Tag: Needle and Thread Network

Tools And Fabric…

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As promised, I have some photos of some new tools I recently purchased.

I needed some new needles so when Connecting Threads was having a sale, I

bought some John James needles. I haven’t opened them yet but I know they are

there when I  need them.

There is also a seam presser, the long white shinny tool on the left. The heart shaped

tweezers look interesting as well. They have a sharp tip and hoping to put those to good

use. I also purchased a needle case but not sure that I like the one I bought.

Any one out there using any of these tools? Please let me know if you like them or not.

It seems like I have a thing for scissors lately. I have lots of pairs but they seem to dull rather

quickly on me. I like the small ones, very portable and fits in a small sewing case.

One of my  Olfa rotary cutters fell apart on me. I guess 20 years of usage does that to a rotary

cutter. 4th and 6th Designs mentioned that the Gingher rotary cutter was their favorite and

was also the Cadillac of rotary cutters. I splurged and bought one.

The case is pretty cool but for the price, is should be. They retail for about $70.

The other side of the cutter. I must admit that they are very comfortable to hold in in your hand

but there is a lip on the bottom of the cutter that takes some getting used to. And I noticed

today,that my blade is becoming dull. I am a little disappointed with this fact because I

thought it would last a little longer. I do use  my rotary cutter daily though, so there is a

lot of wear and tear.

McKenna Ryan designed this piece of fabric and I had to have it. Love, love. love the colors.

My son is graduating high school tomorrow and I wanted to make a quilt for him for

university.He really liked one of my customers’ quilt (pictured below) so again, I

splurged and bought the same. It is called “Composition” by Moda. Have I ever

told you that I love Moda fabric? It took a long time to find it online, as this line

is sold out almost everywhere. I did find some though, a fat quarter bundle and

a jelly roll. Have you ever had that feeling that you didn’t want to cut into new

fabric? Well, I had it with this fabric but I bit the bullet and cut anyways.

Laura’s Quilt

Laura made this quilt for a young man heading off to university in the fall. My son loved the

fabrics that depict math, writing, music and geography all in its compositional stages. Now,

all I have to do is make the quilt by the end of August. It doesn’t look too complicated though.

Laura picked a grey polyester thread for the top and backing. Boxes were quilted all over

the top due to its modern feel.

A Baby Quilt

You have got to love this adorable giraffe. I quilted around the giraffe and then decided to create

a home for him/her on the savannah. I quilted in a tree, on the right hand side and some hills,

on the left hand side. Clouds, sun and some tall grass completed the top.

Here is the back of the baby quilt. Minky was used for the backing. I always get nervous with

minky because it is so stretchy on the frame. Be careful of which way the stretch goes when

working with minky. And make sure you buy extra, due to the stretch.

The backing

I used a grey polyester thread for the top and the backing. Minky is incredibly soft and cuddly so

I understand why we love it so much, just be careful.

Dorothy’s BAby Quilt

Dorothy was exercising her creative muscles once again when she made this cute baby

quilt. The elephant looks so happy that I had to quilt in some lines depicting him spraying

hearts all over the place. I also stitched in some butterflies to fill up space and some more

grass under and all around him.

Hearts being sprayed all over the place.

The grass under the elephant and all around him. Flannel reallys shows off the quilting

nicely.

Grandson’s Quilt

I can’t remember who made this quilt but she made it for her grandson. Strips were sewn

together but in different color ways. Waves were quilted all over the quilt and the thread

color varied depending on what color I was working on. In the darker strips, I used a darker

blue thread and on the lighter fabrics, I used a lighter thread color.

Here is a close up of the waves all over the quilt top.

I hope you enjoyed my shopping excursion and all the baby quilts. Have a great

week and check out the Canadian site called “The Needle and Thread Network.”

 

More quilts…

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Here are some more completed quilts for customers.

Lori Rose made this colorful quilt. It really has the feel of a modern quilt,

to me, even though it has alot of piecing.

One of the black middle blocks that surrounded the middle of the quilt top.

Lori Rose chose a light purple So Fine  #50 weight thread which we used

for the top and the backing.

An overall quilting design was used for the stitching design. It really shows up

on the back of the quilt nicely.

The backing

This is what the back of the quilt looked like. The purple thread shows up nicely

on the backing.

You can see the quilting motif nicely on the backing. Lori Rose liked the finished

product and that is all that matters.

Anna made this flannel lap quilt and she wanted a Fall theme quilting

motif on the quilt. She chose Oak Leaves and Acorns but unfortunately

I forgot to take a shot of the whole finished quilt.

