Olde Town Quiltery

Island girl now...

2011-09-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

After yet another long hiatus from my blog I have decided it's time to reconnect with you all and catch you up on all that's been going on...quiltie and otherwise.

Last December I moved from Airdrie, Alberta to a mountainside in East Sooke on Vancouver Island in British Columbia...Canada. I am once again back in my birth province and I couldn't be happier about it. I've been referred to as somewhat of a gypsy, always on the go, never really laying down roots. Growing up as a child, we never lived for more than a couple of years in one place. Not only moving houses but moving from city/town to town and even moving across provinces. There is something exciting about moving, choosing a new home, setting it up, making new friends and starting over fresh with everything, but believe me there is no shortage of stress involved in adapting to a new place. In my adult life I have moved 19 times in the last 19 years. Wow...somehow that sounds worse than it's actually been. Regardless, I'm approaching 40 at a rapid pace and it's about time I started setting down some roots, and for the first time in my life I have never felt more at home and that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I have called the prairies home for most of my life but I have lived on the East coast of Canada and now the West coast and I can honestly say that there is no other place like this gem of an island. I am perched on the mountainside surrounded by towering trees, overlooking the ocean and the Olympic mountains of the United States, in this little part of Canada's rain forest that I didn't even know existed until now. I am in awe every time I take in the view, or the smells and sounds of the ocean...I could just pinch myself I am so lucky. The forest lined winding roads that I was somewhat fearful of at the start, are so picturesque and now seem almost meditative and are so soothing to my soul. I am always up for a drive and any excuse to get out and explore this beautiful island.

Here is the little bridge at Roche Cove that is on my drive home.

It took a few months, but my quilting studio is up and running and I absolutely love the new space! Located in what was the attached over sized two car garage, it boasts high ceilings, 2 huge windows, a hand crafted pine loft and my very own xbox media center!! Can I get a 'hell yeah'?! lol. I've been busy quilting for my clients from Alberta and I'm lucky enough to have already gained a few new clients on the island. In July I was selected to participate as a guest in the Stinking Fish Studio Tour and was pleasantly surprised to see 240 people through my studio over the 10 day tour. What a great experience that was to meet my neighbours, fellow artists, and hopefully what will become new quilting friendships. Looking forward to next year's tour and all the quilts and things I have planned to make for it.

I still have the heritage theme that I love so much going on in my studio, but I'm not sure now that my olde name fits with my new island surroundings. Hmmmm...what to change it to??

Next post...all about quilts!!!

Cheers!

It's been a while...

2010-07-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

Even with the constant nattering from a few of my quilty peeps (not naming any names...Sandra and Shuna) and of course my mother, I've managed to completely ignore my blog for the past 6 months. My apologies to those followers who got tired of waiting for a post. A lot can happen in 6 months!! I think by now, I've pretty much settled into the role of single mother yet again to my two boys...who are now 14 and almost 12. Between hockey, bmx, guitar and all their other needs, I am finding the rest of my time is spent in my studio quilting away. Well, and of course finding the time to inject a bit of fun into my life for which I have decided I CANNOT live without. That, and the company of great friends!! I have such an amazing group of friends who are so diverse and add a great deal to my life.

As for work...my studio has been a buzz with oodles of quilts to quilt, summer classes being planned and hopefully I will find the time to work on a few projects of my own. At the end of April, as a Representative for APQS, I teamed up with two other reps, Linda Lang and Matt Sparrow for Quilt Canada 2010. This year it was held in Calgary and we were fortunate to have a double booth to show off three longarm quilting machines.

Matt, Linda and myself talked with hundreds of quilters that week and shared our passion for longarm quilting and APQS machines! Matt and I have teamed up again for the Creative Stitches shows in both Calgary and Edmonton this fall. If you've ever thought about owning a longarm, don't miss this opportunity to come out and test drive a Lenni! You'll be amazed! I'll post more details closer to the date.

Thirties...

2010-01-05T23:39:00.001-08:00

One of my clients pieced this lap quilt out of thirties fabrics for her grandmother. Such a precious gift! Her preference was to have no quilting in the stars and to fill up all the white space with a motif. After a bit of trial and error on my part, a square shaped feathered wreath with a leafy addition was the final design of choice.

