WEDDING GIFT SEASON

I don't know if there is a season for wedding gifts, around my house they are in season all the time.  I suppose it comes with the territory.  That territory being a large family.  I am the oldest of 6 siblings; 4 girls and 2 boys.  My youngest sister has had one wedding recently.  The following is the blog about that quilt:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2011/04/wedding-quilt.html

Then we found out there is to be a wedding, The last of October.  I drove to Denver last week to deliver a quilt for them, just in case I couldn't go in October.  The following is about that quilt:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2011/08/let-it-snow.html

My husband's family has surprised us with a Wedding in Vegas.  The couple, of course, has their registries.  I don't know the wife well. I went to the registries to find her colors.  I had thought I would make her a set of place mats and napkins for her kitchen.  I saw something I knew would be one of a kind and she wouldn't be able to buy it anywhere.  She had chosen  the Lenox Botanical Boutique collection.  There is a platter in the group (the following is a pix of it)

This picture came from http://www.tableandhome.com/prodbbgefh site.

I copied the picture, enlarged it until it was approximately the size of the actual platter (I had to go to 350%).  Then I traced it onto white paper.  I had decided to make a table runner which could be used under the vases and platters.  The following is the plan, but I still had to deside how to execute it.

I had thought I would probably applique.
 My applique skills are on the good side (I don't do iron on applique).  But as I looked at the patterns on the paper I thought , "This has to be done by September 11th."  No Way, popped into my head. 
I re-looked at the googled images and noticed they seemed to have variegated colors.
I am hoping this is not a camera reflection.

I decided to execute the designs in embroidery.  My Needlework skills are so-so, but I figured I could do acceptable on at least one stitch.  I tried a back stitch and it looked terrible.  I pulled out all the stitches and tried a split stitch.  It looked worse.  Then I tried a stem stitch.  It looked nice.  While I've been doing it I have developed a rhythm which may not be the correct stitch but it is working for me.

Pencil used in tracing the pattern onto the fabric.

 I used a quilt marking pencil  in blue to draw the pattern on the fabric. 
The fabric is a white on white that has an extremely small design on it. 
It gives it the look that is frosted (the glass on the items is frosted crystal). 

I am tracing off one section at a time.  I have finished one section and am on the second section. 
I started on opposite corners.  I don't know if I want all four sections I have planned.

Hooped section I am working on.

Finished section unpressed, because I don't want to press in any dirt that might be on it.

As you can see I have chosen 6 skeins.  Each one with an "olive" edge to it.  These are DMC floss.  They are current.  I just purchased them on the 29th.

I can't tell you what size needle I am using.  I pulled it out of the pin cushion and used it.  I picked it because it has an eye, just big enough to get two strands of thread through with a needle threader and it had a great point.

I have not planned borders or any other finishing.  I do have a batik downstairs with the correct colors.  Right now I think I will only do the two patterns on opposite corners.  I don't want it to be too busy to set the items on (when I finish the second pattern I will make a decision if it needs more designs).

Thank you for visiting.  I love sharing my projects.  All writings, patterns, and pictures are mine.  Please ask permision before using.  (Credit is given for items not my own)

For more blogs by me visit at:

  http://www.organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

This is a garden blog, but it occasionally has recipes on it.

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly

LET IT SNOW

I am sorry I  haven't worked on the tutorial for the "Sweet Sixteen" Quilt yet.  Why?  I have had to rush to get a quilt together for another wedding.  It seems the stars and  planets were aligned, I had available just what I needed.   I participated in a block swap with 3 special friends.  Friends I met through the Internet.  One of them saw this pattern in a magazine (can't remember which one).  She wanted to do it.  We were visiting her in her home in Chicago.  It was the week of the first international Quilt show held in Rosemont.  We decided to help her out and make three different fabric blocks each (making 4 of each fabric) and then swap them out.  She had a bolt of white on cream which was divided between the 4 of us.  This would give some cohesiveness to our project. 

We worked on our blocks and swapped them out quickly, but mine sat waiting for me.  When the invitation to the wedding came I immediately thought of them.  The invitation had deep purple roses on it.  The couple lives in the Denver Area.  I thought about the snowflakes waiting. 

The stash held a purple that looked nice with them for borders.  There was just enough for binding (the only left over I had was 2 four inch pieces of binding). 

My Stash has been raided and my UFO pile is one less.  This is the quilt.

SNOWBOUND 78" X 53"

It has been so long since we made the blocks I can't tell you who designed the quilt or what magazine it was in.  I will tell you, the little blocks are only 1 1/2 inches unfinished.  Lots of ity bitty sewing went on!

UPDATE:  

THE COUPLE WHO RECEIVED THIS QUILT HAD A BOY NOVEMBER 2, 2014!

SEE THEIR NEW ADDITION HERE:

http://luckylocker.blogspot.com/

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://pitbulladog.blogspot.com

Chronicling our adventures with a dumped Pit Bull Pup,

who has become a hidden treasure.

  http://www.organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

This is a garden blog, but it occasionally has recipes on it.

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

TWO BITS DON'T MAKE A DOLLAR

But with two bits of fabric you can start a quilt. 
Add two more, etc and etc, and you can end up with this:

I call this Quilt Pattern "Sweet Sixteen Gets Kissed". 

This is is my own pattern.  I made it from the trash I would have normally thrown away.  For years I have been cutting the tiny trash into squares and throwing them into a bag.  I had no idea what I was going to do with them.

I decided I needed to use the bag of 2" squares I accumulated. I have the need to control the outcome of my projects so sorted the squares (next batch I will sort as I go..lol).  I am not one who can just grab in a bag of of darks and a bag of lights and sew.  I would obsess when I pulled out a dark that it did not match with the light I pulled out.  The sorting began. I made a light bag and a dark bag of each color family. 

The squares were joined into four patch segments and the four patches were joined into a 16 patch block.  Then I constructed blocks the same size as the finished 16 patch block with a square in each corner which kisses the corner of the sixteen patch blocks.

Hence the name "Sweet Sixteen Gets Kissed".

The construction of these blocks is fairly elementary but I have a couple of techniques which made the top lay nicer.  I believe it will help with the quilting of the top. 

86" X 69"

Border sashing 6 1/2 inches unfinished. 

Construction techniques with pictures will follow in a blog titled:

"Sweet Sixteen Gets Kissed"

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/02/sweet-sixteen-gets-kissed.html

 

Other blog sites by me:

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets.

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry

about Blogs seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

New Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

All recipes, pictures, writings and Ideas presented

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission.

All pictures and Patterns presented here are mine.