How much fun is this quilt! As a quilt maker myself I am almost always drawn primarily to scrappier quilts, the more fabrics the better! I also love the improv piecing! When this quilt first arrived and was added to my queue it was a challenge not to drop everything and just work on it! I did however make it wait its turn.
The quilting design New Wave that was chosen worked perfectly adding an extra layer of playfulness and fun!
As if that wasn’t enough fun and excitement in a quilt, the backing added even more delight with both colour and the tumbling blocks!
Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!
While Erik was off on a recent fly in fishing trip, I used the first few days to make some changes and re-organize my Longarm Studio.
A big thank you to my Dad and brother who came over and put my new IKEA Alex cabinets together for me.
My pantographs now have a new home and are wonderfully organized! There is even room to add more!
All of my thread, rulers, and other long arm supplies are all organized and it looks all neat and tidy. It was all organized before however I had wanted a more streamlined look.
The drawer units that were replaced have a new home and purpose, they are now under the table of my long arm and they now hold a lot of my fabrics and are sorted by colour, these fabrics will eventually find their way into scrap quilts.
I spent some of the time cleaning, sorting and purging it’s amazing how things can accumulate. Though I will add that there wasn’t as much to purge as I suspected there were things that just needed new homes as in my daughter’s homes!
I am vigilant when it comes to caring for my APQS Millennium longarm and I spent a little time on her as well, the motor brushes were replaced. I love how well these machines are made and that they are designed so that the owner can maintain them themselves!
Of course as soon as I finished organizing another quilt was loaded and completed on the longarm!
While I did use my time alone to get a lot of quilting done on the longarm there was also some play time as well…the garden was planted and my JUKI and I spent many hours together playing!
When this gorgeous Log Cabin quilt was picked up yesterday, its maker mentioned how much she loves this quilt and that she always gives her work away and doesn’t have any quilts!
She decided that it would make a perfect Father’s Day gift for her husband! I agreed!
We chose the quilting design Ground Cover and thread colour Mocha both complemented her quilt perfectly!
The extra blocks that were made while piecing the top were added to her backing , making this quilt even more amazing! Pieced backs can add a bit more challenge when quilting but it’s definitely worth the extra effort.
Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!
I had the pleasure of working on a very special quilt that created by my customer with so much love for her graduating Granddaughter.
The quilt top includes her favourite colours as well as books due to her love of reading, two of the blocks have her initials pieced. The backing was chosen for her love of flowers.
I chose the pantograph Garden Frills. I love the density of this design for a quilt that will follow the graduate to University in the fall and will hopefully be well used! The quilting softens the straight line piecing on the top and plays so beautifully with the backing fabric.
I was given the task of both choosing the fabric for and completing the binding for the quilt. With so much happening visually on both top and back I chose a complimenting dark green solid for the binding.
Her quilt was ready for gifting when it was picked up.
Ellen’s quilt is a stunning example of Krista Moser’s pattern Fall Foliage! Her piecing was so exact and super fun to quilt for her.
I loved how beautiful it looked in my studio, but hanging in the show it was truly eye catching!!
I’ve added a few pictures below from my studio.
Cindy’s version of Krista Moser’s Crimson Christmas was a true treat to see, she quilted it herself. Her quilting is truly inspirational! Cindy also chaired the quilt show and has many times, she also has taught so many classes over the years and taught Crimson Christmas at the Circle of Friends Quilt Shop this year.
It was an amazing Quilt Show last weekend! It’s always fun to see all of the quilts and so many quilters at the shows.
Our city and area have so many talented quilters and it never ceases to amaze me how many different quilts there are!
Ana Paula Brasil is always a delight to spend time with! Her incredible talent of not only quilting but also her ability to teach and share her talents and Joy in the art is contagious!
Visitors were greeted a very fun quilt which was made in collaboration with Janette Dann another amazing local Artist! How fun to have a picture in front of it!
I am sharing a small sample of the fun!!
I had so much fun Quilting Maureen’s quilt for her, I am a scrap quilter myself and I loved this one! Some quilts are so hard to part with and this was truly one of them!
Evelyn’s version of a Bonnie Hunter Mystery was another one that was full of small pieces…another joy of mine as I love working with tiny pieces!
Karen is an increasingly talented artist and her quilt was a true show stopper with both piecing and her quilting that truly made the quilt! She tucked in all kinds of little surprises throughout the quilt…butterflies, dragonflies etc…all on her domestic sewing machine!
