Sewing with Mom

I promised photos, so here are a few. All works are still in progess, but progress is being made! Mom came up from DC this week, so I took a few days off work and beaded or sewed while visiting.
Bali Bloom is where I left it, waiting for one last row of beads (again). The workshop flower is ready for quilting--I have marked big chalk leaves behind the flower and plan to start quilting those, then see where to go. (you can see the chalk marks if you click the photo.) I've got bright green and turquoise thread out to use for quilting on that dark blue/black fabric. It is not really my style, but an opportunity to practice, and I am determined to get a trapunto effect out of something! Here I trapuntoed the petals, so let's see if the magic happens. Meanwhile, McAuley Angel waits for me. The last time I walked by the statue on Stevens Ave, she was virtually hidden by the bushes surrounding her--I thought they were roses but they are actually a white-flowered bush that looks like Hydrangea.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Projects in Process

One more row of beads to add and THEN I think Bali Bloom will be done. Or at least ready for another round of commentary. The extra beads have added a lot--you'll see.
Meanwhile, the flower started in Barbara Olson's class is appliqued to a background, fabric from behind the flower trimmed away, polyester batting added just behind the petals, stitched using a technique I learned watching a Patsy Thompson YouTube video. The plan is to layer the whole with batting then quilt like a madwoman all over the dark blue background. In several colors.
All this has been a distraction from McAuley Angel, which is waiting to be threadpainted, trapuntoed, attached to the background, then embellished. I'm using what I learn from working on Barbara Olson's flower to help me think through finishing the angel. So it's all interwoven.
I will take pictures and post them very soon. It's been a busy month!

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Bali Bloom Returns

The consensus is No! Bali Bloom needs further beading, so it is back on the unfinished list. Meanwhile, I created a background for McAuley Angel, using the technique from 'Vase' (see Feb. 16, 2009, Invitation!) which involves tiny bits of fabric. I am at the tedious stage of tearing off the stabilizer that held all the bits in place while I quilted. You can see some of the stabilizer still in place in the photo. Once the stabilizer is off I can wash the background, then applique the angel, who awaits thread painting.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts

Bali Done

Bali Bloom is finished! Or at least I think it is. I have it ready to take to the office tomorrow and see how it looks on display--and whether others concur that it is complete. Beaded several weeks while hanging out with my father-in-law watching the Red Sox on TV. What do you think? Is it done yet? Click on the photo to see a larger picture. The beading actually looks subtle in this shot!


Several of us met up for a quick trip to the Lowell Quilt Festival. We spent Thursday at a wonderfully fun workshop with Barbara Olson.We worked on flowers using very wild, vivid colors and patterns and learned design principals and an applique technique involving glue (which I am not at all fond of. In fact, in order to finish my piece I think I will need to figure out a different technique!)
But we had such a great time together and saw oh so many beautiful, take your breath away quilts.

Quilt gallery and quilts for sale at: http://community.webshots.com/user/roconnorquilts