Me again!  I’m sure you’ve already heard – over 40 quilts were created in just one week for the first Project QUILTING Challenge – String Along with Me.  Which means…there will be quite a few posts the next few days on the ‘Closer Looks’ at all these quilts.  The stories behind them are definitely worth reading!  At anytime this week be sure to head over to the ‘Voting’ post.  You can vote for THREE of your favorite quilts created for this challenge!

1. Off To Grandmas House, 2. Prayers for Katrina, 3. First String Stockings, 4. String Along Shopping Bag, 5. Bouncing Ball, 6. Sending Love Pouch Project Quilting Season 5 Submission, 7. Project Quilting Strippies 2014 013, 8. Strings of Sunshine Created with fd’s Flickr Toys

Quilter: Cinnamonchip

Off to Grandma’s House

Project Quilting: Season 5, Challenge 1. "String Along with Me"
Since this was the first Project Quilting challenge I have attempted, my primary goal was to finish the project within the week. I had initially thought I might make a coaster with a quilted background and appliqué something of myself onto it. However, it turns out that my stash of fabrics did not have the colours and textures that I had planned in my head, and I didn’t have the time to go shopping for just the right fabrics. (I just wanted to jump right into the challenge). While searching for inspiration I came across a lovely pattern that I knew would make a fabulous Christmas present for a specific special person. I even had the fabrics in the colours I wanted. In the end I made four coasters (about 3.5″ x 4″) and a hot pad/trivet (about 9.5″ x 10.75″). I named the set “Off to Grandma’s House” because the colours have a bit of a Little Red Riding Hood feel to it. I’m happy with how it turned out, and I’m pleased to already have a Christmas present crossed off my list. I create this January 2014 in Ontario, Canada.  

Quilter: sharonhuismith

Prayer’s For Katrina

Made in MI, Jan 2014
Measures 18" w x 21" long.
Our daughter, Katrina, was at U of M Neurology Clinic for testing this week when I was challenged to make a quilt using strips of fabric. We had so many people praying for Katrina that I decided to weave my strips of fabric together to represent the prayers being offered on her behalf. The various fabrics represent quilts I made for a variety of people including family members, people from church, and gifts to strangers – representing the large number of people praying for Katrina. There is even a trimmed piece from a U of M quilt I made for the church auction last fall! I purposely left the bottom unfinished so we can add more strips/prayers if/when we want to. It’s a reminder "to pray without ceasing" – we are never "done" praying. It was a comfort for me to work on this quilt while I stayed home with our other daughter and my husband went with Katrina to Ann Arbor. The quilt back is made from strips of fabric sewn together to form a "new", unique fabric – kinda like our family life is right now; we are learning how to live our lives in a new way that will have it’s own beauty and design. I attached buttons on the back side and tied the bright blue pearl thread on the front. I bound the quilt with "peace/love" fabric that Katrina picked out a year ago. There really is no front/back to this quilt as it’s completely reversible. It will always remind me of the comfort of God’s people praying for us as well as the comfort of God hearing and receiving our prayers.  

Quilter:  Carlotta Jean

First String Stockings

Project QUILTING: Season 5, Challenge 1–String Along with Me
Made by Carla in Dodge City, Kansas
www.createinthesticks.blogspot.com/
Size each 9" x 17"
String pieced NFL Christmas Stockings These stockings are for two of my favorite NFL football fans – my kids. I had a ton of scraps from making this quilt – www.createinthesticks.blogspot.com/2013/11/football-fever… and this quilt –www.createinthesticks.blogspot.com/2013/12/football-quilt…. When Kim over at Persimon Dreams announced the new season for Project Quilting and it was string quilts, I new it was my chance to make these stockings that have been in the back of my mind for a while.
I string pieced these on batting and then lined them and string pieced a cuff for the top. I also made sure to make a big loop for hanging.
I’ve started the year with a little scrap busting with this challenge, too. YEAH ME!  

Quilter:  quilts by lisa

String Along Shopping Bag

Made for Project QUILTING: Season 5, Challenge 1–String Along with Me This large shopping bag (18” x 20” x 8”) is made from cotton fabric scraps, some canvas, and a cotton fabric lining. It has 80/20 batting in it and the 18 string blocks were pieced on interfacing to add extra body to the bag. It’s very sturdy! At our recent family Christmas party there were many gifts carried in flimsy paper shopping bags. My sister carried hers in a beach bag complete with appliquéd bikinis — it was durable, but not exactly “in season”. Thinking about that gave me the idea to make a large shopping bag from fabric. I used a large re-usable tote from Michael’s as a pattern/guide to make my bag. For the handles I used poly webbing. I stitched some of the bag’s accent fabric on the straps to make them a bit more interesting. Made by Lisa in Kentucky for Project QUILTING Season 5, Challenge 1. Project QUILTING hosted by Kim at Persimon Dreams.  

Quilter: KKrieg

Bouncing Ball

Lately I have been doing a lot of scrap quilting so this challenge was perfect for me. My quilt is 18"x24" and I quilt in Chandler Arizona.  

Quilter: Kerry Porter, PrettyLadyBaby

Sending Love Pouch

Dimensions 9 inches tall 14 inch wide  

Quilter: Carolyn Trezona

Wonky Piano

This is my first project on Project Quilting Season 5. I started off making wonky strips of fabric (remembering to think out of the box) and standing back and taking a look, it suddenly occurred to me that it looked like a wonky piano so hence my Wonky Piano! On the dark purple strips I quilted a sort of Bass Clef and on the piano keys I quilted Jester’s Hats picturing a Jester dancing to the music. The Jester’s Hats quilt design I learned from Ivory Spring. The table runner measures 37×15 inches. This was a lot of fun and I look forward to the next assignment. Carolyn.  

Quilter: Marcia’s Crafty Sewing & Quilting

Strings of Sunshine

Project Quilting Season Five Challenge ONE
Marcia Wachuta
Marcia’s Crafty Sewing and Quilting
Boscobel, Wisconsin
Name of Quilted Table Topper – Strings of Sunshine
I made this for my daughter’s patio table where they eat most of their meals.
I posted about creating my project in three posts on my blog. This is the link to all three, starting with the last post: marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/search/label/PQSeason5Ch1