Wheatridge Studios

Pina Coladas on the Beach - Creston Alumni Association Raffle Quilt

2011-06-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

This is the 2011 Creston Alumni Association Raffle Quilt, one of very few of my own that I manage to quilt each year. I wasn't going to do a border, just edge to edge blocks - then I saw the flip-flops and the I HAD to add a border! Sometimes the quilt has a mind of it's own and you just have to let it be what it wants to be...

The drawing will be held in September at the Reunion. I'll add ticket information as soon as I get it.

Paula's Irish Chain

2011-04-13T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is the second Irish Chain I've been able to quilt from a class at a local quilt shop. Thanks, Paula - This is so much fun!

You've been keeping me VERY busy!!

2011-04-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few of the quilts I've done in the last couple of months. Many have been edge to edge on busy quilt, and nothing shows up - which is by design!! But here are few where the quilting was able to add to the 'story'.

First up is Becky's quilt. She's actually a shirt-tail relative and I was THRILLED that she allowed me to work on this special quilt.

This was an edge to edge for Suzanne. Finding designs for guys is not easy!! Her son, the recipient of this quilt, was a basketball player. What could be better than 'Bounce' by Anne Bright on this Turning Twenty!

Our local library holds a quilt raffle each year to raise money. The Wheat Country Quilters pieced the quilt. None of the fabrics, other than the background, were repeated. Amazing how such different fabrics can play so nicely together! Most of the designs are Anne Bright, the Friendship Star quilting was designed by Leslie Sevigney

Jane made this Irish Chain as part of a class at a local quilt shop. It is the first of several I will be quilting. While both of us were thrilled how this turned out, we were both extremely disappointed that the back was pieced. I was quilting along, thinking "Man, this really looks gooood!! as the back would show on the roller as I advanced. Then, the back piecing showed up...I had forgotten that she pieced the back. This would have been a two sided quilt! We've both learned a lesson from this! The two outer border and block quilting designs were Anne Bright, the small inner border was a modification I made to fit that skinny border. This digitizing stuff is FUN!!

Now that the camera is out of the shop, and we're getting some sunny weather, I hope to be able to post more pictures. Happy Spring!!!

I give up... :)

2011-02-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

Did I say hundreds of designs??? I may have underestimated that.... I'll leave up the ones that I've downloaded so far, but they are just a drop in the bucket.

I have come to the conclusion that there is no way to give you a view of everything available, especially since I can also manipulate designs to make all new ones. Crazy stuff!!!

So, when you have a quilt where you want to pick out designs, send me a picture of your quilt and I'll pull a few ideas and send them back.

It's a whole new year!!

2011-02-02T20:28:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Payroll Taxes are done and I'm back to quilting!

BIG news - I've added a computer system to the longarm. What does this mean for you??? I now have HUNDREDS of designs to choose from, and can resize, flip, stretch, and morf to fit your quilts! I'm also able to add a new mid-range service: Edge to Edge (E2E) with a separate border. Just a little fancier than an E2E, but less than going full Custom.

There are three links to the right - they will take you to files that contain the pictures of the designs. Please be patient with me - I'm going to try to update the files a little at a time in the evenings. I do want to spend my days quilting - go figure! Until I get all the designs loaded, contact me and we'll figure out what to do with YOUR quilt. Shelley

Camera found! An update:

2010-10-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Let's start with the Buggy Barn Quilt Show (I did not quilt any of these, I just thought they were cool :) :

A small peak at an American Beauty that I quilted for a quilt shop:

A log cabin star, made by Shirley for her grandson's wedding:

And, a quick look at what we do in our 'spare' time:

I am so glad that harvest and seeding are done; I have my husband back!

Happy Quilting!!

Shelley

Studio Pictures

2010-07-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

I've been threatening for a long time to post studio pictures. I rarely clean things up - after all, this is a WORKING studio. But I have guests coming this week to work on a special project, so all the thread and fuzzies and stacks of fabric have been put in their places. I'll tell you the story of the special project at a later date. For now - Enjoy!!

The studio is in a former church. I am very fortunate to have so much room!!

Time to get caught up!

2010-07-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

Time has flown so lets get caught up! As always, click on the pictures for a closer look.

