tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68637271977172557422024-03-18T00:28:09.998-07:00artistic quiltingARTISTIC QUILTING - The Latest From My Quilt StudioLauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-55617869675693182112017-03-28T19:00:00.000-07:002017-03-28T19:00:10.979-07:00Reset Life -- Restart BusinessThe last 10 months of my life has had a lot of change in it. In June my husband and I moved to Spokane, WA. We both were unemployed but that was by choice. Now necessity has set in and we both need to work again. So I'm restarting my quilting business. I'm not sure how it will go in the Spokane area. In Portland, my great start in the business was due to a quilt shop owner giving me tons of work and connections to potential customers. My business took off in the first year and before I knew it my wait list was really long. Here I don't have many connections. But a new city is exciting and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens over the next few months. Here's a few pictures from recent quilts I've done.<br />
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Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-15219196991209021152014-11-07T15:14:00.001-08:002014-11-07T15:14:24.015-08:00Recent Customer QuiltsI've done about 8 quilts in the last month! That coupled with all the traveling we've done this fall and working part-time have made my life really busy. But the end is in sight. About 6 more quilts to go and then I'm done. That sounds strange to even say -- I'm done. My business of almost 15 years is over with. Actually I will sometimes still do a quilt for someone else. So for those of you who I've quilted for in the past -- you can always ask -- I might say yes! Here's some pictures of the recent quilts. (All beauties).<br />
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<br />Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-90310450945006499022014-10-29T20:18:00.001-07:002014-10-29T20:26:06.795-07:00A Decade Plus of Quilting for Customers Is Coming to An EndIt's amazing to me that I have been quilting for about 14 years now. I bought my longarm at the end of 2000 and started quilting for customers within a few months. I have done about 1400 quilts now. Very few of those have been my own :) That happens when you own a business. The plumbing never gets his own leaky pipes fixed, a carpenter never has time to remodel his own kitchen, etc. And a machine quilter starts to accumulate a pile of unquilted quilts. So it's time. Kind of sad, but also kind of exciting to look forward to whatever is ahead. Only God knows that!<br />
I appreciate all of you who I have had the privilege of quilting your quilts. I have seen many masterpieces. Many customers have been with me for almost as many years as I've quilted and it's allowed me to not only have a great business but make some wonderful friends. <br />
Thank you to all of you!<br />
Maybe now I will have more time to post on this blog :)<br />
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Here's a few customer quilts I've done this year.<br />
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<br />Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-64729376775971370722014-03-25T19:20:00.001-07:002017-03-28T19:02:00.182-07:00Longarm Quilting With Minky FabricI'm going to write another post about longarm quilting on minky fabric since it can be tricky and a few tips might help. I have worked with minky quite a few times over many years and it can be a headache!<br />
First of all, there is a big difference from one kind of minky fabric to another. You can find cheap, stretchy, minky. It will not work as a quilt backing. Do not buy it or try to use it if a customer brings you a cheap, stretchy minky. How do you know what is good quality? It should feel thick and it should have a 25% stretch or less when you pull on the stretchy side. The cheap fabric is more like swimwear and has a lot of stretch. I know from experience that it does not work to quilt with this kind as a quilt backing. It just keeps stretching and stretching and when you take the quilt off the machine, it looks like a puffy, wrinkly mess.<br />
When loading minky on the machine, load so the stretchy part is going cross wise (horizontal). You will have much better control on how much or how little stretch you are getting when the stretch is only happening from the side clamps. If you place the stretch vertically, the rollers will be causing the minky to stretch and you may not realize how much it's stretching until you take it off and it all bunches up as it returns to it's orginal size.<br />
I will only quilt a large overall pattern on a quilt that is backed with minky. If you try something tightly space, or try stitch in the ditch, it will shift and you most likely will end up with tucks in the minky. So I highly recommend you keep the spacing a minimum of 1" apart.<br />
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Minky is heavy so it needs a very lightweight batting. I have quilted with no batting using minky but my preference is to use a very light batting. In the quilt pictured, I used Dream Wool. It is very light and worked perfectly with this quilt. I was doing a T-Shirt quilt and if I would have used a cotton batt, it would have been too heavy. The way it was, since it was such a large quilt, the finished project weighed well over 15 pounds! <br />
