Paper Piecing WIP - Great Balls of Fire!

This paper pieced quilt top isn't finished, but I wanted to share it.  I haven't done paper piecing in a while, and really enjoy it, even though it's "messy" -- lots of little pieces of paper and fabric!

The Great Balls of Fire quilt pattern was featured in Quiltmaker Magazine issue #129 way back in 2009, but I found the free block patterns online, and then ended up getting the old issue to get all of the instructions. The design has a subtle circular pattern that I really liked.  Can you see it in the blue?

The quit in the pattern is green red, tan and orange, but I wanted to do more "beach" colors, so I used shades of green, blue and tan.  OOPS!  I didn't realize that the blues and greens were too much the same value until I had made several blocks, and didn't want to stop and start over!

So I got creative!  I used fabric paint to shade some of the blue pieces darker (I may add some more dark blue like the center).  To bring out the circular blue design, I plan to use thread painting and quilting. The green border was pieced, don't know why that wasn't paper pieced also, but worked out..

The quilt is about 50" x 50", and I'm thinking of adding a border to make it larger.  I thought maybe it would help the blue design show up more.

What do you think of the blue fabric on the left as a border?  Too blue?

I'll definitely post more when I get this one done!

Mary

Red Triangles is Finished!

In June, I blogged about my progress on the Red Triangles quilt ... it's finished!! 

I used a layer cake of Esprit de Noel by French General for Moda Fabrics, from the Fat Quarter Shop.   This was my first time using a layer cake, and I really liked it!  It was nice not to deal with big pieces of fabric, and not having to make so many cuts. The fabric is just beautiful, I'll definitely be buying more of some of the designs. 

Since it was Moda fabric, I went to The Moda Bake Shop and used their free pattern, The Dark Side...or Not Layer Cake Quilt  that I adapted for my quilt. I don't always like things to be evenly spaced, so I used fewer blocks and made the quilt design off center.  

I machine quilted feathers on the lighter areas, and a straight line pattern in each dark triangle.  I really like the final design. what do you think?

Mary

Grand Prize Winner of the 2013 Q&N Paint Chip Challenge -- Me!

My Purple Butterflies quilt won the Grand Prize in the 2013 Quilt & Needle Paint Chip Challenge!

Back in January, I joined the Q&N Paint Chip Challenge --- my paint chip color was a red-violet.  I decided to use the Tessellating Star pattern, and wrote up instructions in this post.  After I finished the patchwork, I appliqued LOTS of butterflies onto the quilt top, then machine quilted it using a combination of echoing, flowers, pebbles and other fill patterns in a diagonal direction.

When the quilt was completed, I posted it here and sent pictures in and I won the Grand Prize!  I won a $50 gift certificate from The Quilt & Needle.

This was officially my 100th quilt, so was special to me, even before I won!

Mary

Happy 4th of July!

Surprisingly, I have very few red, white and blue quilts, but thought I'd share this one.

This queen sized quilt is a combination of patchwork, paper piecing, embroidery and applique. It is machine quilted. I made a pillow to match.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Mary

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