Quilting – Page 48 – Wendy’s Quilting and Life

Did you know that today is National Quilting Day?

Pretty much everyday is a Quilting Day for me it seems. Even when I’m busy doing other things I’ll be pondering the next step on a project or a new project or some other plan related to quilting. I know to some it may sound like I have a quilting obsession but I was once told that I’m a Passionate Quilter. I like the sound of that so much more, don’t you?

I’m still working away on my Sunkissed Project, oh I love this collection. I really should have bought more of it, but I have to draw the line with myself more often than not.

Quilting, Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Sunkissed

March 17, 2011March 6, 2021 wendysquilting

My much anticipated mail has finally arrived, this collection is so wonderful. It’s bright and sunny and reminds me of some of the clothes I wore when I was small.

March can still be a grey month here the weather does let up and the snow starts to melt, but that means lots of puddles and all the mess left behind from the sanded streets and walks.

I’ve made more progress on Emily’s quilt, the final round of ribbons are ready to be sewn. This quilt will take a backseat while I work on the Sunkissed top but I still plan to have it finished by the end of the month.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Floating

March 16, 2011March 6, 2021 wendysquilting

Do you remember the post when I showed you this?

Well inside those tubes were the new wheels for my longarm. I love my APQS Millennium and have spent many many hours quilting with it. One thing I wasn’t crazy about though was my machine felt heavy and I felt like it took a lot more of my strength to guide her than I though it should.

Then came my very favourite personal technician who is also my very favourite guy! Erik put my new wheels on my machine on Saturday. I don’t think my wheels have ever been as perfectly adjusted as they are now.

and let me tell you, my machine floats now, I love it! I could hardly wait to load a quilt and try them out!!!

So on Sunday that’s just what I did

After my oldest daughter took all her quilts to Texas, my other girls were complaining that there weren’t enough snuggle quilts for the living room. I used a flannel back for this quilt and oh my it was fun to quilt! What a difference!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Brightness

March 11, 2011March 6, 2021 wendysquilting

I do have all 30 blocks to the stage shown and also all the outer rings ready to join and add to the blocks so slowly but surely its coming. I’m hoping to have this one finished and ready to enter into our spring quilt show this year.

This little one has been waiting to be quilted for, hmm well over a year. Its such a sunny happy quilt, it could be a baby quilt but I think I might just have a perfect place for it to live for awhile anyways.

I’m still waiting for a couple of shipments to arrive, sometimes its just so hard to be patient but I did order them on the 18th of Feb and its been long enough!! It just reminds me why I like to have my orders shipped to the border.

and todays goal? I should have Katie’s quilt ready to bind and hopefully be a little further along on Emily’s quilt.

Uncategorized

Awesome

February 27, 2011March 30, 2011 wendysquilting

How would life be if we really stopped and appreciated the small positive things that happen each day in our life?

http://1000awesomethings.com/ I think I’ll spend a little time checking out this website.

I’m trying to come out of hibernation, but my authentic self really involves my quilting, its what I do, it’s what I love…..its a major passion in my life and has been for a little more than half my life. It brings me joy, that maybe only another quilter can understand.

I used variegated thread for the top and in the bobbin and I really like the way the design shows on the back. I sure wouldn’t have been this brave when I first started longarm quilting.

One Christmas I made each of my daughters a quilt, I surprised Emily with this very bright quilt because she had always loved the bright colours. At the time her room was painted Tigger Orange and Piglet Pink and this quilt worked so well in her room. She still loves her bright quilt but she is now a young woman and has new tastes so she chose a collection called Mill House Inn for her next quilt, I’m working on it and I’ll share more as it progresses

its coming along, this is not a quilt to be pieced quickly so its taking me a little longer than I’m used to but I’m loving it so far.

I also have this sweet little pile calling me to transform

We need a new snuggle quilt for the living room and these colours will be so happy for the summer.

Too much time hibernating causes too much time looking at other peoples blogs which led to another project in the cue using the Sunkissed collection by Sweetwater for Moda that I can hardly wait to get started on…. we have a new quilt shop opening here very soon and I am so thankful that Lucy has ordered this collection….its so pretty and looks so summery to me.

So while all the above makes me want to spend more time in my studio, the days are getting longer and some days the temps are warmer and I’m starting to think about fishing, camping and gardening, summer is going to come.

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Hibernating

February 7, 2011March 30, 2011 wendysquilting

That’s a good word to describe how I feel these days. Sarah and Jerry have been in Montreal for the last 12 days….now it’s official, he has dual citizenship and she has her Visa approved. They’ll be back for a short while and then back to Texas.

I’ve sure enjoyed having them here, Jerry is such a fun little guy and being the Grandma is the best!

We’ve had no shortage of snow, and cold this winter. I’m hoping for milder weather for some cross country skiing.

I’ve spent a lot of time hiding in my studio.

The above picture is a recent finish. I’m finishing up the binding on my Elizabeth quilt, Katie’s quilt is ready for quilting and I’m working on Emily’s quilt.

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Perfect Flying Geese

March 7, 2010March 23, 2011 wendysquilting

This example will give you 4 perfect 2 ½” x 4 ½” blocks. I alter the size of the original squares based on what size I want the blocks to be. For example for the Madeline quilt I used 5″ for the goose and 3 ½” for the sky giving me 1 ¾ x 3 ½” blocks.

The one thing I don’t know that would really help is the math to figure out the sizes of starting squares for different size blocks. Any numbers people willing to help?

So to begin I started with a 5 ¼” square for the sky and a 7″ square for the geese.

With right sides together and the smaller block centered on the larger block, draw a diagonal line down the centre and sew a smidge smaller than a ¼ seam on each side of the drawn line.

At this point I like to give the unit a quick press. Now cut this unit down the centre line (your drawn line)

Press both units open (I usually press to the dark) These Half square triangle units do look pretty odd

Now place one unit over the other dark to light and light to dark corners matching (other than their funny tails)

Draw a line again down the Centre as shown and sew a smidge smaller than a ¼” seam along both sides of the line and cut the two sections apart on the drawn line

And press the units open giving you these very interesting units.

Now using a ruler with a 45 degree marking, line up the ruler as shown, making sure to allow for the ¼” seam allowance on top, and cut the unit apart, now turn the unit and cut to make it a perfect 2 ½” width.

Next align the ruler so that you have it centred on the block to the size you want in this case 2 ¼” and trim the side and finally trim the other side to make a perfect unit.

Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. This technique works so well for me that I find myself looking for projects using flying geese units just so that I can make some more J