Options and Challenges

Besides sewing labels and hanging sleeves on the six quilts I am entering in our guild's quilt show weekend after this one, I managed to finish the February optional block, Due to the weather, the January meeting was cancelled, so this block, meant to be turned in last month, was not picked up until then. There was a block for March, but I didn't bite, because I figured there was enough on my plate already.

There are three challenge opportunities that will be exhibited at the show. One, the Spring challenge, I didn't do. I made two for the Seasons challenge - a winter and autumn. I will show you those after tomorrow night's guild meeting when we vote on them. The third challenge was "Hot Hexies" given out by the quilt show chair. Anything having to do with hexies she said, The sky's the limit. Use your imagination. So I english paper pieced this number and fussy cut a little bit. The outer edges of this small quilt are black. It is on the design wall on top of something else. No other place to put it for a photo. 

It is minimally machine quilted, primarily along the seam lines. There is no binding. The edges were finished by trimming the batting away from the edge by a healthy quarter inch. The backing was then folded in over the batting and the quilt top raw edge was folded in over that.Then I whip stitched the edges together. I was thinking that I would then edge stitch a quarter of an inch in from the outer edge all the way around to simulate a binding. But now I'm not going to do that. It's done. 

Spinning Wheels

I have finished (maybe) piecing "Spinning Wheels", an english paper pieced project by Piece o' Cake. This is the small size, 36" x 38". I say "maybe" I am finished piecing this. I don't like the left border - too light. I am using up yardage purchased for this quilt and it was the only other piece left that was long enough for the border without piecing it. Perhaps tomorrow I will swing by the quilt store and see if there is yardage remaining of one of the darker fabrics. It will be a simple matter to change it out.

I have pulled out a hand appliqué pattern that has been resting in a drawer for at least a decade. It is "A 'Maizing' Southwest" by by Arlene Walsh Designs. I bought the pattern at  Southwest Decoratives in Albuquerque, NM quite a long time ago. The copyright on the pattern is 2003, and that probably is around the time I bought it. The upper left and lower right elongated figures are the Corn Maiden,, a Zuni harvest goddess. It features a pueblo, drum, Zuni sun (as seen on New Mexico license plates), feathers, Kokopelli, and more.

I need to have a hand sewing project to keep me occupied while watching a program or two in the evenings on television. Since Spinning Wheels is finished, this will be the next project. I am using similar colors as shown in the pattern above. I ordered three packets of Cherrywood fabric - the four pack teal, mahogany, and ocher medleys. Other fabrics I have selected so far are several batiks from Batiks Plus. I intended to use a harvest corn fabric for the Corn Maiden figures, but cannot now find it anywhere, so on to plan B! 

Originally there was an embellishment kit available with beads and fetish pieces. The kit is no longer available, but there is a list of what was in the kit in the pattern; I feel confident that there will be suitable materials available at a local bead store or online.

There will be any number of bits and bobs to fill in here and there from stash. I am eager to get started, but before I allow myself down this particular rabbit hole, there are three quilts that need hanging sleeves for our upcoming quilt show. My goal is to finish at least one today. I am entering six quilts into the show and three are ready to go. Three down, three to go!