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’s Quilt
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’s Quilt
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.
Minky backing
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.
Stitching Impressions 