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By the way, just a plug for Dream Batting. It's my favorite. I love the way their blend batt feels. They have wonderful batting in every type. My only issue is that it's on the east coast and they keep pretty much normal business hours, so if I don't remember to call them in the morning, I usually have to wait until the next day. You can purchase Dream Batting at quite a few quilt shops, but I buy it on large rolls.<br />
After I load the minky on the machine and the batting, it's time to get the top on. I float all my tops. I do this, because I don't want any stretch on the top (not on the back either). <br />
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This quilt pictured was a challenge. It was a well-done T-Shirt quilt but it was pretty thick in places and some of the T-shirts had things you could not quilt over. I choose a large pattern and one I do a lot so I could avoid these places easily without making the pattern look like it was interrupted. This is a pattern that I can do with one hand too. When doing a T-shirt quilt, many times I have to use one hand to make sure the fabric is not stretching or running ahead of the foot. With one hand I guide the machine, and with the other I smooth the fabric as it's stitching. It takes a little practice to do this but it can be helpful with T-shirt quilts, especially when you come to an especially stretchy t-shirt.<br />
The final picture is of the quilt off the machine. It turned out really well. And the minky on the back looks great.<br />
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Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-78667644051009152332014-03-07T07:20:00.001-08:002014-03-07T07:20:54.552-08:00I'm Still Alive!!No I haven't died nor has anything bad happened to me. I am still alive and still quilting. You would not think so by looking at the last post on my blog. So let me explain!<br />
Last February I took a part-time job as a secretary/bookkeeper at my church. I now work Monday through Thursday 8 or 9 until noon and sometimes even in the afternoon. That has been a huge change for me and a pretty big learning curve especially in the bookkeeping area. But I have really enjoyed this new adventure.<br />
So I quilt less than before and this year am on a mission to do less customer quilts and more of my own quilting, especially some of those show quilts I have rattling around in my head.<br />
At the end of last summer, I finished up an embroidery quilt called Farm Fresh Produce by Crabapple Hill. This was a quilt I had to make. My own yard has become a bit of a farm over the last years with a huge garden and chickens pecking around the place. I also manage a community garden and teach gardening and canning classes. So this quilt fit right in with my life. And it won a 3rd place ribbon at the NW Quilt Expo in September!<br />
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<br />Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-21483979314884196692013-01-18T15:00:00.001-08:002013-01-18T15:00:15.553-08:00Beaver or Duck?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here in Oregon there is a huge rivalry between the 2 big universities; Oregon State - Beavers and University of Oregon - Ducks. This last week I quilted two quilts for a high school raffle that are identical patterns but representing each school. The race is on to see which quilt will win with raffle ticket sales. So which do you choose? (Black and Orange are the Beaver colors; Green and Yellow are Duck colors)Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-38579365416980357952013-01-09T18:34:00.001-08:002013-01-09T18:34:17.102-08:00Cat Quilt<br />
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I love cats and one of my customers loves cats too. So I got to quilt the cat quilt that she made. It turned out really well. I like the scrappy look. Lots of civil war fabrics and beautiful colors. It seems like I'm seeing fewer and fewer scrappy looking quilts and much more art quilts and quilts with big blocks and very contemporary fabrics. So I enjoyed quilting this quilt. Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-20780621579648800402012-10-04T17:01:00.000-07:002012-10-04T17:01:47.457-07:00My Health -- this has nothing to do with quilting<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Dear Family & Friends</div>
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I thought I would send out an email with the update on my
health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all let me say, thank
you, thank you, for all the encouragement, prayer, support and concern that has
been showered on me this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
really felt God’s presence and strength daily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Just a brief history:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 2009 or 2010 I started having some double vision problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doctor’s wanted me to have an MRI but I put
it off until March of 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was in
that MRI that a tumor was found in my cavernous sinus which is located in the
center back of our heads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I probably
