almost over

Do you reflect back on the past year?

Do you like to look forward to the new year with hopefulness?

 I do.

I did not make as many quilts this year

but

I think my longarm quilting has improved greatly.

Still learning a few tricks of the trade but happy and pleased at where I am right now.

 

There was a lot of sickness and death in

my life this past year and hopefully everyone will

be better this coming year.

 

This will be my first project for the new year

 

This top is huge 85X103.

This was made by a friend of mine.

She needle turned the applique.

I think the pattern is Mexican Rose or Mexican Flower, something like that.

Does anyone know?

She does wonderful work and she ask me to quilt it for her.

I have made some drawings and marked a few spots and now I am waiting for backing.

She had backing, but I don't know if this has ever happened to you, she prewashes all of her fabric (not me) when she washed and dried her backing it shrunk 5 inches!!!

5 inches!

I've never seen that before.  This was not big box store fabric,

this was name brand quilt shop fabric.

5 inches.....so it was too short for the quilt. 

 Had to order more, waiting for the UPS man.

Can hardly wait to get started.

 

 

 

Jimmy's Memory quilt

Jimmy's Christmas quilt has been delivered,

I was a couple of days late.

 I tried with everything I had in me to finish on time,

just didn't happen this time.

 

 

A lot of quilting.

As I was working on it, I kept wondering why it was taking me so much longer than Virginia's, but then I noticed

how much more detail this one had.

I was running behind and trying to finish for Christmas Eve,

being in a hurry I didn't get to quilt everything like I had intended.  When I had the quilt laying on my bed (found this is the best place in my house to take pictures, especially in the morning) I noticed I had failed to quilt a section, you might see it in the upper left corner by the pinwheel.

 

 

Since by that time I knew I was not going to have it finished by Christmas Eve I put it back on the frame and quilted  more. Wouldn't you know I didn't take a picture when I finished.  I was sewing the label on yesterday morning before I went to work.  I did quilt more on the middle star and the pinwheels, you will have to use your imagination or take a look at Virginia's (last post) I quilted them almost the same.

 

 

This might help with size. 

 

Some of the quilting is quite small.  Took a long time.

 

 

 

 

A closer look at the borders.  I did quilt some detail in the pinwheels and they looked a lot better.

Each border motif is quilted a little different, that way if I forgot what I did on the top border it wouldn't matter, plus I think it gives it a little motion.

 

 

 

 You can click on any picture to view full screen.

I used Glide thread, color Linen.  Not a true white but showed up nicely on the white background.  On the middle star and pinwheels I used So Fine navy, I didn't have time to change color for each pinwheel but the navy actually looked good on all of them.

 Look how the quilting shows on the back.  Just love it.

The quilt is 66X66.

 

Love how this one turned out.

Can't wait to hear about their reaction.

 

Almost forgot, I used two layers of batting W&N cotton on the bottom and a poly on the top.  If you followed on Virginia's quilt, I was trying to keep the cost down and that's why we decided to use a poly.  It quilted nicely, had no problems.

 

 The binding was a small stripe from the same fabric line.

 

I did deliver the Pinball quilts to their new owner but I did not take a picture (can't believe I did that)  She had me make four of them for her and her siblings out of their father's shirts.  She called me while I was driving back home to ask if I had enough shirts left to make 3 more for her aunt, uncle and niece.  So I guess she like them.

 

Probably too late to link up with everyone, maybe next week.

Sarah let me know that it was not too late to link up with
Whoop Whoop Friday. (thanks Sarah)
 

http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/

 

 

Details, details

I don't have anything new to show.

I have been working on Virginia's brother, Jimmy's

 quilt, similar to hers but

not quite.

Talking about Virginia's quilt,

 I have had quite a few questions about

her quilt.

 

Okay what's a post without pictures, right?

 

I was so excited to share pictures last week I forgot

to share the quilt details.

 

The quilt is 67X67.

