Professional Longarm Quilting Services
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been gaining some new quilting ideas from some new sources. Thank you Suzanne for letting me do what I wanted on this quilt it really was fun to do!
(It’s so hard to believe that this picture was taken yesterday morning, no jacket on and this morning the same table had almost 10” of snow on it!)
Every November during one of the hockey games in town there is what is called a Teddy Bear drop when the audience throws stuffed animals on the ice after the first goal is made.
Later these critters and many more end up donated and received by the the guild. Members choose one or more and take them home to make them a little quilt. They are all brought back to the November meeting and will be given to children for Christmas through our local Christmas Cheer!
This is just some of them!
My little bear was very outdoorsy so his quilt was made as if it was going to be in a fishing/hunting type of camp. (don’t ask me why I didn’t take a picture of the quilt, because I really don’t know)
Alva was able to finally finish up her flannel fatquarter bundle for her bear, what a wonderful snuggly quilt for a little one to enjoy! (this picture was taken before the meeting when Alva always offers a tutorial on a different technique.)
The most fun and artistic one and my personal favourite was the one that Joyce McKinnon made for her Bunny. She made Cabbage Leaves and added a crocheted carrot!
I love to visit these falls, they are tucked behind a short paved trail just south of the border. We often stop in the spring and again later in the summer, Marlene and I stopped for a short walk when we went to the border a couple weeks ago. Although it was a very misty grey day we were rewarded with beautiful colours and of course the view of the falls.
and don’t the colours of the above picture go along with these two quilts by Alva.
This is the quilt that Alva demonstrated the blocks for, at Thunder Bay Quilters Guild October meeting.
It is quilted using the Bayside Pantograph (by Lorien Quilting)
and another, also by Alva who bought a Fat Quarter Bundle of these Flannels and has been getting incredible mileage from it. I quilted this sweet lap quilt with the Waterworld Pantograph (by Jodi Beamish)
Last week flew by, I had a visitor for the week which made each day full and busy…
While Liam was here the kids asked me to try to capture his 10 month picture (tail end of his 10th month) on his quilt. He started walking a few weeks ago and ever since he has been in constant motion.
One day though I caught him sitting still, he had pulled an empty laundry basket off of the table and climbed in..
While visiting Grandma he also managed to cut 2 molars so the first few days of his visit were pretty tough but all in all we managed well.
During naps I was able to finish a few customer quilts
this pile shows 5 of the 6 that I quilted for Emily..one day after she has seen them I will be post some of her quilts!
I also managed to finish this queen size quilt that shows what a Longarm Quilter can do with a pre-printed fabric! This is quilted using Michelle Wyman’s Star Swirl Pantograph.
I was also able to finish a custom Thimbleberries King Quilt that I forgot to take pictures of as well as a flannel lap quilt for Alva which will be shown in my next post.
Did I mention that after Liam went home I went to bed early and slept late!
Another beautiful quilt by my customer Jeannette. (Last year I quilted her Texas Quilt)
Her piecing is so precise and her applique again was perfect. For the Mounties she used Ultra suede which really brought them forward (and was no trouble to quilt through) I used Superior’s Monopoly thread to quilt the details in the Mounties.
For the Maple Leaf and the cream background I quilted a Pantograph called Ground Cover by Keryn Emmerson, changing thread colours between Red and Cream. The trees were all freehand quilted with Superiors Rainbow in a variegated green.
It’s always so much fun when I take a quilt off the Machine to see the back, I used Superiors Bottom Line in my Bobbin and I love how the colour changes on the Top are not reflected on the back.
1. I love quilts, all quilts. Yes some are not necessarily my taste but then that will present a challenge for me which helps me to grow as a quilter. Also I never know what my customers are piecing and I love to see new quilts.
this is my Moms quilt, she pieced it and embroidered each block. It was a Thimbleberries Club Block of the Month. These are not my colours, but I really love how it turned out and it lives on my Parents bed keeping them snuggly warm together which brings me great joy!
2. I love that my customers will often let me play with their quilts and give them suggestions that I think will work, and I also love when my customers want something in particular that might stretch me and cause me to grow in my skills.
This quilt that Tara brought me took me a while to complete, but was a pure joy to quilt and I still love looking at the pictures. (the hand applique on this quilt is incredible!)
2. I love quilters, there is something about people who cut up fabric only to sew it all back together. We share a joy that perhaps non quilters don’t understand. When my customers bring me their tops they are usually very excited about having them quilted and getting them finished. Some are for personal use, some for special gifts and I get to share in the joy.
I have quilted a couple of wedding gift quilts for Terri, I love her colour choices!
3. I love helping beginner quilters learn more about this art, as a longarm quilter I’m often able to give encouragement and offer suggestions to the new quilter how they can grow as a quilter. I am also able to watch them progress in their quilting skills..
this is a sweet baby quilt that Ellen made for her Grandson before he arrived she did an incredible job on this quilt and has continued to grow in her skills and her joy in quilting!
Mabel made 2 quilts this is one of them, she made them for her granddaughters and it was a true joy working with her!
4. I really love to have my customers come by with their quilts or for pick ups and have a little visit and share the joy of quilting.
Jeanette’s True North Strong and Free Quilt..I will be writing a separate post on this beauty!
5. I Love quilts, I love quilting and I love to share this joy with others!
Do you want to learn the basics of how to piece a quilt, while having fun? I have an idea,Have you heard of Craftsy? If you haven’t you should go for a visit. They have offered a free Block of the Month class that was created for beginners and the instructor is wonderful! (Amy Gibson is super busy these days having just given birth to twin boys (brothers for their 2 daughters).
So what is my idea? If you have a few friends who want to learn to quilt how much fun would it be to work on this fun quilt at the same time perhaps as a small group?
I couldn’t resist Octobers block..why I start with the last block I’m not sure but I just had to make this today. What do you think?
I have been well known in my quilting circles for my tendency for soft colours. Lately though Red seems to be seeping into my life. I’ve had a couple of beautiful and red quilt jobs come in lately and then last week a friend of Mary’s offered her these pieces of Pyrex which she then gave to me. You might remember my recent post about Hastings where I sadly walked away from a few pieces from this set and only bought the small casserole. This set seems so happy to me.
I’ve really enjoyed being re inspired by another Longarm Quilter/Teacher Angela Walters. She writes a great blog and she really makes the modern quilts sing!
After I’ve spent my day working on customer quilts, I will often unwind by sewing a block or trying something new. Angela’s book inspired this little quilt and quilting.
I’ve caught up on my blocks for the Fatquarter Shop Mystery BOM! I’m really enjoying this years blocks.
After my daughters outgrew their bunk beds, I used one of the bed boards to make my design wall, it’s covered with white flannel and has served me well. I like putting new projects up to look up at when I’m working on the longarm.
Wendy’s Quilting and Life 