Sunny Provencal Charm by Karen Mezera

Here is my story!~ :)

Hi!

This is my first online entry for Project Quilting! Yea! I finally got one done!

I met Kim through Lodi Quilt Guild  She liked my quilts and my stories that go with them and invited me to go to her first in person Project Quilting Retreat this past January. I felt honored to be invited. :) So I have made an entry before at the retreat but not for the online part. The Retreat was fantastic! A great winter break and lots  of fun! . I hope we can do it again! Hope lots of you can join us if she does it again!~ Woodland Ridge Retreat was awesome!

My other side hobby is Judging arrangements and horticulture for the American Rose Society. so of course,I made a Modern Rose quilt at the Retreat for that challenge . I usually am growing around 400 roses per year in my garden. They are various types from tiny to huge. The mini's and mini floras don't take up much space so the count goes up pretty fast when you grow a lot of them. ( Yes, I do work full time too)

Kim and I were on a bus Trip to Houston International  last October together. We liked a lot of the same fabrics and bought quite a few of the same! I got the hot glue studs for this quilt at that show. I had never seen them before. It was fun to get to use them in this little quilt.  

I love precuts because I am always overbooked and pressed for time. I had been trying to get an online PQ project done and hadn't made it yet so this was perfect for me. Luckily, I had lots to pick from for this project.

I am traveling to France mostly and a few other places with judges from all over the world for 3 weeks in May and June to judge the International Rose trials. We are volunteers. I've been to only one before and it was not for nearly this long, so this is a once in a lifetime trip for me. The World Federated Rose Show and Convention takes place every few years. Whomever can go, may volunteer to travel  there to judge and present programs.

We go on lots of tours and day trips. Our judging helps decide which roses will be released for sale in the near future to the general public over there and hopefully eventually here in the states.  I have been studying French in a class one night a week since January. So naturally I had to make a tribute to my upcoming trip in this quilt! :)

I became a Master Gardener before I got deep into roses so I love all other plants also, Provence is known for lavender and Sunflowers, so I made a funky Sunflower type flower for this quilt. Had fun coming up with this little quilt!~

Here are the the Robert Kaufman ombre collection charms used in the background.and moda urban couture from basic grey that were cut up and fused to make  the flower 

this one shows the quilting

Close up of hot glue studs and baby rick rack 

The stem was made from some teal package ribbon I found on the floor that my cat had been playing with !! worked great!~ Plus some baby rick rack that I have 10 yards of because I got it cheap at a sale at Olive Juice quilts!  All my quilts may have to have it in them to get it used up!!.

See ya! MEZ

Isn’t It Charming Entries

Below are projects made for the Project QUILTING ‘Isn’t it Charming’ challenge. 

Scroll down to read about creations made by Claudia M, akacheryl, Dana B, Tara Bird and Cary N.

A Charming Holiday by Claudia M

With this final challenge being charms, I did not have any charm packs on hand, and since I promised myself to not buy more to complete these challenges, I created a 27 piece charm pack from my stash of Christmas and ecru-white fabrics, no repeats.  I made three 9-patch blocks, cut each block twice diagonally through the corners and center squares.  Then rearranged the pieces and sewed them back into blocks, joining the blocks with sashing and then added the border.  I machine quilted a double flower motif in the ecru-white squares with white rayon thread and a four petal flower in a variegated green thread in each of the center squares.  I did need to buy binding fabric, nothing in my stash was dark enough to please me!

I have really enjoyed my first time participating in all of the challenges.  I had lots of fun creating an entry even though I did little else all week to complete the project in time.  My goal to submit an entry for each challenge was met.  I was also able to complete all of the challenges using materials on hand with the exception of needing to purchase binding for this project and backing fabric for another.  Not sure if that is good or bad!
Thanks for having these challenges to stretch my skills.
Claudia M, Beaver Dam WI

 

Grandpa’s Shirts by akacheryl

Title: Grandpa's shirts
Created in issaquah, wa
43x31
First time with charm squares. Loved them! Made my own, entirely from my stash.

On the Reef by Dana Burgess

In 2007-2008 we lived in a small fishing village in Belize. It was like living in paradise and when I saw this charm pack it took me back to living on the Caribbean sea and my favourite place - the reef. I snorkeled there as often as I could and often lost total track of time just following the fish.This little quilt is for my one year old grandson, so I can share that time with him.

I live in Calgary, Alberta.

Poppies Squared by Tara Bird

Challenge - I don't collect charm packs, so I decided to cut some of my Poppy fabrics into 5" squares and I made a table runner from 21 squares.

Tara Bird - Freeland, Michigan

Taffy Bits by Cary N

This is my first PQ Challenge, I have been following for a couple of years and this one I thought I would be able to do.  I JUST finished.   Thanks!

My Favorite Fabric Challenge

This post will be for the folks who need help getting their challenges posted for the Project QUILTING Challenges.

Scroll down to read about Claudia, Kim K,  Ellen U, and akacheryl’s quilts.

My Favorite Fabric Challenge

My Spring Bag by Claudia

Picking a favorite fabric is very hard....it is usually the last piece I bought!  I had 3 fat quarters set aside for doing "something special" so used them for this week's challenge.  Using a bag I found on Pinterest as inspiration, I created a bag with two handle options (short, they are tucked under in photo and adjustable long strap) and three opening options (fold down as shown, or straight up for a longer bag or folded over for a flap style).  I love the floral for spring and added free motion quilted flower shapes to repeat the printed design.  I am Claudia and I create in Beaver Dam.

J.D. Bag by Kim Kuechle

im kim and i quilt in Collinsville IL.  love my new bag and that i finally got to use my fav fabric.  it's a patchwork tote bag.

Table Runner by Ellen Upchurch

This geometric fabric (used in the back ground) I have had for a number of years and just could not bring myself to cut it up where it would lose its dimension so when I saw this week's challenge I decided to do this table runner which is woven and looks dimensional also.  It was challenging but fun to make. 

Vintage Baby Blanket by akacheryl

 

Title: Vintage Baby Blanket

29" x 39"

Created in Issaquah

The "favorite" fabric is some vintage cowboy print flannel that I got from my grandma. It's one of a few pieces of vintage fabric she gave me that I've had for awhile and haven't wanted to cut into so I thought it fit the bill for this challenge.

I also upcycled some flannel PJs to create the baby blanket.

Ocean Love by Kerry Kassie

It is a kid quilt about 3 feet by 4 feet called Ocean Love. It was inspired by the baby quilt I received from you and is my variation of that. The favorite fabrics I used for nearly all the applique are hand dyed fabrics (by you) that I won in PQ last season.
Off to the ice caves again!
Kerry