Quilting Friends

Sewing Machine - Bad News/Good News

2010-01-10T09:38:00.000-05:00

The bad news... two days ago my sewing machine decided it had enough. My Mom gave me the Brother sewing machine as gift and it has worked well for my needs for some time now. It would not operate properly for me anymore so it was time to buy a new one.

My husband and I headed over to the Viking Sewing Center in Ann Arbor and starting looking at all the wonderful sewing machines there. I wanted a sewing machine that would not only need my current skill level now, but would also have features that I would use in the future.

The good news... I ended up choosing the Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 855. What an amazing sewing machine that has 145 stitches and 4 fonts. It was on sale and had all the features I was looking for. Plus it had the larger throat which was the one thing I really wanted to have. I have heard many times from other quilts about how they wish the throat on their sewing machine was larger.

So now it's time to get sewing!

Happy sewing my quilting friends!!

Major Progress!

2010-01-08T22:05:00.001-05:00

This picture shows a small section of the quilt top. I have made alot of progress on this king size quilt. I finished sewing the 144 - 7-1/2" blocks of quarter square triangles. With all my blocks now sewn together, my next step will be to cut the 3 border fabrics and add those to the top. Then off to get machine quilted. Soon to be another project complete!! (let's hope!)

Quilts For Kids - Work in Progress

2010-01-08T21:43:00.003-05:00

I have been working on these 3 quilt kits I requested from the Quilts For Kids organization.

These quilts will go to children who have life threatening illnesses such as children receiving chemo treatments for cancer, etc. I will be matching the number of quilt kits they sent me with 3 kids quilts of my own. I have completed 2 of the kits they sent and I am working on the 3rd. I have fabric cut out for the 4th and already have a vision of what I will make for the last 2.

I am looking into starting a chapter here in Michigan. I will write again when I have more information.

Wall Quilt Rack - I Love It!

2010-01-02T22:28:00.001-05:00

My husband loves woodworking and a couple of months ago asked me what new project he should start.

I asked him to build me a wall hanging quilt rack as his first big project and he just finished it. Well, it's ALMOST finished he says. He is hand carving a floral piece to place in the center arch on the top, and THEN it will be done.

It is made it out of cherry hardwood and it's 4 feet wide by 4 feet tall. The rails are slightly rounded on the edges so the quilts won't get creased and the rails slide out. I now have have to gather my quilts from their various spots around the house and hang them all in one place. Yea!!

His next project is building me a free standing quilt rack with 3 top cascading rails for our guest room but it will be nice that I can move it room to room if I want.

This wall quilt rack is just perfect and I just love it!

Black/White/Red - Modified Yellow Brick Road

2009-12-27T11:12:00.000-05:00

Finally! I had found time to finish up my Yellow Brick Road pattern quilt. I originally wanted to do a black and white quilt with just a few splashes of red rectangles mixed in just a few of the blocks. However, after several unsuccessful attempts to find the right red/black or red/white fabrics to intermingle with the rest of the quilt I decided to stick with just the black and white.

I ended up setting aside the project for long, long while, not sewing the blocks together because I just was not happy with it. I just wanted to see that splash of red in there. So finally I decided to modify the pattern just by placing sashing between the blocks and that allowed me to enter the color red into the quilt. Now, I am a happy camper. :-)

"Day Dreams" Pattern for a Prayer Quilt

2009-12-27T11:09:00.000-05:00

I made this quilt with donated fabric for a prayer quilt.

If you would like to learn more about the Prayers and Squares Quilt Ministry, visit their website at http://www.prayerquilt.org/

A Rosey Wall Hanging

2009-12-27T10:56:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year my friend, Mary Ann, and I took a class at the Quilting Season in Saline, MI to make a wall hanging. Through the course of the class we sure had alot of fun, did alot of talking and we were definately distracted by all the fabrics in the quilt store.

Even though the main part of the wall hanging was completed, I still hadn't put on a border and it has been sitting for months on end.

This morning I finally put on a border! So now this will hang with the rest of my tops until I am until I am ready to put it together.

Now I'm on to try to complete the top of yet another unfinished quilt project.....

Happy Holidays

2009-12-24T09:38:00.004-05:00

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

And the quilts were not made.
The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.
The stocking weren't hung, the pantry was bare.
The poor weary Quilter, was tearing her hair.

Stacks of fat quarters, tipped over in streams.
Visions of Log Cabins, had turned into dreams.
When what to her wondering eyes should appear,
But a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.

They went straight to work with just a few mutters,
Sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.
The patterns emerged from all of the clutter,
Like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.

Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese & Bear Tracks
Each quilt was a beauty-even the backs.
Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed.
The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.

Their work was all done, so they folded their frames,
And packed up their needles, without giving their names.
They boarded the bus, and checked the next address.
More quilts to be made, another quilter in distress.

She heard one voice echo, as they drove out of sight,
Happy quilting to all and to all a good night!

Fall Table Runners

2009-10-21T20:18:00.000-04:00

I decided it was time to try my first fall table runner. I found a pattern that looked pretty simple and quick and checked my stash and found enough fabrics for this pattern and put this table runner together. I couldn't decide on what fabric to put in the center, so I ended up making 2 at the same time.

A Quilt For My Mom ... Finding the Right Pattern

2009-10-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

When I first got started quilting, a couple of years ago, an experienced quilter friend of mine (yes Pat, I'm talking about you), recommended that when I found a pattern that I liked in a quilting magazine or online, to tear it out or print it out and place it in the binder so that I could go back and view all my most liked patterns. Greatest idea ever! Today I was working on a large stack of magazines, tearing out the patterns and organizing them in my binder. I ran across what I thought could be the perfect pattern for a quilt I have been wanting to make for my Mom. I had been searching for month's and month's trying to find just the right pattern. My Mom wanted a centered design for her queen sized bed and I was having the hardest time finding just the right one.

Then today, out of a magazine from 2007, there it was.... looking right at me.... the Fall Medallion pattern. Could it be that this was the one?? As I envisioned the pattern in the burgandy colors of her bedroom, I fell in love with the pattern. I was hoping that she would be too. After a quick phone call and a scan of the picture of the pattern, I sent off a quick email and soon I received the call that she thought it was beautiful too! OHH HAPPY DAY!! The search was over and now the quest for fabric can begin!

"On The Fly" Pattern for a Prayer Quilt

2009-10-04T21:18:00.001-04:00

For two days I've worked on a lap size prayer quilt with a pattern called "On The Fly" with donated fabric, some purchased and some from my own stash. Someone once told me with every quilt, you learn something. This quilt reminded me that even the smallest of variance of seam allowance or the slightest tug or stretch of the fabric can add up to measurable amount of difference in the end.

If you would like to learn more about the Prayers & Squares Quilt Ministry, visit their website at http://www.prayerquilt.org/

Starting A King Sized Project

2009-10-03T20:14:00.000-04:00

Today I started on a king size quilt made up of quarter square triangles. The fabric I chose is the Return to Romance Fabric Collection. The finished block size is 7-1/2" and I will need 100 of them. This is something I have wanted to work on for months now but haven't found the time to start on it until now. The fabric placement in this pattern is very random, which is difficult for me since I like the placement of colors to be symmetrical and balanced. I love all the colors in the fabric so I am excited to see it all come together! A tip I found online recently is when you are making alot of half square triangles, instead of marking the diagonal line on the square with a pencil, you simple press the fabric in half. This was very helpful in quickly "marking" the numerous squares I needed to get done, which made this step a whole lot faster.