1 More Stitch

Spring Fling

2012-01-17T06:35:00.000-06:00

This is my first Irish Chain quilt. I pieced this quilt with quilting designs in mind. There is a large alternate block in the quilt that begs for quilting.

I started quilting it during my December break. I had to finish quickly so I could start with other quilts in January. It's pretty open quilting (for me anyway). I wanted to get at least one of my quilts done for our local quilt show in March 2012. I may have to put it back on my table and fill in with more quilting, even if it's after the quilt show! Here are a few shots.

Holiday Party

2012-01-16T10:34:00.000-06:00

Last night was our guild's Holiday Party. A few years ago we switched to a January date because of a snow storm in December and we kept it ever since - not as hectic. This is an optional event for our guild and we had about 75 or so in attendance. The club we meet at keeps the Christmas decorations up - so it feels festive!

Our hostesses kept us entertained with games and raffle prizes donated by local shops.

We also had a Xmas block exchange - not all are pictured. Bring one get one. Really pretty blocks!

The pincushion exchange was very popular - at least half the members participated and they did a Congo line to show off their goodies!

Our gang of trouble makers!

Quilts

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

A few more quilt pictures from 2011.
The next two quilt were pieced by Dale Fisher. She likes to see the quilting, so she chooses a solid backing fabric. The thread really shows off the quilting pattern.

The quilting pattern is Briar Rose.

The quilting pattern is Rosie.

This quilt was pieced by Julie Guise. She loves Halloween! The black embroidery makes this quilt sing!

I quilted spider webs in the outer border, X's in the orange and black areas.

I stitched around the figures, outlining around the embroidery, otherwise it will puff out.

Quilts

2011-12-29T08:53:00.000-06:00

Some of the last quilts for 2011. I try to schedule edge-to-edge quilts in December. I usually don't have time for intricate custom quilting in the XMas rush. I had to take pictures in my quilt studio because the Christmas tree was taking up all the room upstairs. The ceiling is lower, so pictures look a little different.

This first quilt was pieced by Pat Cobb. So bright and cheerful - made for a wedding present.

The quilting pattern is Flower Twirl.

This two-color quilt was pieced by Marcia Obman-Gray. A big bed-szie quilt - 105x x 105. The pattern is Rapid Hunter Star.

The quilting pattern is Fiddlehead.


A view from the back.

This next quilt was pieced by Joan Dolinar. She made a sampler in autumn colors and added appliqued leaves.

The quilting pattern is Woodlands.

XMas Gift Exchange

2011-12-06T16:15:00.000-06:00

We had a lovely evening last night as our bee gathered for our annual Christmas party. We each made a table runner or table mat for a gift exchange. The rule was you bring one, you get one. Unless it get's stolen. Then you can choose another unopened gift or steal someone else's.

Ute went first and hers was stolen right away.

A pretty wool table runner.

Don't get too attached to that pretty blue table runner with all the hand beading.... it'll get stolen!

Julie Blazek make this table runner with all the hand beading.

Here's one of the stealers!

Barb Bee made this pretty traditional table runner.

Oh yes, it will get stolen!

Enjoy it cause you won't have it long Leesa!


I made this twister table mat in Spring colors.

Pat Wright made this pretty floral skinny table runner.

Hold on to that one Barb!

Mary Ann made the cute table mat - beaded sugar cookies and gingerbread men. So cute!

Beautiful wool mats and hand made XMas cards! Oh I know these are going to be stolen...Drat!

A cute embroidery made by Sharon R. -- it was stolen!

Here are some completed projects from last year's signature block exchange. I forgot these were "due". I'll work on mine after the Christmas rush.

Yvette's quilt.

Dorothy M. made hers into 2 sets of curtains for her sewing room.

Pat Wright made her's into this sunny quilt. So cheerful.

Thank you Mary Ann. I ended up stealing it from Barb - I love it!

Dear Jane Slide Show

2011-11-29T07:47:00.001-06:00

For those who want to see all the nitty gritty - here are all the photos of the Dear Jane quilt. For the quick recap, see the post below.

Personalize a free slideshow design

Dear Jane

2011-11-29T06:49:00.003-06:00

My good friend, Sue Schwegler, pieced this Dear Jane over several years. She said some of the piecing challenged her. Over time, her quilting skills and techniques improved while putting it together. What a great accomplishment! Here are a couple photos to wet your appetite!

The idea was to keep the quilting simple, to accent the intricate piecing. I SID inside every block and around all the piecing. Each block was then quilted with a line or arc. A straight line was quilted in the tiny sashing.

Some of the piecing is SO tiny! It was really interesting to see all the different civil war reproduction fabrics and try to figure out how the blocks were put together. She used many techniques - including applique and paper piecing.

Triangle border.

Edges and Corners. The edges were quilted with a shallow swag - it will be a scalloped edge.

A view from the back. This quilt is large, 90 x 90, and heavy.

The solid backing shows all the quilting and SID that you may not see from the front.

Dear Sue - When you get tired of looking at this one, send it back. I'll be happy to visit it again.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T06:05:00.001-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all my quilty friends!

I am thankful for all the Lord has given me - my five senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, all my abilities, my creativity, my relationships, the friends he surrounds me with, my health and a sound mind, a warm house, abundant food and so much more. Oh how He loves us! Yes, we are blessed.

Baby Quilts

2011-11-23T08:25:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple sweet baby quilts made by Marge M. So simple, but very charming. She found the Beatrix Potter fabric five years ago and saved it to use for her first grandchild. Some things never go out of fashion! Patterns are from the book Sweet & Simple Baby Quilts, by Mary Hickey.

Quilted edge to edge with Paisley Playtime pattern.

Quilted edge to edge with Popcorn pattern.

