Butterfly Meadow Mystery Quilt

This post feels like it has been a long time coming.  Finally, I can say that the Butterfly Meadow Mystery quilt is finished (it's actually been finished for a few weeks).  Let's start back at the beginning then zip to the end, shall we?

Earlier in the summer, David was contacted by a past student and asked if it was possible to commission us to make a quilt for him.  We wanted us to make a birthday present for his wife and David was very quick to jump to an answer of yes.  His only requests where, lots of pink, butterflies and a breast cancer ribbon.

After some back and forth with ideas, he really liked the look of Cheryl's Meadow Mystery Quilt after seeing a finished version of David's.  Meanwhile, I stumbled across some beautiful pink and green butterfly fabrics that we would use to pull colors from for the quilt.  All was coming along swimmingly.  The piecing went quite quick for David.  The quilter on the other hand...well she got a bit carried away.

I really really wanted to custom quilt the snot out of this quilt....and that is exactly what I did.  I used five different colors of Aurifil 50wt thread in the quilting of this quilt; 2021 Natural White, 2610 Light Blue Grey, 1100 Red Plum, 2423 Baby Pink and 5017 Shining Green.

All of the quilting was done on my Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen and I used several different curved and straight rulers to add dot to dot quilting.  How about I let the thread and quilt speak for itself in the next few pictures.  Most have appeared on the blog already, but I thought it might be nice to have them all in once place.

I chose to go with a simple pink binding to finish things off.  If you are paying close attention, you may notice that the binding fabric isn't actually used in the piecing of the quilt.  However, I think it pulls from all the pink shades used in the quilt, justifying its use.

As a final little additive,  we included a label for the back of the quilt.  I give credit to many conversations with my dear friend Julie (Pink Doxies) for my new found understanding as to why quilt labels are important.  Talking with her about her efforts to document and research quilts really has brought this to my attention.  Now future generations will know; who the quilt was for, when and why it was gifted, the pattern/designer of the quilt and the makers.

I was able to take the quilt out for a photo shoot at our local walking park.  It was a fun evening, spent laughing with a dear friend (best quilt holder ever) that I don't get to spend near enough time with.  She herself is a breast cancer survivor as well, so it meant the world that she could help me photograph this quilt.

I hope the new owners love the quilt as much as we do.  I feel bad that my quilty wants turned this quilt into a birthday Christmas gift.  But those fabrics were screaming at me to quilt them this way.  Next time, I probably wouldn't quilt it this heavily, okay, who am I kidding, if you give me free reign, I'm gonna use it.

Oh, and for those that might remember this...

the blue piece of fabric that I accidently stitched to the back of the quilt...David very patiently cut it out of the quilt so that I didn't have to unpick the stitches.  Thanks goodness for David, I was going to use it as a quilt label opportunity.

Hopefully, this will not be the last finish of the year for me, time sure it ticking away.  There are several exciting things brewing over here that I can't tell you about quite yet, but know that I am busting to!!!

I do think the UFO Busting Party is going to be a go next year (I have a party button designed, I have to do it right?).  I'm thinking we will start things out in January, with a Quilty Confession addition, and talk about our UFO's (and works in progress).  I think before we can start tackling them we need to be honest with ourselves and figure out just how many we have.  So start rounding up all your unfinished projects and let's have a group therapy session next month.

Today I'm linking up with Main Crush Monday, TGIFF, Finished or Not Friday, and Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop!

Lot's of Prepping Going On

Remember this picture?  Yeah, me either.  I've conveniently allowed myself to completely forget about it.  This collage of quilt tops, was my declaration at the beginning of the year to bust through my stack of quilt tops and see the year end with a stack of finished quilts.  It's now almost September and I haven't touched a single one.  On top of that, David and I both have created several more tops that need quilted.  I swear, quilt tops are like rabbits, they multiply at an alarming rate.

It's time to regroup, get my head back in the game and quilt like a mad woman.  So where do I start?  Most of these quilts are rather on the big side, so I didn't really want to drag out my Plexiglas and battle my animals for floor space.  My alternative?  Recreate the quilts in EQ7 to make print outs that I could draw on.   

So why would I recreate the quilt in EQ7 if I already have the pattern?  Recreating a quilt you've already made and have a pattern for in EQ7 is actually a great way to practice using the program.  I've been struggling with trying to figure out how to create asymmetrical layouts or even layouts where the sashings are pieced and part of the design (not just mini borders).  Doing this has helped me learn about the program and how to use different features and functions. 

