Valerie's Applique

Valerie's beautiful applique quilt is done. This was a big feat because I managed to finish it between the lightning bolts! I don't quilt during thunder and lightning -- long story, but anyway, lightning and my machine are drawn to each other -- but I needed to finish this quilt and these rainy afternoons are the norm anymore. Well, it's done! Here are a couple of pics...

She really does some beautiful work!

Bolts Freed!!

I managed to free 11 bolts from the confinement of a quilt shop! Really, for those of you that don't already know the JaM Patch is having a "free the bolt" sale -- its great, finish the bolt and get 30% off. And I even bought some colors that weren't "ME"-- I always buy nature colors, greens, browns, tans, mostly earthtones... that is, unless its a sunset, but even then... a sunset is nature so I can't be wrong, right? But today I bought some of those colors that you wouldn't expect me to buy... like pale icy lavender (so NOT me), pale? Whats that?, thats almost white in my world. A bright red (but its is so nice), a bubble gum pink, and a few others. Anyway, they will be residing in my stash for now. So far they're getting along well with the others.... until the next quilt, then the bickering begins!

Website Neglect

Can you believe that I have neglected my own website! Ahh, I've been so busy with the blog and working on PSL Crazy Quilters website that I haven't updated my own gallery in a VERY long time! So, I have spent this entire morning (its just after 9am now) updating my website. There are some repeats from the blog, but some other stuff that I'm sure you haven't seen -- check it out when you get a minute.

Okay, off to the JaM Patch momentarily... gotta free some of those bolts!!!

Happy Almost Friday...

Sorry no pics this post. I'm working on a piece of fabric (I guess) -- it is part of a very expensive bedspread from a highly respected department store. BUT... (there's always a but) the woman than owns it used it for a very short while and MOST of the stitching came out. She then ripped out the remaining stitching, threw away the "crap" batting that it was filled with, and tossed the so-called muslin backing. She then brought it to me to "fix". Apparently I am a FIXER of quilts. I'm not sure I wanted to be known for this, but for some uncanny reason people come to me for quilt repairs. I found out the hard way that this was a wonderful talent I possessed! Although this job is more of a redo than an actual repair. Needless to say, I had to use a very, very, high loft poly batting -- one that I normally only use for trapunto -- because of the original piecing of the bedspread and the batt they had used, it has a kinda curvature on the sides and bottom when you lay it flat -- really more like a Puff-a-ture, if you can picture it. Once you add that superloft poly it behaves quite well!

"Spice Market" quilt is done...

Well almost, the binding is going on momentarily, and then it'll take a few nights to finish that, but it is, indeed, done being quilted.

Here's where I left off on Saturday -- I know only another 20 or so inches left, but after a trip to the JaM Patch and then lunch, my darling husband wanted to go shopping, what was a girl to do? But you do get a good look at that beautiful backing that Madeline brought me from Albuquerque a few years ago...

Here's the finished product, pretty nice if I do say so myself!

This pic is from outfront, it was soooooo windy, what you don't see are my husband and son holding the quilt from the bottom so it stops acting like a kite and attempting liftoff! Yes, I've cropped out all those feet and hands...

Okay, now back to work!

Ahh... Sunday!

A fabulous Father's Day, a wonderful Sunday, could you ask for anything more...

My Spice Market Quilt

Okay, it's all pieced & measures 103 x 86... I like quilts that are wider than long -- I don't need covers over my head but I do need covers to tug on! Awful picture, I know! After fishing last night I was productive and decided I was going to finish piecing this quilt (it was a late one for me). My original plan for this quilt was changed (what else is new), anyway, the geese were supposed to be sashed with the border print fabric and the large print was supposed to be the outer border. Notice I say "supposed", once I made some geese and put them down on the large print, the quilt was changed... I just loved how the geese looked next to the large print, so the border print fabric is only around the edges of the quilt, kinda looks lost because of the wide columns and geese, but it does its job. I just LOVE the large print and couldn't cut it anymore than I did.
It's going on the frame today - I think I'll be doing my freehand frenzy all over, either that or funky feathers everywhere, still not sure, but I want this quilted today! We'll see what happens, check back at the end of the day for an update, and hopefully finished pics, or at least almost finished!

Cherry Baskets

Here are pictures of Sally's Cherry Basket wallhanging - I had finished it yesterday afternoon, but ran out to do some fishing with the hubby so I didn't get around to posting it til now.

This was from a panel that she cut, framed out, and added pieced cherry baskets -- too cute! I just had to add some cherries to those baskets.


