"Fly Away with me"

"Fly Away with me", machine trupunto.  One of the only trupunto quilts I have done.  I really like this quilt but it is not really a quilt to put on a bed when you have 3 dogs and a cat. So, it sits in my quilt closet.  I named it Fly Away with me because the entire time I was quilting this I listened to Norah Jones.  It is one of her songs and also a favorite.

Arnica Fire

 Arnica Fire  was made using raw edge appliqué', the stems are melted felt, and over the entire piece I put netting to make it look "hazy".  As I looked out my kitchen window that day, it was very dark but the sun could be seen.  It was just a strange feeling to know that it was ash and smoke from the Arnica Fire.  What made it all the more strange was to know that my son Willie was on this fire, it was in Yellowstone Park several years ago.  At the time I was trying hard to do the Fast Friday Challenges.  And of course Willie and his crew, Lewis and Clark Hotshots,  are always on my mind this time of year, so it just seemed natural to do a FFFC related to fire. 

Not in Wyoming!

This quilt was once a larger quilt, I did it for the Wyoming State Guild Challenge.  I cut it smaller and like it better.  The sand is actual sand.  I used puff paint and sprinkled sand on it before heating it with a heat gun.  The heat gun also melted the tulle that I used as  the sea foam.  The flip flops are 3 D made from fabric for the bottoms and clay for the tops.  Photographer, Kathy Lichtendahl took photos of this quilt for me.  I did submit it for a publication but it was not accepted.    

"Dining out"

Hummingbirds are thread painted as well as the flowers and leave.  I actually used this as a sample in a thread painting class I taught years ago.  I used fabric under the birds, leaves and flowers,  I did not cover it completely.  I now usually thread paint the entire subject.  I found this in my sewing room just over a year ago and finished the thread painting,  put the borders on and quilted it.  It is on display and for sale at the Cody Country Art League.

Thread Painted Zebra

"Gone Wild"

"Gone Wild'  is totally thread, with the beads hanging down and off the quilt.   I made this quilt for the 2013 Wyoming State Guild Challenge.  We had to put a 4 patch in this quilt.  I have be critiqued that I chose to put my 4 patch  in several of the beads.  Not exactly "traditional" but it also said on the challenge rules that we could do a black and white quilt or red and white.  That they would give awards to both.  This quilt took 2nd place because they did not bother to count the votes separate.  If it is 2nd and 1st is red/white, then this is  a1st place quilt!!!