Blogger's Quilt Festival - Nonna's Garden

My entry for the Festival this Fall is my favorite quilt of the year: Nonna's Garden.


The whole quilt is only 12" on a side, or 24" widest point to point.

The 547 English paper pieced hexagons are 1/2" per side.

I was really proud of it even before it earned my first blue ribbon! A first place for Best Piecing at my local guild show, Ninigret Quilters.

Thanks so much to Amy for hosting this Festival for those of us who can't make it to Houston!

My First Blue Ribbon!

Woo hoo! I'm a little excited, can you tell?

Nonna's Garden earned first place for Best Piecing. All those tiny English paper piecing stitches paid off!

Meadowsweet Dresden won 2nd place for Best Mixed Technique! There was stiff competition in this category. The first place was also Best of Show. (I hope to show you that one tomorrow.)

I brought my mother to the show today, and I had kept the ribbons a secret. We both teared up a little when she saw them. Awww.

Come on down to the Westerly Armory for an awesome show! We'll be there for two more days, Saturday and Sunday, 10-4. See you there!

WIP Wednesday

I've had a very productive week! I think it's because I've been cutting or sewing every possible moment. I worked on a lot of small stuff, but it feels great to accomplish so much.

Finishes:
Nonna's Garden is done, except for a label.

Interlocking Windmills for Quilts of Valor - top is done and ready to pass on to a long-armer.


Blocks:
4x5 Modern Quilt Bee blocks are done and shipped.


September Block Lotto Curved Rail blocks are done.


Blogger's BOM- This looks like it will be a fun BOM! I'm using Denise Schmidt fabrics and some solids.


Blue block for Mod Conn meeting.


Starts:
Mini Ninnie Zig Zag for Ninigret Mini Auction.


Other:
We hosted an Apple Theme event for 46 Daisy Girl Scouts yesterday. (We were prepared for 60.) I prepared the craft project, an apple pencil topper. Glue dots are the best craft invention ever! Do you think I have a large enough stash of googly eyes?

I hope I can maintain this momentum for another week!

Now, off you go...

Nonna's Garden

Nonna's Garden is finished!
All 547 bits of hexie goodness.


My Italian grandmothers both had wonderful gardens and I will never forget which flowers each of them planted. Grandma Downstairs (who lived in the flat below us) tended to phlox, daisies, dahlias and an arch of red roses above a statue of the Blessed Mother. The Other Grandma had lilacs, lilies of the valley and clematis on her front porch trellis. Imagine being welcomed to her little house by 2 curtains of purple! They were both handy with a needle or crochet hook, so I think they would be pleased with this tribute to them.

I enjoyed the entire process, from drafting a plan and choosing fabrics to hand piecing at baseball games to machine quilting.

I'm still a little upset that some of the red dye ran, but I'm trying to let it go.

There is a modern Kaffe print on the back and a stone print as the binding, as a nod to the stone walls of New England.

One more gratuitous shot!

Nonna's Garden by the Numbers:
(547) 1/2" hexagons
12" each side
24" widest point to point