Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Quilt Full of Love!

Just before our trip I was contacted by the daughters of a quilter that I knew of through guild and online. They wondered if I would help complete a quilt that their Mother had begun and sadly had passed away before completing it.

The quilt had been intended for her granddaughter.

I was happy to accept this project and let them know that I would check with a friend of mine to see if she would complete the quilt top for me while I was away as they hoped to have the quilt ready for the Granddaughters bridal shower.

Kim did a wonderful job! Due to the Grandmothers illness some of the blocks needed some work and some needed to be made.

The daughters had a card that their Mom had written to her Granddaughter and had it printed onto fabric for the label.

I attached the label onto the backing before quilting the quilt.

The pantograph Two of Hearts was chosen for the quilting…perfect for a quilt that has so much love attached.

Hot pink was requested for the backing which I found locally. It was also used for the binding.

I was told that the Granddaughter absolutely loves her quilt 😊💗

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

The Motorhome Quilt and Quilting

A few weeks before our big trip I wanted to finish up a quilt for the Motorhome…I had one in mind that I had begun making in 2019 it started out as a kit from Craftsy back when they had their own fabric lines.

My customer quilts take priority for the most part over my personal projects especially the ones that I have pieced just for fun with no particular plan in mind for them.

The top had been completed as per the kit however it wasn’t big enough, thankfully I had collected some of the fabrics and had some scraps in my stash.

It was a generous twin size to begin with so it needed more blocks, I had almost enough of the background fabric and in the end I added in some solid white in a few of the blocks.

I also used the fabric that I had planned for backing for the borders.

I had some left over blue backing from a quilt of my Moms that I had quilted for her and used that for both the containment border and binding.

Adding some fun I chose the pantograph Bubbles for the quilting design. The backing is a wide back full of friendship quotes.

I truly believed that I would have time to stitch the binding on our trip and I did work on it here and there and did finally finish it before we got home…

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Do you have a longtime stash?

As a long time quilter and lover of quilting fabric I have acquired over the years a wonderful collection…one that continues to grow I might add…actually I have grown it a little this last month and will probably add a little more next week.

Watch for my upcoming posts as I share what I have been up to for the last month or so!!

Anyways, I noticed this morning that Tara Faughnan has released her Sunny pattern! This was such a fun month of the Color Collective that I took part in and the pattern has so many possibilities of fun with your stash and a great way to learn a different technique of paper piecing that doesn’t involve removing or wasting paper.

The collective was so much fun for someone like me…. Each month receiving a colour palette of Tara’s choosing and a pattern to play with…it felt a little like being a child back in my childhood and getting fresh new crayons with blank paper to create with!

Onto sharing some scrappy fun!

Marilyn has been inspiring me for many years with her use of her stash…I have two customers named Marilyn who are on a mission of playing with and using stash!! Which means so much fun to someone like me!

Some times simplicity of piecing is a great way to play and use scraps with a beautiful quilt as a result!

Adding some easy piecing that allows for some colour pops into the border really added more fun!

Marilyn told me that she ordered the backing online and that it was a sheet! It was perfect and so easy to work with and the result really made for a two sided quilt!

Using the design A Little Bit of This was another layer of fun adding a layer of soft density and visual pleasure to her quilt.

Of course it left trimmed and ready for binding then gifting.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Jessica’s Quilt

I love to hear the story behind a quilts creation. When I met Jessica she told me that she would spend summers with her Grandma as a child and that is where she learnt to sew and how to quilt.

Together they began a sampler quilt…time moved on and life took over, school friends teen activities etc.

During her final years of University she inherited her Grandma’s sewing machine and decided to complete the sampler quilt and gave me the privilege of quilting it for her.

There are so many beautiful blocks in this quilt and the colours are amazing.

Finding a backing for this large queen size quilt that she liked for her quilt was difficult and so she chose solid black yardage which I pieced for her. She chose the pantograph Here and There for its heart like design linking the love between her and her Grandmother.

She also chose white bobbin thread which would create more interest to the solid black backing.

Her quilt is trimmed and ready for binding and will be completed just as she graduates from University.

I love the beauty of the stitches on both the front and back of her quilt!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Elegance in Quilting

So often when I think of scrappy quilts I think of many colours and prints…but what happens when you choose a colour palette or stick to just one theme such as black and white?

Stunning elegance!

Joan’s Grandson claimed this quilt after seeing her piece it. We chose the pantograph Jitterbug adding a layer of fun!