**I want to be very very clear here.  I'm not talking about seeing something on Pinterest or another blog and trying to recreate it for my own use or share it with someone else (both big No No's).  I'm talking about patterns I have either A) purchased, B) it's free for all to use, C) I own the magazine or book it was published in or D) been gifted the pattern by the creator.  I'm just trying to learn how to better use the program and create a graphic image that I can map my quilting design on.  I've also used it as a way to audition fabrics for quilts before I actually purchase fabric online.**

Decisions need to be made to either custom quilt the tops or simply quilt it with an all over design.  I have several quilts in a stack that I know I want to quilt with straight lines, wavy lines or some sort of all over filler.  First on that list is my recently pieced Have a Jolly Christmas Quilt from Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts recent QAL.  I have backing and batting and hope to load it on the long arm at my cousin's house this week and practice with some wavy lines.

As for some of the more custom quilt jobs...expect to see lots of dot to dot designs that incorporate using quilting rulers.  I love designs that require very little marking.

This is a quilt made from a kit I purchased some years ago. 

These are mark ups for David's Star Blossom Quilt made from Kona Solids.  I really want to do some crazy quilting in this one, so I've tried several different things...as you can see.

I can't wait to explore some fun ruler work inside the stars of the Midnight Mystery Quilt, pattern by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs.

 Speaking of Cheryl's Quilts...

Last night, I was able to start quilting on a recent Meadow Mystery Quilt that David pieced.  This is our second commissioned quilt.  Though technically it's the first, because we were contacted about it before the baby quilt...the baby quilt was just quicker to make.  I was impressed and feeling pretty good about how quickly this quilted up using my Handi Quilter quilting ruler.  No marking what so ever.  Then the curse of the Meadow Mystery quilt struck again!

After I finished this corner and flipped it over to check out the stitching on the back, I discovered a small scrap of fabric from Jenny's birthday quilt had stuck to the back of the quilt.  Seriously???  Why??  I have to admit the profanities didn't fly from my mouth like they did when it happened to this quilt...

just the laugh of a crazy quilter.  Hopefully, this will not become a trend with this quilt.  I still have two more Meadow Mysteries to quilt.

So for now, it's back to sneaking in time on Jen's quilt, quilting on this one (ignoring the mistake on the back till I feel like fixing it, it's not going anywhere) and continuing to map out plans for the other quilts.  I hope you will come back for a visit on Friday to see my latest quilt finish.

Today I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social.

Meadow Mystery Finish-Take 1

Mark this one off the list and call it done!  I have to say there were a couple times during the quilting process I found myself questioning if this quilt even wanted to be finished.  It seemed to be challenging me every step of the way.  That's okay, though, I showed it who's boss.

Last year,  I had the honor of pattern testing the Meadow Mystery Quilt for Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs.  I pattern tested the pattern as a mystery, getting only one clue at a time.  So when I picked the fabrics for this quilt,  I honestly had no idea what the quilt would look like.

I think this is only the second time I've really talked about this version of the quilt on the blog (I could be wrong).  So it seemed only fitting to give this quilt an all over custom quilting, since it's never really had it's time to shine.

Let's talk thread for a minute.  I reached into my trusty Aurifil stash, trying to find just the right colors that would melt into the different prints, allowing for some fun texture without over powering the fabrics.  For the yellow fabric I used #2130 Medium Butter  for some therapeutic stippling.  The black polka dot print contains #2692 Black to add wishbones, loops and radiating lines.  For the green triangles, #4026 Forest Green for some dot to dot fun and the rectangles became ghost flying geese.  And last but not least, #2024 White for the off white fabric, for more stippling, straight line quilting, pebbling and curvy flower fun.  I chose to leave the light blue sections unquilted, but matched it with #5006 Light Turquoise to attach the flange of the binding to the front of the quilt.

This will be a post with few words, I think I'm just going to let the thread and fabric do the talking for me.

This one will have a special little place in my heart.  I got to play around with the blocks and try to figure out the layout, without any influence from social media.  It was like getting a copy of your favorite mystery author before the book ever hits the shelves.  Another huge thank you to Cheryl for allowing me to read over the pattern and trusting me with it until the quilt along started. 

If you haven't head already, Cheryl will be hosting another mystery quilt along starting in July called the Magnolia Mystery.

