It's Blogger's Quilt Festival Time!!!

Yay - it's time for Blogger's Quilt Festival!  Amy from Amy's Creative Side, is the brilliant hostess behind this event that sweeps over the crafty internet two times a year.  I had the privilege of meeting Amy at Sewing Summit last fall and she is just as delightful as you would imagine.  Hundreds of people link up their quilts to share in the festival, and it is a ton of eye candy so make sure you stop by and check them all out (prepare to stay a while, better grab that cup of coffee first).  

Here is my entry: 

Quilt Stats:

Size:  50"x43"

Pattern:  Love Beads from the Modern Quilt Workshop 

by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr

Fabrics:  Background Kona Snow

Binding Kona Charcoal

and assorted prints for the stones

This quilt is called River Stones and I made it for my parents for (cough cough) Christmas.  So I just finished today, what can I say?!  You know how some quilts just come together like magic and every step of the process just flows into the next?? Riiiiight. This was not one of those quilts.  My parents just re-did their family room in grays and when I offered to make a quilt, the idea of a wall hanging got tossed around and we went with it.  I love the calming effect of the gray and taupe tones together, and as I was making it, the idea of stones with all those different natural shades kept coming to mind.

         

                                                        The back shows a bit more quilting detail.

  When I was planning the quilting part, I thought the wide wavy stippling would seem like water flowing over the stones.  Let the metaphors start rolling:  my parents were both my rock-hard foundation for security and support over the years, but also flexible like water to allow me to be myself; I was stubborn like a rock in say, my teen years (maybe a little bit now too?   I can't help it!  I have opinions!) and their constant washing over me of wisdom and insight smoothed out my rough edges...I could go on and on with the symbolism, but won't, you know, for your sake (your welcome).   Let's just say, I have been blessed with fantastic parents, and if they asked me to climb Mt. Everest for them, I totally would - with oxygen and a sherpa, but still, I'd do it.  And piecing all those circles just might be my Mt. Everest of quilting - those are not appliqued, people!  And I'll admit, after working on this a while, my eyes just craved C O L O R!  

And do you really even want to hear about how my machine broke down just as I was trying to quilt this?!  I mean, honestly!  I could get 2 to 4 inches of FMQ in before the thread would break.  I tried absolutely everything from you tube and tutorials to fix my problem at home, then went to my local sewing repair shop for some professional help.  On two consecutive days, I was in that shop for hours trying to figure out what was wrong.  We tried different needles, thread, tensions, bobbins, and buffed out the bobbin case and the throat plate.  My machine just kind of limped along but just being around people who could help was an amazing lift to my spirits that this quilt would in fact, get finished.  A special thanks to Chris, Mike and Ms. Perry for all your help - I couldn't have done it without you!  I'm thinking some homemade cookies just might show up at your shop this week...

I'm off to check out some more quilts in the Festival - thanks for stopping by!