The backing fabric reads busy and could have just been pieced however there is a design to it and taking a little extra time to match the pattern was well worth doing.

Can you see the seam?

Here it is…

I know how much time goes into making a quilt, so it’s important to me to take the time when quilting for not only myself but for others to do it right. Seaming backs is a complimentary service, including matching the pattern.

This beautiful quilt is trimmed and ready for binding.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Pink Quilts for Granddaughters

A few months ago my Granddaughter Minka 3yrs asked me if I could make her an all pink quilt. I had made a pink baby quilt for our Granddaughter Olivia’s arrival last summer.

I still had a fair amount of pink fabric left from that project to start another…I did purchase more fabrics when Minka’s Mom suggested a pink quilt for Romee as well.

Sometimes it’s just fun to make quilts with squares and to make them as scrappy as possible. These quilts are fun! I also added pink fabrics from my Moms fabric stash.

Minka’s

The quilts are similar, though they have different backings and bindings and Minka’s has some butterflies from fabric that she especially liked. Minka’s quilt was quilted with the pantograph Hearts and Blooms.

Minka’s backing…those paw prints on the binding are so cute!

I ordered the fabrics from the quilt shop https://road17n.ca for the backings and bindings…when I opened the package I was so surprised to find a gift of 5 good sized sample pieces of more pink fabrics so they were added into the quilts as well.

Romees Quilt

The adorable backing for Romees quilt made choosing the binding a little more of a challenge, I am really pleased with my choice. this quilt was quilted using the pantograph Two of Hearts.

Over the Christmas holidays Kaija came to visit a few times and has begun making her own pink quilt. Hopefully over the summer she and I will have more time to make her pink quilt! Kaija requested that we make hers together.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

January Quilting and Life

My view this morning…I love the snow laden tree look!

I am almost finished binding the second of the two pink quilts!

A couple of posts ago I shared a picture of the backing fabric being prepared for this quilt.

In my opinion it is well worth the time to do things well. This includes pinning and making sure that my end result is a beautifully quilted quilt that lays flat without puckers or pleats. I know that there are short cuts, however I also know that shortcuts can result in issues that I am not happy with.

It’s a wonderful feeling when I finish a quilt that I know that my customer will feel proud of.

The backing:

Joan has been using her stash to create fantastic quilts!

I really enjoy a good splash of colour in my studio!

Her quilt is trimmed and the binding prepared and ready for pick up.

What are you working on? Do you use your scraps?

Most of my quilting time is spent helping my customers complete their quilts. I do however schedule in time for myself to piece.

I like to have a few projects on the go at the same time, do you?

My current fun is the scrappy postage stamp quilt which I will be working on for a while!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Preparation and Longarm Quilting

Now that the holidays are once again ready to be tucked away and added to memories of Christmas pasts, I am ready to get back to sharing my work!

My longarm has new wheels and is ready to get back to work!

Preparation is key to great results! I often piece customer backings and as I have mentioned before there is no additional cost for this service.

In my opinion most backings when piecing yardage look better when the pattern is matched and so I do take the time if there is enough fabric supplied and my customer wants it done.

Preparing both the top and backing with a good pressing, also enables me to double check before loading just in case there might be issues that can be corrected easily before quilting. Loading freshly pressed backings also assures that there won’t be puckers or pleats in the quilt after quilting.

As I enter my 20th year of Longarm Quilting for customers, I am looking forward to continue helping others to complete their quilting projects.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Winter Solstice (and a fun little project)

Welcome December 21! The first official day of winter…I may come to regret saying this but where is the snow? The weather forecast for Christmas Eve and day are for above 0 Celsius. This might just be my first not white Christmas in Thunder Bay.

I am finishing up my Christmas projects this week. This little pouch along with another were my fun task last night. I love making these little projects and they make fun gifts.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

O Christmas Tree

This Christmas tree quilt was made using a pattern and fabrics by Edita Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. It was such a pleasure to quilt and enjoy having in my studio!

We chose the pantograph Rhapsody which played on the theme in many of the fabrics.

I like to choose a design that compliments the quilt not necessarily one that echoes the design. Thread colour and weight of thread also make a big difference in the outcome of the quilting.

I personally find it very difficult not to be inspired by the quilts that I work on! Edita’s quilts often have the small piecing that I love to do and the appliqué ❤️

I love the way the quilting shows on the back of the quilt!

Trimmed and ready for binding!

Let me help you to complete your quilting projects!