Thursday, March 14, 2024

Secret Garden appliqué is finished!

Well she’s finished!
The top anyway!!
My Secret Garden Quilt
Is ready for basting and quilting.
Yes I’ll be quilting her on my 
Little domestic Janome!
Probably outline each of the motifs
And then some nice floral background 
Fillers - should only take me a few years!!

The pattern is The Secret Garden
By Sarah Fielke
Fabrics are from Tilda
Except for the tree branch-
that’s from my Japanese Taupe collection. 

There are cute little critters and motifs throughout the quilt

Mostly things I see in my own garden!

Had to add the seashell - since I love the beach!

We have a number of squirrels that visit
the flower garden, they sit under the 
bird feeders waiting for droppings!

A few years ago we had a momma red fox trot
through the garden - unfortunately she was carrying
one of the neighbors chickens.

More squirrels!

 
Had the add the painter!!

One of the many birds that visit the garden!

Hubby loves elephants!

Me and my Raven!
There are three Ravens that hang around 
the garden all summer - they
are quite comical to watch!


Onto the next project….
Another Sarah Fielke pattern!
Rainy Days & Sun Rays
It was a BOM from 2020.
She’s been sitting on my design wall
patiently waiting for me to finish her!


Preparing to start another block.
I changed the pattern up - making
the pattern smaller ( to fit a certain wall!)


Here is my prepared edge system!



Sometimes we need a diversion from our crafts! 
Mine is watercolor painting!
Below are some of my paintings that
have been printed into 4x5 cards.

                                          

                                                        

Stargazer Lilies are one of my favorite flowers. 

 this one was painted during a zoom workshop with Alex Kincaid, 

pleased with how it came out!


Tried another version of the lily using the techniques
learned in my zoom workshop 
and came up with the next
Stargazer painting


Got a little daring and added a deep blue
background - it pops the flower
right off the page!


Over the past two months I’ve had the pleasure 
of showing my quilts and speaking
at local guilds!
Huge shout out and thank you to:
Holly Berry Quilt Guild in Falmouth
Thimbles and Friends Quilt Guild in Abington
Hands Across the Valley Quilt Guild in Amherst 
Cape Cod Quilter Quilt Guild in Brewster 
Thank you for inviting me to your wonderful guilds!

My classes at QuiltCorner Studio in Sandwich 
have been keeping me busy:
Collage
Domestic Machine Quilting &
Three different style Bags

In June I’ll be teaching my
Prepared Edge Appliqué method
at All About Quilts in Walpole

Life gets busy - so remember to take time to smell the flowers!
Happy Spring!



 

Monday, January 29, 2024

Had the pleasure of going on two quilting retreats in January!  
Always fun to get away with my Quilty Friends!! 
This past year I’ve been working on my 2023 BOM from Sarah Fielke… “The Secret Garden”
All I have left to do is the large branch and a million and one leaves!!!

So a few days before the first retreat I spent time prepping the leaves using 

the freezer paper and starch method that has become my favorite! 

Once the leaves and flowers were prepared they were glued in place using Roxanne Glue.



This is my set up at the retreats! 
All of my Quilty utensils in my “A Place for Everything” 
Bag, my little Needle Book and the Lap App - which I’m trying very hard to use! 
It does make a difference in reducing the stress put onto my 
neck and shoulders after many hours of appliqué stitching.


Another project that is in the works - to quilt my sister’s Mariners Compass quilt.
She started this quilt way back in 2007! After deciding she will never finish the quilt
She has decided to just stop, remove the pinwheels and make it a wall hanging!
My job… is to quilt it!!!


Using my Boogie Board I’ve come up with a few quilting designs,
Now to transfer the designs onto the quilt and get it DONE!!



Spent some time playing with my watercolors this month!
I decided to join an online watercolor workshop with Alex Kincaid.
There is a monthly fee - but it is so worth it.
Alex’s weekly class and instructions are wonderful and I’m learning 
To become a better watercolorist with each class!

 

For Christmas I painted two pet portraits for two of my friends…
When they both cried I knew I captured their fur baby just right!!

                                              Brady                                                         Louie 


Till next time ….






 

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

It has been two years since my last post! 

My last post was June of 2021 and the world was just starting to open back up after Covid... 

Not that I haven't wanted to post - it's just the time involved creating the "perfect" blog post! 

Much easier to quick click something into Instagram!

Now it's time to play catch up by recapping the past two years of 

Quilting and watercolor painting!


I am blessed to have a hubby (Thank you Stephen!) that doesn't mind
me spreading my quilting, stitching, painting into just about
Every Room in the house!!

