Auriful Machine Quilting Tip #5

It's time for my monthly Aurifil Machine Quilting tip!

Today's tip is all about quilting, when you're starting out try echo quilting instead of overlapping stitches, echoing creates more interest and is easier!

Hop over to the Auriful Blog to read all about this months designer, Amy Smart.

Modern Wave - Published in Modern Patchwork - Spring 2014

Kathleen and I have a new and exciting quilt pattern to share with you today!

Modern Wave, this cool quilt is a fun twist on a Log-Cabin style quilt. The quilt is made from just one block, made in two color-ways. I love the effect that the 2 color combo's create.

The pattern for this fun new quilt can be found in the Spring 2014 issue of Modern Patchwork.

This quilt is made using Moda Bella Solids

Batting used was Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe

Machine Quilting done using our Egg Cartons pattern

Teaching in Troy, Michigan

 Last week my husband and I traveled to Troy, Michigan. It's always fun to travel and share my quilts and teach. I shared a trunk show with the quilts from Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting and the quilts from Modern One-Block Quilts.

We had a sold-out Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting class, the ladies in the class were fantastic, full of energy and eager to learn. I was so impressed by the talent and willingness to learn in this group.

 While in Troy, my sister, whom I haven't seen in 2 years and her two daughters drove from Wisconsin to spend a couple days with us. It was so great to see them, and also, meet my little niece Tenley for the first time!

I love when Brad is able to travel with me, not only is it nice to have him there, but there is no way I could haul around 6 heavy suitcases without his help!

Thanks again to the CAMEO quilt guild for having me. You were all so much fun to spend time with.

Janome Hello Kitty Sewing Machine

Chesney has been expressing a lot of interest in sewing lately, which makes me super duper happy! I've been a little hesitant about letting her use my Bernina, I love my Bernina, but I just think it's a little too much for a six year old to be playing with.

I found a screaming deal on this adorable Janome Hello Kitty Sewing Machine and I could not pass it up. So, for Easter we gave her the machine. Since I do not sew at home, I don't even have thread at my house, we had to wait until yesterday to try it out.

I pulled a few charm packs and let her play. She loves it, even though she wants to sew everything with a zig-zag, and the little machine sews like a charm! :)

photo originally shared via instagram.

Fractured Paint Box Quilt

I recently machine quilted this adorable Fractured Paint Box quilt for my friends over at Quiltique.

This is a cool quilt and I love the ombre type effect that the quilt shows off. 

I machine quilted it with several different fillers, giving the secondary pattern something extra!

I love how it turned out!

Hop you all have a happy Monday! My daughter got a new little sewing machine for Easter, I can't wait for her to get home from school today so we can play with it!

Lone Star Quilt - Custom Machine Quilting

Coni made this beautiful Lone Star quilt as a gift for a friend! Seriously, I am always so amazed when I hear how kind my customers are!

Becky asked me to custom quilt this quilt, she basically gave me free reign, to do what I wanted.

It was a super fun quilt to machine quilt.

Thanks so much for letting me machine quilt for you Coni!

Beads - Quilts & More - Summer 2014

Used with permission from Quilts and More magazine. 2014 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

I am so excited today! I get to share our newest quilt pattern "Beads".

First of all, I am obsessed with the mustard color right now, also, I'm a little bit obsessed with applique, and that bedroom, maybe I just need a nap right now, but I really want to climb through the computer screen and climb in that bed! :)

Beads is a huge quilt, like about 100" square, but, the applique is so simple, I seriously pieced the whole quilt top in one day!

Used with permission from Quilts and More magazine. 2014 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved

I made this quilt using Bella Solids by Moda Fabrics. Love them.

Used with permission from Quilts and More magazine. 2014 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved

And you can get your hands on this pattern in the Summer 2014 issue of Quilts and More!

Hope you have a fantastic day! :)

Churned - A Modern One Block Quilt - a simple tutorial included

Holy cow, I'm excited to share this quilt with you!

Churned is the 8th quilt in our book, Modern One-Block Quilts. I love the fun twist this quilt gives to a traditional Chrundash quilt block.

Kathleen seriously is so creative when she comes up with color combinations. When we were in Las Vegas, teaching at Quiltique a couple months ago she fell in love with this fun background print from Zen Chic's Moda Fabric, and it immediately became the background fabric idea for the baby version of Churned.

Like all 22 patterns in Modern One-Block Quilts, Churned comes with three size options; 

Baby 40"x40" 

Throw 60"x60" 

and 

Coverlet 80"x80"

I think it's a pretty fun, and super fast quilt to make, in Modern One-Block Quilts, Kathleen and I share several tips and ideas for quick piecing, there is one super quick tip that we don't share in the book, that's the how-to make 4 half square triangles from two pieces of fabric. So, to go along with this baby version Kathleen and I created a fun little video, sharing that quick tip!

I machine quilted this fun little version of Churned using our Geometric Pearls pattern, you can purchase that pattern in paper or digital format here. 

This is the original version of Churned. I love it too! 

You can pick up a signed copy of Modern One-Block Quilts here.

Make sure to check out Alternating Stars, A-Maze Me, American Stars, Bouncing, Bow Ties, Colored Candies & Buckle Up and Cabana.

Twister Quilt

Linda made this adorable Twister quilt, the twisters are so little too!

Linda sent me her quilt, from Hawaii (I think I'll climb in the box when I ship it back) and asked me to custom machine quilt it for her. She chose pebbles in the background and then a geometric straight line pattern in each of the twisters, using a matching thread color. I think it turned out pretty dang cute!

Thanks for letting me quilt your adorable quilt Linda!

Baby Chevron Quilt

Lisa made this adorable baby quilt. I love the simplicity of the quilt. Lisa told me it's for a new baby boy, and that I could quilt whatever I wanted, as long as I kept it masculine.

I loved playing in the negative space. I just had fun machine quilting different fillers.

Thanks so much for letting me quilt your adorable quilt Lisa!

LOL - Me & My Sister Designs

Quilt Market machine quilting is already underway around here, I've been having a lot of fun with the quilts that I've been machine quilting for market. However, it means that I can't share a lot of what I've been working on here on the blog.

Last week I did finish quilting this adorable quilt, that is made with Me & My Sister Designs' new LOL fabric. I had so much fun with this quilt. While I was quilting this quilt I made a little video of myself machine quilting the blocks like the one above. These are done on my long-arm, free-motion quilting with a ruler.

Hope you enjoy the little video.

Hop over to our YouTube channel to see more fun sewing and machine quilting videos.

How to: Free-Motion Quilt a Feathered Swirl Triangle Border - a video tutorial

I have been having so much fun recently with my custom machine quilting. I've also been having fun making these little video tutorials to go along with what I'm creating.

I know they are totally amateur videos, but I hope you find them inspiring. :)

Auriful Machine Quilting Tip #4

It's already April!

Crazy how fast time goes.

I'm excited today to share my fourth tip in the year long series of Aurifil Machine Quilting Tips! 

Today's tip:

When you're beginning try to choose a neutral or matching thread color, matching threads will help hide any imperfections!

Hop over to the Aurifil blog to see Angela Yosten's darling block.