First, the promised graduation quilts. This first was made by Helen for her granddaughter Emmy. If you look back through the blog posts, you'll find a quilt that I quilted for Emmy. This was fun to quilt, EXCEPT the back was a stretchy flannel type fabric. When you're working with t-shirts, western shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, knit, and blue jeans (with the hole - she was wearing these when she broke her arm) ....the back should be something normal. This worked, but there were a couple of tucks that there was nothing that I could do to fix. There's a lesson learned in this studio everyday!!

Most of what I quilted wasn't very noticeable on the front. The surprises really showed up on the back.

Next are a couple that I made for Karrie's friends. No, Karrie's isn't done yet - it's still in pieces. But here's Katelyn's: This is from the Buggy Barn book "Crazy Fun and Games" and this is called "Checkers". To make the corners on each block, you use a full square, sew across from corner to corner then cut. I added another seam, so now have 200+ half square black-and-white blocks. I have a plan.....

The next was also one I made, this time for Savannah. Another one from the Buggy Barn book, and this is called "Hearts".

And I promised an updated, final, I'M-DONE-NEVER-TO-DO-THIS-AGAIN look at Stars In My Garden. It did turn out pretty cool, but you won't find me doing this technique again, unless it's maybe possibly on a really really teenie tiny quilt. ....Nope. Never again..... Just for a comparison, here's a before and after look.

Darcia says this was a block of the month from a now-closed quilt shop in Spokane. She added fabrics from her stash for the flowers. My main goal on this one was to really show off her applique. Time to crank up the stereo and swirl! There aren't many pictures here. Because I tried to hide the thread and give only texture, not many of the pictures turned out.

One more! Gina made this for some friends who like the snow! Another Buggy Barn pattern. I've done quilts with flannel on the top, and quilts with flannel on the bottom, but this was the first I've quilted with flannel top and bottom. This is YUMMY!!

If I've quilted a quilt for you that's not shown here it's because 1) I haven't heard from you that it's ok to post your quilts or 2) my pictures didn't turn out well. You can fix both 1 and 2!! Send me an e-mail!

Till next time, and it won't be three months from now, keep quilting!! Shel

The crazies in life!

2010-06-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Graduation is over and it turned out wonderfully!! Lots of family and friends. We are so proud of Karrie.

Things are still crazy as we prepare for the wedding. I PROMISE I'll be back soon - lots of quilts to show and more quilts to do! "Stars in my Garden" is done so I'll post pictures as soon as I can. See you next week - after I take a nap.....

Rose's Stars

2010-04-19T21:13:00.000-07:00

This was FUN!! Lots of CC (continuous curve) with some feathers thrown in. Quilter's Dream Puff batting so the quilting gives lots of definition. Mostly King Tut threads for the CC, with some SoFine! for the feathers. Since the batting has lots of loft, I was able to use a non-matching thread for the back, so I went with a light blue to match the dots. As always, click on the pictures for a closer look!

Time for an update

2010-03-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

I've been busily quilting! First a couple of teasers - two quilts I can't show until 1) the guild challenge is done (May) and 2) graduation is done (June). Make sure someone reminds me - ok?

Now for the ones I can show you. This is Melinda's Southwest quilt. It looks to me to be done with an Irish Chain pattern. Does that make it a "Southwest Chain"?? Anyway, we used the coyote and cactus panto on here - very fitting!

The next quilt is a big block quilt from Ami. This quilt is for a man. Ponderosa Pine Spray was the panto used. No estrogen in this quilt!

And finally, a week old picture of Stars in My Garden. I'm a lot further now, and I'm trying to get it done in time for the Odessa Quilt Show the weekend of the 23rd of April. No more updates until it's DONE!!! [insert evil laugh here!] Shelley

Stars in My Garden & Sherry's Floral Applique

2010-03-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy that Sherry trusted me to quilt this beauty!!

I'm also still working on Stars in My Garden. If you look closely, you'll see that the center section, where I started, is lighter than the outer edges. After some testing, we've decided that I just wasn't working the color into the fabric as well then as I am now. I've also found out that you CAN color over it, even after using the extender. Just make sure you re-do the extender.

WIP Wednesday - Stars (no, I'm not done YET!!)

