2 finished quilts

July 30, 20144 Comments

These are 2 quilts that belong to Dale. She has been a busy lady, completing these 2 large quilts.

She took a class at a local quilt shop and these are the results.

The colors on this quilt are very rich looking. There are 2 different types of pieced

blocks within this quilt top.

Each “Star block” is different in the center than the others. It may look like

I am showing the same block repeatedly but if you take a closer look at the center

of the block, you will see that it is pieced differently each time.

In this example, there is a 16 patch block.

In this block, it looks like a combination of a half square triangle and

a four patch. The outer star is the same throughout each block.

I am unsure of the block name but here it almost looks like a cross with

4 outer half square triangles.

A pinwheel is used in the center of the block this time. The outer border can also

be seen as well.

This inner section almost looks like a Churn Dash.

Again, a 4 patch and another cross.

Spools are used in the center this time.

A star within a star for the center section.

Another cross with half square triangles.

I think this is a Rail Fence. As you can see, Dale chose a

panto for the quilting design. A cream polyester thread was used for the

top and the backing as well.

An interesting inner block.

Half square triangles on the inside. What an interesting idea! Change up all

the pieced sections and use the same fabric for the whole top.

This shows the other block that was pieced on the top. Straight lines add

another dimension to the top.

I missed one block on the top. It is a Friendship Star, I think.

Here are the borders. They are pretty neat as well.

This is what the back looks like. Again, you can turn the top

over if you want a different looking quilt.

This is Dale’s second quilt. I am amazed that a whole new design and pattern

can be made from a single block. Can you pick it out?

A half square triangle is the block. If you rotate it, it creates a spinning star design.

A view of the side. Dale chose a panto for this quilt as well. There are

alot of pieces so the panto design looks great. I again used a cream

polyester thread for the top and backing.

You will notice though, that some of the center of the blocks have a solid square

of fabric. This helps to create the design as well.

Same design but different colors.

The outside borders are very pretty in color and match the rest of the quilt

perfectly.

Here is a better shot of the outer borders.

The cream backing for the quilt. Again, you could turn it over

for the look of a whole new quilt top.

I hope that you are enjoying your summer. I have managed to finish

another fabric postcard. I will have pictures for you next week.

A Stitcher’s Garden

July 23, 2014March 1, 20167 Comments

This is Lynn’s beautiful quilt. She took a class that focused on machine applique

and machine embroidery. There are some really cool blocks within this quilt and

Lynn always has some incredible fabrics within the quilt top itself.

Lynn’s Quilt

I love the aqua blue border, it really adds a pop of color.

Blue border

In this block, the background has been quilted already. Most of the blocks in

this quilt have this added feature. It really does add another layer of dimension

and design to the quilt.

I’m not sure if you can see that there are pink buttons on the top of the flower.

There were alot of embellishments added as well. Lynn mentioned that each

block took up alot of time to create. I believe her, so much detail in each block.

A multi colored yarn was used for the center of the flower heads. It is amazing

what different fibers one can use to embellish a quilt.

This is one of my favorite blocks. These flowers are surrrounded by a thick

thread called Razzle Dazzle, by Ricki Tims. I quilted a small zigzag stitch

around the thread, just to give it more stablilty and help keep it from sifting

or coming off the quilt top. In the centre of each flower is a piece of thin

foam, in the shape of a flower petal. Lynn mentioned picking these up

at the Dollar Store. Again, you have to keep your eyes open to the

possibilities of what materials,besides cotton, you can use in quilting.

This multi colored flower was created by machine embroidery. Isn’t it

gorgeous? I totally love it! I can’t imagine the amount of thread it must

have sucked up though.

In the purple border. I stitched in feathers.

Again, the blue flower head draws me to it. Around this block, I stitched

a simple loop de loop design.

The buttons around this block are so cute. Michaels, is the store where

they were purchased. The thread that has been stitched around the block

is pretty thick as well.

The background area has a stitched vertical line in it as well. I think that

the students in this class were encouraged to use some of the decorative

stitches on their sewing machine. What a great idea to use these stitches

in this way. Most of us don’t use these decorative stitches at all.

The background area has stitched lines are

cross hatched.

I wanted to do something different in the half square area, so

diagonal lines seemed interesting. In the pink area, I stitched

in a wavy line, just to add some contrast to the area.

