Tag: Customer Quilts

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Paper Piecing… and some Sunshine

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So I started some practice pieces for the sisterhood swap. I haven’t done any paper piecing in years so it was a practice in patience. I also realized that It will be easier to use my printer instead of tracing so this morning I ordered Carol Doaks papers.

That will make the project a little easier. Also by the magic of online ordering the paper should be here on Friday just in time for some weekend sewing.

I am also contemplating making the 12” block to add on to my Moda Blockheads 3 quilt. I am very close to calling that project done and moving on.

On the quilting front…I am currently working on a customer quilt that is of her own design. She has been using up some of her Mothers stash to make her quilts. This job makes me smile and because it’s large I really get into the zen mode while running my machine over it.

I have my grandson with me during the days, due to virtual learning so I quilt while he is in school. This week seems more challenging for him and he is not as happy to do school as he was last week. I suspect it’s not as much fun as being with classmates and teacher in person and also not easy for a 9 year old boy to sit for so long.

We made plans to go out on our trails this afternoon and check for animal prints in the snow … and maybe use up some of his built up steam. then some pizza for lunch 😊

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Summer Blossoms Quilt

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Joan’s quilt brightened up the room as soon as I opened it up. I always press quilt tops before loading them onto the Longarm.

I also prepare quilt backs. Many of my customers bring yardage as I offer free piecing…I use a lot of pins which always give me nice even and flat seams.

How bright is this back!
It’s hard to see the stitching on the back.

Trimmed and ready for pick up. The majority of my customers choose to have me trim their quilts. I use the table on the back of my Longarm which is 12’ long making the process much easier.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Water Quilt

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One of my friends recently commented that it must be a good feeling when I unwind the quilt on the frame. It is! I always like to see how the back as well as the front turned out.

Susan M’s quilt

Instead of taking the risk of the backing being too short …I added. Ten inch leader to the top . I very rarely need to do this but it’s a good trick to keep in mind when there is just enough backing.

It was my Grandson who decided the name of this quilt because it reminded him of lakes and water. He is presently doing his schooling virtually so is spending his days with me while his parents work.

I chose the pantograph bubbles as not only are their circles in some of the squares but the background is full of circles.

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

Welcome to March

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Our days are getting brighter…so they feel longer which is very welcome. February seems to have flown by. I was busy with customer quilts, family and a little of my own projects. Our area began another lockdown today due to rising covid cases which feels discouraging. I will have my grandson with me as the schools are back to virtual learning. I plan to start planting some seeds with him this week.

So many of my friends and customers have told me how thankful that they are for their quilting as many of us get lost in our work which makes the days pass more easily.

Laura’s Care-bears.
Care-bear quilt back

Laura’s Care-bear quilt was a pleasant surprise as most quilts arrive to the door these days and the quilting decisions are left to me. I raised my daughters during the Care-bear era and I couldn’t help but think how much the world could use those bears these days 😊

It was a fun cheerful quilt and it was quilted using a tried an true pantograph called popcorn which gives a cloud like appearance.

This tulip quilt is also a reminder that spring will arrive.

The reason that we no longer grow tulips
Longarm quilting Thunder Bay, Quilting, Thunder Bay Quilters Guild, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Wolves and Quilts

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One morning while sitting quietly having my coffee something caught my eye out the window…a wolf sauntered out of the bush and for a short time stood in the yard before me…all I could do was sit and look, it didn’t occur to me to take a picture. I was just in awe.

I recently finished this customer quilt. I loved the colours in the panel along with the piecing. It called for northern light type of quilting which is why I chose the pantograph, Kindling.

This quilt that I pieced and quilted in 2013 was a gift for one of Eriks daughters who loves wolves. It was a kit that I found online from a shop in Alaska. I remember that it was fun to make and that I entered it into our guilds quilt show that year.

