Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Happy Holiday Table Topper Demo

February 29th each of the workers at the Quilts at the Marshall House Quilt Shop will be doing demonstration of a technique, tool, or pattern. Well, I chose the Terry Atkinson pattern, Happy Holiday Table Topper which can also be made into a tree skirt. It using the 60 degree triangle ruler which means you are working with bias edges ALOT. The designer suggests you use starch often...before cutting and sometimes after cutting. My favorite starch, Best Press by Ellen was completely gone but that didn't stop me from going ahead and making the top. Oh no...not me. Here are the results. This will be my "How Not To Make" sample and you get to see it here first. Check out how wonky it is on the outside edge....way too much fabric. Now that will not quilt out.



I really like this pattern because you can make in 3 different sizes and the medium will fit my coffee table perfectly. I want to make it in spring colors, this time using Best Press starch!!!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Another Bunny Hill Design Quilt

My best quilting friend, Nonnie, and I are working together on this winter Bunny Hill Design called, Catch a Christmas Star. My blocks have been hand appliqued and are now ready to for the embroidery stitches which I am not crazy about doing.....neither is Nonnie. Oh well. I bought the embroidery thread so I am going to do it. The directions say to do the embroidery after quilting but I prefer to do the embroidery now so I don't have to handle so much fabric. I am quilting it myself and will be very careful not to sew over any embroidery. I will put the buttons on after quilting. My snowmen are looking awfully sad without eyes, noses, and mouths...need to get going on these guys....probably tonight. Orange wool will be blanket stitched on for the noses.

I have chosen much brighter fabrics than the designer. This is what I have done so far.




Sunday, January 29, 2012

Jim's Apron

Last Friday my son, Jim, graduated. He is a culinary arts scholar so I am making this apron for him. It is a panel made by South Seas Imports. He loves red and black so this perfect. I have already made a red and black queensize quilt for him. Hope to get this made and in the mail this week. The black fabric with red and whites in the background will on the other side of the apron. The ties are red and white check but I didn't show them in the picture.

Can't Believe I Did It

Just have to take a minute to brag and share that I am so impressed with myself. Never in a million years would I have thought that I could have accomplished making this quilt. I finished my little basket quilt...top only. In my last post I was just getting the blocks together. Can't wait to get this quilted. I will do in the ditch and then around each basket. Each block was done by hand using needleturn applique method. The basket template is from Blackbird Designs book, Country Inn.





Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Little Basket Quilt

Finally I believe I have enough little basket blocks and have started sewing them together. It is very exciting to sew these little 5 inch blocks together. This quilt will be about 70 by 70 and will look lovely on my couch. At first I had thought a bed quilt but then I have many of those and so few see my bed so decided on sofa quilt instead. Now I will have quite a few blocks left over. All the blocks have been hand appliqued. The pattern is from Blackbird Designs.


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Motion Commotion

Here is my Motion Commotion quilt designed by Suzanne McNeil. Love the the curved lines and done so easily with her method. This is shown hanging in the shop. Orange is like my favorite color these days. Can you tell?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Miniature Tumbler Quilt

English paper pieces has become very popular at the quilt shop lately. I am certainly a huge participant. I have a couple of pics of my miniature tumbler quilt that was pieced by hand and quilted by machine. The tumbler pieces are 1 inch high and the finished quilt measures 10 by 12 1/2 inches. A true miniature quilt is one that looks like a bedsize quilt in a picture. The quilting, blocks, and binding must true to scale. I still need to do binding but it will measure 1/8th inch when done. After I had sewn the tumblers altogether I appliqued them onto an 11 by 13 inch piece of fabric which became my border. I did free motion on tumblers and echo quilting in the border.

Here is also a book I am using for some English paper piecing doll quilt patterns.