What a bittersweet ending to the 3rd Season of Project QUILTING.  Part of me is relieved to have a breather for a bit but a bigger part of me is going to miss all the challenges, camaraderie, inspiration, and FUN I had while doing them!  I’m still enjoying working on Quilt Along’s and I’m sure I’ll find inspiration in something but I hope you all continue to watch what’s going on in my world and keep in touch during the off-season. 

At this point, we’re planning on Season 4 starting in January of 2013.  There are just too many unknowns with the apple trees this year (since we’ll have an early bloom) to commit to much else.  Please share if you have any fun blogging ideas for me in the ‘off’ time.  I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m looking for something to do – and who knows, I may have another ‘idea’ and Diane will get yet another ‘job’ :)
Now, I would like to show you a closer look at my piece for the final challenge:

Welcome to the Village of Zig and Zag

Approximate Size: 14.5" x 14.5"
This week was definitely a time crunch for me between prepping and showing at the RAW Madison – Stimulus Show, attending the Oshkosh Quilt Show, and of course regular day to to day life. My solution - make a small quilt. So I did.

Here's a close up of my free motion - weeping willow tree. I LOVE weeping willows and I know they're messy but I just think they look so cool! Definitely on my tree wish list :)

Anyway - I was at a talk from Moda Designer Lynne Hagmeier (Kansas Troubles Quilts) this past Friday and one of her newest quilt patterns had a weeping willow on it. I had never thought to incorporate them into my quilts but I think a new bud has been planted in my quilting world....

I made Half Square Triangles (HST) using Thangles in a gradation from greens to blues to orange. (I’ll admit – I meant for the green to be on the bottom and the orange to be on the top – but I was in a hurry and started appliquéing the houses on the other way.  I really had no time to start over so I just went with it!)  I then decided that the zig zags reminded me of hills so I decided that this was going to be a miniature Village - the Village of Zig and Zag. I raw edge appiqued tiny houses and trees to three of the hills and did some free motion quilting of even more trees. (I think it may be the Home Sweet Home Quilt Along that has me so hooked on Trees and Houses!)

The other thing that had popped into my head when I saw the Zig Zag challenge was Rik Rak! Who doesn't LOVE Rik Rak? Well - just last week I was at Hobby Lobby and their Rik Rak was 1/2 price - so I got one of each! (Side note– Did you know they don’t have scanners at Hobby Lobby?  It took FOREVER to check out with a cart full of Rik Rak!)  The big fat, shiny, black and brown rik rak seemed like the perfect thing to border this quilt with. So I did it. It seemed to darken it up too much so I finally decided that to blend it all together a bit more I would add some sequins!

I sent out interviews to the participants of Season 3 so we’ll enjoy some interviews with reviews of projects over the next few months.  Stop by again soon to see what goes on next in my crazy life!