Green Altar Parament

I’ve been needing to document this project for a while now. Today is the day. I received permission to create a green parament for the altar at my church – collected green samples and purchased yardage for the chosen few. First job was to create a pattern. It was to be a stained glass affect. I love this art because it is so freeing to think outside the box and create whatever God may place within my reach.

Here are some pictures of the process. Hope you don’t find it too boring:) I love the art and am dreaming of a purple parament for Advent!

After drawing the pattern to lay on the table, I copied it to cut up and use to cut the fabric. Each piece is numbered.

It all looks so easy with these few pictures. It was a work of love!

Corn Flower Zipper Bag

Corn Flower Zipper Bag

A wonderful neighbor has been ‘getting her exercise’ by mowing our lawn along with hers.  She has mowed around the wild flowers, leaving beautiful sprays of nature’s color as the seasons change.  I took a picture of the cornflower crop and sent it to https://spoonflower.com, a company that creates fabric and paper products from photos.  As a gift for her, this zipper bag was made from twill fabric and lined with quilting fabric and batting, with free-motion quilting. The bag is 8 x 10 inches with a 48″ strap — just the right size for quick errands. She loved it!

Time to add backing to the Garden Gate

Time to add backing to the Garden Gate

Quilting on a flat bed machine is not for the faint of heart!

With Garden Gate, all the ‘quilting’ is already done on the top square — thanks to Steve Wilson and http://www.Anita-Goodesign.com.  On this quilt, even the batting (Warm & Natural) in already sewn into the individual squares.  The pictures below show the steps I took to begin backing the quilt.  The finished product is not going to be perfect and I accept that in advance, with the prayer that even so, I can do all things through Him who gives me strength!  Phil 4:13.

The quilt is quite heavy so I’m thankful for the walking foot on the Bernina 830 that helps me get somewhat even stitches.

Here is the quilt tag that is sewn on the bottom corner of the backing.  The quilt tag is from a Mini Collection by http://www.Anita-Goodesign.com called Quilt Labels.  There are 20 designs total in the collection.

I used the batik fabric for the backing that matches some strips on the front, using two different colors/designs – simply because I like them.

Quilt Tag

To Aubrey from Granny with love 2017

Quilt Backing

Batik sewn in strips for the backing.

Knee pads are important in sewing too!!

Pinning the quilt to the backing – I used at least 80 size 3 basting pins to hold the quilt in place.

Stitch in the ditch

It is only necessary to stitch in the ditch around the blocks for this quilt.  I took the pins out as a square was finished.  That helped to see the progress.

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Slow and steady — sewing around each square took nine hours!