For the last ‘Closer Look’ of the ‘It’s Where I Live Challenge’ we’re going to take a closer look at the piece I created – Tree Topography. 

Tree Topography

I live on Kroncke Road, Poynette, WI
so my three colors were
'K'haki
'P'ersimmon (shades of Persimmon...of course I had to go with Persimmon - my daughter's name is Persimoni!)
'W'alnut
Browsing flickr for some inspiration I came across some topography quilts - as soon as I saw one I knew this was what I had to do! Not only is it perfectly fitting for the 'where I live' theme but I used to be a civil engineer and my husband is a land surveyor. PERFECT! To make it even better - we had a topo map of our orchard from when we built out house. I had to use 14 different fabrics to create the topo of our land and I used both reverse appliqué and raw edge appliqué to create the look you see.

When I was done with the topo portion of the quilt I looked at it the long way and I saw a tree trunk forming for me in the higher contours. I just couldn't shake that feeling that this piece wanted to become a tree. And so I listened to it and I'm super happy that I did!
I used brown thread for the appliqué and then two different shades of orange for the free motion quilting of the tree and contours. I added a bit of copper metallic thread to the tree just to add a touch of sparkle.
I am beyond happy with this piece!
This piece measures approximately: 28.5" x 14.25"

The next and LAST Project QUILTING Challenge goes up tomorrow at NOON!  It’s not too late to get into all the fun – great prizes and the Grand Prize is AMAZING!

Miss Earlier Closer Looks? No Worries!

• A Closer Look, Part 1
• A Closer Look, Part 2
• A Closer Look, Part 3

close up of the Barn Quilt at Lapacek’s Orchard 

Wow!  As I was typing up the title of this post I realized we’re half way through the 3rd season.  I don’t know about you but I’ve really enjoyed myself this far – can’t wait to see what the last three challenges bring us!
Sticking with tradition, before we get to the challenge – let’s go over all the

PRIZES

Prize 1 QuiltsbyBarb is giving a gift certificate for $20 off machine quilting. The coupon expires in 6 months from the date issued and is not transferable

Prize 2 Quilties is giving away an adorable ‘I Love Quilting’ Keychain!

Prize 3 Marcia’s Crafty Sewing and Quilting is offering a Gift Certificate of $30.00 off Quilting on a Baby size or larger. The Gift Certificate will be good for 60 days from the date of issue. The gift certificate is transferable so you can share it with a friend if you’d like.

Prize 4 The Fat Quarter Shop will be giving one lucky winner a layer cake of their choice!

Prize 5 LoveBugStudios is giving a Quiltspirations! Mystery Card Pack  from her latest venture, quiltspirations.com.

Prize 6 Dye Candy is donating one yard of stunning hand-dyed fabric.

Prize 7 Fabric Fascination is donating a Fabric Bundle: 6 Fat Quarters from Kathy Davis Happiness Collection for Free Spirit in Indigo - 1 1/2 YDs (ps. I have this collection in another color way – SPECTACULAR!

Prize 8 Quiltology is giving a coupon for her longarm quilting services for 20% off with a minimum $40 purchase. All of her patterns are online.

Prize 9 PennyFabricArt is donating pretty little mini quilts from for a prize!

Prize 10 OddStuffbyXanthe is giving a beautiful small, original collage on a wooden block and a fun pin with a print of her original art work. 

Prize 11 TheApple is donated $10 to be redeemed at her etsy store on her handmade jewelry.  (aka my other etsy shop)

AccuQuilt’s Barn Quilt

The Challenge – Barn Quilts

As many of you already know, we have a barn quilt at Lapacek's Orchard.  Last week, a new barn quilt went up a few miles for us on a barn that is being converted into a wedding venue. Since barn quilts are on my mind, this week's challenge is inspired by barn quilts.

1. Your inspiration for this week is Barn Quilts.
2. Your project must include at least one block that would make a great barn quilt. Official barn quilts are usually 8 feet square, but you can make yours any size you choose.
3. The block can be manipulated and/or incorporated into a larger project, or it can stand on its own. 
4. Both the block and the project must have a name.  It is OK for the name of each to be the same, but it is not necessary.
5. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the week of the challenge.
6. POST your entries with a description of your creative process, including where you are (ie, I create in Madison, WI) and the size of your project by Sunday, February 26th, 2012, at noon, CDT, to this flickr group – Project QUILTING with KimsCraftyApple: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/ OR email a picture/description of your completed project to {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line.
7. If you wish to receive critiques on your piece – the good and critical – please add your photo’s to this group as well:http://www.flickr.com/groups/1628629@N24/
8. Are you stuck?  Need a little ‘Tim Gunn’ advice during the week?  Or are you just so excited on how things are going along and what to share your WIP?  We have a group for that!http://www.flickr.com/groups/1430386@N24/
9. If this is the first Project Quilting challenge you've participated in, please email Kim at {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line so that Kim can keep you updated on the behind the scenes going-ons.

Illinois barn Quilt – photo by wantadog 

EXTRA LINKS for this week!

If you want to see how our Barn Quilt was put together check out these blog posts:

• Barn Quilts
• How to Make a Barn Quilt
• Barn Quilt – Orange
• Barn Quilt – Time for Purple
• Barn Quilt – Poppy
• Barn Quilt – Last Color – Bumblebee
• How to Make a Barn Quilt – Hanging the Quilt

• Cre8tive Quilter from Wisconsin has a ‘Quilt Block son Barns’ Block of the Week Blog you should definitely check out!

Barn Quilt photo by burke_wicker

If you want your name to be entered into the drawing for the prizes your piece has to follow ALL the rules – including being a FINISHED quilt and completed within the allotted time.
Remember, these challenges are intended to help you “Think Outside the Square”. Be creative. Take a risk. DO SOMETHING NO ONE ELSE WILL THINK OF DOING and of course, HAVE SOME FUN!