2010-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Here's this week's update. I ran out of the extender (the liquid stuff to bind the pigma pencils to the fabric), so I missed a couple of nights of coloring. Here's where I am:

Mary's Primrose Lane

2010-03-03T09:08:00.000-08:00

Mary started working on this in late November. Imagine my surprise when she brought it to me mid February for quilting!! She said it was just too fun, that she was able to finish it in no time! Mary happened to be downstairs, working on a charity quilt, when this went on the machine. I put eight different threads on the quilt, and nothing seemed to work. So I called her to come make the decision. On her way up the stairs, she said, "So, 'poopie green' isn't going to work?" I hadn't thought of that. This quilt had blues, and whites, and pinks. Some green. Not much....?? So I grabbed the spool. Want to guess what she chose - and I'm glad she did!! Quilter's Dream Puff batting, Poopie Green (King Tut 610) thread on top and Bottom Line in the bobbin. The panto is Cutie Patootie!

Work in Process Wednesday

2010-02-24T20:15:00.000-08:00

Here's this week's update on Stars in My Garden. My youngest was home sick for a couple of days, so I colored. It's coming along!

Stars in My Garden - The how-to!

2010-02-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

I've been asked to explain how I'm doing the coloring on "Stars in My Garden". The left side shows how the quilt looks after it's been quilted and before coloring. To the right is an area that has been colored.

I'm using Pigma pencils for the colors, then sealing the coloring with Jacquard Textile Color, #100 Colorless Extender. I've seen the pencils at Michaels and JoAnn. I bought the Extender at dharmatrading.com. I'm sure it's available at other places.

Use the pencils to color the area. It's best to use lots of light strokes to add color, not heavy strokes that could later flake off. Work that pigment into the fabric, shading the edges and veins. Use more than one color - nothing in nature is just one color! I even throw a little purple or yellow into the leaves. Once an area is colored the way you want, use a small paint brush to apply the color extender. You only need to put this where the fabric has been colored.

I did a video but it won't download. I'll keep trying, but I wanted you to have the information you asked for.

Just quilting along - LOTS of pictures!

2010-02-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

I have got to post more often! I didn't realize I had so many that I hadn't shown you yet.

First up is Kim's appliqued Log Cabin. This is a mid-range custom quilting. Some ruler work was involved, and I outlined the applique, and in some cases, went over the applique with matching thread so there wouldn't be big, unquilted areas. There were also some too-big areas of white, so I added some little doo-dads (how's that for a technical term!) to fill in the areas. For the feather wreaths, I used a King Tut thread (I think #610). I call it poopie-green, but it reads gold-ish, and works so well!

This is Mary's Triple Play. She said this goes together a lot like a log cabin block. I think I want to make this one! What a great way to use up some of those skinny scraps!

Here's the back. Mary always uses flannel sheets. I HATE percale sheets for backs, but I love how these flannel ones quilt up! We used the panto "Cutie Patootie" for this.

Sue brought in this Card Trick quilt. This is also a great one for using up those scraps! Her's was made from batiks. This one has the panto "Simplicity" on it.

This is Marge's Wagon Wheel. She said this was made with a jelly roll. We used the panto "Flowering Fern". I also used the poopie-green thread on this.

I have more to post - and possibly - a video! Stay tuned!

Ami's Thirties Fans

2010-02-04T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here's another class sample for Wild Flowers Quilt Shop in Ritzville. I just took the "Quilt Whisperer" class on-line, and I used this as my class project. Ami wanted something not too heavily quilted.

Thanks, Carla Barrett, for a great class and the ideas for this quilt! Carla's blog is here. What a talented and sharing lady! I think I just multi-multiplied (is that really a word?) the tricks-up-my-sleeve!!

(edited to actually add the pictures.....duh!)

Coming up for air...

2010-02-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I said no quilting until February. But I just couldn't help myself, and I did get the bookkeeping done first.

I warmed up with a charity quilt. It had been a month without touching the machine, and the panto "Cutie Patootie" is my favorite for getting the quilting mojo going.

Then I moved on to the Creston 2010 Alumni Quilt. This will be a work in process for a while, I'll be coloring in the flowers and leaves. More on the story of this quilt as I work on it. And there will be pictures of the whole quilt, too!

Then, fully warmed up, and getting close to that February date, I quilted this for Ami. Simple clamshells for a sample for an upcoming class at Wildflowers Quilt Shop in Ritzville. This quilt is perfect for a beginner, as it is the fabric that makes it look complicated. The busy squares and the border are actually a printed fabric.