Photo Quilt...

2009-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

Above is a pic of the custom photo quilt I'm just finishing up for a client. I normally don't make quilts to order, unless it's a quilt shop sample but since it was my sister's neighbor who asked...why not. She plans on giving it as a Christmas gift for her mother-in-law. There are 24 photos in all and measures 56x76. I just have to find time to quilt it now.

I have been so busy in my studio lately I have lost touch with my blog. I must find time to post again, I have sooo many pictures to share!!!

Strip Search...

2009-09-29T15:06:00.000-07:00

I started this quilt in June for my sister's 40th birthday...and then summer got in the way and it got shelved. Well, this past weekend I decided to dig it out and get it done. I've got a pile of ufo's that are in dire need of some attention...perhaps finishing this one will motivate me to get busy with the others. I used a Jelly Roll of Autumn Journey by Kansas Troubles that I had hanging around, some border fabric from my stash and the pattern Strip Search.

I finished piecing the top on Saturday.... Quilted it on Sunday, using a copper colored thread and the panto Falling Leaves II.

I purchased this panto a number of months ago and have been avoiding it as I knew I would need a bit of practice time on this one before I would put it on a customer quilt. The panto is beautiful with all the different leaves but the back tracking on all the veins is such a pain...looks like I'll need another practice quilt before I'll offer it to clients.

And then I bound it on Monday. With the help of the pups of course. They sure love quilts...as soon as they get sight of one they follow me around and just have to lay on it to test it out. Yay!!! Project complete!! Happy B-day Sis!!

Copper...

2009-09-28T12:17:00.000-07:00

What a sad little boy. Copper had a sore spot on his belly that he wouldn't stop licking so after a quick trip to the vet, she sent him home with a cone. Oh, he was so dissapointed and at first wouldn't move an inch with it on. Poor little guy.

Timberline quilted...

2009-09-23T09:25:00.001-07:00

After being a flimsy for over 8 months, I finally quilted my Timberline. I ditched around the star sections and quilted a longarm feather in the cream sections with another feather on the outside border. I really wanted to quilt heirloom feathers as they are my favorite but with the cream sections being so small and without quilting anything in the dark logs it would have been way over quilted. I needed an airy feather so this worked well.

It will be awhile before I can get it hung in my home as it is now on display at Freckles Quilt Shop where I will be teaching this advanced class in October.

Here is Jasper...he just had to pose for one shot!

And here is Copper...

Giftie...

2009-09-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

During one of my camping trips this summer, I came across this pattern booklet for making the cutest wee blocks and using them as quilt art. There are quite a few patterns to choose from, all making up mini 1.5 inch blocks. They are traditionally pieced...NOT paperpieced!!!

For a little giftie for my quiltie friend, I found an old frame and selected a few of my favorite blocks, dug through my itty bitty scraps of reproduction fabric and whipped this up for her. As you can tell by the pic, she just loved it!!! Afterall, it was she who gave me the stack of reproduction scraps to make my previous 9 patch mini quilt. Thanks Heather!!

Mini's...

2009-09-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

My love for mini quilts goes way back, when I was introduced to paperpiecing and found it so easy to make the perfect little quilts with perfect little points. Somewhere along the way, I got tired of paperpiecing and stopped making the little guys. That is until this past winter when I joined the Jo's Little Women club at the local quilt shop. With my new found LOVE for reproduction fabrics and precision piecing this club was perfect for me. These quilts are made using traditional piecing methods....not paperpiecing. Here are a couple of projects that I managed to get done.

The above quilt measures 21x29 inches and would make such a cute little doll quilt. I'm not normally a cheddar fan and had to do some convincing in order to purchase it but just love how it pops out the 4 patches. Sorry my pic is so slanty...

This little guy is my ALL TIME favorite mini quilt. It actually came from last years club but I couldn't resist it's charm and HAD to make it as soon as I saw it. Thanks to my dear friend Heather who came rushing over with her scrap bins to help me find the perfect fabrics. This 9 patch on point mini quilt measures 12x12 inches and each finished nine patch block measures 1.5 inches!!!! Remember I said NOT paperpieced. I found it hard at first to manage the itty bitty pieces but soon got the hang of it. I still have to quilt these guys but couldn't resist showing them off now. When this one is completed it is going to live on my lazy suzan on the middle of my dining room table!! I'll show ya later...