View from the road of Lapacek’s Orchard’s Barn Quilt

I have to apologize for how long it has taken me to get this blog post up. I had it mostly written and then of course, didn’t save it so I lost it all. So – here’s try two (and yes, I’m saving – often – this time).

I am so in LOVE with the challenge from Crystal S of FrivolousNecessity presented to me and my readers.

I was actually just "inspired" by a photograph from a mail order catalog for a future quilt idea and thought that might be kind of fun - everyone picks their own "inspiration" ad photo from a magazine and explains how that created the idea.

~Crystal S.

In fact, I love it so much I think I’ll be making a series of quilts from ‘ad-spirations’ (well, I’ll start once apple season is over anyway…)

Here’s what we all came up with for the challenge:

Quilter 1: Marcia’s Crafty Sewing & Quilting

Denim Shirt Project

This is my entry in the Project Quilting Off Season Challenge - Catalog It! Your inspiration was to be from an ad.

I was inspired by clothes ads. Many times we thumb thru' catalogs and order clothes. Then they come in the mail and they don't fit us correctly. They just hang in our closets. Since this has happened to just about everyone I know, I decided we could all relate!

I was inspired to create a quilt from an unusable clothing item --- a denim shirt that didn't fit me!

I posted about each part of the process on my blog:

#1 Cut the shirt ---- Up Cycle this Denim Shirt
#2 The Process --- My Vacation Project Continues...
#3 The Binding --- A Fringie Raw Edge Binding
#4 Hot Pads --- Made from the Scraps
#5 Completed Project ---

Marcia Wachuta --- Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting
Boscobel, Wisconsin

Quilter 2: KimsCraftyApple

Adspiration - Electrolux

Project QUILTING Catalog It Challenge Entry:

I saw an 'Electrolux' ad and used it as my inspiration for this piece. When I saw all the clothes stacked neatly I immediately thought STRIPES! I also loved the element of the circles from the washing machines in contrast to the stripes.

So, I randomly chose striped fabric (and one solid Kona piece) and made two nine patches. I cut them up with the disappearing nine patch pattern and re-pieced them once more. Then, I added a simple black border and appliquéd three circles onto the quilt.

Once that was done I used a orange thread to free motion bubble quilting onto the piece.

The function of this piece will be an oversized mug rug. I am super happy with the end result!

Approximate Dimensions: 17" x 9.5"

Created by Kim Lapacek in Poynette, WI

Quilter 3: Aunt Cindy’s Attic

Grungy T-Shirt & Jeans Quilt

I love the ad where the Fons & Porter women make a quilt with George's (one of their husbands) flannel shirts and you see him wearing a shirt with a square cut out of it.

Since seeing that I've wanted to make a flannel and jeans quilt. When I was in college (I mean, uh, middle school... because I'm not that old!) grunge was big. I had a meeting with my dorm's radio exec. board where everyone showed up in jeans, tie-dye t-shirts and flannel shirts.

Jeans are upcycled from our personal collection, as are the flannel plaid fabrics. The t-shirts are new and hand dyed by me. All that I dyed were used in the making of this quilt, much to the disappointment of my 5 year old daughter.

The pattern was based on this website: www.straw.com/equilters/library/jeans/jeans_gallbaros.html I thought it was a nice way to make a jeans quilt without just making squares. I've used a version of this method before with typical quilting fabric.

The quilt is approximately 5ft x 6ft.
Created by Aunt Cindy of Aunt Cindy's Attic, Crawfordsville, IN

To sweeten the deal for this challenge, Crystal agreed to allow everyone who enters the challenge to be put into a drawing to win a pattern of your choice from Crystals shop FrivolousNecessity.

So, I plugged 3 into the random number generator and…

Marcia is the lucky winner of a fabulous pattern from FrivolousNecessity.

Thanks to everyone for ‘Thinking Outside of the Square’ with this challenge!

***DEADLINE EXTENDED - You now have until Tuesday, September 6th at NOON. I just realized that it is a holiday weekend which may make posting your pieces challenging so I'm extending this challenge until Tuesday.***

Our August off season challenge was sent to me from Crystal S of FrivolousNecessity:

Table Runner in Etchings by 3 Sisters Moda

FrivolousNecessity's Blog

FrivolousNecessity's Etsy Shop

Here it goes…

I was actually just "inspired" by a photograph from a mail order catalog for a future quilt idea and thought that might be kind of fun - everyone picks their own "inspiration" ad photo from a magazine and explains how that created the idea.

~Crystal S.

This time – everyone that enters will be put into a drawing to win a pattern of your choice from Crystals shop FrivolousNecessity. Great challenge Crystal! I think we’re going to see some really fun pieces from this!

THE RULES:

1. Have FUN! These off season challenges aren't about winning a prize – they’re about being inspired to create something you may not have in the past.
2. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the time frame of the challenge.
3. If you need advice/tips/help (or you just want to give us all a sneak peak) with your project as you work on it feel free to post pictures to the flickr group: Project QUILTING WIP: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1430386@N24/
4. POST your entries with a description of your creative process, including where you are (ie, I create in Madison, WI) and the size of your project by Sunday, September 4th, 2011, at noon, CDT, to this flickr group – Project QUILTING with KimsCraftyApple: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/ OR email a picture/description of your completed project to {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line . (4 weeks to finish the challenge)
5. If you do want people to truly critique (the good and the bad) your project please post it to the Flickr Group: Project QUILTING – Critiques
6. If you have an idea for an ‘off season’ challenge which includes a miniature feature about you on my blog please email me at {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com}.

The latest Off Season Challenge comes from Chris Daly of Dye Candy. Chris was one of our sponsors for last season and if you haven’t seen her shop yet I definitely recommend a visit.

