Tag: APQS

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Choosing a Quilting Design

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Many of my customers ask me to choose the quilting design for their quilts. More often than not as soon as I look at a quilt top I know how I want to quilt it.

My initial thought was wow, I love all of the colours in this quilt, how fun!! On closer inspection of the fabrics…all batiks had various shapes ranging from bubbles, dots, curls, swirls, flowers and leaves and more.

The pantograph Waterworld came to mind initially which surprised me to be honest as it’s one that I often use on baby or children’s quilts.

The more I thought about it, as I prepared the quilt for loading onto my Longarm, (which involves pressing the top and in this case piecing the backing) the backing colour confirmed my choice.

The next decision was thread colour, the fabric used in the border and sashing initially read black but it is actually a very dark blue with hints of a softer blue, choosing a baby blue thread worked perfectly.

The thread plays really well across all of the colours, there is some contrast on the border and sashing however it isn’t enough to jump out at you.

Joan’s quilt is trimmed and ready for binding.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Quilting Decisions and Star Swirl

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I am often requested to choose the quilting design by my customers.

When I first began quilting for others in 2006 I remember feeling nervous making the decision…however over time it became easier to read the quilt and less intimidating.

Of course I also gathered information about who the quilt was for, its purpose as well as my customers preferences.

This sweet winter themed quilt gave me a few ideas, I could have used the border print and played on the theme of the holly or birds or pine cones. The backing fabric also had holly. However, I wanted something that would be complimentary to the animals and chose a quilting design that would play in the background giving a bit of windy movement along with perhaps a starry night…yes I have an imagination 😊

The quilt didn’t need me to replicate what was already there ie birds, pine cones, holly but instead it needed something to softly tie everything together.

Star Swirl is a wonderful pantograph for its soft density and easy flow.

Although the backing has a Christmas vibe to it, by adding more of a swirly starry theme with the quilting this quilt becomes a Winter Quilt.

I never tire of looking a the beautiful stitching I can obtain with my Longarm!

This quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Wildlife Quilt

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A wonderful gift for an outdoorsman, that my customer has pieced for her brother.

We chose the pantograph Leaf Pile as the quilting design, with its medley of different leaves it was a fitting choice for this wildlife quilt.

I really enjoy quilting this particular design, it doesn’t have a lot of repeats like some pantographs do.

Her quilt is trimmed and ready for binding!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Pretty Variation of The Seed Packet Quilt

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February is off to a great start!

I love this bright beautiful quilt made with Kaffe Fassett fabrics, it’s a variation of The Seed Packet quilt.

After piecing and loading this quilt I chose the pantograph Rhododendron which plays on the lovely large blooms in the quilt. I am often requested to decide on the quilting designs for the quilts that I work on.

More often than not, I have a quilting plan within minutes of seeing a top and if not an idea will usually come to me not long after seeing the top.

The backing fabric adds another layer of bright with its pretty pink, but has a soft easy to look at design which beautifully shows off the quilting stitches and design.

Trimmed and ready for binding, this quilt will soon be completed and ready for snuggling under.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

The Football Quilt

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In reading the news this morning I realized that it was for some yesterday was a big day football wise!

Betty’s Football quilt was on my machine over the weekend.

We chose the pantograph new wave playing on the curve of the ball. isn’t it amazing how just the right straight angle teases the eye to see curves when they don’t actually exist?

Choosing a thread colour on a quilt like this isn’t always easy, in a case like this I chose a silver grey so that the stitching wouldn’t jump off of the lighter areas of the quilt showing only fragments of the design. Of course is takes a bit of braveness to quilt light thread on navy!

Betty’s quilt is trimmed and ready for binding.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Jo Anne’s Quilt Story

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My first quilt was made about 38 years ago, I was 22.

Quilting was on my mind though for many years before that! I loved making things as a child and my Mother and other sewers provided me with scraps of fabric to play with!

It was when Quilt Canada was held in Thunder Bay in 1992 that I discovered there was a local Quilting Guild! I was really excited that I could meet like minded friends…though the first time I went to a meeting and saw that everyone appeared to be much older than I was I chickened out and didn’t attend!

Thankfully I met my new friend Alva at the fabric store and told her and she convinced me that those ladies would be more than happy to welcome me, and welcome me they did! They mentored me and my skills and love of quilting grew!

Jo Anne is one of the founding members of our guild and one of the women I remember welcoming me. It has been my absolute pleasure to quilt for her over the years!

Here we are in front of her quilt at this years show.

On a fun note, that day I attended the show with my friend Betty Maki…the two of them chatted and Jo Anne commented that she is the younger one by a year! My friend Betty is 88 1/2 and isn’t afraid to admit it 🥰

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

April 21st Spring and Quilting

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I believe that most people who live in North Western Ontario are longing for spring as we do every April! However our reality it seems is that winter isn’t over until it’s over and spring storms dumping fresh large amounts of snow in April is not uncommon… but still!

I am ready to put our winter gear away, but I know better so will wait!

My morning view

I will be back to showing quilts regularly again, life has been busy and as usual so have I and my APQS Millenium Longarm.

Just before Easter and our trip to Cuba, I quilted this sweet little quilt with Minkie fabric for the backing. These digital panels are amazing and this one with the giraffes appears 3D.

When choosing a quilting design, I wanted something that would look like it was in the jungle but also would have enough stitching to hold this fun quilt together for the long run. This design was the perfect fit!

It was a little challenging as we really wanted to use this piece of backing and it was a little small…I had a half inch on both sides of extra backing fabric. Yes I do require 2” as that does seem to work best but I can and do make exceptions and in my 18 years of quilting professionally I have learnt a trick or two.

The best part of this particular quilting job is this!

The recipient loves his new quilt!!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

When Quilting Makes the Quilt

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When Joan brought me this quilt she said that she wasn’t overly excited with it, she had a huge amount of fabric for the backing. A large beautiful print that deserved the extra time to match. I piece many of my customers backings.

I chose the pantograph Flying Paisley and a 40wt linen glide thread.

Quilters are often so surprised at the difference the quilting makes to their tops. In this case we both agreed that the quilting really made it sing!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Proud to be a Canadian Quilt

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In 2012 I quilted this quilt for a customer who had pieced the top for her daughter who is an RCMP officer. I have had so many comments and messages regarding this quilt that I thought that I would re visit it.

Unfortunately I have never been able to find the pattern and any leads led to information that said that it was out of print.

I used a combination of a Pantograph for the background and freehand custom quilting for the rest of this beautiful quilt.

Customer Quilts, Quilting, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Millie’s Quilts

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Millie has been entrusting her quilts to me for several years now and it’s always a pleasure to quilt for her. These recent two quilts were a lot of fun to quilt.

This first one was quilted using the Pantograph Shasta Daisy, it always makes me smile when I see it.

Her second quilt also perfectly pieced called for a floral Pantograph so I chose Rhapsody. I have customers that like to choose the designs for their quilts and I will order new Pantographs for them if I don’t have what they have in mind, however many people tell me to choose and enjoy being surprised when the receive their quilts back. I have recently added to my Pantograph collection and am looking forward to trying them soon.

Millie’s backing for this quilt was so soft and vintage looking a perfect fit for this sweet quilt.