My oh my... So much to catch up on...
A few weeks ago (this post) I told you that Family Ties #3 was out to be quilted. It came back from the quilter looking gorgeous, as expected. Then I added the scrappy binding using even more of the neckties from my client, added the label and shipped it off to it's new home. Family Ties #4 is next. The last in the series.
And remember the Vintage Hankie Quilt I mentioned in that same post? Well, that is now assembled and ready to go out for quilting as soon as I find the perfect backing fabric. I painstakingly stitched each hankie to a background of Essex Linen in Natural, using a narrow zigzag stitch and matching Aurifil 50wt thread.
The thin Aurifil thread virtually disappears on most of the hankies.
If you remember, I was on a mission to find fabrics for the sashing from an old collection called Morning Glory by Robyn Pandolph. I used these fabrics to make a quilt for my daughter several years ago and they are no longer available.
But I just knew it would be perfect for the scrappy sashing strips...
I spent hours searching the internet, then discovered that one of my good friends just happened to have some in her stash! Oh Happy Day! When I combined hers with mine, there was enough to do all the sashing as well as a scrappy binding! Like she always says - "sometimes it's not what you know, it's who you know". How true!
I added a 6" border of the Essex Linen to give the longarm quilter room to do some of her exquisite custom quilting. The quilting alone is going to make this a show stopper - I guarantee! Her work is amazing... just wait and see...
This weekend I took some time out and worked on a "me" project. Have you guessed what it is yet?
That's right! A new purse - and it's mine!
It's the Two-Zip Hipster pattern by Dog Under My Desk. I've made this bag a few times for customers, but never for myself. You see, I'm going to the Machine Quilter's Exposition (MQX) in New Hampshire next week and wanted something easy to carry that would also hold my iPad. This fits the bill perfectly! And I've been in love with this gray IKEA fabric for ages and was just waiting for an excuse to make myself something with it.
The outer slip pocket will be perfect for stuffing brochures and papers that I pick up along the way, and the zippered one will hold all my little loose stuff.
I lined it with a pretty light aqua cotton, and it has slip pockets for my digital camera and phone.
And of course, every new bag has to have a matching wallet!
Did I mention that I'm going to MQX next week??? I'm so excited! I was there five years ago and have wanted to return ever since. I've signed up for several lectures, as well as a Judy Niemeyer Paper Piecing class taught by Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quiltworks. I've followed Jackie's blog for quite some time and am in awe of the projects that she and her students accomplish. When I discovered that she was teaching at MQX this year, I jumped at the chance to take one of her classes. This is the block we're going to make.
Like I said before - I'm SO excited!!!
Cheers!
Have a great time at MQX...and tell Jackie that Anya says hi!
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