will never forget that day with the call from a doctor saying I had a ‘large
tumor’ and he was sure it would have to be removed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after that we found out is was most
certainly a benign slow growing tumor called a meningioma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not grow in brain tissue but in the
spaces in your head most often between the skull bone and the brain
tissue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After seeing a specialist up at
OHSU, I was told that this particular area of the brain is very difficult to
remove a tumor from so the best thing to do would be to watch it and have
regular MRIs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had another MRI about 6
months later and it showed no measurable growth in the tumor but the
possibility of a aneurism behind my left eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After seeing another specialist up at OHSU they thought a cerebral
angiogram would be in order to look at both issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So finally just this week I had the cerebral
angiogram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may be wondering why I’m
so slow to do anything – we had to get individual medical insurance coverage a
couple years ago and I was denied insurance coverage because of the double
vision issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you’ve been denied,
it’s impossible to get normal coverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could get on the high risk state pool but the monthly premium was way
too high and we make just slightly over the wage where we were eligible for any
financial assistance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we have had to
wait until our savings account has money in it before we proceed with the next
medical thing. </div>
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So back to the cerebral angiogram of this week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It went very well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My care was wonderful up at OHSU and other
then a bruised and sore groin I’m doing just fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angiogram test revealed that the aneurism
was small and the doctor told us nothing to be concerned about since most
likely it would never be an issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was concerned about the tumor but since it wasn’t his specialty, he said he
would see if the doctor at OHSU who specializes in brain tumors would have a
look at the study and possible even come and see us before we left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, about 20 minutes later he walked in the
room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said that if I were 75 and had
this tumor he would tell me to go home and forget about it, but since I was
still a ‘young woman’ (I loved that part), most likely something would need to
be done eventually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tumor surrounds
the carotid artery on the right side and has blocked it about 80%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If or when it grows and blocks it more, some
action will need to be taken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
basically two options:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>brain surgery to
try and remove some or all of the tumor and a carotid artery bypass or
radiation therapy to try and reduce the tumor without damaging the carotid
artery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both pretty risky and with
outcomes that would probably cause some other serious issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He recommended that sometime in the future we
start looking into these options and consulting with some of the experts who do
this kind of thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is a neurologist
that could do the first option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
also saying that this kind of tumor may stay stable for a long time and then
occasionally they have a growth spurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So that is where things are at today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were not able to help me with the double
vision issues so I will continue to have glasses that help and then sometimes
struggle with seeing well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will try
and have regular MRI’s to check on the tumor and at some point start to gather
information from some specialists as to what is the best options down the road
if something has to be done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctor
who saw me also told me things to look for that would be warning signs that the
carotid artery is being too compromised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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Rick is also looking into possibilities for insurance
coverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think there’s any way
we could ever proceed with anything without coverage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We still don’t even know what the cerebral
angiogram cost but hopefully we have enough saved with the discount we get from