It's time...

2009-09-06T13:50:00.006-07:00

So you know it's time to update your blog, when your quilty friend says...UPDATE YOUR BLOG!! Ha ha!!! Sorry fellow bloggers, I kinda let my summer run away on me. Tons of camping and quilting! However, it is now....'the most wonderful time of the year'....and the boys have gone back to school and I can actually hear myself think...Woohoo!! I have been keeping busy at the longarm and of course have started a bunch of new projects that I can't wait to share with you!

Today I had my two nieces, aged 4 & 6 over for the day. I was supposed to be at the longarm all day as I am on a tight deadline but I played hookie instead and sewed with the gals. The wee one, Hayley and I made a mini doll quilt. We sorted through my big basket of flannel scraps and came up with a little postage stamp center surrounded by a bunch of borders. She was so cute, everytime we added a border strip she would say..."ooo, it's getting bigger"... with a huge sweet smile.

Shelby and I decided to make this adorable little bag, perfect for a little girl. I rooted through my zillions of charm squares and found that the latest one added to my collection from a dear friend was absolutely perfect for the job! (I have one more pkg left and I think I know the perfect little girl for that one..hehe). Anywho, Shelby was busy sorting through all the charms and picking out her favorites and laying them out into two patterns...one for the outer side of the bag and one for the lining. This bag took exactly 40 squares and is reversible.

Aunty loves you girls!!!

Blog it!

2009-06-17T13:38:00.004-07:00

Miss Millie and I had the pleasure of having my dear friend Linda (sorry I don't remember how to link you) and her husband for the day. We thought we'd have scads of time to visit, but as luck would have it Miss Millie wasn't just off her rocker, she needed her brain examined too!!! I say luck...but luck for me was really having Linda and her handy dandy husband (who happens to know a great deal about APQS maintenance) take charge and whip her into shape. I can't wait to get a quilt loaded and take her for a real spin!

While in the studio Linda was drawn to my cutting table accessory rack and told me I had to blog it! I thought that was funny cause I've had that thing for YEARS and have moved it from house to house, and it is always the first thing hung up in my studio and has kept my gadgets up and off my cutting table for forever. I've always been one for organization, especially in my studio! This little dealy is from Ikea in the kitchen department. When I bought this one it was the only style to choose from but now they have a few different options for rods and hooks and even have little bins that can hang off of it too. I think I should pick up another one with bins to hang behind my cutting table for my millions of bobbins that don't seem to have a home....or maybe get the one that has the shelf attached for more display space....hmmm. Ikea is a dangerous place for those who like to organize!!! Even my sewing table and the cutting table in the picture is from Ikea. I love it because you can customize a table to suit your needs. I chose a glass top for the cutting table so that it can double as a light table for tracing!!! Ahhh yaaa!!! And the saw horse type legs with the built in shelf are awesome too...I am able to make the table whatever height I want for cutting and my scrap baskets fit perfectly on the shelves underneath for quick scrap organization!

Simplicity...

2009-06-09T22:18:00.004-07:00

Back in the fall during my trip to Arizona, I picked up a bunch of Simplicity fabric to make a quilt for one of my oldest friends 6 year old daughter. I chose this line of fabric as her favorite color is pink! And as it turned out, before I showed her the fabric she shared with me the paint chips of the colors they had planned for her room makeover. EXACT same colors!!! I selected the courthouse step block and alternated the setting. I had just enough of the outer border fabric to make a 10 inch border, which I really think the quilt needed as the print is so pretty. The photo makes the blocks look very washed out but they aren't that light in person. I quilted it with a darker rose So Fine and used the Wandering Daisies panto which is such a sweet girly pattern with all the daisies and hearts. It covers her queen bed nicely and I'm told it is her favorite part of her room.

Civil War Love Letters...

