Dick and Jane Quilt

My client brought me this cute Dick and Jane quilt that she is giving her granddaughter for Christmas.
I got out the cross hatching rulers and quilted the picture blocks then free hand quilted the sashings and borders. 

I have changed a few setting on my blog layout and am trying to learn how to post my pictures differently so be patience with me if things look odd.

I got my H1N1 flu shot yesterday and am not feeling well today.  Woke up in the night with the chills and a doozy of a headache. Slept most of the afternoon today and hope I'm feeling better soon as I have a Batik workshop I want to go to tomorrow.

We finally have about 5 inches of ice out on the lake infront of us so hubby cleared off a rink for the boys and set up some lights as it is dark by 5pm this time of year here. The lake froze so smooth this year and with only a dusting of snow the kids have a good area to skate.  I do not skate!  For some reason everytime I try within 10 minutes my heels are just aching so it's just not an activity for me. Our family activity this year will be cross country skiing as everyone now has skis. Now we just need the snow.

Random Math

That is what Lori and I call this quilt as it was made from our Northcott winnings and we were able to make a nice pattern out of the blocks we made. One of the challenges we are finding with winning 350+ fat quarters is finding matching fabric to finished a quilt. A lot of what we got were 5 fat quarters of one collections and what can you do with that. So when we split up the fabric we found one collection that had about 13 coordinating fabric!! Jackpot...a quilt! So we saved it ( plus a few other plain fat quarters that matched) to work on a project together and this is the result. We want to donate the quilt but haven't found a home for it yet, but we will have a quilt if the right situation arises.

The panto I used is called Butterfly Charm, first time using this one, and I have one minor issue with it. As you can see from the backing picture it isn't evenly quilted, there are open spaces between the butterflies. It looks great but when I free hand a design I like to make sure the open spaces are even or balanced with the quilting.

Flannel Bargello

My client who made this quilt said piecing it really tested her patiences! I can image the flannel might have been a little stretch but she did a great job. Love the hand appliqued vines and she even added the lace for flowers! I just meandered the quilt as that is this clients favorite design and she requested it.

Oh, i finally got my roll of Dream Blend Batting and it is wonderful!!!! I'm quilting with it right now and enjoying working with it. I will definately be getting more rolls.

Homework in Black and White

I have been quilting this week just haven't had much time to blog. Three quilts are waiting in the shack to be picked up but I don't want to post pictures until the owners have them in their hands.

It's been a busy few days with the guild retreat, sewing skirts with Lori for the school xmas concert, my son's birthday today and of coarse the online Quilt Whisperer class. Thought I would post some pics of my homework today. We have been learning to design quilt patterns as well as learn Carla's feathers. I am much better quilting these design than I am drawing so here is what I did tonight on black fabric. Just a note about quilting white thread on black fabric...it shows every little wibble and wobble. But surprisingly I like the high contrast and actually seeing the quilting on the fabric. I think I'm going to be bolder in my thread choices and patterns from now on. Let's see who's quilt is next...Eileen's. Hummm...which pattern should i pick for her???

Feathers and Roses

It is so nice to get back to the front of the machine. I still find custom quilting scary but once I get going that all disappears. So I quilted a bit of everything on my clients beautiful quilt. Cross hatching in the outer borders, feathers in the inner border, CC in the triangles and red squares and swirls in the sashing. The blocks have a free hand rose in the center and a flower with leaf/ribbon ( can't deside what it is but I like it) motif in the light fabric.

I thought I would also mention that I'm taking an online coarse called The Quilt Whisperer with teacher Carla Barrett. I have followed her blog for awhile and when Lori mentioned that Carla was offering an online class we both signed up. It's through the MQResourse site, I now have a link to it under my blogcounter.

Well I better go listen to my quilts now, they have been awfully quiet especially the guilds Birdhouse quilt, not even a peep out of that one yet.

Bush Berries

I still can't believe how different all the Mystery quilts are turning out. I think this the seventh one brought to me for quilting. My client chose the panto Bush Berries and it matches nicely with the fabric she used.

A good percentage of the quilt I have done in the last two months have been pantos and I am now feeling "Pantographed OUT!" Meaning time to get back to the front of the machine for some custom quilting. I just put a quilt on the frame that will get a good dose of cross hatching, feathers, and free hand work.

I was in a piecing mood this week and made 11 placemats and a table runner... just need to find time to quilt them now. Guess I better get my name on my list!

If You Bring A Quilt To Kathy...