It's actually February 1st, and I'm 'officially' quilting again. This is Marge's quilt. She chose the panto 'Primrose Swirls', and it looks wonderful on this quilt. I used a really soft green thread, like newborn baby green. This is a variegated thread but the color changes are very, very subtle. It looks wonderful on the fabrics in this quilt.

Big Sale and Giveaway!

2010-01-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

Forget your stashbusting!!! Suzanne is having a sale at Knots & Bolts!

Suzanne’s Great Big Giveaway (and sale)

Hmmm.....

2010-01-04T14:06:00.000-08:00

I've looked, and can't find a way to slow down the slide show. At this point, you can hit the "View All" button, and you can look at them all at once. Annoying? Yep! But I'll keep looking.

I also plan to add the designer names to all these, too. The people who design them deserve the credit!

Let's see how this works...

2010-01-03T14:38:00.001-08:00

I've been trying to find a way to let my customers know what pantographs I have on hand. Let me know if this is helpful. I'll add more as I can. Shel

The final count

2010-01-01T12:25:00.003-08:00

4005 Visitors in 2009!! Thanks for stopping by!

Buggy Barn - Hearts

2009-12-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been quilting, but I haven't been able to post because many are Christmas presents that I have no control over! This is one that I made, and will be given on Christmas - just how fast CAN I finish that binding!

The pattern is from the Buggy Barn Book, Crazy Fun-N-Games. You need 20" squares, so forget those fat quarters for this quilt, unless you use the copier and reduce the size of the block - hmmm there's a thought! Anyway, I bought 5/8 yard of each of the 32 fabrics, and I have enough to make two of these quilts. This was the first time I used bamboo batting for anything other than a quick sample. It sews up beautifully, but I did have some tension issues - I spent about 14 hours total ripping out stitches when they went gunny-bags. (see all those little pieces of fabric on the outside of the quilt - that's for testing tension - UGG!) It didn't take me that long to make the top! I now have tension on bamboo down to an ART!!

The back is a wide back from SewBatik.com. Check them out, and if you order, put LAP 1250 in the special instructions so they know how you found them. Top threads are King Tut and bobbin threads were Bottom Line, both from Superior Thread. In fact, it was pieced using Masterpiece thread, also from Superior. Love that stuff!!

It'll be somewhat quiet here in January, tax season for me, but I do have a Wedding quilt that has to be done by mid-January. Better make a phone call - is that quilt top done yet??? That gives the rest of you time to get your tops ready for me to quilt in February!

Have a Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

Kim's Christmas Cactus Quilt

2009-11-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

Kim found me online, and this is our first quilt together. She made the top for someone in Arizona - perfect choice for a Christmas quilt! According to Kim, the fabric is from JoAnn's. Too CUTE!!!

Quilter's Dream Wool batting, SoFine thread in the top, Bottom Line in the bottom. Pantograph is called Cactus and Coyote.

2010 Library Raffle Quilt

2009-11-09T15:05:00.000-08:00

This quilt is the raffle quilt to raise funds to help our local library. Last year we cut it pretty close. This year we're about 6 months ahead of the game. It will be raffled in May at Wild Goose Bill Days in Wilbur, WA.

We used Quilter's Dream Puff batting, Sew Fine thread on top and Bottom Line for the bottom. Both threads are from Superior Threads. The pantograph is called Primrose Swirls.

A Walk in the Woods

2009-11-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

I had all my customer quilts done when I left for retreat, so I finally had a chance when I got back to actually put one of mine on the machine. This has been a work in process for about two years, a graduation gift for my son, Karl. He's currently living in an apartment with 3 other guys, while he goes to college. The quilt will stay home for a while!

As always, click on the pictures for a closer look.

Six days at Quilt Retreat - LIFE IS GOOD!!!!

2009-10-12T16:56:00.000-07:00

I left last Tuesday for Lutherhaven on Lake Coeur 'd Alene for retreat with the Basin Piecemakers. The lake is beautiful this time of year.

We had lots of fun, quilt making, bingo and food (check out the table under the clock...it was still pretty full, as was the refrigerator, on Friday when the retreat center started to feed us). None of these projects are mine, these are just a sampling of the work (?) that went on.