She offers gorgeous hand-dyed fabrics in all types of yardage

and beautiful miniature quilt jewelry. It’s definitely a must see shop for quilters!

Okay – onto the challenge.

Flower Splash from MoranArtandQuilts

FLORA

The theme of of the third off season challenge is "Flora". Size, Color, method and techniques are the participants choice. However the piece should be a quilt.

Quilted Wall Hanging in rainbow with Floral Applique from SieberDesigns

To read more about Project Quilting Here: http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-quilting.html and join the facebook group: www.facebook.com/projectquilting

THE RULES:

1. Have FUN! These off season challenges aren’t about winning a prize – they’re about being inspired to create something you may not have in the past. There are a lot of ways to interpret this challenge – let’s see if you can in a way no one else does!
2. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the time frame of the challenge.
3. If you need advice/tips/help (or you just want to give us all a sneak peak) with your project as you work on it feel free to post pictures to the flickr group: Project QUILTING WIP: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1430386@N24/
4. POST your entries with a description of your creative process, including where you are (ie, I create in Madison, WI) and the size of your project by Sunday, July 10th, 2011, at noon, CDT, to this flickr group – Project QUILTING with KimsCraftyApple: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/ OR email a picture/description of your completed project to {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line . (just over 3 weeks to finish the challenge)
5. Since we’re in ‘off season’ we aren’t having prizes/judges etc BUT if you do want people to truly critique (the good and the bad) your project post it to the Flickr Group: Project QUILTING – Critiques
6. If you have an idea for an ‘off season’ challenge which includes a miniature feature about you on my blog please email me at {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com}.

Modern Flowers from KimsCraftyApple

Wow! I can’t believe this is the final challenge of season 2 of Project QUILTING. Is it just me or did that go by super fast!?

Don’t worry – it’s not too late to join in the fun – there are prizes for each individual challenges as well as for a Grand Prize winner.

To read more about Project Quilting Here: http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-quilting.html

This week’s PRIZES!

The Public Choice winner will receive $10 to Fabrics N Quilts and $10 to SpiceBerryCottage.

The Judges Choice winner will win $15 to FabricFascination and a pdf of 2 maze quilt patterns from Lisa Penny.

FOUR randomly drawn participants will take home either $20 for Machine Quilting Services from QuiltsbyBarb, $10 to DyeCandy, Downloadable Quilter's Cookbook - Volume 2 from the QuiltingGallery, OR a Pattern & Notecards from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

Everyone that enters a piece for this challenge can decide if they want their name entered in a drawing for $50 off the 2011 Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend. I was just informed that Barb wants to give TWO of these gift certificate’s away and we’re going to give our guest judges the option of adding their names.

This weeks’ JUDGES!

Diane Lapacek

Barb Raisbeck

Lisa Penny

Guest Judge: Ebony of LoveBugStudios (aka Season 1 Grand Prize Winner)

The Challenge: Large Scale Prints

1. You must use at least 1/8 yard of a single large scale print on the front side of your project. It can be a regular eighth (4 1/2" x 44") or a fat eighth (11" x 18") or anything in between, but the total needs to add up to 1/8 yard. It can be used as 1 piece or cut into smaller pieces and used.

2. You must also use at least 1 stripe or plaid fabric. No restriction on quantity.

3. Add any other fabrics or materials you wish.

4. Please remember that these projects need to be created during the week of the challenge.

5. POST your entries with a description of your creative process, including where you are (ie, I create in Madison, WI) and the size of your project by Sunday, March 27, 2011, at noon, CDT, to this flickr group – Project QUILTING with KimsCraftyApple: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/ OR email a picture/description of your completed project to {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line.

6. If this is the first Project Quilting challenge you've participated in, please email Kim at {lapaceksorchard at gmail dot com} with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line so that Kim can send you feedback from the judges and keep you updated on the behind the scenes going-ons.

Remember, these challenges are intended to help you “Think Outside the Square”. Be creative. Take a risk. DO SOMETHING NO ONE ELSE WILL THINK OF DOING.

Woo Hoo! We’re back up to TWENTY-TWO particpants! TONS and TONS of fabulous projects. Lots of our regulars and I’m happy to welcome some newbies! I have to say that I’m glad that I get to be a ‘participant’ and not a judge – they definitely have their work cut out for them again this week!

For those of you just tuning in you can read more about Project Quilting Here: http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-quilting.html

and about the third challenge of Season 2 here:

http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2011/02/project-quilting-season-2-challenge-3.html

CHALLENGE WINNERS:

***See the bottom of this post for two minor changes made to this years prize/voting process

This week’s PRIZES!

The winner of the JUDGES vote will receive $10 to FabricsNQuilts AND a Pattern & Notecards from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

The winner of the PUBLIC Choice will receive $10 to SpiceBerryCottage AND a Novelty Square Set from QuiltingDiva

FOUR, nope - now FIVE - randomly drawn participant will receive either In the Studio with Judy Murrah by Judy Murrah from UniquelyNancy OR $20 for Machine Quilting Services from QuiltsbyBarb. OR Downloadable Quilter's Cookbook 2009 from the QuiltingGallery OR $10 to Dye Candy OR a pdf of 2 maze quilt patterns from Lisa Penny!

Voting closes at 7pm CDT on Friday, February 18th.

This week’s Judges!

Diane Lapacek

Barb Raisbeck

Lisa Penny

Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side founder of the Bloggers Quilt Festival

OTHER BONUSES:

Don't forget! Everyone that entered a piece for this challenge can decide if they want their name entered in a drawing for $50 off the 2011 Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend.

I will also be sending everyone their rank (somewhere between 1 and 10 – be sure you’ve emailed me (lapaceksorchard {at} gmail {dot} com) your email address) and any critique’s the judges have about your creation. The top 3 scoring projects will be posted on my blog next weekend.