OHSU to cover the cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now to the spiritual aspect of all this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is using this to grow me, to change me,
and to encourage others in their own difficulties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all of us, only God knows our last breath
on this earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all of us, if we know
Christ as our Savior, we have such hope for more than this life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes things like this help us to sort
through our lives and get rid of some of the junk that has no eternal
significance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wake up calls are always a
good thing and a tumor in your head is a definite wake up call!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I totally rest in God’s sovereignty and
control over my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trust Him to
work out His good purposes in my life and hopefully my days to come will bring
Him much glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really have no
fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can I when I have a heavenly
Father who watches over all of my days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One of my favorite sayings of recent is from Winnie the Pooh; “What day
is it” asked Pooh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s today” squeaked
Piglet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My favorite day”, said
Pooh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s Word says it best in Psalm
118:24, “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in
it”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s live in the moment.</div>
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So there’s my thoughts and heart on this whole journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks again for caring.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laurie</div>
Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-36578740149325667612012-09-25T17:00:00.001-07:002012-09-25T17:00:32.281-07:00Recent Customer Quilts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aRkc-LWudKo/UGJFaVZw1tI/AAAAAAAACR4/PnbnyhQl3oU/s1600/NW+Quilt+Expo+2012+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aRkc-LWudKo/UGJFaVZw1tI/AAAAAAAACR4/PnbnyhQl3oU/s320/NW+Quilt+Expo+2012+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TQs49-5NhAs/UGJFe2x-i_I/AAAAAAAACSI/YSWmAGhnGes/s1600/NW+Quilt+Expo+2012+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TQs49-5NhAs/UGJFe2x-i_I/AAAAAAAACSI/YSWmAGhnGes/s320/NW+Quilt+Expo+2012+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's a couple customer quilts that I have done in the last several weeks. They turned out really well. Both had quite a bit of 'blank' space. Always fun to do quilts like that.Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-62305740651361090452012-09-06T14:43:00.001-07:002012-09-06T14:43:58.261-07:0010 Minute Quilt Blocks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Fn5HlbYF0/UEkZAvB1XdI/AAAAAAAACRc/RbE8gSP_Xd8/s1600/photo%281%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q0Fn5HlbYF0/UEkZAvB1XdI/AAAAAAAACRc/RbE8gSP_Xd8/s320/photo%281%29.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAURpcMXp8rNN-zgOzfQnWuTmxGYp3QNDkl4fKtLEgUt92CFY-z3d5ZBUQRi9O56SM0nt18gbSDuvsNwsPv5-vJibojKOjERmAr1CUCMwSxnO2CuvyOdn6N8tvZIwWccqOkCYsX50aEkD/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdAURpcMXp8rNN-zgOzfQnWuTmxGYp3QNDkl4fKtLEgUt92CFY-z3d5ZBUQRi9O56SM0nt18gbSDuvsNwsPv5-vJibojKOjERmAr1CUCMwSxnO2CuvyOdn6N8tvZIwWccqOkCYsX50aEkD/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
I'm normally a skeptic. If I see a title that says 10 minute quilt blocks, I'm thinking, yeah right, who can make a block in 10 minutes? But that's exactly what I did this morning. I sewed 9 blocks using the pattern from the book, '10 Minute Quilt Blocks', in less than 2 hours. The first couple blocks were slow because the directions and pictures were a little confusing to follow. Mostly it was something I'd never done the way the blocks were put together. The center squares that are in gold are folded so it gives it a 3-dimensional look. I'm going to put a border on the quilt and use it on the twin bed in our spare bedroom. It felt really good to put a quilt top together in such a short time!Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-30935696703543334292012-09-04T13:32:00.001-07:002012-09-04T13:32:36.987-07:00Fall is almost hereI could hardly believe when I looked at the last date of my most recent post -- April! My intention is to post regularly -- but, summer came and life got extremely hectic. Over the summer my life has been full of gardening, 4-H and fair, canning, grandkids and kids around a lot! It's been a good summer though. Needless to say, quilting took a back burner to life for the last few months. <br />
