catching up . . .

I've missed posting a few quilts that I've quilted for customers over the past few months - not intentional - just one of those things . . . they all deserve their time on my blog - so have a look.


Addies Creative Fabrics offers a "first Saturday" quilt.  You sign up and pay for your first block, then on the first Saturday of every month, you bring in your completed block, and receive the second block - for FREE!  If you keep up, every month you will receive a free block!  What a great deal!  Here is Rose's version of a first Saturday quilt  - done with Kansas Troubles fabrics, glide Thread; Pansies panto

Here's another quilt I found that hadn't been posted (!)   Joan made this top with a beautiful selection of batiks - it was a super-sized quilt!

 

 

This next one is Myrla's gorgeous Dresden Plate applique quilt.  The Dresden Plates are placed on the most beautiful gradient fabric - dark purple to lighter.  I quilted it all over with "swirl feather" design - switching thread color half way through.  Myrla suggested lighter thread on the dark, and darker thread on the light fabric - wow, what a great idea - it really worked!  I have always said that I wouldn't do an all-over design on an applique quilt - but there's a first time for everything - for this quilt, it is what Myrla wanted, and again, it worked!

 



I know there are others, but maybe I didn't take pictures???  I usually try to take at least one picture of each quilt that comes through the Little House, but sometimes if I'm in a hurry to get the quilt back to it's owner, I might not - but I try.

I've got a few quilts to finish off this next week - so there will be more from the Little House soon!

Quilt on! 

Two kinds of rings . . .

Sharon made this beautiful Judy Niemeyer Double Wedding Ring quilt . . . they say a picture is worth a thousand words . . . so here you go . . . a few thousand words!  Glide Thread; Hobbs 80/20 batting, continuous curves in rings; feathers in the rest . . .

Sharon's Double Wedding Ring - hangin' with Freeda



OMG - two JN's hangin' with Freeda! . . . and the sun is shining!



Sharon's Double Wedding Ring - backing



Close up - Sharon's double Wedding Ring

OK - this next picture has a bit of a mistake in it - I have fixed the mistake, BTW, but here's a before picture.  See if you can spot it . . . leave a comment - sorry, no prizes! I hope there aren't too many suggestions . . . I'm only looking for one! 

Find the oops!

  

 I've just discovered the QCR - Quick Curve Ruler - designed by Jennie from Sew Kind of Wonderful - it's just the easiest way to make curved quilts!   I'll show you my Metro Rings quilt - well, parts of it anyway.  I'm just learning - but it's going well and I should have a king-sized quilt finished and on Freeda for quilting in the next couple of weeks.  Have a look at Jennie's website for all kinds of cool patterns using the QCR! 

 

testing out placement on the design wall

all cut, and ready to sew!

 

 

It's taken a bit of time, but I'm getting pretty comfortable putting these blocks together . . . I've got 10 of 80 done . . . it'll be a while!  I'm using Moda fabrics from Autumn Woods line and Bella Solids

 

 

 

 - and then there's Metro Medallion on my to do list . . . and Urban Holidays!  Thankfully I am raiding my stash for both of those!

 

Until next time - measure twice - cut once . . . from the Little House!

 

Star Struck! The quilting process from start to finish . . . worth the wait!

About a year ago, Guidel brought me a quilt top that was very special to her.  It has over 4,000 pieces and I can't even imagine how many hours it took for Guidel to piece.  At that time, Guidel told me she wanted this quilt to be "special" - and "no hurry" - it was more important that it be just right.  She had two requests - first that the "zig zag border stand out" and second, that the overlap 3-D pieces were not to be quilted so they kept their dimensional effect.  To be honest, I am so thankful that I waited until the timing was just right to tackle this one . . . and the right time was this July . . .  here's a photo journey of the quilting process.  The pattern is Star Struck, designed by Jackie Robinson.

First off, I had the top hanging on the wall for weeks just looking at it - trying to decide on the right quilting designs . . . I spent a lot of time just looking at it, drawing on my sketch pad and making notes.

Guidel's Quilt - unquilted

Then, there was auditioning different thread colors . . .

Guidel's quilt - thread choices

Once the quilt top, backing and batting were loaded on Freeda, I started by securing the borders with Stitch in the Ditch (SID) and stabilizing the star with SID from point to point.  I found it best to work on half the quilt at a time as it becomes too cumbersome rolling a quilt that is partially quilted.

