Sun Bonnet Sue

A few weeks ago I received this customer quilt. It was very badly pieced (and she knew it), but it is still a quilt worthy of being finished. I explained to her that the only thing I felt comfortable doing was an all over meander and that I couldn't guarantee that there wouldn't be any puckers or pleats. She understood my terms and her only request was that I not put any stitches on the dolls.

I want to make sure that my customers know that every quilt is worthy of being finished! It doesn't matter your skill level, what matters is that you finish something that you started and made with your two hands. Don't be afraid to send me a less than perfect quilt (just don't expect custom quilting!)

This quilt has a story (doesn't every quilt?) A grandmother recently passed away. She had made graduation quilts for each of her grand daughters. These blocks were for the grand daughter graduating in a few weeks. The grandmother passed away before she could completely assemble the quilt top (hand stitched!) So one of the daughters, a non quilter, finished putting it together so that the grand daughter could have her graduation quilt. Once the top was pieced they contacted me to get it quilted.

 There was a lot of fullness but I was able to avid pleats and puckers. Well I did have to add some strategically placed pleats, but I added those right along the sashing so you can't even tell that they are there!

Tigerlily Quilt

Last month I was able to quilt another quilt for Amy Sinibaldi of Nana Company. This sweet Tigerlily quilt got the Ribbon Meander treatment.

Thanks for trusting me with another one of your quilts Amy!

T-shirt Quilt

In March I pieced and quilted this quilt for my son's 11th birthday. I had been saving his t-shirts for a few years but I had to raid his closet for a few more. 

A lot of the shirts are technical shirts (uniforms and running shirts.) I did not have any trouble quilting any of them. I backed each shirt with the lightest fusible interfacing I could find prior to cutting down to size. I used a cotton batting and and a minky/cuddle fabric for the back. It was my first time using the minky and I did not have any trouble using it. I did notice that minky has a definite stretch in one direction. I quilted this with a geometric meander.

Neptune Quilt

In February I challenged myself to pull out another UFO (un-finished object.) This quilt was one I started to quilt when I first purchased my longarm machine. I usually bite off more than I can chew and started custom quilting this quilt without really knowing what I was doing. I was just learning, so I don't know what I was thinking! The tension on this quilt is really bad and that is why it got shoved into a box for a few years.

When I pulled it out I thought I would unpick all of my quilting. This was a very daunting task and rather than do that, I decided to just finish it and let this become a learning opportunity and the quilt will become a play quilt once I put the binding on. Actually it doesn't look horrible from the front so I could hang it on the wall, which I may do once my sewing room is complete.

Sweet Star Quilt

In early February I had the opportunity to quilt this lovely star quilt for Amy Sinibaldi of Nana Company. I was over the moon to quilt this quilt for someone whose blog I had followed for years. I just love Amy's sweet style and I'm excited to see she has caught the quilting bug.

Amy picked one of my favorite designs, meaander ribbons. The design really complements Amy's sweet style.

Thanks for letting me quilt this for you Amy!

Recipe for Friendship

In January I had a lull in customer quilts so I pulled out one of my own UFO's (un-finished objects.) This is a quilt I made for my daughter before I got my long arm. In fact it was already spray basted together. I used my domestic machine to quilt around the applique (using a straight stitch) and mono-poly thread from Superior Threads.

It took a little creativity to load an already basted and partially quilted quilt, but I managed to do it and didn't have any problems.

I custom quilted this one. I added double feathers in the patchwork blocks, continuous curves in the border around the little girl, and traditional feathers in the background behind the little girl.

This was really fun to quit for my little girl. Currently (May) it is hanging in her room awaiting binding! Maybe I will get it done for her birthday in a few weeks.

December Quilts

 The next three quilts were done by my customer Mare (pronounced Mary.) I quilted loops and stars on the two Christmas quilts and a stipple/meander on the table runner. Isn't the snowman quilt adorable?

 

 

This quilt was made by my customer Nanette. She requested an all over meander. She has plans to add applique in the border.