A few of my WIP's.......

With the projects I have started most recently, I have tried to incorporate at least one technique that I haven't tried before, so keep an eye out for those in the descriptions.  If and when I finish a project, I'll move it to my "completed quilts" page, and let you know how the new technique worked for me.

Click on any of the thumbnails below to expand the pictures.
 
 

Kari's Feathered Star Quilt (started December 1999)
I finally drew my sister's name in the family Christmas drawing and since I had given quilts as gifts in the last two drawings, this year could be no exception.  I had never pieced a feathered star before so that was my "new challenge" for this quilt.  I plan to add some more borders (click here to see the EQ4 design I came up with).  I haven't yet decided how I will quilt it. I plan to finish this quilt in time to display it at the Interfaith Quilters Show and Sale in Longmont, CO on March 4, 2000.

Frosted Attic Windows (started December 1999)
The real name of this quilt is the "Eleanor Burns, Eat My Dust Quilt (Quilt in a Night)".  I saw the blue flannel fabric with the pictures and knew exactly what to do with it.  I bought it and the coordinating fabrics, took 'em home and washed 'em, and that night started cutting out the 48 "windows".  I had the entire top pieced by the next morning (I did get a couple of hours of sleep) and the "windows" even have set-in corners (my "new technique" for this quilt)!!!  I'm partially finished with the quilting (stitch in the ditch around the windows) but I also plan to randomly place big snowflakes all over the quilt.  This project got put on hold so I could finish up (or start working on) a few Christmas gifts.

Double Bear Paw (started October 1999, approx. 65" x 80")
This quilt is my challenge to myself to work in what normally aren't "my" colors.  The fabrics are Moda flannels, and this quilt will look more homespun than most of the quilts I produce.  Click here to see a couple of sample blocks.  I'm using the Double Paw pattern by Mary Herschleb Designs.  Since the pieces are rather small and I was concerned about the flannel fabric stretching and raveling, I decided to use the foundation piecing method.  I'm finished with the foundation piecing and after I get those &$#*$% foundation papers torn off, I will be ready to put the blocks together.  I haven't thought much yet about how I'm going to quilt this piece.

Triple Irish Chain (pieced in July 1999, 85" x 105")
I found the light fabric at a quilt store and was intrigued.  Once I matched it up with the other fabrics I immediately knew that I had to make a Triple Irish Chain quilt.  The pattern is a very traditional one but the fabrics are more contemporary, and most importantly, they're PURPLE!  I was able to piece this top in less than a week by using chain piecing and rotary cutting techniques.  I have purchased a backing fabric for it but haven't gotten to the point of layering and basting it to be quilted yet.

King's Crown Log Cabins (designed & started piecing in 1998, 75" x 93")
My friend Carolyn Beam has come up with a lot of really neat ideas for incorporating log cabins into other elements of quilt blocks.  For example, a bias square triangle can be replaced with a log cabin block that uses the two colors for the logs.  She asked me to design and make a quilt for a book that she's writing, and she gave me several examples of blocks to use.  Of course, I chose the King's Crown block.

The above quilt is my EQ3 design using just the King's Crown block.  I am currently piecing the log cabins for the small bias squares; the large bias squares are completed..  Click here for an example of how it would look in a purple and green colorway when the log cabins are used..

Diana's Raggedy Ann and Andy Quilt (started piecing in 1997)
I watched an episode of "Simply Quilts" where the Friendship Star (basically a 9-patch block) was being demonstrated.  When these stars are placed next to each other in a quilt, it creates a lattice pattern.  I found a fabric that had a border of Raggedy Ann and Andy faces, so I cut each of them out and made them the center of the stars.  This quilt has a really scrappy look because I used several different fabrics of each color to make the star backgrounds.  I have enough of the border print (still with RA&A's faces) to use some as a border of the quilt.  Originally I was going to make this for my daughter to take to preschool to use as her nap quilt, but she'll probably be a school ager before I finish it.  I have most of the blocks done and am working on the setting triangles, as the blocks will be placed on point so that the doll faces will be right side up.  I used EQ3 to design this quilt.

"All Things Bright and Beautiful" row challenge (started in October 1998)
I participated in a row challenge from October 1998 to October 1999.  There were ten people in the challenge; half of us live in or near Longmont, Colorado, four others live in Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin) and one person lives in Washington State.  We each picked a theme for our row quilts, made one row, and then passed the quilt on to the next person on the list.  The theme I chose was the words to the song "All Things Bright and Beautiful".  I now have all the rows back except the last one (the lady who made it wanted to add some embellishment to it before I took it home).  I have not yet decided how to arrange the rows.

Click here to see some of the other quilts in our row challenge!

"Appliqué Heart" (1992, 29" x 29")
I took a beginning appliqué class at the Patch Works in Longmont.  The class was taught by Jane Doak, and she designed this wall hanging.  It is completed except for embellishment with ribbons and beads.