it works!

this is still wet but i wanted you to see how it came out.  the Solvy has completely dissolved and my quilting is intact!  i solved the needle problem by switching to a heavier between, probably an 8 or 9 so no more blunt tip.  i am anxious to see it once it has dried but so far i'm pretty satisfied and i would definitely use this transfer agent again.  it takes a bit of getting used to, but it was the perfect choice for this particular project.  the batt in this quilt is 80% cotton and 20% wool, something i had ordered from buffalo batt eons ago.  the finished quilt will have some weight to it, but that is fine.  i might have to use only this one during the winter instead of a poly quilt AND a blended batt quilt.  now back to the halloween wallhanging and the red/cream northwind.  3 whole days to go in this weekend!

trying something new

last night i decided to try out my water soluble "paper" on a design for this amish center diamond quilt.  in pepper cory's quiltmarking book, there's an antique design that she gave permission to copy.  i thought it would be neat to preserve this design in a new quilt.  i enlarged the pattern as indicated and used Solvy water soluble transfer paper to trace it, basted it to my quilt and here it is!  it's a bit like quilting through a raincoat and it seems to be blunting my very sharp #10 quilting needles, making it a bit more difficult to quilt.  it would be really difficult to do an entire quilt or even a very large area with this, but for the center of this quilt, it'll work fine.  ***** it's a stashbuster at-home retreat weekend and maybe i can finish the red/cream northwind flimsy.  that plus the halloween wallhanging is on the ever-so-flexible agenda, but at any rate, it's 4 days of no real plans and plenty of projects.  

swap treasures!

wow!  got my swap package from donna yesterday and it is super!  sooo many delish goodies; some yummy honey for tea and biscuits, a "necessary" needlecase and needles, an "essential" pincushion and my favorite quilting pins, a country-ish mug for that hot chocolate and tea along with a mat from moda's "grace" fabrics, a journal for my jottings, some delish dot fabrics and a quilt calendar for next year...how great is that?  and she wrapped them all in some gorgeous fabrics and will fit nicely into my scrappy stash.  i am blown over at the thought and care that went into this stash of goodies.  **** pretty cool here in the hinterlands overnight.  bonnie is coming to maine in a week or so and i hope she brings her woolies!  i had to close my window last night even.  **** last night worked on my halloween wallhanging, hoping to get it done in time for the big day.  then i'm going to quilt the amish center diamond.  my bed needs a new quilt this winter.

a fine fair quilt!

spent this lovely autumn day at the fair!  i was there helping out at a craft booth in amongst all the quilts and such.  i didn't get much time to look around but this beauty was hanging nearly over my head.  from far it looked a lot like kaffe fassett fabrics, but up close i see they aren't.  even so, it's stunning don't you think?  had some yummy fair food (kettle corn and fudge)...just a bit mind you.....and saw tons of people and some cute little kids.  hope i was able to plant the idea of quiltmaking into a few interested minds.  i took my halloween piece to work on now that my big quilt is done.  i am itching to start quilting on another big quilt but the spooky stuff comes first!

done!

the lover's links quilt got finished last night!  though it can hardly be seen, it was bound with a lavendar cotton, so right with these 30s repro fabrics.  this is a giftie so it'll get mailed off as soon as it's washed.  ****  another bed size quilt from my list is done, so i can move on to the next one.  the amish center diamond is all basted and ready to go, hoping to finish this before the end of the year.  for hand work in the meantime, though, i'm going to finish the halloween piece.  for machine work, it's the red/cream northwind flimsy to finish. ***** though i do enjoy quilting, i really need something different to do.  still working on a job hunt with hardly any result.  it's downright discouraging. 

busy binding

while i'm still busy binding the lover's links quilt, thought i would post a photo taken inside the quilt museum.  this is in the downstairs shop section, not the actual gallery.  i apologize for not giving credit to the maker but i neglected to see if it was documented.  there are other quilts hanging on the shop walls, but i liked this contemporary piece....something i would never make for myself.  **** so yes, i'm busily binding the lover's links quilt.  it'll be a finish this week for certain.  then it's back to red/cream and also my halloween wallhanging too, i think.  last week was really busy for a change but this week i'll have more time to sew.  my quilt mojo has been low so i might have to tackle a new project to jazz it up a bit.  probably finishing some stuff will help as well.  ***** we are solidly into fall here in maine.  i've pulled out some fall clothes and put away some summer clothes.  no freeze yet so that's good.  it's getting dark earlier which saddens me, and most everything seasonal closes this coming weekend.  then it will be even quieter here in pine tree place.