Tag: Quilting

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Sunshine Quilt and Life

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Our area is on week two of virtual learning. My grandson spends his days here, last week went well. This week has been a little more of a challenge. So I made a point of getting outside and into the bush. We have trails behind the house and as soon as we headed toward them I could see the happier mood.

He doe not like a jacket and it was mild out.

He pointed out a lot of the animal tracks and knew what most were. Also the different paths, mostly from the deer. School was much more manageable afterwards.

On the quilting front I was able to finish the sunshine quilt.

It’s always nice to reach this point however I always unwind the quilts and inspect the stitching on the back. I monitor as I go though it’s always wise to check one more time before removing the quilt. I trimmed it afterwards and prepared the binding. This customer has me bind and finish her quilts.

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

Susan’s Alaska Quilt

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I have been quilting for Susan for several years now and her quilts never cease to amaze me. Her piecing is spectacular and this quilt was no exception! I think the best part of quilting for customers are the friendships that begin with our love of quilting.

When she first saw Edita Sitar’s pattern Alaska, she knew that she wanted to make it! She had begun piecing it pre covid lock downs and delivered it to my deck and left the quilting decisions to me.

Susan’s Version of Edita Sitar’s Alaska Quilt

I used Bethanne Nemesh’s pantograph grande feather.

Susan’s Alaska Quilt back.
Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Inspiration, Quilt Backs and Fuelled by Fabric

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Have you ever come across someone’s quilt that not only the top caught your eye but the back as well?

Early this winter my brain really needed a break from all of the world happenings and so I started reading new to me blogs. There were some that I ended up reading from their start to their most recent posts…oh the inspiration out there!

One blog that caught my eye and interest is this one https://louisaenright.com

Louisas design wall when I found her held two scrap quilts that looked like a lot of fun to piece. One was her gaggle of geese, she has a tutorial on her blog to make these geese one at a time which is very helpful when using scraps.

Gaggle of Geese by Louisa Enright

“A Gaggle of Geese” Quilt

I really love the top and those who know me know that I love piecing flying geese and have a wonderful collection of scraps…so this style quilt is on my to do list. I also couldn’t help myself but to source the backing that she used.

I started by checking with my friend Donna who owns and runs a Quilt Bus that she named Fuelled by Fabric.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/fuelled-by-fabric-quilt-bus-1.4759406

Donna normally travels with her bus/quilt shop all over North Western Ontario with her wonderful bus full of fabric and goodies! She found the fabric and ordered a bolt which led to a trip to her shop in Pass Lake…

While ordering backings, Donnas husband wanted to choose one and below is the result…it is interesting I can’t wait to see the quilts it ends up on!

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.

Moda Blockheads 3, Wendy's Quilting

Moda Blockheads 3 (Block 26)

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I was able to enjoy a slower weekend and after finishing a really fun customer quilt that I will share more about soon, I spent hours playing and finished a few more blocks.

Yesterday’s block was all half square triangles that finish at 1”… right up my alley for those who know me!

I love blue! When Olfa came out with their navy blue cutting mat I had to have one so no only did I order the full size but also the smallest ones. I really like the contrast when using light colours.

The large mats are a pretty big investment and when trimming many small units it makes sense to use a smaller mat instead of wearing out sections of the large one, at least for me as I tend to piece at least a little bit every day.

I use my bloc loc ruler often, I really love the accuracy it affords. I have not tried the different papers that are available yet.

Moda Blockheads 3 block 26

Green isn’t a colour that I normally reach for in my quilting life so having it in many of my blocks for this quilt has been a stretch! I do like this little block it was fun and easy to make!

Quilting, Wendy's Quilting

New Years Eve

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Last December 31st I spent the day working on my Winter Village quilt adding the Silhouettes. With the plan to quilt the top New Year’s Day. I actually met that goal. 2020 was off to a great quilting start!

Winter Village

Like most years I had some ideas of what I wanted to work on over the coming year and was looking forward to a couple of retreats I had planned to attend.

Retreat meals are the best, it’s like being a child called to dinner! No decisions of what to make, food is ready and no dishes afterwards. Just yummy food and good conversations.
The morning view from the retreat house looking over Lake Superior.

do hope 2021 will once again allow for retreats!

The best part of course is spending time with other quilters and hours upon hours of sewing and being inspired and encouraged by like minded friends!

If some one had told me that the spring and early summer would involve making hundreds of masks!!!
One for Erik!

Due to heavy duty mask making, a machine a friend had mentioned she wanted to sell was added to my collection

I love having a truly heavy duty machine that sews through many heavy layers without pause!

As a treat this machine also joined in!

I have been wanting a Juki for years and this one just happened to find her way here!

Most of my 2020 sewing/quilting was spent on baby quilts and masks some Moda blockheads 3 which I will continue to putter on and see where that takes me.

My Longarm has been busy this year. As always I have been so thankful for the ability to help others finish their quilts!

Wendy's Quilting

Minka’s Quilt

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Do you use a design wall? I am fortunate to have space for a couple of them and they are never empty. My daughter chose the pattern and fabric that she wanted for her soon to be baby and we worked together on the design process.

The pattern that my daughter chose is Delight by Zen Chic, the fabrics were a combination of Zen Chics Spotted and Paper collections along with some pulled from my stash. A big thank you to Shari at Road17n quilt shop in Winkler Manitoba for her help and fantastic service. I have now ordered many times from her shop, the orders always go out the same day and are here before I know it!

The backing fabric is just to cute. It was ordered from the Fat Quarter Shop thankfully before the border was closed. I live fairly close to the Minnesota border and we do miss our quick trips to pick up packages.

Minka’s Quilt before quilting

Life was still pretty normal, I was busy with quilting, work and family…I had my Grandson Liam a lot over the March Break and he kept telling me that he wished that March Break was longer….be careful what you wish for 😊