Retreat

2011-11-15T06:16:00.000-06:00

October is my get-away month. I go to Homestead Cabin Retreat for a couple days and work on some piecing. This year I brought a basket block exchange that I had participated in earlier this year. I had 9 basket blocks and added a couple more, setting them in an on-point setting, using Sharyn Craig's book Great Sets.

Okay, this was my experiment quilt. The book states that all colors go together. I originally picked a soft pastel blue and brown to tie in all the blocks. My basket blocks are a variety of colors including soft pastels. Then, in a quilt shop on the way up to the retreat, I found more fabric (smile) and changed to a more vibrant blue and brown combo. I liked the colors together and thought it added some zip to the quilt.

Well, I made all the blocks and put them together but it's not my favorite quilt. I should have kept to my original color scheme. It will have to do. I'll get it finished for our quilt show in March 2012. It was good practice to figure out the math on the side triangle and corner blocks!

I also finished a wall hanging that I had started in a Kim Diehl class. I just had to finish the border. So nice to finish those projects. I used the design wall the choose which way I wanted the border blocks to go.

Option A

Option B

Here is our workspace. There were 17 quilters there that weekend. So much fun.

Outside the front door. Her chickens and roosters roam the property.

Halloween Weekend

Even the window in the bathroom is decorated for Halloween.

A fall quilt on display. I love this scrappy quilt!

A couple deer head keep you company in the cabin. I took this picture from the loft.

Patsy's quilt top.

Chris Daly made this top from her hand-dyed fabrics. Love the colors!

This is the back of the quilt.

Snowball Blocks

2011-11-14T08:14:00.000-06:00

This is such a warm quilt! All the colors go together so nicely. Pieced by Roberta C., the body of the quilt is made from simple snowball blocks. The vine and flowers were appliqued.

I stitched-in-the ditch around the vine and flowers. Small background stippling makes them pop.

The "flowers" are made out of yo-yo's. So they have a rounded dimension to them.

Fun Quilts

2011-11-07T11:42:00.001-06:00

Here are a couple fun quilts! Kathy M. pieced this Black White and Yellow quilt for her daughter. I think she'll love it. Quilted with "Popcorn" pattern.

Tracie J. made these fun, bright quilts. These girlie quilts were quilted with flower patterns.

The edge-to-edge pattern for this is called Daisy Swirl.

I like the borders and corners on this one. Good way to use up some fabrics!

Cute brown and pink quilt! Quilted with a simple flower edge-to-edge pattern.

Ten Exercises for Quilt Makers

2011-11-02T12:35:00.000-05:00

I thought this was worth passing on. You can print out a one-page PDF and pin it up in your sewing room, as a reminder.

http://www.quiltviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/exercises_crop_300_2.pdf

Many hours of cutting, sewing, and hand or machine quilting can take a toll on your body. According to medical sources, good posture and certain exercises can help relieve stress and prevent problems associated with repetitive quilt-related activities.
Learn these ten exercises for happy and healthy stitching, republished with permission from Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky.

Good Sitting Posture
Good sitting posture allows your back to do its job of supporting you.
Your goal is to keep the three natural curves of your spine in their normal, balanced alignment.
Neck Retraction
To realign your cervical curve, slide your chin straight back keeping your head and ears level. You should feel like you have a double chin.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times during the day.
Neck Stretch
To release muscle tension in your neck, try to touch your ear to your shoulder. Be sure to keep your nose pointing forward and move slowly.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times during the day.
Shoulder Circles
To release muscle tension in your neck, shoulders, and upper back, circle your shoulders backward in a wide arc. Make several circles then relax.
Repeat 5-10 times throughout the day.
Elbow Press
To release muscle tension in your middle back, bring your elbows out to the side at chest height. Press them gently backward, hesitate a moment, then release.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times throughout the day or whenever you feel stiff or tired.
Middle Back Stretch
To realign your thoracic curve, bend both elbows and press one arm above you.Then press the other behind you to complete the exercise.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times throughout the day.
Abdominal Strengthener

Strong abdominal muscles will help support your lower back and keep it aligned. Sit with your buttocks firmly against the back of you chair and exhale and tighten your abdominal muscles for a count of 10.
Release and repeat 5-10 times, several times during the day.
Backward Bend
To revers the slouch curve and release muscle tension in your lower back, stand up, press your palms on your lower back for support, and gently bend your upper and lower back backward. Hesitate for a moment, then release.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times a day.
Certain repetitive hand activities may put you at higher risk for developing a variety of wrist problems. By learning how to modify how you use your hands, you may be able to reduce the risk.

Keep your wrist in neutral. Avoid usingy our wrist in a bent or twisted position for long periods of time. Try to maintain your wrist in a neutral (straight) position.
Rest your hands. Periodically give your hands a break by letting them rest briefly. You may be able to alternate easy and hard tasks, switch hands, or rotate activities.

Gripping

To release muscle tension in your hands, slowly make a fist then stretch you fingers out straight while spreadking your fingers. Hold this position for a second, then relax.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times during the day.
Thumb Stretch
To release muscle tension in your thumbs, stretch you thumb out to the side gently pullingon it with your opposite hand. Hold it in a stretched position for a count of 3, then release.
Repeat 5-10 times, several times during the day.
Originally posted by Christine N. Brown, American Quilter magazine editor-in-chief.

Monofilament Threads

2011-10-31T10:15:00.000-05:00

I use many different Superior Thread products in my longarm quilting. Monofilament is clear thread. Monofilament thread can be the best choice for some stitch-in-the ditch applications. For example: When there are many color changes and it would be hard to select a thread to blend into the background. The question that comes up - is this safe to use? Will it hold up? This is an article written by Bob Purcell, Superior Threads.

EDUCATION: Monofilament threads I recently received an e-mail asking if invisible monofilament thread is iron safe. She had heard that it melts if ironed. That is a commonly asked question and most likely due to hearing sad stories of monofilament threads melting and damaging a sewing project. Here is the truth.