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Here's a customer quilt I finished quite recently that will be shown at the NW Quilt Expo the end of September. I hope it wins!Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-1089939568304322612012-04-04T20:02:00.000-07:002012-04-04T20:02:44.619-07:00Recent Customer Quilts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36zdsY4vDxk/T30Ks9rqtBI/AAAAAAAACPY/iuuvl_rrOc8/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36zdsY4vDxk/T30Ks9rqtBI/AAAAAAAACPY/iuuvl_rrOc8/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vj8QF4pAzvU/T30K67GFsjI/AAAAAAAACPo/ByPEuIbq43g/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vj8QF4pAzvU/T30K67GFsjI/AAAAAAAACPo/ByPEuIbq43g/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOZJ4uGGiYM/T30LBZgfGTI/AAAAAAAACPw/C1yBP6wVnIg/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOZJ4uGGiYM/T30LBZgfGTI/AAAAAAAACPw/C1yBP6wVnIg/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QzYs15LRDg8/T30LFmQIdiI/AAAAAAAACP4/ltzSAUTcl_Q/s1600/010+%282%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QzYs15LRDg8/T30LFmQIdiI/AAAAAAAACP4/ltzSAUTcl_Q/s320/010+%282%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Here's a couple quilts I finished this week. I really liked them both but the house quilt was extra fun. I tried to make the quilts that 'hang' on the outside of the houses look like a miniature quilts. Lots of small quilting. Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-70126238564097649232012-04-02T06:36:00.000-07:002012-04-02T06:36:28.421-07:00Working on one of my own quilts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V84-XfPXUqk/T3mrT7D7gxI/AAAAAAAACPM/N3rjFpahs3w/s1600/photo%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V84-XfPXUqk/T3mrT7D7gxI/AAAAAAAACPM/N3rjFpahs3w/s320/photo%284%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I spent several days last week working on one of my own quilts. That's a rare occurrence for me! This quilt has been complete and ready for quilting for almost 2 years. Finally it's started. Unfortunately I didn't get it done and now it needs to come off the machine so I can do a customer quilt. But my ideas for the quilting are drawn and the basic framework for the quilting is all stitched down. The quilt was completely stabilized with SID quilting before I put any designs on it. Hopefully it won't be a year or more until I get back to it.Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-62008552227997165142012-03-27T20:04:00.000-07:002012-03-27T20:04:33.428-07:00A Couple Moe Customer Quilts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOzj5rz0n6Cpr1O6KcF9Y3OcSDkRMTdIXeAK40_ffCoRK30xwdUMauYLpKYtzhZVsB2BQYzWn236QT5KNM0eW7yCZKKerChyphenhyphenumIGXRwhQvCUmYnaLiNZTUHbqOeGn4dFDXsxNow_4ER3K/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeOzj5rz0n6Cpr1O6KcF9Y3OcSDkRMTdIXeAK40_ffCoRK30xwdUMauYLpKYtzhZVsB2BQYzWn236QT5KNM0eW7yCZKKerChyphenhyphenumIGXRwhQvCUmYnaLiNZTUHbqOeGn4dFDXsxNow_4ER3K/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NPEmoJZ1obk/T3J_lZlOwVI/AAAAAAAACOw/VXgVyxoRBLc/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NPEmoJZ1obk/T3J_lZlOwVI/AAAAAAAACOw/VXgVyxoRBLc/s320/011.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kf1VTJv9Lq8/T3J_ngjot4I/AAAAAAAACO4/4CHaHKivuaM/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kf1VTJv9Lq8/T3J_ngjot4I/AAAAAAAACO4/4CHaHKivuaM/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DF4Sn2-l7Ys/T3J_qGe1YaI/AAAAAAAACPA/-zJBrD9bf0E/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DF4Sn2-l7Ys/T3J_qGe1YaI/AAAAAAAACPA/-zJBrD9bf0E/s320/014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I finished a couple more customer quilts that were very nice. Now I'm taking a break from customer quilts and finally quilting my brown quilt. It has been waiting for over 2 years to be quilted. I took pictures of the quilt in black and white, drew different design ideas on the photo and now it's on the machine and ready to start in the morning. I'll post pictures along the way if I remember.Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-23863660911239761132012-03-21T11:34:00.000-07:002012-03-21T11:34:47.504-07:00Customer QuiltQuilt is done. I had a hard time getting a good photo of the quilt. It's such a dark dreary day that even with a lot of lights on the quilt, the quilting barely shows. The thread used on the quilt was several shades darker than the fabric. I tend to use that as a rule of thumb on most quilts. A little darker stands out but doesn't overpower the quilt with a thread look. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d-cvQG9UkVE/T2ofDwV894I/AAAAAAAACN8/Y7Jsp-2YJc8/s1600/Customer+quilts+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d-cvQG9UkVE/T2ofDwV894I/AAAAAAAACN8/Y7Jsp-2YJc8/s320/Customer+quilts+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--RMe7yUGn2I/T2ofGu8XZdI/AAAAAAAACOE/xX1wHGeH7i0/s1600/Customer+quilts+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--RMe7yUGn2I/T2ofGu8XZdI/AAAAAAAACOE/xX1wHGeH7i0/s320/Customer+quilts+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzGIdVEFLZblqieobVSTIznHo4BfgBSn18ZY0xXsT0roA0M0LEr7mTCRNfmTiONDC8aL5UmujcDQiC7C0dPHpzCP_v8qRiRRxeAZbN4J09B5exSq3eDjprefbmGJAxSvRkpObz2Ej50U7/s1600/Customer+quilts+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzGIdVEFLZblqieobVSTIznHo4BfgBSn18ZY0xXsT0roA0M0LEr7mTCRNfmTiONDC8aL5UmujcDQiC7C0dPHpzCP_v8qRiRRxeAZbN4J09B5exSq3eDjprefbmGJAxSvRkpObz2Ej50U7/s320/Customer+quilts+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5G_s2llsDvQ/T2ofKsj7nhI/AAAAAAAACOU/zqc39d90nV0/s1600/Customer+quilts+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5G_s2llsDvQ/T2ofKsj7nhI/AAAAAAAACOU/zqc39d90nV0/s320/Customer+quilts+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I'm