Quilt Delivery Day - Quilt Angels

So many wonderful people assisted with the Quilt Angel project.  I would like to thank all the Angels who made and donated quilts to this project.  We had nineteen quilts to deliver this year. Here are a couple of pictures of them getting ready to go for delivery.

We decided it best to not take any pictures or video of the teens receiving these gifts of love due to privacy issues.  However, in the coming weeks, I will be posting video(s) of the director of the home speaking about the teens and the shelter.  I have a short video ready that shows the fireplace and some of the decorations that are in place on the mantle.
If you watch closely you will see the quilts in a stack on the right side of the screen.  There was much joy and fun as quilts were chosen and loved.  One guy picked a quilt and then got so excited when he saw the label.  You see he was born in Kansas and the quilt label said "Made with love for you by someone in Kansas."   This quilt will always be special to him for many reasons.  I loved the smile that I saw on his face.  (Thanks to you Kansas quilter for that smile!)


Another joy that I found was looking around on the walls of the shelter. There were a number of inspirational and instructional signs.  These two, side by side, really touched me.

I hope you all find your wings, spread them and fly.  Peace with you in this season of joy and love.  One of my wall quilts also found a home in the shelter.

This quilt will be hanging on a high wall adding a spark of sunlight into the area.

Again, I thank all of the Quilt Angels and supporters.  I challenge those of you who can to be ready next year to send a quilt made with love to this wonderful project.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

A Trip to the Beach (mini quilt)

Since it has been cold and I am feeling under the weather,  I got a bit of inspiration by pulling out some hand dyed fabrics from Vicki Welsh.   One of the gradients, Anatola, looked so bright and sunny that it made me feel a little better.

I pulled out some pre-fused fabrics. Some were precut shapes, some were "scraps. "   I keep all those scraps as they can be used "someday."  This quilt proves it.
First I will show you the finish.

 Now let me tell you about the process just a bit.  As I was playing with the scraps, I made two flowers   But then I added a stem to one of them and suddenly I saw a palm tree.   So, I switched gears.
I placed some scraps around the bottom to make "beach" and water.  I added an aqua "sun" in the sky. This is fantasy so you can be a little crazy with it.
It looked like this:

I wasn't entirely happy about it, so I posted this photo to an online group and asked for suggestions.  Some I ignored, some I took under advisement.  Some I said "YES!"
So I modified, got everything where I wanted it and fused it to the background and batting.

Then I did some hand stitching, starting with the focal point, the tree.

I added the birds in the sky as one commenter suggested.

Then I started quilting it. For the sky I did rays from the sun, but then cloud shapes in the rest of the sky so that all of the sky would be quilted  The land and sea I did with simply wavy lines that remind me of the beach.

I finally added a  layer of stiff stabilizer on the back and fused random leftover pieces to the back. I added a fused binding and then some decorative stitches to really secure it.  Whew!  Then I did a handmade hanger on the back, signed it, and it was done.

Today I am going to the doctor just to play it safe.  This "crud" had been here longer than I feel comfortable with.
But honestly, I want to feel better so I can make some more of these fun decorative wall quilts.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Giveaway Alert

One of the bloggers that I follow has changed the name of her blog and the domain.  It was supposed to switch over seamlessly, but I wasn't getting updates.   So Pigtales and Quilts  is now Stitch and Quilt.   To get the word out about the change, she is having a giveaway sponsored by The Fat Quarter Shop. So go to the giveaway and enter to win a fat quarter bundle of Mimosa in one of four colorways - because there will be FOUR WINNERS! 
http://www.stitchandquilt.com/2014/12/christmas-baking-and-sponsored-giveaway.html

I like them all, so I am glad I don't have to pick one. 

And if you missed my post that came later in the day yesterday show my newest wall art quilt (Yellow and pink) then click here to see it.


My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Another Wall Art Quilt

After having fun with the Butterfly (aka "secret") Quilt, I decided to make another art quilt.  I finally took this picture inside.

Prior to taking this picture, I went outside as so many people suggest.  I took two plastic clothes pins to attach the quilt to the fence.  And I tried to take a picture.  

The wind kicked up immediately

Then WHOOSSSSH

Thar' she blows!!!!!  I went inside to take the first picture.  Folks, I tried. 

Did I mention that I watched the latest episode of The Quilt Show with Debbie Schnabel called Enhance Your Quilting "Menu" with Hand Embroidery.  Even though I did absolutely no hand embroidery on this, that show sparked the idea for this quilt.  You can look at this gallery on her website and see how that happened.  I did sew on the circle with a zigzag - no fusible - just like she showed..so that counts. Right?

What you don't see in the pictures are the words quilted into four of the circles. "love" "hope" "Joy" and "grace" The are just in there randomly - just because I wanted to put them. Some of the circles have spirals in them too.
My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.