Dresden in Progress

Tracy here! A while ago I posted a tutorial on Perfect Circle Applique and it is time to give you the Big Picture of my project. In June a local quilting shop announced a Dresden Plate challenge and the QT's responded with enthusiasm. I thought I might make a small project but once I got going I got the Dresden Plate bug and wanted to make a quilt - a large quilt. I decided to alternate a Dresden Plate block with an Irish Chain block for a light airy look and got started on the Dresden's first. Here is a look at 2 of 18 completed Dresden Plate blocks - they are all hand-appliqued with silk thread and I learned a lot by doing them.

The next thing to do was to design the Irish Chain block - with a clear picture in my mind but a weakness in the drafting department the QT's helped me with my dimensions. I completed a test block and loved how it will set the Dresden Plates 'on point'.

But the large size of the center block didn't give me the delicate look I wanted so I did a test with a nice-patch as the center block and loved the results. Check it out! What do you think?

I made 18 of the cute little 9 patches and next step was to cut 216 - 2 1/2" blocks for the chains. To ensure a balanced but scrappy effect I made 18 piles of 12 - 2 1/2" squares and distributed my colours somewhat evenly. The first fabric 'layer' in each stack might have all the same yellow fabric but the next layer might have 3 different shades of green.

Now I am busy with my piecing assembly line. It is a lot of cutting and piecing but I really enjoy this part and am having a ball.

I'm linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday!
Needle and Thread Thursday.

A Bit Of Bragging

Last weekend we went to the local fair. It's the Saanichton Fair and it's the longest continually running fair in Canada.
Our friend Gaye (from our Monday afternoon quilting group) entered 4 items and took home a ribbon for each one of them!!! Here they are in no particular order.

This is The 12 Days of Christmas wallhanging.  Gaye has included the story of this quilt, you can see it at the bottom rolled up like a scroll and tied with ribbons. So clever!

Here is Gaye on the left with her lovely assistant Tracy, helping her hold it up for the photos.
This quilt won 1st prize.

This adorable Dresden Plate pillow also won 1st prize. My photos aren't very good quality (sorry) but there is a lot of detail put into this project and it's difficult to see, but trust me- it's beautiful. The buttons were a fun touch too!

This was in the Work In Progress category. Don't you just love that category, lol! If you could win for sheer volume, I would have been a contender but I think you're meant to have a bit of a story along with your project. This one is Gaye's Stack n Whack fans project and Gaye was unsure if the lace she added would be able to stand up to use and washing. So it has been living in the box for a little while. Until we can convince her that the lace is sturdy enough :)
I believe this one got a 2nd prize. 

This one is my favorite.
One year, Karen (another member of our quilt group) suggested a challenge for our us. We all had to bring a fat quarter for each of us plus one for ourselves and use them all in any project we wanted. There was no colour theme at all so we ended up with a very odd assortment of prints. Very Odd. We were allowed to add in 5 extra prints of our own if we wanted. This challenge was a LOT of fun!!! Gaye decided to make a little quilt celebrating our QT Quilters group. 

Top right is a sewing machine with a project on the go. This is the sewing machine Gaye received as a young girl, a child's Singer. And she still has it! I love the crazy goose chase. Pam showed us how to make those. Did I get that name right Pam...crazy goose chase?

My Quilt Infatuation

This part is to remind us how we love to drink tea while quilting. Gaye included 5 tea mugs, one for each of us and 5 spools of thread, all connected and all the tread spills in to the patchwork bowl. The host of each quilt day will put a bowl in the center of the table so we have somewhere to put all our trimmings. And she has included a photo of the 5 of us with our finished challenge projects! You can see why this one is my favorite- it tells the story of us as a group.
Beautiful!!! 

On the back, Gaye included a very detailed story of this project. You can see the row of challenge fabrics we were all given and who gave what, plus the extra she added. Gaye is VERY good at documenting all of her projects. A good example for all us quilters!

Our Challenge projects complete. Except for my quilt. :P
Top row from left- Gaye, Pam & Kim
Bottom row left- Karen & Tracy