The fall colors on the flannel are gorgeous!  These colors are amongst

one of some of my favorite colors.

Here is the back of the quilt. A golden orange polyester thread was used for

the top and the backing of the quilt.

Anna made this cute quilt for her daughter, who is a math teacher.She wanted

to make some math equations on the quilt top and then added bright colored

sunglasses to finish off the quilt.

Sunglasses border

I really love the sunglasses in the border. I am sure that her daughter will love this

quilt. We  used a white polyester thread for the top and backing.

The backing of the  quilt. “Flirtatious” is the name of the overall design used on

the quilt top.

Check out The Needle and Thread Network too. Have a great week.

 

It’s Busy….

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It is Quilt Market time once again and I am working for Northcott, trying to get

some of their sample quilts completed. They have  created a new division called Figo, which

covers modern quilts. I met several of the young ladies running this division and I was really

impressed with how excited they are to be creating modern quilt designs and how warm

and friendly they were.

I will have some pictures for you next week.

Here are a few quilts that I finished a few weeks ago.

Jeanette’s Quilt

Jeanette made this huge quilt as a  part of a mystery project at Country Concessions, which is

a local quilt shop. This store holds alot of fabric and is very popular with quilters from all

over Ontario. Check it out if you get a chance.

 

The colors were very interesting, almost like a blue purple or periwinkle. “Splat” was the

name of the overall design stitched onto the quilt.

I am not quite sure why I keep taking pictures of the same blocks. Maybe deep down inside

I love this Dresden Plate alot. A white polyester Omni thread was used for the top and the

backing.

The backing is  the same color as the top but it is flannel. Makes me want to snuggle up

in the quilt already.

Flannel does a great job of showing off the texture and quilting pattern.

Baby Quilt

My Church is holding a Silent Auction and I wanted to make several baby quilts to

add to  the Auction. I bought this panel at Missouri Star Company. I liked the pink color and

thought the panel  would be appropriate for a baby girl. Digitally printed panels are sure

making strides in the quilting arena now.

I had fun stitching around all those hearts. Looking at the pattern now reminds me of a box

of chocolates, I must be hungry.

The corners looked lonely and empty so I added a hug and kiss to fill up that space. I used a

So Fine #50 thread for the top and the backing.

The backing

I love the look of the backing too.

More hearts

The fabric I used for the backing had been purchased over 13 years ago. I now have only

scraps left. It feels good to use up fabric that I have had for a long time. Then I can

buy some new fabric.

2nd Baby Quilt

I also wanted to make a baby quilt for a boy.Originally the blocks were to be used as a fabric

book but I thought the blocks would make a great baby quilt. I cut up the blocks, added some

sashing and borders and viola, a baby quilt.

A firetruck

The blocks are really adorable and I used some of the pictures on the blocks for my quilting

motifs. If you are looking for ideas for quilting something, take a look at the fabrics being used.

They may give you a hint of what to quilt or use.

A cute doggy

In the vertical sashing, I stitched in fire hydrants. I really like them alot.

Outer border

In the top and bottom borders, fire trucks were added. Again, the motifs came from the printed

fabric blocks.

The outside verticals borders were given some ladders. They were roughly stitched in but you

can tell what it is.

And the middle sashing received shovels to help all those firemen  to put out fires. I used a grey

polyester thread for the top and backing as well. I also stitched around all the motifs in each

block. It takes more time but makes all the pictures more crisp.

The backing

The backing fabric was picked up at Lens Mills and fits the firemen theme perfectly. And it was

on sale. How could I pass that up?

 

Here’s a close up of the fabric on the back.

Have a great week and check out The Needle and Thread Network.

An Ice Storm…

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Here is Southern Ontario, we had an ice storm that barrelled through this

weekend. It was a great time to stay inside and quilt. I hope that you had

better luck with that than I did.

Lynn created this beauty using Kaffe Fassett fabrics. It is very whimsical and the

fabrics are very stimulating. She has been waiting a while to get it back but it is

all done now.

 A Water Fountain

Pebbles was the filler for all the background areas. I thought that they would quilt up

quickly but they didn’t. The borders alone took 3-4 hours each. If you are quilting in

pebbles, take your time. You will get there, one pebble at a time. I must admit that I do

love the look and texture that pebbles or circles make.

Tulip Block

All the blocks and applique on this quilt are quite large so I quilted in some of the

large areas so that they wouldn’t puff up too much. I used a monofilament thread  for

all the SID work and a Bottom Line in the bobbin.