The flower, on the left hand side, is another machine embroidered flower.

This is another cute flower. I like the diagonal background lines and the

foam center too. As you can see, there were alot of little borders surrounding

the blocks so I tried to use the same motifs over and over but in different areas.

This block looks similar to a previous one but the flower is different.

I like the stitching in the background area too. There are 2 layers of

batting in all of these blocks too. The first layer was added when

the block was constructed and all the background stitching was done.

The second layer was added when I quilted the quilt too.

Another neat block and stitching in the background area.

Around some of the blocks, there was purple sashing.

Loops were added in the purple sashing, just to mix up

the quilting a bit and add some interest.

Rick rack is what makes up the stem of this flower. Again, what a great concept.

I think this may be the last flower block. I took pictures of each one.

There is so much color, detail, embellishments and stitching to this

quilt top. It is amazing and a work of art, in and of itself. I think that

Lynn must have had alot of fun creating this quilt.

What a great color for the backing of the quilt. You can see the feathers and the

swirls that were used on the outer purple border.

More of the quilt back. This quilt was alot of fun to quilt. I spent alot of time

just looking at it and finding so many neat items that can be added to a quilt top.

Whoever designed this quilt is very clever and creative.

See you next week.

Linda’s Quilt, Fabric Postcard # 3 and beginnings of a new quilt.

July 15, 201420 Comments

Whew!!! It is supposed to be summer-just chilling and relaxing by the pool.

All the warm weather is enticing me outside but I am still finding time to

quilt.

This is Linda’s quilt for her grand daughter. Linda took a class at a local

quilt shop, in Barrie. The strip of blocks, on the right hand side, is my favorite.

Linda’s Quilt

A grey polyester thread was used on the back of this quilt and a white polyester

thread for the front of the quilt.

“Flirtatous” is the name of the panto Linda chose. Because the quilt

is for a teenager, we thought that this quilting design was appropriate.

I am amazed at how the quilt transforms when the stitching is added

to it. It gives the quilt dimension and brings it to life.

The blocks almost look like it belongs to a sampler quilt but the layout

makes it look more modern.

Modern quilts are really beginning to grow on me. Making 30 blocks

of the same design is boring to me and takes a long time. Some of the

piecing for the modern quilts do not take alot of time to piece; when I

am beginning to wish I had never started the quilt, I am finished with

the piecing and can get on to the fun part: quilting it.

Here is the backing-a grey swirl fabric. I think it is a great

choice for the backing and makes the quilt reversible as well.

On to other exciting news.

Pearl Piera, is offering a free BOM for 2014. This is the first block that

I have completed thus far. As you can tell, I am behind but there is no

set deadline so I will just putter along.

Here is a close up of the first block. The colors here look blue but

in reality, they are more of a purple color.

This last photo shows the top of the Holly Hocks block.

This is week # 3 of the Postcard Challenge; “vegetables” are my

theme. Here, the carrots are colored in with Prismacolor pencils.

This was once a complete white piece of cotton fabric. Isn’t is so cool that

you can use more than one medium to create fabric art?

And here is the completed “Carrots” postcard. Can you believe that

I spent 2 hours finishing this postcard? I think that is crazy too!

I wanted to make them look realistic so I kept thread sketching on the piece.

The whole piece is only 4″ x 6.”

I used 3 different colored threads of orange, red and green.

The dark black area represents dirt but I don’t think I would use black or brown

thread again.

Both colors are too stark in contrast with the other colors. A dark orange thread,

maybe for the shadows around the carrots themselves.

After all the thread sketching was done, I used fabric markers to make the carrots

even brighter in color. Don’t forget to heat set fabric markers when you are

finished using them.

What do you think about my carrots?

In this picture, I am cutting up 2 1/2″ strips so I can make a WindChime Quilt. I

will show you the actual pattern a little later on. I have not pieced in a long time

and am getting the itch to do so now. After all the prints are cut, I have to cut

up all the white or cream fabric as well. All the prints are left overs from another

quilt that I made with the jelly rolls I had bought several years ago.

I love using leftovers to make another quilt and one that will look so different from the

first one too.

Have a great week!

