Project 2 & Only ONE month left

I have only one month left before “officially” returning to school work.  (We all know that I do school work all summer!  It irritates the custodians that I’m in and out of my rooms all summer.  I think it’s because they want free rein of the kitchen labs while school is out!  I kind of rain on their parade by working in my labs).  Yet here at home for the summer,  I’m busy trying to get a lot of my quilting done, along with yard work, and professional education.  I’m taking an online class that is dealing with blogging, so this blog will continue to change and evolve as I incorporate the things I’m learning.  I’m also enjoying getting to spend time with mom and being able to get to daily Mass.  

But back to the purpose of this blog!!!  I finished binding project 2 - Green Log Cabins and I’ve made two pillow slips to go along with it.  Now I just need to embroider a label for the project before giving it to my brother.  I think this project has turned out so well, but I am definitely glad it is complete.  I do solemnly promise that I am NEVER going to tackle a quilt this large again (until next time, of course!)  Last night I was applying over 350 inches of hand binding.  It took about five hours to get that last little component done.  My goal is to finish the embroidered label this afternoon and present the quilt to my brother and his wife tonight.  Wish me luck.

As for this professional education class that covers blogging, the instructor is recommending that we complete our writing in a word processor to allow for easier editing.  Then we can copy into the blog after we’ve proofed our work.  So, you should be seeing fewer errors in my postings.  We will see how that works out.

Project 96 - Cathedral Window - For years I have wanted to learn to do Cathedral Windows,  My desire to learn to do this particular pattern strengthened about three years ago when a friend of mine died.  She left me the contents of her sewing room.  


Elsa was a bit like me -- she kept many projects going at one time.  I've finished several of her quilts but just haven't had the courage to tackle her Cathedral Window project.  She had finished the initial sets of four window frames but had not put any of the "glass" bits in the frames.  Elsa's work was always exquisite so I haven't wanted to tackle this until I felt a little more confident of my skills.

So at the International Quilt Festival in Ireland last week, when they offered a class on Cathedral Windows, I jumped at the chance to take it.  It was taught by Bernadette Falvey.  She taught us the "old and authentic" way to make the block and gave us a small kit to practice.  This is my first attempt.  I have a long way to go before my technique is perfect, but at least I have hope that I will be able to tackle Elsa's project sometime in the near future.

Bernadette Falvey on the left
Me on the right!

Antique quilt
(Wonder if mine can ever look as good as this?)

Another attendee at the festival showed me a couple of short cuts and I'm trying those too. (Thanks, Karen). I also found a third method in the book Quilting School by Ann Poe yesterday in the middle of the night when I was trying to remember what Karen taught me.   
I've been told there are also ways to do part of the work by machine rather than doing everything by hand.  I'm not sure yet what method I will settle on.  It will depend partially on the method that Elsa has already started with and partially on my comfort level.  But at least I can say that I have learned how to make this quilt block -- even if my attempts are still a little wonky!


I found a good YouTube tutorial for sewing the Cathedral Window by machine by Helen of Ludlow Quilt and Sew.    How did I survive before I could look up things on Internet and YouTube?

Project 89 - Butterfly Quilt 
Working on this one for mom - Spent a couple of hours quilting for mom this morning.  She originally purchased this quilt as a quilt kit.  She scavenged the pieces she liked and then I "inherited" the kit leftovers.  I picked through my stash and found some pieces that would work and put a twin size quilt together.  Then, she liked it so much -- she wants it back.  But it's all good because I inherit her quilts when she meets Jesus later in life.  We tease each other about it quite a lot.  ALL her quilts will be MINE, ALL MINE some day!  (I'm not really selfish -- we give tons of what we make to friends and family but we give the ones we really, really like to each other!)  

Quilting Class - Friday, June 8th  Spent the day at the quilting festival and participated in a Cathedral Window class by Bernadette Falvey.  She does a mix of traditional and artistic quilts.  She taught us to the traditional Cathedral Window pattern, totally by hand, making sure to keep the "little crosses" intact in the corners.  The class was great and I think I'm now ready to conquer the pieces of the Cathedral Window quilt that my friend Elsa left me when she died three years ago.  I've been so hesitant to finish this quilt because Elsa's work was always so exquisite.  The Cathedral Window sample at the right is from the  Instructables Web site.