PUBLIC WINNERS: YES, you can win a prize too! You’ll find out how to WIN at the bottom of this post after you’ve checked out each of our challengers entries.

And now here are all the entries – in no particular order…

***Please note – I have left the images smaller to help the blog load a bit faster. I strongly URGE you to take closer looks at the projects before voting by checking out their submittals on the flickr group:http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/

Quilter: MoranArtandQuilts

The Story Behind ‘I’ll Remember You’:

This little quilt named "I'll Remember You" measures 18" in diameter.

I thought about this for quite awhile and the thing that kept coming to mind were all the people and pets in my life that I have lost. I wanted this to be a Valentine to them. I kept it general so it could relate to anyone else who has ever lost someone they love.

I drew out the design with the sun rays signifying the rays to heaven and the path is for the path in life I have walked with all these people and all the walks I've been on with my little dog that passed away last April. I decided to paper piece the background and what a challenge that was! I struggled for two days sewing all those pieces in place and getting the path to line up and finally succeeded.

Then I attached the Valentine envelope made from fabric and found the perfect verse to write on the Valentine itself. The little heart adds the perfect final touch. The little note which measures 3x4 is removable and also made from fabric.

The quilting was done in free motion in a whimsical heart and loop design.

Catherine from Columbus, OH

Quilter: Pastor Katie Bishop

The Story Behind ‘Be Mine’:

This past week, the scripture passage of 1 John 4:7-12 has been on my mind. It was the text we used for last Sunday as we began a new sermon series, “Love is a verb.” When I think of love, I can’t help but think of the great love that our God has for us. And the “God shaped hole” in my heart that has been filled now that I know that love.

So for my piece, I made a heart. Blue because of the way I felt before I knew the love of God… cold, empty, sad. And I left a “God shaped hole” (symbolized by the white heart) in it. The only pink I used was the little pink button that symbolizes the love of God moving to my heart.

For me, there is no greater valentine then God, who is always calling out, “Be Mine.”

I paper pieced the background out of a jelly roll I had been saving. I quilted the background with brown and teal thread. I then used blue buttons and the two heart buttons on top.

Made in Brunswick, Maryland, this piece is 6.5 inches by 9.5 inches.

Quilter: Shape Moth

The Story behind ‘Bee in love’:

Blogged:
shape-moth.blogspot.com/2011/02/hexie-bee-in-love-yellow-...

My entry for Project QUILTING Season 2 – Challenge 3 – 'Be My Valentine'. The pillow measures 42cm x 42cm and has been made in Germany :)

Quilter: Besty H

The Story Behind ‘New Beginnings’

I love the Miami artist Britto so I adapted my quilt to his style. I call it New Beginings & the idea came from my daughter and her boyfriend. Second time around for her and she is so happy. The approx. size is 28" x 34". This is my own design and I really like it.
Created in South Florida

Quilter: Gock’s Frocks

The Story:

this is my entry for week 3 of project quilting :)

Kristen from Rochester NY

Some Bunny Loves Me

size = 6.5" wide x 6.5'long

no red...no pink was the challenge so I went with my favorite color - PURPLE!

I love making functional wearable art and decided to make a scarf for this weeks challenge.

Ideally this would make a great valentines day present or illustrates the kind of gift I love to receive - HANDMADE

the back side is a cotton interlock - purple with 1 foot of aqua interlock and a purple heart appliqué.

Quilter: Sally’s Angelworks

The Story Behind ‘His Love is Everything’

Ohhhh I loved this challenge. The first thing I thought of when hearing the inspiration "Be my Valentine" was a "LOVE" collage. And when I think collage, I think linen and lace and gorgeous neutral fabrics. I have had these fabrics laying around my craft cutting table waiting for me to make something out of them for about four weeks now! (I'm going to make a scrap wreath out of the rest of the 1.5" strips! fun!). I recently saw on Joanna Figueroa's blog (Fig .Tree & Co) a pillow using squares across like this and totally wanted to use that design idea as a frame for my collage. The quilting was purposefully random straight lines horizontally across the bottom of the quilt to mimic the straight line of the little squares.

I absolutely LOVE using paper scraps in my quilt collages, and here I've used a page out of a shorthand textbook, several random pictures (from Artchix...love that art site!!), and words cut out of pages from old novels. (I got those from a vintage supplier on Etsy...very addictive!!).

The words I chose to highlight on the quilt started out with just "Love is everything". But today while I was driving, I couldn't get this song out of my head (Christie Nockels - Song of the Beautiful) that says "He loves me...the broken and the beautiful...He loves me". It made me think that really for me, HIS love is everything. So I added that word today! :)

The transparency with music printed on it is also from ArtChix. And of course, I added lace and buttons. For the fabric heart, I ironed on interfacing then sent the fabric through my Big Shot and cut out the cool heart. I sewed around it slowly using my machine. I'm learning...it's good for me, for sure!! LOL!!

I just want to mention that the folds in the heavy linen were a problem for me and frustrated me. I tried every technique to get them out (yep, I froze my quilt!! LOL!), but alas, this heavy duty linen had been folded up in my craft studio closet for a long, long time! (years...*sigh*) and the folds will just have to add to the collage/art effect. Not an excuse...just an explanation. :)

Thanks for taking time to look and comment!! :) Still loving this process!! (btw, don't you love the picture of my great-grandparents in the silver frame below??? {adore}!!)

Sally's Angelworks
this quilt measures 9.5"x15" and was made in Texas! :)

Quilter: TerryAskeArtQuilts

The Story behind ‘I Give You Heart’:

I didn’t think I would enter this week’s challenge. Then on Wednesday afternoon, inspiration struck! I came across a cardboard glove insert that I had been saving, and the words from the Elton John / Kiki Dee duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” popped into my head. The words to the chorus are actually “I gave you my heart”, but in my head I was singing “I give you my heart” – the title of my quilt.

