilt was a lot of fun and came together beautifully.  I got the top done in less than two weeks - I was a speed demon on this one!  

Today, I'm going to finish up this table runner that my Mom requested to go with her wallhanging.  Then I'll work on MY Carnival and one other full-size quilt I have in mind for Central Park. 

That will leave me with all of the "animal" and "tree" prints that I've been pulling out of the charm packs/layer cake.  I see a little boy's quilt from these leftovers!

After that I think my Central Park obsession should finally be over.  But that's okay because I think my Summer Love will be replaced by this in the Fall:

Quilt Classes!

I used to take quilt classes all the time.  Not so much any more.  Not that I know everything, but I've been at this for awhile.  But, still, it's fun to take a class now and then.  For the camaraderie if nothing else.  And, I find I always learn something. 

So, when I found out that Julie of Jaybird Quilts fame was teaching Dot Party at my new favorite shop, The Village Quilter, I signed up immediately! 


I already had the pattern and bought the fancy circle ruler and really teeny 18mm rotary cutter like the pattern suggests. I'm always looking for a better way to cut out a circle, so was intrigued by the ruler. As soon as I got it I thought I'd try it out. Didn't go so well. There's got to be a trick, and I know Julie's going to show us what it is! So, this class is not only going to a blast I'm sure, but I'll learn something too.

I decided the fabric that I won from Sarah's Swell Cloth shop, Kumari Garden, would be perfect for this quilt.  I'm pairing it with some light blue Robert Kaufman Quilter's Linen...

By the way, I've been haunting places that sell the Quilter's Linen and scooping it up.  It's not all that easy to find.  This is my stash so far:

If you click on the photo to make it larger, you can see the "linen look" - just adds a little something.

I'm signed up for one more class.  On my first trip to The Village Quilter last Fall, I heard they were having a class on hand quilting with Didi Salvatierra.  I've been wanting to take a hand quilting class for forever and just never got the chance.  I was bummed that the class was the next week (and I think it was full anyway), but owner Susan promised Didi would be back.  So, when she said Didi was coming back in the Fall, I couldn't wait to sign up (I may have been a bit of a pest about it too.  Every time I saw Susan I'd bug her about when sign ups would be open - LOL!)  I've done some hand quilting in the past, I just have never been very happy with my stitches.  And, not that I'm going to be hand quilting much by any stretch, but I'd love to have a hand quilting project to work on from time to time.  And, this is going to be it (and, yes, it may take
me the rest of my life, I realize that):

[of course, Lilly has to plunk her little self in the middle of every quilt I put on the floor - and sorry about the wrinkles]

This applique quilt was a block-of-the-month from the now defunct Country Quilt Shop, started in the late 90s.  I finished the quilt at the end of last year.  (No, I don't want to add up how many years that's been).  It's called Pennsylvania Folk Art and it is just beautiful.  I really think hand quilting would be worth it on this quilt. 

Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival

 

It's time for Amy's Creative Side's Blogger's Spring Quilt Festival !  This is my third festival and I was tickled to be a "featured festival blogger" on Amy's blog the other day.  You can see my feature here.

Here is my entry for the Spring Festival....

I blogged about this special quilt last year.  Very good friends of my son & daughter-in-law were getting married and we were invited (which I thought was very nice of them!).  So, of course, I had to make them a quilt.  And, of course, I had not the first clue about their decorating style, color likes or dislikes - nada!  So I asked son Bill to do some sleuthing and see what they might like.  And he says "green, they like green".    I asked him if he was very, very sure, because, they really might hate a green quilt if you are wrong!  I have nothing against green, but I realized that it probably isn't my favorite color.  I also had a feeling they weren't very traditional.  That was confirmed when I was told the bride had a penchant for wearing wild, different colored socks.

So, I pulled out every green fabric I had in my stash.  Found a great background - also stash and set out to make a square-in-a-square pattern.  But, with all those greens, it turned out absolutely stunning. 

To honor the bride, I made this label...

And the back - still green, all green!



By the time it was finished, I really liked the quilt, but I still wasn't sure about all this green!  So, I can't tell you how relieved I was to walk into their wedding venue and everything was green!  A green cake, green accessories - the bride even had a green sash on her dress - whew!

And, the thank-you note I got from them brought tears to my eyes.  They got it - totally!

So, go check out all the other great Festival entries!  Thanks again, Amy, for hosting this great on-line event!

Uh Oh!

Looks likes a little plastic surgery is in order here....

The culprit:

Bad dog, Leonard!  That's my granddog.  Good thing he's so stinkin' cute!  His mom was NOT amused!

Now for the hunt for the scraps that I know are around here somewhere.