Farmhouse Flowers

Here she is--Farmhouse Flowers!  Finished up and ready to go. So much work went into this quilt! 

First the embroidery which included some fancy stitching I'd never even tried before but it turned out pretty well, I think. I did the embroidery last April and May when I was recovering from knee replacement surgery, so I think we can say I began this quilt a year ago.

Wild Roses and Berry Jam

Queen Anne's Lace

Hydrangea, Lily of the Valley, and Bleeding Heart with a Bumblebee

Forget-Me-Nots and California Poppy

Then making a gajillion small pinwheels--spinning the centers to reduce the bulk and then sewing them into the sashing strips, making sure to not cut off any of the points--and that meant unsewing and resewing more than a few times! I made the pinwheels at guild retreat last October and got the top totally pieced in January. 

Then the pieced backing. It took awhile, especially with the inset piece in the center of it, and in the end it was just a hair too short for the top. I went ahead and quilted it up anyway and after trimming the edges and stitching on the binding, all was well.  No naked uncovered parts on the back.  :) Yes, I was a happy girl!

Then the quilting, which I can't show right now since the quilt is in the washer.  Somehow, I managed to get 2 spots on the white embroidery fabric that aren't too noticeable, but I can see them so I hope I can get them out.  As for the quilting, I did a free motion vine and leaf pattern over all the embroidered squares, but not in the embroidered sections.  The pinwheel sashing was the most difficult because the needle had to pass through several thicknesses of batik fabrics in some areas and if I went too fast, the thread would break.  So I had to remind myself to ease up on the gas a little.  Then another vine and leaf in the first cream colored border and nothing in the turquoise flange. I used a swirly floral stencil in the final wide outer border which turned out pretty well.  Binding stitched on last night while I watched a few episodes of "Bomb Girls" on Netflicks. Reminder to self--Never, Ever use a batik binding again!  My finger tips are quite tender this morning from pushing and pulling the needle through the cloth!

So, the quilt was finished last night and first thing this morning, I checked on line to see if the quilt show was still taking entries this late, and they are!  So I registered on line, printed out the labels, and will bring it in to the drop off spot this afternoon.  The show is tomorrow and I'm looking forward to seeing all the beautiful quilts on display.

I don't go to very many quilt shows but this one I really enjoy attending. Maybe it's because many of the quilters in my old guild usually enter, maybe it's because the quilts are quite well made. Maybe it's because there are many great vendors there!  Yeah, I think that must be it!  At any rate, I think this is a safe show to enter my first show quilt and learn what the judges have to say about it.  I promise I'll let you know tomorrow, no matter how bad (or good) it may be.   And frankly, I'd appreciate hearing from you what you think of this quilt as well. How will I ever improve my skills if I don't get critiqued, right?