2009-06-04T22:36:00.004-07:00

What some might think as an absolute nightmare....quilting a civil war quilt....I was actually quite inspired by it. I was never one for tons of paper piecing, loved the results, but hated not being able to cut exact pieces for the blocks! I'm not a willy nilly kind of quilter and I hate wasting fabric so I've sort of stuck to my traditional ways of piecing and have found myself modifying new patterns to get the most out of my fabric. Anywho...when my new dear friend came into my life with this absolutely stunning masterpiece I didn't know what hit me! I had seen another version of the Love Letters quilt made up and honestly didn't give it much thought, except that it was lovely, huge and WAY too much work for me. It wasn't until I began quilting this one for my new client that I absolutely fell in love with this entire concept. Instead of fretting over the million itty bitty seams in every itty bitty block, I found myself admiring each and every block, the fabric, the history and the dedication my client gave to this jewel of a quilt....and the quilt just pulled me in. Every time I advanced the quilt, it was like unveiling a new treasure. I adore how she sashed the blocks in tiny strips of mismatched fabrics, I am convinced that it is this setting that makes me love it so much. Somehow, in the weeks that passed, I committed to making the latest Civil War quilt....Civil War Diaries!!! I will post on my progress soon....there is progress!

I couldn't resist snapping a picture with the quilt as it hung in the Heritage Park Festival of Quilts show this past weekend. My only regret is that my new friend isn't standing right there beside me. Congratulations 'D' on your work of art, it was an absolute honor to quilt it for you!

Festival of Quilts

2009-05-31T19:38:00.009-07:00

I attended the Heritage Park Festival of Quilts today in Calgary and it was an absolutely beautiful show. The most perfect setting for a quilt show with such a historic backdrop for the many quilts on display. I truly enjoyed the company of a dear quilting friend as we wandered through all the old buildings enjoying their history, each one unique and properly placed along the streets. Hundreds of quilts were placed inside and outside the homes and businesses, on front porches, fences, in the yards and along the tree lines. We took the entire day to appreciate each and every quilt for the time and skill it took to create such beautiful works of art, and I must say 'thank you quilters' for putting your quilts on display, it is because of you that the quilt show is such a huge success!! See you next year!

Meet the boys...

2009-03-29T18:23:00.002-07:00

The pups have adjusted marvelously and have such amazing little personalities!! It's hard not to cater to their every whim. Especially when they look at you with those loving little eyes! I'm trying so hard not to spoil them rotten!
Above is Jasper...look at that face!!! He has this most adorable chipmunk look to him, how can you not just melt! He weighs an ounce more than his brother and his fur is so bushy and has a slight curl to it.

Here is Copper! The littlest out of the litter and full of spunk that's for sure! He has such a spring in his step it is absolutely adorable.

Pups...

2009-03-27T08:13:00.003-07:00

Is this not one of the cutest puppies you have ever seen???? DH has allergies and so my boys have been without pets...as my oldest would say...FOR 13 YEARS!! As it turns out, after a little research, we found out that he's not allergic to Yorkies! Pure luck would have him working in the same community of the breeder we found on the same week they are ready to go home! It didn't make sense for me to drive there as well, so he took the responsibility of going and picking out a puppy. "A" Puppy. He went and he saw and before long we were not only getting one puppy....we were getting two puppies!! This is the pic he sent me of one of the boys we are getting. YAY!! He is so adorable!!! I can't wait to see them both, they come home today!!

Class Samples...

2009-03-11T08:50:00.004-07:00

Two more class samples done and ready to be hung up at the quilt shop. This spring term I will be teaching four different classes at my LQS. Three classes using the square in a square ruler.
Level 1 - Beginner is the Constellation wall hanging, pattern comes with the ruler.
Level 2 - Intermediate is the Pineapple Diamond wall hanging, pictured above. Pattern from the Advancing on II Square in a Square book.

This quilt can easily be made into a lap quilt with the addition of a few more blocks.

I'm not so sure about the stripe fabric I was given to work with, I should have picked something else as I find it too distracting. I LOVE the outer border fabric though, I will have to pick some up for myself I think.

And Level 3 - Advanced is the Crimson Stars wall hanging. This wall hanging only measures 30"x30" with 6" blocks!!! The pattern, from the Advancing on II book, also has a 10" block option so that is good for those who want to make a bigger quilt or that do not want to fiddle with the wee square in a square blocks. Very striking quilt though I must say.

So there you have it, now you know what's been happening in my studio as of late.

My stitches come out this afternoon so I'll be at the longarm for the rest of the week trying to get caught up.

