The maker of this quilt told me that she wasn’t overly crazy about this quilt. So when she picked it up and her mind had changed it truly brought me joy!
She had requested that I choose the quilting design. I decided to include her in making the decision by sending pictures of two ideas that I had and she chose a newer one in my collection. She chose Autumn Splendor Feather by Bethanne Nemesh
This design is a little more dense than other designs however it isn’t tight and the quilt has a lovely drape. Add to that, the rich gorgeous soft flannel backing that has a soft design allowing the quilting to really shine…its maker was truly in love with her quilt!
That’s a part of my job that I really love!!!
Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!
I offer quality quilting services and treat each quilt that I work on with the care that I would treat my own.
Each quilt and quilt backing are pressed and checked over before I load it onto my longarm. Occasionally I come across an area that might need a quick fix, and with my customers permission I will repair before quilting.
Most of my customer take me up on my offer of complementary trimming so that their quilts are ready for binding…I do send all of those trimmings home with their quilts!
Well, I don’t actually know the pattern name for this quilt however it brought a wonderful happy feeling into my studio as I worked on it!
When deciding on a quilting design for a quilt like this it might be tempting to think that it calls for a floral design.
Does it really need more flowers though? I like to consider designs that will complement the piecing, so while it is a quilt full of flowers and leaves what might create more of a flower garden feel.
That is why I chose the design Tickle Too with its swirls and feathers that in a way add a feeling of vines in the flower bed. In my imagination anyways!
My customer agreed with my choice 😊
Taking the time to match the pattern when I am able too is worth the extra time in my opinion and so it is a complimentary service I provide along with piecing the backing. Can you see the seam?
Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding. Most of my customers also choose this complementary service.
Thank you for visiting my blog! I enjoy sharing my work and thoughts with you and I hope that you find inspiration in my posts.
Thankfully it seems that Januarys cold snap has moved on. Winter of course is far from over in Thunder Bay, though this mornings daylight appeared earlier and of course the sunset is later each day.
One of the reasons that February is extra special for me is that it is when I first became a Mom!! My beautiful daughter Sarah completely transformed my life 40 years ago.
I am so very thankful to be Mom to my 4 wonderful daughters who now inspire me and often help guide me in life. ❤️
Happy Valentines Day!! I absolutely loved quilting this Shattered Heart Quilt. The pantograph was chosen by its maker and is one that I ordered for this quilt.
Just as becoming a Mom transformed my life so did the arrival of my APQS Longarm Quilting Machine!
My quilting business has brought so many wonderful people into my life! Many have been in my life from the beginning and many that have found me along the way!
It enabled me to go from a full time to a part time position when my house and life were so full of my growing daughters..and their friends. It also enabled me to leave that job and regroup before taking another much more fulfilling job all while quilting almost full time along the way.
My long arm arrived 22 years ago just before New Years and that January was the beginning of this amazing journey.
January was a very busy month in my long arm studio and it’s always so exciting to work on each quilt that comes my way to quilt…of course February will be busy too 😊
I have almost alway held another job over the years in the health care field.
My final one,outside of my quilting business was my favourite one which was working for Wesway. For those who don’t know about Wesway…it provides respite services, in both the community and in respite homes working with all ages. I worked in both and met so many wonderful people.
Well I closed that chapter in my life last month and retired from Wesway.
Life is so interesting and so full of changes isn’t it.
I will be back to sharing customer quilts and their stories in my next posts!
The cold snap that I mentioned in my last post has continued, though not as extreme it was when I wrote my post. We are all hoping for milder temperatures here soon.
My studio thankfully is warm and I am busy running my longarm!
My customer made this adorable quilt to gift to her kitty loving friend. She used cozy flannel for the backing that was already so sweet and added pieced kitties to make it even sweeter …
We chose the quilting design Two of Hearts.
Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!
As many in North America are also in a cold snap we are no exception. This weather makes me so very thankful for where I live and that I am able to work from home!
This mornings weather snapshot…
The days are getting longer and brighter and the sunshine is more than welcome…warmer temperatures would be as well.
This recent quilt was a lovely burst of happy colour! On both sides!!!
The top was pieced using the Chandelier pattern.
The quilting design Shasta Daisy was chosen purely for its loveliness.
The backing was pieced making this a truly double sided quilt.
A long time quilter and customer of mine was concerned when she called about bringing me her quilt. She has been having issues with her eye sight. She told me she still loves and wants to make quilts and hoped her work was still good enough… yes it had a few areas that told me that it had been a challenge for her to piece.
Still it turned out beautifully! I often choose a fun quilting design like Popcorn for these critter quilts. I love both the density and soft cloud like appearance.
Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!
And my customer was so thrilled to see another one of her quilts so near to completion.
Years ago when I took my first yoga class the instructor asked why we were there and what we thought the purpose of learning yoga was…of course many answered fitness and stretching but she said it’s so much more than that…it’s also about relaxation.
Quilting is the same for many others including many of my customers and myself.
I do love to attain beautiful points and matching in my piecing, I love playing with colour and design and lovely stitches and density in my quilting, however what I really love is the joy and fun this craft adds to life!
When my customer picked up her sweet quilt her reaction and excitement to be able to succeed in her craft truly brought joy to my heart.
I spent some time looking over the last year of pictures on my phone this morning, here is what I noticed…
First of all and this is on a personal side, I ended 2024 making some big changes and choices in my health and wellness journey. I changed my diet and removed most processed foods and pretty much all ultra processed foods. I made a no food after supper rule as well.
