Tag: Quilting

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Elizabeth’s Quilt

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Elizabeth told me that she was inspired by a quilt that she saw while visiting a family member. Sometimes it’s just like that, we see a quilt, admire it and is stays with us.

This causes many a quilter to start collecting fabrics particularly when the quilt was scrappy! This quilt finished as a large queen. Her rules were white on whites with various blues and reds from depression era fabrics.

One word of advice when piecing such a quilt is to stay stitch as you go. What I mean by that is that when you have so many seams esp on your edges that if you stitch 1/8” from the edge it prevents seams from popping open either from handling or being loaded onto a Longarm frame.

I often will stay stitch a quilt for my customers if they haven’t. It makes loading and quilting much easier.

This was such a happy quilt to work on!

The backing really suits the front though working with it wasn’t always easy on my eyes.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Lot of Life Happening…

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There is a quilt on my Longarm ready for trimming and another ready to be delivered…

Today is Erik’s 65th birthday and last day of work! The long awaited and planned for retirement begins! We will begin it with a lot of fishing as we are still restricted in travel.

Today is also Liam’s half birthday which he is also pretty excited about. He and Pappa have been discussing ice cream cake for some time.

Liam and I went on a hike not far from here, yesterday…his first long hike with me and half way through he asked if we could start doing it more often. It’s an hour and a half and a good workout!

We were also testing out the new walkie talkies they worked really well.

The hike is in a conservation area which made for a great teaching opportunity.

Adding his Inukshuk
Halfway
Hard to resist!

When we got home, Pappa had discovered a mouse family in our boat…I went inside while Liam excitedly assisted in the eviction!

He thought bringing the evidence close to my face was pretty funny!

So our summer is beginning. I will still continue to Longarm Quilt as it’s just what I do 😊

One of the most exciting to Liam esp was this discovery under our deck which is in clear view from the pool. More to come on that I hope!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Carols Winter Quilt

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It’s spring and this week Liam and Decided it would be safe to finally store the winter boots etc… We have been enjoying our walks in the woods looking at all the new signs of growth!

Carols quilt has a very winter feel with skiers flying down the slopes. We chose the snowflake pantograph which adds a windy, snowy look. The quilting really showed on the black and red checkered flannel backing.

This soft flannel adds such as cozy feeling to the quilt. Though we are hoping not to need very much flannel for a few months!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Purple and Orange

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I remember in grade 7, which would have been around 1975…one of my favourite tops had purple and orange stripes. I loved wearing it!

I also had an art teacher tell me that those two colours don’t go together there fore I was to rethink my assignment. Hopefully teachers today don’t stifle young creative peoples ideas such as back then.

Years later while making my first block of the month quilt…I decided to deviate from the pattern a little with my own idea and an at that time period friend exclaimed that I couldn’t do that! Well I did and I remember liking that mine was more unique!

Two things brought this to mind today first is this customer quilt!

Susan M’s quilt. Here and There Pantograph
I just love the colour combo

Next I have been puttering away at my Moda Blockheads quilt and am wanting it off the design wall. I have been wanting to make a sisterhood block so made one for the Moda quilt.

I haven’t done a lot of paper piecing and so this one gave me some challenges when putting the units together esp the centre. I ended up tacking down the points that really need to meet before sewing the whole unit. The paper is still in the block, I am sure once it’s in the quilt and quilted I will be quite happy with it.

I also really enjoyed how nice and round and smooth the appliqués turned out. The tulip brand needles I used were so smooth and easy to sew with along with 60 wt thread. Though in the further I may use 80 wt for appliqué instead.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Dresden Plate Quilt

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My customer told me that she really enjoyed making this quilt playing with with both fabric and design. I really enjoyed adding my touch by using the pantograph Feather Grande by Bethanne Nemesh it adds both a whimsical touch and a little formalness with the feathers.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Customer Stash Quilts

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With having to be home so much this last year so many of my customers have challenged themselves to use their stashes as well as to try out new patterns.

This cat quilt definitely fit the bill! When you look at scrap quilts their charm is often how so many different fabrics fit together and look great!

A soft flowing pantograph added a little movement …
This leopard print mad a fun backing!
Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Hand Sewing Needles

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I am a machine quilter and piecer. For the most part the only hand sewing that I do is on the bindings on quilts.

For years I have used Bohin size 8 straw milliners and they were great however they have a tendency to bend. Someone suggested Lori Holts needles so I gave them a try but found them too thick and didn’t glide through the fabric as I like. A blogger that I follow had recommended Clovers Black Gold needles…while they are very thin and strong I was still labouring to push the needle through the fabric.

Then I read on another blog that she had ordered and tried and highly recommended Tulip Needles so I decided to give them a try!

They are fantastic! Perfect length very thin and strong. The packaging is different and felt like a little present and the needles come in a cute little tube with a cork top.

I may have to start a hand sewing project soon!