Tree of Life Quilt

Life being the operative word in my post title.  Life happens.  I cannot believe it has been a month since I posted!  Actually, I CAN believe it because I have been so busy that in order to stay as focused as possible, I avoided the computer as much as I could.  So much has been going on, not to mention MAJOR quilting.  So much quilting that my machine is mad at me.  Oh yes, she is!!!  No joke.  I barely finished my last quilt for Market in time because I was having so many issues.  Very frustrating.  New bobbin winders, parts, hours on the phone, $$$, new gray hair and still not running properly.  Soooooo, Annie, aka my machine will be on sick leave for a few weeks.  Like I said, life happens.  Naturally, I was really stressed out about the down time, but now I am looking at it as a sign.  Everything happens for a reason. :-)

Looks like I can start sharing some of what has been keeping me so busy, since Lisa Bongean's recent post here.  Lisa's post cracked me up because she phonetically spelled the correct way to pronounce my last name.  Not at all pronounced how it is spelled.  Hrcka...pronounced HERSH-KA.  It is Czech, which should explain the lack of vowels. :-) What cracks me up about it her post is when someone knows the proper pronunciation, they become very protective over saying it correctly.  I never correct anyone, but I have been places where someone says my name and then I hear someone else immediately correct them.  The girls have commented when they have a substitute at school, the sub understandably pronounces their name wrong, their classmates are very quick to say "IT'S HERSHKA!" LOL!!! Anyways, on with the show...

Let me introduce "Tree of Life" designed by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.  This absolutely gorgeous quilt is all in flannel!!!!!  Beautiful.  Flannel Gatherings II is a brand new line coming out in  July.  The quilt is one of many featured in her new book, Flannel Gatherings.  Also to be released in July...I think. :-)  I will keep the conversation at a minimum and let the photos do the talking.

 

It is a nice size quilt at about 100x100.  

 Feathered delight. :-)

I quilted different styles of feathers throughout the quilt.  In the outer green border, they are hilly feathers.  Up and down the hilly spine.  A nice way to fill those 10-12" borders.  I knew feathers would really pop in all the light fabric areas and would contrast beautifully with those 1" pumpkin seed quilting in the the big green triangles.  YES, 1"!!!!!  Crazy but worth it!!! :-) 

Straight lines in the HSTs to create contrast and dimension between the feathers.

I took lots of pics of the back because you all know what I am going to say next...I LOVE it!!!

Looks so cool!!!  Now some specifics...all the quilting is freehand.  So NOOO, its not perfect, but looks pretty good. :-)  I used my straight ruler and curved rulers. Thread is all So Fine by Superior.  I think 4 thread colors.  Batting...Dream Orient (silk, bamboo and cotton blend).  A new personal favorite.  Quilts up beautifully!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I will have more follow-up on batting soon.  I don't know how many hours it took to quilt because it took forever.  Pretty sure the hours quilting are about even with the hours I spent crying.  Lol.  Not really funny, though. :-)  I could not have completed this quilt without the help of Scott and my BFF Patti.  Not only did Scott take care of everything so I could quilt but he helped with the design.  He didn't even know I took this pic...

While I was still quilting another quilt, he chalked out the 1" grid, so I could quilt the pumpkin seed quilting.  Took him 2 nights after work and he did a perfect job!!!  I cannot tell you how much I love this man!!!  My friend Patti helped in the end.  She is a binding master, so she came over and attached the binding by machine, so I could overnight it to Portland for Market.  She worked until 11:30 PM helping.  Best Friend EVER!!

 I wanted to share some as I was quilting pics.  Many of my readers enjoy those pics.  Kind of shows that I don't just wave a magic wand over it....I WISH!!! 

I did chalk the spine for the outer border before I loaded it.  That way the spine turned out pretty even and I could continuously quilt while advancing the top on my machine.

 Just starting the pumpkin seed quilting. 

 I pretty much just eyeball things.  So technical...I know.  If I like it on one side, then I try to recreate it as close as possible on the other.

I quilted as I advanced.  I try to do that whenever possible.  It just is easier than rolling back and forth and just the thought of turning a quilting this size is entirely daunting.

Oh and my lights completely quit working as well.  I had to use my Ott Floor lamp, which was cumbersome and useless.  The majority of that pumpkin seed quilting was done without the aid of light!!!!  Until I taped my bendable sewing light on my machine.

