Oh dash it all. I am cleaning the studio and it's going to take all day and I'm trying to get away from it, as here I am at the computer hahahahhahaha....

I put on about 100 pieces of music by Andrea Rieu (spell?) and it is so lovely...I'll go back to cleaning now lol....

Let me see if I can find a pic for you....cleaning day, bah hambug!!

But there is a friend of mine out there in cyber who is coming to paint on a very lovely project with me ....therefore the cleaning...she knows who she is lol....
Oh will, Blogger is not allowing pics today it seems. I can't get to the done button...they have made the window so you can't reach it lol...

I started this Compass Quilt in June with many complaints and pouting. I had posted the compasses as I finished them or some parts and the work-ups etc. Now it was on to the background, a whole other deal. Today, I am very pleased with all the hard work. I was determined to finish this beast. lol.

I thought I'd give you the work-up of the steps I took in the background as well. The putting together of the whole beast. I did the whole thing in such an unorthodox fashion, even though it was easy enough for me as my background is in sewing....

This is step one, where the strips are cut into 1 1/2 inch strips on the lenght of grain (very important), sewed together and then step two, where you cut the patterns for the background out. Now this is the background only that we are working on as the compasses have been done already. It was weeks of work...

Now step 3 and 4, where you continue to cut out the three types of background pieces (the third background is not shown here ). 14 of the long ones, 12 of the pie shape ones. There are two large 18 inch squares with a pie shape cut out to accomodate two of the end blocks and then you see how some of the background pieces are put around the compass block. You will also be able to see the many burns on my ironing board lol.

Step 5 and 6 shows how one compass looks surrounded with the background pieces and then you see how the half compass at the side of the quilt is added and the half at the top. I did this in a sort of jig saw puzzle way and it was not bad at all. As I had already made all the compasses round and complete. I had no choice but to put it together this way. It's a good thing I can do puzzles lol. Now one has to be careful not to put all the bakground pieces around each compass as the third sides needs to be joined to the previous one.

Step 7 you can see, where several big patches are added and the bottom right you will see the large square block with the quarter compass. For now, some of the big patches are just put together and set on the board, then I will put the last big patches together to form the quilt. I will finish tonight.

Like I said, I finished last night and put it back on the board to take a pic this morning. The pic is not that good. When I finished the quilting and binding, I will take a pic outside and post.

This is the bottom left of the quilt, sort of hidden by the big machine and of course the ironing board got in the way.

This quilt was made entirely out of home decorator fabrics (cotten), which is just a bit heavier than normal quilters cotten. I would make all my quilts out of this fabric if it were feasable. I love the designer quality to it and the painterly look.

This quilt has been one of my biggest challenges as there were hardly any instruction and pattern. It is mostly drafted by me and put together with my knowledge of sewing expertise, thank god. After I read some more about compass quilts. I realized it would have been a lot easier to make the compasses in quarters, adding the background in quarters and then putiing the quarters together. My way all by trial and error was not bad, but instructions would have gone a long way in helping. Once the quilt is all sewed, I will block it into a perfect square and I try to do that as I do a section. I spray starch and steam it into shape if needed.

Don't forget to click on the pictures to get a larger view.

I feel I must add that I'm not angry at Judy anymore for her lack of pattern and instruction. This whole process has forced me to study and design and learn. I did buy her third book lol. I must say it is in her favor that she has greatly improved the pattern and instruction section and I recomment her third book.

Wheeeeee!!! finally!! All the compass blocks are done. I have been working on this for a long time, well of and on. Anyway, I have the blocks (compass) and spikes set up on the board in the order they are going to go into the quilt.



I will probably change the blocks around for color and value placement later. Now I need to work on the background. The background consists of 1 1/2 inch strips sewed together foundation stlye and then the background blocks get cut out of those. I need to stay very dark.



Imagine the circles as in quarters. Then add the pie shape and back piece for the square. Then join all four together and you have the circle within the square, which is the background.



I just put the circles together as I didn't know what else to do. The instruction were very poor. Now I know lol.



I won't have to take the compass all apart. I'll just rip the seam a bit and put the background pieces in. I'm real good with alterations lol, thank goodness.

Hello Everyone, I know it's been a while but I have been soooo busy. I still have to finish the compass quilt. I only have half of a compass left to do and then on to the spikes for the waves. It is taking time but it will be nice


In the meantime I need to upload some ornaments for a friend to look at and you can enjoy them too. Every year I try to design something in the ornament department. I love ornaments as they are small and easy to cut out and so fun to paint. I especially like to paint ginger men and hearts.


Here is a cute gingerman that I bought as a cut-out and just painted my way. He can be used as an ornament, present tie on or tie on a purse or pin on your blouse during the holidays.


Here is also a wood cut out angel ornament that I bought and just added shades of colors and blended, then added metallic gold stroke for the hair, craft twinkles etc. Please make sure to click on it for a lager view or you won't be able to see all the good stuff on it.


This is kind of an over sized wood heart that I cut out on my trusty Heigner and painted with pansies. I pen and Inked and then did color washes.



The paints I used are all acrylics by DecoArt American. I love to use their metallics the liquid seqins and craft twinkles