Streak of Lightning an e-novel

No not real lightning! 'A Streak of Lightning is a design that can be made in a number of ways.  Some people use rectangles that are offset, some use half-square triangles, and the one Nell Fitzgerald is making in an e-novel by Clare O'Donahue, is a variation on the classic log cabin.  The main point, however it is done, is to create the sense of movement, of color that juts back and forth in a line, just how most lightning bolts are represented.'

This excerpt from Clair's book gives you an idea of her attention to detail when comes to the quilts that she uses for the titles of her books.  In Streak of Lightning a Someday Quilts Mystery, fans get a chance to check up with what is happening in the lives of quilter turned amateur sleuth Nell Fitzgerald and the other residents of the small town of Archer's Rest, New York.  Now, available STREAK OF LIGHTNING ($2.99 /August 2013), as A Penguin Special (e-book only) which went on-sale July 30th. 

 

I enjoyed making the time to read about Nell's next adventure and look forward to Claire's next book Double Wedding Ring which comes out this fall.

                                                 

                                            

Marti Michell has a couple versions in the Marti and Me class, Log Cabin Snuggler, that I missed and the Zig Zag Geese class.

 

 

 

 

Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2012

Amy's Creative Side is sponsoring the Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2012

Thanks to Amy and the prize sponsors for once again giving us the opportunity to share our quilts at the 2012 Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival.

I can't wait to sit down with a glass of wine and enjoy the show.

The quilt I selected to share is my Spinning Sampler quilt.  For those of you meeting me for the first time, I am an Ohio State Buckeyes alumni and fan.  A number of my quilts are made from Scarlet and Gray fabric, thats where I got the name for my blog

This is a quilt I started after I took a class from Marti Michell using her Perfect Patchwork Templates at the 2010 Lake Farm Park’s Quilt Show. She displayed a number of samplers in class in 12” and 6” sizes. So I started one using my Scarlet and Gray stash that includes twelve 12" blocks on point, with a 24" Carpenter’s Wheel center medallion block.

 

Starting at the top the 12 blocks used in the quilt are Rising Star, Weathervane, Northern Lights, Rosette, Pieced Star, Hidden Star, Rolling Sawtooth Star, Ohio Star, Dutchman’s Pinwheel, Sweet Sixteen, Martha Washington Star, Wild Goose.

 

I used a layout I found in Electric Quilt’s EQ7 and then added a border that includes 200 Flying Geese. I’m not sure what really possessed me to make that many Flying Geese??

I machine pieced the quilt and had it professionally long arm quilted by Jennifer McCann of Galena, Ohio and it measures 80" by 80".  It is eligible for awards in The Favorite Bed quilt and Favorite Professionaly Quilted categories.

 



 

 

 

I'm so glad that I decided to enter the quilt in the 2012 Lake Farm Parks Quilt Show. This is the third quilt I have entered in this show. My quilt actually made it into the video on the website!!

I was so excited when I found out I had won a ribbon!!!

I entered it in the 2012 NQA Quilt Show in Columbus, Ohio.  I hope the Buckeye fans enjoyed my Scarlet and Gray Spinning Sampler.

Spinning Sample has gone International!!!

Today I received an email from Electric Quilt and what do I see, my Spinning Sampler quilt!!

Which means that it is being seen all around the World!!

Thanks EQ!!!

2012 Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival

Thanks to Amy and the prize sponsors for once again giving us the opportunity to share our quilts at the 2012 Spring Blogger's Quilt Festival.  I can't wait to sit down with a glance of wine and enjoy the show.

The quilt I selected to share is my Spinning Sampler quilt.  For those of you meeting me for the first time, I am an Ohio State Buckeyes alumni and fan.  A number of my quilts are made from Scarlet and Gray fabric, thats where I got the name for my blog.

This is a quilt I started after I took a class from Marti Michell using her Perfect Patchwork Templates at the 2010 Lake Farm Park’s Quilt Show. She displayed a number of samplers in class in 12” and 6” sizes. So I started one using my Scarlet and Gray stash that includes twelve 12" blocks on point, with a 24" Carpenter’s Wheel center medallion block.



Starting at the top the 12 blocks used in the quilt are Rising Star, Weathervane, Northern Lights, Rosette, Pieced Star, Hidden Star, Rolling Sawtooth Star, Ohio Star, Dutchman’s Pinwheel, Sweet Sixteen, Martha Washington Star, Wild Goose.

I used a layout I found in Electric Quilt’s EQ7 and then added a border that includes 200 Flying Geese. I’m not sure what really possessed me to make that many Flying Geese??

This quilt is machine pieced and machine quilted by Jennifer McCann  of Galena, Ohio and measures 80" by 80".

My DH comment on this picture of Garfield, he wonders if the cats get dizzy or headaches looking at my quilts??