After reading the book Younger Next Year for Women, I also made exercise a higher and daily goal for myself. The book encourages retired people..which I am not but maybe getting there, I am going on 63…to make daily exercise your new job.
The main goal of course is for longevity but not only that but active and healthy and happy longevity.
In this very recent picture I had tried on a top that belonged to my eldest daughter that she bought when she was about 18, it was fun to slip it on.
Some favourite books along with Younger Next Year for Women, include Thinner this Year, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins.
In a future post I will share some of the podcasts and you tube videos that have really resonated with me this year. We are so fortunate as Women to have so much more information about our health at our fingertips!
2025 found us travelling in the Motorhome to Arizona and area…I absolutely loved the Bike Loop that our campground in Tucson was beside and I keep thinking it would be great to be back there for a few weeks or so…the fresh citrus was definitely a bonus!
Travel wise we had a fun trip to the Dells with some of the kids and grands this year!
Speaking of Grands…I spent a lot of time with the younger Grandchildren. The pictures really reflect that as they take up a large portion of the albums.
My Dad and I have especially enjoyed having my Brother living here. He retired this year and moved here in the spring.
Quilting wise….
On my own Quilting Journey I continued to work on the Postage Stamp Quilt and Started and am getting closer to completing my Small World by Tara Faughnan Quilt.
This shows some of the blocks…
I have almost all of the blocks made to finish the Postage block Quilt.
I have also been playing with blocks from Tara Faughnans block studies..
I clearly need to spend more time on personal projects.
Though and thankfully and I am so appreciative of my wonderful customers, many who have also become friends…they are the reason why most of my quilting time is spent with my Longarm and finishing other peoples quilting projects! Just a small sampling…
Thank you to all of my customers, friends and of course family who are all so important to me in this wonderful life and for sharing 2025 with me!!
One of my customer finishes in December, this quilt was pieced by a long time friend of mine. She was the one who first encouraged me to use my sewing talents to supplement my income while raising my daughters.
She often shared costume lines with me when she had a whole studio of dancers to sew for before their spring recitals! This was before studios started ordering ready made costumes.
Unfortunately due to some health issues my friend was unable to finish this project that she pieced for her sweet granddaughter.
She had pieced her quilt with the batting so it was a bit of a challenge re longarm quilting as there was a considerable amount of bulk where the points meet. We solved that by adding a thick layer of polyester batting, which also added a lot of poof to the quilt. (The thicker areas are nestled into that batting and less noticeable)
My longarm sewed through this extra thick quilt beautifully. I am a hand guided quilter ie no computer.
We chose the quilting design Rhododendron giving fantastic coverage without density.
When I was shopping for the backing fabric, I just knew this one with the fairies would be a perfect choice! It absolutely delighted my friend and her daughter and granddaughter!
Her quilt was finished at delivery, I chose the binding fabric and love how beautifully it plays with the top and back of this quilt. I hand stitched the binding down after attaching it to the top.
We also added a label so that her Granddaughter will have the information on her quilt.
Pictures were shared with me of the gifting and that the quilt was absolutely loved at first sight!
I read an article yesterday about why it sometimes feels like the days and time just flies by. The article suggested making some changes such as challenges and learning new things instead of always following the same routines. Something to ponder for sure.
My Longarm and I have been busy finishing quilts for my customers of course. I am so thankful for my APQS Millennium and that the company is so true to its word about service. Using a longarm as much as I do there are times where parts wear out and need to be replaced or just readjusted. My experience has always been excellent over the years as in twenty years…just saying 😊
I have been watching art meditation reels on Instagram lately. I find them relaxing and inspiring. I am always in the lookout for fun activities with our grandchildren.
One meditation used Paint Sticks which were new to me and I found a box of 36 colours and took the chance and ordered them. When Minka popped over with her Mom the other day, I shared a plan I had and she went right to work testing them out!
I have always loved art and playing with creating and now I have little people in my life that love to join me!
Along that line Tara Faughnans block studies continue to inspire me and although Garnish didn’t initially excite me as much as others once I got going on it I fell in love with making the blocks and playing with the dusty colours!
My personal piecing time has been a little more limited lately than I would like. Over the holidays I plan to gift myself with some play days just for me. I will also have some play days with Grands as well.
On one last life note my Dad ended up with a short admit to the hospital due to a post scope infection a couple of weeks ago. His care from the moment we entered the Emergency department to discharge a few days later was absolutely outstanding!
He even had a good view from his bed once he was admitted. Most importantly he recovered very quickly, no doubt in part to his focus on healthy lifestyle!
Something else that we Canadians perhaps take for granted at times but that I am extremely grateful for is that the bill Dad will receive for all of that care is $0. We do pay taxes for sure but no one here has to stress and worry about money when they or their loved ones need medical care.
There are so many amazing Panels available now and this one is no exception. I absolutely love my customers borders and colour choices that she used to grow the panels and add her person touch to them.
She is a longtime quilter and at 86 yrs she is still going strong! A fantastic role model.
When choosing the quilting design I was considering one pantograph that really adds to the movement and look of the Northern lights however feel it didn’t do anything for the lake.
When the design Ripples came to mind I knew that it would perfectly fit the bill.
Thread weight and colour make a big difference in the final outcome. When I don’t want the thread to steal the show I choose a 60 weight which sits beautifully in the background for the most part. I chose a very soft blue that does show up minimally where it contrasts.
Her quilts were trimmed and ready for binding when I delivered them to her…(both complementary services)
Wendy’s Quilting and Life 