Hats are the thing!

My niece, Alexis, whom you have seen implanted in a couple of my quilts in earlier posts, gave birth on 9/17/2013 to a set of fraternal twins - Kennedy Ann and Elan John.  Alexis asked me to make some crocheted cloches for Kennedy.

I found this pattern on Etsy at:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/VintageknitNcrochet

This vintage 1920's cloche hat was such fun to make.  The hat is pictured below.  Once I have a photo of Kennedy wearing it, I'll add it to this post.  Meanwhile,  pictures of the twins at 4 weeks old are included.

Update January 2014:  Below is a picture of my great niece, Kennedy, modeling the cloche hat.  She is now 4 months old.  She struck this amazing saucy pose just as I snapped the picture.  She is so totally a siren.

  

ANTICIPATION

For quite a few years I have been collecting black, white, and red fabrics to make a novelty quilt.  I finally got the incentive to design and complete the project when a local quilt shop asked me to teach more classes ~ and, they had just gotten in a big supply of black and white fabrics.

I designed this modular block quilt to include a number of different quilting techniques so that a student new to quilting could learn many skills in the class.  This quilt incorporates modular block building and assembly, stitch-in-the-ditch, free motion quilting, applique, embellishment, thread painting, and use of machine embroidery stitches.

I named this quilt "Anticipation", not only because of my own anticipation in actually completing the quilt, but because of the different motifs of women on the quilt - women anticipating life and love, and their personal journey to come.

Once in a Blue Moon

I'm working with Black and White fabrics on some projects and did a side-step to create this little Cityscape in Black, White and Aqua.  This is a fabric postcard size of 4" x 6" and is done with cotton fabrics, small trims, and sparkly black tulle.

UNDERSTATED

Pictured above is my latest quilt challenge entry for the Rogue Art Quilters Autumn Exhibit.  The challenge is titled "Magical Decorated Doors".  I chose to go with a whimsical theme so that I could incorporate a very funny cartoon of Alice in Wonderland having tea with Dorothy of Oz.  Alice is saying to Dorothy, "Ive seen some weird shit."  I think this is totally hilarious, since we all know where Dorothy recently visited.  

That's why I put my door on a really weird tree with weird colors and weird shapes.  It just seemed to complement the two girls' conversation.  Quilt size is 17" x 14".

The quilt back is pictured below, equally weird.  Such fun.

This quilt will be on exhibit during November and December in Ashland, Oregon at the Family Massage Education Center, 1081 East Main.