Very cool! Love seeing all your ideas!

I love the prairie points! For some oak leaf shapes, see this PDF.href>

I do love that door hanging and the quilting just sets it off so well. I know that you do all hand sewing and need to ask how hard it was working on the prairie points with so many layers?

No, I do not believe that I was the one that sent you the site for the sun. Now I am very curious about your September door hanging. Maybe something like a simple replique that was posted may work.

Looks lovely, Sandra. It's so much fun waiting for each new month.
Carolyn

The Sept hanging is still, definitely, in the 'think about it and plan' stage....(possibly the most fun part of making things, I think....gives you something to ponder when you're dropping off to sleep at night.) For now, the thought is 4 different largish leaf shapes, appliquéd onto a background of the marble/mottled type fabric ..then the letters F A L L appliqued on top of the leaves. All this surrounded by some sort of a border....2 single color ones, and between them one composed of strips of lots of fabrics....and everything done in fallish colors...redish browns, burnt umbers, golds, etc....(but, as I said....the planning stage only)
I didn't think the prairie points were particularly hard to sew through, but because I do so many foundation/string quilts, I'm pretty use to hand sewing through many layers....and, I uses a LOT of new needles....nothing like a fresh, sharp point to help you out on that score. I remember a woman on Simply Quilts, a hand piecer and quilter, saying that she gets a new needle after about 8 hours! I don't believe I change THAT often, but when I do I just put the 'old' ones in a special place, and when I have sewing that doesn't require the new, sharpness as much, I use them then.

Another winner. I love the fabric you've used for the centre of the sun. Perfect.

Beautiful Sandra. The rays of the sun are stunning. I like the Prairie points, something I haven't tried yet either. I really enjoy seeing your wallhangings (and I've been a bit inspired to make my little "table mats" each month for my mom). Can't wait to see what you do for Fall. The book I got for my Applique class "Applique, the basics and beyond" has lots of maple and oak leaves and acorn patterns and a really neat quilt design for Fall, too. --Amy

Wow, Sandra, such beautiful work. I looked at the pic before I read your post with it and my thought was that I like the way the sun rays extended out with the quilting. Do you make a hanging for yourself, too? Your daughter in one luck girl.

Liz

Table 'mats' are a great idea, and I'm sure your Mom really appreciates them (folks who don't quilt are always ESPECIALLY appreciative, I think! My daughter is always amazed!!...or, if not, she has ME fooled!!!). For me, these are the only, really , little projects I do, and I love them. It's so nice to do something that doesn't take a month of Sundays to do. Sometimes just the thought of starting to quilt a whole quilt, makes me tired...so, these little projects are great. Unfortunately, the September one will be the last ...it will finish the year's series of hangings! Now, if only I could come up with another idea like this.....I'd be a happy camper!
(You're making me feel like I 'need' another book...NOT a good thing!) What does their fall quilt design look like?

The Fall design is called "Wind Blown" and is 19 x 27. What's really interesting visually is it has a diagonally pieced light background and an appliqued tree trunk, with leaves falling down from the top of the quilt and gathering at the base of the trunk. She outlined the leaves in gold. They also show versions for summer and spring with the tree trunk and other flowers. The book is really beautiful with lots of pretty patterns and really great for a beginner as it explains different techniques - sorry, didn't mean to tempt you! --Amy

This is very Greek to me. I like it.

Is the center of the sun puffy?

~ Kit

Sandra,
I've really enjoyed seeing your monthly door hangings. This one is so charming. I love the fabrics you used and of course the beautiful quilting.
Kay

I love it too!!!! The fabrics are great and you quilting looks perfect.
Rosa

That may be my favorite so far. Very nice -- and it definitely has "august" written all over it!

Sandra, I always love your door hangings. Those prairie points are great. Colleen

Kit, the round part of the sun IS puffy....I stuffed it with several thicknesses of batting....
new2quilting.....the fall one sounded beautiful, but more than I can 'fudge' I think...mine will be much simpler - a few leaves, letters and a bunch of fall looking fabrics in the border!
Rosa, my quilting is far from perfect...believe me....I have learned, though, that it's the overall impression that really counts...more than any individual component, which is good, for I make lots of little mistakes. I use to worry about it till it dawned on me that NO ONE sees them, but me!

Outstanding, Sandra! I love the use of the Prairie points on this. You've got a lot of admirers of your door hangings.

Here are some leaf images, click on the number under the leaf - or....do what I did when I made my leaf quilt, go outside and pick some leaves. The odd shaped Gingko is one of my favorites.

Here is a link that might be useful: New England at About.com

That is a beauty Sandra, and my favorite as well. The fabrics are beautiful and your quilting is just perfect. I also love the prairire points.

I just had another thought come to mind. There was an episode on Simply Quilts this past year on Botanically Correct wall hangings by Colleen Wise. I always wanted to try the technique since it looked as if the leaves were floating and gave a 3D effect. I have it copied in my files and it was Episode QLT-1104, if it is still on the website. If not, I can forward it to you if you are interested.

Gee, you know I'm 'instructionally challenged',Lucy, but I'd love a copy of it...would the leaves, being 3 D still lend themselves to having letters appliqued on them?
My favorites are the Generals (simply because I love the fabric repros).....and the January one, done from a black and white pic our daughter drew as a child. That one really pleased me.....and, her, too!

I like all your door hangings today I was at my LQS and saw a door/wall hanging that made me smile it had "life is a beach" and it had sand buckets, shells ect all appliqued on it.
Gillian.

Sandra,
This is another winner. It definately says August.
I like it.

Thanks for sharing, I look forward to seeing your door hangings.

doris=^.^=

Ooo, I love the sculptured effect, and that sun looks almost metallic.

Gillian, I have a FABULOUS book, that I've used many things they inlcude...it's called EVERYDAY FOLK ART hooked rugs and quilts to make...by Polly Minich and Laurie Simpson and published by Martingale. It has photos of and instructions for both quilts AND sort of matching hooked rugs. There is one I particularly like, that is a wool quilt, and sounds like what you mentioned...it prairie points around the edge and the design done with appliques of a radiating sun, 2 different sailboats, and a pail and shovel...attached with hand blanket stitching....SO cute that it should have tempted me more than it did. It'd been perfect for August!
I really recommend this book...it has wonderful, folksie quilt ideas....my LeMoyne star string quilt is in there, and I got my idea for patriotic swags from this book,...it has a fabulous irish chain in blues and whites, with a deep border done in appliqued "snow day' things in blues...leafless trees, houses, snowmen, children on sleds, stars, pinetrees.....it's wonderful.