already on to the next customer quilt and really scratching my head about this one. It's black and gold and even though it's a classic pattern the fabrics are not. I have already looked through hundreds of photos and several books trying to decide on a quilting design. Sometimes the most frustrating part of the quilting is the decision making process of what to do. I often think it's best to start with one idea, quilt it, and then see where it leads. So I'm off to the studio with my one idea :)Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-14508628856243077052012-03-20T10:37:00.000-07:002012-03-20T10:37:55.709-07:00Customer Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrASWGMrlYxK7TK4tZcqv1jfN1RUH9Vpy_eIEMCtiUPM0FW6h3gKaUqotNoCzJ6Pj94qImNytP9HbJ8S6I67G1y2tRahkQPBHHDbgnuH-P9NrBI6NXzpO9-qvAUOH6oWfqUZ_-1mIngxlY/s1600/Quilts+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrASWGMrlYxK7TK4tZcqv1jfN1RUH9Vpy_eIEMCtiUPM0FW6h3gKaUqotNoCzJ6Pj94qImNytP9HbJ8S6I67G1y2tRahkQPBHHDbgnuH-P9NrBI6NXzpO9-qvAUOH6oWfqUZ_-1mIngxlY/s320/Quilts+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Sometimes I get carried away with the quilting. This is one of those quilts. It's beautiful and with so much 'plain read' areas there was a lot of beautiful quilting that could be done. I decided to try a new border design. I'm using curved crosshatching in a chocolate kiss shape! My hope is when the quilt is taken off and looked at as a whole you'll see the extension of each block into the border with the quilting. I'll post pictures when it's all doneLauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-78470291637847611402012-03-14T06:30:00.000-07:002012-03-14T06:30:09.478-07:00Free Hand DesignsAll of my quilting is done freehand. The example below is a freehand design though I am using markings and I use the circle tool that you see in the photograph to get me from one heart to the next. Doing freehand work and making it look good requires a lot of practice, Trace out the design on paper that also has your markings. As you see where the design intersects with your markings you'll also get familiar with how the design 'feels'. There are often places in a design where you need the help of a ruler to get your line perfect. In the design below, I needed a circle ruler to go from the center of one heart to the next. If I were to freehand that part, chances are the irregularities would be really noticeable. Sometimes I'll put the first design on a quilt and realize I need a ruler in a particular spot to get my stitching line correct. Probably the other factor in executing a good freehand design is finding the correct speed to move your machine at. That will vary from person to person. I tend to run my machine at a fast enough speed to that my lines look smooth but slow enough that I can maintain good control over the pattern. I don't have a stitch regulated machine (when I've quilted with them I feel like they impede my ability to get smooth looking lines) so my speed is usually set around 50. Hopefully this will help some you machine quilters out there who read my blog!Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-37477348017382780442012-03-13T12:02:00.000-07:002012-03-13T12:02:34.379-07:00Double Wedding Ring Quilt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyLItMoPpsk/T1-ZrIO1KHI/AAAAAAAACNk/gDi30y-lbtM/s1600/photo%2811%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jyLItMoPpsk/T1-ZrIO1KHI/AAAAAAAACNk/gDi30y-lbtM/s320/photo%2811%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I'm working this week on a Double Wedding Ring quilt. It's unique in the color choices; dark colors and lots of plaids. The customer wanted to keep the quilting simple and no feathers. This was the pattern we chose, a heart with some petal designs in the center of each heart. It requires marking each space with 4 diagonal lines and then tracing a circle in the center so I have my points to keep the pattern on track. I practiced a bunch of times on paper so that I would have the 'feel' of the design. It's turning out very well and I think the customer will be pleased. Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-49495318811737037462012-02-08T13:01:00.000-08:002012-02-08T13:01:02.122-08:00Some recent customer quilts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vOswLPdtSXQ/TzLhEhSbHFI/AAAAAAAACMU/0r_M2c-Af0M/s1600/photo%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vOswLPdtSXQ/TzLhEhSbHFI/AAAAAAAACMU/0r_M2c-Af0M/s320/photo%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pE-jw2h8YBM/TzLg9WCHXBI/AAAAAAAACME/5T4DghM8lis/s1600/photo%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pE-jw2h8YBM/TzLg9WCHXBI/AAAAAAAACME/5T4DghM8lis/s320/photo%25289%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0IMvU-NWRvE/TzLg-QnXNpI/AAAAAAAACMM/hxTOjcnNfEw/s1600/photo%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0IMvU-NWRvE/TzLg-QnXNpI/AAAAAAAACMM/hxTOjcnNfEw/s320/photo%252810%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Here's photos of a few customer quilts I have done recently. I was really pleased with how the one with the cube design turned out. The customer wanted a design that would bring out the 'box' look so I ended up outline stitching around each cube. It did make it look 3 dimensional. Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-60771649941027228192012-01-24T16:12:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:12:36.479-08:003 Customer QuiltsThese quilts belong to 2 sisters. I do quite a bit of quilting for them and always love their work. I love the black house quilt. The quilting doesn't show up but I used a leaf vine around the houses. The pastel quilt with the little girls around the border turned out beautifully. I decided to do curved cross-hatching in the girl's dresses. It was a time consuming process but the finished look 'made' the quilt in my view.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0bVOte0juLE/Tx9I0-nJLmI/AAAAAAAACLE/3a796Ezpof0/s1600/photo%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0bVOte0juLE/Tx9I0-nJLmI/AAAAAAAACLE/3a796Ezpof0/s320/photo%25285%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRJR_kzAinW56aWIoHuCvMFx2ZkSm05PoCrgrf0i7vMHBLxg8tMZ5DKMcQaH5H3-EwiZesbU3DRzpRtPyQAYbBKHuFJz24Qfsfav_HfaIYCK1u0rnUrWwhGA3qaYwYzEXQSairxi-mEJS/s1600/photo%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRJR_kzAinW56aWIoHuCvMFx2ZkSm05PoCrgrf0i7vMHBLxg8tMZ5DKMcQaH5H3-EwiZesbU3DRzpRtPyQAYbBKHuFJz24Qfsfav_HfaIYCK1u0rnUrWwhGA3qaYwYzEXQSairxi-mEJS/s320/photo%25286%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xrt8SF18fpg/Tx9I1qVd6_I/AAAAAAAACLU/xHzcSFyAypI/s1600/photo%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xrt8SF18fpg/Tx9I1qVd6_I/AAAAAAAACLU/xHzcSFyAypI/s320/photo%25287%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNHLocpF7cCzrYqVcpTCgmzz6lNJDGuxPJMxqNFhQEggJpsfGXaW7sFydD30kQpvRkmU5AHEWhSFvCYOlwaKS0hyTNeZ9of4ua3pSRneXB0rQKy9a8ZaLSsqUrLSLhTJw5BS0GuNiSZpG/s1600/photo%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNHLocpF7cCzrYqVcpTCgmzz6lNJDGuxPJMxqNFhQEggJpsfGXaW7sFydD30kQpvRkmU5AHEWhSFvCYOlwaKS0hyTNeZ9of4ua3pSRneXB0rQKy9a8ZaLSsqUrLSLhTJw5BS0GuNiSZpG/s320/photo%25288%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>Enjoy the pics.Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-24300831473846702392012-01-03T20:57:00.000-08:002012-01-03T20:57:21.788-08:00Time to get back to quiltingI have had almost a month off from quilting. In that month there has been more overnight guests, more events than I can ever remember. We had a lot of family here for the Thanksgiving holiday. And that was just the beginning. There were holiday parties, birthdays, a wedding and great family times. The last event happened today -- our 2nd grandson was born at 11:47 this morning. It was so exciting to finally meet him. I will post a picture soon. We still have one more grandson to come in March. Three grandsons in 3 months -- how amazing.<br />
Tonight I feel worn out. Tomorrow I hope to be back in my studio quilting with lots of energy. Though it may take me a few days to get up to speed. <br />
I have been thinking about setting one goal for my business for 2012. It's to get better organized in my studio especially with my own sewing projects. So to that end, I'm going to come up with a plan, steps to take and hopefully make some real progress in that area. <br />
Happy New Year to all my followers and fellow quilters!Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-54501118615944949122011-11-30T06:53:00.000-08:002011-11-30T06:53:12.047-08:00Christmas Open House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0JduWkEBSbw/TtZDGhi_lcI/AAAAAAAACKg/ebqDjXEe5a0/s1600/IMG_2571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0JduWkEBSbw/TtZDGhi_lcI/AAAAAAAACKg/ebqDjXEe5a0/s320/IMG_2571.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hoqu25AQiDI/TtZDH6xtdDI/AAAAAAAACKo/IsmW2qc2MA0/s1600/IMG_2575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hoqu25AQiDI/TtZDH6xtdDI/AAAAAAAACKo/IsmW2qc2MA0/s320/IMG_2575.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru7-wNMckNA/TtZDJGv4gGI/AAAAAAAACKw/r49D-Vfr4WQ/s1600/IMG_2603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru7-wNMckNA/TtZDJGv4gGI/AAAAAAAACKw/r49D-Vfr4WQ/s320/IMG_2603.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It's time again for the annual open house here at my home. You're all invited to come. It's Thursday, December 15 from 10 - 2. My address is 20578 SW Colville Ct, Tualatin. My studio is open, lots of quilts are on display and lots of goodies to eat. Come for lunch or just drop in for a quick visit. Anyone bringing a quilt to the open house will receive a 20% discount off the quilting (but it won't be quilted until January or February). I'm looking forward to seeing many of you.Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-59789781285162890632011-11-06T18:54:00.000-08:002011-11-06T18:54:54.398-08:00Been too busy to blogLife has been so busy lately. The best thing that has kept me busy is my new grandson, Shaphan. He is now almost 6 weeks old and absolutely adorable. Such a good baby. Because we live so close I've been around him a lot. This grandma stuff is just the best role -- I love it!<br />
