Last of the Quilting Pictures

I meant to get all the pictures up sooner, but I had a national championship to win first.

Not that I watched the game, of course.

I saw the winning field goal kicked while peeking through a crack in the door. TV sound off. Just part of the screen. When I saw a lot of people in orange and blue jumping and screaming, I figured out we had won.

WAR EAGLE.

Nice.

So on to pretty, less stressful things (to some people).

I was fascinated with these tiny little squares that Julie was making.




It turns out that I have the book that these patterns come from. It's called Underground Railroad. There's a nice story behind it, but I'm not sure of the details. It deals with hiding slaves during the Civil War and using various quilt patterns to convey messages. I'll learn more about it when I have more time.

I love sampler quilts because I get bored with doing the same thing over and over, but in the book I wasn't too thrilled with the way the duller greens, browns, and reds looked. Julie used some exciting colors, and it gave me a whole new perspective on it. Especially done in that small scale. Maybe I'll try it. One day.

I believe Judy did this one. It's the first one I saw completed, and it really brightened up the house.


Joan started - and finished - this quilt in a single day - maybe half a day. One minute she was unfolding the fabric, and in no time she was hanging it on the banister. I love the colors and how the stripes are perfect for the borders.

This was not done at the retreat but is just another example of Joan's talents.

According to Sherry's email:
I am sending a picture of quilt that Joan designed and pieced for the Houston Museum here in Chattanooga. She asked me to quilt it for her. There was a big picture of it and an article in the Sunday paper 2 weeks ago, because it is being auctioned off for the museum in Feb. I didn’t even know it was in the paper until a quilting friend called me and told me “your published in the paper”. David had to go dig the paper out of the trash.

Below are 2 quilts done by Michele. The first is from the pattern "Sweet and Simple," designed by Kathy who owns the quilt shop where Sherry works, Lavender Lime. Kathy was fun to be around, but she was on the road with her job most of the time and just dropped in from time to time. I appreciate her including Debby and me in the retreat.

I saw these blocks being done when I would go back and forth to the ironing board or cutting table. I believe they are quilted by built-in software in her machine.

It wasn't until I saw it all together up close that I realized how beautiful it was.

I love the colors and the fabric, which is maybe a cotton sateen, not the normal quilting cotton we usually see.

I did do a few blocks for Emily's quilt just to try out different combinations. These may or may not work, but at least I've broken the ice and started.

I have made a little progress on Isley's little quilt. I'm in the process of slowly hand sewing all those green binding strips down. Some are folded and pinned but not stitched, some are stitched, and some are not even folded at all. This is the slowest part. It also needs more pressing since being packed away to come home.
The back. Each row will be separated by more of the pink binding strips. Don't think it wasn't tricky to line up the name and make sure the ladybugs were all facing the same way on one side and then turn it over and have those strips meet in a certain pattern.
I can't imagine if I'd tried to match the fabrics.

It still makes me happy.

Speaking of happy - or content, I guess. Stella/Molly disturbed during her morning nap.