The Row by Row Experience

I had a hankering to do something different. I saw the Facebook page for the Row by Row Experience and liked the theme Home Sweet Home.   I realized I would have to do some applique, but thought. "Why not give it a try?' Why indeed. So I set out a plan for the Contadino Row by Row, Home Sweet Home quilt.

My goal is to have blocks that represent the various parts of the county my family calls/called home. My daughter lives in South Carolina and she graciously traveled to local quilt shops to get patterns and license plates for her home.

Both of my parents are deceased so it is importance to have a row that honors each of them. My mother grew up in Florida and loved to go shelling at Sanibel Island. I was able to purchase a 2015 pattern from Sanibel Island, Florida.  This years pattern is not available for purchase until November 1st. I was happy to get last years. It an adorable palm tree with turtles, called Tipsy Turtles, from Three Crafty Ladies, Sanibel, Fl.  My next stop will be a trip to the Quilt Box in Dry Ridge, KY.  Dad was born in Perry, Kentucky and went to school in the Dry Ridge area. There is a lot of Bowman and Sechrest history in that area, so a pattern from Dry Ridge will represent dad's side of the family.

For our immediate family I have a pattern from The Quilt Cabin in Goshen, Ohio that represents Clermont County, Ohio, where we live. And it has lots of cats, which we love! Finally we are traveling to the Lake Erie region this week, so I plan to get a pattern from there, as it's our home sweet home away from home.

 Here are the 3 South Carolina patterns I've completed to date. I need to sew the applique down on some. They have been fused. The patterns below are: Sign- Bernina - We're in Stitches and  Home Sweet  Home Away from Home (Viking Sew'n Quilt), in Greenville, SC. The last is from Sew it Goes Quilt Shop in Pendleton, SC.

 

Two patterns from Greenville, SC

Adorable pieced cats from Sew It Goes Quilt Shop in Pendleton, SC.

The next two I need to do are heavy with applique. They are adorable, but lots and lots of fused applique. There is one problem. I suck at applique. Some of the patterns are recommending the satin stitch, which is not on my machine. I don't have invisible thread, and I am horrid at cutting small pieces. Yeah, that's more than one problem. I have ordered invisible thread from Superior Threads and will try using that and a straight stitch to secure the letters. Thank goodness for pieced pieces like the cats.

I will be looking for more patterns that are pieced. The pattern from the Quilter's Workshop in Loveland is pieced (yeah) and I will get that pattern when I quilt my next quilt. I have signed up for a class on fusible applique at Craftsy. This will be a long term project. Hopefully I will learn to be adequate. I doubt I will learn to love it. 

For me the Row by Row Experience is about family and sentiment. I'm in no hurry. I am not committed to getting 8 rows from 8 shops.  Each row needs to have some sentimental value to be included. I am considering making some of my own pieced blocks, maybe even some paper pieced barns and a church to round out my home sweet home collection of rows. As my wise granddaughter advised. Don't worry about it grandma. Just do it. After all we are having fun. That's what it's all about, right? Wise girl, enjoy the process.

Speaking of enjoying the process we where able to get together for a few hours this weekend and she completed a few more rows on her tumbler quilt. The quilt inspector was more of a hindrance than a help.

"What's going on Smokey. I need to sew" said Jana.

"But I like sitting here!"

"There is nothing you can do to get me to leave these tumblers."

 

 

While Jana worked on her tumblers I spent some time making star patches for the Bonnie Hunter pattern Cathedral Stars. This is a work in progress, and going a little slow. At first I felt the colors where too scrappy. As I lay the blocks out and see the pattern emerge I am feeling better about this quilt. I really like those red and purple ladder blocks. They add some spice to the quilt.

Cathedral Stars work in progress.

Finally, Jana wanted to update our photo. She has a new hair cut, so we took another selfie that has the new and updated Jana. I just love that girl, she is the best granddaughter.

Jana and Grandma July 2016

Coming events: Ohio Star Quilt Guild, Port Clinton, Ohio quilt show. And more Cathedral Stars.