She will probably give you a bag to take the quilt home in.
When you get home you will want to make another quilt.
So you'll search through your patterns
and find one you like.
When your done digging through your fabric stash you'll realize your one fabric short.
So you go online to your favorite fabric shop.
You'll find the right one and order it.
While waiting for the package to arrive you'll find a quilt top that you forgot all about.
You'll need it quilted.
And chances are if you bring a quilt to Kathy,
She will want to you bring it in the new bag she gave you.

First Quilt with New Batting

Here is the first quilt done with the Dream Cotton Batting I carry. What do you think? I am very happy with the results and it has a nice mid-loft look. This quilt belongs to a new client and this is only the third quilt she has made... all I have to say is WOW!! She did an amazing job for a beginner and she wanted an honest critique of her work. I didn't have a lot to say as her piecing was excellent, and it was press correctly but the only tip I had for her was how to piece her backing better and she appreciated that info.

I gave her one of my special gifts that I got in the mail that day and it even matched her quilt too! (There is one hint).

Bathing Beauties!

This quilt is made from a cute collection of fabric. These curvy gals look like there are having fun at the beach. My client said I could quilt anything on it so I did my free hand swirls ( waves) on the center of the quilt and free hand loops and flip flops in the pink border! My client thought the flip flops were tulips at first and if you look at them upside down the toe part does look like a tulip! Hey I designed a tulip pattern and didn't even know it!! Yay me.

My 'surprise' arrived in the mail today but maybe I'll wait until a few clients pick up their quilts with their surprise before I show it. After all it wouldn't be a surprise if I showed it to you here would it?

Snazzy Snowflake

Here is a clients snowman quilt and what snowman collector wouldn't want this to cuddle under. This is new panto called Snazzy Snowflake and i used an ecru thread.

When I quilt a panto I usually 'zone out' as I quilt and go to my 'happy quilty place'. Usually that is okay but with this panto, since you start the snowflake at the same place you stop, it can lead to quilting the snowflake twice! (Which I did twice.)

Hockey Quilt

A very lucky little boy, who loves to play hockey, will be receiving this quilt. My client saw this wonderful hockey fabric in a quilt store window but the store was closed. Upon returning to the store front with a camera to take pictures of the fabric the store owner opened the door to let her in to shop. Now that is great service and she was very lucky!

I used the Fasination panto and used medium grey thread.

THE BATTING IS HERE....

...well most of it. I did order a roll of Quilters Dream Blend Batting, it is a 70/30 blend on a 121" wide roll, but it is back ordered ( and it's the one I really need NOW). So what I do have is Quilters Dream 100% Cotton batting in Twin ( 92"x72"), Double ( 96"x 92") and Queen ( 108"x92"). I also have two Queen size Dream Wool batts. I"ll bring a price list to the next guild as I do not want to post prices on here. These batts are not just for my longarm customers but all the local quilters since we are without a fabric store. Call or email me if your interested in any batts and I'll put your name on it.

Here is where they are stored, in my hubby's train room, as my shack is too small. He was very kind to share some of his space with me under his train layout and as you can see there is a lot of room to stack a few more boxes and maybe a few more rolls...right honey!

Here is a close up of the label if you want to read all about it.
I have not used this batting yet and will let you know what i think once it has been on my frame. Quilters Dreams does have a thicker cotton batt called Deluxe so i'm hoping to order a roll of that in the future to try too.

Quilt of Valour

This quilt is the North Star Quilt Guilds next Quilt of Valour that will be given to a wounded Canadian soldier. I feel this project is a wonderful way to let our soldiers know that we appreciate all they do and that they are in our thoughts. I offered to quilt all the QofV quilts for our guild free of charge as it is a project I want to support. The guild members have been making the leaf blocks for a few months now and they are a great way to use up your scraps. I haven't even made a dent in my scrap bin but if I keep digging into it each month it might eventually.

The panto is called Maple Syrup, it has a very Canadian feel so very appropriate for this project.

Vintage Fabric Quilt

Have you ever been to a Quilt Show when you heard someone say " I just don't understand quilters. They take perfectly good fabric and cut it up into little pieces and sew it back together". Well here is a quilt for those people as every once in awhile a quilter will come across a wonderful piece of fabric that they don't want to cut up into little pieces. This is a really cute piece of fabric and I just have to point out one square, you can see it in the close up. It is of the two little girls throwing horseshoes (IN the house)and they are throwing them towards the peg where the little boy is sitting...humm I hope they have good aim!

This is Sandra's quilt, I used a panto called Happy Times and ecru cotton thread.

Poor Pumpkin

OH NO!!! I woke up this morning to find that my pumpkin over did it with the candy and pop last night. Poor pumpkin.

*giggles*