The Pickle Dish is DONE!!

Actually the pattern is called Matrimony but I think each block is called a pickle dish!

It's huge I tell you....huge...70" x 93"!! 

After machine piecing the arcs the rest was all appliqued and hand quilted. 

 Because it was so big I made four sections (3x4 blocks) and quilted each section.

 Wool batting was so much fun to use. It was a little thick on the pickle dishes because I didn't trim away the backs but inside the star shape made by four dishes...super smooth going in and out with the needle!

Sewing two sections together, whipstitching the backing then repeat made working on this monster very doable!

 Look at how nice and puffy it is!

 Love the big chunky quilting. Used some DMC Cebelia thread purchase on clearance at a little shop in Gloucester several years ago.  Didn't know it was for crochet!

 It is twice as thick as size 8 pearl cotton. 

Pulled colors based on the guitar/banjo backing! I will be using wool batting again but first have to try silk then green!!:)

(Need something for that bare wall!)

This was the last finish for the first quarter of the 2015 Finish Along. 

Nothing like getting it done on the last day! 

~d

1st quarter 2015 list.

Long time no blog!

Wow...it's been a month since my last post! Been busy, busy, busy and we are trying to stay warm!! Quilting helps!:)

You have already seen the finished Polaroids quilt...I just added a little hand quilting to it but Dance Floor is today's highlight!!

 Dance Floor is from Dana Bolyard's Imagine Quilts. It's the third one I have made from the book having already finished Ampersand and made the zip it! that you see in the actual book!:)

I love the quilting! My pal and coworker Kathleen Imagined it all and it's perfection!

 Love, love, love the backing and the binding and of course the crinkly goodness!  You can see where I hand quilted around the larger Polaroids and tied in the middle of the smaller ones. I love that little extra texture!

(3.5" blocks)

 Was also sucked into another round of Bitty Blocks.  The theme was Folk Art....

(4.5"x 6.5" blocks)

 ...and post cards.  Just waiting to receive from my fellow swappers then I have to put my thinking cap on as to putting them together.

 Finish Along 2015 is still going strong....finished the two tops from the bag-o-strips.  Kathleen now has the two tops for quilting.  Even have the binding all ready!

 The main reason for not quilting those two tops is saving my hands to get the pickle dish finished.  One of the four sections is done...another pin basted.  Loving the wool batting!!

 Woke up to this and 6 degrees (-14.4 C)  Supposed to be colder tomorrow...see why we are trying to keep warm? We sure feel for our friends in New England since they have been getting record snow!!

But this is what has really kept me busy...would you like to hear the story of these 40 and counting Grandmother's Flower Garden blocks? It's really cute!!:)

~d