Newest Toy!

I found these great purple clips called Jaws over at Columbia River Quilting.

I've been using when I float the top on my Millie. I highly recommend them!

Background texture

I spent my weekend doing McTavishing in the background of 12 applique blocks.  Next up, feathers on the outside borders.  I plan on adding petals to the blossom you see and veins in the leaves.  

T-shirt quilt fun!

This t-shirt quilt was made by a brand new quilter who pieced it for her son.

I didn't realize it until I opened it up and found that the t-shirts were from Male High School.

I went to Male for a semester way back when so it was fun to do this quilt!

I did a freehand looped design over the top.  

I think her son is going to love it!

Swishing Cat Tails

The nine patch cat quilt is done.  The quilting design on top looks like swishing cat tails making their way through the top. 

 I deliver this to my client on Wednesday.  

She's gonna love it!

Meow! A case study.

My client, Debbie D., made this great nine patch kitty quilt for a lifelong friend of hers.  She requested the "Quilter's Choice" level of quilting which includes one block design and one border design.  

I drew out some design ideas on my computer.  I really like using the computer to do a trial run so my clients can approve the direction I'm headed in.  

The design I came up with has flowers in the solid squares and continuous curves in the nine patch.  On the border I put swags with hearts.  But I thought it was too busy on top of the variety of fabrics she had as the "star" of her top.

So I played around with using long straight lines through the nine patches with a looped border treatment.  Again, it was too busy.  

My gut feeling was that this quilt really needed an over all, edge to edge pattern so the quilting could let the fabrics take center stage.  Plus, this treatment would mean a lower price for my client.

I sent Debbie an email with these choices laid out for her and my recommendation that she choice a lower priced quilting level for this particular top.  She agreed and chose the panto below. She was especially pleased that it also meant her anticipated cost would be lowered!  

I'll post a photo of the finished quilt soon!

Design process for Applique Quilt

Take a look at this quilt top.  Isn't it beautiful?  It was made by my client's deceased mother-in-law, Nellie.  I'm so happy that I get to help finish it.  This is what I love about quilting.  It has the power to link generations. 

I wanted to share the design process for this quilt top.  First I import a photo of the quilt into Photoshop.  Then I start to play with my special tablet that allows me to draw on the screen with my pen.  My clients are then able to see the designs I'm proposing for their tops as the design process happens.  In this case my client likes my proposal and has given me the green light!

My plan is to outline the applique pieces on each block and add veins to the leaves and the stem.  Then for the large flower blossoms I will do a version of a feather wreath that f

ollows the inside blossom to give it shape.  The background of the blocks will be McTavishing. This is a time consuming background filler so I only did a small portion of it on my computer.  You'll have to imagine the rest of it done.

 The sashing will have interlocking arches and diamonds.  The outside border will accentuate the appliqued vine by using it as the spine for a feather.  Behind the feathers will be a double piano key treatment.  I've got to order thread that will match the blossoms exactly so I can't put it on the frame just yet.  But I'm dying to start on this top.  I even had a dream about it last night!

Dancing Dahlias. Foster Teen Quilt

An amazing quilter friend of mine makes fantastic quilts for teens in foster care.  I was privileged enough to quilt it for her today.  

Can't you just see the smile on the teen's face when they get this? 

 I put different sized dahlia's sprinkled throughout.

Then I used a meandering vine with tendrils growing between and throughout the flowers. 

 It turned out great!

National Quilting Day

This past Saturday was National Quilting Day. To celebrate the Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society (KHQS) held a Quilter's Day Out get together in Ballardsville, Kentucky. There were more than 400 quilters there despite the dreary rainy weather!

I had a booth and demonstrated a binding technique that has helped me so many times. I also displayed some of my work and information about my machine quilting service. My biggest thrill was when Karen F. came up to my booth. She was one of my very first quilting teachers. I got to "teach" her my binding technique! It was so cool to have everything come full circle like that. She is always so supportive and friendly. Truly two characteristics that are essential for a beginning quilting teacher!

I was so grateful for the day. I enjoyed seeing so many smiling faces that seemed to just glow with the joy of being surrounded by quilty things they love. It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. I took my camera but left the battery at home so I don't have any photos of the day- drat! The quilts on display were fantastic.

Then on Sunday morning the CBS Morning Show aired a piece about one of my machine quilting teachers, Ricky Tims. It was well done and has some delicious eye candy.

Bug Jar Quilt Fluttering Fun!

Cute little butterflies are now swirling around this wonderful Bug Jar quilt.

This "bug" quilt will be the show piece for the "Taste of Derby Festival" silent auction...an official Derby event benefiting Dare to Care Food Bank.. a non profit agency providing food to those less fortunate in our community.
This year's "Taste of Derby Festival" is on April 22nd at Louisville Slugger Field.

Some lucky kiddo will get to enjoy snuggling with all these critters. I really like the jellybean jar too!

Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!

Up next, a bug jar quilt!  My daughter giggled with delight as she looked at all the bugs "escaping" some of the jars.  She even figured out the ladybug lid must not be on tight enough because they got out too.

My client, Linda, made this quilt for a local charity auction.  I will be doing a flight of the bumblebee stitching on it.  The cute frog will soon have a button eye.  I don't have a shot of the backing fabric but it is a LUSCIOUS butterfly batik.

Jacobean Lovely!

Isn't this beautiful?

I put undulating feathers in the outside border

The setting squares have a dramatic feather motif and each block has a swirled ribbon in the petals.

The petals of the applique were accented on the outside and curvy Q's reach out to the corners of the blocks.

I used a cream thread which matched the INCREDIBLE fabric she had for the backing.

It turned out incredibly beautiful. I have no idea what she is going to call her quilt. I've been calling it Jacobean Lovely!

5 yard Quilt from Houston Show

At Houston I picked up a 5 yard bundle which came with a pattern.  In bold letters the pattern yelled, "DO NOT WASH THIS FABRIC".  "DO NOT TRIM UP THIS FABRIC".  

The reasons for the big bold warnings was because there is exactly enough fabric to make this twin sized quilt out of the 5 yards.  I mean- exactly.

I put huge feathers all over it and I'm doing the binding now.  My mom says it looks like my grandfather's old bathroom decor- you know, retro.  I'm pretty sure she meant it as a compliment, though.