I decided to use the glove insert as a template for two hands, with a heart between them. I spaced the heart in the middle, so it is not obvious which hand is giving and which is receiving, because in a good relationship, each person should give their heart to the other.

I purposely ignored my pink and red fabrics, and pulled bright and cheerful fabrics from my other colors. I thought the purple fabric with the pink hearts was perfect for the heart, and I used a heart print on the back.

I fused the heart and hands to the yellow background, then added the top and bottom borders. I used a narrow zigzag stitch to outline the heart and hands, then stippled the yellow background, and outlined the flowers in the borders with free-motion stitching. I really like how that turned out.

I decided to try something new (to me), machine sewing the binding by stitching in the ditch from the front. There were a couple of spots on the back that required some hand-stitching, but overall it worked very well.

The finished size is 19" wide by 17" high.

I create in New Westminster BC Canada.

Quilter: Kathleen P.

The Story Behind ‘Be my creepy crawly slimy valentine!’

We're very into puzzles over here. And I've never been so into the hearts and flowers cheesy valentine's day stuff. And I have an unseemly amount of flannel scraps. So I appliquéd and quilted a matching game of those animals usually ignored on February 14th.

There are 7 pairs: snails, snakes, fish, seahorses, ants, sharks and iguanas (one iguana went AWOL before photos: lover's spat?). I can continue to add to it whenever the whim hits (or the scraps threaten to take over). A few of them have matching hearts, most of them make kissy-face if you put them together, and some of them have 3D felt detail. Each is 5" square. I used whatever was around in the way of batting and interfacing, but the ones with the higher quality batting or the heavy interfacing are really better. They're all flannel with some felt so they're washable and will get even softer.

This can be used a lot of ways. Right now it'll be a matching game. Later, since the backing is all the same, it can be a memory game. But really, who knows? I mean, who am I to say that a shark can't fall in love with a snail? You can't stop love.

I made this in Central NY (Oneida County). And seriously, I'm a terrible photographer in the winter. In the summer I do OK, but in the winter every thing's either too white or blurry. These aren't dingy, I swear (though there is the stray dog hair).

Quilter: QuiltingDiva

The Story Behind ‘Mend My Broken Heart’:

I love this style of quilt and have made it with turtles before but thought it would be fun with another design. The second I read the challenge I just knew that I would have to do this in hearts! I used the same template as my turtle quilt but changed it up. I used solid black fabric and cut 8" squares from my batik collection to create the colorful hearts.

Approximate Size: 32"x22"
Tampa, Fl

Stacy Edell

Quilter: Kathy Kreig

The Story:

When I read about this challenge I started thinking about what colors mean Valentine's day to me. Chocolate brown came to mind. Santa gave me this great Oreo fabric in my stocking so I thought I would put it to use. This was such a fun quilt to make!

Quilter: AllThingsBelle

The Story Behind ‘A Mother Never Forgets’

My name is Jennifer Rodriguez and I'm art quilting in West Jordan, Utah.

This was quite the emotional quilt for me. It is dedicated to the baby I lost a few months before I conceived Juliette.

It is approximately 16x16. I choose rough edge appliqué to symbolize my raw emotion. It is free motion quilted on my sewing machine. I free motion embroidered "A Mother Never Forgets" in between the blood lines that link the image of myself with my 2 daughters and our angel baby.

What a therapeutic journey!
Blogged here:
allthingsbelle.blogspot.com/2011/02/mother-never-forgets....

Quilter: SpringWaterDesigns

The Story Behind ‘Puppy Love’:

The first thing that came to my mind for this challenge was “Puppy Love”. I wanted to do something that showed love without being too obvious. This took me in the direction of something functional for taking care of the beloved family pet. So I made a quilt that can hang on a door, or the wall in a mud room, that has plenty of pockets for holding all of those dog supplies that need to be kept together and handy, but up and out of the way. The four square pockets are made of wool for great texture and sturdiness. The other two long pockets are made of cotton with multiple reinforced seams to section it into several pockets.

I used a color block style to give the overall piece a fun and contemporary look. For a little whimsy, the borders on two sides are a different size than the other two, and the binding is done using two of the border colors used on opposite sides. For those subtle Valentine touches, I added a layered heart and flower embellishment that I made from scraps of the wool to one of the pockets - Directions on how I made this can be found in this blog post: springwaterdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-heart-pin.html, and another wool flower topped with a button to another pocket. Three horizontal border strips are embellished with twill ribbon with paw prints and dog bones. The large dog bone shape at the top is also made of wool, and would be the perfect place to add the pup’s name.

The finished quilt measures 21 ½” wide x 44” long. Designed and made in Jessup MD USA.
~ Dawn Stewart
Spring Water Designs

Quilter: Miranda’s Place

The Story Behind ‘A Gift of Love’:

To me, love is like a beautifully wrapped gift that everyone hopes they have the opportunity to open. The outside packaging is so appealing that people will do ANYTHING to open Love.
It is my hope that if you have already opened love you continue to bask in its beauty and if you haven't opened love yet, don't worry.... Your Gift of Love is on the way.

Miranda Dozier, Atl. GA

Quilter: LibraryLynn

The Story Behind ‘Be Mine’:

Hi! This is my first challenge to enter. I've only been quilting for about three years and I usually follow patterns. This is one of the first quilts that I've designed myself.

When I saw the challenge, I thought I could make something for my husband. His prize possession is his bright yellow Mustang Saleen convertible. I decided I could do something in black and yellow and immediately an image of a bee came to mind. I know it's not incredibly creative, but I knew he would like it. This is my second attempt at free motion quilting. I still have a ways to go, but it's better than my first attempt. The little bee has googly eyes because googly eyes always make my husband laugh. I blind hem stitched the appliqué because I like the way blind stitching looks on appliqué. The antennae and mouth are hand embroidered. This is his Valentine's Day card, and it is 12x12 inches square. I am quilting in Conroe, Texas.

