Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Angela's Allietare

While Angela was enjoying beach time I have been working  assiduously
at  the longarm machine to quilt her 2015 Bonnie Hunter Winter Mystery and here it is in all of its glory
Quilted freehand with peacock feathers and gold thread, Quilter's Dream Select batting, it does not closely resemble my version of Allietare [see previous post] the color choices alone set them apart. It is interesting how a simple color change can effect the look of a quilt then my added borders make them seem like different designs 
Linking up with Heather at "Needlework Tuesday"

Thursday, April 14, 2016

My Allietare Is Quilted!

Whew, those five borders took a while but it's all done!
 The main body of the quilt is Circle Lord Swirls......
 the narrow borders are rope design..........
the piano key border is straight line quilted a fourth inch from the seams.........
 and the large dark blue border is feathered.
The quilting always shows so nicely on the back. I took a workshop today on Photo editing at the Apple store and hope my pics will be nicer with more definition in the future!
The binding will have to wait until my shoulder is more healed, operating the longarm isn't a big problem my A-1 machine is very light, but hefting that kingsize quilt around on the domestic machine for binding would tax my shoulder too much -I think the quilt measures about 103"x 117".
I am hoping my nephew can take the quilt back to Australia with him after his visit to the USA in June because I do not want to mail it. First I would need to get an insurance appraisal for replacement value and then it is likely duty would be imposed in Australia even though it is a gift - that has happened before and it was quite a shock! Postage would be close to $200 in addition to the appraisal, another reason not to mail it!
I am linking up with Heather at "Needlework Tuesday", a little late!

Sunday, April 10, 2016

A Wedding And A Birthday!

A very busy weekend, no quilting but maybe this afternoon if I have the energy!
Oldest grandson Daniel wed his ladylove Ashlee on Friday evening in a lovely, casual poolside ceremony.
So sweetly in love, may they always be so.
My grandson is a gentleman, no mashing food on your new bride's face in spite of onlookers encouragement to do so!!
Saturday I was up early to finish prepping the backyard for the seven year old's birthday party. Friday we had done the heaviest part and I planted 56 annuals around the center garden that the birthday boy had helped me buy earlier in the week, carefully choosing the right colors!
I made an ice cream cake, topped with some of the boy's favorite Oreos, whipped cream and sprinkles of course!
Not very beautiful but he's seven years old, it included his favorite dessert choices and he loved it and that's what counts! 
 Nana and Papa brought him an Angry Birds pinata, this was obviously the party theme.
Matthew has loved the Angry Birds game since he was a toddler!
 After all the candy was gone it made a new kind of hat!
Then later outside to play with his friends, here are four of them loaded onto a groaning car, wheels rubbing on the fenders with double occupancy! We are blessed to live on a quiet little cul-de-sac where the children play, under adult supervision of course.
Finally he has a chance to drive, vroom vroom!
They had a wonderful time also riding around on bikes and scooters in the greenbelt , altogether a very successful day!
Back to quilting this week, hoping to accomplish quite a lot.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Progress On Allietare

Wes's quilt is almost quilted, I have decided to take it off the long-arm and turn it to do the rest of the borders as there are five separate sashings/borders and it will be easier to run straight across horizontally to finish the other two sides than to try and quilt and roll and quilt and roll endlessly!
While I have it off I will endeavor to embroider the label on the backing which I forgot to do before I loaded it on the LA. Argh, might take a little effort as this quilt is a kingsize [to reach to the floor on a queen size bed] and it's heavy and awkward but worth a try to get the label integrated with the backing.
Here you see the top and bottom borders and center of the quilt complete - I find it's a big pain to do long borders vertically, very time consuming, more so I think than removing and replacing the entire quilt and I think my quilting is smoother when it's done all in one sweep across the quilt rather than stopping and starting so many times.
It is too late now to try to get the label embroidered and re-attach the quilt tonight, it will have to wait until another day!