EQ8 Chicago Star Block Challenge

Jenny of EQ recently posted a June EQ8 Block Spotlight Challenge featuring the Chicago Star.  Being a native Illinoisan, I couldn't resist this challenge and designed not one but two quilts with this block, and I can see endless possibilities w/various colorways and block setting options, I really like this Star block!

This is my second attempt:

Chicago Star - recolored

This is the Chicago Star block I used:

Chicago Star block w/HSTs in corner stones

My first attempt was posted on our sister blog over at East Central IL QOV, but we'll give you a sneak peak:

Chicago Star - Traditional setting

This was a lot of FUN and something I will definitely continue to explore and challenge myself to explore and expand my quilt design capabilities...Thanks, Jenny! 

I have had previous versions of Electric Quilt - EQ8 is by far my very favorite!  In the short time I've had it, I've already designed more quilts in less time than I did w/previous versions combined!!

Back to exploring alternate design possibilities w/Chicago Star...;-)

Later,
~Deb

What is Memorial Day?

In Memory of those Whom Have Fallen:

We Will Never Forget.

Have a Safe Memorial Day w/Family & Friends.
~Deb

Circles of Life

Sometimes, a quilt just has to be designed and created to deliver a very special 'quilty' hug - the kind of hug that ONLY a quilt can give.

"Circles of Life" is just such a quilt:

Circles of Life quilt coming off the frame

Circles of Life was inspired by a very dear family friend in need of a quilty 'HUG', coupled with a colorful Moda jelly roll - which brought to mind our dear family friend, Ashley.

Moda jelly roll

Combined w/additional Kaffe Fassett fabrics from a previous wedding quilt project, this quilt became exactly what we were hoping for!

With strips and circles, along with a Circle of Life quilt design, we think we accomplished what we set out to do - a colorful 'quilty' hug, designed and created especially for our dear family friend.

Photo timeline continues:

Sewing these colorful strips together

Strips all sewn together - time for borders!

Time for some Circles:

Cutting circles is easy & FUN w/AccuQuilt GO! circle dies:

Time to applique those circles in place:

Using the small applique stitch w/coordinating cotton threads 
to ensure the circles are securely attached to the quilt top

Once all the circles are attached, time to quilt!

Quilting the "Circles of Life" w/Circle of Life quilting design;-)

After this quilt was completely quilted, time for binding:

Ashley's "Circles of Life" quilted/bound/labeled and ALL ready for Hugs!

Ashley's "Circle of Life" quilt has reported for duty and we're happy to learn, fulfilling it's 'quilty hug' job duties...Enjoy!

Happy April - snow and ALL ;-)

~Deb

Patriotic Mystery Gets Quilted!

Another Patriotic Mystery gets quilted into a Quilt of Valor:

Circle of Honor Mystery coming off the frame

Quilted with Gold thread in the needle, Silver for the back:

Close-up of quilting

Used Becker's Shooting Star Digital panto to quilt this amazing Mystery aptly named Circle of Honor,

...available through my Quilty friend, Lisa's Online Quilt Shop www.QuiltJubilee.com

Time to bind and label!

Later,
~Deb

A Quilt of Valor is Born! w/Updates

A little more than 36+ hours ago, this Quilt of Valor had not even been conceived!

36+ hours later, a Quilt of Valor is Born!

That was 'until', my latest shipment from my Quilty friend, Lisa - who owns & operates her online quilt shop, www.QuiltJubilee.com, arrived. Lisa decided to surprise me with this beautiful Eagle panel.  Thanks, Lisa!:

Eagle panel auditioning w/Evening Star quilt blocks

Our East Central IL QOV Group had been working on the Evening Star quilt blocks earlier in the week, in preparation for our annual QOV National Sew Day.  Once I opened the shipping box and saw the enclosed eagle panel, I noticed the colors in the panel were virtually identical to those in the star blocks we'd completed - it was obviously meant to be for these two to be matched up.

The seeds of inspiration had been planted, thanks to Lisa and her generous gift, and we were off to the sewing machine to get busy sewing our QOV idea into a Quilt of Valor.

Adding the very last exterior border

We are very pleased with how well this Quilt of Valor turned out.  And even though we didn't use a pattern per se, we will be utilizing this design to create additional QOV panel quilts in our future, since we have three (3) Purple Heart Veterans who are scheduled to be awarded their Quilts of Valor later this year, along with this one.  Still pondering the final quilt design but fairly certain it will include some Gold quilting thread ;-).

For now, time for some shut-eye...

UPDATE 10/23/2018 - Quilted!  Soon to be awarded to an East Central Illinois area Veteran:

Quilt of Valor comes off the quilt frame

Quilting close-up w/Superior's Gold Grain Acres Fantastico thread

Eagle in flight gets quilted with "Windy Night" by Keryn Emmerson

This Eagle Quilt of Valor will soon be awarded to one of our East Central Illinois Veterans during one of our upcoming Veteran's Day Celebrations, and was also chosen to be our East Central IL QOV group's "Honorary" 200,000th Quilt of Valor.

Bound, labeled and all ready to be awarded to a very special Veteran

UPDATE:  11/9/2018 Awarded!

To read about the awarding of this Honorary 200,000th Quilt of Valor, Please visit this media link:
https://www.mywabashvalley.com/news/a-quilt-of-gratitude/1585139529

Thanks goes out to Everyone who helped make this QOV Award and so many others possible for our area Veterans and Service Members for their sacrifice and service for our country.


My Best,
~Deb

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas One and ALL!
~Deb

Clue #4 is already HERE...!

Can you believe it?  Every year it seems like it just sneaks up on me - especially when I usually get a cold/flu right smack in the very beginning of our annual Bonnie Hunter Mystery, which in turn causes me to fall behind just a bit.  Guess that makes it even more FUN when catching up!

At least I stopped sneezing/coughing long enough to get Clue #4 finished up:

Clue #4 of our Mystery - don't you just love the antler kitty peaking out/over ;-)

These fabrics have been such FUN to stitch up, even IF there have been more than just a few:

Getting started...

...halfway through...

Finished - with just a few leftovers...YES!

Even managed to finish up Clue #2 prior to beginning this Clue:

Clue #2

But - need to go back and finish up Clue #3 - at least it's ALL cut out and ready to sew!

Clue #3 ALL cut and ready to start stitchin!  I see a few more Antler kitties, don't you?

To see what ALL the other fellow On Ringo Lake Mystery sewers are up to, just follow this direct web link:

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html


For now - got some stitchin' to do and a very special Quilt of Valor needs a label prior to getting awarded...

Later,
~Deb

On Ringo Lake - Clue #1
Clue #2
Clue #3
Clue #4