A Bird House Barn Quilt!

Is this too much? 

Well, it sure was fun!

for words with the pictures visit me @ Cedar Fork Stitches

AQS Magazine Feature!

The fact is, painting barn quilts led me back to sewing quilt quilts.

Through this blog, Prairie Patchworks, I entered the wide wonderful online quilting community!

My virtual travels were largely dictated by captivating photos of amazing, beautiful quilts!

I remember seeing this one for the first time! It is still one of my all time favorites!

Come to find out, it's maker Linda Hungerford, is also, among many other things, a regular contributor to the American Quilters Society magazine, American Quilter.

She is also the friend of the friend for whom I made the Missouri Star barn quilt.

It was a flattering surprise when Linda contacted me sometime back in 2013 about a possible collaboration on an article she wanted to write for American Quilter.

Having ties with AQS that went all the way back to 1989 and my earliest quilting memories, I was happy to play, and paint along!

The pattern I chose to make was a bit of a departure from my usual preference for stars. 

Asked for something a bit on the "modern" side, I came up with a fun chevron on a 24" x 24" board.

I used colors I had on hand and am happy with how it all came out.

Originally slated to be published in the Spring of 2014, I was very busy with painting, photographing and transferring instructions in the Fall of 2013. 

It happens in the publishing world that things get shifted around, and the barn quilt article was temporarily shelved through 2014.

 So it is with pleasure that I can finally announce we finally made it to print! I look forward to receiving my copy of the March 2015 issue of  American Quilter, in which you will find Linda's article featuring my barn quilt, with instructions how to make one of your own!

  

Wind Rose

A "Mariners Compass" for my Dad, who sails!

Drafting and taping the pattern

the bits of tape in the white areas are a tangible reminder "Don't paint here!"

sealing the edges with white (background) paint

 3 coats of paint...gotta love one color designs :)

quite possibly the best part: peeling the tape...

...very carefully!

I did not need to touch up on this one anywhere!

4 x 4 Shining Star

Shining Star

I made this for my wonderful neighbor, Joyce...a graduation gift to herself, in University of Cincinnati colors!

Thank you Joyce!!!

Missouri Star!

From this...

..to this!

Notable lesson learned with this barn quilt: Never use an oil based polyurethane...it WILL yellow! Water based exterior poly only! I learned this the hard way! I used poly only because the aqua and the gray are interior latex "samples" from Lowes and needed protected. When using all exterior paints, I don't use poly, so this was a first for me. I originally used Spar Varnish, because I had some on hand. It made the nice brights look muddy. So I repainted the aqua and the gray, and found a water based exterior polyurethane to use instead. It turned out just fine!

 Here it is in it's new Missouri home: 

  It makes me so happy!

And one more final picture...

How 'bout that?!  I love it!

Two Color Ohio Star Variation

Here is another Ohio Star Variation. I made this one late summer for our barn, but it is going to northern Indiana instead! I like it with two colors as much as with one.

Ohio Star Variation...2 x 2 Barn Quilt

I love this barn quilt! I am not a "red" person, but I love this barn quilt!

This will not appear in my etsy shop because, although I "fixed" the Frog Tape edges discussed in this post, and it looks great from just a foot or two away, on close inspection, it just doesn't cut the muster (pass muster? cut the mustard?).

I have two more barn quilts prepped and ready to make. Maybe I will make this one again.

Thanks for taking a look!

Northumberland Star! 2 x 2 Barn Quilt

Here is my newest barn quilt! I've always admired the bold look of the Northumberland Star pattern, and I was not disappointed with how it turned out as a barn quilt block!


Thanks for looking!

Frog Tape...disappointed!

This did not come out as expected! I expected the uniform surface to seal itself better, but it was much worse than any I've ever done. I no longer recommend Frog Tape for this application.
I have had much better results with blue tape that I have sealed with paint. This will require alot of touch up! I will be able to make it right, but with much more time and effort.

Frog Tape

Have you heard of Frog Tape?
Well, it is green.
And it is supposed to make an immediate seal when in contact with latex paint.

In the past, I have simply sealed the tape edges with white paint, which worked well, but required some minor touch-up, and was a bit tedious to apply (a bigger brush may have helped).

After only one job, the Frog Tape has certainly proven to be less work in application, but a bit of touch-up will still be done. I think where there was a "seam" standing up, the tape did not seal as well as where it was smooth, which is to be expected, in my opinion.


Frog Tape is about twice the price of the blue tape, and I think it is worth the price, even if you touch-up a bit. If you are making a barn quilt for yourself, it is worth it in saving the step of sealing the edges of your tape, and the bigger the project, the bigger the time and effort savings with the Frog Tape.

Do you have experience with Frog Tape you would like to share? If so, please leave a comment! Thanks!

***WARNING...see more results here

So many choices....

...but which ones to make?

The good news is I have a couple new barn quilts in the works!
It has been awhile, but life is "in order" for now, so come back soon and see which ones I made :)

And I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to take the poll! It is fun to see and share a common interest :)

Finished, at last!

A Poll for Prairie Patchworks!

I've never done a poll on Prairie Patchworks before! Just a little spur-of-the-moment fun! If you have a minute, would you take a look at it? It is on the top of the sidebar! Thank you for your participation! It is greatly appreciated :)

Oh! And if there are other answers you can think of, I would love to add them...just let me know what they are! :)

I Spy...

