Tag: Quilts

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Weekend Recharge

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We have been busy around here the last few weeks. Putting in a new garden and working around the yard takes time.

I continue to quilt for customers and of course I have Liam most days of the week, we are both happy to see the end of this school year in sight!

This past weekend I felt the need to recharge, I went for nice long walks and spent a lot of time in my studio.

I often put either some music on or a show on Netflix to keep me company however this weekend I came across Karen Brown of Just Get it Done Quilts. http://justgetitdonequilts.com

She offers so much content on her YouTube channel from learning about colour, using your scraps, decluttering your sewing space and of course making scraps.

My pineapple blocks needed to grow in order to be added to my Long Time Gone Quilt… somehow I ended up making 7 more than I needed. This type of piecing is very relaxing for me.

I also completed the Crosses of the U.K. blocks

And got a good start on this customer quilt…

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

Moda Blockheads 3

wendysquilting

I am starting to really want to move on, however I am determined to finish this top and it needs to be soon… well not that I will rush it, I just am doing my best not to start something new until this top is completed.

I wanted to add a large block to this quilt and found one in the original block head quilt it was by Corey Yoder and finishes at 24” square. I wanted something that I could incorporate some pineapple blocks which this block fit the bill.

I began with the outside of the block

These were completed last weekend.

Of course life gets busy and play time gets limited.

Liam is here Monday to Friday and I help him with virtual school and try to come up with fun outside activities.

Customer quilts take precedence over personal quilts often though there are times when the ideas in my head need to come first!

I was finally able to finish my big block yesterday

I plan to lay out the blocks this week and decide layout and sashing etc

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

Mother’s Day

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This is a picture from many years ago but a favourite of mine with my 4 daughters. Back when life was just a blur of busy days but in so many ways a favourite season of my life. As a young Mom I strived to do my best, to be who each of my girls needed me to be.

Now so many years later, they have all spread their wings and are busy living their lives as they should be. I am so proud of the women that they have become.

This was my third Mother’s Day without my Mom. It still seems strange to not call, and visit with a gift.

Mom with her first great grandson Jerry. Shortly after he was born.

It was a quiet day here, and actually an opportunity to play. I spent a part of the day working on my final block…at least I think it will be…for my Moda Blockheads quilt. I have had this idea for a while but very little time to execute it.

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.