There was the retreat project - Cupcake pincushions

And the retreat raffle quilt, while still in process. The winner of the raffle has to finish the quilt by the next retreat, and come up with the plan for the next retreat quilt raffle. Mabel was the lucky winner!

On Friday, the center started to feed us, here's the walk to the Dining Hall.

And some of the girls stayed up until 1:30 Sunday morning finishing the puzzle.

This is the view from my seat. Now, tell me....how can quilting life get any better than this?!?

Time to catch up!!

2009-09-29T15:55:00.001-07:00

Now that the birthday girl has her birthday quilt, I can now show the front! I can also show the quilts from the fair, since it was also there, and it had the 'Superintendent's Award' on it!!!

Mary made this quilt for Jeanette's birthday (it was a big birthday).

This little quilt was made by Shirley. Her daughter Lisa quilted the matching pink quilt.

These are a couple of little doll quilts that 10 year old Kayla made, her first piecing of a quilt top. She quilted one, I quilted the other, both using a pantograph.

This quilt is my entry in the INMQ (Inland Northwest Machine Quilter's) 2009 Challenge. We all used the same fabric and pattern, and 'quilt as desired'. The winning quilt will be on the cover of the 2010 INMQ Quilters for Hire brochure. This was NOT the winning entry, by a long shot! I'm still very happy with how this turned out. BTW....the winning entry was spectacular! All will be shown at the 2009 WSQ (Washington State Quilters) Show in Spokane, WA in October. I'll try to get pictures of all of the entries then.

Harvest is DONE!!!!

2009-09-03T20:19:00.000-07:00

All the kids with driver's licenses are back in either college or school, so guess who gets drafted to drive truck?? I took in the last two loads of wheat to the elevator. Chicken dance of happiness, anyone??

2009 Buggy Barn Quilt Show Pictures

2009-08-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here's some eye candy's from this weekend's show. I always wish I'd taken more pictures! They are in the back-asswards order, but I'm just too darn tired to move them! Enjoy!

I have been busy!

2009-07-23T15:17:00.001-07:00

Let's see, since the beginning of July....

A very large quilt for a birthday present. All you get is the back (for now).

A charity quilt.

Translation: I wanted to play with the baptist fan boards.

Worked with Kayla to quilt a charity quilt (someone else pieced the top). She's also working on doll quilts to go with the charity quilts, she's piecing and quilting those.

This is Kirsten's quilt. Fun, fun, fun to do - and you just can't go wrong with a blue and white quilt. Kirsten lives on the other side of Washington - you know - where there is WATER!!

We did lots of back and forth with drawings and lots of e-mails to come up with the final design. She mailed her top to me, ordered the back from SewBatik.com and had it delivered straight to me. When done, I shipped it back to her (on Friday) and she had it by Monday.

This quilt was pieced by Kay. We went with a pantograph on this one - Snapdragons. I think this is going to be one of my favorite pantos. Great texture, and really complimented the floral feel of this quilt. This quilt is a great example of when a panto is a perfect choice. Any custom work would have been lost in the fabrics.

Daughter Leslie came up with this fix for the A-1 laser light. Without the box, the quilt sometimes moved the wire, causing weak spots and eventual breaks. Leslie fixed my laser light, then built the box. She's leaving for UAA in Anchorage in a couple of weeks, so I've been learning how to make these. I have no idea how she figured it out. I thought it'd be an easy 'drill here' kind of thing. Nope! Drill, shave, fit. I've got it now! Now I want a drill press to fit the drill to make this even easier and prettier. They really are, at this point, just about function.

The first picture shows the laser box upside down so you can see how the laser shows through.

The second shows the laser box in it's correct position. Notice that the bend in the wire is now protected and comes out the right hand side where it's not subject to our normal wear and tear.

I plan to take some boxes with me to Innovations in Tacoma in September. E-mail me if you want more info.

our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor

2009-07-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, America!

No pictures of quilts today, I'm going to send you to other sites.

The first is the Declaration of Independence. No fancy pictures or layout. Just the words. The stand on their own.

Declaration of Independence

The second link takes you to a speech detailing what happened to these brave men. Not a single one was left unscathed. We owe them all a debt of gratitude, and the responsibility to defend freedom today, from inside the country as well as from foreign threats.