There are two main types of monofilament threads: nylon and polyester. Traditionally, most monofilament thread has been nylon. Nylon is strong but it has some negative properties for sewing thread. It tends to go brittle over time, discolors (yellows), and has low heat tolerance. Nylon melts at approximately 400 degrees F. Although most irons do not have a numerical temperature setting, many irons can melt nylon when set at medium or high heat.

The preferred material for monofilament thread is polyester. Polyester does not discolor, go brittle, or have a low melting point. Polyester melts at the 480 to 510 degree Fahrenheit range and most irons stay well below this temperature up to the medium heat setting.

Superior Threads offers MonoPoly. Monofilament invisible thread is 100% polyester, thus the name, Monofilament Polyester.
Another caution: Watch out for monofilament threads labeled as 100% Polyamide. That may lead us to believe it is polyester but polyamide is the chemical word for nylon. Dishonest labeling? No. Misleading? Yes.

Be safe and stay with polyester when using monofilament threads.

Garbage Picking

2011-10-29T07:03:00.000-05:00

My first experience garbage picking! I passed a house that had all their "garbage" piled up and a sign that said FREE. It was all the unsold garage sale items and a lot JUNK. I stopped because I thought I spotted a good basket, but instead I found these.

There are some small chips. I think I'll try to make pin-cushions out of them. I've seen them before made out of unusual objects. Another project!

Elephant Quilt

2011-10-28T07:18:00.000-05:00

Marinda made this elephant quilt! I love it. Too bad the pics are a bit blurry. Have to get it back to take more. Three fabrics - a stunning quilt! (Okay the border is number four, but you could do it in three!)

I quilted free-hand ferns.

Tall grass in the border.

Basket Quilt

2011-10-27T07:08:00.005-05:00

Here is the large basket quilt, pieced by Betty Ann. I love quilting these 30's fabrics - so cheerful.

The inner white border was the perfect place to quilt a feather.

The outer border was quilted with lines - it frames the quilt. Also, the fabric is busy so you don't need anything fancy. After I posted these pictures, I noticed the yellow border needed quilting. It's only 1-1/2 inches wide, so I put a little ribbon on it. It just needed a little something.

I quilted a small leaf and loop in the sashing between rows.

There's a butterfly in there somewhere...

Spring Fling

2011-10-26T07:03:00.000-05:00

I love getting these quilts in from Janet K. Her mother was an excellent quilter and her piecing is perfect. Here is a cute spring pattern. I used very simple line quilting and mixed up the background quilting for variety.

This will make a cute wall hanging!

Feathered Stars by Marsha McCloskey

2011-10-25T10:01:00.001-05:00

Our guild had Marsha McCloskey as guest lecturer in October. She is known for Feathered Stars and has been quilting since 1979.

Did you know there are two different kinds of Feathered Stars - Grid Based and Radial. Grid based looks like the Ohio Star. Radial stars are when the points are evenly spaced, like le moyne stars. Here is her sampler - all grid based stars with different centers.

She doesn't enter her quilts into quilt shows, but others who have used the feather star as center medallion, have won ribbons. Sh brought along a few more quilts. She loves to use toile fabrics and uses large scale chintz for borders.

This one is a radial feathered star - see the difference? They are based on Le Moyne Stars.

She said this is the most difficult feathered star to make, so make it large. (Below)

Triple Feathered Star (below)

Applique Quilting Secrets

2011-10-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, I quilted two basket quilts for the same customer. This one is a table topper. Cute idea for left over blocks. Hopefully when you look at this quilt, you really notice the baskets. They just pop off the quilt.

There are a couple secrets to making your applique really POP. SID (stitch-in-the-ditch) and dense quilting is needed. Here is my approach.
First SID (stitch-in-the-ditch) all the applique and block itself. If you skip this step, all the pieced will look like a big BLOB on the quilt. SID makes each piece stand out - crisp and sharp. Next I added a feather design in each of the four corners.

Not bad... looking good. But when you add the extra quilting, it really makes those baskets sing!

Try it on your next applique quilting project.

Halloween Towel

2011-10-19T09:05:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick project I found on the internet. It's really quick and easy. It's a Halloween towel, with little witch legs peaking out of the bottom. Place the towel over a kitchen cabinet or an oven rail or bath towel rack.

The instructions can be found by clicking on this link.
http://www.favecrafts.com/Halloween-Crafts/Witch-Halloween-Towel#
I made a couple adjustments. I used fabric instead of ribbon and tulle. The fabric "ribbon" (purple in picture above) should be cut 2 1/2 inch wide by width of towel inches plus 1-inch, to turn ends under. I also turned the ends on the fabric before making the ruffle. I used needle and thread to baste and create the ruffle.

Here's my version...

It makes a cute gift!

Baby Quilt

2011-09-27T07:52:00.001-05:00

I love this circus themed baby quilt. The red work makes it sing. It was quilted with a pantograph called Double Bubble. Thread color matches background. Pieced by Becky W.

Double Bubble.

Modern Quilts

2011-09-26T10:40:00.001-05:00

This month, the guild I belong to had Weeks Ringle, from Fun Quilts. She gave a lecture on Quilts Made Modern, their newest book. Their quilts have been published in American Patchwork & Quilting as well as many home design magazines.

All the quilts are densely quilted, most with a meander or simple background design. It was interesting to hear how the quilts are stylized and photographed. She brought the quilts with her and I tried to take some quick snap shots. It was very interesting!

This is Weeks. She has a background in art, design

This quilt looks like it's made of all solid colored fabrics. But it's not. Here's a closer look. It's prints and a plaid. It's all about the color, value placement.

They have a new book coming out January 2012 on transparency quilts.

Best In Show

2011-09-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to Lynn Nowak who took Best In Show at our local quilt show, Faithful Circle Quilters of Downers Grove, IL. To see detailed quilting, in an older post - click on the title above and it will take you there.

