Half Way Point on Those President's Blocks!

I'm working away on quilting those president's blocks. I'm still averaging one block a day. . .I hope I can get this project finished to hang at the October Featured Artist Show!
(It will hang; but, finished would be nicer!)

Janice's detail in this block is amazing! The background fabric had a print that made quilting the diagonal cross hatching easy because I just followed the lines. I feel extra special to have one of her blocks. Not only is she an amazing "appliquist" with the awards to prove it; but, she is genuinely nice and so giving of her time to the guild.

I taught all ages and abilities of swim lessons and this block sure touches on that fact! Just a couple weeks ago, I taught six 4-5 year olds that were beginning swimmers and a group of 14 adults ranging from twenty something to a proud 87 year old that were beginnings to advanced all rolled into one!


Here is another cross block. I like that Su used the blue water fabric and made a skinny red cross with a white cross in the background. Again, I free motioned around the motif in the blue fabric. I find that when you can use the print in the fabric as a quilting line there is so much less to mark!!!

Su is the kind of gal that you can call and ask her to help and she'll say, you bet!









Next, I worked on Maxine's turtle. I echo quilted around the turtle like I did the butterfly. The makers of these two blocks are sisters so that was why I wanted the quilting to be "related!" I wish you could seen this appliqué. You have to see the back to see the stitches!

In Hawaii, I loved watching the turtles. It seems like they hardly move in the water; but, they actually do!



Sally made this block. The butterfly stroke inspired her too! The butterflies are a the print on the fabric. She added the embroidery. I added the air currents! Isn't it interesting how two different people would be inspired by the butterfly stroke? You can click the link to check the other butterfly block. Sally has also been part of one of my small groups. I wouldn't have thought of using a print this way to make a block! Thanks Sally for helping me get out of my nice comfortable box!










Next block was Lynn C's. Lynn is known for using unusual fabrics to assemble the most amazing portrait quilts. This diver had such personality! I used a horizontal meander stitch to simulate water and followed the lines on the swimsuit and water to quilt the rest. I stitched around the dots on her swim cap. The water fabric had thread lines printed on it so it was super easy to quilt that part!

Truth be known, I liked diving from the blocks; but, not so much from off a diving board!









Then it was on to quilt this competitive swimmer block that Candy made. I love red and white combinations. Some day, I'm going to make a couple red and white quilts. . .but, not before I finish a number of other projects first!!!

The Olympics were on and I am such a Katey Ledecky fan. I challenged myself to make this swimmer look like she was taking off from the blocks. It was easier than I had thought!










Bonnie, who wrote the book, "Quilted Postcards," made me this block. She added some metallic thread for the hair and a necklace. The beach ball is a wonderful addition to this fussy cut block. Bonnie also purchased a fat quarter of the red and white rescue buoy fabric and she shared it with others making blocks for me. How nice of her to share!

I quilted around the figures, added a few more waves and quilted some lines on the beach ball.

I'm using silk thread. What I like about the silk thread is that it doesn't show much. I also like that if I don't have quite the right color, I can often use a color that of the same value and it works really well. Remember, my goal for quilting these blocks is to keep the signatures visible and for the quilting to enhance the blocks.

I didn't have that light blue color in silk thread; but a grey worked great!

Nancy took some program logos from the Red Cross website and created this appliqué block. She has helped me improve my appliqué with some gentle constructive comments. I am honored to have one of her blocks! I wanted to put some "wind" in the background, so made some curvy shapes.


This block made 21 that I had quilted! It felt FANTASTIC to be at the half way point on the blocks!