I'm not sure how many more years I can get my kids to dress in theme....so I'm going to enjoy it while I can!
Hope you all have a very HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
10.31.2014
10.30.2014
Teaching in North Carolina & Kentucky!
The last two weekends were busy for me! My husband and I traveled to North Carolina and then the next weekend we were in Kentucky. Teaching classes and sharing our quilts from Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting & Modern One-Block Quilts. We had so much fun, I think I'm finally recovered from it all! :)
My first class after arriving in North Carolina was "Lattice" from Modern One-Block Quilts. I really love this quilt, it has the smallest pieces of any pattern in the book, so I think it's the most time-consuming, but the result, it's totally worth it!
We had a small class, this picture shows almost everyone in it. But they were awesome! They all finished several blocks in the class.
My second day in North Carolina I taught Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting in the morning and then in the evening shared about 30 of our quilts in a trunk show. It's always so much fun to share our quilts, but the most exciting part of the night, was seeing the ladies from my class that had gone home and made several more "Lattice" quilt blocks and then brought them back to share! I love them all!
North Carolina was gorgeous! The ocean was so pretty and I got to eat Crab Cakes while sitting on the coast! That's exactly what I wanted to do!
Thanks so much to the Quilters by the Sea for having me!
The next weekend we were in Lexington, Kentucky at Q-First in Quilting.
Shortly after arriving we drove past this gorgeous barn with an awesome barn quilt.
Now, some of you know that my family and I have an ongoing joke about "creepers," the people that would pull over in front of my parents home and take pictures, come to the door and ask about their home and so on. Well, when I saw this gorgeous barn I pulled a creeper move and totally pulled in their driveway to take pictures! I love this!!!
Then I found Q-First in Quilting, the store is gorgeous with lots of light and space to move around, not to mention tons of books, patterns and fabric! The first night in Kentucky I shared our quilts in a trunk show, the pictures above are a little collection of the photos that the girls from Q-First took and shared on Instagram. I mostly love the picture in the bottom left with Lauren in the middle of all the quilts! :)
The second day in Kentucky I taught "A-Maze Me" from Modern One-Block Quilts! These ladies rocked the class! They were speedy sewers and I loved the color combinations that they all came up with!
Erin, was one of my students and finished her baby-size version of "A-Maze Me" I absolutely love, love, love the color combination that she chose for her quilt, and the idea to use the blue as the background, genius! I love it so much!
Last, but certainly not least! Laura, the owner of Q-First in Quilting had previously made this awesome version of "Chruned" pattern from Modern One-Block Quilts, I love her color choices!
Thanks so much Laura, and everyone in Kentucky for having me!
10.28.2014
Leaded Glass Quilt
I hope all is well with you all, I have had a crazy busy couple of weeks, with traveling, and preparing for quilt market! I'm getting back into my groove and working on some custom machine quilting.
A few months ago I had the opportunity to machine quilt this gorgeous Leaded Glass quilt for Tracey of TraceyJay Quilts. Tracey designed and made this quilt. The pattern was just released in the current issue of American Quilter Magazine.
photo courtesy of TraceyJay Quilts
I was so honored when Tracey sent me this quilt and asked me to machine quilt it for her. She basically gave me the go-ahead to machine quilt it as I wanted. When I saw those large white borders I knew I had to machine quilt some awesome feathers!
As I began the machine quilting I shared this picture on Instagram, I always think it's so much fun to see how machine quilting can bring a quilt to life!
photo courtesy of TraceyJay Quilts
Besides the feathers, I machine quilted swirls, some stitch-in-the-ditch, and some melons, along with pebbles and swirls as background fillers.
photo courtesy of TraceyJay Quilts
Thanks so much Tracey for letting me machine quilt your gorgeous quilt! It's a stunner for sure!
10.23.2014
Derby Style Quilt - Quilt Market - Fall 2014
It seems like just yesterday it was spring quilt market, and now it's fall market again! Crazy! I've been to every fall market for the last five years so it's strange to be skipping this one, however, I will be in Lexington, Kentucky during market, teaching at Q-First in Quilting, so I still get to be hanging out with lots of quilty peeps!