WOW - what a thrill. She was walking on cloud 9 for a couple days! While I was at the show, they took our picture and we felt like celebrities. Congratulations Lynn! Her husband told her it's like getting a hole in one - some people never experience it.

Bed Spread - Comforter

2011-09-23T07:19:00.000-05:00

Here is a bed spread I made for a client. The fabric was a poly blend, felt like microfiber, and was slippery to work with. She wanted the spread to reach the floor - so it is very LARGE 125 x 110.

Since she came to a quilter, I assumed we would use the regular batting common to quilters. I normally use a 70/30 cotton-poly blend from Quilters Dream, select loft - not the thinnest. She had a big puffy comforter look in mind. Not going to happen with the my regular batting. With that in mind, I used an extra high loft batt - typically used for trapunto, which was even more difficult to work with. Quilted with a large, open design...it didn't shrink as much during the quilting process. Tight, small quilting would have created little pleats on the front and possibly on the back.

Storm At Sea

2011-09-22T08:40:00.000-05:00

I've been crazy busy and the result is lots of photos to post! So watch for new quilts next few days.

This Storm At Sea was pieced by Becky W. She made two and this is the first one I've quilted.
Once it was finished, I laid the quilt on the floor and took the pictures - not a good idea. That's why it's a little crooked.

I quilted a little wave in the red border.

Lines Lines Lines. This required lots of marking and was time consuming.

Lines create movement. Perfect for Storm At Sea blocks.

I wish I would have noticed that the next picture was a bit fuzzy. I would have taken more photos before it left my house! The triple cable in the border and corner turned out great.

Lecture Workshop

2011-09-16T10:53:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Pride of the Prairie Quilters (IL) for listening to my "Quilt As Desired" presentation last night. It was fun!

Workshop Saturday on Choosing and Creating Quilting Designs plus Marking your Quilt Top! We will be busy bees!

Stars Crossing

2011-09-13T09:06:00.001-05:00

This lovely quilt was pieced by Sue H. I don't know the official name, I'm just calling it Stars Crossing. I quilted beyond the seam lines of the snowball block, into the star block.

These flowers looked similar to ones in the fabric. They are repeated in solid blocks and in the outer border. Wool batting gives this quilt some puff - and emphasizes the quilting.

What We Learned

2011-09-12T20:16:00.000-05:00

9/11

2011-09-11T22:11:00.000-05:00

My heart goes out to all those who lost their lives and sacrificed their lives to save others on this day, 9/11, ten years ago. I still have a hard time looking at the photos.

Kicking Up A Storm

2011-09-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Sue P. made this quilt top. I believe it was her first quilt top and she is giving it to a friend. We chose an edge-to-edge pattern for quilting called Kicking Up A Storm.

She used a black fabric and a print on the back. You can really see the horses running on that black fabric!

Double Dutch

2011-09-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Here is a cute quilt for summer. Called Double Dutch, Pattern by American Jane. Made by Marianne M.

It was quilted with an all-over meander in the body of the quilt. SID around the polka-dot border and straight lines in the small outer border.

The fabric is so darn cute. I wonder if it was a kit?

Leaf Quilt

2011-08-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

This quilt is perfect for a fall day! Pieced by Julie B., she used a decorative stitch to emphasize the veins on each leaf. Click on a photo for a close up look.

She wanted a windy day look. I quilted swirls in the background, straight lines in the orange border and large swirls in the green outer border.

Red Work

2011-08-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

Another beautiful quilt from Lynn N. This one is a red work embroidery of birds. Click on a photo for a close up look. Such a simple quilt to make; four patches with the red work block. An edge-to-edge pattern called Asian Leaves was quilted.

Hand Embroidery

2011-08-24T08:39:00.001-05:00

Here is a quilt top from Lynn N. She enjoys hand embroidery and it looks great paired with pieced blocks made from Japanese fabrics. I like the mix of colors - so soothing.

Click on Photo to see close up.

I quilted a simple sashiko pattern from edge to edge, going through the embroidery. This keeps everything evenly quilted and flat. I matched the thread color to the background fabric, so it doesn't take away from the embroidery.

Wool Applique

2011-08-19T07:33:00.001-05:00

This quilt top was pieced by Lynn N. which she will display at a upcoming quilt show.

It is a great quilt with wool applique. It really pops.

I did echo quilting around the applique. SID in all the blocks and piecing and a nice design, mimicking the Fleur De Lis applique, in the alternate blocks and triangle blocks. I quilted a "Piano Key" (line quilting) in the border.

First Place Midwest Heritage Quilt Show

2011-08-18T10:26:00.002-05:00

Debra Janik won a first place ribbon for her Star Wedding Ring Quilt! It was displayed at the Midwest Heritage Quilt Show in Danville, IL. The quilts were on display for the month of July at Vermilion County Museum. She won ribbons for First Place, Wall Hangings-Large and the People's Choice award. Congratulations Debra!

Her quilt was on my blog May 4, 2010. Click on the Title Post above and it will take you there.

Block One

2011-08-16T14:37:00.000-05:00

I really want to hand applique. I love quilts with applique on them - in the borders, a touch of applique in blocks or those baltimore albums. I joined a block of the month club for needle-turn applique. I thought by the time I'm finished with the last block, I'll be so much better and will have really learned a lot about this method. I can only get better - right? I worked diligently on block one. It looks..... okay, and I expected it to be a little wobbly. Block one is still unfinished and then I get block two in the mail. Then block three - panic sets in - I'm not even finished with block one yet! Then I started to feel anxious and frustrated every time I picked up block one. When I worked on it - it became a job I had to finish! I wasn't enjoying the process. I dreaded getting the next block in the mail! I don't want this to become another project I won't finish - oh no! I tried and I tried, but I just cannot learn to love it. What's wrong with me?