Quilter: Marcia’s Crafty Sewing and Quilting

The Story behind ‘My Little Sweatheart Box’:

Marcia Wachuta - Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

Boscobel, Wisconsin

Measures 5 1/2 inches across by 5 1/2 inches deep.

I designed the crazee patch paper pieced heart for a heart quilt we made for a Breast Cancer fundraiser a couple years ago. When you said Valentine - that was it! I had to use my paper pieced heart! I started combining blues and greens and then added the oranges and printed butterfly fabric. I decided I wanted to make a 3 D quilted box . I took pictures of the whole process. See my blog posts at www.craftysewing.com

My little Sweetheart Box can be used as a catch all for just about anything from a plant to sewing supplies to a Kleenex box.

What a fun challenge!

Quilter: For Quilts Sake

The Story Behind ‘not even the rain: a love poem’:

Made by Pam Geisel of For Quilts Sake in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Feb. 2011 for Project Quilting Season 2, Challenge 3, Be My Valentine.

19” x 26”

My creative process and how I made it:

First I started thinking about Valentines and ways people express their love to another person. I thought about love letters, and specifically classic love poems. I decided to include part of the poem “somewhere I have never travelled” by e.e. cummings, which my husband wrote in a love letter to me when we were dating.

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully, misteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

Next I came up with a few design ideas then went into my fabric stash to see what I had in green, blue and purple that made me think of romance. I found a piece of fabric that had 7 different floral and leaf images, so I decided to make a quilt that incorporated items that someone would keep to remind them of their love including the second and final stanza of the poem, some ribbons, heart-shaped beads and charms, a little key and a small bag with a pair of hearts inside.

I fussy-cut the floral and leaf fabric (number 7 is the label), printed the text that I wanted to add (the poem and text in two other places. I pieced a thin grayish-green inner border and a yellow/green/blue/tan batik for the outer borders.

The six pieces were sewn with a pillowcase binding and then top stitched around the edges. I did quilting stitch-in-the-ditch on both sides of the inner border then quilted around the flowers and leaves. I even added some hand quilting some of the leaves to give them definition. I wanted to use some fun fur to soften the edges and I wanted it along the outside and not on top of the quilt so I used a zigzag stitch to attach it. Then I added my embellishments. The final step was to use beads to connect the quilts both vertically and horizontally. (The heart-shaped bead on the second quilt on the right side is actually a navy blue, although it looks black in the photos). Rod hangs from a cream colored ribbon.

More closeup photos at:
www.flickr.com/photos/forquiltssake/

Quilter: Quilties

The Story Behind ‘Be Mine Pillow’:

My entry for Project Quilting 2:3 "Be My Valentine" Challenge...

I decided to give my project the look of vintage Valentines, with romantic clip art images made into Victorian-style crazy quilt blocks. I used fancy fabrics and flowery cottons in a vintage color scheme of taupe, cream, brown, light green, a little rose and pink, and lavender. All the embroidery and beading was done by hand. There's also an assortment of buttons, appliqués, vintage lace and tatting that I also did by hand. The back is a beautiful shimmery upholstery fabric and I gave it a brown flowered piping edge.

15" square pillow cover with an envelope back.
Made in Urbandale, IA by Emma Thomas-McGinnis

Quilter: Dashasel

The Story Behind ‘Valentine ABC’s’:

For this challenge, I decided to make a little valentine for my baby. However, being a baby, he isn't into cards, but he sure does love books! So I decided to make him a Valentine book, using the alphabet and having each letter exemplified by something related to Valentine's day (surprisingly, that in an of itself was a challenge!). He also loves texture, so I tried to use a variety of textures; you will see linen, cotton, flannel and even googly eyes! I also tried to mix up making my own shapes versus using patterns that had the elements I was looking for. "K" also has a little key that can be put into the heart. The other fun thing is that this book also serves as a crib bumper.

In terms of quilting techniques, I used a lot of applique and I tried to do some very basic free-motion quilting, which was something I had never tried before. I also did a teeny bit of embroidery. My quilting ended up being a two step process where I first appliqued and did the free motion quilting for the blocks onto interfacing. After all the blocks were assembled, I then quilted through batting, keeping the lines really simple and just following the blocks since the blocks were pretty busy already! I'm not sure if people tend to do this (this is only my second time trying applique), but I didn't want to see all the applique and free motion stitching on the back of the book. This was also my first time using printable fabric, and wow, that was fun!

I can't wait for tomorrow so baby can have his Valentine!

This quilt measures 9.5" x 76" (as a bumper) or 9.5" square (as a book) and was made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Quilter: Sarah B

The Story Behind ‘Our Family Valentine’:

I made this special little framed quilt as a keepsake for my husband and myself as a reminder of our family. Each heart represents our kids, the rosy heart is our oldest who adores pink, the middle is our second purple-loving daughter, and the third is our little boy. The green border made up of half-inch squares represents me and my husband.

All the fabrics used for patchwork are either from the kids' baby quilts or from my latest quilt that I made for my husband and I, so it's neat to pick each little piece out and see where it came from!

The hearts were crazy pieced then raw-edged appliquéd on to the pieced background.

I free-motion quilted loops and hearts on to the background.

As I did last season in Project Quilting, I gave myself an additional challenge for each one I completed to try something new! This is the first quilt I've completed with raw edge appliqué and the first quilt I've placed in a frame.

I create in Colorado.

