Two Finished Quilts

You have seen pictures of both of these as Works in Progress...but during my mountain retreat last weekend, I finished binding and labels for two projects.

This is Regan's Quilt, for my niece Melinda's baby, due in March. Can you believe it is finished so far ahead of time? Well, there will be a shower next month, so it needed to be done.

Ragen's Quilt, 2009, 36 x 42

For the backing, I chose a soft lavender rosebud print.

I also finished the sleeve and label for Pastel Spring, one of my little trapunto wall-hangings. This one has already been added to my Etsy shop.

Pastel Spring, 2008, 12" x 12"

Pastel Spring detail

We made several shopping excursions into Boone and West Jefferson, NC while we were in the mountains. One of my favorite places to shop is Antiques on Main, one of those vendor malls with lots of different booths. Everything there is not old, and some booths look more like a flea market.

I had just watched my Pamela Allen DVD on making art quilts, and was on the lookout for fun little objects to add to quilts. First I spotted this great big sturdy basket for only $5.00, and then I started filling it up.

I grabbed several old scarves. The coral one is chiffon and has already been cut up for a needle-felting background. The multi-colored scarf with fleur-de-lis is silk. Cut that one up yesterday! The awful gold and brown one is polyester and I can see its medallions and patterns in a Pamela-style art quilt.
Here is a sweet little pair of child's gloves. Pamela uses them for hands in her quilts.

And I could not resist this old pack of "Authors" playing cards. I remember playing this game as a child. These could be part of a collage, or scanned and printed on fabric for an art quilt. After all, I am an old English Major and a compulsive reader.

There are no big box bookstores like Barnes and Nobles anywhere nearby, but the newer grocery stores have wonderful periodical selections. I picked up these two magazine, Threads and Creative Home, and read them both from cover to cover. I had never seen Creative Home before. It is published by Better Homes and Gardens, and features many projects and ideas that I really liked.
Yesterday I took a break from traditional quilt-making, and spent the afternoon with my new embellishing machine. Love, love, love it! Will share some of those projects soon.

Heart's Delight

Today I put everything else on the back burner, as I realized it was time to send in my entry to the SAFEchild Heart Gala auction. The quilt was finished, but I realized I had not added the hanging sleeve or label yet.

Heart's Delight, 2008

12.5" x 12.5"

Wholecloth sheer top quilt, trapuntoed, shadow trapuntoed, quilted and tinted with Neocolor II water-soluble wax crayons. Swarovski crystal embellishment.

SAFEchild works with parents, families and caregivers to create nurturing environments for children, free from abuse and neglect. With the ultimate vision of eliminating child abuse in Wake County, SAFEchild delivers support and education to families by helping them break negative parenting patterns, improve communication and relationship skills, and take advantage of community resources.

A cause dear to my own heart.