I'm so glad that I decided to enter the quilt in the 2012 Lake Farm Parks Quilt Show.  This is the third quilt I have entered in this show.  My quilt actually made it into the video on the website!!  I was so excited when I found out I had won a ribbon!!!

I have made the decision to enter the quilt into the National Quilt Association (NQA) show in Columbus this next month.  I'm a little nervous about mailing my quilt.  I might have a shot at an attendee vote with all the Buckeye fans in attendance!!  Wish me LUCK!!  I will be unable to attend the show so please take pictures for me!!

My Spinning Sampler quilt received a Red Ribbon!!!

One of the items on my 'Bucket List' was to win a ribbon at a Quilt Show. 

I'm so excited that I can cross that off of my list!! 

I found out today that my Spinning Sampler quilt received a 2nd Place Ribbon in the

General Pieced, Mid size category of the 2012 Lake Farmparks Quilt show!  The General category is for those quilters that pieced their quilt and then someone else quilted it.

If I was to give an acceptance speak I would have to thank the following people:

My Dear Husband Jim for putting up with quilting projects all over the house.

My friend and longarm quilter Jennifer McCann for her great quilting and support.

My friend and fellow quilter Leita Shahan for suggesting that I enter this quilt and coming up with the great name.

Marti Michell for teaching the class I took in 2010 and providing a tool that helped me to improve my piecing.

Gayle Norman instructor of Cottonpickers Quilt Shop Marti and Me Club, for her encouragement.

God for giving me the time and talent to improve my piecing.

Below is the story I submitted with my quilt.

I took a class from Marti Michell using her Perfect Patchwork Templates at the 2010 Lake Farm Park’s Quilt Show. She displayed a number of samplers in class in 12” and 6” sizes. So I started one using my Scarlet and Gray stash that includes twelve 12" blocks on point, with a 24" Carpenter’s Wheel center medallion block.

Starting at the top the 12 blocks used in the quilt are Rising Star, Weathervane, Northern Lights, Rosette, Pieced Star, Hidden Star, Rolling Sawtooth Star, Ohio Star, Dutchman’s Pinwheel, Sweet Sixteen, Martha Washington Star, Wild Goose.

I used a layout I found in Electric Quilt’s EQ7 and then added a border that includes 200 Flying Geese. I’m not sure what really possessed me to make that many Flying Geese??

Jennifer McCann’s quilting really adds to the final overall presentation of this quilt.

So I have a question. can I now say that I'm an award winning quilter??

 

Entwined Hearts

I completed the top for a wall hanging last night.

Trish Allthingscrafty from the Quilters with Modern Tools Facebook page had share a picture of the Valentine Wall hanging that she was working on.  Hers was more pink and reminded me of the Breast Cancer Ribbon.

I shared with the group that I needed to make on of these for my mom who was scheduled to have a masectomy this past Thursday.  Mom's surgery was successful and now she is home resting and waiting for the results of the lymph node testing.  This wall hanging represents for me, my love for my mom and all the prayers that were said and are continuing to be said for her recovery.

I searched my stash and couldn't really find any pink.  So I selected a couple of reds instead.

Big surprise that I would have red in my stash!!  Then I added some white Fairy Frost.

I had been wanting to attempt a Storm at Sea quilt so this wall hanging gave me the opportunity.  I used Trish's picture to help me recreate the wall hanging in EQ7, then used my Marti Michell Perfect Piecing templates Set C to cut out the fabric.  It went together very quickly, now I have to get it quilted.

First UFO completion of 2012

I have completed the binding on my Spinning Sampler in preparation for entering it in the

Lake Farm Parks Quilts 2012 Show next week!!  This is the first of 12 UFO projects I have selected for completion in 2012.

I took a class from Marti Michell using her Perfect Patchwork Templates at the 2010 Lake Farm Park’s Quilt Show.  She displayed a number of samplers in class in 12” and 6” sizes.  So I started one using my Scarlet and Gray stash that includes twelve 12" blocks on point, with a 24" Carpenter’s Wheel center medallion block. 

Starting at the top the 12 blocks used in the quilt are Rising Star, Weathervane, Northern Lights, Rosette, Pieced Star, Hidden Star, Rolling Sawtooth Star, Ohio Star, Dutchman’s Pinwheel, Sweet Sixteen, Martha Washington Star, Wild Goose. 

I used a layout I found in Electric Quilt’s EQ7 and then added a border that includes 200 Flying Geese.  I’m not sure what really possessed me to make that many Flying Geese?? 

Jennifer McCann’s quilting really adds to the final overall presentation of this quilt.

Final UFO of 2011

I completed my Marti Michell Scarlet and Gray sampler in time for it to be listed as completed on my 2011 UFO (unfinished objects).