Why can't I get the hang of hand applique too? I have books on different methods. I took a class on hand applique (David Taylor) - and that project is unfinished too.

So here's the update. I have stopped the BOM club. It was a great relief. I put away block one and all the others. Maybe I can try it again after a while. I need a break.

I still like hand projects. But simpler, like hand embroidery or knitting dish rags.

I'll let you know when I pick up block one again.

Pieced Batting

2011-07-16T08:46:00.000-05:00

I read two interesting articles on pieced batting by Marje Rhine, technical pattern editor for American Quilter Magazine. She shares two methods - by hand and by machine.

Large pieces of batting can be pieced together by hand to use in bed-size quilts. A little preparation ensures that the pieced batting will stand up to normal wear and tear on a quilt. First lay the batting pieces on a rotary cutting mat, overlapping by about 4”, and rotary cut a gentle wavy line through both pieces.

Remove the small excess pieces, line up the pieces along the curve, and hand stitch cut edges together with large stitches. To make sure the stitching will hold, run a thread in each direction.

Here's a method for joining the pieces by Machine:

I needed a quick method for joining the pieces so they would lie flat without a bump, instantly giving away the secret that they had been pieced.
I tried butting straight edges of the pieces together then stitching together with a zigzag that catches both pieces. This worked OK but the batting tended to stretch as I sewed. (It also has that telltale little bump where the seam is.)

I’ve come up with what I think is a better method.
1, Layer the batting, right-sides together (or same-sides together) along the straight edge.

2. Using a short and narrow blind hemstitch, sew the pieces together. The straight lines of the blind hemstitch should run just along the raw edges of the batting with the occasionally right-left stitches catching both pieces.
3. Open up the batting and pull slightly. The stitching should hold the length of the seam and almost disappear both visually and to the touch.

Here is a link to the articles:
http://www.quiltviews.com/?s=Pieced+Batting

I've used the zig-zag method and it does have a small bump. I'm going to give the blind hemstitch a try next time I need to piece batting!

College Quilt

2011-07-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Linda C. made this great crazy quilt for her daughter who graduated from the University of Notre Dame. Shamrocks are quilted in the border.

French Braid

2011-07-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

This king size quilt was pieced twice! The quilt maker, Barb W. pieced it according to the pattern directions and when she had to cut the sides of the braid, it left a bias edge. She didn't like that, so she took it apart and re-pieced it using the flip and sew method! A lot of work, but it is perfectly straight!

You can see the lines from the flip and sew on the back.

Here's Barb the quilt maker!

Star Quilt

2011-07-12T09:43:00.000-05:00

This quilt top was made by Janet K's mother, who passed away. She found several pieced tops in her mother's sewing room. Now they are getting quilted and bound. They are a great memory of her mom and cherished by the family!

Star Sampler

David Taylor Workshop

2011-06-16T09:27:00.002-05:00

David Taylor, quilter extraordinaire, was at our quilt guild this month and I had the opportunity to take a 1-day applique workshop. WOW, he's a really good teacher: He can explain things in a simple way. He knows what he is talking about. He makes it fun. He is not only produces award winning applique, but his thread-play quilting is jaw-dropping. I love it.

If you don't know who David Taylor is - you've probably seen his quilts. He's won awards in all the major quilt shows including Houston. Here are some of his quilts.

Tinker

Menard

Marmalade's First Snow

Close Up Detail

Since the workshop was only one day, we worked on a pattern designed by David, just to learn the technique. He also has 3 and 5 day workshops to learn how to create a pattern from a photo and turn it into a quilt. The pattern I chose was Chickadee.

Here's what I got done so far...

I know, it's not much, but I did learn the stitch and his applique concepts. He likes to do a lot of layering to avoid concave curves and points. He uses freezer paper and diluted starch to prepare his applique pieces before sewing. The key is layering the pieces in the right sequence. His quilts are absolutely FLAT, he irons the applique.

This is his large quilt, Chickadee, which won first place ribbons at Houston and Lancaster. The 409 pine needles are appliqued. Oh my.
Take a moment to go to his website and, if you get an opportunity, don't miss his lecture or workshops.
www.davidtaylorquilts.com/index.html OR Click on title of this blog and it will take you to his website.

2011-06-13T12:04:00.000-05:00

Here is a cute Trip Around the World. Pieced by Becky W. I quilted a separate feather border and a cute flower motif in the center of the quilt. You can see the quilting on the back of the quilt - a tone on tone white fabric.

Here is a log cabin quilt. Pieced by Beth H. for a guild challenge. It is a small throw.

Guild Night

2011-06-10T07:23:00.001-05:00

Our quilting guild met last night and I took some pictures. This first bunch is Show-N-Tell from the ladies at Pride of the Prairie Quilt Guild. We meet in Naperville, IL.


Just Ducky pattern is in Dec 2009 in American Patchwork and Quilting.

This was a panel and she cut out the teddys and made a cute setting for them.

This is only half of it. I love the setting.

A little blurry. The sashing is pieced. SO cute.

Our guest lecturer was Sue Pawlowski and she brought a trunk show. She likes to work with small pieces! Nothing goes to waste. She's very thrifty and save EVERY SCRAP. She saves 1 x 1 inch pieces and makes little 4-patches or 9-patches and then she makes a miniature with the left overs. Here are some examples.

Her "Thread Ball". 20 years in the making.

Half-Inch Squares!

More half-inch squares.

Hexagon Quilt

Close Up Hexagon Quilt. I wouldn't want to piece that!


Pieces cut with Accu Cutter

I really like this one.

More Hexagons

Jack's Chain. So bright and cheerful! She has a pattern for this one.

Larger Jack's Chain

A mini.

This one was so cute. A large Churn Dash.

Spools of Thread

Made with left over triangles cut from making binding.

Close Up

Another "left over" quilt.