I have also been busy quilting. I'm in the thick of fall/Christmas quilting. I've expanded my quilting hours so now I'm in the studio about 20 - 30 hours a week. It's always busy in September, October and November. I try to finish up by the first week of December so I can take about a month break. It's good to have some time to work on my own stuff too during that break. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6R-hiUf3liQ/TrdIaD3PoHI/AAAAAAAACKI/JsJ2apXnCao/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6R-hiUf3liQ/TrdIaD3PoHI/AAAAAAAACKI/JsJ2apXnCao/s320/photo%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fmsZ5uranAw/TrdIafszx2I/AAAAAAAACKQ/i5nzyXBuQDg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fmsZ5uranAw/TrdIafszx2I/AAAAAAAACKQ/i5nzyXBuQDg/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>My other preoccupation is my winter garden. Rick, my wonderful husband, made me a raised bed and put it right in the center of the front yard. Then he built a plastic greenhouse cover on a hinge so I can access it easily. I have lettuce, spinach, chard, beets, radishes and carrots growing in it. It's fun and I hope it works all winter long. I'm posting a picture of it.Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-88892197647026255202011-09-26T12:06:00.000-07:002011-09-26T12:06:51.637-07:00Wholecloth Quilting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJl_mAQlecw/ToDM6gmCnBI/AAAAAAAACJs/2r-KDL3665Y/s1600/Wholecloth+Quilt+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJl_mAQlecw/ToDM6gmCnBI/AAAAAAAACJs/2r-KDL3665Y/s320/Wholecloth+Quilt+002.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6dBy2jLGDaqzpYfQtjlPQ1AxK9LZjkfpiq6lbTZP-Yx8fIB5wYADu4M0CiTcNR5nN6LNuM62uNhagUjhr9QdfxcF3f578ywhzkJZZF-74_gCfk9ffgczrKzujHwJ5T_yM4nR1vRfe3lb/s1600/Wholecloth+Quilt+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6dBy2jLGDaqzpYfQtjlPQ1AxK9LZjkfpiq6lbTZP-Yx8fIB5wYADu4M0CiTcNR5nN6LNuM62uNhagUjhr9QdfxcF3f578ywhzkJZZF-74_gCfk9ffgczrKzujHwJ5T_yM4nR1vRfe3lb/s320/Wholecloth+Quilt+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GHRSD6WYxAg/ToDM-gxckQI/AAAAAAAACJ0/Ld2azhltkh0/s1600/Wholecloth+Quilt+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GHRSD6WYxAg/ToDM-gxckQI/AAAAAAAACJ0/Ld2azhltkh0/s320/Wholecloth+Quilt+010.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XrG2EsuNZxw/ToDNAk0-eII/AAAAAAAACJ4/Kunve9KKnSw/s1600/Wholecloth+Quilt+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XrG2EsuNZxw/ToDNAk0-eII/AAAAAAAACJ4/Kunve9KKnSw/s320/Wholecloth+Quilt+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It's done -- the wholecloth quilt. It's a wedding gift for my daughter and her husband. I hope they like it. Here's my evaluation: I like the basics of the design a lot. The idea of random circles in the first border was fun and turned out well. The center circle is interesting with all the filler ideas in each circle around the leaf vine. It was hard to come up with 22 different ideas to fill those circles. I love the fabric color. It is a silver and has a shine to it that is really nice. What I would do differently: I think the quilt needed some other design introduced somewhere. My daughter didn't want a quilt that was heavily quilted for their bed so that really limited me on what I wanted to do as filler in many areas. I would have chosen to fill in the center circle around the vine and leaves with something very small. The area in the center square would have been nicer with a small design too (in my estimation). But all in all, I'm happy with the overall look. It has made me think of some ideas for another wholecloth that might be show worthy. I do love wholecloths even though they take a lot of time. One of the pictures show my kitties who were constant companions in the quilting. They chased every thread and binding piece; they continually walked on the quilt even while the machine was running, Tux took a liking to the pins on the magnetic pin cushion and Wolverine decided that he could carry my wrist pin cushion around the house (I found it under the dining room table one day). Normally I don't let the cats near customer quilts and keep the door to my studio closed but since I know how much my daughter likes cats I thought they should help with this quilt! :)Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6863727197717255742.post-7854289662468679152011-09-14T11:21:00.000-07:002011-09-14T11:21:39.156-07:00Wholecloth Quilting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AL14r3-G1DA/TnDwhMyWZiI/AAAAAAAACH8/T_IlRgMTo9A/s1600/stuff+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AL14r3-G1DA/TnDwhMyWZiI/AAAAAAAACH8/T_IlRgMTo9A/s320/stuff+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This quilt has been kind of in my head for about a year. I've had the grey sheets for many months. I decided last week that the theme of this quilt would be circles. It's for my daughter and her husband who were married last year (who says wedding gifts should be on time)! <br />
Just like my last wholecloth quilt, I don't really know where this one is going. I know the theme is circles and I want it to look contemporary. There is an X made in the center of the fabric so I know where the center is (though they rarely are perfectly centered). You see, I'm just not the planning, tracing out kind of quilter. I would rather challenge myself to be creative as the quilt progresses. It is a huge challenge and it may be disappointing in the end but I also feel great excitement as I anticipate what might come next. <br />
So stay tuned and I'll post pictures as it unfolds. I have two weeks to do this quilt before I must do the next customer quilt. I'm excited!Lauriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13927788798170795088noreply@blogger.com2