Rocky Mountain Puzzle Quilted

Happy New Year to everyone!!!  It is hard to believe.  I feel as though 2013 sped by at warp speed.  I thought I would start the year off on the right blogging foot with a new post.  I am hoping to be a much better blogger this year.  I seemed to be content with creepy lurking last year.  

One of my big goals for 2013 was to make a conscience effort to work on my own projects.  Whether it was quilting, piecing, hand wool work or gifts for others, I was determined to make sure that happened.  Well, I did it!!  I completed (meaning ready to use)…26 projects!!!  Only 2 are wool mats, the rest are quilts…big and small. 🙂  Yes, even I could not believe it.  That is huge for me!!  I am quite positive I have not completed 26 projects in one year…EVER!!  I even...finally have a quilt on my bed!!!  Yes, the stars must have all been align for that one.  So stay tuned. 🙂

I quilted, bound and washed Rocky Mountain Puzzle available here, which was the 2012 Summer Block of the Week from Primitive Gatherings.  Confession time…I have never completed a block of the month type quilt EVER.  Oh, I have signed up for a few of them over the years, but I always lose interest after a few months.  So this was a huge milestone for me.  I showed the completed top here and changes I made from the original pattern.  And now!!

 I braved the ridiculous cold to take some photos in my yard.  I am always admiring these outdoor photos on other blogs.  I am thinking I will wait until the temperatures are habitable for living creatures for outdoor photos next time. 🙂

Some before binding and washing photos.  Louie seems to love this quilt as well. 🙂

The quilting is an allover freehand feather.  Different than one I have done before.  My quilt was a practice piece, as it was the first time I quilted this design out.  This feather is more casual I guess for lack of a better term.  I would consider the other style more of an heirloom feather.  This design quilts out much faster than the other.  Perfect for an allover on a quilt.  I used Dream Wool Batting.  You can really see the texture!!  Actually there are probably 12 pieces of batting in there!!  I used odds and ends I had in the cupboard.

 You can see how a wash and dry makes the quilt all crinkly and wonderful.  Yes, I dried my quilt.  Dried it until it was crispy.  No major shrinkage.  I like to torture my quilts a little. 🙂 No issues with the pieced batting either.  This way I can give honest answers if a client asks about washing and drying quilts or wool batting.  And this quilt has already received plenty of love by the time I took these photos.

 So I got a little carried away taking pics outside.  All sorts of settings around the yard.  I figured I was already freezing, I should make the most of it. 🙂

And a few of the back.

The backing fabric is a reproduction from my stash.  I love it!  The print reminds me of little olives. 🙂  I lovingly renamed my quilt “Southfork.”  Another guilty confession, since I seem to be in my own little confessional today…I LOVE the TV show “Dallas.”  Oh yes I do!!!  J.R. Ewing is my all time favorite TV villain.  Do I own a “Who Shot J.R.?” t-shirt??  You bet!! LOL!  So you know I own the show on DVD too, right? 🙂

Thank you for all the kind words and emails regarding my foot.  I am still on the mend.  Unfortunately.  I always think I am going to outsmart what the doctor tells me regarding recovery time.  I am back to work quilting, I just need to limit my time on my foot.  Hopefully, another 4 weeks and I should be good as new.  🙂