In the sashing area, I outlined the blocks. They are not very large so that is all that this

area needed.

More Floral Blocks

Sorry about the brightness of this photo. Again, you can see the pebbles and the

texture it creates.

The backing fabric is bright and bold; goes well with the whimsical theme of the quilt. I tried to

use a pink thread on the back but you really can’t see what I used due to the print on the fabric.

Prints are great for the backings, especially if you are new to quilting and struggling with tension

issues.

A close up of the backing fabric.

Once again, I thought that you would like to see the whole quilt in all its glory.

I am glad that is is done and that Lynn is happy with the quilting.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

Have a great week.

I forgot the title….

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Here are some quilts that were done before the New Year.

Dara’s Quilt

Dara made this colorful quilt using charm packs. It is so good to be  able to use

those charm packs that we buy but just sit there. It looks very modern to me.

A white polyester thread was used for the top of the quilt while a medium blue polyester

thread was used on the back of the quilt. Spiral Rings is the name of the pattern stitched all

over the quilt top.

The backing

The backing is very vibrant and colorful. You can see how different it looks when you

are close to it. Alot of fun.

Kaffe Fassett fabric

Dale made the following quilt below. She really amazes me as she is such a quick quilter.

I really love the fabric and colors of this quilt. Dale wanted it custom quilted but the

pattern had me stumped for a while.

Dale’s Quilt

I stitched around all the diamond shapes with a monofilament thread. All that stitching

helps to stabilize the quilt while also making all those diamonds so crisp and detailed.

I know alot of longarmers don’t like the ditch stitching but it is so necessary for outlining

blocks and motifs.

In the diamond shapes, I outlined the flowers in that area. Why fight with the  print when

it is so beautiful?

In the star blocks, I outlines the stars and stitched around the diamond, 1/4 inch from the edge

of the block.

In the white sashing area. I stitched a 1/4  line on the outside edges and then a straight line

down the middle of the sashing. I also stitched the same star shape in the white areas. Looking

back now, I am not sure I would do that again. I think that I would use a different motif

as there are too many stars for my liking.

The backing fabric is gorgeous! I usually don’t like peach as a color but this fabric

is beautiful.

A close up of the backing material with all the stitching completed. I love the graphic

look of this fabric as well. What do you think?

Have a great week and linking up the The Needle and Thread Network.

 

Now I Know My ABC’S…

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This past weekend was spent in Quebec City with some old friends. I laugh

when I say those words because I do not feel “old.”

Quebec City

We had a great time of eating, talking, walking (25 km in 2 days), and just sight seeing.

If you  ever have the chance to visit, I suggest you do it. Lots to see, lots of history, and lots to eat.

Several years ago, I bought an ABC panel from Lens Mills. As usual, I cut it up and sewed it back

together. I  wanted to make a twin size quilt so the panel wasn’t big enough so I had to

figure out how to enlarge it.

ABC Quilt

All the pictures were cut with a Scan and Cut machine. Then I wanted to add borders

to make it bigger. For several weeks, I wrestled with how to create the borders. Eventually,

the ABC song rang in my head so I thought I would add that. Large solid cream borders

were added to match the cream on the  panels. Then I cut the words out using the Scan and

Cut machine once again.

Inside panel

I stitched around the letters with a red polyester thread. If you look closely at the quilt,

it seems really stiff. It is. The fabric was really thin so I added a layer of stabilizer to make it

more durable but it does make it stiff. I am sure that washing will help to soften it up.

The stitching plan was to make each picture a bit more interesting  by adding some

fun details to them. For instance, the whale received some waves and water to frolic in while

the zebra got some trees and sun to bask in. It was alot of fun deciding what to stitch in each

block.

The outside border received lots of bubbles due to so many straight lines in the rest of the

quilt. I also outlined the letters so that they stood out a little more.

The backing of the quilt. I ran out of fabric so I improvised by adding another piece of white

fabric to the backing.

The backing

I also picked up this backing fabric from Lens Mills. It has boys and girls playing on it while there

 

are letters all over it as well.

More of the backing.

The backing

The quilt is twin size so it is a bit large. Alot of fun to complete and onto the next project,

my carrots. I am determined to complete them so that I can start a new project. Maybe I

will show you what it is next week. Have a great  week.

Linking up the The Needle and Thread Network.

A Short Post…

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This is going to be a short post.  Not many pictures to show you but the

quilts each have their own story to tell.

Dara made this for a friend. I really like the pattern and the stripe

through the center of the quilt.