I used 2 layers of batting, bottom layer is W&N 100 cotton,

top layer is a thin poly batting (don't remember the brand).

I usually use an 80/20 or wool (my favorite) on top.

I was trying to watch the cost, so I used the poly. 

 

 

Used Glide thread, I believe the color was linen.

Even thought the background was white I wanted to use an

off white thread.  Whenever I can I use pre-wound Glide bobbins.

 

 

 

The quilting shows nicely on the back also.

 

 

I was asked how the story or the meaning of the quilt

would be shared with Virginia and Jimmy.

This is the label that will be attached to the quilt back

 

 

 

Hopefully, I will be able to show Jimmy's quilt very soon.

 

 

Thank you for stopping by.

 

One more thing,

please say a little prayer for a friend

whose 4 day old son, didn't come home,

 but went to heaven instead. 

We never understand why, but

pray that they will find peace.

 

 

Off the machine today and Happy Turkey Day

I finished up Virginia's quilt this morning and it is off the frame and ready for binding.

Get ready, lots of pictures because I love how

this one finished up.  Hope Virginia loves it too.

 

This is a memory quilt for Virginia, a friend's daughter, made from her grandparents clothing.  I made her father, my friend, one when his parents passed away

 within 6 months of each other. Virginia loves it and has to see it every time she visits and she cries every time.

He asked if I had enough clothing left to make her and her brother a quilt for

Christmas.

 

Star in the middle, dark blue is her grandfather's shirt (Hap) and the light blue her grandmother's (Jane).

Nine pinwheels, one for each of their children, along with their names.

Rings for 56 years of marriage.

 

23 quilted pinwheels around the border for the

grandchildren.

 

 

 

The Buttercup is for her Grandmother, who passed

 in the spring,

 

The leaf is for her Grandfather, who passed in the fall.

Maybe better pictures when it warms up so I can take it outside. 

 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 

linking up with

Sarah http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/

and

Amanda Jean http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/



Monthly Update

Seems like a monthly newsletter, but not really.

I am working hard on Christmas quilts

trying to decide what I can show and what

has to wait until after Christmas.

 

 

 

This is a little peek of one of the memory quilts I made for

a lady and her siblings.  What a special sister to have these quilts made for her siblings out of their father's shirts.

I'm not sure if she reads my blog so I don't want to share too much.  He played billiards, won several championships.  I was able to find some fabric with billiard balls and cue sticks.

This would have been a great quilt for custom quilting but we had to stay within a budget since she had 4 to make.

Turned out great with E2E quilting.

 

 

You may remember this one I made for a friend at work that lost both of his parents last year.

He said every time his daughter sees the quilt she cries.

He ask if I still had the clothes (and I did, see sometimes it pays to be a procrastinator) and could I make both of his children a quilt for Christmas.

One is on the frame now and the other one is being pieced.

I promise those lines are straight and even.

 

Since this one is a Grandparents  (8 point star)

memory quilt

I have 9 pinwheels for the children and 23 quilted pinwheels in the border for the grandchildren.

 

and of course there are names.  Just about through with everything but the background.  Yes, Virginia there is a Santa and he she will have you something special this year.

I think I have enough shirts left over to make a small quilt

for his grandson and one for a grandchild on the way.

We'll see after Christmas. 

 I just think that would be so special to have a quilt made from your Great Grandparents clothing.

 

Just 5 more quilts to make before Christmas, don't think I'll make it this year, but as usual I will give it my all.

 

Well that's all for now, going up to the studio to work a while.

 

Almost forgot.....

my wall quilt

didn't win in the Bloggers Quiltfest,

but it did win 2nd place

in a local Octoberfest show. 

It was also featured on APQS facebook page (thanks for letting me know Ann)

 

 



Passion

While Market is in Houston we, all of us that can't go, have

 

 

Amy at http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/ host

the Festival twice a year.