Gayle was beginning her quilt journey when I met her many years ago, her talents have continued to grow and her quilting is no exception! I was mesmerized by her domestic machine quilting!
Cathy’s quilt was so beautifully pieced and a true joy to quilt for her! I wish that my photography was better to truly capture her quilt!
Another quilt of Evelyn’s. She quilted this one herself. I love her colours, quilting and especially her border!!!
Cathy A. Had me quilt her sampler for her with the design Daisy Swirl. This was a quilt that APQS asked to feature on their IG after I posted it. It’s a wonderfully pieced quilt and was a lot of fun to work on!
The show was so well done and so full of inspiration!
I have long admired my friend Debs quilting and artistry. The quilts that she entered into this weekends quilt show, (put on by the Thunder Bay Quilt Guild) along with her demo on Improv piecing at the show were so inspiring!
Debs Improv Demo
I love her use of colour and her quilting. She quilts on her domestic machine.
Her backings are so much fun to see!!
This quilt is classic Deb! When I first saw it at a guild meeting I just knew it was hers and that she was at the meeting!
Of course I wanted to see the backing and an amazing quilter and artist and teacher as well founding member Jackie Black was there with white gloves to show me.
Last summer Deb enjoyed a 5 day retreat taught by Cindy Grisdela and the resulting quilt amazed me! I noticed Deb walking by
We were so excited to see each other and when she asked if I wanted to see the back of the quilt…well we had a pretty good giggle!
After restoring the quilt to its hanging position…we still dared to look at the back!
So after being immersed in the mesmerizing exhibit of quilts at the Iowa State Quilt Museum…I entered Piece Works Quilt Shop. Oh My!!!
As soon as I opened the door I was amazed at what I saw…
Continuing to walk deeper into this amazing shop…
It is brimming full of fun and inspiration, and then…
In the back of the shop was the owner Joyce Franklin who greeted us with a smile and I instantly knew she was my kind of artist!
Wearing her amazingly ice dyed dress, she also showed me the dress that she has made for their upcoming Quilt Festival in June.
As if I wasn’t already brimming full of inspiration…she asked if I would like to see her latest endeavours which of course I did!
I find myself drawn to improv piecing more and more…I think it’s because it’s so freeing. The pictures don’t fully capture all of the eye candy in the fabrics!
And then…
She has been painting fabric and shared that story with me…her piecing and her quilting!!
I absolutely love to see creative spaces. Hers made me want to dive right in.
I am formulating in my mind how I will return to this little town during their quilting festival, hopefully sooner than later!
On a beautiful sunny day in a small town in Iowa a big surprise was waiting for me!
I really didn’t know what to expect when I first stepped through the doors of the Iowa State Museum, after all I was in a very small town… the gal working there told me that it was a brand new exhibit and that I was welcome to take pictures as long as I didn’t use a flash…not a problem.
The artists!
I kinda felt like I was in Wendys Wonderland! The quilts and quilting were absolutely amazing, spectacular and incredibly inspiring. I have been quilting making for 40 years and have dabbled in all kinds of techniques and types of quilts, then adding my Longarm to the mix 20 years ago I was able to add a whole new layer to my passion.
I am very drawn to Modern quilts and this show was full.
All of these quilts involve small piecing, which I have always loved.
Niraja LorenzSusan J. LathamDeb CashattIrene Roderick
For those who don’t know, I recently returned from our annual spring RV trip. There is so much to share about our amazing trip, however today I want to share one of my personally most exciting days of the trip. This says a lot considering all of the adventures!
The day began with the plan to visit the John Wayne Birthplace Museum. Erik researched most of the trip…
On the way into the little town where it’s located, I noticed a quilt barnboard sign and thought to myself maybe there’s a quilt shop….
The museum was interesting and I do really recommend it to John Wayne Fans or if you are interested in learning more about him.
Well the tour of the little house where he was born was very interesting…his family only lived there a short time, but the house stood strong over many years and owners. When the final owner a bachelor passed away his family offered the house for sale to the state…
Seeing quilts, always makes my heart sing! When I asked the tour guide if there was a quilt shop in town she lit up! Winterset Iowa is the home of the Iowa State Museum! Not only that but three doors down from that was a quilt shop! It is also the home town of Marian Fons of Fons and Porter Fame!
This is all located in one on the nicest towns that I have ever visited, and was really nice to walk around in!
I found a perfect bench for Erik!
The Museum!
The Museum is a story of itself so I will share that in Part 2!
Wendy’s Quilting and Life 