Last August, the Chicago Tribune noted the drastic decline of monarch butterflies in 2016. Their migration starts this month. Please add milkweed and nectar plants to your garden. Chris Clarke of KCET wrote an article about the benefits of gardening with native plants.
Cathy posted a fun and easy looking butterfly block on her blog. I think I'll have to try it. I want to make a butterfly quilt this year.
Yep, the Coins have been deposited at my niece's house. Here's the finished Chinese Coins after a quick wash and dry.
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| Improvisational Chinese Coins quilt |
Since Spiderweb is mainly free-motion quilting, I decided on a simpler walking-foot design for this time: parallel lines. I started them across the quilt about 1 to 1.5-inches apart.
Then I returned and added a quilting line between every other set. This maintained the look of the parallel lines, increased the quilting density (which might help reduce the strain on those long seam lines, and added a bit of textural variety.
Spiderweb quilting has been a bugaboo but this was quick and easy. It only took two days to quilt. I need to quilt like this more often.
The middle column contains only three fabrics: blue, yellow and a floral Marimekko. I was able to include the informational text on one of the coins because it was printed far enough away from the selvedge.
A bright blue binding added more color. I think it needed the pop.
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| Beginning parallel quilting lines about 1-1.5" apart |
Then I returned and added a quilting line between every other set. This maintained the look of the parallel lines, increased the quilting density (which might help reduce the strain on those long seam lines, and added a bit of textural variety.
Spiderweb quilting has been a bugaboo but this was quick and easy. It only took two days to quilt. I need to quilt like this more often.
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| Filling in with an additional line between every other pair |
The middle column contains only three fabrics: blue, yellow and a floral Marimekko. I was able to include the informational text on one of the coins because it was printed far enough away from the selvedge.
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| Detail of Marimekko informational text |
A bright blue binding added more color. I think it needed the pop.
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| Chinese Coins binding and quilting details |
Now this quilt graces its new home in Pflugerville. Don't know where that is? Many songs are written about beautiful cities around the world but Pflugerville is a small, farming community north of Austin. Here's video of one by the Austin Lounge Lizards.
Here are stats about Pflugerville's Chinese Coins.
Other sights in the area include Cele's BBQ restaurant (pronounced Seal.) It's been used as a location of several movies including Second Hand Lions {which I've seen} and Texas Chainsaw Massacre {which I have no plans to see.} Great barbeque beef, ribs and sausage but you have to bring your own sides. Really.
Here are stats about Pflugerville's Chinese Coins.
Quilt Details
Size: 57" x 75"
Design: Improvisational Chinese Coins
Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100%cotton
Thread: Gutermann cotton, light blue
Quilting: Parallel lines with walking foot on domestic machine
Other sights in the area include Cele's BBQ restaurant (pronounced Seal.) It's been used as a location of several movies including Second Hand Lions {which I've seen} and Texas Chainsaw Massacre {which I have no plans to see.} Great barbeque beef, ribs and sausage but you have to bring your own sides. Really.
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| Cele Community Center and BBQ restaurant |
Another day we drove over to The Oasis on Lake Travis where you can see some of the most gorgeous sunsets in the world. I haven't eaten there in years - before it burned. Still gorgeous views although we were there at midday rather than sunset.
There's more art than I remember, including this piece.
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| View of Lake Travis from The Oasis |
There's more art than I remember, including this piece.
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| Spaceship Oasis art installation at The Oasis |
Artwork abounds throughout the region. This mural decorates the wall of Google Fiber Austin.
There's still time to link up with AHIQ, too. Share your progress with Chinese Coins or another improvisational or utility quilting here.
Enjoy the day, Ann
InLinkz removed because it was hacked.
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| Mural at Google Fiber Austin |
There's still time to link up with AHIQ, too. Share your progress with Chinese Coins or another improvisational or utility quilting here.
Enjoy the day, Ann
InLinkz removed because it was hacked.