A new Prairie Patchworks barn quilt in the shadow of the Judith and Moccasin Mountains, in lovely Hilger, Montana!
Thank you, Cal!

Crazy!

***WARNING: The following post has absolutely NOTHING to do with barn quilts! :)

Would anyone believe that they could possibly survive without their telephone and computer for 33 days? Well, due to high water in the Mussellshell River, I have experienced just that! Our phone line was ripped from the bank and could not even be reached for repair until just a few days ago! So from the 21st of May until the 23rd of June, it was a 50 mile, one way trip just to make a phone call, and if the library was open, we could possibly use a computer!


It has been a crazy couple of months! Water flowing through the yard 5 times, 9 power outages from 3 to 17 hours in duration, of course, no phone, and muddy, impassable road conditions! Whew! Glad, very glad, to be on the dry side of June!

But there are other activities to engage in when the power or phone or computer is out, aren't there?
While I missed all the colorful, inspiring blog updates on my favorite quilt sites, I was able to finish my longest running unfinished project!


For my second wedding anniversry, way back in 1987, my wonderful mother-in-law bought me the fabric for a queen sized Broken Star quilt! I had participated in 2 beginners quilt classes, both with her, and with that foundation, I began to draw and cut out 800+ individual diamonds and to piece them together, piece by piece, row by row by hand! Remember, this was the '80s and I had no knowledge of strip piecing...unfortunately! Many other projects started and finished in the meantime. I am so pleased to relate that while waiting for water to recede, I was able to finish a winter's worth of quilting. All that is left is the binding, which is cut, pressed and waiting for (gulp) a rainy day?! We have alot of spring /summer catching up to do before I can allow myself the luxury of the finishing touch...but to have the quilting completed is a huge reward for me! I finished the last stitch of it , appropriately enough, on our 26th anniversary, June 15th, 2011 :)


***these photos were taken before I had finished quilting the sawtooth border and trimmed the edges...but rest assured I have done those things :)

Divided Star

I made this 2 x 2 for the Lost Fork Arts and Craft Show, but damaged it in transit, so I put it up on my own house instead!

Flying Swallows

This is not a barn quilt, but someone on the barn quilting forum reminded me of this, so I am just posting it for some color and fun remembering:) I made this flying swallows medallion quilt for my first baby, who is now 14 years old:) It has been and still is well loved:)

Apology

Hunting season has come and gone. The road conditions are unpredictable, at best. My "workspace" is also the gym and general headquarters for "the boys", which includes their dogs, when it is below freezing...which it has been since November. No complaints here, but simply stated as a way of apologizing for the lack of new Prairie Patchworks barn quilts to see and spout about:) Who knows what 2011 will bring, but I do hope to make some more barn quilts when the weather is not quite so constraining. Thank you for visiting my blog, and for your interest in Prairie Patchworks Barn Quilts, in general! Please leave a comment, if you like!

A Barn Quilt For My Sister

Well...one of my sisters.
This Bears Paw barn quilt was finished for the Arts and Crafts Show. It was done in MSU colors, making it a "Cats Paw", really. It was slightly damaged in transit, so rather than store it, where no one could enjoy it, I found my sister was willing to give it a home, in downtown Indianapolis!

A little Montana State University in the big city! I like it!

A Couple New Barn Quilts!

Here are a couple new barn quilts that will be going on a boat house, and a house house in Michigan! Thank you Bert and LaVonne!

This is a Michigan Star, for Bert....

And another Blazing Star, for LaVonne


I think they will look beautiful at the lake!

View from the Arts & Crafts Show

The Lost Fork Arts and Crafts Show was this past Saturday. We had marvelous weather, good company and a steady flow of visitors. This was the first public showing for my barn quilts and I was pleased with the favorable response they received. I want to thank my friend, Connie, for including Prairie Patchworks in her show, and the many folks who turned out to make this show a success!
I hope we will do this again next year!

Lost Fork Arts & Crafts Show

You're invited!!!!
What: Lost Fork Arts & Crafts Show
With over 20 artists participating, including painters, sculptors, ceramics, crafts and more. And BARN QUILTS, of course!
When: Saturday, July 17th
Hours are 9:00-5:00, Saturday only!
Where: Stanford, Montana
At the Lost Fork Studio & Gallery, located at 87 4th St. South, right across from the school. Watch for signs!

This Arts & Crafts Show is the same weekend as Stanford's own CM Russell Stampede Rodeo which is Sunday, July 18th! There will be lots to do in town on Saturday, from yard sales and farmers market, to the Stampede Quick Draw and Sale, jam session and street dance! So come join in the summertime fun in beautiful Judith Basin County! Look for more info on all the happenings in "Treasure State Lifestyles"!

I will be bringing most of the quilts you see here, along with a few others I'm working on now!
I hope to see you there!!

Winnett Fire Dept. Barn Quilt Raffle

The raffle for this 4x 4, red, white and blue Shining Star barn quilt went off well! The quilt raised $360.00 for the Volunteer Fire Dept of Winnett. Thanks to all who participated! And CONGRATULATIONS to Kardy, who won the raffle!!!!!!!

Blazing Star

Happy Spring, everyone!

Delectable Mountain