Wednesday, March 16, 2011

EXCITED....EXCITING!!!!

Wow!  I have finished quilting the Gypsy Kisses {pickle-dish} quilt.....


The pattern is from Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke's Material Obsession 2....I started this quilt way back in October!!!!  Pickle-dish is a block design I have always loved...and since I knew the Quilting Fairy wasn't going to bring me one, I had to do it myself.  What's a girl to do?


The pattern calls for 4 rows of pickle-dish blocks (3 in each row), but I didn't need a quilt that large so I made mine 3 by 3....the final measurement is about 93 inches square....more or less....


The arcs are pieced using foundation piecing and then the entire arc block is hand appliqued onto the background....the center eyes are appliqued to the center section of the arcs....


I added a piano key border to the two sides and a background border to the top and bottom....and hand quilted the quilt with perle cotton...


I absolutely LOVE this quilt....as you can see by all the photos :)

  
Other news that has got my heart a thumpin'....I was tickled to find out that Carla is featuring my blog today as she celebrates her one year blogiversary.  Her blog is Lollyquiltz....she is one talented lady so I am thrilled that she wants to feature little old me.  And not to mention that she has been blogging for a year now....that is something to be applauded!!!  Visit her blog...she is planning a giveaway tomorrow!!! 

Now that my pickle-dish is quilted....it is time to start my Tea Party {Strawberry Fields} quilt....


This is a pattern by Sarah Fielke from the first Material Obsession book...I am telling you - I can't get enough of these books...these women are some seriously talented gals!!!
I marked my quilting lines with a Hera marker....


A Hera marker leaves a crease line to follow rather than an ink mark....


I have chosen my colors...perle cotton of course....


love hand quilting :)

Finally,  with all the excitement going on....my quilt, the quilt along at Lily's Quilts {which is just too much fun}, the tea party at work and all the fun stuff going on at Sew To Speak, and finals and cleaning the bathroom :(  ...... I forgot to mention that I won another award!!!  I was honored by Cindy at Rose Room Quilts with the Stylish Blogger award!!!


As a recipient of this award I have to list 7 little known facts {or not so little known} about me....hmmmm.....
1. I am a child of the 60's 
2. I was born in Ohio and attended THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY....Go Bucks!!!
3. I am married to Mike
4. We have 3 beautiful daughters and one mutt
5. Everyone in my family has an M name...which made it difficult to yell someones name without stuttering....Mike, Mary, Molly, Maggie, and Mary McNeil 
6. My dog's name is Flanders...and I love every inch of her :)
7. I want to live {at least part of my life} in Ireland...proudly we are of Irish heritage

I will need to choose other blogs pass on this award...YAY...another excuse to peruse the blogs!!!

Okay- sorry for the very wordy post!!!
mary

29 comments:

  1. oh.my.gosh. This quilt is 100 kinds of AWESOME! Completely stunning. Bravo!!

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  2. Your quilt turned out amazing! And the marking tool is really cool...I've never seen that before, Thanks!

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  3. I have no words to describe my awe over this quilt. Well, let me try .... it's amazing, phenomenal, breathtaking and beautiful. I have enjoyed seeing snippets of it in your posts and now seeing the complete quilt I feel like I was a part of it!

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  4. Mary Mary ! ... I've been ogling all the little details over the weeks and NOW! WOW! This quilt is absolutely wonderful ... no quilting fairy could have brought you anything quite so beautiful, I can guarantee that!

    Wonderful work ... you are such a star!

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  5. WOW! What a work of art...Love it!

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  6. Wow your quilt is beautiful! And the hand quilting looks amazing :)

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  7. All that lovely work and clean bathrooms too!!! Congrats on your award...well deserved!

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  8. absolutely gorgeous!!! Your use of color is just the best in the pickledish quilt. Congratulations on a beautiful quilt!

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  9. Wow, that looks absolutely gorgeous! I've been contemplating that pattern for a long old while, and you may finally have convinced me to give it a go (just as soon as imminently-expected baby number two starts to give me five minutes' peace...)

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  10. I would really like to get myself one of those Hera markers because I dont like marking in ink or in chalk and I do a lot of hand quilting...thank yoU!

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  11. so beautiful! I just love your newest addition! :-) oh, and just fyi... if you go to mollyflanders.com ... it is NOTHING like your blog. hahaha.

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  12. That quilt is awesome !!
    You must hand quilt in your sleep :-)

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  13. Congratulations Mary on the blog award, and an OMG....I LOVE your pickle dish quilt....the piano key border, and the bold yellow backing is Perfect !!! Hey, we have lots in common, I'm Irish, I'm originally from Ohio and best of all we both love to quilt...
    Wendy

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  14. It is a gorgeous quilt! Love the hand quilting!

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  15. This is absolutely STUNNING! I am so impressed, and cannot imagine the amount of work this took. You amaze me Mary!

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  16. Congratulations on a beautiful finish!
    ; )

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  17. Wowser- your quilt is STUNNING! I wish I had that patience! Something to be treasured for sure!

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  18. As always Mary, your work is breathtaking! You give us newbies something to aspire to! Thanks for sharing your talent!

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  19. You are a stylish blogger and amazing quilter to boot. I adore your quilt so much. Congratulations on a fabulous finish. I have that Betty Dear background fabric, it looks wonderful and the black spot and the perle, it's everything I love. You should send Kathy a photo, she'd love that.

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  20. that is a splendid quilt indeed!
    I love your patchwork.

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  21. Your pickle-dish is amazing! Love the quilting!

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  22. One of the most beautiful quilts I have seen in quite a while. Simply stunning!

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  23. Love your Gypsy Kisses--It is just fantastic!

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  24. i am so happy to see you featured on everyones blogs. you are so deserving. this quilt leaves me speechless...but everything you do does. if i were your daughter i would be quiet and wait to see what comes. i have never seen a quilt of yours that i did not adore! i am out to find a hera marker because i do everything you suggest which makes ME a very slow quilter now! practice makes perfect though.

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  25. also i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your new header for the blog!

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  26. Wow! That is some quilt! Very impressive! I love the black mixed with the colors. Saw it on Pinterest. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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