Well, I am back on-line! I just got a new laptop (actually it is an Ultrabook) since my old one was out of space and being held together by duct tape! It does take time to get everything set up. But I am almost there!
I do think I jinxed myself with my last post- saying that all quilts in the New Year are small. I recently finished a rather large Lone Star. It was 100″ X 98″ with 20″ borders.
This was all done in batiks by Patti C. And I know she gave it to her Valentine! Beautiful!
Well, here it is 2 weeks into the New Year. A funny thing that I have noticed about the long-arm business, is that in November and December, all the quilts that need to be finished are HUGE. Everyone is giving queen and king sized quilts as gifts. Then when January rolls around, the quilts are very small- lap sized and smaller.
Here is the first quilt of 1212 that I worked on and yes, it is 32 square inches. It’s a beautiful Christmas Cactus paper pieced by Patti C. Patti only wanted quilting in the background.
Well done, Patti!
Now it’s back to the machine. I do have a few here that did not get the “Small in January” memo!
Well, December and the holidays seemed to arrive fast and furious this year. With the holiday season comes the annual Santa Project that a friend and I have been doing for 12 years now. Our families (and biggest fans!) are always so excited to see what we’ll come up with every year. We do know that they don’t like small Santa’s and we don’t like to disappoint!
We started this year’s Santa in early November. He starts out with a frame.
Then come all the decisions as to the coat, pants, and trims. (Of course, I had to quilt the coat!)
Then after sewing, gluing, and one really late night, here is the 2011 Santa!
He has now joined his friends under the tree.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
We have so much to be thankful for! Wishing you all a wonderful day!
Happy Halloween! I don’t know where the month has gone but the witch is up and all the Halloween quilts have been out! Pictured here is just a little wool applique pillow that I did this month.
Enjoy your tricks and your treats today!
My thoughts are with my friends in Baltimore as they celebrate the life of Pat Long Gardner. Pat was a wonderful teacher, quilter, mentor, wife, mother, friend, and a truly, lovely lady.
With the end of summer, comes the Maryland State Fair. The Fair wrapped up a few weeks ago and I have heard from two of my friends (and customers), that they again took home ribbons for their beautiful handiwork.
Patricia Croop submitted 19 items (not all quilts), and took home 14 ribbons! Well-done, Pat! Featured here is her Fabrege quilt which received a First Place Ribbon. I quilted this in an over-all fleur-de-lis pattern which really gives beautiful texture.
Pat also received a Second Place ribbon for her Signature Quilt which she had many of her quilting friends sign and date. This was done in Pat’s favorite reproduction fabrics and I quilted it in a light floral pattern. (And I am honored to have a block in the quilt as well.) Beautiful!
I also heard from Doris Moos of Baltimore, MD. Featured here is a beautiful Asian inspired quilt. Doris always finds such beautiful fabrics and really knows how to use them well. I quilted this is a light over-all pattern. She received an Honorable Mention on this one. Doris also received a ribbon for a hand-quilted piece that she had done .
I am always so amazed and inspired by the talent of the ladies in Baltimore! I am also truly honored to work with them. Congratulations, ladies!
“Binding Month” is going well! As promised here is a little trunk show with an update of where I am.
This project was begun in a class last February. It is finally finished and hung over the fireplace.
A new quilting pattern inspired me to finish this tablecloth and get it out of the UFO pile. (Thanks, Roseanna!)
Here are 2 vintage tops that I picked up along the way and finally finished.
So, as you can see, my pile is going down. Next in line for binding is the red cotton sateen wholecloth. Who’s idea was it to buy all that sateen anyway?
Follow this link to Bernina’s Through the Needle Online Magazine. The most recent issue has an article by my friend, Gyleen Fitzgerald. It’s all about piecing the back of your quilts. There are three featured backs and if you look closely, you can see my quilting! Enjoy!
http://bernina-ttno.webtuning-cdn.ch/TTNO7/ttno7.html?-t20110804HL
UFO’s-we’ve all got them! For me, being a machine quilter, I love to get to the quilting part and that is where they stop! Suddenly, I realized, I have 5 rather large quilts that need binding and 2 tablerunner size. I’ve got to get moving. It’s time to start thinking of Fall and holiday projects and I can’t have these laying around. I have declared August to be Binding Month and I am determined to get caught up!