Barbara's Quilt Finished

A little late to sharing, but yay!  Barbara's quilt is finished and by now should have made its way home.  :)  I had so much fun quilting this - and I know I say that frequently but I really do love my job, and I really DO enjoy quilting quilt tops up for folks!

Barbara had been concerned that her top might be too plain for fancy quilting - I'm so glad she decided to send it along despite that concern.  The truth is, for most of us machine quilters who do a lot of custom work, the simply pieced tops are our FAVORITE.  The ones that have a lot of negative space give us the most opportunity for creativity.

Barbara sent along a few photos of quilting she had see online and requested something with a similar feeling.  I can at times recreate quilting, but often times it works best for me to see a photograph of what you like and then create something new and fresh but with a similar feeling or style.  So that is what we did here.  Because the photo she sent was a tad difficult to draw directly on I opted to recreate her blocks and share with her my ideas for each section of the quilt.

 

I almost always ask for the tiniest bit of creative freedom even when a mock up is approved.  Just like any plan, sometimes ideas look better on paper than in reality.  Or, what happens more often with my work, is that I think up little details to improve on a design as I'm working.  Sometimes those little gems are what really set that quilting design off.

Barbara requested two layers of my Hobbs 80/20 batting.  For most show quilts I like to use wool layered over Hobbs, but I find that 80/20 in double layers quilts up very nice too.  Wool is slightly lighter and has a filling quality that 80/20 doesn't.

I used Glide in the top and Bottom Line in the bobbin.  I do love this combination for appropriate quilts.  As a general rule I prefer a fine top thread for dense quilting - but this quilt in particular has dense and medium/light areas of quilting and I wanted the heavier thread to compensate in those areas with less quilting to give it a more even feeling.

All in all I am very please with how this one turned out!  I think I always spot a few things with each quilt that I will do slightly different on the next...but I still think it turned out quite drool worthy!  :)

Barbara's Quilt in Progress and Red/Tan Quilt Update

I got a little bit of a late start on Barbara's quilt last week but I wanted to share a few progress photos.  I absolutely adore the colors of this quilt! 

Barbara really wanted feathers so I tried to include them in her quilt.  She asked for double batting - so I am using two layers of Hobbs 80/20 with Glide thread on top in Sand and Bottom Line in the bobbin...I'm not sure the exact shade but a tan/kakhi color to blend with the backing.  I generally like to use the same thread in the top and bobbin, but this was an instance where two different threads really worked.

I had to watch the threadyness of the feathers below with the high contrast gold on purple...it doesn't sparkle here but in true light it is very elegant and shiny!  I really love how it is turning out.

 

I am hoping to finish it up over the weekend or early next week at the latest and as always I will show pictures.  Doreen asked me to share the sizes of quilts more and I will make an effort to do that!  I want to say most of the quilts I work on are Queen or King sized.  I do get some smaller quilts now and then, but I have a few good clients who really love to send me big quilts!  This one in particular is something like 86 x 96...I'm not sure the exact measurements but I have written them down somewhere.  I do know that the 96" wide batting I carry was just wide enough on the smallest side.  

Above is the progress on my red and tan quilt.  The block is called "Western Spy" in EQ6.  Yep, still using EQ6 over here!  It took me about six tries to get it right!  I had never heard of this block before or even seen it to my knowledge and now all of a sudden it seems to be popping up everywhere!  In particular there is a free pattern available for this block (and more) on Jinny Beyer's website.  In any case I love how it turned out!  Next week I'll be working on setting this on point and creating the stars that will frame this center block.

Barbara's Ribbon Winner

Last fall I finished "the monster" - and I shared the progress with all of you here on the blog.  Quilting this quilt just about killed me.  It was the most detailed quilt and most difficult quilting plan I have carried out to date - not to mention it was also the largest at 120" x 120".  I did my very very best at the time - but I'll admit by the end I learned a LOT and there are some things I will never do again that I didn't know when starting this project.  I'm thrilled - OVER THE MOON - to learn that she won 3rd place in Group Quilts at the 2015 Tuscon Quilt Fiesta.  Woohoo!

Because I am "the quilter" working for hire, I often don't get acknowledgement when quilts win.  There are some shows that also present a ribbon to the quilter - but I'm really ok with it when they do not.  However - I do LOVE to have a photo!  Seeing a quilt that I put my blood sweat and tears into quilting win something, well like when a sports team wins a trophy - I feel like I was part of a winning team!  So I live for the photo so I can share and brag a little.  This girl has only been long arm quilting for two years, so to know that I can be a part of ribbon winning quilts - well I am awfully awfully proud of that.

Here are some photos of the finished quilting...in true Valerie fashion after pulling it off the frame I found a few unquilted spots I missed.  I could start a page just for "oops".  :)  Rest assured if you spot one of those areas - I did quilt it before sending home.  These were my pictures fresh off the frame...

One thing I will say about quilting such a large piece like this - nothing has seemed to take very long or be very difficult afterwards!  LOL

Barbara's Roseville Album - Finished!

I am thrilled to share that I am finally finished with Barbara's Roseville Album!  Here are a few photographs...

I think it turned out really fantastic - I am thrilled!  I have a few small details to touch up before it returns home - it has been a HUGE undertaking but I'm thrilled with the results.

 I used gray and white Invisifil thread by Wonderfil for the entire quilt...I went through five water soluble markers.  Marking the quilt top took me an entire day - around 10 hours - and another day to day and a half to bury threads, remove markings.  I'm running on coffee and diet coke at the moment so it's time to take a rest!!!  Wheew!  But I was thrilled with this so I had to share.  :)

Roseville Album Progress and a Little Exciting News!