Quilter: Kathleen Quilts

The Story Behind ‘Our Love…Our Life’:

I first thought I would do an intertwined block to represent two lives together but settled on the nine patch for simplicity and time and the room to express myself in the alternate blocks. I like how the nine patch pulls it all together. I took our wedding invitation, enlarged the graphic and traced it onto fabric with a brown pigma pen. The other blocks include part of our life together.... we met on horseback and had horses for several years. Our family grew to five quickly. The other button blocks represents our family now, with an additional son and daughter that came to us through marraige and five grandchildren. The house is for the country homes we had as weekend getaways. Car rides were entertainment for us and were walks in the woods. We birdwatched and raised birds. Our future is a blank canvas... I can't wait to see what our Lord paints for us next!

Most blocks are fusible applique. The bird cages have netting for bars. The paint on the artist's whatever-you-call-it are floss french knots.

22.5" x 22.5" created in Cissna Park, IL

Quilter: Ilsa B

The Story Behind ‘Chocolates on Your Pillow’

I made a queen sized quilt for my mom when I first started quilting, 5 yrs ago. She now has a twin bed, and has put the quilt on her guest bed. Time for a new one for the woman I love more than life! A) I'd been collecting brown batiks for a long time, B) my best friend and quilting buddy couldn't sew with me yesterday cuz she works as a chocolatier, and BINGO! c) Idea for a quickish project in one day! This will go with Mom's new quilt.

Oh, Ilsa Birmingham, Lake Forest Park, WA, 18 inches square. My mom has an envelope with ALL the valentines my brother and sister and I, and two grandsons, have made for her. I love the paper lace doileys (sp?), and always trim mine with them.

-------------------------- ------------------------------ ----------------------

Quilter: KimsCraftyApple

Not eligible for Public Voting Prize

The Story Behind ‘Owl be Yours’:

When I first read this challenge my mind started turning. I'll be honest, I think 'Be My Valentine' is a cheesy challenge BUT I did love the fact that we couldn't use much red or pink with it.

I initially had one idea that would involve a lot of handwork but as I thought about it more I realized it would also need red or pink to make it truly what it deserved. So...I changed my train of thought. I then realized that the class I had taken the previous day - 'How to Paint an Owl' with Juliette Crane was the perfect inspiration! And it was.

My piece is called 'Owl Be Yours'.

-Pieced the main background fabric AND the border strips.

-Fusing, Fusing Fusing! I fused all the branches and each separate piece of the owl onto the fabric.

- I then took a piece of fusible fleece and did the outline quilting of the owl. I cut it out for the 'trapunto' technique.

- Free Motion Quilting. I did LOTS and LOTS of free motion quilting on this piece. To create more texture in the branches, throughout the owl, I did an awkward, not perfect outline of the branches with variegated purple thread to create a 'windy' look, fun whimsical half circles all around the owl, feathers on the owls head and wings, hearts, the word's 'Love' and 'Amore' in the wind...the more you look...the more details you would see.

- What's a project without a little fiber? I appliquéd fun fiber onto the branches and the owl. The owl fiber was meant to give you the feeling of feathers and to create some distinction between the tree and the owl.

-Oil Pastels, I used some of my oil pastels to create some shine on the beak and the feathers. I also used some bronzer to give the owl some flushed cheeks.

- Paint - three small white dots were painted in each pupil - to help make them look more realistic.

Did I mention - of course my owl is pregnant!

Approximate Dimensions: 22.5" x 24"

Created in Poynette, WI

~Kim Lapacek, KimsCraftyApple

Now for the PUBLIC Comment PRIZE!

Quilted Perpetual Calendar from TheCountyFair

I’m having one of those moments (which seems to be happening more and more frequently) when I really wish I was eligible to win the public comment prize. Luckily, for all of you – you are all eligible! Kathleen of Kathleen Quilts and The County Fair has generously donated a Quilted Perpetual Calendar for this weeks Public Comment Prize. WOW! WOW! WOW! I can’t wait to find out who the lucky winner is!

NINE Chances to WIN!

Entry 1: REQUIRED! Leave a comment on your favorite entry at the bottom of this blog post (you can also comment on twitter/flickr/facebook but that won’t get you an entry) (or at least that you voted) and vote for your favorite on the poll on the upper left hand side of the blog. - ***MUST DO***

Optional/Additional Entries – please note – if you want to qualify for these additional entries you must leave a SEPERATE comment for each with your email address– if you already follow or are a fan, etc just leave comments saying each. If you write everything in ONE comment you only will have ONE entry…

Entry 2: Follow my blog.

Entry 3: Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/kimscraftyapple

Entry 4: Tweet about this fantastic contest with hashtag #PQValentine (important or I won’t know you did it)

Entry 5: Like Project QUILTING on facebook

Entry 6: add my Project Quilting ‘Grab my Blinkie’ to your blog or blog about my giveaway (link your blog or post in your comment, please)

Entry 7: Head on over to The County Fair and let me know your favorite item in the store!

Entry 8: Follow Kathleen’s Blog: Welcome to My World

Entry 9: Sign up for my newsletter in the upper right corner of this page!

***Participants, Judges, and Sponsors in project quilting ARE allowed to enter in the public poll/contest as well.***

This means you have NINE chances to win! I need you to write each of these entries as different comments in order to qualify you for all seven entries and include your email address. If you don’t include your email address I won’t be able to contact you when you win and I will have to choose a new winner. I will be picking the winner on Saturday, February 19th.