I am so stinking excited I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself until then??  Oh, wait.  I guess I could work on my other quilt along projects and quilts a pile of quilts.  I'm good.

Today I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers, Main Crush Monday and Linky Tuesday.

Don't Be Like Tish

Oh the joys of sit-down quilting.  It is my favorite type of quilting.  It's how I learned to quilt.  I was hoping to share with you today my finished Meadow Mystery quilt, but instead I'm sharing this cute little flowerish shape and a public service announcement.

Public Service Announcement:  When quilting at a sit down machine setting, make sure the surface you are quilting on is CLEAR of ALL unnecessary items.

When I started quilting Monday evening, I was doing nice therapeutic stippling in the background area of the quilt.  When I placed my hand on the quilt I distinctly remember thinking, "that feels really puffy?"  Yet I continued stitching.  I stopped to reposition the quilt a bit, put my hand on the quilt and thought, "why does it feel so thick right in that spot?"  You would have thought at this point I would have looked under the quilt, right?  Wrong.  I stitched a bit longer, letting the puffy question bounce around in my head.  Finally, I flipped it over...

Are you KIDDING ME?  I keep a small quilt sandwich at my HQ Sweet Sixteen so that I can check my tension every time I change my bobbin.  I completely forgot it was sitting on the table and when I spread the quilt out to start quilting, it wound up under it...or rather stitched to it.

So with lot's of other distractions this week...it is still waiting for me to fix it.  Think I can convince Dave the Quilt Engineer he is still in quilt training and he has to do it?

This evening was the Evening of the Arts at my daughter's high school.  It's an evening of music, theater and art.  This year my daughter is taking a stain glass class, a class I also had in high school.  I'm so stinking proud of her.

This is a candle holder that she made and had on display tonight (I think I can see a quilt top).  She also had another surprise in store for me.  About six years ago when we were moving, I discovered a 3D mirror I made in stain glass class had somehow broke.

Two of the gray pieces of glass had came off and the wire vine was mushed flat.  Disappointed, I started to throw it away, when my cousin, Doug, came to its rescue, insisting on taking it home with him, saying he could fix it somehow.  So years pass and I completely forgot about it.

When he found out Jen was taking stain glass he ask her if she would like to fix it as a surprise for me.  So behind the scenes whenever time permitted,  Jen and her teacher worked to restore my little mirror and it was on display this evening, along with this little sign...

Twenty years...seriously??  It seems like yesterday.

Fixing it came with its own little challenges, and well, they ended up having to substitute a blue piece of glass for one of the gray ones,  but I love it!  Now it is something that she and I share.  She told me she hopes it doesn't break again, but I told her it's okay if it does, one of her future kids can fix it again :)

Today I'm linking up with Finished or Not Friday and Can I Get a Whoop! Whoop!

Celebrating National Quilting Day

Saturday was National Quilting Day and I decided to turn it into an all weekend event.  It started by David and myself stopping by one of our favorite local quilt shops, Helen's Hen House.  I fell head over heels for that black floral print and couldn't help myself.  I just had to take some if it and it's friends home with me.  So National Quilting Day support local quilt shop...check.

Next on the list was to work on a few of my QAL blocks.  First up was block 13 of Pat Sloans's 182 Solstice Challenge, Studio Time

I followed up with the next block in the Aurifil designer of the month QAL.  This month's designer was Melissa Corry of Happy Quilting.  Her color was purple and she gave us the Straptastic Star Block.  Lots of 2" pieces, but worth every cut.

Here you can see it with the first two blocks.  Each block is a color in the color wheel.  So far we've had blue, and blue purple.  I accidentally went red purples with this block, so I will do next month's block in purples.

The last block for the weekend was the latest block in Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilt's Have a Jolly Christmas Quilt, a candle block.  National Quilting Day piece something...check.

The last of my weekend fun, was working on quilting my Meadow Mystery Quilt.  I had hoped to finish it, but I'm still a little ways away.  So I thought I would leave you with a few sneak peaks before I sign off for the night.

That's all I can give you for now.  Hopefully, I will have a finish by the end of the week, but for now I'm loving adding lots of free motion and ruler work fun to this quilt.  National Quilting Day quilt something...check.

Even David got into the fun of National Quilting Day.

Who knows, maybe even he will have a finish to share with us really soon.

How did you spend National Quilting Day?  I hope you were able to do something fun and quilty.

Today I'm linking up with Main Crush Monday.