I just wanted to pop in and share a progress picture of Barbara's Roseville Album quilt.  I've actually advanced the quilt and made a dent into the next border below this but it doesn't look very impressive anymore so I thought I'd share this one!!  :)  I still have to turn and do the side borders but most of the stitch in the ditch is finished so - I won't say that it will go quickly, but it will go quick-er.  :)

I'm hoping to have a "finished" post ready for next week!!  Cross your fingers for me that all goes smoothly - boy oh boy I've had just a million things make this quilt take longer than it should have!!  Including another motor brush change.  Wheew!

My exciting news to share...is that the next project that just arrived to my little in home studio a few days ago is top secret!  I will not be able to share any photographs - but what I can share is that it is planned to be included in a book written by my friend Lara from Buzzin Bumble!  I don't want to give away too much but I can tell you that it is going to be amazing - you better go visit her blog (and follow her too!) so you can keep up with all of her quilty happenings.

School starts next week and hopefully I'll be able to find some time to update on my diet/health kick progress!  I'm still hanging in there - though I've slacked off a little and gained a couple of "pizza pounds" back.  But I'm a work in progress right?

Happy Quilting!

- Valerie :)

End of the Month Update :)

Well it's been quite a heavy couple of weeks here in my world!  :)  Just an update and the things going on here.  I'm still working hard and putting long hours in on Barbara's quilt.  Moved a little slower than normal this month with all of the birthdays and parties and end of the school year activities.  Yesterday I worked on this from 9am to 9pm!!!  I took a few breaks for dinner, pick up the kids, put away some laundry and light housework.

Making my way through the mid-section though even with the extra hours I anticipate I may be working on this into next week.  We are getting there though!  :)

In other news my "big changes" blew right up in my face - so it looks like not much will happen for several years!  :(  Some insight as to where that is coming from - we bought our house on the cusp of the housing market decline...so we have been paying for the last eight years to get no where as we still owe just about what our house is now valued at.  We don't plan on moving anytime soon so it's not that it matters terribly, except that we had planned to do some renovating when we bought the home that we will now have to wait likely another 5-10 years to do.  We will do some small things but we had wanted to put on a new master bedroom, build a new garage and add a second bathroom.  With three girls let me tell you, we need a second bathroom sooner than later!  LOL  So we will live, we do fine enough to make ends meet and still get to visit Disney World and do fun things.  But boy was I excited about the possibility of having some of those things now rather than waiting!  Boo!  Isn't that just how life goes though?

So back to work for me!!  The sooner I finish this quilt the sooner I can squeeze in a little time to make princess dresses!  :)

My Method for Piecing Batting

I wanted to share a new method I discovered for piecing batting scraps or splicing together two large hunks of batting.  This is a common request as my business is small so often I carry one or two sizes of batting on hand...so charity quilts often come to me with pieces of batting that need to be joined or sometimes a client wants to use my batting but needs several cuts to fit their quilt.  To date this has been the easiest way to join batting with the nicest flush invisible results.

To start I lay two hunks of batting right over each other - you want about two inches or so to overlap.

Next, You cut through both layers of batting with a curving line - super easy - I slide a mat under the hunks of batting and just use my rotary cutter.

Now you have this perfect line to join your batting - this is what prevents any seam line from appearing on the finished quilt.

Butt those pieces up to each other as close as you can get them - feel free to pull just a tad and stretch them into place - so long as you don't distort the batting or rip a hole.

Then just lay strips of very very light fusible interfacing over the seam line - using a pressing cloth - press to secure seams.  Because the fusible is so light and white, it is completely invisible when stitched into a quilt.  This is the same extra lite fusible I use to stabilize but prevent bulk for t-shirt quilts.

The finished result is a very flush join that cannot be seen!  I love this method!  Quick and easy and great results.  I just thought I would share as this just works so well for me!!  :)

Much has been happening here in my little world, but not much I can share on yet.  In any case big things will be happening for us in the near future - and while we have some weighty decisions that have just recently been put before us, the end result will be good no matter what we choose.  I am feeling really excited about the next ten years of our life.  I think my Husband and I have just been so used to working ourselves crazy with no sight of relief in site - the idea that there may be a payoff for all our hard work is just...amazing.  :)

While big ideas and thoughts float around the house I'm still making way on Barbara's quilt.  Birthday parties and the busyness of the early month are now over and I can just focus and finishing this up.  I say finishing - but I'm only hoping to be working on the center portion of the quilt by the end of the day!  LOL  The borders will be lovely when finished but boy - they are huge!!!  :)

 
Happy quilting!  :)

A Little More Progress - Barbara's Quilt

I can hear thunder off in the distance - it sure is feeling like spring now!  Time to break and listen to the storm...

I'm just about finished with this border - getting late so I will finish it up tomorrow.  Hoping to get the next section of this border done in a day or two as it's mostly straight lines.  This quilt is a little bit slow going but as more quilting is added it becomes even more spectacular...  :)

My "Seaweed" Quilt and Barbara's Quilt in Progress

There wasn't much time left over for long arming today so while my daughters watched a movie to relax I listened and did a little more stitching on my green feathers quilt.  This is on the Juki so I don't have to pull whatever is on the frame off to work on a different project.  This is my "relax" sewing.

Every time I describe this quilt to my Dad he says to me, "Oh yeah, that one that looks like seaweed?"  LOL  So guess what I'm calling this one? SEAWEED!  :)  I always feel silly naming my quilts but I have found it's a necessary part of creating quilts that are intended to be exhibited in some way.  So seaweed it is.

Also sharing a little of the stitching on Barbara's quilt - I have added a bit more to this but didn't have much time to take photographs.  This quilt is going to be off the charts awesome!!  It is already pretty spectacular without any quilting.

I hope all of you mothers had a wonderful Mother's Day!  :)