Tag: Scrap Quilts

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Quilt Backings, why I piece backings for free.

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I always love to see the backings that are chosen for the quilts that I add my quilting to!

A backing can add additional personality to your quilts! A backing that reads as a solid will showcase the quilting, or a fun print can make it reversible along with adding more interest.

Piecing your back with leftovers from your top adds another dimension as well!

When I first began longarming for customers I noticed that piecing large pieces of yardage was a challenge especially for the bigger quilts. A well pieced backing not only allows a quilt to be flat (as in no puckers or pleats) but also makes my job a lot easier.

That is why 22 years ago I began offering the complimentary service of piecing customer backings…and then I took it a little further and added matching the print whenever I can!

You see, I love quilts, quilt making and producing beautifully finished quilts for my customers.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Happy Thanksgiving! Quilting and Life

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We were treated to two full days of summer like weather this weekend!

So I gifted myself to 2 hikes at Mills Block Conservation area that is within walking distance from my home. I have always enjoyed the hike on the back loop, but always felt I should have someone with me…though I have always wondered about walking it on my own.

Well this weekend I did it and it was truly glorious, hiking at my own pace with only the sounds of nature. Don’t get me wrong, I love hiking with others. Hiking on my own felt a little scary to be honest…in the end it was exhilarating!!

Oh the wonderful smell of Autumn! I have always loved the sound of walking through the fallen leaves this time of year!

There are so many different sites to see on this hike…

The beavers have been busy. A couple of weeks ago when my grandson and I hiked we were able to watch the Mom and her babies busy at work.

My Longarm and I have been back to our usual busy routine, today though I am treating myself with some piecing time in my sewing room…I am working on the first block from Tara Faughnans Block Studies Season 4.

My first Glow Block…

Today I plan to finish the curved block and maybe work on quilting them as well.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Jane Austen Quilt

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This was such a lovely project to add my touch to!!

When my customer brought me her quilt she had her Mom and 4 young daughters with her. They were all equally excited about the quilt!!! Of course being a mother of 4 daughters their visit did bring back memories 🥰

They chose the quilting design Lilac full of lovely blooms!!

The quilting shows up especially well on the backing doesn’t it?

Do you see and know who was keeping me company while I worked?

Their special quilt made to snuggle under while they read the story was trimmed and was ready for binding at pick up!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A First Quilt … Happy Anniversary!!!

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When my friend Linda’s husband saw a post that I did about some quilts a year ago he told her that he wanted a quilt like that!

Well my friend Linda wasn’t a quilter, however she has friends that do. She was determined to learn enough to make him his quilt herself and set their 47th wedding anniversary as her deadline!

She more than met her challenge! Our mutual friend started teaching Linda sewing lessons and it was always fun to hear how it was going! She was always so pleased with her progress and then she began the quilt!

At first there were comments about needing the stitch ripper more often than not in the process and that she had no idea how much was involved in making a quilt! Still she persevered and asked me to quilt it for her.

She chose the quilting design Kindling, for both the texture and movement. It was an excellent choice and using a dark grey thread called sterling perfectly played over all of the colours of the quilt!

Linda has three boys that are all interested in her making them quilts as well…they all are outdoor guys who love fishing and hunting.

The silver grey wide back was a fantastic choice for the backing and really shows off the quilting design.

Her quilt was trimmed and ready for her lessons on binding with Irene.

The quilt was gifted this week and her husband suggested hanging it on the wall and absolutely loves it!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Quilt from Great Grandma!!!

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It is no secret that I love quilting! Not only did I make my first quilt over 40 years ago…I made longarm quilting for others into a business just over 22 years ago.

I also have a stash of fabric that will keep me happily making quilts for years to come along with new projects that catch my eye. Thankfully I have people in my life who claim my quilts before I even finish them!

I have quilted three quilts in the last couple of months made by Great Grandmas!!! It’s so encouraging to see how beautifully made these quilts are and how much fun these quilters are still having making quilts!

This quilt made with all flannels will be so wonderful for tummy time and snuggles too! The quilting design Popcorn is so light and fluffy looking it reminds me of clouds which is why it was chosen.

I have made many quilts for babies that have ended up thread bare due to love and use and that is always my hope when I quilt these quilts for others!

Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up!!

Something that I saw this week and feel that’s it’s worth sharing …

I often laugh with friends that we are just having fun playing with our sewing toys…however maybe our personal sewing time isn’t merely an indulgence, it may also be part of a healthy, mentally stimulating life!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Snuggly Scrap Quilt

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When I was a young girl I was first drawn to quilts that were made with many different fabrics…to later find out that they had a name and originally many were made out of necessity.