You can buy her patterns here:
http://www.jacksquaresstudio.com/page04.html

Marge's Sampler

2011-06-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

This lovely sampler was pieced by Marge M. She wanted something with feathers.

These blocks are "in process" - all the quilting had not been finished yet.

Here are some finished blocks, with more quilting.

Borders and the back of the quilt.

The A word

2011-06-06T09:53:00.000-05:00

Oh no... the A word. I'm trying my hand at applique. Needle Turn Applique. It all started back in February when I signed up for a block-of-the-month club at Primitive Gatherings. I saw a beautiful sample block for the Sweet 16 pattern - it was perfectly made, of course. I thought, if I do enough of these, I can get better and better at applique.

I took one applique class about 5 years ago and forgot just about everything.
Now I am following the instructions and excellent pictures from The Thimble Lady, Liuxin Newman.

I have to say - they are very clear instructions. My blind stitch is coming along, but my shapes need a lot of work! They are not very smooth. Little by little, I am progressing and I hope to see an improvement with every block.

Red White and Blue

2011-05-28T08:16:00.000-05:00

Here is a beautiful quilt - perfect for Memorial Day. Pieced by Kim M. It was a block of the month.

Here it is coming off my machine. It's a large quilt!

Kim wanted a high-contrast thread in each block. Here are a couple close ups.

There were lots of borders! I continued the wavy lines from the sashing into the red border. The blue skinny border has stars and I quilted a swag in the largest blue border.

Lilac Season

2011-05-27T09:04:00.000-05:00

This lilac bush is planted in our back yard, close to the house, just outside our dining room window. When I open the kitchen window and back door, I can smell the fragrance! I love to hug that bush.

Baltimore Album style quilt and Batik 9-Patch

2011-05-26T07:47:00.001-05:00

This quilt was pieced by Pam J. It is a pattern from Laundry Basket Quilts, Edyta Sitar's Hop To It book. It is fusible applique secured with a tiny zig-zag stitch. I wish I would have taken more photos. Click on the picture for a close up. I quilted the background with a small stipple so the piecing would pop. Feathers in the borders.


9-Patch Batik

This quilt was pieced by Peggy Y. Made as a wedding gift. I quilted four separate wedding scenes. You will see Wedding Bells (above), the bride and groom (below)

Wine Glasses...

There is also a wedding cake, doves, a bridal bouquet, a Just Married sign on the back of a car, Rings, Chapel, Gazebo, Cake Knife, Cake Topper, Garter, Flowers. It's perfect for the occasion.

Quilts of late

2011-05-24T08:51:00.000-05:00

Here are some fun, bright kids quilts made by customers. The top one is called confetti, pieced by Cathy S. Great scrappy quilt ideas...

Love the easy 9-patch with the yellow border! It was quilted with an edge-to-edge pattern (pantograph) called wandering spirals. This is a digital pattern - and thanks to my Intelliquilter, it is sewn and spaced perfectly.

This was pieced by Kathy L. She choose an ABC panel for the back. It's so cute.

Quilted with SnapDragon pattern.

Music Quilt by Cathy S.

Skater T-Shirt Quilt by Sara W.

The next two quilts were pieced by Trish M. I love two color quilts! This was a wedding gift.

Trish M. also pieced this interesting chain-link quilt.

Vintage Linen Quilts with Cindy Needham

2011-05-20T10:12:00.000-05:00

Cindy Needham was our guest lecturer at guild last night. These beautiful quilts are made from vintage linens. WOW. The photos are mostly close-up shots, I didn't get the whole quilt. I wish I had a dime to lay down on each quilt so you can get the perspective of how tiny the quilting really is. You must see these up close to really appreciate the workmanship!

She often adds tiny tiny tiny beads to her work. A lot of the linens are damaged, have holes or some spots, but you can't tell! The quilting stabilizes it. Or she adds other lace to plug up the holes.

If the linen has cut-work (lacy), she adds a fabric behind the linen, then batting and backing. There are four layers in all. She does all the quilting on a Juki straight stitch sewing machine. She uses more than one lace or linen in a piece, if there is a hole that need to be "plugged up". The medallion in the center (pictured below) is a separate piece.

Tiny feathers and micro stippling.

Cindy Needham's website is http://www.cindyneedham.com/.

cute projects

2011-04-22T07:34:00.000-05:00

I found some really cute fabrics and have them set aside for a quilt one day. Future projects .... We all have them! The first one is a safari panel that I saw and some coordinating fabrics. Perfect for a baby / kid gift.

I found this cowboy fabric at a quilt store over a year ago. I am thinking of using it for the border, so you don't lose the scene. Or maybe fussy cut blocks.

College pillow cases. Once I looked up the how to, it was easy and I finished it. Part of a graduation gift.

Civil War Quilt Exhibit

2011-04-21T14:27:00.001-05:00

Yorkville Public Library (Illinois) had an exhibit of Civil War quilts. Always full of scrap quilts. Here are some pictures...


The quilting makes this simple 9-patch special.

I've always liked this block. But this is a small quilt! Lots of little HST's.

Look at all these little 8-pointed stars! One wall had a display of small quilts.

I believe the block above is a signature block.

These were sample sewing kits made for and used by the solders. Pretty niffty! Simple to make.

A slave mailed himself to the northern states to escape slavery. He survived in this size box!

Happy Birthday

2011-04-04T22:27:00.000-05:00

Where do the years go? It seems like I just had my 30th birthday! I had a wonderful day and scrumptious dinner with DH. Looks like it will be an extended celebration -- I have received several free birthday dinners to area restaurants and I wouldn't want to be ungrateful!

Butterfly quilt

2011-03-24T08:11:00.000-05:00

Penny B. made this quilt out of her father's old shirts. After making the background, she fused the butterflies on top and finished with a satin stitch. It will be a nice memory quilt for their family.

