Category Archives: Progress reports

Catching up

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I can’t believe it has been so long since my last post. Bible quilts are continually on my mind, but since I’m not the artist who can draw the coloring pages, I’m unable to crank out a lot of new stuff. Most of my pictures correspond with the Bible storybooks I am working on. I am still praying for artists who will share my vision for getting Bible quilts on Children’s beds.

My latest project is the story of Jonah. I’ve come up with a few layouts for these pictures, but have a long way to go before I will start sewing on them. I’ve included one of the Jonah layout ideas with this post.

I’ve also been sewing a banner using the pictures from The First Christmas Coloring Pages. This project was completed with the help of the youth at my church. I’ll post a picture when it is finished.

I am swallowing hard today as I venture into something new. I ordered a set of quality textile paints that I hope will help me create some of the details I’ve wanted to add that are too tiny to applique – such as the beak on the dove in my header, and some of the smaller animals on Noah’s Ark. Can you imagine mice and elephants in the same appliqued quilt block? I’m eagerly waiting for the paints to come in the mail. I’m also praying I will be able to develop the skill needed to use them well.

Plodding along…

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Mary visited by the angel Gabriel

I had hoped to applique at least five advent pictures and have them posted by now along with some devotional thoughts, but life got in the way (I’m going to a new church and directing the choir). I finally completed this one after Christmas.

This is Gabriel visiting Mary and giving her the message that she would give birth to the Messiah.

I feel overwhelmed each time I start one of these appliqued images. Even though I had Violet Vandor’s illustration to go by and Nancy Gordon’s sketch to simplify the picture for quilting, I was still apprehensive as I tackled each part of the picture. I wonder if I’m being too much of a perfectionist or if I should simplify the pictures even more before trying to applique them.

My heart’s desire is to find a simpler way to make Bible quilts so children will have them on their beds or in the family TV room where they can inspire Bible reading and discussion. I recognize that applique isn’t going to be the answer for very many people, but I hope to inspire people to try to make Bible quilts one way or another.

I would love to get feedback from my readers. What would inspire you to make a Bible quilt? Are coloring pages a realistic approach to making the quilt pictures? Do I need to work harder at finding a way to get pre-printed fabrics with Bible pictures on it? That too seems overwhelming to me.

Some good news: I discovered a website that had square coloring page Bible story pictures on a web page today. The address is www.thecolor.com/

Appliqué Quilting

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I have been teaching myself to hand appliqué quilt blocks for about five years. Because I plan to use my quilt blocks as book illustrations as well as for a Bible quilt, I am very picky about the quality of my blocks and have re-done every block for my first book, The Creation.

There are websites available that teach the hand appliqué technique of quilting so I don’t plan to re-invent the wheel by writing it all out. I may comment from time to time on how I resolved a particular problem I faced with a given quilt block. Here are a few teaching links to get you started:

http://quiltbug.com/articles/applique-tips.htm

http://www.quilt.com/HowTo/AppliqueHowToPage.html

I’ll add more posts from time to time showing the approaches that work for me. There are so many different ways to do appliqué.