We’ve Gone to Plaid

My quilt is called "We've Gone to Plaid" for Project Quilting season 8 challenge 5 titled well-dressed man.     I was looking through the tumbler of the men in suits that was in the inspiration section of the challenge post, and started thinking about men in skirts.  So I was then thinking about kilts and plaid.    Without thinking too much about how much of a challenge it would be, I searched plaid quilts and didn't see a pattern available that I liked, so I figured I would make my own. 

I did some google searches about plaid and came up with a wrapping paper that I thought looked nice.   So I took a screen shot, printed a photo, then went to the office supply store to get graph paper.     After figuring out how the plaid worked and doing the math to figure out how much I needed I got to choose the fabrics.  There are 15 different Kona Cotton Solids in this quilt.   A few of the colors are not my faves, but they were necessary to make the plaid work. 

I cut all the pieces for the entire quilt first - then following my map I started piecing the blocks.   I got 3 rows finished Sunday evening watching the Oscars.  Then, Monday I finished the quilt top and tossed it on the long arm for wavy line quilting to soften all the right angles. 

Tuesday I prepped and sewed the binding to the quilt and then pressed it for hand stitching.   Today, I finished the hand binding and can call it done. :D   This piece finishes at 84" square and was made in Madison, WI. 

I hope you all enjoy!  

-- Jen M.

The Electric Needle

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‘Snowballs and Snowflakes’ by Karen Golden

The grand finale. 
I will call this snowballs and snowflakes.  I was running dry on ideas and just going thru my purple fabrics ...found this pretty silvery snowflake stuff and said yes!

by Karen Golden

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“Up Up and Away” by Marsha Friou

My inspiration  for Focus Though The Prism Challenge Flying Geese was a Blog of Victoria Findlay Wolfe. 

I free drew on newspaper and then I found this great Geese print at the Quilt Expo. Thanks to Marcia Wachuta's awesome quilting for "Up Up and Away" is finished just in time.

‘Purple Haze’ by Laurel Hewitt

‘Purple Haze’ by Laurel Hewitt

It's done - with a kitchen remodel plus usual life activity I am excited I'm making the deadline.  I wanted to play with blending colors and shapes.

‘Born to be Wild’ by Cheryl Snellgrove

My September entry for Focus on the Prism challenge.  I chose to use the Cherrywood purple fabric as this month's color choice. It's used for the horse, binding and a few geese. 

My only dilemma has been what to name it. I've finally decided on "Born to be Wild."

Pinwheels at Midnight by Lisa Foslien's

“Pinwheels at Midnight’

Lisa Foslien's July quilt in violet.

"I had made a twisted log cabin block before, but I wanted to play with the light and dark to see what designs could come from it.  Pinwheels or flowers were the result."

 

 

Essay on Friendship by Diana Vilas

Here's my version of the Friendship Star. I call it "Essay on Friendship" because designing, sewing and finishing this little quilt gave me ample opportunity to reflect on my friends and the nature of friendship in general. In our modern world we make friends, we part from friends, we move away or they do, some friends pass on, yet due to the miracle of Internet, we are part of a communication web that connects the entire world. 

The two main stars in this quilt represent me and my best friend, my husband. Disappearing at the periphery are dear friends we have left behind, in the lower left-hand corner is the heartbreak of my close friend who is moving away. I quilted the background to represent the Worldwide web and occasionally indicated "ghost" friends from my past who still haunt my mind and heart.

“Stars Abound in Hollywood” by Roxy Pike

“Stars Abound in Hollywood” by Roxy Pike for the Focus Through the Prism Friendship Star Challenge.

In the mid-90's, a California quilting buddy showed me the sights of Hollywood that she had known first-hand for many years and shared what it was like growing up in "Tinsel Town".  Her words were enlightening because she spoke with a hometown viewpoint, ..... the good and the not so good.  I lived in Texas at the time and had never before seen the iconic images in person. ...Grauman's Chinese Theater, "Hollywood and Vine", and of course, the famous Hollywood sign. Those letters are HUGE.  Using the Friendship Star block to show stars in the sky and bouncing around under the famous sign seem appropriate for a Hollywood visual.

Monkey Spin by Mary Kay Turner

'Monkey Spin' by Mary Kay Turner

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

This is my first challenge--Andrea Turner (Mouse in My Pocket) is my daughter-in-law and she got me interested.  I think I should name mine "BOOORRRING!" because all month as I looked at the others I was amazed at the creativity!  I am actually looking forward to stretching my wings for next month's.  I'm a very traditional quilter--like you couldn't tell from my photo--really? a gingham binding?? so I definitely have room to grow.  Thanks for pushing me.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Not My Circus Not My Monkeys by Stacye Richardson

'Not My Circus Not My Monkeys' by Stacye Richardson

for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge

We all have days when you have to pick your  battles wisely. My close friend taught me to say 'Not my circus, not my monkeys' as a humorous way to let things go.  We all know things get wacky when the monkeys are in charge. 

Monkey wrench gave me the chance to express this humorously in a quilt.

See more wonderful 'Focus Through the Prism' Monkey Wrench Challenge quilts by heading HERE. 

Purple Monkeys by Evelyn Larrison

Purple Monkeys by Evelyn Larrison for the Focus Through the Prism Challenge.