Blogger's Quilt Festival -- Applique : :

If you follow me regularly, you'll remember seeing this quilt a bunch this year! It was so long in the making, changing many times, but thankfully turned into a finish I'm very happy with. This is the project that taught me how to quilt, and was made extra special by it's story and recipient. I'm excited for this chance to share it in the Blogger's Quilt Festival!



I wasn't sure which category it fit best, but decided on Applique since those elements are my most favorite parts of this quilt. The idea of a Little Folks voile, yo-yo flower garden is what started this project after-all!







The rest came together piece by piece, all unplanned. My "sketch stitch" girl, the patchwork, the appliqued butterflies.







It's made up of Anna Maria Horner prints with a few Pure Element solids, is both machine quilted with variegated Aurifil and a few of the decorative stitches my Janome offers, and hand-quilted with floss. Ans, it now lives happily with my friend Jodi!





I have started a new quilt with a similar vibe that I hope to focus in on finishing after the holidays. This type of slow-moving quilt work is something I really enjoy and plan to continue to develop. Making a quilt each year that includes one of my "sketch stitch" thread drawings and favorite fabrics is one of my personal goals for each year!



 Quilt Stats

name: An Applique Art Quilt
size: lap size
fabrics: Art Gallery Pure Element solids & Anna Maria Horner fabrics
quilting: straight line & decorative on my Janome 12000, along with hand-quilting
backing: Anna Maria Horner's Coreopsis in Lime from her Loulouthi collection
binding: Anna Maria Horner's Hugs & Kisses in Wine from her Loulouthi collection

Thank you so much for stopping by today! ♥ Maureen

Blogger's Quilt Festival -- ROYGBIV : :

One year ago today I shared my Bloggers Quilt Festival post, entering my Scrappy Improv Quilt into the Favorite Scrap Quilt Category. My entry was one of only a few quilts I had finished since I began sewing, and was the only finished piece I really had to enter. When my quilt actually made it into the final five voting stage, I was so thrilled! A year ago I wasn't a confident quilter at all. I struggled with following quilt patterns and even more with turning my own quilt pattern ideas into tangible quilts. Entering and receiving such a positive reply was one of the big uplifts I received that encouraged me to keep on trying. This year, I'm excited to be able to enter two quilts into the Bloggers Quilt Festival. Two that I'm really proud of mostly because to me they symbolize the growth and progress I've made as a quilter this year!

First, I'm entering my Butterfly Quilt into the ROYGBIV category. This one started as a late night idea, quickly sketched out, and then Instagrammed!







It's made with lots of fussy cut butterflies from Anna Maria Horner fabrics and Valori Well's Cocoon collection, along with AGF Pure Element solids. My idea was to use the rainbow of color beginning with the earthy, muddy colors to those shiny & bright and all the butterflies to illustrate metamorphosis and growth. More than anything I just wanted it to be pretty, since it's a Christmas present for my niece who's four! Haha











Quilt Stats

name: A Butterfly Quilt
size: 43" x 60"
fabrics: Art Gallery Pure Element solids, Anna Maria Horner Field Study & Loulouthi, and Valori Wells Cocoon
quilting: a dense wavy stitch using Aurifil dark gray 50wt for all the quilting at the bottom, an Aurifil bright, lemon yellow 50wt throughout the center, finished with a bright white 50wt on the top portion of my quilt
backing: Anna Maria Horner Loulouthi Clippings
binding: Pure Element Solids in Crystal Pink, Raspberry Rose, & London Red

Tomorrow I'll be back with my second entry! How about you, are you entering this year?

Happy quilting! ♥ Maureen

Blogger's Quilt Festival : :

I decided to join in and share one of the quilts I made this year in the Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Blogger's Quilt Festival Stats : :

Finished quilt measures : : 68" x 80"
Special techniques used : : improv piecing and quilting as you go
Quilted by : : me on my home machine
Best Category : : Favorite Scrap Quilt




I chose to enter my Scrappy Improv Quilt because of what it means to me. I shared in my original post how I see this quilt as a "functional scrapbook" of all the many little projects I have made since I began to sew. When I look at it, I can see each of them, which is really special!!

Creating this little Improv Quilter is one of my most favorite sewing sessions ever! And I love seeing her in the corner when we're cuddled underneath this quilt!





I actually just packed this quilt and my others in preparation for our move. Sharing this post and looking back on how it all came together, was just the thing I needed to take the time to do today. I have been so busy packing and trying my best to keep up with everything else, it was nice break. I'm grateful now that this quilt will also be a keepsake for us to have of our time spent together in this house.



Thanks so much for stopping by today!! I encourage you to check out the other entries in the Festival, you are sure to be inspired and still have time to enter one of your own! ♥ Maureen 
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