Tuesday, September 28, 2021

A Tale of Two Baby Quilts

I've been getting the best baby quilts in for quilting lately!  My customers are giving me so many ideas that I'm stowing away for the next time I need a quick baby shower gift.  Check out this first quilt from my client Julie:

36 x 45 Baby Quilt with Rapunzel B2B Quilting Design

Isn't it fabulous?!  The hearts, stem and leaves were fused and machine appliquéd to a single width of background fabric.  It's simple, but so effective, don't you think?  We chose the Rapunzel quilting design to echo the shape of the leaves and carry the movement of the appliqué design across the rest of the quilt.

Quilting Detail.  Glide Thread in Cotton Candy + Quilters Dream Bamboo Batting

I used a pink thread, Glide in Cotton Candy, because I wanted the quilting to blend into the appliqué fabrics and stand out more in the background.  The quilting is fairly dense, but this quilt is still going to be soft and snuggly thanks to the lack of any stiff or bulky seams and the fabulous bamboo/silk/cotton Quilter's Dream Bamboo batting.  I know you guys like to see before and after photos...

Sunday, September 19, 2021

A Couple More Blocks for My Retro 'Eighties Building Blocks Sampler

Good morning, my lovelies!  I have been "SEW" busy lately that I'm starting to accumulate a backlog of things I wanted to share here on my blog.  Today I'll show you the last two 10" blocks I made for my Retro 'Eighties Building Blocks sampler (adapted from the 2014 Moda Modern Building Blocks QAL).  Here's what the design wall is looking like these days:

All of the 10 inch Blocks Are Completed!

This project would be a finished quilt top by now if I was able to work on it consistently, but I've been more focused on customers' quilts lately.  I've also been responsible for more church music over the past few weeks, now that Church Council has decided we have to wear masks while we're singing and a lot of our singers are staying away because of health concerns etc.  So, those are my excuses for only having TWO new blocks to share since the last time I posted about this project!

Block 18

Both of these blocks finish at 10" and use Kona Solids in Lipstick, Snow and Black.

Friday, September 10, 2021

Custom Quilting FINISHED on Judy Niemeyer Prismatic Star Queen Quilt

Today's post will be quick, short on commentary, and loaded with photos because I just could not resist showing you how gorgeous my client's Prismatic Star Queen turned out after quilting!

91 x 91 Prismatic Star Queen, Custom Quilting Completed

My client Mildred used Judy Niemeyer's Quiltworx pattern, Prismatic Star Queen, to foundation paper piece her quilt top.  Several Etsy sellers have this pattern available here.  I believe my client may have purchased the pattern and batik fabrics together as a kit.

Feathers Aplenty, Feathers Galore

Since Mildred wanted me to quilt her top to look "just like the pattern cover photo," I used the digital design set that Quiltworx created specifically for this quilt, the same one they used to quilt the sample quilt on the pattern cover.  

Friday, September 3, 2021

Behind the Scenes: Digital Custom Long Arm Quilting With Q-Matic on a Judy Niemeyer Quilt

Good Morning, Happy Friday, Happy Labor Day Weekend, and Happy September!  It was in the fifties this morning in Charlotte, which felt GLORIOUS after the sweltering hot Armpit-of-the-South weather we've had for the past few months.  Fall is my favorite time of year and it can't get here soon enough!

Custom Digital Quilting Fit for a Prismatic Star Queen

Sneak Peek of the Custom Feather Quilting Under My Needle

I've spent more time quilting in the studio than sitting at the computer lately, so I have lots of things I could be sharing with you.  Today, I thought folks might like to see a custom quilting project that I'm working on for a client right now and learn a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes when custom quilting with digital designs.  Spoiler alert: the process is not as automated as you might expect!  Here's my client's quilt top, prior to being loaded onto my frame;

Auditioning Threads for Mildred's 91 x 91 Prismatic Star Queen Quilt Top

My client Mildred pieced this gorgeous Prismatic Star Queen quilt top using one of Judy Niemeyer's Quiltworx foundation paper piecing patterns.