The Race is On.....

Continuing progress is being made on the lions. Eventually I will get to a place where I will work every hour I can in the day to get it done but haven't gotten there yet. I have made several process improvements for myself which have made life far easier for me with this large very complex piece. As a large colored picture would be far too expensive to print, my only full color picture is 8 1/2 x 11. As the piece is 4 1/2 feet by about 6 1/2 feet, there was quite a bit of difficulty translating the places for the colors. My master is the same size as the final quilt and my piecing diagram is about 2 feet by 3 feet but is only the outlines. I finally took the outline I have been using and "Photo Shopped" it down to 8 1/2 x 11 and put it onto a transparency. It doesn't have any numbering on it but does have the lines, even though the areas are tiny in many places. It is enough to help me decide better on the shading and colors as I place it over the color photo I have. I had used an enlarged black and white picture originally to help me draft the pattern and set up the divisions between the areas.

After our preliminary discussions on the various dvds and tapes we exchanged this morning, Priscilla got down to work on the final quilting of her piece. Marcia has been relentless in her support of Priscilla getting this done by next Wednesday! I was forbidden to give her any excuses and Bill was only allowed to exchange a few comments before Marcia brought out the whip again. And just when we were getting plans together for the First Firth Film Festival -- date to be determined.

It is officially spring here as the crocus are blooming all over our front lawn. We still could get snow but it is easy from here!!

I had a question about our Project Iron Quilter that will be part of our 2011 GVQC Quilt Show to be held the first weekend in June. Full details about the show and information can be found at http://www.gvqc.org/. The Project Iron Quilter information is there as well. It will be a contest to finish a quilt (three layers with some kind of binding) in about four hours. Contestants will be able to bring one piece of fabric they can use but the rest will be chosen from a large pile at the beginning of the competition. Contestants will be told the theme of the competition at that time as well. There will be many prizes with the main prize being a Bernina sewing machine. We have room for 20 quilters and 16 have signed up. The last day for signing up is April 15 but you can send a note to me or Priscilla Kibbee (her blog is on my sidebar) or Marcia DeCamp (ditto) if you want to participate. There is a $25 charge but that gets you free entry to the show on Saturday (but you will be busy). Genie Barnes has agreed to be our judge and our main goal is to have a lot of fun.

The finished quilts will be auctioned off by Pat Pauly and the money raised donated to charity.