Wendy’s Quilting – Wendy’s Quilting and Life

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Mid March

March 22, 2023 wendysquilting

Well it’s a little past mid March and I woke up to snow…again. Thankfully my morning commute is only a short stairway away!

A peek at what’s under my needle…though it’s almost finished and will be done before lunch break. I am really enjoying the changing colours on this quilt with every advance.

Todays Instagram Quiltfest post prompt was favourite quilt which I can truthfully say that I don’t have one.

I love quilts and their stories some are so exciting such as for babies and weddings…some have brought me comfort the ones made for friends that are at the end of life or struggling.

This is a customer quilt from early in my Longarm career, I love the beautiful appliqué and the quilting added. I wish that I had better pictures of it!

Another custom quilting job that included a lot of freehand stitching, it really is a spectacular quilt!

This one was a Victory Quilt made to commemorate the end of the World War in 1945, it was brought to me top and backing and binding to complete.

Another long time ago quilt, made by Margaret Bliss for her Grandson, that shows my custom Quilting.

My friend Alva and I decided to play with the disappearing hour glass pattern shown on Missouri Star Quilts…mine was made with Kaffe Fassett fabrics and hers with Batiks.

This was Alva’s last quilt, I quilted so many quilts for her and this final one was the only one that I put the last stitch in for her in the binding.

Many of my personal quilts have been made just for fun, playing with different ideas, patterns, fabrics and colours. Many quilts are my favourite while I am making them!

Oh one last picture…I was asked to be quilter of the month early on in my Longarm quilting career the memory came up this week on facebook

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Dreaming of Summer Quilt 💐

March 11, 2023March 11, 2023 wendysquilting

Are you ready for spring? Summer? Depending on where you live it might already be spring but here in North Western Ontario spring is weeks away dare I say months…

One of the quilts I had the privilege of quilting this week made me think of a pretty little cottage by a lake….

What a fantastic way to use a floral fabric stash!

I chose to use the Pantograph Garden Frills as it adds an almost Lacey feel and such a soft flow of stitching.

I really like the affect of laying a corner of the quilt top over the backing for the above picture as it was really hard to capture the true white backing and the soft pretty floral prints. This picture is a really close match.

This queen sized quilt is now trimmed and ready for binding!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Scrappy Goodness!!

March 8, 2023March 8, 2023 wendysquilting

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Quilts!

Todays Instagram Quilt Fest post is about scrappy finishes, so I spent a little time looking through my pictures and look what I found!

My adorable Granddaughters enjoying a summer day last year! I had forgotten about the quilt that they are on!

It was made using quilters candies from a once upon loved quilt shop in town called Patchworks! The owner had a candle jar of charms folded into 1” squares with a stitch to hold them together. When I shopped with my girls the owner Diana would pour them onto the floor and my girls were allowed to pick one to add to the collection…

I remember making the quilt to practice Longarm quilting when I first began my business.

One day last December we had a day with grands which always makes for a grand day! Kaija asked me if we could go to my sewing room and make something. Music to this Grandmas ears!!

We made a pouch with scraps and when I dumped out my in use scrap basket I was reminded of my initial love of scraps! She filled her little pouch with scraps and has had hours of fun!

I have made and quilted so many scrappy quilts and my customer quilts continue to inspire more…

I have an early memory of my Mom taking taking me to a neighbours house and this lady had a sewing room full of Raggedy Ann dolls all in bright dresses she also made Barbie clothes…that room was so full of inspiration that never left me I was probably 5 yrs at the time!

Hopefully my sewing room will grow inspiration in my granddaughter’s hearts and minds as well.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Todays Instagram Post lesson learned

March 7, 2023 wendysquilting

This mornings IGQuiltFest post was about lessons learned. I chose to post a couple of pictures from my design wall the lighting wasn’t the best for sure. However my point was that we should enjoy our quilting journey!

Samplers are a great way to try new techniques and to build new skills! I have made a few designer mystery quilts from the Fat Quarter Shop. (See Centre Quilt) this was made with supplied fabrics and a finishing kit and I really like this quilt. Sometimes though if you don’t like the finishing kit…it’s perfectly ok to change it up and make it your own!

The first picture above is a stage of the journey of my Longtime Gone Quilt (pattern by Jenn Kingswell) my decision to make this quilt began with a ruler by Creative Grids to make the pineapple block. It was during Covid and I wanted to PLAY and use tons of different fabrics with only two rules tons of variety of low volumes and any bright fabrics that caught my fancy!!! Making this quilt even more fun was the addition of scraps from friends…this quilt has so many stories and is right now a most favourite project!

