beacon

When I saw this quilt posted last fall by Fresh Lemons Quilts I fell in love.  When I heard it would be a quilt-a-long I immediately wanted in.  I live in Michigan and lighthouses circumference our state.  I knew I wanted this to hang on our wall and wanted really nice solids for it.  I did not find anything I liked in time to participate in the official QAL.   However, in February I discovered peppered cottons while shopping at Pink Castle Fabrics and knew instantly I would use them to make my lighthouse quilt.  As I was paying I was told about a contest sponsored by the manufacturer, Studio e Fabrics.  It was not a quilting competition but a challenge to use the fabric creatively.  They would pick 10 finalists on March 31st.  Based on the amounts of fabric I had here is what I came up with:

Do you like it?  They did!!!  And now it is off on an adventure to South Carolina for further consideration and judging.  Here are all the entries.  I'm not sure which of the others they selected.   
I am so very excited to share this but before sending it off I wanted one picture at a lighthouse so this weekend we visited Charlevoix. 
 

To set the scene it was about 25 degrees and the wind was blowing fiercely across a frozen Lake Michigan.  (April 5th!)

My husband was holding the quilt like a flag here while I was snapping pictures with frozen fingers.  I was very concerned that he would lose his grip and the quilt would fly away.

Here I am fearing for his life...though not stopping him...it is a great picture after all.  I actually think he was happier at the top of those stairs because it got him out of the wind for a bit.  Plus, I told him he just might win the "quilt holder of the year" contest!!!

When the quilt returns home I'm thinking we'll take it on a circle tour of Michigan's spectacular peninsulas and lighthouses!!!