My son thinks I'm amazing...

really, those were his exact words -- "Mom, you are amazing!" No, not because of my awesome parenting skills, not because I handed him money or car keys, but because he finally watched me quilt. No, he didn't stand next to me while at the Gammill, he sat at the computer and watched me quilt on my newly uploaded video. I thought it was grainy so I asked him to watch -- he told me I was amazing and he could not believe how accurate and precise I was. The entire time I'm laughing because he is in the house alot when I'm quilting, he has stood at the end of the machine and watched from afar. It wasn't until he saw the birds-eye-view that he realized I'm a really good machine quilter. Just had to share this!

Anyway, here is the video, it is on my YouTube channel KarMarchetti

A case of the uglies...

Last Friday it was a dark, dreary, rainy day so I decided to do some piecing to pass the time. I just needed to work on some simple, what I call "mindless piecing" -- kind of just straight seam stuff. I didn't want to think about precise cutting and measurements, I just wanted something super simple. I pulled out my handy-dandy Turning Twenty pattern (by Tricia Cribbs). My pattern no longer looks like that, it is turned inside out and laminated due to overuse. This is my go-to pattern because it is so easy and can be done in an afternoon -- cutting, piecing, and all, like I said, quick, easy, done! How much better can it get.

Awhile ago I had inherited a bunch of fat quarters. They were of the "uglies" variety. No, not ugly to look at, ugly to feel. They were mostly lower-quality fabrics, not the quilt shop quality that I prefer. They are what I refer to as "uglies". So I had 22 FQs in this bunch, I took out two of the ugly looking uglies (LOL) and started cutting away - this was at lunch time! I had all the blocks completed by dinner - and that included 9 million breaks for coffee, phone, dog walks, and even a little facebook too! I finished piecing the quilt top on Saturday morning. Here is a quick look at the uglies quilt...

Today I finished quilting the uglies quilt. Here is it in all of it's ugliness -

Tonight I'll look through my stash and find a suitable fabric for the binding. Then I think this quilt will go to charity through one of the two guilds - not sure which one yet.

Carol's Beauties...

Over the last week and a half I was working on two quilts for Carol. I don't know the pattern name (if any) for either one -- chime in if you do, if not I'll add it in the comments once I find out.

The first one was a beautiful Garden Sampler...

And here's the best view I could get of the entire quilt:

And then.... a flowery embroidered, fancy decorative stitch quilt!

Apparently Spring has Sprung -- even with all this unseasonably cold weather!!

Floral Fun

Here is yet another quilt belonging to Mary... wow, she has been a busy lady! I had a blast with this one... for those that know me well you know what this means... and for those that don't -- it means I quilted freehand feathers and in all over background fill -- FUN, FUN, FUN!!! One of my most favorite things to quilt -- no rules, no lines, loads of space! I could go on but here's the end result:

Gail's Quilt

Here is another amazingly-pieced quilt by Gail -- great use of color too. She really makes my job so much easier!

Gail's only instructions were "keep it simple" and "it's an everyday quilt". I understand the keep it simple part -- that translates into only do enough to make it look wonderful. I have a problem with the everyday quilt part. Yes, it is my own personal problem I know. To me an everyday quilt needs a lot of quilting. It is going to be used everyday, and washed a lot -- hopefully, ewe that was a bad visual. Anyway, one of my personal peeves... something that is going to be used everyday needs to be stitched well in order to hold up to the use and washing. BUT, there are many people that think only show quilts need super amounts of stitching. WRONG... show quilts need super amounts of "show" stitching. Everyday quilts needs super amounts of stitching... not super dense, just super quilted! I will explain all of this in further detail in a separate post -- oooohhh, I have just given myself homework! What fun.... NOT, but I really want you all to see what happens to quilts when there isn't enough quilting. I have everyday quilts and show quilts and there is a definite difference!!! My dogs would never sleep on my show quilts! LOL... until next time, Happy Quilting!!!

Dotties quilt... finally finished!

Now that the ribs have healed, the Christmas rush is done , the Show rush is done, and the Show itself are all complete; now my life can return to a somewhat normal state (now remember I did say somewhat normal) LOL!

Back to work... and first up was Dottie...

Such a cute quilt... with some very nice hand applique work! It'll be on its way home tomorrow, no mail today, sorry about that Dottie!

Susan's Summer Wine

Here is another Summer Wine Quilt (embroideries and quilt pattern by Jenny Haskins - http://www.jennyhaskins.com/). This beauty was done by Susan -- she really did a great job!

To see a full view of this quilt, you'll have to attend the PSL Crazy Quilters Show in February!

Sally's Log Cabin

Here is a quick look at Sally's log cabin quilt -- pretty big, 101x115!