 

Do you have quilt to enter?

Lots of fun seeing all the different quilts

and when the times comes

you will be able to vote for your favorite

in the different classes.

 

Make sure you grab a drink and a favorite chair because there will be a lot,

 I mean a LOT of eye candy.

Anyone can enter and you can enter up to two quilts, with different posts

of course.

 

This is the second of my quilts, first one can be seen here
http://dewquilting.blogspot.com/2013/10/iq-quilt.html

This quilt was in my head for a long time.  This is all original, my design.
I had a little help from a few tools

Some rulers to help with those curves and lines.
I bought the template on the right, from Judi at http://www.greenfairyquiltsblog.com/
several years ago, first time I used it.  I already had the quilt on the frame so I made a copy
and cut it out, traced around it.  See it there in the triangle area?
Also had help from

All quilting is free hand.  I love how this finished, just like the one in my head.

It was raining the day I took pictures.

I used two layers of batting, the bottom is Warm & Natural 100% cotton and on the top I used
Tuscany Wool that I bought at AQS show in Paducah this past spring.

I've heard so much about silk thread that I decided to give it a try.
It was ok, except the thread kept hanging on the top of the spool
which made a lot of thread breaks.  I ran out before I finished the quilting and didn't have time to order more

 

so I used So Fine#60 and guess what .... can't tell any difference.

In hind sight I wish I had used Glide so that it would have a little sheen.

Other than that I would not change a thing.

 

 

I made this to hang in my dining room, it is 53X53.
 My DH even likes it,

he keeps running his hand over it.

I do like how the wool makes the designs "pop".

You can't tell from the pictures, but I went around all of the applique and it pops off the background.

This quilt has a lot of first for me.

 

Thank you for visiting and check out all the quilts at

http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/

 

 

 

IQ quilt

This is the time of year for the Houston Quilt Market. 

Do you have your bags packed? 

 Airline tickets in hand? 

Money for food?

More important than food, do you have your fabric nest egg in your purse?

No?

Me neither!

About as close as I will get to Houston is to go down the street to

Houston's Meat Market and buy something for dinner.

 

But Amy at http://amyscreativeside.com/bloggers-quilt-festival/

has a wonderful contest for non-Houston quilters.

We won't spend any money, eye candy is free,

our feet won't hurt, sit in your favorite chair,

you might need to get a bib before visiting, drooling is excepted.

 

 

 

 

This is my IQ quilt that I am entering in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

 

 

IQ quilt you may be asking.

 

IQ stands for Ian's Quilt (very original I know).

 

I made this quilt for my oldest son, Ian, who owns

 ICON Tattoo and Body Piercing in Nashville, TN.

I had planned for it to hang on a wall in his shop after he had to

relocate, due to his building of 8 years was being torn down (to make room for a parking lot, remember that song?)  Probably more than you really wanted to know...

anyway......

 

I did all of the quilting hand guided on my APQS Millie.

I made stencils for the words and quilted  micro lines (I don't know what else to call them)

to make them pop.  Warm & Natural on the bottom layer and Hobbs 20/80 for the top layer.

Love the way this combination of batting makes the raised areas really "pop".

Used Glide thread, has a little sheen to it and the light catches it just enough.

 

 

I used a design out of Karen McTavish's book for the borders.

 

 

A lot of micro stippling and micro lines.

I used a ruler for the

framing and the traced the motifs from Karen's book other than that

everything else was freehand.  Inspiration came from a quilt I saw that Lisa Snipes

http://thatcrazyquiltygirl.blogspot.com/

had made, after a email to her, she said "go for it"  she thought a quilt hanging in a tattoo shop

would be cool. 

Ian loves his quilt and I think he was surprised that his mom could

make a quilt like this.

I love how this quilt came together and love the way the quilting finished it.

 

 

Thank you for visiting and please look at all of the beautiful quilt over at Amy's

and vote for your favorites.