It has been renamed Spinning Sampler and will be entered in the 2012 Lake Farm Park Quilt Show at the end of February 10th - March 21st in Kirtland, Ohio.

I took a class from Marti Michell using her Perfect Patchwork Templates at the 2010 Lake Farm Park’s Quilt Show. She displayed a number of samplers in class in 12” and 6” sizes. So I started one using my Scarlet and Gray stash that includes twelve 12" blocks on point, with a 24" Carpenter’s Wheel center medallion block. The 12 blocks used in the quilt are Rising Star, Unknown, Northern Lights, Rosette, Pieced Star, Hidden Star, Lazy Afternoon, Ohio Star, Dutchman’s Pinwheel, Sweet Sixteen, Martha Washington Star, Wild Goose.

 I used a layout I found in Electric Quilt’s EQ7 and then added a border that includes 200 Flying Geese. I’m not sure what really possessed me to make that many Flying Geese?? I guess it was how good the quilt looked in EQ7!

It was great working with Free Motion Long-arm Quilter Jennifer McCann of Galena Ohio, she helped me decide on the thread color and the all over quilting design. Her quilting really adds to the final overall presentation of the quilt.

If you are in the Northeastern Ohio area please stop at the Quilt Show!

Update on 2011 UFO's (UnFinished Objects)

I have added comments to my 12 UFO's from 2011.

1. Simple Star which uses Moda Birchwood Lane flannel

This needs a mitered border added.

I looked at this one,  but it didn't get any farther then that!

2. Alaska Photo Album quilt

I bought this kit when DH and I traveled to Alaska for our 20th Anniversary the summer of 2008.  I have started cutting out the 'photo's.

The top is finished and in line to be quilted!!

3. Balloon Race

This quilt needs the binding attached and a hanging sleeve.  I have determined that I like to use a 2" strip of fabric for my bindings.  I perfer the look of hand sewn bindings which can take awhile depending on the size of the quilt.

Still needs binded!

4. Bright Cats

This one also needs binding.

Still needs binded!

5. Blooming Nine Patch

This one also needs binding.  Are you beginning to see a pattern here?

Still need binded!

6. Gerber Daisy Chain

This one also needs binding and a hanging sleeve.

This one was completed and entered in the 2011 Lake Farm Parks Quilt Show in February!

This is the first UFO selected to work on in 2011.  Which is great because I can finish it and enter it in the Lake Farm Parks Quilt Show on January 19th.  It is a wall quilt at 42" x 62".  I found the backing to make the hanging sleeve and the binding fabric.

Hanging Sleeve is attached and needs hand sewn down.

Binding on a diagonal has been cut, sewn together and pressed.



7. Sunshine and Shadow/Trip Around the World

This is one of the first quilts I did back in the early 90's.  I had it machine quilted last year.  I don't really like it very much.  It needs a binding, so I may try doing the binding my machine.  It has a flannel back so it will need a wider binding probably 2.25" or 2.5".

Still needs binded!

8. Bargello Color Wheel

I started this last fall and you can see that Nermal insisted on helping!  The wedges are done, I need to decide on the final layout.

I decided to make 2 wallhangings.  The wedges are all sewn toghether and a facing has been added to make them square.  I still need to add a couple borders and the center circle.

I think what's keep me from finishing this one is it's shape.  If the final quilt looked like the one below maybe I could more forward. 

9. Bargello Black and Gold Allover Jacket

It took a year or so to collect all the fabric for this jacket.  I have cut the strips and sewn them together.  Now they need cut in the vary widths required for Bargello.

This still hasn't been cut apart. 

I recently found the pattern so I need to work on this over the winter!!!

10. Midnight Glaicier Purse

This and the jacket pattern are from Figure Flattering Quiltwear.

I have the purse sides already sewn together. I'm letting the zipper keep me from completing this purse.

All that needs done now is to whip stitch the handles.

11. Starring the Buckeyes

I'm not sure the actual name of this quilt.  I think it was donated to the Kids n Kamp Celebrity Quilt Auction at the Shoe in 2008.  I fell in love with the pattern and decided to make one of my own.  Each block is 8" and I'm using Marti Michell's acrylic templates.  I have a large stash of Scarlet and Gray fabric.  This quilt uses a number of Moda Marbles and Robert Kaufman Fusions.  I have a few of the blocks done.

I have completed a few more of the blocks.

12.  Marti Michell Sampler

I took a class from Marti at the 2010 Lake Farm Parks Quilt Show.  She displayed a sampler in a number of different sizes.  So I started one using 12" blocks.  With a 24" Center block.  I think I'm going to use a layout I found in EQ7.

This top is completed and quilted!!  It needs a hanging sleeve and binding.

I didn't do very well on finishing these did I? 

I did complete a number of other quilts, totes and wallhangings throughout the year though.

You may see some of these on my list for 2011.