Such a pretty quilt that I filled with freehand feathers and swirls, some echoing and a little bit of ruler work. My only regret is that I didn’t take a picture of the whole quilt finished.
Category: flowers
Quilting Rules and the Modern Quilting World
I love quilts, I’ve loved quilts from the first time I noticed quilts and my passion for them has only grown.
My first quilting teacher was Eleanor Burns, who I watched on PBS and before a VCR. I would take notes and then make the project. I also read every book and magazine that I could find. As money was tight I made many miniature quilts as the fabric requirements weren’t overwhelming to my budget.
I fell in love with the precision of piecing, I love pressing my pieces and seeing perfectly matched seams and sharp points. I pride myself in my work.
On the other hand though, I’ve never appreciated the “Quilt Police” I want to make what I want to make, in the colours that I choose and the styles that I like. Quilting should be fun. I often think of a grade 7 teacher who tried to explain to me that purple and orange, and blue and green do not ever go together..that made no sense to me!
Lately, something new has been catching my eye, I’m loving the Modern Quilts that are out there. Colours and styles are changing and I want to play! Sometimes I just want to cut up fabric, sew and press and see what happens. Sometimes I just want simple. More often than not lately I want to try different.
This weekend I played with some Kate Spain Fabric and made my version of a quilt that I’ve seen in a few places. It’s still a work in progress, but it does have my wheels turning with more ideas.
so simple, just strips sewn together, cut and framed, and solid blocks framed with pieced strips. Such a quick and relaxing project. Perfect for these hot weather days. I love the bright happy colours and patterns in this line too. This is still a work in progress, I haven’t decided on borders. It will be lap sized though.
I know that this project is barely dipping my toes into the water of Modern Quilting but I think there will be more, so much more!!
Happiness is…
February 3 is not only my daughters birthday but also the 26th anniversary of becoming a Mom. What a wonderful, challenging, fulfilling, stressful at times but mostly rewarding career of love being a Mom has been. When Sarah was born I was 23 and looking back I sure was young and naive, but I was young and grew in so many ways because I was a Mom. Happy Birthday Sarah!!
This little quilt had been here for a while, it belongs to my good friend Alva. When I loaded this quilt onto my longarm I wasn’t sure how I was going to quilt it but it very quickly spoke to me and I just had fun, I played and the ideas flowed as I doodled along. I enjoyed quilting this one so much that I felt a bit sad to have it finished.
Alva picked it up at the shop last week, and later that day I was brought another one to quilt! We may have a long way to go before there are flowers blooming outside but these sunny little quilts will help remind me that spring is coming. (This quilt was a BOM a few years ago)
So the title of my post… well for me Happiness is being a Mom to my 4 beautiful daughters and to the men in their lives and being a Grandma to my adorable grandsons. Having friends and family who encourage, support me in my life and are so much fun to have in my life! Workwise it is helping others to finish the quilts that they have created, I am so thankful for my customers and friends for allowing me that joy!
June 29
The end of June has always been a favorite time for me as a child it wasn’t only my Birthday but also the end of the school year. Somehow I managed for the first 44 years of my life to have no school or work. Today I had to work but it was a lovely day anyways. I work with some great people.
All of my girls called me and my Parents had me over for a very yummy lunch and when I got home look what was waiting for me from Erik
Sarah brought supper home for me and after dinner I indulged in a little nap.
and for a treat to myself I worked on a personal project instead of customer work
and I did some blog surfing, one blog made me ponder my parenting a little. I have a little quilt that hangs in my upstairs hall way I made it several years ago, I removed the dad from the pattern and added my girls instead of just a boy and girl. At the time I was very content for my life to have only my girls and myself but now I’m so thankful that I have Erik in my life and his girls too.
the weather over the weekend and the next coming days is for rain, my hair looks great but I sure am missing the sunshine. I took a few pictures out at Erik’s on the weekend, I was trying to capture the feel in the air but it didn’t really work. The gardens are coming along though.
next sunny day there will be some serious weeding happening!
Blueberry Bushes that we are hoping the bears will leave alone, we might need to build a fortress.
I also finished a customer quilt this weekend, this quilt belongs to a good friend of mine and I just love it!
A Needed Reminder
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you
Life sure is a journey and at times the journey sure does get bumpy. At times life has felt like a never ending roller coaster ride. But God is in Control and I know that He has a plan and a purpose in all thing. He has a plan for all of my daughters and even for me. Childhood sure does pass quickly and then you have to allow your children to spread their wings and fly…..
Happy 18th Birthday Mary!
Wendy’s Quilting and Life 