214. Flower Bubbles

  I don't actually have very many photos of Flower Bubbles, nor does it have an interesting back story. A few years ago, I purchased a bundle of bark cloth called Outback Wife by Gertrude Made. I purchased both the floral and solid bundles. I had previously made a quilt from square blocks with curved pieces added randomly and I really liked it, so I tried that again with this quilt. 

My plan was then to hand quilt around the circles and add some "shadow" circles as well. 

I'm still not sure what happened. I thought it was basted well, but after all the hand quilting, there were ripples everywhere.

 So I took all the hand stitching out and sent it to Darby for an edge-to-edge design. 

I have thought of still adding some hand stitching, but in retrospect, I consider it finished. 

We took it along last year when we visited our niece in Salem, Oregon. She took us on a tour of Willamette University and it was a beautiful day. I love the photo on the bridge with the reflection in the water.

But my favorite might be the one we took in the arboretum. 

Quilt: Flower Bubbles

Designed and Made by: Cindy Wiens

Date Completed: 2021

Quilted by: Darby Myers

Size: 48" x 56"

212. Folk Dance

 Awhile back I was given the opportunity to test a pattern by Lynne Goldsworthy (an online friend from way back in the heyday of blogging) and her two friends, Karen Lewis and Jo Avery. Initially I just had to test a block or two. But I enjoyed it so much, and was so excited to be working with my beloved stash of Oakshott cotton and a background of Essex linen, that I just kept going.

Some blocks were easy, like the sawtooth stars and the houses.

Some were more of a challenge, like the circle.

And then there was the applique. 

I am not one for needle-turn applique, so I chose instead to do a blanket stitch. I became very proficient at it and have come to enjoy it.

Besides piecing and applique, there was also English paper piecing.

There was such a good variety of techniques that I thoroughly enjoyed making each and every block.

I ordered a beautiful floral for the backing and some subtle Oakshott stripe for the binding.

I used extra blocks for the label.

We took it for its first photo shoot on a fall day.

This is the technique Mark uses to keep his arms from getting tired--paint roller extension rods.

When the idea for the second calendar popped up, I knew exactly where I wanted this quilt photographed--thanks to my friend Karen Foster @capitolaquilter: Just outside the Venetian Hotel in Capitola, California, with all its candy-colored rooms.

A year ago, we decided to spend a week there to celebrate our anniversary. 

We got up early one morning. I really wanted the sun shining on those colorful buildings in the background--and no people!, but the sand was in the shadow and it was really windy.

Thankfully there are photo editing apps for that. :)

During our time there we were able to spend  a couple hours with Karen--what a treat.

On our way out of town, we took a couple more photographs.

This is one of my favorite quilts.

Quilt: Folk Dance

Size: 60" x 80"

Designed by: Lynne Goldsworthy, Karen Lewis and Jo Avery

Made by Cindy Wiens

Quilted by Darby Mayers

Donated to MCC in 2025, sold for $90

207. Bestsellers

Bestsellers was made with a block designed by Kate Basti. For each block, I chose a selvage and the corresponding fabric. 

For the backing I found a print that looked like stamped library cards.

It is in the calendar Quilts by the Water for the month of September. But for the photos, we went to the coast at my favorite time of the year, when the ice plants are in bloom.

Mark never complains...

Title: Bestsellers

Pattern: Block design by Kate Basti

Date Completed: 2020

Size: 48" x 62"

Quilted by: Darby Myers

200.. I Heart You

 

For some reason, I did not take many process photos. A few things about this quilt:

*I have an extensive stash of pink fabric. This is the only pink quilt I have made to date. 

*I used one of my favorite fabric lines. It is by an Australian designer, Saffron Craig. Years ago, I purchased quite a bit of her fabric. I particularly like this one because at the time, a lot of pink fabrics were paired with black. This one was paired with brown. So I was able to use brown and white striped fabric for the binding. 

I liked that I had some white-on-white fabric with cute little hearts--it really fit the theme.

I used leftovers of the main print on the back, as well as another Saffron Craig design with dandelions. The main backing fabric is a fun print by Alexander Henry.

It was in the calendar Quilts by the Water for the month of February.

Quilt: I Heart You

Designed by: Meghan Buchanan and Lindsey Neill

Made by: Cindy Wiens

Quilted by: Darby Myers

Size: 54" x 60"

180. Diving Board

 In November 2017 I was given the chance to be one of the "ambassadors" for Cotton Cuts, a company that delivers quilting fabric based on your preferences.

As an ambassador, I was sent three one-yard cuts of Alison Glass's line, Diving Board.

Two of the prints were gorgeous symmetrical prints, one in warm tones and one in cool tones. As I contemplated what to make in the short period of time I was allotted, I decided to "upsize" Dela Breeze, one of my favorite designs ever.

The original block size was 8", so I doubled that to 16". In addition to the gorgeous prints, I added coordinating solids from my stash.

The small block looked like this:

The large one looked like this:

Darby chose a nice wavy quilting design.

The chartreuse fabric that was included proved to be the perfect choice for the binding.

Based on the name of the fabric line, I also named the quilt Diving Board. Which made finding a diving board an obvious choice for a photo op. Luckily, good friends Gary and Ruth have a lovely backyard with a beautiful pool.

It was later included in the calendar, Quilts by the Water, 2022.

Quilt Name: Diving Board
Quilt Size: 48" x 48"
Designed and Made by: Me
Quilted by Darby Myers