Gray

Christina made this for a challenge -- it was part of a batik exchange.  She left me lots of open space to have fun. This wallhanging is 36" square.  I really did have fun with it, and learned a few lessons along the way, too.  I am so glad I used the purple contrasting thread on the ghost trapezoids.  It's so hard to know how things will turn out, and I have really been trying not to do so much frogging.

Tea Party Meets Feathers

This is Carolyn's sweet quilt, and it has a beautiful story.  Carolyn's mother made the center blocks before she passed away.  Carolyn added to the blocks and finished the top to give to her sister as a Christmas gift.  I tried to keep a unified theme from border to border and not add too many different motifs.  I used Glide thread and Hobbs 80/20 batting.

 I love it when you can actually see your work from the back, don't you?

Simple and Sweet

I just finished this sweet quilt for a customer.  She made it for her daughter.  I really enjoyed myself doing this one... not one issue or thread break, ahhhhhhh, and I just got to do some really fun quilting.

and here's the view from the back...

I have been so busy with customer quilts, and travel.  We just returned from Montana where we visited our little grands and their parents.  It was wonderful!

I was so busy before we left that I forgot to take pictures of two more customer quilts I finished.  Looking forward to Christmas and more relaxation...

Are you making tons of quilty things for Christmas?  Do you think you'll get them all done?  Last year I over-extended myself... I made quite a few aprons for family and friends, and then made quilty gifts, too.  I always think I can do some last minute gift making and it just makes me crazy.  I am vowing not to do it this year....  Hopefully I will listen to myself...  :)

Feathers Galore - Scrappy Triple Irish Chain

I just finished Laura's Triple Irish Chain.  The only request Laura had was for feathers and she wanted it special - it's a gift for her parents.  I used my arc and made a plastic template.  I marked each corner with the template with my marvy marker.  I was able to do the feathers, pebbles as well as the frames all in one motion, just one start and one stop.  The feather border was measured, marked, and then remeasured and marked, hmmm.  

the back...

 different lighting

Thanks for looking!  

Tools

Ask a longarm quilter what tools they use most and you'll get a myriad of answers. Another great thing about this art form...so much variety. 

For this quilt I am using One of Renae's arcs, a Sew Clear 6" template for the feather curls, a Marvy marker, seam ripper, tweezers, an audible  book, and a handmade template.   I'm sure there are more...:). 

What are your favorite tools?

Missing Quilts and Labels

I haven't seen this in quite a while...  I don't think I've lost it...yet...  I can't really blame its missing status on anyone else...I don't think it's been stolen, and I'm not really alarmed because i have misplaced an item or two in my life, and they have always turned up, right where I left them.  So weird...

I haven't torn the house apart, but I have looked around a bit.  I took it to a quilt shop in Bakersfield to show my work, hoping to get some referrals from them.  That is the last place I've seen it.  If it fell in the parking lot, I don't know how they would have known it was mine because I DIDN'T HAVE A LABEL ON IT.

I really do need to start placing labels on my quilts.  I need to find a permanent pen that doesn't wash out.  How do you label your quilts?

Do You Agree that Quilters are Generous People?

If you think about it, most quilters give their quilts away... for weddings, babies, memories, and so on.  Some of my quilty friends have never kept one quilt.  Wow!  I have a friend who lays a quilt on the bed top of each guest, and when they leave, they get to keep the quilt.  Amazing.  It sure makes me feel good to give away a quilt, as it does for you, too.  Sometimes it's very hard to give a quilt that you made with the intention of a gift, and then it becomes your newest favorite.  Agree?

As a quilter for others, I have the opportunity to see so much generosity, and really lovely quilts.  These three little pieces were made by a customer/friend who will be giving them away soon.  Just because, no special occasion.  Nice.

Surprised

This is Laura's quilt and I love how it looks.  That's not what surprises me.  I just didn't realize how great it would look with an edge to edge (even though this is my favorite new panto), and how beautifully this greeny/goldy Glide thread shines and looks super gold stitched out.  I know I ask this question from time to time, but I'm really hoping that if anyone is reading, you will tell me your new favorite pantograph. Where did you first spy your favorite?  I saw mine on Teresa Silva's blog... quilting is my bliss.