The Americans Who Risked Everything

Church Banner

2009-06-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

Shirley made this banner for the Catholic Church in Wilbur. The cross is laser cut, I found it online at TheCreativeIron.com . Not sure why some of the pictures look fuzzy, maybe I should share my glasses - they looked great on the teeny-tiny camera screen.

Wild weather in Lincoln County, WA

2009-06-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

Who says we don't have wild weather in the Pacific Northwest? Kayla and I caught this on our way home from the Inland Northwest Machine Quilter's Meeting in Spokane this afternoon. I've never seen anything like it!

Helen's: Star Wedding Quilt

2009-05-31T11:38:00.001-07:00

Helen made this quilt for her granddaughter's upcoming wedding. I used a suggested 'poopie green', King Tut 910, for the quilting on the blocks and for the side borders (the large blue borders are the sides of the quilt). The thread reads metalic on the quilt - whodda thunk it!!!

The stiching in the white blocks and on the borders are from a panto and block set called "Heraldic Hearts" from Patricia Ritter. This was interesting to do. Not only did I use a contrasting thread (I'm not usually that brave!), my laser light went kaput, so I had to McGuyver a fix (remember the show??). DD Leslie is working on fixing the short in the laser. That AirForce training is useful not just on airplanes and choppers.

For those of you that don't know, the studio is in a former church. I think this is the first photo I've posted on the blog that shows the high ceilings. Maybe it's time for a studio tour..

Elaine's: Neimeyer Spinning Bear Paws

2009-05-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

This is another raffle quilt. It is a Judy Neimeyer Spinning Bear Paws. I love the colors in this one. I used Warm and White batting, Rainbows thread on the top, with Bottom Line in the bobbin. As always, click on the pictures to get a closer look.

It's Done, It's Done - Country Village -Library Raffle Quilt

2009-04-23T17:31:00.000-07:00

YEA!! It seems like this one has been on the machine for three weeks. It has, off and on. Lots of time S&S (standing and staring) trying to figure out what to do, what to do....

Lots of rows, lots of pictures!

It's been washed and is pinned to the foam boards for blocking. Tomorrow it will be shown to our Senior Citizens at the local assisted living facility. Monday, it goes for display at a downtown business.

Raffle tickets are available. If interest, send me an e-mail and I'll get the information to you.

Shel

Kayla wins 2nd at MQX!!!

2009-04-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the link to Kayla's quilt:

Kayla's First Quilt

I am so proud of that kid!! She's pretty excited too. When it was announced at school, the kids looked on a map for New Hampshire. The fact that it was on the other side of the country made it the ultimate cool!!

Mom is doing the Happy Dance!!!!

First two rows of Library quilt

2009-04-08T18:25:00.001-07:00

I finally put this on the machine. I worked on this at the same time I was working on Tami's quilt. Two or three hours on one, zip it off, zip on the other, two or three hours on the other. I'm hoping to get this done by the 25th.

Comfort quilt is done!!

2009-04-04T21:18:00.001-07:00

This was made for a friend that's going through a rough patch. So Fine! thread on top, Bottom Line on the bottom, Quilter's Dream Wool batting.

I'm such a dork! I just found out that if you double-click on the pictures, they get bigger.

Work in Process Wednesday

2009-04-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is a sneak peak at a comfort quilt I'm making for a friend. Shhhh!

Work in Process Wednesday

2009-03-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

In addition to finishing Mary's quilt this week, I'm S&S (standing and staring) at the Library Raffle quilt. I'm starting Deb's class next week, so will be doing this along with a class project. I'll add updates each week.

Mary's Double Pinwheels

2009-03-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

Mary made this Double Pinwheel for a graduation present. Shhhh!!! I know the young person who will be receiving it, and it is so....her!!! The batik fabrics were from her stash. The pattern is from an Eleanor Burns book. Same panto as Nancy's quilt, "Fern Spin II". The thread used was a Rainbows - "Jester". The back is a cream flannel. We used the Quilter's Dream Puff. Great texture!!

Nancy's Quilt

2009-03-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

I just finished up with Nancy's quilt. Nancy is Emmy's mom...boy do I now know where that girl learned to piece! Send me more, send me more!!!! The back is a SewWide back from SewBatik.com.

Kayla's first quilting.