~My Primary Sewing room~
Is where the sewing happens! 
My Janomee is for machine quilting and the Bernina for stitching!
and then there is the Ikea Billy cabinets for Fabric storage!

The other sewing area is the "guest bedroom"...
Stephen refers to it as "The Creative Laboratory"!! Love it!!


What I've been working on....

A few of the cute projects from my  "Secret Squirrel Stitch Society"
by Pretty Fabrics and Trims out of England!
Embroidery, EEP and Liberty of London fabrics ~ what's not to Love!!
   


"Feeling Crabby" one of my shop samples
for Quilt Corner Studio!
Christine took to her beach to photograph!!


"Robots"
the pattern is from Elizabeth Hartman
I made these colorful robots with "Fishy" bellies to represent the Cape!
Such a fun quilt to make - 
my favorite is the tall red robot with the lobster belly!! 


Finished a major applique project this year~
Garden Party Down Under - by Irene Blank of Australia
Pattern was a free online BOM for members of The Quilt Show.
Due to the size limitation of where it will be hung in the house
 I omitted the outer diamond border.
Had this one custom quilted by Quilty Gal Pal Diana Annis.

another top finished is Christmas trees 
(not sure the name of the pattern!)
It was fun and easy after the applique quilt!
This will be a nice snuggly Christmas quilt !

A Place for Everything bag!!
This was a challenge but I Loved how it came out!

Once you make one - you might as well make a few more with companion duffle bags!!!
  


Guild Quilt Shows are BACK!!!

The Rhododendron Quilt Guild had their show in March and
Silver City Quilt Guild had their show in September ...
between the two show I brought home a few ribbons!
The RNQG is a viewers choice show and the 
SCQG show was judged by National Quilt Judge Pat Harrison

Honey Bee Dreaming Big!
 received a First Place Viewers Choice ribbon at RNQG
AND
First Place Viewer's Choice in the 
Look What I Did in Class Category at SCQG

Garden Trellis
First Place Viewers Choice ribbon at RNQG
AND
First Place Judged Ribbon in the Bed Appliqué Category at SCQG

Ravens
received a Second Place Viewers Choice Ribbon at RNQG
AND
Second Place Judged Ribbon in the Bed Applique Category at SCQG
(it came in second because Garden trellis came in first!!)

"Violet"
received a First Place Viewers Choice Ribbon at RNQG


Garden Party Down Under
First Place Judged Ribbon in the Lap Appliqué Category at SCQG
This quilt was finished just in time for the SCQG show! Phew!

2020 Temperature Quilt
First Place Judged Ribbon in the Lap Pieced Category at SCQG


A Place for Everything Bag
First Place Judged Ribbon in the Other Category at SCQG



More Works in Process!

Afternoon Delight
pattern by Sue Garman
Pieced blocks alternating with prepared edge appliquéd blocks
stitched with Tilda fabrics!!
All of the quilt designs are marked with blue washout marker.
This one I'm quilting myself - it will take me FOREVER!!!
I can't wait to put it on a bed!!

Ladies Of the Sea
pattern by Sue Garden
I've been hand quilting this for the past two years! 
It would probably go a bit faster if I would just sit concentrate and Do It!! 
But too many other projects just keep getting in the way!!
I'm really looking forward to hanging this one!! Some Day!!!

This is my current needle turn project!
Secret Garden
pattern by Sarah Fielke of Australia
soft backgrounds with Tilda fabrics -
it is going to be dreamy!!



My newest favorite hobby - watercolor painting!

Quite morning... sipping coffee and sketching,
getting ready to watercolor paint ... and the results!
 

Making cards for Christmas
I posted them on my facebook page and friends asked to buy them!
Need to work on a card making business!!!
 

Candy Cane Lolly pop was painted from a zoom class 
with Alexis Cantu of the Netherlands!!!
She is a fabulous teacher, learned so much for this class.
Definately keeping this one! Need to take more of her classes!


One of my favorite watercolor artist Melissa Hyatt of Conn.
hosted a Chickadee Zoom watercolor class!
My chickadee from the class:

These little birds are so cute I had to give it another try
using my own reference photo:

"Crab Shack"
another zoom watercolor class with Melissa Hyatt.
I've take a number of her zoom classes - love her loose style.
Pleased with how this one came out.

Kingfisher
zoom watercolor class with Liz Clayton Fuller.a
She is a natural science illustratorand the class was offered 
thru the Ornithology Society. This class a very detailed - I loved it!!
Love my little guy - he needs a name!

I'm back giving lectures and workshops to guilds!
Along with working and teaching at QuiltCorner Studio!
Retirement Life is busy!


Til next time

Have a great Quilty Day and enjoy the process!

                               Janet