Penny wanted very simply quilting. All the squared are SID, the butterflies are SID with a meander inside and there are simple flowing lines between the butterflies across the quilt. It turned out just like she imagined.

Piecing It All Together

2011-03-23T08:48:00.002-05:00

My friends Chris Moline and JoAnne Louis published a new quilting book titled Piecing It All Together. It is about English Paper Piecing and includes 10 Projects. The book is 68 pages, with lots of photographs, diagrams, easy to follow instructions and piecing pointers. It can be purchased at your local quilt shop (if they don't have it yet, ask for it) or at www.paperpieces.com. Click on the title of this post and it will take you to the website.

I quilted a couple of the quilts in the book including the one on the cover page, called Jessie's Gems.

Here are a couple close up shots of the quilting...

I also quilted the one on the back page - it's called Spin Out.

These are some close up photos of Star Cluster...

Congratulations to Chris and JoAnne on your first book!

Irish Chain

2011-03-12T09:53:00.001-06:00

This is an Irish chain quilt pieced by Judy T. I can never tell if it's a single, double or triple, but I think this on is a double chain. I quilted it with a feather pattern.

Block one

Block two

There a look at the back of the quilt.

The feathered quilting has a shamrock shape to it.

Scrappy 4-Patch

2011-03-11T09:34:00.000-06:00

This wonderful quilt was made by Patsy M. with tiny, tiny 4-patches. It was fun to see all the different fabrics used. A small stipple is the best way to ensure all the squares are quilted. The red bars were SID and free-hand feathers were sewn in the gold areas.

Here is the back of the quilt.

She also made a couple cute quilts for charity. Both were the same, but I quilted them with different designs. A great setting idea for those charity quilts.

National Quilting Month

2011-03-08T15:24:00.000-06:00

The official National Quilt Day is March 19th, but they extended it to the whole month. Enjoy! Hope you are quilting today!

http://nqaquilts.org/nqday/

Superior Tension

2011-03-03T10:30:00.000-06:00

This information is from Superior Threads. An excellent illustration of tension.

If the threads are identical and you are sewing on a single layer of fabric and the tension settings are perfect so both sides have equal strength, the result will be a draw. The sewing should therefore produce perfectly even stitches with no top thread showing underneath and no bobbin thread showing on top. However, in the real world, the teams are rarely equal. One team will be stronger or bigger or faster or smoother than the other. We sometimes use decorative or sensitive threads on top. We often use different fibers for the top and bottom threads. We also add stabilizer or batting. Sometimes we might use a cotton bobbin thread and other times we use a polyester bobbin thread. All these factors make it necessary to adjust the tension for each project. By adjusting the top tension either up or down, we are able to add or take away strength on the top thread team to equalize the tug of war battle. Following is a list of things that affect stitch results:
1. Batting. This adds drag on the top thread. Cotton batting tends to grab the thread more than poly batting, adding more friction on the thread.
2. Fabric type. Dense fabric puts more stress on the thread.
3. Top thread thickness and type. Metallic is less flexible than cotton or poly. Poly is usually stronger than cotton or rayon.
4. Bobbin thread type. Cotton bobbin thread tends to grab more than a smooth filament polyester. Sometimes grabbing is preferred (when piecing) and sometimes it causes problems (with metallic thread). A smooth filament poly thread (not spun poly) in the bobbin will work better with metallic and other sensitive threads because its smooth finish acts almost like a lubricant, sliding nicely with the thread.

Conclusion: We cannot rely on automatic tension settings. There are too many variables. As illustrated in the diagram (click on link below), if the top thread is showing underneath, either the top tension is too lose or the bobbin tension is too tight. Either tighten the top or loosen the bobbin. If the bobbin thread is poking through the top, either the top is too tight or the bobbin is too loose. Loosen the top or tighten the bobbin. When making adjustments, begin with the top tension.

www.superiorthreads.com/media/uploads/2010/12/02/files/Thread_Tension_Diagram.pdf

Retreat

2011-03-02T10:07:00.001-06:00

I had an opportunity to go on a retreat and had a great time. Here are some photos of quilts and friends.

Retreat Feb 2011

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Americana Sampler Quilt

2011-02-14T08:58:00.001-06:00

Sampler Quilt

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This red-white-blue sampler quilt was made by Janet’s mother. It was custom quilted in her memory. It has a lot of cats on it, so I quilted a cat border.

Nutcracker Quilt

2011-02-13T21:02:00.000-06:00

Here's a beautiful Nutcracker Quilt made by Marilyn H. It was a block of the month club. Her piecing and satin-stitching is impeccable. I enjoyed quilting it. Each nutcracker has a different background fill. Check it out...

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Tonga Batiks

2011-02-12T08:52:00.000-06:00

Here's a quilt I just finished for customer Becky W. She created a log-cabin look with plain square blocks. I love 2-color quilts.

Customize your own photo slideshow

Cinco De Mayo

2011-02-03T11:13:00.001-06:00

Here a some pictures of a lively Cinco de Mayo quilt.

The top was made by Jane Kaufman. (Karen Stone pattern.) Impeccable piecing and points. It was very well pressed, laid flat, making it easier to work on and quilt.

Cinco De Mayo

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Quilts in January

2011-01-25T13:18:00.000-06:00

Here are the first couple customer quilts that I quilted in January.
The first one has wintery fabrics, including pinecones and holly. It is made from large blocks of rectangles and a square. It's quilted with a woodsy pattern of pinecones, acorns, leaves and branches. It turned out great and would look perfect in a cabin!

Next up is a small quilt. Wide table runner size. Log cabin blocks in red and creams. I used a feather with flower in cream areas and another free-hand feather design in the red areas. A double feathered wreath is in the center (red).

New Year Resolutions

2011-01-13T12:02:00.000-06:00

Hope you are ready for the New Year! I am making resolutions by the handful and one of them is to be healthier in 2011. I joined a health club and I'm working to make exercise a healthy habit.
I also joined www.sparkpeople.com, an on-line website that helps me track my nutrition, fitness and other goals. I love the menu plans and calorie tracker. It's free - so check it out.