2009-02-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

Kayla is 9 years old. This is her first try at quilting. Our friend Gayle provided the top. If you look real close, the binding has flys on it. Kayla will be entering this in MQX.

This Week's Sanity brought to you by:

2009-02-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

It was a T-shirt quilt. Someone had her put Heat & Bond ULTRA on the backs of the T-shirts to stabilize them....might have been a good idea except that my Longarm needle gets hot. I had these gobs of melted plastic on the needle and long skips. Lots and lots of long skips. After 2 days of fighting this, and only going about 1/5 of the quilt (it should have been less than 3 hours total for this quilt) , I asked for help. Megan came thru with a "get this". I put it on the thread, and did not have a single skip for the rest of the quilt. Life is good!

I'm also not real sure about what happens when the Heat & Bond gets put in a dryer, especially when it's not actually bonded to something on the back side....hmmm

By the way, if you want to do a T-shirt quilt, just use the cheap, thin, iron-on interfacing we use for clothes. You'll make your longarmer happier, you'll spend less on your project, and it's easier to work with.

Shel

Made-Rites

2009-02-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

I got a burr up my tush to try to make something Dad was talking about. Keep in mind I've never actually had an authentic Made-Rite. So..after checking with friends on my favorite quilting site and getting the suggestion to Google it (duh!), I found tons of recipes. Many violated my 10-ingredient rule (no more than 10 ingredients unless it's for desert). I picked one, it was, at best, edible. Probably doesn't help that I when see an ingredient that I don't have I say, "Don't need that!". We'll finish up the leftovers for dinner tonight. Maybe someday I'll go back east and try the real thing. I won't hold my breath. It's been 33 years since I was in Kansas!

Emmy's First Quilt

2009-02-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

This quilt was designed and made by Emmy, Helen's granddaughter. She started this when she was 13, and is now 16. Great job, Emmy. This quilt top was nice and flat, a dream to quilt. I can't wait to see what you do next!

Check out Suzanne Earley's Blog!!

2009-02-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

Suzanne is giving away a beautiful quilt!

Check it out at : http://suzanneearley.net/

3420 pieces.....

2009-02-02T07:42:00.001-08:00

Done and out the door. This is one of mine, and I started piecing around Thanksgiving. I should have looked harder at the pattern before I started. The squares finished to 1-1/2", and there were LOTS of them. It was a Christmas present. But with the snow storms, then the freezing fog, sewing and most quilting came to a standstill. I finished this on Saturday night, we exchanged presents on SuperBowl Sunday. Done is good!

Lookin' out my back door.....

2009-01-31T16:34:00.000-08:00

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Yea, I know, this is supposed to be about quilting. Not much quilting in January, and here's part of the reason why. January is tax month for me. Payroll, B&O, and some clean-up for the CPA's. But you can't do much accounting when there is no power. We were only out of power for about 24 hours here in town, and about 5 days at the farm. But a lot of my bookkeeping people are in the rural areas, and they got hit, and HARD! Even when I had power, they didn't. And when I tried to give up on the bookkeeping and go quilting, Almira had no power. Mornings consisted of phone calls, "Have you got power yet? No? I'll talk to you tomorrow!" and on to the next phone call.

After about 10 days, everyone we know is stabilized, the frost is coming off the trees, and cleanup can begin. And on Monday, February 2, ....I start back up quilting!!!

Baby Girl Quilt

2009-01-13T16:28:00.000-08:00

Patricia pieced this cute quilt for a baby girl (obviously in farm country!) I really enjoyed finding ways to feminize this little quilt with the quilting!

2009-01-08T13:20:00.001-08:00

This was also finished up in November. It is a donation quilt for my kids' high school alumni association. Two of my teachers also graduated from this school, and it is in honor and memory of them.

2009-01-03T12:27:00.000-08:00

Time for New Year's Resolutions! Now that I've figured out the password again (don't ask!), I can start posting quilts again! And, barring anymore broken bones, I'm going to go back to quilting one charity quilt a month.

This is the November 2008 charity quilt. Simple top, and I'd taken a class at Innovations on feathers. I 'made' wonky odd shapes using the piecing as guides, and feathered the heck out of it. The back looks a little rough - I promise that the tension was right, the back was a donated sheet. The needle breaks the threads on really tightly woven fabrics.