Speaking of Kentucky! Melissa of The Polka Dot Chair has a new fabric line coming out, inspired by the Kentucky Derby - Derby Style, for Riley Blake Fabrics. Melissa asked me to machine quilt this adorable quilt showing off her new fabrics.
I knew the machine quilting had to be something fun, to add interest but not take away from the fabrics and the pattern. So I chose to machine quilt cables in the borders, then in the background I decided to go with tiny pebbles, swirls and clams. I wanted to mix it up in with the background fillers, just to create more texture and add a little bit of interest to the background. I love that it's kinda funky too!
Then in the center of the ribbons I machine quilted a star and wavy lines in the ribbons. So cute! If you're headed to Quilt Market you'll have to check it out.
Make sure to hop over to Melissa's blog to see more about this darling new fabric line.
10.22.2014
North Wind Mixology Quilt
Over the past few years I've been able to machine quilt several quilts for my friends over at Moda Fabrics for International Quilt Market. I'm excited today to share another fun quilt that I machine quilted for this upcoming quilt market!
When I was deciding how-to custom machine quilt this quilt I knew that I really wanted to make those windmills pop! So, I decided to use straight lines as a way to really make them stand out.
I machine quilted feathers, going around the block backgrounds, it kinda gives it a swirly motion, and then I machine quilted figure 8's in the sashing and siwrls in the dark blue setting triangles. I think this quilt turned out pretty awesome!
(all of these machine quilting techniques are taught in my book; Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting)
If' you're looking for some Moda Fabric inspiration make sure to check out the Moda Cutting Table Blog.
10.21.2014
Nellie's Needle Quilt - Fall 2014 Quilt Market
This is one of those quilts that I've been teasing with on Instagram. Now that International Quilt Market starts this weekend I finally get to share!
This yummy quilt was designed and made by the lovely Karen from Nellie's Needles, hop over to her website to see all of her cute patterns!
So, when Karen sent me this quilt and asked me to custom machine quilt it for her I knew I had to create some fun interest by making the secondary pattern pop!
So, I added in some flowers and some swirls, along with a little bit of ruler work, and viola, there's the final result, and I love it!
The pattern for this quilt will soon be available, and if you're going to Quilt Market or Quilt Festival, in Houston this fall, make sure to stop by Nellie's Needle booth to check out this beauty!
10.20.2014
Custom Machine Quilting for Nellie's Needle
I'm super duper excited that it's International Quilt Market week so I can finally start sharing some of the quilts that I've been machine quilting.
I'm still in North Carolina, I've been busy here teaching our Lattice quilt, and today I'll be teaching Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting and I'll be sharing my quilts tonight in a trunk show, I'll share details and lots of pictures when I get back home. :)
Anyways, back this this beauty! Karen from Nellie's Needle designed and made this gorgeous quilt! When Karen sent me this quilt she said, quilt it however you want, just no spider webs! Haha, okay! So, I machine quilted some jumbo flowers in the octogans, totally opposite of spider webs!
For the background I stitched-in-the ditch around the blocks and then echoed in about 1/4". Then I alternated machine quilting patterns, using figure eights and swirls! I freaking love how this quilt turned out! I didn't want to give it back to Karen!
Karen will have this quilt, along with several others with her at International Quilt Market and Quilt Festival in Houston, if you're attending either make sure to stop by her booth and check out all of the eye-candy!
10.17.2014
Fancy Fox Quilt
I've been able to machine quilt several quilts for Donna, it's always so much fun to receive packages from her and see what adorable quilt she's made! This time did not disappoint, she made the super duper cute Fancy Fox quilt!
Donna loved the way that Elizabeth had machine quilted the original version of Fancy Fox, with the wood grain machine quilting, so I machine quilted hers with an all-over wood grain pattern! I think it turned out so dang cute!
