last one for 2016

So I made another map quilt. This one in batiks. For my brother.

He was very surprised.

This is his happy face!

Straight line quilting all over the states, with various free-motion motifs in the background. 

States are 50 different batik fabrics, background is Moda cross weave. Free motion quilted by me on my Baby Lock Tiara with a variety of threads.

 

 

 

one last Quilt of 2016

I made this quilt top in October-November, quilted it in December and just finished the binding.

Pattern is "Merry-Go-Round" by Missouri Star Quilt Company (again!). Rings are fabrics by Tula Pink. Background is a specked gray I have been hoarding.

I free-motion quilted feathers all over.

Quilted with 40 wt. Signature polyester thread on top and 50 wt. Aurifil in the bobbin. This combination always works for me.

Now to think about what quilts I want to make in 2017!

 
 
 

 

prairie flower

Outside of my comfort zone.

Not my color palette.

But, oh-so-fun!

My version of the Missouri Star Quilt Company "prairie flower" quilt.

I omitted the sashing and added a piano key border.

Fabrics are by Amy Butler (Glow collection) and Denise Schmidt (New Bedford). I think they play nicely together.

Queen-sized, free-motion quilted in my Tiara.
 
 
 

Collaboration quilting

My friend Elizabeth has a line of fabrics on Spoonflower. We have worked together at various companies for over 20 years. She sent me some fat quarters, so I made her a quilt!

The fabrics are cute small scale organics and geometrics:

These are great patterns in a fresh color story. They played very nicely with white, but I debated using a mid-grey or a turquoise as well. My favorite:

I would love this in several color ways!

I used the "Double Square Star" pattern from the MSQC. Such a fun pattern to make that shows of the fabrics!

38"x50"

I custom quilted with feathers in the white "plus" arms,

Loops and flower petals on the edge with meander in the patterned areas:

The back, for all the quilty texture.

Free-motion quilted on my Tiara, using Quilter's Dream Puff batting and Signature polyester thread on top, Aurifil in bobbin.

more sneaky sewing

Why does time speed up as we get closer to Christmas? Why does my husband wait to ask me to make gifts?

Anyway, I have been able to sneak in some table toppers this week:

A forest of Christmas trees!

3 toppers, stripped-pieces trees (from a mix of greens and scraps), free-motion-quilted.

The larger 2 are 40" by 15", the smaller is 36" by 14". Raw edge appliqué.

Are you still sewing for this upcoming Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza?

 

snuck in some Christmas sewing

Just like the title says, I snuck these pillows in on Black Friday:

I printed the silhouettes from Google Images, traced them onto fusible web, cut fused to my Christmas fabric, cut them out by hand. Ironed them onto background fabric, then did blanket stitch (by machine), next came the free motion quilting. So glad I got them finished!

I have made quite a few gifts, but no sharing until after Christmas. What are you making?

 

2016 Christmas Quilt

Yet another Missouri Star Quilt Company pattern! (Nope, I am not being paid by them but I am available if they happen to read this. Call/email me!)

This was based on the "Sandy Sunrise" Quilt from BLOCK magazine Spring volume 2 issue 2.

I made 8 blocks, the pattern calls for 4. 

I free-motion quilted feathers with looped accents in the center blocks. It finished at 72" square.

a Scrappy finish

Yes, this is from a #MSQC tutorial and pattern, but isn't it cute?

This went together like a dream. I cut 2 1/2 inch strips from my scrap box, and used some cream yardage from my stash.

Kerley likes it too!

He may have tried to claim it. 

But this is a gift!

Free-motion in a soft loop all-over, used Aurifil 50 weight thread and Quilter's Dream puff poly batting.
 

 

 

How the Missouri Star Quilt Company gave me back my mojo

Long title! But a true experience. 4 of the last quilts I have finished came from the MSQC's tutorials. Jenny Doan is so entertaining and breaks the steps down so well. She made quilting fun for me again.

 

After losing my mother-in-law in 2012, then my Dad in 2013, I landed in a very deep and scary depression. I tried to keep moving forward but seemed like everything was too much effort.

After I lost Dad, I bought my Tiara, I found the repetition of FMQ soothing. But my quilts seemed without joy.

We also moved, twice. Selling, renting, buying again. And the stresses that come with these tasks wore me down.

Then, my Mom mentioned that she and a group of her friends had challenged each other to make a quilt out of MSQC's Block magazine. Using only what they had in their stashes.

That was the catalyst for me. Instead of trying to make each Quilt a masterpiece, I just wanted to make a pretty quilt. And I did. 

Just going through the video tutorials was fun. I subscribe to the MSQC "BLOCK" magazine, so I have them to refer to for additional info and inspiration. 

No, this is not a sponsored post, these thoughts are purely my own.   

Stay tuned, another MSQC quilt to come!

Asheville Quilt Show

We drove to Asheville this past Saturday to see the annual Asheville Quilt Show. My first time at this show and I was impressed by the number of quilts as well as the venue!

While hard to do, I do have a few favorites from the show:

Made by my dear friend, Ania Reich, this won 1st in the Special Technique division. Her statement:

Another friend, Gina Boone, won with her amazing whole cloth:

Hard to see all the intricate stitching, her statement:

 

Other favorites, each with the quilters statement:

I love the color in this!

Again, the color drew me in. This one used silks along with cotton, gorgeous.

This quilt was so striking, not another remotely similar. In both color and fabric choices, it was amazing.

This is a great example of a traditional block with a modern fabric where the quilt lets the textile do all the work!

In the modern category, Emily Coffey won with this:

 

The colors and stitching are phenomenal.

The construction methods were of note:

Very inspiring show!
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

My studio

We bought this house in December of 2015, and had some updating done. Part of this included closing in a screened porch for my studio/office. While it is a work in progress, I am working in it daily. The first challenge was creating a design wall.

The wall itself is brick. (I'm not fond of the the raw red color, that will eventually change.) So hanging a design wall took some research.

The ingredients: styrofoam insulation boards (easy for me to handle):

white duct tape

  

outdoor tape

505 spray

(not pictured)batting scraps.

I sprayed the batting with 505, laid the styrofoam on top, flipped over and smoothed out. Then flipped back over and used the duct tape to secure the batting edges.

Then added the outdoor tape.

I leveled using the mortar lines and hung the panels.

I hung this in April, it is now the end of September and it is still hanging well. 

The outdoor tape is amazing!

Glass House Studio

My dear friend Peggy has a wonderful studio. 

Made from upcycled windows and door, her sweet husband 

Ronnie has built her a magical place for creativity.

I visited yesterday, the cool, damp weather along with the green setting, 

really enhanced the enchanted feel.

Among the trees, this truly feels like you are in a special place.

Inside and out, this place evokes smiles. The light is amazing.

 

There is even space for her daughters to join in.

A work in progress

Peggy sells her paintings, prints and knit creations at Petrocy Studios.