This one (to be quilted soon) was my most fun to piece. It really stretched me at times but it brought so much joy into my life! Oh and the backing I chose has a story as well. I plan to have it ready to hang in our upcoming Quilt Show in May.

The third quilt in the gallery is my version of a Moda Blockheads quilt. I made almost all of the blocks but also chose to add some such as the sister hood block and made this quilt more of my own.

To steal a term I have heard before…the unused blocks now reside in the parts department for future use. This quilt took me a little out of my comfort zone using a colour palette that didn’t really rock my boat. Still I am happy with the result!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery 2018

March 3, 2023 wendysquilting

This recent quilt reminds me that I have a couple of older as in 2009 and 2011 Designer Mystery tops to quilt of my own!

This one is from 2018 and is so pretty and very spring or summer like! I really enjoy these projects as they are both great skill builders and I found that the Fat Quarter Shop was extra generous in the fabric sent.

I chose to us the pantograph Shasta Daisy as it adds such a pretty floral design with a lovely spread of flowers throughout the quilt.

The backing was still in its package when it came to me. It was yardage so was pieced for the backing. The quilt leaves trimmed and ready for binding. (both services are complimentary)

Do you have any mystery quilts tucked away waiting for quilting?

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Quilt Con 2023 and Modern Quilting Play

February 25, 2023 wendysquilting

Have you been following the Quilt Con show? Quilt Con 2023 winning quilts

There is so much inspiration to be found!

I remember when “Modern” quilting was starting to evolve and being drawn to what was emerging and I still am. Attending a Quilt Con show is definitely on my bucket list so who knows.

Playing with colour is fun for me and playing without rules is even more fun and something I plan to devote a little more time to!

Playing with scraps left over from my Long Time Gone quilt.

A Quilters Table is a blog I visit often, Debbie shares a lot of her projects and her recent one is using scraps from another project and just having fun without all of the rules.

Most of my quilting time is devoted to helping others to complete their projects, I am am truly a quilter at heart. I love to spend time playing and trying out new ideas. Do you?

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Rhodendrom Quilt

February 25, 2023 wendysquilting

This pretty quilt found it’s way onto my frame this week. I loved the fabric combination and the crisp contrast with the solid looking background.

We chose a popular pantograph for the quilting Rhodendrom, for both its flowery look along with a softness it adds to all of the straight lines.

The pattern is one that I have made before, I believe it was in a magazine and if I find it I will add it to this post. Mine was made using a collection by Kate Spain.

What a fantastic quilt for showcasing loved fabrics!

The backing is so pretty as well and now the quilt is ready for binding!

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Batiks and Stars

February 23, 2023 wendysquilting

Batik quilts are always so rich looking and this Star Quilt is no exception. The piano key border really frames the blocks perfectly!

Speaking of piano key borders or any pieced borders I highly recommend what is known as a victory lap after piecing your quilt top. It is basically stay stitching around the outer edges about 1/8th inch, this will prevent thread pops when handling your quilt top.

We chose the pantograph Star Swirl, as it not only adds the starriness but also adds a sense of movement as well.

The backing fabric is so gorgeous and rich looking and really showcases the pretty stitches.

As usual the quilt is trimmed and ready for binding.

Wendy's Longarm Quilting, Thunder Bay, Ontario

A Fun Monday Quilting with Friends and Guild

February 21, 2023 wendysquilting

Yes it is Tuesday!

Yesterday was a fun day of quilting, first of all my friends and I enjoyed a day of sewing at the Rec centre along with a fun potluck lunch! We all agreed that we should do that more often, the potluck that is. We meet every Monday at the centre already.

I am currently piecing scrappy 16 patch blocks which sure can make a mess. It’s fun to see the variety of projects being worked on.

After supper I attended the Thunder Bay Quilt Guild meeting which is currently held on Zoom. I have mixed feelings about zoom meetings…I really don’t mind not having to go out at night but I do miss seeing people in person along with their quilts.

The guild is busy getting ready to hold the long awaited for quilt show!

The program last night was about Gadgets, what people love and what they don’t. One of the gadgets that was mentioned as unliked was Deb Tuckers Wing Clipper rulers, these are my go to rulers for flying geese and probably my most used specialty ruler.

Below is Debs you tube demonstration.

Do you have a favourite ruler for making flying geese?

One other favourite that was mentioned was Frixon pens, and yes I agree that they have their uses, however I would not personally use them to mark a quilt for quilting… the ink may disappear with heat but I have seen it return when cold so if a quilt is being transported in the winter the marks return. I do suspect washing the quilt will remove the residue. Just my opinion.