Pattern for Fancy Fox quilt is available for purchase here.
10.16.2014
Merry Go Round Quilt
Last week I machine quilted this super duper cute, Merry Go Round quilt that! It's such a fun quilt.
Cheryl made this quilt and asked me to machine quilt it for her with an all over pattern. I used this waterdrops pantograph pattern and just love it!
Pattern for this quilt is available in Amy McClellan's book; It's a Circus.
10.15.2014
Half Square Triangle Quilt - Deciding How-To Quilt a Quilt
Colleen made this fun half-square triangle quilt. When she sent me this quilt she asked me to custom machine quilt it for her.
The most common question that I get asked is;
"how do you decide how-to quilt a quilt?"
Here's my thoughts on this topic, at the moment. :)
(it might change tomorrow) 
When I look at a quilt like this, I first determine what I want to accentuate. For this quilt I immediately saw a secondary pattern created by the half-square triangles. So, that's what I decided to accentuate. By looking at the quilt, before it was machine quilted I immediately knew that the solid triangles were going to pop the most, so I would want the most detailed pattern in those. Then I chose two other filler patterns that I would quilt in the prints. By using two different fillers I will create the look of half-square triangles in the full blocks.
So, look closely at the full blocks, you can see that some of them have swirls, and some of them half straight lines. These three patterns, together accentuate a secondary pattern in the quilt.
I really love how this quilt turned out! Creating secondary patterns is such a fun way to add an element of interest to a quilt. Thanks so much Colleen for letting me custom machine quilt for you.
10.14.2014
Custom Machine Quilting -- For Myself!
I honestly cannot remember the last time I custom machine quilted something of my own. My quilts seem to be the ones that I'm in the biggest hurry and I end up spending the least amount of time on. However, after I finished piecing this Lattice quilt I knew I had to custom machine quilt it. I love all of the negative space and really wanted to make it sing! So, yesterday I made time. I'm so glad I did, I don't think I realized how rewarding it is to be able to keep something that I've custom quilted.
Now....I just need to bribe my mom to do the binding and this baby will be able to hang in my home! YAY!
If you've ever been to one of my trunk shows, you'll want to look closely at the machine quilting, and find the humility block. :)
Pattern for this quilt is Lattice, pattern is from our book, Modern One-Block Quilts.
Free-motion quilting is by Natalia Bonner
Fabric used: Bella Solids by Moda Fabrics
Batting used: 2 layers, Quilters Dream Poly Deluxe and Bamboo
Machine quilting done with So Fine! by Superior Threads
10.13.2014
Project Teen - Finding Inspiration!
Last summer, my friend Melissa from the Polka Dot Chair contacted me and asked me to machine quilt a few of the quilts that would be published in her upcoming book, Project Teen, of course, I was supper flattered, honored and excited for Melissa! I knew back then that the book would be awesome, because everything that Melissa shares on her blog and her patterns are always fantastic! 
Project Teen, Melissa's new book, is just hitting quilt shops and it's just as fantastic as I had imagined, she's got 21 projects for the teen in your life!
Melissa asked me today to share a little peek into Project Teen, but when I saw the adorable tote patterns, I knew I had to make some...... and even though it's only October, I was so inspired by her totes that I made three of them, and they are going to be Christmas gifts! See!! I told you this book is full of inspiration!
The patterns and instructions in this book are easy to follow, if you remember this post, it's totally out of my comfort zone to sew anything that isn't a quilt, and Melissa's instructions made it easy to make these little pouches.
Like I said before, it's always so humbling and I feel so honored every time I get the opportunity to machine quilts for friends' whose books are to be published. In Project Teen I was able to machine quilt three of the quilts;
Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend
Everything's Coming Up Posies
and
Quarterfoil.
Melissa has created an adorable Free Christmas printable gift tag, you can download that here, also don't forget to check out the following blogs for more eye-candy from Project Teen!
