Storm@Sea

November 10, 2012 at 8:15 pm (Client Quilts)
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I have looked at the Storm at Sea pattern a number of times, and I did know you could create a heart shape by manipulating the color.  But this quilt came as a complete surprise to me when I realized what the pattern was.  My client, Jan G brought this to me, with a couple other quilts, but this one definitely needed to be finished before Christmas.

Hmm, hearts…what should I quilt on those?

Isn’t this an intriguing quilt?  Storm at Sea, who would have thought?  I quilted feather hearts inside the hearts, of course, using my entire set of heart templates to make the various sizes.  Inside the diamond shaped background is a curve filled with pearls and a couple of small feather-like flourishes.  The fill is overlapping spirals.  Then on the border is a pretty-much invisible undulating feather design.

Heart Detail

Note the spiral fill in here

These are called “hook” feathers. Each one is echoed individually as they are created.

So this finishes my updates.  I am currently only one quilt behind, which means I’m on top of the world and have enough time to post these blogs!

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The “Emergency Quilting”

November 10, 2012 at 7:48 pm (Client Quilts)
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As I was working on Phoebe’s quilt, I received a call from my friend Helen Andrews, owner of The Quilt Patch.  A customer had come in, telling a story to break your heart.  Her stash had been vandalized, ripped and cut into pieces, her equipment ruined.  She had one completed quilt top in her car that escaped the damage; she had come to her daughter’s home for refuge from this incident.  Could I, would I, quilt this top for Helen’s customer?  Immediately?  I have a hard time turning Helen down.  She has supported my quilting efforts for over ten years, and is a very good friend.  I looked at my calendar.  I waffled a bit.  Then suddenly I saw how it could happen, if everything went just right.  If I worked longer on Phoebe’s quilt that day, and finished it, I could slip in the “Emergency Quilt” — Helen got in her car and brought the quilt to me and I began work on it the next day.  I worked extra hours, skipped attending Pioneer Quilters, and finished it that week.  So here is the Emergency Quilt:

My name for this quilt was “Almost Amish”

Imagine my distress when I realized I had no black Glide thread…

I used dark navy thread, and I actually prefer it to the black

Detail of the appliqué

I heard that the client loved the quilt.  I never actually met her, only know her through this vibrant quilt.

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Holiday House

November 8, 2012 at 7:38 pm (Studio Work)
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I really enjoy being crafty…and I thought you might like a look at a couple of the little crafty things I did for autumn:

This little table is by our front door. I didn’t actually make the gourds…they came from our neighbor!

I did make these pumpkins, from a kit I bought at the Emerald Valley Quilt Show in September. I’ve made a few more sets from the pattern, but gave them all away!
This is in on our coffee table in the living room.

No holiday is complete without a few yo-yo’s

Seriously, yo-yo’s rule!

Just so ya know, I do also hand quilt…

So that’s our house, all ready for autumn.  I had these up before Halloween and will keep them up until Christmas decorations appear.  (I am working on a couple of table runners for Christmas, using modern fabrics from Valori Wells.)

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Catching Up!

November 6, 2012 at 7:06 pm (Client Quilts)
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I know it’s election day!  Maybe this will distract you for a few moments.  I have been working a lot, getting caught up with client quilts, and here are some pics of them!

First is Phoebe’s quilt.  Phoebe is the granddaughter of a friend of mine, and this is her first completed quilt project.  The instructions I received were to quilt it just like the magazine, and I sort of did.  I just added a few flourishes.  Really.

Halfsquare triangles, not too hard…but the hearts on the outside? Lots of bias edges, pretty hard to piece together

Just imagine it right side up…

These are the flourishes I was talking about

Corner detail, just a sweet quilt

I did get a chance to see this quilt after the binding was sewed down, and it is truly beautiful.  Phoebe will be able to enjoy this quilt for many years, and I’m super happy to have been a part of it.

AND THEN…Deanna’s Fairy Quilt

Deanna is the same quilter who made the Wedding Star quilt that took Viewer’s Choice at the Coburg Quilt Show.  I think this piece will take some honors as well:

Each fairy is associated with a flower, and the border also has each flower appliquéd on it

A quilt like this is tricky to quilt.  There is so much beautiful space for quilting design, and yet you don’t want to take attention away from the appliqué.

And notice the matching flower in the border…

I love each of these girls!

And a couple more:

I love this kick. And look at the beautifully done legs and feet!

The detail shows the triple crosshatching I did on the border as well as the variety of feathers

So I think this quilt is another winner from Deanna.  Thanks to her I got to work on this gorgeous quilt, and I didn’t have to do the applique myself!!

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Report Card

November 4, 2012 at 7:05 pm (Studio Work)
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I have been working steadily the last month on client quilts and am almost caught up with my queue.  There were also a few quilt shows to attend in September and October, and I have a report for you on Autumn Pathway’s journey.  At Northwest Quilt Exposition it won FIRST PLACE in its category.

The view of my quilt as I approached it at the show. (I don’t know those ladies.)

I was pretty excited, even though I already knew I had won a prize.  I had been called by the NW Expo staff to invite me to the award ceremony.  As well as a ribbon, I came home with $500!!!!!

I’m a little happy!

To make the day even sweeter, my friend Jenny also won a first place ribbon for her hand quilted piece!

This quilt is truly wonderful!

And here is a photo of Jenny, she’s also pretty happy!

The next show was the Emerald Valley Quilt Show at the end of September, and I am so happy to report that Autumn Pathways was selected as Viewer’s Choice for both days of the show.  I received two beautiful handmade ribbons (made by my friend Sheila for the guild) and a large bag of prizes! I was thrilled!!!

Autumn Pathways then traveled back to Portland for the Machine Quilters Exposition.  It did not place in that show, but I did get some very good marks from the judges and I appreciated the information on the judging sheet.  The next show is “Road to California,” in January.  I will hear by December 1st if it is accepted into that show.  In the meantime, I am thinking about and working on designs for a show quilt for next year!

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