***Changes to Prizes/Voting this season***

1. One person can no longer win both prizes. If this does happen (as it has), they will take home the ‘JUDGES Choice’ prize and the person in 2nd in the PUBLIC vote will take home the ‘PUBLIC’ prize. As before, each of these winners will not qualify for the random prizes. I’m doing this just to spread around all the amazing goodies so many great sponsors donated!
2. The second is, I will not even be listing myself (KimsCraftyApple) on the Public Vote. Since this is my ‘creation’ I will never win any of the prizes – I don’t want to seem like this is biased towards me at all. I’m doing this merely for the fun, the challenge, and the camaraderie. I will still, however, be showing off my entry AND sending it to the judges

Robots In Love Funny Women's Black Alternative Apparel T-Shirt from happyfamily

Another round of great projects. Congratulations to all of you. You are all winners in my book. Kim and I had a discussion yesterday and she says I'm the Simon Cowell of Project Quilting. I have made it a point to include all the thoughts I have about your project. Some you may agree with and some you may not. That's Ok...it's only my opinion. I love to see quilters grow, both technically and artistically. and we have seen much of that here.

This week’s PRIZES!

The winner of the JUDGES vote will receive $10 to FabricsNQuilts AND a Pattern & Notecards from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

The winner of the PUBLIC Choice will receive $10 to SpiceBerryCottage AND a Novelty Square Set from QuiltingDiva

FOUR randomly drawn participant will receive either In the Studio with Judy Murrah by Judy Murrah from UniquelyNancy OR $20 for Machine Quilting Servicesfrom QuiltsbyBarb. OR Downloadable Quilter's Cookbook 2009 from the QuiltingGallery OR $10 to Dye Candy

This week’s Judges!

Diane Lapacek

Barb Raisbeck

Lisa Penny

Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side founder of the Bloggers Quilt Festival

Now for the challenge…

Challenge 3 – Be My Valentine

12 Heart mini pottery trinket dishes from firecat

Now, to mix things up a bit. I am hearing lots about Valentine's Day on the radio and in the ads, so decided we'd work with it for Challenge 3.......with a few twists, of course. After all, anyone can make a Valentine quilt. In Project Quilting, we want something more.

1. The inspiration is Be My Valentine.

2. The main colors of your project will be something other than red or pink. You can use small amounts of red and pink, but the overall color should be something else.

3. You cannot use the word "Valentine" on the front of your project. You may use it in the name if you wish.

4. POST your entries with a description of your creative process, including where you are (ie, I create in Madison, WI) and the size of your project by Sunday, February 13, 2011, at noon, CDT, to this flickr group – Project QUILTING with KimsCraftyApple: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/ OR email a picture/description of your completed project to lapaceksorchard@gmail.com with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line.

5. If this is the first Project Quilting challenge you've participated in, please email Kim atlapaceksorchard@gmail.com with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line so that Kim can send you feedback from the judges and keep you updated on the behind the scenes going-ons.

Remember, these challenges are intended to help you Think Outside the Square. Be creative. Take a risk. Do something no one else will think of doing.

submitted by Diane Lapacek

Since I’ve taken myself out of prize winners I figured it’s okay to post my critiques before the public voting closes at 7pm tonight (don’t forget to VOTE and COMMENT so you can win too!) Judge 1: This piece is really fun. I don’t think it really matters how you hang this piece; it works all ways.

My favorite part of the piece is where you coiled up the zippers. I just love that. Your quilting is also great. Adds a lot to the piece.

Judge 2: OMG, Kim, I really love this quilt! I love the abstract play with all the zippers, the different color zippers, and the grommet accents that complement the metal of the zippers. The fabric choices are very cool and urban contemporary, which go so perfectly with the metal components. The swirl patterns for the quilting are perfect, as they pick up on the circular elements in the fabrics and embellishments and also make it very energetic. The swirly zippers are cool. I also think adding the pink/purple fabric in that neat 3-d arrangement at the center then carrying it out to the inner border is a perfect punch. It seems like you managed to keep it nice and flat. It might be a bit off square, and maybe a couple corners are a bit off, but that just seems nit-picky with how great the overall piece is. I'm curious about what you see if you unzip those colored zippers...?

Judge 2 – you see a strip of color that coordinates with the zipper in the opposite corner. You can sort of see it above – a purple print under the orange zipper. I had to quilt close to the zipper just to help everything lay flat…

Judge 3: Another amazing piece, Kim. Truly an original, which is what you do best. I love the way you used zippers by the binding and as embellishments. Your machine quilting is getting quite good. Next you’ll need to learn to do continuous line next, so you don’t need to cut the thread. The look of your piece will change just by hanging it on a different wall so a new color will show through the grommets.

Judge 4: I LOVE this quilt! Your use of materials, and especially the introduction of the zippers, is original, creative, and unexpected. I’ve never heard of zipper quilt blocks – kudos for searching out new ideas and not being afraid try them out. I also really like the way the zippers add splashes of color to the piece. I think that your work might benefit from a little bit of self-editing. There is a lot going on in this piece, and I wonder if you had kept your materials simple (solids, maybe?) and didn’t introduce as many other details if it would have really let the zippers be the star. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful submission that proves that you took the challenge seriously, added in your own creativity and personal interpretation, and had a lot of fun with it. Congratulations on a job well done!

Judge 4 – I had to laugh at your self-editing comment. As I was going through this I thought the same thing – but I was already committed and my week was almost up. Definitely something I’ll keep in mind for next time!

Comment from me now that judging is complete. This quilt was quite a CHALLENGE for me. I am not very good at ‘detail’ work and dealing with zippers and making them look good is ‘detail’ work! My quilt did end up a bit off square which is disappointing to me – I sacrificed some workmanship to create the piece of ‘art’ I had in my mind. adding the zippers to the binding was very difficult because I had to do it all with a zipper foot – which made me loose accuracy. BUT I don’t think the quilt would have been what it was without the zippers on the edge – I just need to keep working at my workmanship and I think i could create some neat, show worthy pieces. I just love how this challenge made me reach deep and come up with something so very ‘Out of the Square.’

There is still plenty of time to VOTE and WIN for this week’s challenge – see all the details here: http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2011/01/time-to-vote-for-project-quiltings_30.html