Finally can share about a special quilt

I have kept quiet about the last two quilts I made since they were to be gifts for some special people in my life. [Thus kept secret until the recipients received them.]
This weekend was the wedding shower of my nephew Gerald Taylor and his bride to be Megan McFall.  I was not able to travel to MI to attend but my gift made it's way thanks to the good ole USPS to the shower. I hoped they could tell my thoughts were with them.

When deciding what to design for this very special couple I wanted to honor their contemporary side yet also honor their family sentiments and traditions honoring their Irish heritage. [*Side note: Jerry proposed to Megan while they were traveling throughout Ireland]

So I chose some pretty batiks in colors I felt they liked and then decided to use a traditional pattern. "Irish Chain".

Irish Chain squares design sewn together.

Completed Quilt top on my design wall.

Next step quilting completed on my HQ16.

Detail

Signature on front. I actually did label this quilt on the
back with pattern name, date, made by, etc.

Trying to take photo to document yet the wind was not totally cooperating
;-)  heck maybe you can semi see the batik backing I chose.

I miss the wonderful bridge I used to use while photographing my
creations. Sadly it's in VA and we now live in PA.

Staging on the rock in our backyard for the time being until I can locate
another sweet bridge or spot to use for photographing my quilts..

So the wedding shower has come and gone. I've been told the "soon to be married" couple love their quilt. I'm hopeful to receive a photo soon of the lovely couple w/quilt (if I'm lucky). Hubby and I are looking forward to attending the wedding Oct. 27, 2012  to be a big family celebration.

So Until…..stay tune, I hope to be able to post about the other completed quilt soon, I just need to hear it has made it way to it's recipient.   May the sun keep shining on us all.

Okay so now back to my QBL 2010 report

So back to my postings of QBL 2010  (This past week I've been busy visiting with my 11 month old grand-daughter and 3.5 yr old grandson and their mommy but they've now gone home to PA and I hope to play catch up around VA before I'm off again! Retirement is great yet busy! lol.)
As I already have mentioned I took two weeks of classes with Nancy Crow this year during QBL.
I cannot express how much I have learned about construction through my classes with Nancy.
Remember I am really a beginner seamstress so though I might not be able to claim I am a beginner quilter anymore since I am now going on my 5th year of quilting?(though I DO CONSIDER myself still a beginner)  I never learned how to sew as a youngster nor was I given much time to experience a sewing machine, so though I have in the past been able to piece some of my ideas together it has not always by the proper 1/4 seam, iron, etc. etc. I MUST share it becomes so much easier when you start to understand some basics of sewing. ;-) lol and much more enjoyable.
So during my first week as I've already shared we began the week learning of figure/ground and completed a black and white exercise design.  My completed piece is actually up in Maine being dyed in indigo by one of my roommates, she dyed hers, it looked so interesting AND she volunteered to dye my piece so YAY!  I plan to quilt my piece in gray threads ;-))) I am anxious to have it returned and get to quilt it to see how the gray thread quilting might make it pop. ;-)

So now onto my fabrics I made for our final design exercise piece during week one.
So after spending a couple days creating new fabrics we were given the Design Exercise. ;-) and then we got busy..Very Busy!!! I really wanted to experiment with the line/shape/figure/ground process so I made the decision to cut lots of lines to include in my design...of course this meant more sewing for me.....lol
I'll include a few photos of my piece as it evolved.

Trying out fabrics

Creating composition

It's getting close to completed design

Final sewn design. (41" wide - 58" tall)

http://pearlstreetroad.blogspot.com/

Completed by Susan Selden (roommate)

So end of week one and onward to week two. I would post more of my classmates work but it was discussed over and over not to share other work unless permission is given so with permission here are two of my buddies final designs..Susan was one of my suite mates and Kathleen was a class buddy. Check out more about Kathleen on her blog: