Eddie, you must feel so proud!!!!! I know I would. It just doesn't surprise me at all because you do incredible work and have a wonderful eye for color. Congratulations on having someone outside this quilting board truly appreciate your work!

Yes, I have that book! It's what gave me the courage to try to do it. I was really surprised at how easy turning the windows back by machine was. I just took the stitching slow and it worked really easy. I believe the squares were 8" when I started. Give it a try, it really was fun.

Definately! :)

Yes, I am very glad I entered it now. And I'm glad you're entering a show next weekend, good for you!!!

I'll post the judge's comments here when I pick them up on Sunday after the fair's over.

It's a cathedral window pattern. The triangles around the edge are where the "windows" on those sides simply weren't turned back open like they were where the "glass" is.

Well of course you won blues! The quilt and the pillow are both wonderful! Well put together, great eye for color and just plain pleaseing to look at! Yippee for you Eddie!!! :thumbup:

That's a perfectly beautiful quilt. No wonder you won. You're new to quilting???????? Are you sure????

Congrats on a great job. Doesn't it just make you feel good down to your toes? Just think what you can do next year to show at the fair.

WOW! I can see why you won :!: :) I love the quilt, the colours are right up my tree :!: It also looks really snuggly, which is a BIG plus in my book. The cusion is really nice i would like to try that pattern when i gain a little more experience. Congrats Eddie :!: :D

Congrats Eddie! now it's time to start an archive of your winners as I'm sure there will be more. Your work is lovely. Di

WOOHOO!!
AWESOME!
Who wouldn't like your work?
You do a great job!
So happy for you!

Congratulations Eddie Your work is simply amazing.

Eddie:
Dinky, Sminky, a contest is a contest. I am sure it was very well attended too. Funny how we are all our own worst critics isn't it?? I am not suprised to hear that you won. I am with the other quilters here, you always do beautiful work!!

So what more is there to say then here is the wave for you along with CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE.
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-happy110.gif

Eddie, CONGRATULATIONS :) Both of your items are beautiful. I adore the cathedral windows pillow. I am not surprised at all that you won 1st place for both. You did a fine job on both the quilt and pillow. Winning should boost your confidence, and looking at items you do as though they were done by someone else is a good idea.. Congratulations, again :!: :!:

Way to go Eddie!! You totally deserve those blue ribbons, your work is great!!! Congratulations, and you owe your daughter something really good for "reminding" you!!!

Great job!! Your quilt is beautiful & love the scalloped borders!! The pillow is beautiful too. Way to go!!

More details regarding the sewing of the windows, please! Did you tack the 4 corners together first? Did you pin the folds back? Did you sew in a circle or in long s curves? Many thanks for any advice you can give!

Congratulations!!!! Your work is fantastic.

Thanks again, everyone, I appreciate the comments very much. :)

Yes, I tacked the four corners together. And actually, the pattern from the book I was using had me sew all the seams wrong side out and then turn the block out the right way, and then fold and tack the corners. That took quite a while. I have since found another pattern on the internet which doesn't do that, you simply fold the fabric like the first one said to and then tack the four corners. I can see how that would go MUCH faster and to me it doesn't really seem necessary to do that inside out/sewing/turning thing because when I machine sew the windows it's going to secure all of those raw edges that are on the inside of the block. So I'm going to give that a try on my next cathedral window project.

I didn't pin the folds back before sewing, I just finger pressed them back. I did, however, cut a slight curve into the 4 edges of each piece of "glass" material to reduce bulk in that folded window. When sewing the window folds back, I just did a 1/4 window at a time, i.e., 1/4 of the entire circle. I then repositioned myself to do the next 1/4 of the same window, and so on, until all 4 sides of a single pane were done.

Congratulations Eddie! You and your family must be over the moon! If I were your wife I'd be looting your stash! LOL!

Hi Eddie, I just wanted to say congratulations on your win! That is a huge deal! I live in Arkansas also. Can you tell me which fair you entered? I have thought about entering the Faulkner County Fair. Again, congrats! Your quilt is beautiful and that pillow is just plain 'ol breathtaking!!

Thanks! I live in Benton, and the fair is the Saline County Fair. Today's the last day of it. I think you should enter the Faulkner County one, it's kind of neat being a part of a tradition like the county fair.

Wow, Saline County is a large fair, and tough competition to boot in the crafts divisiont! I would say you deserve a good pat on your back.

Thanks for the info.

Congratulations on your wins Eddie, I know it has to be encouraging.
I would really like to see your pieces but for some reason I was able to download or open the pictures. :cry:
Muriel

Thanks for the details Eddie. I am in the middle of doing the wrong side out seams and will then be turning them. Sure hope my pillow turns out as nice as yours!

Don't apologize for "small fair", my friend. Out in the country there are some FANTASTIC quilters that can blow your mind in a short while <g>.
The first time I saw a small county fair was in 95 and it was AMAZING!
I could actually spend time looking at things. Actually see everything, and even keep an eye on my kids while I was on the other end of the fair grounds.
It was WONDERFUL! And the talent found therein (Davenport, Washington) was VERY impressive, as is your work.
Good show! :wink:

Eddie I am so glad you won, you should have. Now see .....those scalloped edges from your tupperware lids came in handy. ha. I would like to know more about the way you put on the binding ..you had called it french something.........thanks....

I picked up my quilt and pillow from the fair while ago. Below is a pic of them with the ribbons. Someone had asked earlier to post the comments that the judges wrote on the back of the entry tags. They were:

"Nice job"
"Very pretty"
"Quilting is good"
"Love the binding"
"Love the scallops"

When I went to pick them up at the fair, I went up to the lady in the quilting section and told her that I needed to pick up my items and she asked me my name, so I told her. She asked back "Kathy?", apparently thinking I was there to pick up a spouse's items. "No, Eddie." She looked confused a moment, then asked "Are you sure you're in the right section?" I said "Yes, they were quilting items." So I then described them and she found them. It was funny. :)

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I love your work!!!!!

I am from a small town in Arkansas....North Central Arkansas.

Trust me, I would like to submit a quilt to the local fair but I AM STILL ON MY FIRST ONE AND IT IS A CRAZY QUILT AND I DID NOT FOLLOW ANY PROPER QUILTING RULES....

I am going to tell all the women in my sewing circle all about you!

Maybe next year, I can submit a quilt to the fair.

Hugs!

LOL
SOOOOO funny about your trying to pick up YOUR entries.
No sexism happening there, eh? LOL

I just entered a table runner in a quilt contest in April - came away with a third prize - shockingly enough. My hopes, of course, were for Best of the Show are at least first... my wonderful boys said, "They just don't know good quilting." I was happy with my third prize for my first time entry... :) Congratulations - now you can start collecting more ribbons - as this is very much a confidence booster for you.

Congrats! Wonderful work!

Wow your projects are gorgeous! They both are definitely winners...

Eddie, your pieces are wonderful! I went to the fair on Saturday and got to see them in person. There sure are a lot of crafts entered in that fair! Got to talk to some other quilters from the area and was invited to the Guild that meets Monday morning in LR, but I wanted to be on the road coming home by that time. :? I was really impressed with the binding and the machine sewing of the Cathedral Window. Beautiful !You definitely have a talent for fabrics and patience to make them turn out well. Your points all look good. I would have liked the pieces to be displayed a little better, but heck, it WAS a county fair, and there was security! :lol:

Hi, Sharon! Glad you got to come down to the fair. :)