Project Quilting Challenge "Road Trip"

It's time to vote again on Project Quilting. The challenge this time was a fun one for those who entered. and also for those of us who love to look! What am I saying??!! It's ALWAYS fun!

Again the talent displayed in this challenge is top notch. The creativity and workmanship gets better and better with each challenge.

I didn't have time to participate this time, but those who did deserve much praise and applause from the rest of us.

Click on the title of this post to check it out for yourself and please vote for and comment on  your favorite!
Public commenters have a chance to win great prizes as well. Just follow the instructions posted after the challenge entries.

Project Quilting Judges' Critiques

I received my critiques from Kim yesterday. I've never been judged before, so I was excited about this part of being in the Project Quilting Challenge. Here's what they said, along with Kim's comments.

DownHomeDesigns
Judge 1: Very nice. I would have liked to see a colored border to frame it. It looks kind of unfinished to me. 8.5 **Kim’s Comment*** I think the back you show in your etsy listing is fantastic – I like how you made it reversible so the buyer can choose – I think if this judge saw that she would think it looked finished - jmho

Judge 2: Lovely hand painted fabrics. A simple, but effective design. Some quilting in the white area would really add to the look. 6.5

Judge 3: I love your hand dyed fabrics, great shades! Having a white binding is unusual, and I think it works for this quilt. There is definitely a light, tropical feel to it, which is very pleasing. 6.75
Average Score: 7.25
**********
I really appreciate their insight and hope to learn from these challenges. I sort of limited myself in what I could do with the binding. I challenged myself to use ALL of the fabrics we were allowed to use for this project. That left me with only white for the binding after doing what I wanted to do for the front and back.

I was back and forth about using a few of the leftover 3x5s in the binding...a little touch of color here and there as it went around the quilt. Then I decided to use those few colored pieces on the back across the top and bottom, seen in this photo. They sort of gave the design a stopping place. I guess that's why I should have used the this side for the front. I actually liked it better, but listened to someone else, who shall remain nameless : P, and used the more planned design for the front. I have since regretted that decision. Oh well, we live and learn, die and forget it all, as my dear MIL used to say. : )

Can't wait to see what the next challenge will be! I'm hoping to be a little more imaginative with my next entry. : )
You can see Tropical Rainbow in my Etsy shop where it is now for sale.

My Project Quilting Entry

"Tropical Rainbow"

The Project Quilting Rectangle Challenge is now up for voting.  My entry, "Tropical Rainbow", is shown above. It's actually reversible and will soon be for sale in my shop.

I had a lot of fun creating my wall hanging. I really enjoyed finally being able to use the beautiful handpainted fabrics in my stash. I might just paint more and put them in my Etsy shop.

Again the entries are just SO creative and very diverse. It's hard to make a choice and vote for a favorite. I have several favorites and really like them ALL.

Please take the time to vote on one of the awesome quilted projects that are entered in this week's challenge. Then, if you love to sew/quilt or know someone who does, scroll down to see how to enter to win a great prize to keep for yourself or give to a friend.

Be sure to follow the instructions carefully on how to have multiple chances of winning a beautiful  Miniature Cathedral Window Pillow Pincushion, handmade by WarmnFuzzies, one of  our generous sponsors this week. This is a $20 value! As a commenter/voter you have a chance to win this beautiful prize. You can see this prize on the Project Quilting website or go to WarmnFuzzies Etsy shop.

My Challenge Project

To begin my project I had to decide what form it would take. I started looking thru my quilting books and came upon Georgia Bonesteel's bargello method. As soon as I saw it, I knew that's what I wanted to do....a bargello wall hanging.

Then I had to pick some fabrics. I started digging thru my stash and found some fabrics that I had handpainted about 3 years ago and hadn't been able to decide what to do with them. The colors are so pretty and summery looking. I knew these were what I would use.

At first I thought about using black to make those colors pop, but then I decided that white would look so much better and really bring out the tropical feel in the colors.

I wanted to try to use all 50 rectangles (cut from my handpainted fabrics)and both 1/2 yard cuts that we were allowed to use. Boy! Has that been a challenge! I'm not sure at this point that I'll succeed, but I'm trying.

I decided to use a white on white print for the 1/2 yard cuts. I liked the back side of this better, so I turned it over and used the back of it for the right side.

I ended up with both the front and back being pieced and they are both pretty enough to be used for the front. I won't have pictures til it is finished, but I'll post them when I do. (if I can figure out how! : D)

Judging from the entries I've seen so far, mine won't be a winner, but I'm having fun! I'll also have something new and pretty to list in my Etsy shop.

Project Quilting Season 1, Challenge 1

I've been working on my entry for Project Quilting. I'm excited to finally be taking part in this fun challenge. I've been watching from the sidelines and voting on the entries.

The participants in the first two challenges were so amazingly talented. It is so much fun to see how each person interprets the challenge and how they keep to the rules that are layed out. Each partcipant has the opportunity to put their own spin on the challenge and come up with something unique and one of a kind.

I won't give any hints as to what my project is, except to say that I'm having a lot of fun designing it and hope you all will like it.

Take the plunge and enter your own piece, you might just win one of the great prizes that are being offered. At the very least be sure to check out the Project Quilting website (linked to the title of this post) early next week when the entries are posted for public voting.

Celebrating Mother's Day

Mother's Day at Applebee's
I celebrated a wonderful Mother's Day with my husband, our 5 children and their families. We went to Applebee's for supper(that's what we call the evening meal in the South) They couldn't seat us together, so I just table hopped and ate with them all...almost.
 
I had my appetizer with my dear husband, (hereafter known as my DH) and our middle child(second son). Then I had my steak with our youngest (I don't see her nearly enough, she'll always be my baby), her BF and our oldest grandson, who is the oldest son of our oldest daughter. : ) Follow me?
 
Then for dessert I ate with my oldest son's wife(the son, second oldest of all the children, had already table hopped to sit with his Dad and brother, the afore mentioned middle child). Am I confusing you? I'm getting dizzy just trying to type all of  this! LOL Also at that table was our #4 child and her DH and their adorable 8 month old baby girl. (I could eat HER up! Babies are soo precious!) The only person missing was her step-daughter. Wish she could've been with us. I missed her.♥

Our oldest daughter and her two youngest boys were at another table, but by that time I was out of courses to eat and I see her more often since they live about 200 feet down the hill from us. We've had some good mother-daughter time this past week, too. Besides, by that time she had table hopped to sit with her Dad and two brothers (no room for me). She bakes the most wonderful cakes from scratch you've ever put in your mouth. She brought an Italian Creme cake and brownies for our dessert. YUM!
 
I had a lot of fun and am so blessed to have children who are so loving to us and love and support each other.♥
The end. (Whew!)