String Quilt - Post a Link to Your String!

The problem with quilting for customers is that I want to make so many of the quilts that I'm working on.  I have a shelf of projects I want to make, and a few UFOs, so I don't need more to do... but I just love scrap quilts.  This one was made by Cathy, and she used muslin squares. 

Have you made a string quilt?  Do you want to comment here with a link to your quilt?  I'd love to see it!  

 This one did have some fullness since it was backed, and I'm not sure how to avoid that.  I quilted swirls from the front rather than a panto so I could really have a handle on any fullness.  I love how it turned out.

  I am thinking that I need to make a couple of these at my three-day retreat in November.  I've seen a couple online that are must-do's.  One is with black stars in the centers and bright strips, and then I think I need to make one like this - just scrappy.  Would you be willing to share the technique you used?

Modern Edge-to-Edge on Flannel

Lisa made this for her son awhile ago and she had tied it.  Her son loved it so much she realized it needed machine quilting to hold it together.  She supplied two very puffy polyester batts and I went to town with this freehand design I made up (of course I was influenced by a couple pantos I have seen). Nothing is truly original, is it?  Anyway, I love how this came out!

Spiderweb Quilt - Perfect for Scraps

I finished this quilt for my friend, Elizabeth late Thursday night... and I mean late... 11:30 p.m.  I was out the door for work by 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning with this quilt in hand.  I love to shoot my quilts on the dining room table to get the best light, but there was no time for this one.  I ran around my school early in the morning looking for good lighting and did the best I could.

Elizabeth made this top over 12 years ago and had intended on hand quilting it, but let me have some fun with it instead.  She gave me a lofty poly batting, and I used Glide thread.

These pictures do not do it justice.  This quilt was done with light to medium custom quilting.  I did have to use a ruler a bit which would take it from light to medium... the circles in the middle of the feathered x's and then the chris-crossing needed a ruler.  I did my best straight stitching around the actual spiderwebs.  The scrap strips were not all equal sizes so I couldn't use the seams as a guide.  My feathers were what I call "easy feathers" as there was no backtracking.  I needed to keep this as light as I could.

I can't wait to make one of these for myself now.  Thanks for looking!   Thanks, Elizabeth, for letting me quilt this for you.

 

Check Out Karen's Patterns and a GiveAway!

Karen Walker has just launched a set of fall patterns and a new etsy site. To celebrate, she is offering a giveaway!  Free!  All you have to do is follow her blog, and then comment on her blog for a chance to win!  The link to her blog is  here:  http://chezstitches.blogspot.com/2013/09/pattern-give-away.html

Early Morning Quilting

This sweet spiderweb quilt is getting a bit of traditional feathering...

What is your favorite time of the day for your quilting/piecing?

I am infatuated with the spiderweb quilt now, and will have to make one soon with my scraps!  What is the one quilt you MUST make next?

Freehand Swirls for Chris' First Quilt

This is Chris' first quilt, and I believe it's called the Just Can't Cut It pattern.  I taught a few friends the basics of making a quilt top earlier this year.  Chris chose the freehand swirls so that it would resemble waves.  I think it does, don't you?  Thanks for letting me quilt this for you, Chris!

10-Minute Block Quilt

I have been really busy quilting, and so very thankful, too!

I just finished this bright and cheery quilt for Peg.  These fabrics just make me smile.  I enjoyed doing this one with a bright yellow Glide.  I made up a really simple freehand, feather/swirl border motif since the border fabric is so busy.  I knew that not much would show, particularly since I used Peg's warm and natural batting.  I will be trying this motif again on a solid with a loftier batting.

What is your favorite batting?  Have you tried anything new lately?  I'd love to hear what you use and like.  Okay, well, I am headed back to the "studio" (I love to use that word, it makes it sound like I am an artist, doesn't it?  haha!)  I have Chris' quilt on the frame and I am almost done with it.