Featheration 2Blu features in America

I made the decision mid November last year to honour my mother by entering "Featheration 2Blu" into two American Quilt Shows in 2017. I was elated to receive notification in January that she was accepted into her first show, so with much trepidation posted it to America. In mid March I heard that she was also accepted for her second show. Winners of the first show were to be notified on the 29th March (US time) so it was quite a surprise to find an email that I was a winner at Lancaster Quilt Show when I woke on the 29th. I agonisingly thought I would need to wait until Midnight to find out what I had actually won. Thankfully I found out about 1pm. Not expecting anything a Third Place was much appreciated. Since my husband and I did not take the trip to see my Quilt hanging in the US shows I had to wait until FB friends posted a photo of my quilt to see the ribbon. Knew there must have been a reason why I woke extremely early this morning. These photos came through at 2am.

Limeberry Tart

I was approached by Down Under Magazines last year to write an article about Limeberry Tart.  It had just won First Prize in the Professional Pieced Category  at Qld Quilters Inc Quilt Show. The request came a week before my mother's  passing so I quickly answered the required questions.   A week later it would not have eventuated. Fortunately I was able to show my mother  Limeberry Tart with its first ribbon on my last trip to visit her.
Limeberty Tart now proudly hangs on the wall in my bedroom  for me to admire daily. I am almost ready to share her with a wider audience if she is accepted into NSW show, then I might even let her take a solo visit to the US as well.

I pushed the send button on entering Featheration 2Blu into two overseas quilt shows this week. After the trying time of my mother's passing I thought it appropriate to honour her by furthering the journey of my quilts. I will not find out until 6 weeks before the shows, if I have to send it overseas. Because of the number of quilts entered they Pre Judge entries so my fingers will be crossed. My husband and I were going to make the trip overseas to visit the quilt shows and tour the USA, however, the notification he couldn't get extended time away from work, my mother's passing and the invitation to a nephew's wedding in Hawaii all happened within a 48 hour timeframe. So I will send her alone and watch her journey on social media. A trip overseas to visit quilt shows will come my way someday.

Should I or Shouldn't I

I feel it is about time that I let the larger quilting community of United States see a few of my quilt.  On the insistence of a "quilty sister" I've  started the process.  Still to fill in a few gaps but when you know that a quilt has taken mumerous hours to complete and a show will only value it for $1000 without an appraisal you hesitate.

I'm  still at that same stage two days later.........

Limeberry Tart is now sporting a Blue Ribbon indicating she won First Place in the Professional Pieced Quilt category at Queensland Quilters Inc 2106 Quilt Show. She had some pretty stiff competition in the Best of Show category and Congratulations go to Sue Duffy for her "Cudgery Creek" Landscape Quilt. The dilemma is now shall I send both "Limeberry Tart" and "Featheration 2Blu" on a road trip overseas next year.

Twelve months since my last post, but I can say that I was busy piecing!

Limeberry Tart is made with 14301 half inch hexagons.  From the time I started designing it to finished and dropped off at its first show was exactly 25 months.  So every spare hour for the last two years has been spent on her.

All the hexagons were thread basted, I found I could do this in the car as a passenger, on the numerous road trips we took to visit our two new grandsons.

I calculate, that on average, I  spent almost three hours everyday for those 762 days working on her.  Some days were more others day nothing!

At her first show I was very fortunate to win a ribbon. I entered it in the "Quilts Across Queensland" competition in the  2016 Royal Queensland Show  (EKKA as the locals call it).  It was awarded the Best Machine Quilting Rosette.

Last week she was hanging in the Toowoomba Quilter Club Inc Show during the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers and I know she was admired by many visitors.

Next week it will hang in the Queensland Quilters Inc. 2016 Show and I have been informed it has won an award there as well.  Fingers crossed for her journey and I hope all the attendees enjoy viewing  her.

Not really missing in action

It has been an extremely long time between posts.  Mainly because I have been busy so hopefully I can do some retrospective catching up.  The latest and possibly best news I have had is the Best of Show win by my quilt Featheration 2Blu at the recent Queensland Quilters Inc 2015 Show.  This quilt will now be considered with the other 7 state winners for the Best of Australia in April next year before it sets off on a journey around Australia and New Zealand to the respective State Quilt Shows.

 

To say I was extremely excited would be an understatement.  My new Bernina B720 machine is already ensconced in my sewing table and it hasn't been home for even a week.  It just means my trusty Janome 7700QCP is now looking for a new home.