2013 Pieceful Anniversary Quilt Show

Hello Pieceful Quilters:
I am sorry this took so long to get posted.  I seem to have a lot of trouble formatting this blog thing.  I am not sure what my problem is, but nothing seems to stay where I put it.  Anyway, here are the winners from this year's show.  It was harder than ever for our judge to decide, let alone for us to choose the staff favorite and some others.  Everyone did such a fabulous job this year.  If you want to see more pictures, click HERE to visit Mary Jo Koca's wonderful slide show.  I will try to put some more pictures up on our Facebook page, too, and on our Pinterest site.  I  am becoming the Queen of Social Media.  Don't worry, I am never going to Tweet!

So, without further ado.......

Winners 2013 Quilt Show

 

Viewer's Choice: Jacqueline's Album by Kathleen Widmer:

 

Staff Favorite:  Prairie Flowers My Way by Stephanie Matz

 

Quilt Academy: 25  Block Rail Fence by Lori Micheletti:

Most Unique/Creative:True - Fibonacci Sequence by Brenda Wartalski:
Brenda's is the one on the far left - sorry, that is the only picture it shows up in.

Peculiar Fibonacci Challenge - All in the Numbers by Julie Garren:



 

 

The corner showing on the right is Julie's - sorry that seems to be the only picture we got.  The one on the left is another interesting Fibonacci Challenge Quilt made by Violet Klein.

 

 

 

Wall Hanging/Tabletopper

 
1st Place - Jacqueline's Album by Kim Hartman:

 

 

2nd Place - Pyramids by Karen Schultz

 



3rd Place - Sew Many Pieces by Jane Velander

 

Lap Size Quilts

 

1st Place - JoJo by Marcia Bowen

 

 
 2nd Place - Mary's Tumblers by Mary Landis:

 
 
3rd Place: Spring Sprouts by Liz Del Rosario:

 

Bed Size Quilt

 

1st Place - Curved Log Cabin by Alberta Forst:

 
2nd Place - Card Trick by Marilyn Lund:

 

 

 3rd Place -  La Playa by Michelle Nichols:

 
 Many Thanks to everyone that helped contribute to our most successful show ever!

 

Mystery Quilt 2012-13

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

 

Last week we had the Mystery 2012-13 Reveal.  As usual, I was blown away with how beautiful these quilts are.  I knew you would want to see them, so  without further ado, here they are, starting with mine, the shop's sample:

 

 

 

 

Aren't they beautiful?  Isn't it amazing how the same pattern can look so different depending on the fabrics that are used?  Be sure to look for our next Mystery Quilt starting in January 2014!

 

Happy Quilting - Carrie

Finishing is Overrated....

Hello Pieceful Quilters!

Finishing is overrated!

Yes, I have often been heard saying something along those lines - and I do truly believe that, on some level.  After all, why do we really quilt?  Sometimes finishing is important - when we are making a baby quilt, or a gift for some special occasion - but, more often than not, we are quilting for personal reasons.  Sometimes it is our only creative outlet, sometimes it is our therapy, sometimes it is just a good excuse to go out and meet new friends.  Whatever the reason, it is usually the process that makes us happy.  I so often hear people say, "I can 't start another project until I finish...."  Usually, I can hear the torture in their voices.  We don't really want to finish that old project, we want to start something new and fun!  Isn't that why you started quilting in the first place?  When you force yourself to finish things that you are really "done" with, you take all the fun out of it. 

So - don't be afraid to move on and leave those unfinished projects for some future quilter to discover at an Antique Store.  Maybe they will finish it, or maybe they will just buy it to study and enjoy.  I have a bunch of unfinished Antique tops, and they all make me happy, even if I will never do more than look at them.  See how it works?

So, now that I have stated my philosophy of quilting, I should also point out that there are always a few quilts that you will want to finish - but choose wisely.  There are only so many hours in the day, and it's not worth it to torture yourself. 

I am happy to say, that I finished a quilt this weekend!  I really love this quilt, and it deserved to be finished.  It is the result of a Pyramid Block Exchange that we did in Sarah's Sewing Circle at least two sessions ago.  We have been doing exchanges each session, many from the book, "History Repeated," by Betsy Chutchian and Carol Staehle:

A really great book!

 

This is not even the first quilt that I have finished from this book! Of course, finished to me means the top is done and ready for the quilter.  So here is my Pyramid Quilt:

 

Sorry the picture isn't better - the darn thing is huge!  I do really love it, though. 

 

Here is another quilt from the book that I finished (more or less):

 

In progress

 





 Quilted, ready to be bound

 

You may wonder if this beauty is really done, yet - as in bound - Well, it could happen......

 

Have a Great 4th of July!

Carrie



Fibonacci Challenge - 2013

Wow - I guess it has been awhile since I posted.  I have been getting some grief from my loyal followers about not posting here, so I will make an effort to post a little more often.  This post will be about the 2013 Peculiar Challenge.  If you are not familiar with our challenges - this is the second one.  This year, the participants were given a choice of three neutral challenge fabrics that they had to use to participate, otherwise, the challenge was free*.  They were to start with a 12" block of their choice, and then each month they were given a set of rules for a border to surround their center medallion.  *If they showed at least some proof of progress, the next set of instructions was free.  The Fibonacci principle comes in with the size of the of the borders.  They could start with a 2" or a 4" border, depending on how large they wanted the finished quilt to be.  We handed out 50 sets if instructions the first month, and I believe at least 20 have, or will complete the challenge.  Completed Challenge quilts will hang in our show on August 3rd, and there will be a viewer's choice ballot to determine which of the participants will win a fabulous basket of nifty stuff.  Last week we had the unveiling.  The instructions were as follows:

   Border 1 (2” or 4”)

      ·   Only Rectangles. 

      ·   One fabric from center & one new fabric.

  Border 2 (2” or 4”)

      ·   Half Square Triangles.

  Border 3 (4” or 8”) 

      ·   Nine or Four-Patch blocks. 

      ·   One new fabric.

  Border 4 (6” or 12”) 

      ·   Use Tri-recs units (from Tri-recs Ruler).

Here are pictures from the unveiling:

 

Be sure to attend our annual Show and Open House to vote for your favorites.  I am sure they will be much more beautiful in person - pictures never do quilts justice!

Have a Pieceful Day!

Carrie