Oh and by the way, the fishing report -- 3 bass, 1 soft shell turtle (poor thing just wanted that live bait), and about 17 mosquitoes! I must admit, only the bass and turtle were released, poor mosquitoes just didn't have a chance!

AQS-Knoxville

Another of my customers was juried in to AQS Knoxville, how exciting! Sallie Townsend-Hughes, and her Wildflowers quilt, which I had the honor of quilting. Here's a picture of her quilt (done earlier this year) and my ribbon... wishing her the best during this great competition!



A note to Sallie -- Thank you for crediting the machine quilter. There are some people that don't do that, so when you have someone that does, it is greatly appreciated!

T-Shirts, Denim, and Karate Belts...

Wow, a T-shirt quilt with recycled jeans and karate belts -- how cool is that!

YBR... again!

Okay, two more Yellow Brick Roads... guess who? Yep, Peggy -

This one was made by a 6-year-old (I'm sure Peggy helped just a little)... its for his Dad for Father's Day... notice the signature -


Here's the other one -

Organized Chaos Quilt

Here's KayAnn's Organized Chaos quilt. She chose a different layout than the pattern, which is a 4x4 square layout, and I think she added some large fabric blocks too - either way it looks great!


Now, the rest of my afternoon will be spent piecing for myself! Yeah, don't get to do that too much during the week. Today I'll be working on the Spice Market fabric, only a gazillion more geese and I can put it together... lol!

PMS Quilt #2

Here is Mary's PMS (Patch Monthly Sampler - JaM Patch) Quilt... totally different look than Madelines - I just love that!




She really did a great job on this didn't she!

Great Sunday...

Just got out of the amazingly relaxing pool... and look what my awesome husband had for me --
Dolphin, dorado, mahi mahi, peanuts, whatever you like to call them... I like to call them dinner!

AQS - Knoxville

Yeah! Just got word from Madeline... "Simon's Folly" was juried into the 2009 AQS (American Quilters Society) Quilt Expo - Knoxville to be held July 22-25, 2009 at the Knoxville Convention Center!

I am so happy to be a part of this quilt. I'm also very proud of Madeline.

Check the AQS website for more info: http://www.americanquilter.com/

New Fabric...

See, my going to the JaM Patch to bring Madeline her quilt turned out to be really good -- look at the BEAUTIFUL fabric I found. It's part of the Spice Market line by Exclusively Quilters and it is absolutely gorgeous!

Madeline's Quilt is Done!

Poor Madeline left for the JaM Patch this morning thinking that her quilt was not done. Which, at that time, it wasn't! But, hot off the frame and on its way to meet her at the JaM Patch right before her PMS class... yes it was! I try, and sometimes it actually works.


Here it is -- told you it was bright -- the camera is much more cooperative today.

Just a thought on learning hand applique...

I should be quilting right now but it's still early and its going to be a long day. I've been thinking about one of Peggy's YBR quilts for the past few evenings, I had started a quilt with the very same leaf pattern that she used. It was originally intended for me to learn needle turn applique (and its been several years). Anyway, learned, conquered, and got better on a different project -- why I'm not sure, must be the ADD thing again...

Awhile ago, I pulled the original leaf blocks out of "holding" and looked at my beginning, middle, and end needle turn stitches, AHHH, end ones were great, but the beginning and middle of the learning curve were just bad - big, not so invisible stitches. I couldn't stand looking at my beginning stitches, where I used thick cotton thread (could you imagine) instead of the beautiful silk thread I now use. In the meantime, I re-stitched all the applique leaves with a machine stitch covering those pesky, ugly, nasty learning stitches -- learning hand applique is not always pretty -- and now I've got to finish this wonderful project, which by the way, someone has already got dibs on! Even though I really, really wanted it for myself -- isn't that always the way!

Here's a peek at the applique blocks waiting (there's like 33 more & please don't mind the wrinkles)...

Madeline's PMS Quilt... the beginning

Here's a peek at Madeline's PMS (Patch Monthly Sampler/JaM Patch) Quilt. Its only the beginning because I'm on the first thread color. I'm still not sure what the next color will be, but as you all know, the quilt will tell me what it wants. I just love when they do that!





The coloring of these pics is a little off (not sure why), must be from the lighting? The fabric is very, very bright!! Must've made the camera color shy!

Anyway, I can't wait to finish this quilt and then to finish the other 2 that I have for other customers. It always amazes me to see how different the same quilt is just with a change of fabrics and quilting style. Once they're all done, I'll post pics of the three next to each other so that you can see.

Cute border...

Here's a cute border I was working on. Its from a SunBonnet Sue quilt done with applique and redwork...