Whew!!!!  Now that is a post!!!  Making up for the last month!!  Oh and before I forget...are any of you on Instagram???  I posted being on Instagram last year.  I detest social media...yet I blog and love Instagram. LOL.  It is so easy and fun AND FAST.  It is not FB.  I tend to post peeks at what I am working on.  A lot of quilters are getting on the bandwagon.  There have been ton of Market posts.  You might want to join in on the fun!!  You can find me as hrckal.  That is hrcka with a lowercase L on the end.  Hope to see you there! 

Camp Randall

New quilt to share!  This is my little break from quilting last night.  I had to dust the cobwebs off these photos before I posted them because I quilted this quilt last August!!   I am thinking the border fabric was not available yet and the pattern was not complete when I quilted it.   Maybe?  Anyways, it is "Camp Randall" by Lisa Bongean for Primitive Gatherings.  A re-created antique quilt, all scrappy and in reproduction fabric!!! Gorgeous.  I have to apologize for my photo quality.  I was having issues with the settings that day (operator error).  This was right after I dropped the camera in the garage.  Oops. :-)  Since I have purchased a fancy shmancy new one...haven't figured out how to use it yet.  That is one of my goals for this summer.  Be very prepared for lots of outdoorsy type photos.  Anyhoo...Camp Randall...

You know I love me some scrappy quilts!!! 

Another quilt I would have loved for LB to forget she sent me. 

Feathers always complement any quilt, but they really look nice on a reproduction quilt.

I love the name Camp Randall too.  A nice tribute to Wisconsin and I am not just talking about the Stadium the Badgers play in.  Camp Randall was a historical U.S. Army Training site in Madison WI, including training Union Soldiers during the Civil War. 

 I used So Fine Threads from Superior on the top and in the bobbin.  There are many thread options out there.  I use So Fine 99% of the time for several reasons.  First, Superior Threads makes an amazing product.  Living up to its name superior.  It is a fine, lint free thread.  It has a nice matte finish which is the perfect complement for all the reproduction quilts I quilt.  It IS my thread of choice.  The batting is a single layer of Dream Blend.  I debated on double batting this quilt.  I quilted this at a time when I was just starting to experiment with the practice.  I think double batting is a real asset when working with darker or busier reproduction fabric as far as the quilting is concerned.  Basically, it helps the quilting pop.  I received many questions regarding double batting and what I use, so I think I need to do a post on batting very soon. :-)

I believe there are some really nice kits of Camp Randall available on Primitive Gatherings Website here.  LB blogged about Camp Randall and the kit here.

I try to include in all my posts as much info regarding the quilt pattern and/or kits...where to buy..etc., if the info is available to me to provide.  Why do I include that info in my posts??? I receive a lot of emails regarding wanting to buy patterns or kits.  Or Pineapple templates, rulers...pineapple quilt patterns...just to name a few...advice on how to make a pineapple quilt...LOL!!  Funny because I personally have never pieced one!! I could definitely tell from the email that the individual wasn't so amused when I couldn't offer her any advice. :-)  Advice on longarm quilting, now we are talking!  I am more than happy to help if I can!!!  I guess with a name like The Quilted Pineapple, I should definitely have some advice on how to make a pineapple quilt!! :-)

Redville Quilt and More

Well, hello there strangers!!  Just busy living the dream here!!  Quilting is the name of the game.  I can't share all the quilts yet...but soon. :-)  When I wasn't quilting, I was Spring Breaking!  I took the girls to visit my mom in New Mexico for Spring Break.  It was an all girls' Spring Break.  Don't feel bad for Scott, Sarge and my dad....cuz I think they enjoyed the bachelor life for a week. :-)  It was our first trip to the Albuquerque.  We had a wonderful time!!! BUT I couldn't get Bugs Bunny and his "I should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque" out of my head!!  Especially since Paulette blogged about making a stop at Pismo Beach here!! LOL!!!  One of my all time favorite Bugs episodes!  You know the one...where he and Daffy end up inside the cave full of riches and the Genie.  "Here we are Pismo Beach!  All the clams you can eat!"  Well...you know he should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque. :-)

I thought I would share some little finishes of my own from last year.  I have grown to love little quilts and whipped up a few simple ones when I had a couple of hours to myself.  Literally, with a couple of hours I pieced AND quilted 2 little quilts!!!

Redville.  I will explain later where the name comes from.  I am in LOVE with precut mini charms!!!  I used a single Candy Pack (2 1/2" precut charms) of Moda's Metropolitan Fair by Barbara Brackman and less than a fat quarter of Jo Morton for the border and binding.  It has been bound, washed and dried in this photo.  It finishes at around 18"x20" and the borders are around 3" finished.  I also double batted.  I cannot remember what combo of batting I used though!!!!  This is what happens when I wait 7 months to blog about it!!!  I know at the time I was experimenting with the look of different batting combos.