SID around purple borders

 After securing the purple borders, I added a new border design in the lighter space.  This adds a new dimension to a large, blank area.  It also gives more focus to the darker border.


Adding stitching to border

Filling in border design with continuous lines and swirls - then addition of continuous curves in patch area

Denser fill in outer border - see the 3-D effect?

Next - the centre of the quilt.  There is a lot of white space - so I broke that up by making new areas for quilting . . . the focal element of the quilt is the centre star -  I used that as the inspiration for quilting of the white areas.

Star Center - beginning or quilting



 . . . and then I just kept moving forward until it was all done . . . I did have to turn the quilt 90 degrees once I had finished to the top and bottom border in order to complete the side borders horizontally.

Finished product . . . a few different views

Add caption



Backing

Backing



Backing

So, there you have it . . . the evolution of a quilt top!  If you look closely, you will see that I only used three basic designs - straight lines, swirls and curves . . . Fil-tec Glide Thread (5 different shades); Invisifil Thread (for SID), and Hobbs Heirloom Wool batting.

Until next time, happy stitching from the Little House.

Hot, hot, hot . . . .

Yes, it is hot, hot, hot here in Alberta!  I love the heat, but admit, am thankful that my long arm is in the basement where it stays nice and cool.  Funny, wasn't it just a few weeks ago we were all complaining about the cold and rain!  That's just how it is!  I would be happy to be outside - but then there is the other issue of mosquitoes . . . don't get me started!  They are just brutal this year, and for someone who doesn't like to OFF up, it makes it difficult to be outside. 

I've been busy with Freeda the last few weeks - and loving it! . . . a few pictures of quilts that have passed through the Little House this summer . . .

Kelly's Pinwheel quilt . . . love the colors!  We chose Wildflowers Panto and Glide Thread - Buttercup; Hobbs 80/20 batting

Kelly's Pinwheel Quilt hangin' with Freeda

Kelly's Pinwheel Quilt - close up

Kelly's quilt - backing

Kelly's Quilt - finished and out in the sun!

Ruth's quilt - well actually it's Ruth's friend's quilt.  When Ruth's friend, Bonnie, died, Bonnie's husband gave Ruth a box of Bonnie's quilting "stuff" - you know . . .we all have lots of those boxes.  Well, Ruth came across a Kaleidoscope top that Bonnie had pieced, but not quilted.  Ruth brought it to me, and we talked about what Bonnie might have wanted for the quilt - and chose feathers for the open spaces, and swirls in the Stack and Whack Kaleidoscope pieces.  Ruth wanted it to be lofty - so she brought me two layers of polyester batting . . . lots of loft there!  It turned out beautiful - and Ruth will be binding it and giving it back to Bonnie's family.  Every quilt has a story - I love this one!

Hangin' with Freeda

Ruth's quilt - close up

Ruth's quilt - Bead Board border and feathers

backing

Bonnie's quilt - hangin' with Freeda

Lynne made this quilt for her daughter's wedding - she wanted it natural and earthy - so we chose "Come Dance with Me" panto; Glide thread; Hobbs Heirloom batting

Heather loves the modern look - this one is no exception!  Glide Thread; Raindrops panto; Hobbs 80/20 batting

Ursula's yet to be born grandchild will be the lucky recipient of a Dr. Seuss quilt - it's so cute!  I apologize for the quality of the photos - it really doesn't do it justice!  Freehand 3s and es and fills; Quilter's Dream 70/30 batting; Glide thread - bright gold and white

by the way . . . if you look back a few posts to Facing your Fears you'll see that "old quilting granny" flying 6000 ft above the Mediterranean off the south coast of Turkey!

Guidel's quilt - Rosie Panto; Hobbs 80/20 batting; Glide thread

Guidel's quilt - backing - love the way flannel shows off the quilting!

Another of Guidel's quilts - this one was pieced and in a box for over 20 years!!  There is one spot on it where her kids (now grown adults) have written on it - priceless!!!  Glide Thread; Falling Leaves panto

Whew . . . that's a lot of quilts!  Next post I'll show you the quilting process of another of Guidel's very special quilts . . . full on custom job - and it turned out fabulous!

Until next time . . . bzzzzz . . . . from the Little House  :)