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

North and Star Swirl

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I have always loved Betty’s quilts, her piecing is amazing! Her quilts are usually challenging projects sent to her from her family and she always proves that she is more than up to the task.

When she started piecing her North Star Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman she also reminded me of her integrity that I also really respect about her. She understands the hard work that designers put into their work and encourages others to purchase their own copies of patterns.

This quilt was such a joy to quilt and I chose the pantograph Star Swirl as it added movement and reminds me of the night sky.

Betty chose a soft solid grey for her backing which really shows the quilting. I pieced the back from her yardage as I do for many of my customers.

Customer Quilts, Moda Blockheads 3, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Moda Blockheads 3 (block 45)

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It’s been an extremely cold and busy week, thankfully the temperatures may be warmer next week still cold but bearable.

Working on this recent block my mind was elsewhere I guess or maybe I was just tired and I trimmed my half square triangles to the finished size which led me to make a much smaller than intended version.

It was meant to be an 8” finished block.

I then proceeded to make another block but decided to give the 1/4 foot a try on my Juki and again night time tired sewing I failed to make sure it was a scant 1/4” so my block is smaller…both blocks will however find their way into the quilt.

It is my quilt and the reason I chose to make it was to have fun. I enjoy making different blocks and using new methods and rulers.

I have the blocks on a design wall which I highly recommend having.

A black a white picture is so helpful with layout.

The latest customer quilt is off the machine and will wait for it to be delivered before I post pictures. Other than just a peek.

Moda Blockheads 3, Wendy's Quilting, Winter

My Very Fresh Start to the Day

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This is what I woke up to just before 7am

So I checked this…

Which made me so happy that I have a car starter! Which cycled twice today! Because….

This was the temperature while driving this morning…this is not unusual to have weather like this in Thunder Bay in the winter, we do however like to complain about it! I call it perfect quilting weather!

This quilt was pressed and loaded onto the longarm last night and will be quilted today. I always go over my customers quilts, press them and make sure everything is good to go.

My next Moda Blockhead block is almost ready to be sewn together. I made the flying geese units before calling it a day last night. I have a few methods and rulers for making these units and always seem to come back to Deb Tuckers Wing Clippers.

I love the accuracy of trimming down the blocks along with all of the different sizes on each ruler. I especially love the tiny ones!
Wendy's Quilting

Lorraines Quilts

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As a Longarm quilter I have met many quilters, some are brand new at this art and others have being making quilts long before I knew about them. I have always loved my friendships with women who are ahead of me on this life Journey. Lorraine is a true treasure she is now well into her 80’s and many times has said that this is her last quilt…not long after she will call with just one or two more.

Lorraine January 2021

Lorraine moved into a retirement home a couple of years ago, she had told me then she was finished quilting. Not long after she called and said that all the people there talk about is their age and health troubles. So she set up her utility closet as her sewing room and got busy. While she has been a wonderful customer she has also blessed me with so much of her wisdom. Despite many health issues she continues to be a very bright light and her friendship a true gift.

Jitterbug Pantograph
Lorraine December 2020
Wendy's Quilting

Winter 2020

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January and February continued on as the winter months here do with perfect quilting weather and many opportunities to shovel snow and to drive in less than ideal conditions.

I was able to keep up with the Moda Blockheads 3, though this project really pointed out how quickly a week flies by! I have a quilting group that meets at our local Recreation Centre every Thursday which allows me hours of relaxed piecing time, so my plan had been to work on a block every Thursday.

Audrey’s Quilt

This beautiful quilt was Audrey’s own design. It was so perfectly pieced and a pleasure to help her bring her vision to completion. The size made it difficult to capture in one picture.

It looks like some of the blocks were paper pieced however they were made using templates that she made herself. The centre was pieced then appliquéd onto the pieced top.
It’s always a pleasure and privilege to be entrusted with someone’s work and allowed to add my touch to the quilt!

Towards the end of February I began planning a very special quilt for my Granddaughter to be.