OUR 2020 SENIOR

Our grandson, Daevaughn Chatman,

 is a Senior in the Class of 2020

That means many heartbreaking things...

Missing the prom, graduation ceremony.

The longest ‘Senior Skip Day’ ever.

For me, it meant a graduation quilt!

I have a ga-zillion precuts and I found some 

by Amy Ellis that read masculine.

I decided to use Charm Pack Cherry pattern.

 Its quick and easy using charm packs!

Not too much fabric to pack for my winter snowbird adventure 

The pattern is free over at the FQ Shop.  

Click here to get your copy!

I began working on the quilt, in the small condo we had rented. 

A padded TV table for my ironing surface and my Featherweight

I quilted it on my Bernina 740 with 

simple straight lines design - vertical and horizontal

Thrilled with the end result. 

The backing is made with a coordinating Layer Cake 

And a couple strips to make it large enough. 

I used the text sewing function on my Bernina 

to add the label info, directly on the front of the quilt. Thanks 

We don’t know when or if there will be a graduation party.

But regardless, ‘I got him covered’

NOW THIS IS A CHALLENGE

My biggest challenge is keeping up with my blog posts.

I save my pics to a draft post...then I get side tracked.

I hope you don't mind my flakieness!

February, 2020 attended Airing of The Quilts

Venice, Florida, sponsored by SWMGQ.

That day...it rained but I still enjoyed looking

at what we could see under the Gazebo.

I found their challenge quilts very interesting.

Each participant had yardage of one fabric.

A fabric that looked like an improv quilt!

It was very busy, some might say ugly,

but definitely had a modern spin to it. 

I jotted down the name of the fabric and found it

 on-line so I could provide some details.

I am sure there were guidelines or rules for

entering this challenge, but I don't have those.

What I do have are some photos of the

creativity these makers used with this fabric.

Sorry I don't have the makers names

or credit would be mentioned.

Look closely at the way they used the fabric,

the colors they added, the quilting.

It is amazing to see such creativity.  

Have you ever participated in a quilt challenge?

I enjoy them.  They make you think outside

the normal sewing box!

WINTER THREADS

Sew...what do I mean by Winter Threads?

Just that last winter I found some really great threads

while I was in Florida.

Like this embroidered Heron on a jean jacket.

And some threads that were being knitted and crocheted

by a fun Meet-up group I joined.

This looked like a bullseye dart board design.

She was having fun wearing it!

These ladies were all busy with their needles

and helping those of us with questions.

This is my project for the winter!
Dusk to Dawn Shawl by Briana Kepner



I am using a Superwash Merino
50 Shades of Gradient, Panther Pride colorway.
560 yards

A yarn swap with Kathy Guenther 

gave me this fun variegated Flamingo colorway.

Some shopping, of course!

I have not knitted anything in a solid color.

Now I can thanks to a great sale rack!

And here we are in April...

Is the Dawn to Dusk Shawl finished?

NOPE, but I am getting close!

THE MAKING OF A FLAMINGO

I luv me some FLAMINGOS!

I saw Pinkerton...the Laura Heiny collage pattern and
bought it some time ago.

I didn't have much stash with pink and coral flowers.

Sew...as payment for a trunk show at 
The Perry County Sewcial Club
I asked the members to donate scraps to make this Flamingo!

That being said...I received 44 pieces of fabric
and She will be named "The Perry County Flamingo" 

This post is full of tips and ideas for the processes

to make the Flamingo...at least til she's glued and quilted.

Laura recommends using Steam a Seam 2 

for the collage pieces.  It's a double sided fusible, 

re positional and readily available from many stores. 

I did pick up a few more FQs for large designs.

These white flowers said wings and tail feathers!

I cut small pieces to begin and fused them..you need lots

of options in size, color and designs.

Because the Flamingo is 6 feet, tall I needed lots of BIG flowers

And I found some!

I made a test piece to make sure I understood
 how the steam a seam was gonna work.

I have the Kay Buckley scissors for cutting.

 The blades are serrated and keeps fabric edges from fraying.  

They aren't cheap..but sew worth it!

Here's my workspace while I wintered in Florida.
Not ideal, but I made it work.
If you don't have a rotating cutting mat...why not?
It's one of the most versatile tools for quilting.



Being in a small condo I wondered where the heck 
can I lay out the pattern already drawn
on 'Pattern Ease'  and begin pressing down fabrics?
The King Size bed, of course.
It took me 6 hours to get the design where I liked it.



I had to move fabrics around and walked away several times.
Take breaks...don't rush this process!
I placed the wings, chest feathers, legs and neck
pieces that pleased me...not exactly fitting the outline. 
Give yourself the freedom to "draw outside the lines"!



I used my wool pressing mat underneath the 'Pattern Ease'
and on top of the bed sheets to steam down the pieces. 
Work one small section at at time.

And here she was...ready to be cut away
from the 'Pattern Ease' foundation!
 I kept thinking...please don't cut her leg off!
I used the Karen Buckley scissors for this as well!



I did NOT cut along the pattern lines, 
but rather I followed the FLOWER designs
 to make her look more feathery.

Also note in the pic below how I positioned
the flowers for the wings....not necessarily putting
 them exactly where the pattern indicates.
Flexibility is the key to making these collages work.

I have to roll her up (I need a pool noodle)

 and take her home to glue her to the finished background.

 Fabric Fuse Glue is what Laura uses to glue

your design to the quilt background fabric. 

 Just run a bead around the edge. 

 It is stitchable and dries clear.  BUT drying time is 6 hours.

I will do this on my a pool table when I get home.

That's all you get for now.
There are LOTS of YouTube videos
on collage quilts.  I liked Lauras the best. 

When I return to Ohio in April...
The Perry County Flamingo 
will continue her stitching journey!

ART IN BLOOM - FLORIDA STYLE

I love flowers, I love gardens and I love art.

So when The Edison-Ford Winter Estate and Garden

 sponsored the Art in Bloom Event...I was there.

I loved that most of the art pieces had something to do

with a truck, motor or gear of a vehicle. 

Artists are given a piece of art to interpret into flowers.

Sit back and enjoy!  I did!