8 Days a Week - Project Quilting Season 8, Challenge 1

Several years ago I came across an exciting way to challenge my brain and creativity

in quilting.

Kim at Persimon Dreams hosts Project Quilting.

She announces a challenge and you have one week to create something quilty.

Prizes can be won and it's a great way to meet new blogging friends.

Season 8 of Project Quilting has just begun and there will be 6 challenges.

This is my 5th year to participate and even with a crunch of a schedule, I couldn't let this challenge go by.

Challenge 1 - 8 is Great

The song, "8 Days a Week" was one of my first thoughts when the challenge was announced. 

8 love notes (hearts) for every day.

The Rules:

1. Your project must somehow involve the number 8.

2.  Incomplete or unfinished does not qualify. Every challenge piece must be a FINISHED project seen through from INCEPTION to COMPLETION during the challenge timeline (January 1 through January 8, 2017). Each piece must stand alone as DONE to count toward prizes. 

3. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the week of the challenge (started on or after January 1, finished by January 8). 

4.  Your project does not need to be a traditional quilt, but must meet at least one of these requirements:

1. Include patchwork.
2. Include appliqué.
3. Have 3 layers stitched together by hand or machine.

5.  Link up a blog post, flickr image, instagram post, or public facebook post  by Sunday, January 8th, 2017, at noon CDT.

To my husband, who I've been away from lately because of work, here is my love in a jar.  Every pizza you eat while I am away can come out of the oven with this 8" hot pad and you will think of me missing you 8 days a week.

Since I've been out of town a lot, sewing had to wait until yesterday, but I have been planning my design for this challenge on my computer all week.  If you would like to make your own jar, I have included the templates here for you.  Just save the next 3 pictures and make them the size you would like.

8 Days a Week is a fusible appliqued (HeatNBond Lite) quilt.

Before I stitched around the hearts with black thread, I backed the piece with high loft fleece.

A little ruffle and ribbon were added for a 3 D effect then I made a quilt sandwich with another piece of fleece and stitched around the jar and quilted the background.  This made the jar look like it pops off the background.  

The quilting is figure eights and swirls. 

Do you practice your freemotion quilting before stitching it?

I have to get my brain into the design before I can stitch it.

8 Days a Week

A jar full of love.

Project Quilting Season 8, Challenge 1 - 8 is Great

Made by Carla in Dodge City, Kansas

http://www.createinthesticks.blogspot.com/

Size:  8" x 8"

Fusible Applique with black stitching,  Ruffle
Freemotion quilting "8's"  by me

You can see all the other challenge projects and vote for your favorites starting at noon central on

January 8th

by clicking 

HERE.

The next challenge will be coming up next weekend.
Are you ready to join us?

You Can Can Can

Welcome to Creatin' in the Sticks

 

where

 

 

You Can Can Can.

 

You Can Can Can.  My quilt of can-can dancers.

 

This quilt is for the "Think Ruffles" Blog Hop and welcome to my day in the hop.

The creative mind of Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt came up with this hop to showcase

RUFFLES

and Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy is doing an incredible job of keeping the hop organized.

 

My inspiration.

 

In case you missed it, I live in Dodge City, Kansas and when I think of ruffles I think of dresses with lots of them.

 

Can-Can Dancers!!

 

 

It pays to have artistic friends. 

 I was chatting about what I wanted to make at work one day when the most artistic nail artist happened into the break room.

30 minutes later she handed me a drawing of a Can-Can dancer.

We are offering the template on Craftsy.

 

 

I machine stitched the hair and faces with 2 strands of thread.

Of course every hair do is a different color.

(I'm a hair stylist)  :)

 

 Every time I finished one Can-Can girl, I would tell hubby, "this is my favorite" and then I would make another and that one would be my favorite.

 

This quilt would be very large if I hadn't had a deadline.

I LOVE making ruffles and can-can girls.

*I'm dancing*

 

 

The feathers are just a bit of trim that looks like feathers.

I would have used actual feathers, but the dyed variety aren't color fast.

 

Fusible was used for the legs with Moda Basic Grey Little Black Dress floral lace fabric. I used a blanket stitch around the legs.

 

The dresses are yards and yards of ribbon.
Satin and organza ribbon.

Between 5 1/2 - 7 yards per dress depending on the size of the ribbon.
 ( I was shocked when I kept track.)

I was inspired by Madame Samm's method of making ruffles on the machine.

Some of the dresses have organza ruffles inside, but I learned the hard way that it melts.  lol

So the right side of the skirts (the part under the fused leg ) is satin ribbon. Satin ribbon doesn't melt.  *winking big*

The garters are just a wee bit of satin ribbon.

 

I felt that the quilting needed to be feathers, (a first for me) so I free motioned using my Janome.

The edges were cut in a scallop (another first for me)

and a ruffle added using Moda Basic Grey Little Black Dress 2 Timeless fabric for the

ruffle and the binding. 







 

 

The photos were taken at Dodge City's Boothill Museum in front of the Long Branch Saloon where every night of the summer you can see real live Can-Can dancers perform.

Hubby and I try to go at least once a year for dinner, the gun fight, and the variety show.

 

 

Made for Me?  Yes, to hanging in my Dodge City themed guest bed and bath.

 

If you are ever in the area, I recommend a visit to the Boothill Museum.

I made one more Can-Can dancer for Allison, my artist.

Pink hair for this one. *wink*

 



 

This drawstring bag was made using my friend, Jennifer at Glinda Quilts tutorial for a pants bag.

The same fabrics were used and a ruffle around the oval made it look a bit old fashioned.

It reminds me of those old fabric picture frames.

 

Now get the heck out of Dodge and go see the other beautiful ruffles of the day!

 

March 11^th

Needle and Hook

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Blessings From Our Nest

Little House on the Dairy

Just One More Stitch

Creatin' in the Sticks Yours truly

Just Sew Quilter

 Amy has the complete schedule, just click here.

We're having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The way that she moves
That thermometer proves
That she certainly can can-can.

Read more: Irving Berlin - Heat Wave Lyrics | MetroLyrics

 

You made it this far.  You deserve a giveaway! Update: Giveaway is over. I didn't have any fabric left from these projects, but my local quilt shop had a couple Moda Basic Grey Little Black Dress fat quarters to offer.  

 

I had a couple spools of ribbon.

Just leave a comment and if you follow leave a second comment saying you do.

That's 2 chances to win.

Just make sure I can-can e-mail you if you aren't a Google user.

Giveaway ends Sunday, March 16th.

 

The Winner is:

Maggie!

maggie said...

Carla, I am just gob-stopped over your can-can quilt. It is so clever, and original. Wow!
I am so glad to read that you are keeping this one. Well done,
cheers
maggie