Today, many of my customers are making quilts from their stash or from scrap bins ie left over fabrics from other projects.

I personally have a few bins dedicated to scraps and have a lot of fun using and sharing them! It’s often a walk down memory lane from previous projects and gifts from various friends and from my travels.

This customer quilt was pieced using fabrics gifted to her from her niece. She is a fairly new quilter and did a fantastic job making her blocks with so much variety! Framing blocks that are busy with a solid sashing works so well.

My customer chose the quilting design Forest Floor for her quilt. It is a gift for her nature loving son.

Many of my customers do not have a plan for the quilting design when they come to me and ask me to choose or find some suggestions for them. It is a fun part of the process and I have many designs to choose from!!! If I don’t happen to have one that they would like I find it for them. there is never an extra charge for bringing in a new design.

Choosing a nice soft flannel for the backing made this quilt wonderfully warm and snuggly ready for the upcoming cooler months!

Her quilt was trimmed and ready for binding at pick up.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Fright Nite Quilt

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This recently completed Halloween quilt left my studio this week.

My customer did tell me that as a new quilt maker she had some challenges making her quilt and pointed out some issues that she knew that it had.

It did have some fullness which she told me made adding the border was not easy.

When she picked up her quilt, it was quilted squared and trimmed ready for binding and no one would know that it had any fullness or issues.

With having so many years of experience quilting for others I know how to work with quilts that might have some issues and I am able to quilt them out so to speak 🥰

I am always happy to help quilters solve piecing issues that they may have as I was so well mentored in my early quilting days it’s a gift that I love to give to others.

Now back to this fun quilt!!!

How delightful are all of the prints!! It was so much fun working on this quilt and knowing that my customers son will love snuggling under it!

How perfect is the backing!

I am adding a picture of the quilting design with name and credit below as the fun design doesn’t show well in the pictures.

Fright Nite by Lisa H Calle
Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

September….

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It’s Apple season again and this year the tree was loaded, much to the grandchildren’s delight! Can you spot Erik?

And also this visitor the other day, we saw each other just as I was heading out the door for my walk, I was just going to sit on the step to put my shoes on when we noticed each other…with it being a cub, I decided to put my shoes on in the house.

Once I was sure the mama was no where clear I stepped out told the cup to enjoy the picnic and off I went. I knew that once Erik spotted it that it would soon be scared off. He also removed all of the apples to remove temptation and to save them for juice making.

We had a couple of grands overnight last weekend and we all went for a walk to the pond in the back of the property. The girls tell us that we have the best backyard. They were excited to discover that we have minnows!

I am enjoying a visit with Liam this weekend….he wanted to try a recipe that he found…

Pancake spaghetti…

Of course along with all of this fun there is customer quilting going on!!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Here Kitty Kitty Quilt

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Jan pieced this wonderfully fun kitty quilt as a gift for her kitty loving friends!

She used up scraps from her batik collection which made it even more fun to make.

When deciding on a quilting design my eyes were immediately drawn to the curling of the kitties tails…which led me to swirls and the design definitely added another layer of fun!!

She chose Minki for her backing, this fabric so plush and soft and has some stretch to it. So it is important when loading it onto the longarm to attach the selvage edges to the leaders and carefully advance the backing to minimize the stretching while quilting. It can be bit of a challenge but having years of practice helps me turns out beautifully.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Great Grands and Quilts

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This summer some of my jobs were very special quilts to work on! Great Grandbaby quilts! (though they are all special of course)

I always consider it an honour to quilt for my customers. As a long time quilter both piecing and long arming I am well aware of the time, love and cost of creating a quilt.

One of my Granddaughters (the one who made her first quilt last week) told me that I have the best job ever! She said that I get to help people finish their quilts and that I get to help people like her how to make quilts!! I do love being a Mom!! Being Grandma is over the top fun! 💗

This is one of the great grand baby quilts that I quilted…

We chose the quilting design Tickle Two with its fun swirls and feathers. It’s a design that offers a great density for a quilt that we hope will be enjoyed for years to come.

My customer is a long time piecer and it’s always exciting to see what she has made and this visit she told me what she is up to now!! I am pretty excited to see this one too.

Her quilt was not only trimmed it had the binding attached so that it was ready for her to stitch it down by hand!!

My Granddaughter is correct!! I do have the best job ever!!