I used a white polyester thread for the top.

An overall design was stitched onto the top.

The green backing fabric is very pretty .

I used a light green polyester thread for the backing.

Linda made this huge quilt. It is interesting because the white section is

made up of white eyelet fabric. This is the first quilt I have seen that uses

eyelet fabric in it.

I knew that the holes in the eyelet would probably lead to some bearding in the

future so I recommended placing white fabric under the quilt top and over the

batting. Problem solved.

In the previous picture, I stitched in  circular feathers in the light blue section.

Linda likes feathers so it was an easy choice. Whenever I am deciding upon design

choices, I used the same designs but repeat them in different sections of the quilt.

For instance, I used feathers, squiggly  lines, and straight lines  on this quilt.

A circular feather  design in the light blue areas but a feathers in a straight line

in the border of the quilt. Same idea-feathers but stitched in a different way.

In the eyelet section, I followed the design of the eyelet. It does lead to an interesting pattern.

The outer borders got feathers too. Remember, you have got to keep changing up the

combinations of how you use designs. The result is a more interesting quilt-visually.

In the star in the middle of the quilt, more feathers and squiggly  lines.

The center of the quilt. I used different thread colors too. Light blue, dark

blue, and white. All of them were polyester threads as well.

Ah,the back of the quilt. It tells its own story as well and is a nice change from the

front of the quilt. Linda didn’t mind having white thread on the back of her quilt.

This is what the eyelet pattern looks like on the back of the quilt.

Feathers create such texture and such a classy feeling. No wonder

they are such a traditional design that is timeless.

The whole back of the quilt. I love the texture of it when it was all done.

So did Linda. Check out the Needle and Thread Network.

I have no title….

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Here are some more quilts that were completed before Christmas. Hope

you enjoy the show.

A huge quilt

Look at all the piecing! Wow! This quilt was also huge!

This is a close up of one of the blocks in the quilt. The overall quilting design comprised

of leaves.

Look at all the Flying Geese in the border area. Again, all the time it took to create

this beauty.

Another shot of the completed quilt. I used a bright orange polyester thread

for the top and the backing of the quilt.

Here is the back of the quilt. I love the deep orange color.

You can see the leaves on the back of the quilt.

Dara’s Quilt

Dara created this Canadian quilt;  there were alot of these Canadiana quilts this

past year. Kind of makes me regret that I didn’t  make one myself.

It was easy  to choose a design:  Maple Leaves. What could be more Canadian than that?

The backing shows off the Maple Leaves beautifully.

Close up

This quilt below was made  by a very generous person. I quilted it up for a charity.

Another Canadian Quilt

Instead of Maple Leaves, I quilted in straight lines all over the top. I used a cream

polyester thread for the top and the backing.

The backing fabric kind of looks like candy canes, to me anyways. Why does fabric

seem to remind us quilters of food?

Too bad the fabric doesn’t smell like candy canes.

Charity Quilt

This is another quilt that was made by people all over Canada. The completed blocks

were sent into Quilt Canada and the tops were then put together. I quilted straight lines

all over this one too. It was quicker  and I could manage to get it done on time.

A close up of the block. I really like all the colors in this quilt top.

The backing is flannel and the colors match the top perfectly.

Anne purchased this panel and was planning on giving it to someone special.

I stitched in the star lines because I noticed them after staring at the panel for

an hour or so.

The Tree

I outlined the panel and added in some extra stitching.

The border

I quilted in swirls in the green border; a lot of the stitching wouldn’t be

seen anyways so it was a good choice.

The backing is a really fun fabric;  shimmering metallic snowflakes.

A close up of the metallic snowflakes fabric.

Another large coverlet also found its way onto my frame. I outlined the shapes on

the fabric.

The hardest part about quilting this fabric, is deciding what motifs to stitch around.

You have to make sure that the stitching is even and you have to find a

continuous line; you also have to make sure to stop and start really well so that

the stitches don’t come out later on.

The motifs are embroidered onto the fabric;  I try to stitch around them as close as

I can. You would laugh at how fast I can stitch. Sometimes, I have to mentally tell

myself to slow down.

The back of the coverlet; it usually is a thin cotton or polyester fabric. The batting

inside is always a polyester so it puffs up somewhat when it is all done.

Anne’s Quilt

Anne also brought me this panel. I really like it, so vibrant with that black door.

Again, I outlined stitched around the whole panel. The door really stood out when

it was all done.

Some of the Poinsettas on the panel. Even the flowers stood out a little as well. It was

a really fun panel to work  on.

