In case you are interested.....

My application, my check and my CD of  only three pictures was just mailed to Paducah for consideration of my quilt in the Lancaster PA show. 

 

Anybody else showing their quilts yet?

How is everyone??

Been very quiet over here at the Cherry Tree blog...wondering how all of you are doing...

Just thought I would do a quick update on my own progress or lack thereof...I ran into some issues with the machine basting on my quilt and long story short, some of my very special applique friends came out to the house and helped rebaste the entire quilt by hand last week. It is now perfectly smooth, layered beautifully and ready to resume handquilting as the nights are turning chilly and outdoor chores are winding down. This quilt was packed into a special wrapper and traveled with us all through Canada and Alaska this summer. When did I think any time would be available to work on this? 

Just 2 photos to post  showing everyone hard at work with the basting. One of the ladies kept us continually supplied with threaded basting needles - how nice is that?!!

Looking forward to hearing where you are at with your quilt...

Pat

Borders

This is the bottom border. My attempts to photograph it were less than stellar.

I still need to do some embroidery for the grape clusters, a few curly stems coming off the top.

I've been working on border #4 aka The Top Border aka The Last Border.  But I ran out of cherries so a little tv time and I had a nice little pile, all ready to applique.

Here is #4.  I put my initials in the center, I'm adding flowers and grape clusters to this border as well, but it really is different from the bottom border There are no birds on #4.  Both side borders are the same as the pattern, well, they have a few more cherries

I'm over 1/2 way through the applique on this last border, I'll be doing the embroidery on the cherry stems and grapes while I work a second round of night shift this coming week.  I start the 7 pm to 7 am shift again this Wed night.  The second and final employee will be trained and on their own as of 7 am Saturday!

Is there anyone else out there still working on their top?  I'd love to see what you have done.  I think that there are 5 from this blog who have finished piecing their tops.  Mimi just showed the gorgeous machine quilting on hers and I know Lori from Humble Quilts has started the hand quilting on hers, I'm sure the cooler days will allow for more quilting.

Please post your progress, we'd love to cheer you along to the finish line.  And if you think it's too much, then how about adding a sashing of 1/2 sq triangles around all your blocks and make a wall hanging? 
Sharon

Binding (verb)....

It's really been quiet on this board.  I know for a fact that many of you are still working on your blocks and we would love for you to share your progress.  

I put my quilt on hold because of the 100 degree weather, so today I decided to put the binding on my quilt.  It's 95 degrees out.  I know....don't ask...I don't have an  answer as to why I picked today to pick up this big and heavy quilt.  

Stitching....

Going around the curves....

Trimming....

Gosh, there's a lot of quilt here to handle....

All trimmed....

Attaching the clips....

Glad I chose to use a bias binding...especially for these curved corners.

Now I am going to sit and stitch that binding down.  

I intend to put a sleeve on this, a label and then start sending off my applications for quilt shows.  

Now...how about a sneak peek at how your's are coming along?

Full picture

Got the family to hold up my quilt (sans binding) in 102 degree weather. 

Here's a close up.

I have  red, straight on grain, binding cut out for this, but now that I see it all done, I am thinking I would rather have my cream/taupe (bias).  So, I will use the red binding for my Swoon quilt that I am making with my left over French General fabric and see what I have left in my neutrals to make a new binding.  

The corners of this quilt will be curved, so I am thinking I will feel more comfortable using bias and I think the neutral binding would look a little more classic on this quilt.  

Some quilted pictures....

I just picked up my quilt from the quilter, but it is dark out and it weighs a ton, so I will post just a few of the pictures that she sent to me in my e-mail.  Tomorrow when I have some help to hold up my quilt, I will post some of my own pictures.  

This one is my backing.

I think she is glad to have it done.  She felt sorry for me when she saw all the cherries she had to stitch around...or maybe she was feeling sorry for herself.  LOL..  Anyways, I love how it turned out.  

Quilting...

5 blocks quilted. Before I move on I plan on using my Hera marker to do a cross hatch in the background. I'll go back and quilt the 5 blocks then move on. So far I'm really enjoying it although the size makes me feel like I'm in a wrestling match sometimes. Especially with this center block!!

Any updates?

How are you all coming on your quilts?  Any progress to report?  Anything at all?

Birthday Girl Sharon

Happy Birthday dear Sharon!!! I hope it is a special year for you! Thanks for starting the BTCT blog and keeping us motivated!!

I have started to quilt mine.  I'm outlining the applique ,  quilting in the motifs and doing a simple curved background filler. 

At Long Last...

 
Just want to share the photo of my completed top...the last stitch was taken today, May 26th. I started this journey in November, 2010 as an applique novice and have learned so much along the way. The main thing I found out, is that there is so much more to learn:o) Now to clean up some stray threads on the back, do a careful pressing and make some final decisions about how it will be hand quilted. Then off to my long-arm quilter for basting...
(The photo was taken in our guest room which has just been painted and is totally empty of furniture - the only area large enough to spread this out and still couldn't get the whole quilt top in for a photo.)