October 13th: Sew Can She and Piece N Quilt (you're here)
October 14th: Generation Q Magazine and UCreate
October 15th: Diary of a Quilter and Noodlehead
October 16th: Flamingo Toes
October 17th: Simple Simon and Co AND It's Always Autumn
10.10.2014
In the Works - Lattice
Next weekend I will be traveling to the Quilters by the Sea quilt guild in Wilmington, North Carolina. While I am there I will be sharing a Piece N Quilt trunk show, teaching Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting and then teaching our Lattice quilt.
Over the last year Kathleen and I have been re-making the baby versions of the quilts from our book, Modern One-Block Quilts, we had been going in order through the book, but I decided to skip ahead a few quilts and get this one remade, so I'd have a couple versions with me.
When I picked the fabrics for this quilt I was super excited about them, I thought they were so cute together, but when I finished piecing it yesterday I couldn't be more excited! I love how it came together! This may be my favorite quilt yet! haha, I know I say that every time!
I still need to press and machine quilt this one, hopefully before I leave next week. But for now I'm loving it just like this!
You can pick up a signed copy of our book, Modern One-Block Quilts here.
10.09.2014
Halloween Quilt
Yesterday I finished up the machine quilting on this adorable Dresden Halloween quilt, made by Cheryl! I love this quilt, the way the Dresdens are put together is just brilliant.
I think the pattern for this quilt is designed by Joanna Figueroa.
When Cheryl sent me this quilt she asked me to custom machine quilt it for her. I mentioned last week that I HATE spiders and spiderwebs, but I do love to hide them in Halloween quilts!
So, on this quilt I machine quilted spider webs in each of the four border corners and then also in the centers of the Dresden plates.
I love how it turned out! Thanks again for letting me machine quilt your adorable quilts Cheryl!
10.07.2014
Year of Machine Quilting - Lesson 6 - Putting it all Together
Today I'm excited to share my final article in Quiltmaker Magazine, Year of Machine Quilting series. This month I'm sharing my ideas and tips on "putting it all together", my ideas on modern quilting vs. traditional quilting and when you might consider custom machine quilting vs. an all over design. This year has been so much fun sharing my machine quilting ideas, tips and tricks, favorite batting by Quilters Dream and my favorite thread and needles by Superior Threads.
Over the year I've talked about all-over designs, feathers, block motifs, borders and background fillers. In this issue I pieced a fun little version of our E.K.G. quilt, pattern from Modern One-Block Quilts and custom machine quilted it using the designs that I've shared over the year. Make sure to pick up a copy of this issue and take a close look at the custom machine quilting.
Thanks again to the fabulous staff over at Quitmaker Magazine for letting me write this year-long series!
Make sure to pick up a copy of Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting for more machine quilting ideas and how-to's.
10.06.2014
Nebo Modern Quilt Guild Trunk Show
Last weekend I took a little road trip to meet up with Kathleen and share our quilts at the Nebo Modern Quilt Guild. If you live in the Nebo area, you should totally join this group, they are so much fun!
photo by Marion McClellan
Anyways! It's always fun to get to go to quilt guilds and shops and share our quilts and our journey through quilting and pattern designing and most of the quilts from our books, Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting and Modern One-Block Quilts.
Next week I'll be traveling to teach a few classes and share a couple trunk shows in Kentucky and North Carolina, if you're in those areas I'd love to have you in my classes!
Thanks again Kira and the Nebo Modern Quilt Guild for having us!
10.02.2014
Vintage Vibe
Last summer I had the opportunity to machine quilt a few quilts for my friend Amber Johnson of Gigi's Thimble. Every time I've had the opportunity to machine quilt quilts for friends' for their books it's such a fun, humbling and exciting experience.
Amber's new book is now available for purchase so I finally get to share the projects that I machine quilted for her. This adorable dresden quilt and pillow, that made the cover!
Check out this fun table runner.
And this fun black & white quilt. Don't you just love black & whites! So cute!
Thanks Amber for letting me machine quilt your adorable quilts, your book is fantastic! You can pick up a copy of Vintage Vibe here.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)