The backing

The back of the panel shows off the stitching nicely. I used a monofilament thread to

go around all the flowers and the door. I used a black polyester thread to fill in the door and

a white polyester thread for the backing.

Hope you enjoyed the show. Check out The Needle and Thread Network.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas to you…

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Before I get into this blog post, I want to wish everyone a “Merry Christmas!”

Have a great relaxing Christmas and don’t eat too much turkey or chocolate.

Connie’s Quilt

This is Connie’s beautiful quilt;  it is very modern and lots of empty wide open spaces

for quilting and texture. Connie designed it by herself and did a great job.

Angela Walters is a favorite quilter of Connie’s so that gave me some ideas and areas to

look into. I love it when my customers tell me what they like and don’t like;  this helps

me to know how to make sure they like the finished product.

I used a monofilament thread to do all the stitching around the blocks;  I used a

light white So Fine thread for the back of the quilt.

In the honeycomb area, I simply stitched the shape in straight lines, on

both sides. The texture is amazing. The 9 Patch area was just stitched around. I did

stitch in a straight line in the grey area framing the 9 Patch though.

In this picture, I followed the print in the aqua blue  print and straight lines

were added.

This is the center of the quilt so I added  more detail to draw the eye somewhat.

I did a elongated loop in the grey area inside the block. In order to make the design

a continuous line, I angled the design in the corners but in retrospect, I would not

have done that now. I really don’t like the look of it.

In the grey open area, I made some loops to add some interest to the area and

to break up the space.

The two houses were stitched in the same thread color as the fabric and I merely

followed the lines in the print. Why fight with it? Connie must have liked the fabric

so it is easy to quilt in that area.

The back of the quilt shows off the quilting but because it is a print, it is a little harder

to see but it is there.

More fantastic texture. The quilt does look better in person than in pictures.

This is the block in the middle of the quilt.

More lovely texture and straight line quilting.

Well, I hope that you enjoyed this beautiful Christmas

quilt. Connie picked up her quilt yesterday and loved it. That makes

me happy and gives me an early Christmas gift.

Please check out The Needle and Thread Network.

Happy Skiers and Snowmobilers….

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In my small corner of the world, we have snow. It fell quietly last night and

amounted to about 4-5 inches. The skiers and snowmobilers are going to be

very happy from here on in. As for me, it makes me happy too because I

can stay indoors and sew and quilt all day long. There is now no temptation

to go outside. What about you? Do you like the snow?

This quilt was quilted in the early fall so I don’t remember who created it.

The yellow really plays nicely with the black and grey colors.

This block stood out to me, not quite sure why but I do like the

transparency of the inner block inside the yellow.

I also found the 4 patch and white block interesting as well.

“Flirtatous” is the name of the overall design stitched onto the

top. I used a light cream color for the top of the quilt and a

black polyester thread for the back of the quilt. Beware of

tension issues when using a light colored thread on the top of

your quilt and a dark colored thread on the backing.

The backing

As you can see by the photo above, the backing almost looks grey but in the

photo below, it is actually black.

Again, I can’t remember who created this quilt. I do like the piecing, very effective

visually. So much so, that I pieced together a baby quilt using the same pattern.

A close up of the blocks; I was pleasantly surprised how quickly these blocks

go together. Mind you, mine didn’t have so many pieces in the individual

blocks.

“Swirl” is the name of the design quilted onto the top. I used  a grey

polyester thread for the top and the backing.

The backing has gorgeous fabric on it and I think it reminds me of Lynn.

A close up of the backing.

 

Jeanette or Anne made this quilt from a panel. What a great idea to add

blocks to enlarge the panel. And it adds to the theme and color of the panel

as well. Quilters can be so creative. This is one aspect of my job that I love;

seeing how others come up with their own designs.

A close up of the blocks and fabric used for the quilt.

The backing

This backing isn’t cotton but a thin polyester fabric. It worked well on the frame

and didn’t give me any trouble at all. Feel free to use other fabrics than cotton

on the back of your quilts. Just remember to consider how stretchy the fabric

may be before you purchase it.

Leaves were stitched all over the quilt and a light blue So Fine Thread was used

for the top and the backing.

Lynn made this quilt as a result of a BOM at her local Guild. I love the colors and

Lynn went bold in her choice of thread color-teal.

An overall swirl was quilted and one of her lucky grandkids will be

getting this baby.

Hope you get out and enjoy the snow, if you have any in your corner

of the world.

Check out The Needle and Thread Network.