I did not quilt or piece anything over the Christmas holiday. I took a break from all sewing and quilting activities. But it's back to work now. I am quilting a customer quilt right now - a "Cinco De Mayo" quilt (Karen Stone pattern) and I'll share pictures when it's done. It's very time consuming.

Hope you are all quilting and sewing to your heart's content!

Apron Exchange

2010-12-29T09:28:00.002-06:00

The WannaBee’s exchanged aprons last night. It was fun to see what everyone made! We pulled names, so each apron was made with that person in mind. Here are some pictures…

A shoe theme with crisscross straps in the back.

Makes me want to sing Edelweiss! Cute snowflake buttons outline the pocket.

A perfect fit for this gourmet cook!

Amy Butler fabric was used in this apron and there's even a loop for your kitchen towel!

A great color combo and lots of ruffles!

A smock-style that is reversible!

We’ll all be cooking up something de-lish in these aprons!

A Social Network Christmas

2010-12-26T09:12:00.001-06:00

Bee XMas Dinner

2010-12-14T09:20:00.002-06:00

I am so blessed to be part of this Bee. They have been together for 20 years and adopted me a few years ago. We had a pincushion exchange and just look at all the creative pincushions! Click on the picture for a close up.

We can’t figure out how the batik one (middle) was made.
The one on the left is a squirrel on a ball. I didn’t get his tail in the shot.

All the gals are so creative!

December Quilting

2010-12-09T10:17:00.001-06:00

Here is a circular Christmas tree skirt. Customer, Marge M. made this with the wedge ruler.

I saw more hexagons in December...this one was hand-pieced by JoAnne L. I quilted small arcs around each side of each hexagon and put a star in the very center. The little black diamonds are quilted too, but you can't see the quilting.

I am finally piecing something. This is a patriotic log cabin block. I saw a quilt with similar blocks at a quilt show a couple years ago and always wanted to make one. This is my sample block - before cutting and piecing the rest of the blocks. It is 6" finished and will be made into a table runner... one day. My first log cabin block ever!

That's it for now. I have a new camera and learning how to use it. I still take blurry pictures. It's operator error, not the camera. I need steady hands. Or a tripod.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T20:11:00.000-06:00

Hope you all have a wonderful, happy Thanksgiving Day! God Bless,

Julie

Two-Block Wonder

2010-11-22T08:50:00.001-06:00

Two-Block Wonder

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This quilt was pieced by Marinda Stopforth. It only has two blocks, set on point, it makes a stunning design. She used batiks. I love the blue batik background. I never would have chosen that and it is perfect. I quilted an allover feather-like pattern in the center and a fern-leaf on the borders.

Work Work Work

2010-11-17T09:08:00.001-06:00

I’m trying to keep on schedule! This is my busy time of year. Everyone has quilts that they would like quilted so they can be given as Christmas gifts. Or they would like to display them or use them for Christmas.

A stack of batting cut for the awaiting quilts…

Messy work table!

I did make myself this nifty little work apron at the guild sew-in last Saturday. It has four pockets, so I keep my pen, glasses, small rulers on me instead of looking for them constantly!

Back to work now!

Quilts from HQG

2010-11-12T14:39:00.001-06:00

Heritage Quilter’s Guild 2010

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Here are a couple quilts from the Heritage Quilter’s Guild, taken earlier this year. My camera was on the fritz. Wish I could have taken more photos. I love the Hexagon!

Log Cabin Quilt

2010-11-12T07:13:00.000-06:00

This is a wonderful memory quilt, pieced by Joan Dolinar. It has log cabin blocks, set in a traditional barn raising style. The pictures are of her daughter, from her wedding, to her family.

I did a free-hand feather in the "light" side of the log cabin block and SID in the dark. I used Wool batting, which makes it a bit loftier and the pictures stand out as well as the log piecing.

On the table...

This is the border.

I put a frame around each photo, then SID around each photo.

Borders, view from the back.

Corner.

One more log cabin block.

Veterans Day

2010-11-11T08:43:00.000-06:00

Click on the link (or on the title above) to visit my friend Cheryl's blog .... Fiber Art and Quilting. http://blog.muppin.com She has a nice tutorial on how to make your own Veterans Day Poppy Flower Pin. Thanks Cheryl!

Underground Railroad Sampler

2010-11-10T08:12:00.000-06:00

This is an underground railroad sampler quilt, pieced by Linda Clements, done in civil war reproduction fabrics. It looks fabulous!

I enjoyed quilting this. Here are a couple close-up shots of the individual blocks...

Double Wedding Ring Quilt

2010-11-08T08:52:00.000-06:00

Double Wedding Ring Quilt. (DWR). This was pieced by Sue C. for her daughter's wedding. It took a long time to quilt because of it's size and because it has four different thread colors. Each block was stitched-in-the-ditch (SID).

She fussy-cut all the corner stones (circular tie-dye pattern).

A tear-drop design in silver/gray thread in the center of each DWR.

These are the "melon" shapes on each side. I quilted arcs in the purple melon with matching purple colored thread, the blue melon in blue thread.

Quilting Retreats

2010-11-04T10:13:00.003-05:00

I love my annual quilting retreat at Homestead Cabin Retreat. Here are my pictures. Lots of quilts!

Sue made napkins, when folded look like Christmas trees. or great big earrings.


XMas Table Toppers

Walker Bags for nursing home


Snow Man quilt


A fabric basket

My friend Ute does beautiful handwork. These are her own design, made with felted wool. She laid the snowman on her shirt


So Creative!

More quilts..... my we were busy!


Pattern from Fun Quilts

Love this - great colors for a man.

Sharon's favorite pillow case fabric!

Beautiful - Wool table runner.