My Twisted Sister!

My sister never does anything in a small way - so that must be why she made a king sized Beach Glass Quilt made with a selection of Kona solids.  She wanted it quilted in dense spirals . . . so the pantograph "Dizzy Izzy" by Patricia Ritter was a perfect choice.  Each column has over 90 pieces - and there are 30 vertical columns . . . you do the math!  Pattern is called ``Beach Glass`  from the book Quilts Made Modern by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr.

Dizzy Izzy pantograph - Urban Elementz

I honestly don't think I could have done this one without the pantocam.  If I was following this pattern from the back of the machine, it would be way too confusing . . . I'd be cross-eyed in no time!

Beach Glass - hangin' with Freeda
 

Backing - close up

I charged her two felted Santa for doing the quilting . . . I think that's a pretty good deal. . . they are just the most amazing Christmas ornaments.  I don't know where she gets all the ideas, but each Santa she makes is unique.  Send me a message if you want to get in touch with her for that perfect gift for someone who has everything - I bet they don't have a hand-made felted Santa!

Two Santas - the wine bottle is only for size reference :)
 

Back detail

Side detail

Mexican Santa - he'll be in Mexico this Christmas with me!

Mexican Santa - back detail

Mexican Santa

OK . . . so she's not so "Twisted" . . . but very creative!

It's the first day of Autumn today - we had a beautiful day here in Water Valley - over 20 degrees, clear blue skies and a bit of a breeze.  Until next time - here's to Autumn from the Little House.

Three Sisters . . .

 

Three Sisters mountain - it's about an hour west of where I live - isn't it gorgeous?

Well this post isn't really about three sisters - but three sisters-in-law.  Heather, Becky and Kelly are sisters-in-law that just love to make quilts - and they do a great job.  I'm happy to finish them off for them so they can be used.


I'm not sure what the pattern is called, but it is another Camille Roskelley pattern from her book Simply Retro - she makes beautiful patterns using those nice, colorful prints that are out there these days.  Heather and Becky had a "sew day" and look what they came up with . . .


 Heather's quilt - Glide Thread; Hobbs 80/20 batting; Classic Weave (reduced in size) panto

Classic Weave (reduced) panto - close up

Heather's quilt

Heather's quilt hangin' with Freeda

Heather was so excited she got it bound and washed all in one day!

Heather's quilt - all washed and bound
 

Becky's used softer colors in her quilt and added a border.  Glide Thread; Hobbs 80/20 batting; Baptist Fan panto

Becky's quilt - close up Baptist Fan panto

Becky's quilt - hangin' with Freeda

Kelly's quilt is not a Camille Roskelley design (I don't think) . . . it's for her daughter's bedroom in their new home - I love the vintage feel of this quilt!  Bottom Line Thread on top; Ribbons and Roses panto; Hobbs 80/20 batting.

Kelly's quilt

Kelly's quilt - close up

Kelly's quilt - hangin' with Freeda



 My version of the Three Sisters-in-law mountain!

Until next time, salud from the Little House (I'm getting ready for my winter trip to Mexico!)

. . . saying goodbye to Summer :(

Well, here we are at the end of August.  It's a lovely day in Water Valley today - about +20 degrees, mostly sunny skies - but there is a chill in the air in the mornings, the days are getting shorter, the hummingbirds are gone, and the leaves are starting to turn golden - it happens every year - the end of summer and the beginning of fall.  Our hay is all up and baled, and just a bit more to do with greenfeed and that's it for the farming as well.  Quilting is always slower in the summer, but I have been busy and am making headway on my own UFOs (unfinished objects).

Barb made this little quilt for her neighbor's baby - it's a very unique pattern - look closely at it.  I quilted it with Glide thread - Bright Gold which worked perfectly, and freehand 3s and Es - I'm getting better at those!

Barb's baby quilt - close up

Barb's baby quilt



Myrla makes such unique quilts - this one is made with hexies (that new craze!) that she works on as a take along project.  I have to admit, I had a bit of trouble with this one.  Myrla wanted invisible thread - so it didn't really show, but the quilting showed.  I had a purple cone of invisifil by Wonderfil Threads I thought would be just perfect.  I don't use Invisifil often, except for stitch in the ditch when I don't want the stitching to show at all, but rarely have I used it as the main quilting thread - but others do, so I didn't see that it should be a problem.  Once I got the tension set - which has to be very loose for Invisifil - the first issue I had was "bearding" on the back of the quilt.  Bearding is when the batting pokes through on the back . . . and because it was white batting, and a dark backing, it was very noticeable.  There are all sorts of theories of why bearding happens, but the most common cause seems to be a poor weave backing.  Well, this is what I had to work with, so I switched up the batting to a black batting - and voila - problem solved.  Now, I can't say if it was the batting, the backing, but whatever, the bearding stopped.  Hurray!  Now on with the quilting - as you can see, the hexies are made from a variety of fabric pieces - next problem!  The invisifil thread doesn't like going from a regular cotton - to a batik - then to a fabric with "sparkles" - I kept getting thread breaks.  I slowed the machine down, took my time and the thread breakages were more manageable.  So after all that - here's the finished product. Pretty Paisleys panto (reduced in size); Invisifil Thread; Hobbs 80/20 black batting.  I'm very happy with it and so was Myrla! 

I've had a chance to finish a few of my own projects as well.  This Friendship Braid quilt has been quilted for a long time - a really long time - but I finally got the binding done!  Hurray - into the done pile!   Glide Thread (sand); Freehand feathers, curves and swirls; Hobbs 80/20 batting

Last winter I picked up a couple of packages of fat quarters - Hoffman Batiks River Rocks.  I really like these colors, and had planned to make a couple of curve quilts - but I decided instead to use one of the packages to make a Hopscotch quilt.  This is a great fat quarter pattern - you have absolutely NO scraps when you're finished (now I like that!!!).  I whipped this up when I was camping this summer - well, OK, RVing with electricity and my sewing machine on board.  The backing is a fleece type backing - so soft and cuddly!  I used Diamonds are Forever panto by Urban Elementz - very happy with it - look at the design on the backing!  I'll be making another curve quilt out of these fabrics to go on the bunk beds in our grandkids sleepover room - nice and cozy!

Hopscotch River Rocks hangin' with Freeda

Hopscotch River Rocks

Backing - Hopscotch River Rocks

Backing - close up Diamonds are Forever

 

 

I'll be delivering three quilts next week - and then off for a bit to enjoy my daughter's wedding.  She'll get a quilt - but it won't be done for the wedding!  I'll get there, but I want it to be special so it will take some time!

 

 

Until next time - enjoy the last of the summer days!  . . . . from the Little House

 





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!