Fun With Feathers

Fun With Feathers, 26" x 26", 2010

Here is a little quilt OF MY OWN that I finished yesterday.  In fact, I was stitching down the binding during the guild meeting last night. 

I made this quilt for the Carolina Longarm Association quilt show challenge.  All participants got a kit with the fabric and instructions for making the exact same quilt top.  Then, we could quilt it any way we chose.  The idea is that they will be hung together at the show, and viewers will see that the quilting makes a remarkable difference in the finished product.

I started with a feathered circle stencil, but I just can't make a formal quilt.  I just have to add lots of free-motion swirls and flowers.

I used plain old white thread and managed to refrain from painting or adding beads or crystals. :)

For the back, I rummaged through my stash and found a beautiful floral print in perfect colors to coordinate with the blue fabric.  I have no recollection of buying this fabric, but, it is good to have a stash!

We have had over a year to get these challenge quilts completed.  Our show had to be postponed a year due to renovations at the church which will again be our venue.  So, when did I begin my project?  Two days before I had to turn it in.  But, at least I made and finished a quilt! It seems I have only made two this year!

Here are two more of the challenge quilts that were actually finished LAST July.  The one with circular quilting was made by Donna Sontag of Wake Forest.  She has actually finished a second one to turn in this weekend!

The quilt that I donated last night to the Heritage Days auction was my challenge quilt at the last Carolina Longarm Association show.  It is slightly smaller, but in very similar fabrics and another traditional design.

Only four quilts were completed for the challenge in that show, and as you can see, the tops did not exactly all turn out identical as planned!

I will be missing the CLA quarterly meeting tomorrow as my brother-in-law scheduled his annual Pool Party for Saturday.  But...a visit to BIL Richard in Rutherfordton, NC, usually means a quick stop on the way at Mary Jo's Cloth Store in Gastonia...oh boy oh boy!  Did I mention I have a stash?