Fabric postcard #2

July 8, 20148 Comments

Adijane is the name of this quilt pattern. I picked it up last year

at Thimbles and Things, in Orilla, for my niece who is getting married

this coming weekend. I am both shocked and amazed that it is actually

finished, quilted and bound. I spent last Saturday quilting it- only 12 hours.

I wanted to quilt some light designs onto it but that didn’t happen. It seems

like I have to fill in every possible nook and cranny on a quilt.

Because it is a “Modern Quilt”, I tried to quilt modern motifs onto it.

Some of the designs are from Jennifer Ricca, a longarmer in Orilla. This

particular design is not. I have seen it in several books I have so I

thought that it would fit the space.

In the large white areas, I stitched straight lines. It makes

the quilt look very industrial looking; I hope my niece

likes it.

SONY DSC

I think that this is my most favorite block on the whole quilt.

Pebbles and swirls make up the stitching.

In the space between these two areas, more swirls and pebbles.

Greek Keys have never been a favorite of mine but they are

growing on me. I am intrigued by how the pattern changes when

the light hits in at a certain angle. It doesn’t even look like Greek

Keys then.

Due to the rush I was in, I didn’t applique the circles onto

the top. I placed them on and zigzagged around them. It does

make the edges ragged but it should still hold together.

More circles and straight lines.

In the dark blue section, I quilted in more wavy lines, in a dark blue

polyester thread.

This is actually the top of the quilt. I followed Jennifer’s lead and

stitched in circles in this area. I do love circles but you can see any

slight mistake with them.

This large blue area received cross hatching.

Another lonely circle but it has the squares all around it.

backing of the quilt

The backing of the quilt. Not sure if this backing would fit into

the “Modern” theme though.

As I mentioned before, here is week #2 of the Fabric Postcard Challenge.

I found this picture on the Net and copied it in fabric. Flowers are now the

theme for this week’s Challenge. My mom loves Pansies so it was an easy

choice and I can send it to her later.

Picture of the pansy

Here is the finished postcard. It is now on its way to my mom.

I didn’t quite find the exact bluish purple for the outside but this is

all part of the learnign experience.

Pansy fabric postcard

This piece of fabric started out as a totally white piece of cotton.

I traced the pansy onto the white fabric and then colored it in

with Prismacolor Pencils. Then, I stitched the lines onto the

flower with matching thead. As a last step, I placed a white

piece of cotton on the back and zig zagged all around the edge.

I am amazed that you can actually send these through the mail.

I just received one from Janet ( What comes next.com) for

Canada Day. Her postcard is beautiful!

They are alot of fun to create and so fast as well.

Have a great week!

Happy Canada Day!!!

July 1, 2014July 2, 201411 Comments

Happy Canada Day!! Canada is now 147 years old-wow! I hope that you get

the chance to go out and celebrate, at some point today.

Mina’s bedrunner

Mina took a class in a local fabric shop, in Barrie and this

is what she created. She did a great job and the fabrics are really

beautiful.

Mina chose “Spring Garland”, a pantograph as her quilt design.

A light taupe polyester thread was used on the top and in the bobbin

for the backing as well.

Here is a pieced block within the bedrunner.

And here is what the backing looks like. A solid taupe color as

well. The stitching really stands out on the back.

Carol’s Quilt

Carol is a tremendous and quick piecer. I am amazed at how fast

she can create a quilt.

Carol wanted SID in the sashing areas and around each block. A variegated

blue thread was used in the sashing area, due to all the different colored fabrics

in has in it. I think the variegated thread was a good choice for this area.

SONY DSC

A close up of the sashing area. It is too bad that the SID is so

invisible but it is so necessary to help outline all the shapes and

stablilize the quilt too.

The solid blue blocks were stitched with straight lines.It does give

the quilt a bit of a modern look.

SONY DSC

On the backing, I used a dark blue polyester thread to match

the color too.

On my week # 2 of Fabric Postcards, I have nothing to show you but I am hoping to

complete one for Friday. I think that my theme this week will be “Vegetables.’

Stay tuned…

Ruth

Stitching Impressions

All aspects of longarm quilting

Month: July 2014

2 finished quilts

A Stitcher’s Garden

Linda’s Quilt, Fabric Postcard # 3 and beginnings of a new quilt.

Fabric postcard #2

Happy Canada Day!!!