2026 Stretching Art Challenge Quilt

 I'm so thankful that my vision troubles from the last year are all cleared up, because that meant I could once again take part in the annual Stretching Art Quilt Challenge.   This is year 26 for the challenge and I've participated in about 20 of the challenges if I remember right.  I'd have to actually dig out all of the wall-hangings to count all of them for sure.

The theme for this years challenge was "My Belief", based on the series of stories NPR had done years ago of people telling why they believed something.   I saw a picture that my parents and pictures on the internet that inspired me to design this layout.   The story of my belief is written on the label shown in the third picture below.

Leaves were done with a combination of machine stitching and hand beading using bugle beads.

Label with quilt info.

Gratitudes:

1. Glad that there is only 2 weeks left till the hernia surgery.

2. For the beautiful weather here in Phoenix....altho I'm wishing the temps would cool off some.

Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone

Most of the past 20 yrs I've participated in an online art quilt challenge.   Once created the quilts are displayed in a special exhibit at one or more of the major quilt shows back on the east coast.   Because they are in a special exhibit, there is no judging.    

And I've never entered a quilt into any other show.....the net result is that I've never submitted a quilt for judging in all of my years of quilting.

Back in August of this year, however, I received an email from the Road to California quilt show that talked about due dates for quilt entries into the show.  And since this I've debated about whether to submit one to for jurying into the show.  And this week I received a reminder email about the due date for entries which is October 2.   

I think I'm going to step out of my box and enter a quilt to see if it'll be accepted into the show.  It has to be one finished since 1/1/16, so most likely the art quilt one to the right here (the river & canoe).   I finished that one for the art quilt challenge in 2017.

I'd like to enter the lady bug one I completed this year, but won't have it back from all the shows that it was in over the summer in time to get a close up picture of it.

So what have you done lately to step outside of any box you've found yourself in?

Gratitudes:

1. My needs are always met by the one who holds me in His hand.

2. For the commissioned work that is coming my way.

Sometimes You Gotta......

........ignore what's been on the to-do list and do what's been simmering in the brain.  And that is the case with this little wall-hanging.

I'll be sharing my testimony in the Bible study group at some point that I attend in the next few weeks and the idea for this little wall-hanging just wouldn't let go of my mind.   So I gave into the idea.  =)  Yes, this relates to what I'll be talking about, but that's not something that I'll write about here.

The binding still needs to be sewn on, but I haven't put a hanging sleeve on it yet because I don't know which way I'm going to hang it - vertically like this or horizontally.  The ends of the rick rack (currently on the bottom of the pic) will be left loose no matter which way I end up hanging it.

Specs -

-- Finished size is about 10" by 20" or so.
-- Whole cloth made with a hand-dyed FQ that I found when going thru some fabric yesterday
-- Binding and backing are from a 1/3 yd piece of Riley Blake fabric that I have no remembrance of buying or what it was originally meant for.
-- Three different colors of rick-rack were used - dk. purple, metallic royal blue, and a pink/white metallic
-- Free-form quilted

Gratitudes:

1. I'm a candidate for the needed dental implant

2. God will provide all of the money that I'm going to need for the needed dental work, even if that means I work a second job.