Mini Art Quilt for RyverChyld

RyverChyld received the art quilt that I sent her so I can finally post photos of it!

I was so afraid that RyverChyld would be disappointed in it, but she posted photos of it in the gallery, and wrote some really nice things about it. It IS cute; it's just not up to the standards of her quilting!

#1. This is the first art quilt I've ever made. It really sparked my imagination, and I can't wait to make more!
#2. Quilting is NOT my strong point. I really need to work on that!
#3. This is the first time I've sewn the binding on. I usually flip it over and stitch it down by hand. I saw a really cool Elmer's glue trick on the internet, and I tried it to tack down the binding on the backside so the stitches would catch it from the front. Worked like a dream!
#4. Speaking of glue... I used glue stick to tack down the rick-rack around the border. Also worked like a dream!
#5. I had NO idea how to add hanging tabs on the back. I kind of winged it (and it shows!!!). RyverChyld's quilt to me has perfect hanging tabs--a real "ah ha!" moment for me. Now I know how to do them!
#6. This was FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

RyverChyld's Art Quilt For Me!!!

Last week, I received the art quilt that RyverChyld made for me!!! WOW! It is really, really cool. She did lots of techniques on it: the sky is crazy-pieced with silver embroidery; the grass is made from layers of pleats; the trees are appliquéd; the corners have folded fabric roses; and "live" "laugh" "love" is embroidered across the top!

It's bigger than the one I sent her--I think she said it's 20x24. The one I made her is 14x18.

Anyway, she did some beautiful work. I hope she's not disappointed in the one I sent her. I spent alot of time on it, and I learned SOOOOOO much making it, but it looks so Plain Jane and simple compared to what I made for her. It's too late now since I already put it n the mail!

Art Quilt Teaser and Z ATC update

Now that the tube project is finished, I can work on RyverChyld's art quilt and my Z ATC. I have to get the ATCs in the mail by Monday. This is the first time I haven't sent early on the ATC swap. I have my Y finished, but I'm not happy with my Z.

The art quilt is coming along slowly. The background is completely finished (and it looks really good), and I started on the appliqué pieces. I'm mostly worried about how to quilt it--like should I quilt it first and then sew on the appliqué pieces? Or should I sew on the appliqué first and then quilt around it? I want the back to look nice so I don't know which will look best. I also want to sew on some doo-dads, and I don't know when I should sew those on--before or after the quilting. I really don't want any knots to show on the back, but I don't know what it's going to look like on the back if I quilt around them. I'll just have to ponder this a little more. I'll figure it out.

Art Quilt Teaser

This weekend, I'm starting the art quilt for the swap I'm in. Yesterday, I went to Joann's and bought some of their 30% off fabric (Sorry, RyverChyld--I'm not a fabric snob like some of the others in the swap who only shop at quilt stores; I don't mind shopping at Joann's for fabric).

I already know I didn't get enough because I've decided I want to add a small border. I wish I'd decided this yesterday before I went shopping, but I didn't think about it until I got home. I already know the perfect fabric for the border so I'll go back this weekend and get it.

Anyway, this quilt will be pieced, have appliqué on it and some doo-dads for embellishments. I like the design enough that I'm making one for myself, too.

Mini art quilt

My new mini art quilt partner filled out a great questionnaire. I can't wait to get started on a quilt for her! I already have an idea of something she may like. I also know what size I want to make it. I'll check my fabric stash, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to go shopping for more. Here's a teaser: I know I need white-on-white and maybe some pink since that's her favorite color (not sure about that yet).

Joann's doesn't have a sale on their quilting fabric for this ad so I'll probably wait for it to go on sale if I can't find anything in my stash that will work.

I'm worried about the actual quilting part of it. I quilted my cherry tree mini quilt with an all-over meandering design that looked pretty good, but that's the only quilt I've ever quilted, and I'm not confident I can do it again! I would absolute HATE to mess up all my hard work with crappy quilting! I need to make a practice sandwich and practice, practice, practice. Maybe I can do some echo quilting? I'm just not sure?

Craftster.org Mini Art Quilt swap

Oh, yay! We got our mini art quilt swap partners last night! How exciting! My partner filled out a GREAT questionnaire, and I have a TWO really good ideas about something I can make for her without even having to do any stalking.

I am NERVOUS, though, because she's an intermediate/advanced quilter. I wrote that I am an intermediate (?) quilter because of the number of quilts I've finished (however, none of them was particularly challenging so maybe I should have said "advanced beginner" instead?). Anyway, traditional quilting and art quilts are two totally different things so maybe we'll all be on the same playing field.

Since I love to blog about what I do during the week, it's going to be particularly difficult on me to keep silent about what I'm doing with this project. The send date is July 10th so I've got a l-o-n-g time to be silent! Shesh! Can I last that long?

Craftster.org Mini Art Quilt Swap

Well... I did it! I signed up for the mini art quilt swap. I'm excited and nervous all rolled into one since I'm not so confident about my crafting skills. The send date is July 10th so I've got plenty of time to work on it, I think (and I'll probably do TWO at the same time so I can keep one myself).

Craftster.org mini art quilt swap

There's a new mini art quilt swap on Craftster.org that I'm debating on joining in on. The deadline is May 13 and the send date is July 10 so there's plenty of crafting time, I'm just not so sure of my artistic capabilities. I've never made an art quilt before, but it, like Photoshop, has been on my New Year's Resolution list for the last two years. I just worry that the themes I know I can execute won't match my partner's interests.

I have several more days to decide...