Charming wall hanging complete...

I am about as excited as I have ever been in completing

a quilt!!

But then, this is not just any old quilt...

It all began  in January 2010 
when I was at our guild and someone had some 

"free" quilting magazines
and this wall hanging was on the cover.

"Charming" by Carol Armstrong.

McCalls Quilting April 2007

I was "charmed" from the first look.

So, I took the magazine home and quickly opened it up

to page 56 where Carol Armstrong's pattern and completed

quilt were pictured with instructions.

I studied it for days trying to decide which fabrics I would use and perhaps would need to get some from friends...but then this would make it special...

Each of the 169  2 inch squares is hand appliqued using needle turn

with three lovely little tear drop flowers on the side.

Of course it is hand quilted and hand embroidered.

Each square is a different nature print and has a perfect green border

to enhance the overall nature theme.

Before I could get started, I realized that the floral

applique pattern sheet was NOT in the back of my magazine.

I had no idea who had owned the magazine.


What did I do??
1. Contacted McCalls who checked their files- No pattern
2. Looked on the internet to see what popped up- No luck
3.Tried to contact Carol Armstrong- No success 

Well, my husband often buys me quilt magazines

(isn't that real nice!!!)

and guess what he brought home???

McCalls Quilting February/March  2010 issue.

AND WHAT WAS IN THE issue????

A QUILTER FROM MISSISSIPPI DISPLAYING HER

VERY OWN "Charming" quilt....

Can you believe it?????????

Mrs. Joan Beasley form Mississippi !!!
who worked on it while her son & grandson were deployed.

SO, I wrote her, after finding someone by that name in the online white pages
and she sent me a copy of her pattern in August 2010...

I mean ...are quilters the best OR what!!!

I began to prepare my muslin fabric for the background by using Southern Belle, my favorite applique fabric. 

I had to mark it in perfect grids to guide placement of each square of fabric. 

So I checked it many times before, during and after to make sure they were straight. Look closely at the following pics to see light blue lines.

I used a water soluble fine point mark-b-gone pen in blue. 

Then I went to my stash and to select fabrics with nature prints...trees, leaves, rocks, flowers, moon, stars, animals, sea shells,frogs, birds, and a few scriptures which would make it special...

I began appliqued the squares in the center first

Since our God is the maker of all things, I thought I would place Him in the center.

 trying to make sure the colors were spread out

to make it appealing to the eye.
Then I appliqued the flowers and embroidered the stems.

Friends gave me fabrics and I hunted for the perfect 

green for the border.

It has been a delight to work on and a challenge with all of the 

needle turn applique and hand quilting..

Here are some pictures of my progress along the way.

I love using Downy Wrinkle Release to steam out those seams.

Layering & Basting

 I often use Thermore poly for wall hanging batting
but this time I used Dream Cotton 
and I really like the way the appliqueing and hand quilting looks.

Supplies used were Y L I 
silk for appliqueing,
cotton quilting thread and
basted with Sulky neutral .

and embellished with beads...


AND where does this completed 
January 2012 master piece get the privledge of hanging?

On my sewing room door, of course.
That way I can look at it every time I come and go!!






Blessings,
Kathy
and how blessed I feel to have been blessed with these talents...

oh....I am sending a copy to Mrs. Beasley to thank her...and to McCalls too
look for a post in the future.