Saturday 28 September 2013

Don't sweat the small stuff . . . .

Here's a few of the smaller projects that have been on and off  Freeda over the past few weeks.
Betty's rich-coloured Christmas Table Runner; Freehand Feathers' Fil-tec Glide Thread







I'll guarantee this will look great on any Christmas table!


.... and what about this one for an everyday table?  Janice used a selection of Laurel Burch fabrics . . . I love it - front and back!  Glide thread; Freehand designs





Tara is a fairly new to quilting - but she did a great job of this little baby quilt. She added the "raw-edge" birds which give it a great effect! Freehand feathers; Fil-tec Glide Thread



hangin' with Freeda

It will be Thanksgiving soon - Danielle asked me to quilt this panel for her parents for Thanksgiving.  Glide Thread - Sand; Freehand Feather/swirls, outlining sunflowers and pumpkins.




...... one more small one - Kathy made this baby quilt from a beautiful selection of pastel batiks.  It will welcome a new Grandbaby .... so cute!  Filtec Affinity Thread; Hearts and Daisies panto


hanging' with Freeda

I'm off to do the Light the Night walk in Edmonton with my sister.  It is a fund raiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  We started this walk 7 years ago when I was in treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma . . . and while I have been in remission for 6 years, there are still many people in active treatment right now that need support.  It's a worthwhile cause in my book! 

Until next time . . . don't sweat the small stuff!

Thursday 26 September 2013

Double vision . . .

Sometimes that can happen if I'm REALLY tired, but in this case, it's all about two quilts with the same theme . . . Audrey made these adorable quilts for her two nieces . . . . they were identical - so we decided to put a different quilting pattern on them just to make it more interesting. Both used Hobbs 80/20 batting and were quilted with Fil-tec Glide thread (Celery) . . . lucky, lucky nieces!


Audrey's #2 - Popcorn panto


Audrey - Daisies Galor




See - there really are two!
 I didn't get pics of the back - but the backing was Lime Minkie . . . just the right touch and it looked amazing after it was quilted! Then Marge brought me two quilts that are going to Nova Scotia as gifts. . . .and while they are not the same pattern, they do have some of the same fabrics. I quilted them both with the same panto - Flirtatious ; Fil-tec Glide thread - Sand. They are going to be a stunning edition to the family room in Nova Scotia!



Flannel backing - love it!!!



This is not about seeing triple . . . this is the backing!!! 


Marge's piece backing - beautiful!!

Hangin' with Freeda


Marge's #2 - close up
 This next quilt isn't about seeing double.... it is about caring, friendship, and just a great group of people. I quilted this on a very tight time line - you see, a group of colleagues got together to create this work of art for one of their friends/colleagues who was recently diagnosed with cancer. They knew she would not have long, and wanted to make something to share with her - and to comfort her. Each quilt block represents something meaningful for both the giver and the receiver. They told me (and I have no doubt!) that this was very therapeutic for everyone . . . something tangible that they could do under the circumstances. I know how important this act of sharing is for everyone - so I worked it in and got it quilted. It was the least I could do . . . I have purposefully blurred the picture - as the quilt itself was beautiful, but very personal . . . just want to share what a dedicated group of friends can do. I quilted a heart in each square to depict the many hearts that made this a very special quilt.




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Until next time . . . . thoughts from the Little House . . . .

Thursday 12 September 2013

Applique quilt - finished!

Bonnie did such an amazing job on this VERY unique and busy quilt!  It's a Jen Kingwell pattern - Green Tea and Sweet Beans.  I'm really happy with the way it turned out - not sure if the pictures capture the definition the quilting added, but it really has a great effect.  Bonnie loved it - and with any luck, others that made the same pattern will ask me to quilt theirs . . . it was just so much fun as I could treat each of the blocks as a whole new quilt!  I used my new freehand favorite in the borders - Swirl - Feather - Feather (adapted from Judi Madsen - Green Fairy Quilts) . . .

Green Tea and Sweet Beans Quilt

Green Beans and Sweet Tea - close up


Green Beans and Sweet Tea - close up

Green Beans and Sweet Tea - close up of Clam Shells


Green Tea and Sweet Beans - close up

Green Tea and Sweet Beans - close up - ric rac border! and outer border


Green Tea and Sweet Beans - close up

Green Tea and Sweet Beans - I think this is my favorite block - at least one of my favorite blocks anyway!

Green Tea and Sweet Beans - close up pebbles around circles

Green Tea and Sweet Beans - hangin' with Freeda . . .


Did you see my news about the rental program at Little House?  Well, there's more news - we're expanding!  One of the staff members at Addies has just ordered her brand new APQS Millenium - and we are going to share space at Addies!  I'll still offer edge-to-edge freehand quilting and pantos, as well as custom quilting for my customers, but we are both going to manage the rental program on two great APQS machines - my FREEDOM (aka Freeda) and Betty Anne's yet to ne named MILLENIUM.  We're super excited!  The rental program will begin in October so contact me if you are interested.



Sunday 1 September 2013

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