I love feathers!  Feathered border really dresses up an otherwise simple quilt.

The back.  Again, just a fatquarter I had in my stash.  I even have a little label and hanging sleeve on it!!!!  I was really on top of my game that day!!

Here is an inside photo.  The sun really makes the fabric take on a brighter red.

 Simple, yet effective quilting.  Well...feathers may be simple but ever so pleasing to the eye. :-)

Here is a before quilting pic.  I just freehanded the spine with white school chalk.  I also found the center on my borders and my binding allowance.  That way even though the spine is freehand, it has some balance.  This little beauty hangs in the mudroom.

 And no, I do not still have Christmas decor up.  These pics were taken in December. :-)

Surprisingly, that chalkboard is my favorite in the mudroom.  It was given to me by my very dear friend, Patti.  I had been in search for a chalkboard for the mudroom for some time (thank you Pinterest).  A place to keep messages and the girls' dance schedule.  This old chalkboard came from Patti's farm.  She says she remembers it even as a little girl hanging in one of the barns.

 It was where they would write cattle feeding or medicine schedules for the animals. At some point, the rope and the chalkboard part broke.  Patti brought it to me and thought I could swap the chalkboard part out and use it.  Well, upon close inspection and cleaning it, I realized the chalkboard was a solid piece of slate.  The back side was rough.  I asked Scott if he could "glue or something" it back together.  And he did!!!  I wanted to keep it as close to its original form as possible.  Hence there is a little piece missing and the broken rope is still attached.  Scott securely attached it to the wall cuz it weighs a ton.  As you can see, the girls like to leave little notes too. :-)  I feel very fortunate to have such a sentimental gift from my friend.

Oh the show isn't over yet!  Redville has a twin!  Greenville!  LOL.  Greenville is actually the original.

Greenville is named after a family vacation to the South, where we spent some time in Greenville South Carolina.  We took in some Civil War history while we were there.  Since I already had a Greenville, I thought Redville was only appropriate. :-)

The back.  I forgot to take pics of it all washed and bound before I sent it off on its travels.  You may see Greenville if you go to the Primitive Gatherings Booth at a show.  Greenville is on a national tour!!!  I spotted Greenville in Lisa's latest blog post here.  Primitive Gatherings has an amazing selection of reproduction precuts here.  Both quilts are a great examples of making a little quilt with some precuts and fabric.  A couple of hours later, you have an awesome mini quilt or 2!!

Back to work for me!!

Heartland Quilt

It is so gratifying to hear about quilts once they leave my studio.  I enjoy hearing how they are received or what journeys they may go on.  Well, I received a delightful call and email the other day about a beautiful quilt I quilted for my client, Sue.  Seems her quilt took home a few winning ribbons at the Arizona Quilter's Guild Show!!!  FYI, she had to explain to me what place a blue ribbon is! LOL!  I don't get out much. :-)

Her quilt received 1st Place in its category AND the Mayor's Award!  To hear the excitement in Sue's voice was worth more to me than any ribbon out there.  Sue mentioned she would like to put the quilt in some shows.  Deep down there was a little fear of that...her quilt is as traditional as they come.  No bling, fabric painting, embellishments, or big open spaces for quilting, which has become very popular.  Her quilt is a Baltimore with Jo Morton fabric.  A winner in my book of course!!  My goal was to complement the traditional nature of the quilt, but add my own spin on things. :-)  I took the usual boatload of photos...enjoy!

 Sue's applique is phenomenal. Exquisite.  Here is the kicker...she has only been doing applique for a couple of years.  She says she never dreamed it was possible to get a 1st place with an applique quilt!!  Right. 

I love how the feathers nest perfectly under the banner applique.

Each block was quilted differently.  I couldn't believe the detail in the applique!!  There were soooo many pieces!  Lots of ditch quilting around every little piece. :-)

I did a fair amount of quilting on the appliques.  Not too much, but just some detail quilting where needed like on the pineapple or like on the butterfly wings below.

Only seemed right that I should feather some feathers for the chicken. :-)

If I had to pick a favorite block...this is it.  I just love it.

This block looked a little like a heart...love birds, so I continued that theme with the quilting.

The bees stripes are each appliqued as well as on the basket!!!

Seriously, the applique was amazing. 

Some specifics...the pattern is called Heartland designed by Pearl Pereira of P3 Designs.  I used a double batting of Dream Blend with a layer of Hobbs 80/20 over the top.  I used So Fine threads by Superior. 

Before quilting pic and the back.

Sue also sent me a photo of her quilt hanging in her home. :-)  Made my day.