Mellow Yellow Project Quilting season 9

Another week of figuring out just what I wanted to make. Actually yellow is my favorite color. My first brand new off the lot car was a 1981 yellow Ford Mustang.   I owned it until 1990 when my second child was born and then I needed a bigger car.

The challenge quilt this week theme was mellow Yellow and it took me really a couple days to throw some ideas around until I decided to make some pieced roses into a wall hanging for my family room. I’ve seen some wonderful quilts with raised parts in them and the leaves would be the perfect things to pop off the quilt for my first time.

The yellow rose symbolizes warmth and friendship. So this bouquet is giving warm wishes to all my family and friends at home, far away, ones I haven’t spoken to in a while, some I only saw a couple times, those I only know through social media, those I haven’t met yet, and to those I will meet again after I leave this world. I will love you all always.

First thing I did was cut out the rose center and continued to add “petals” until the rose was big enough. Then I added background fabric following the same lines as the rose. Once the quilt was big enough, I wacked off a piece so I could add another rose section with background colors. Then I wacked off more pieces and added two more.

The fifth one I had to appliqué on since I couldn’t figure out where to cut the quilt to add it.  It was kinda fun chopping up the quilt in this way but a little scary trying to figure out angles to put it back together.  Some of my seams got a little thick if I had too many in the same place.

I added leaves before stitching the background onto the roses. I added stems of a narrow double fold bias that I made that matched the leaves, and added a few more leaves to the stems.

I also added some stabilizer before I put on the binding, just so it would hang a little square up on the wall.  It was my first real quilt I was going to display on the wall in my house.

I quilted the roses in a spiral pattern and just meandering quilting in the background.  I know on a few  social media groups I’m in that some consider meandering stitching a “simple” stitch but I really like the way it looks. I don’t think it’s simple but I am new at this. Maybe it is... but I like it.

So it's done now, I made it 18"x18" with a 1" yellow border and a small hanging loop in the back that I hand stitched on.  I also put a decorative leaf stitching onto the binding when I stitched it down.  It now graces the wall in our family room above the fireplace.  Hopefully the next challenge will give me some ideas for the rest of the wall (giggle, giggle).

Until I craft again.

PS:  Now that it's on the wall, I think I may have to put another rose in the upper right corner.  It looks a little bare there, or if anybody has any suggestions I'd be glad to consider them!!!

Project Quilting Bold and Brave quilting challenge season 9.3

 PROJECT QUILTING BOLD AND BRAVE SEASON 9.3 CHALLENGE


Actually this project did not quite turn out as I really wanted, but I did learn alot from doing this one.

I've always seen quilts that are Trapunto quilted, with white fabric, white stitching, and to me they just look so beautiful I wanted to try it.

I thought the USA has had some pretty bold and brave people who were there at the beginning of our country, so I thought about doing something about Sam Adams (besides I like his beer lol).  My quilting skill probably couldn't do his photo justice so, I thought of doing Mt. Rushmore but thought that might be a little too much for me too.  I thought about doing the Preamble to the constitution.  After attempting some lettering on a scrap piece of fabric, I decided that all the words would be too much for me, but I could do the first three and add a flag underneath. 

This was my practice piece.  I forgot to rotate the picture before uploading but too late now.

First I wrote out the words in pencil (note to self get a washable quilting marker next time)

Next I drew out a waving flag underneath the words.

Next I quilted the words and flag and added a banner around the words and some ribbon quilting around the flag.  Probably could have used a thicker batting to bring out the stitching.

I know it's not centered but it was my first time. 

I really wasn't loving the quilt at this point so I trimmed it down to 18"x15" and added a white on white print binding around the edge just to get it done.  It looked so plain (not very bold) and it needed something else.  So after I washed out the pencil lines in the kitchen sink, I thought I could tea dye it to make it look antique.  SO...out came the teabags. 

Still not loving the plainness of the whole quilt so I decided to do a little hand stitching embelishments on it and it turned out really nice.  I kinda cross stitched the lettering on top and put in some stars and stripes for the flag.  Not a bad little quilt but I probably won't be doing any trapunto quilting any time soon.  Maybe if I had a longarm quilting machine I might try a whole quilt but with must my little trusty Brother, I'll just stick with what I can do with him. 

I'll probably give this little baby to my grandson to use as a blanket for one of his dinosaurs to sleep under.  So this is my patriotic doll blanket quilt. 

Until I craft again!!!