Olympic Rings Quilt Finished!

The Winter Olympics was exactly what I needed to motivate me to finish the quilt that I started 2 years ago, during the Summer Olympics.  I stitched on the binding this morning, just as the last of the snow is melting. It's 54" by 72"... the perfect size for snuggling under while we watch the Olympics on TV.

I decided to quilt laurel leaf wreaths in each of the rings.  As the legend goes, Laurel leaf wreaths were put upon the victor's heads during the original Olympics in ancient Greece.  The rest of the quilting is my attempt at flames, from the Olympic torch.  I think it was so neat to see it go into space during it's voyage to Russia.

I decided to use a black and white variegated thread in the black top and bottom borders, and LOVE the effect!  I'll be using this technique again!

The back is simple, just some coordinating solids I had.

I love the way the rings and other quilting shows on the back.  As I've gotten better at free motion quilting, I like solid colored backs more and more, as they show off the quilting, rather than hide it.

I hope you are enjoying the Olympics as much as I am.  Call me crazy, but my favorite events are the Half Pipe Snowboarding events, as well as the Mogul Skiing.  I find them mesmerizing.  I think my own background in gymnastics is what makes them appeal to me, as they have so many wonderful flips and twists.  What's your favorite event of the Winter Olympics?

Another totally off topic question I have is what camera do you use?  My point and shoot has bit the dust, and my son's who I've been using (same model, a Cannon Powershot), is following suit.  I took all of these with my ipad mini.  It's OK, but not great.  I really want to save up and get a nice one next.  Thanks for any advice!

Olympic-Inspired Quilt Top Finished!

With the Winter Olympics starting up this week in Sochi Russia, I was motivated to dig out the Olympic quilt that I made 2 years ago during the Summer Olympics (and never finished).

I always try to figure out why certain quilts get tossed in the UFO pile, and for this one, I think it was just too small.  I have no more wall space for any more minis, but decided that a throw quilt for the couch would be perfect for the Winter Olympics.  Luckily I still had some of the original solids that I started out with, and combined them with some solid white to make a bunch of half square triangles.  When I still wanted it a bit bigger, I got out some solid black to extend it, and I'm calling it done at about 54" x 72".

The back is already finished, and batting purchased.

With the 7-8 inches of snow we got over the last 2 days, I should have plenty of time to finish it.

I still have a tutorial for the center of this quilt on this blog.  Click the link above, or the tutorial link if you would like to see it!!

I also have to say that I just LOVE the patchwork quilt motif that is being used in this games.  It's my all time favorite!!

WIP and Weedless Wednesday: Triangles and Okra

I spent the last day or 2 FINALLY finishing putting the binding onto my oldest WIP/UFO!!!  I had the binding corners from both it and my "Purple Haze" quilt sitting next to my sewing machine, and they looked so good, that I had to sew them all together.  I have a few strips of binding left over from both as well, so I've been having fun playing around with them!

By the way, my Purple Haze Quilt did not win any prizes at the festival, but the winners were much-deserved, so I'm still very happy.  On other news, my Med Tech Quilt also came back from its trip to the national ASCLS convention in Los Angeles!  I'm still so thrilled that I had the opportunity to share this with other med techs!!

I did the same thing with triangles from my Olympic Inspired quilt which still isn't finished.  I have been having WAY too much fun watching the Olympics on TV each night!  How about those women's gymnasts last night?!  Yea!!!

Here's my (unnamed) UFO finish:

I started this quilt 2 1/2 years ago with a friend.  We took her stash and both made the pattern in one long afternoon.  We both ended up with a big quilt top, but after I got it home, it sat untouched for 2 years.  I think I spent far too much time talking with my girlfriend than matching up colors LOL.  I finally dug it out a few months ago, and first quilted it, then finally got the binding on this week.  The colors just aren't "me" at all, although the back is all my stash fabric, and that's as close as I possibly could match it.  Since my friend and I both have husbands who fight wildfires, I decided that this will be donated to the Phoenix Quilt Project, which is trying to gather enough quilts to donate to each family who lost a home during this year's wildfire season.

When it comes to the garden, today is a very much celebrated day for me!!  The first okra blossom has appeared!  Yea!!

We also have cucumbers starting to roll in, and more red starting to appear here and there!  I just love this time of year!

If you're still with me, thanks for reading, and go check out what others have been working on over at Freshly Pieced WIP Wed.