Summer is coming and I am trying so hard to get all caught up with

customers’ quilts. Currently, I have a quilt on the frame  that usually

resides in Florida but is home here for the time being. I promise to

put some photos up next week.

Helena commissioned me to make this quilt for her. She picked out all the

colors and fabrics so it made my job somewhat easier. I did all the piecing,

quilting, and binding for her. The pattern is one that I designed several years ago.

Helena chose  the “Flirtatious” design and I used a cream Omni polyester thread

for the top and the backing. The backing was a dark brown fabric, similar to the color

of the brown in the border area. It was completed last week.

Cathy made this adorable quilt for a special someone in Nova Scotia. I would love

to be there when he gets it. The whole time I was quilting it, I was smiling.

It is so colorful and so much fun to work on and look at.

The quilt  has alot of Dr. Suess fabrics in  it, so how can it not  be fun?

The backing is made of minky. I love this fabric but also hate it.

You have to be so careful when putting it on the frame to be quilted

because there is so much stretch in one direction.

I think I scared Cathy when I explained this to her but I checked several times

when I put it on the frame. I wanted to make sure that the stretch went the length

of the frame and not the other way around. And I also made sure not to wind the

frame and quilt too tight so that the minky would not suck in once it was off the

frame. Ask me how I know that? Yes, I did a baby quilt once with minky and had

to throw it out due to all the puckering when it came off the frame.

So, my word of caution to you is, buy extra of the minky just to ensure that you

have lots of wiggle room.

As promised, I did complete my abstract piece and here it is. Several months

ago, I took an online course with Katie Pasquini Masopust. I love the fact

that you just painted and played and then picked out an area on your

canvas that you liked. This area is then enlarged and you make templates

from the painting.

This was one of the hardest pieces I have ever made; trying to figure out values

of color threw me into panic mode but I kept at it until I was satisfied. Overall,

I am pretty pleased with it but would change some of the steps in the process,

just for future reference.

Here is the backing. I chose a black polyester fabric so I could see all the

colors of threads. And to be quite honest, I think I love the back

better than I do the front. I will have to think about which side the

facing will be attached to.

The entire backing. What do you think?  Add the facing to the

white front or the black backing?

Now, that this abstract piece is completed, I am starting another

larger piece depicting carrots, using Susan Carlson’s fabric

collage technique. I don’t know why I love this picture of carrots

so much, maybe the color? Angela Liddon gave me permission

to make a quilt of this picture that she took of carrots.

Yes, I am crazy but the color bug has

bitten and I can’t help myself. I am already pulling my hair

out in regards to what colors to use. I think that I have finally

settled upon using Joan Wolfrom’s Color Tool. And thus far,

I like what I have done. Here’s a sneak peek.

I really don’t like the brown fabric so it is going to be removed

shortly. Maybe I will be further along next week, so stay tuned.

Have a great week and check out some other Canadian

quilters at The Needle and Thread NEtwork.