 Pat in Northern Wisconsin

Quilting Two More Blocks

Here is quilting on my 2nd and 3rd block.

As a reminder I am doing the motifs that were on the original, then outlining the applique.

This block isn't quite finished. There are two flowers on the pot, then the star. I'm about halfway done going around the applique pieces.

I do believe the original had small clamshell quilting- can someone tell me if that is correct?
I'm seriously considering crosshatching so I wouldn't lose the motifs.

It is so exciting seeing the tops come together. Keep going!!!

Decisions, Decisions

This is the final layout for my top. I had the blocks all up on the design wall at work (yes, work) and on Saturday I asked M if she would go to the office to look at my quilt top and give me suggestions on the layout. A second opinion is great with something like this. The first thing M did was take a picture and then we started swapping blocks, taking pictures in color and in black and white and moving blocks around. After 45 minutes and many pictures later, I looked at it and said "this is it!" and sure enough, M looked back at her photos and it was exactly the same as when we started. The moral of the story........trust your instincts! Now to start adding the leaves! Sharon

Did you hear my sigh of relief?

I finally finished my top. 

Thought it was done yesterday, but needed a little extra applique on a couple of the ends to make it reach.  This has been a long, but enjoyable 29 or so months. 

I don't have the patience like some of you, so my quilt top is scheduled to be quilted by the quilter on June 1. 

Now....what am I going to do with  myself?



Completed Top

Having a little celebration over here.  I finished my top.  I haven't decided what I am going to do about
the quilting but am happy to have the top completed and to be able to put all the fabrics away..

Mine is finally ready to start quilting,  I am going to hand quilt it and add the motifs that were found on the orgional quilt. 

Quilting Commences!

I got my quilt back from the long armer who was basting it for me. Since the size was more then I could even photograph I wasn't sure how I would baste it properly. I asked her to do a good job because it might be 10 -15 years being quilted! lol

Do I have a plan? Not really. I took the top pattern off my pile and made cardboard templates for the motifs and will start there. I am using my pilot pen that disappears with the iron. I'll stitch the motifs, then on the same block stitch around the applique.

Here's my start! I'm so excited!!

#3 is added....

I attached my third border today leaving the stems loose where it would be attached since I thought they were supposed to flow from one side to the next.

They were way off, so I started looking back at photos and realized they aren't supposed to meet up. Now mind you....this really bothers me.....but in keeping with the antique "reproduction", I stitched those two vines down where they were supposed to be.  Although, I do feel that mine were a little farther apart than they should be.  So to help fill the void (that bothered me, too), I added another cherry.  No one is going to notice.

If anything, people are going to wonder why these vines don't flow ALL THE WAY around this quilt.  Hope they read the little commentary that will be written about this quilt when it is done. 

I am still thinking that more than one person worked on this quilt  and that would explain why these borders are made the way they are. 

I would have given you a bigger picture, but this quilt is BIG and there was no one home to help

 me with it, so you are just getting  the important parts today. 

Now on to side #4. 

Have a Happy Easter everyone. 

Progressing....

Side two is on....

Side three is well on it's way.

I will be trimming after all the borders are on.  Right now I am just glad that two are sewn to the center. 

I'll keep you posted. 



Block 25 aka The Happy Dance

Yes, I'm finished the applique on all the center blocks. 25 done, 0 to go! What a great feeling.

I'm just too whipped to get excited. Once I get the cherry stems stitched, I'll trim down the blocks and sew them all together. I shall post a picture when I get to that stage.
Thanks for cheering me on, sharing all your struggles and accomplishments, it has truly made a difference to me. It's kept me motivated and I've learned so much along this journey. I'm sure it will be another 18 months before this is finished, (I'm hoping is will be done in that time) but one never knows. We need to enjoy the trip, not just the destination.

Bindings?

Not that I am ready to put on my binding yet, but was wanting to finally pack up all my BTCT fabrics which have been out in the open now for over two years. 

What color are you going to bind your quilt in?  I was thinking my scrappy reds or if that was too bright, maybe my scrappy creams. 

Here's just a peek at my second border progress.



Keeping On Task

One more done which leaves me only 2 more blocks, then on to the border. I loved this block so much that I decided to make it again, only this time I've used purples for all the flowers and buds. I deleted two wreath blocks, as I just liked this one more. No other reason

A few birds and cherries and my next block will also be done, it's my "down under" block. I'll be back soon!
Sharon

Finished!

All done!!!  

I posted more photos on my blog 

( http://gwendiesquilts.blogspot.com/ ) along with the rest of my thoughts on finishing this.  It's fairly long and I didn't want to duplicate.  This photo shows motifs.  There are two in this block - a bird and a flower.    

It feels really good to be done.  Who's next?