Placemats...what was I thinking?

Binding a quilt is probably my least favorite part of the process.  So why did I decide to make new placemats, especially placemats that were done on the longarm which will require binding.  Lots and lots of binding...  Wow!  I am thinking of stitching them down by machine.  Have you done that?  Any tricks for a nice-looking job?  Have you ever made placemats?  I would love to see pictures of ones that you have made...

Just Two of Many

 ideas I have come up with recently.  This picture is one from my design wall.  I need to get it sewn together because many of the blocks are getting knocked off as I walk past them to get to one of my other (many other) things I am working on.  Like placemats... and paintsticks...

and...this second picture is of a little tablecloth I purchased at Oxfam about eight years ago in England.  I am thinking about quilting it.  Have you quilted an old tablecloth? 

I am linking up for Esther's WOW.  http://estheraliu.blogspot.com/

Modern Quilting for a Contemporary Quilt Top

After many mistakes, I learned a few valuable lessons with this quilt, but I think it turned out pretty nice.  I really tried to come up with some new quilting styles and had lots of opportunity to stretch my creativity with each zag ...or is it zig?  I was inspired by Jenny at sewkindofwonderful, as well as Brigitte at farbstoff.  They share their modern quilting styles through their blogs.  Be sure to check them out!  Thanks, ladies, for posting pictures of your quilting!  Brigitte will be designing fabric for Moda, and has a longarm quilting business in Germany.  Jenny sells her curves ruler and patterns as well as runs a longarm quilting business in Washington State. 

I actually came up with a couple new ideas myself!   I hope to make another zigzag quilt soon, but this time I will make it with rectangles rather than half square triangles.  I have much more stash to bust!

Nine! Different Color Threads

It is too dark for me to take good pictures of my zigzag quilt, but I have to write about the NINE different spools of thread that I used in quilting this quilt.  Definitely a record for me!  How about you?  I am sure there are quilters who have used many more colors than I...

I guess I could have used invisible thread, but I didn't have any.  The closest place to get decent invisible thread for my machine is probably a minimum of an hour drive.  So... I changed threads with each zag.  I used only two colors on the bottom, a cream and a light gold.  This is a sneak peak at the back.

Skinning Another Quilt...

I finally found time to load my zigzag quilt.  I was so enthusiastic to do this one.  Why is it that I have to skin or frog (or whatever you call it) SO much?  I thought I would be okay with using navy thread in the bobbin, but I just don't like it.  Every little bobble stands out, and of course I am experiencing more bobbles than normal!   Ugh!  I know I should do some practice stitching when I am so boldly using contrasting threads on the backing fabric. 

It looks nice from the front...

 This is not going to be fun to do...

 I have two entire zags to skin!!

How about you?  How often do you have to do this?  Maybe it is just me?/

I Think This is So Cute

I don't know what I will do with it, though, since it doesn't really coordinate with my house...  It will probably end up in my studio on the wall.  I bought three of these last year at Road 2 CA to practice my ruler work and to do small fills.  It was quick and fun to do.

Here is the front...

And here is the back (although I quilted this with this side up)...

This is a close up

I think these are a great idea to practice your machine quilting skills whether you use a longarm or a domestic machine.

Road 2 CA eye candy

I attended Road 2 CA last weekend!  I had a great time.  Stayed with four other friends in a penthouse suite.  We set up five sewing machines.  Gosh, it looked like a sweat shop.  I am wondering how many other guests have asked maintenance to remove furniture from the living room so they could set up sewing machines, ironing boards, and what not.  Crazy!  I came away with some machine quilting inspiration... lots of beautifullly quilted pieces.  I learned some new funky feather fun from Dawn Cavanaugh... what an incredible teacher...  she is so knowledgeable....  I some some quilts that were truly jaw dropping.  The creativity!  Oh my!!

I hope to post more pictures soon.

Free Motion (but intense!) Quilting.... Wholecloth!

I am challenging myself again...  I am working on stitching out some new fillers (at least new to me) on this cute little pre-printed wholecloth.  I am using a weighted bag to steady the fabric so it doesn't jump up and down as I stitch these micro fillers.  (I had a cute little bag filled with popcorn, but can't find it) so I grabbed some rice and stuffed it in a sock.  Works just as well!  I definitely need to wear my glasses this fill is so tiny.  I am not sure which side with be the front - the black or the pink.  Two layers of Hobbs 80/20, and Coats Sylko thread.  I am linking up with Esther Aliu for WOW...

I Wonder What Quilts Were Made Here...

I have an attraction to old, abandoned homes and barns.  I don't have many pictures of them, though, because I am usually in a hurry, or my husband doesn't want to keep stopping every few miles.  Last week while on vacation in beautiful Bear Lake Idaho/Utah, I had time to take some pictures.  Can you see the view of the lake that these pioneers enjoyed?

I am also a curious person by nature.  I wonder who lived in these places, and what their lives might have been like.  I wonder what types of quilts kept them warm, and what they looked like...

Sunrise Over Bear Lake

This is what I saw when I woke up last week!  Wow!  I am learning that the more I play with my new camera, the more I need to learn.  I think these came out beautiful, however, I did nothing but choose the automatic button, and let the sunrise speak for itself.  Hopefully I will have some quilting pictures soon.