Retail Therapy...

2009-03-05T14:19:00.005-08:00

I picked up a couple fat quarter bundles from my LQS. The larger bundle is all Buggy Barn fabrics and the smaller bundle is called Zen II. I fell in love with the purple and sage in this line. Not sure what I am going to make with them so until then they will live in my fabric hutch. I would like to go back and get some more yardage of Zen II for potential borders before it's all gone...don't think this line will stick around very long.

I absolutely fell in love with this winter wall hanging by Crabapple Hill called Over the River and Through the Woods from the moment I saw it. I finally bit the bullet and ordered it online and can not wait to start it! With all the hand embroidery I have selected this quilt to be my summer project. We just purchased a new RV and plan to camp most of the summer as a family. So while the boys are off exploring, I plan to plug away at the beautiful embroidered scenes in this quilt.

Okay now for this beauty!!! My DH gave me a gift certificate to my LQS for Valentine's Day this year. Perfect gift I have to say...nothing says I love you more than FABRIC!!!! After careful consideration....(okay...it was more like a big sweeping grab)...I picked a kit for The Queen and Her Court quilt. I can't even describe how adorable this fabric is. The mix of cream, pink, green and brown are simply striking, not to mention the block arrangement with the dancing applique flower vine! I am forcing myself to put this one away while I complete my other BOM's I have on the go and then completely focus on this one and give it the undivided attention it deserves.

So there you have it. I've been shopping a lot more than usual, falling victim to a little retail therapy. Not being able to sew after having surgery on my right hand has been more than difficult. But think of all the fun I will have once I'm healed and have full function of my hands. Shouldn't be long now, I will have my stitches out in a week and should be right back at it.

Stuffs...

2009-02-18T19:12:00.002-08:00

I headed out to a shop in the city and picked up a few yards of fabric and a new bag pattern...The Shopper. I can't wait to make this awesome bag! It's huge and will be so great to carry all those big items. I also picked up a little valentine wall hanging and my saturday block for the month.

Who knew??

2009-02-16T21:09:00.004-08:00

Who knew you could quilt a quilt on the longarm using muslin instead of batting!!! As per my clients very adamant request, I reluctantly tried it and without too much difficulty I managed to quilt the beast. I say beast because this quilt was made out of flannel, top and bottom and was 116in square and weighed a darn ton. I had to get DH to come down to the studio and help me fold it when I'd finished. I can't imagine what it would have weighed had I quilted it with batting instead. For the quilting, I did a freehand loose meander all over and outlined each appliqued heart with a squiggly line. I hope the client likes it and appreciates how much I fretted over her quilt. I'm hoping this was the first and the last time for a muslin middle as it was difficult to try to work in any fullness with no batting to soak it up in.

KLUNK!!!!!!!

2009-02-16T15:25:00.003-08:00

My very first broken needle!! I couldn't believe the sound that it made when it broke! I nearly shot through the roof, I was so scared! :O I was quilting a customer quilt, flannel pieced and some of the seams intersections were all pressed to one side and there was a mountain of fabric under there. I'm actually surprised now that I think about it that I didn't break more than one needle on that quilt. First things first, I checked the quilt and as my luck would have it...no hole, I then went over my baby (Miss Millie), put in a new needle and checked all her parts and to my surprise she was good also!!! I was able to continue quilting, and get it completed for my deadline...phew!!!

Foundation by the Yard...part 2

2009-02-03T14:06:00.007-08:00

Alright so here's the scoop... The quilt in the previous post is made using "Foundation by the Yard". Same idea as "Foundation Piecing" or "Paper Piecing" except the foundation by the yard is printed on a heavy muslin fabric and is left in the quilt instead of torn off like the paper versions.

The panel is cut up into the individual blocks and borders, which are sewn using the same techniques as foundation piecing. Sounds great...right???

Hmmm...not so much!! Why, you might ask??? Well, the best way I can describe it is to compare it with a printed panel. Great idea if you leave the panel and quilt it as is but try and cut the panel apart and sew together using your own design and you soon find out that the panel fabric is not square nor printed square. That's enough to drive a quilter crazy!

So after you get all your blocks pieced and your border strips pieced and go to put it together, you soon find out that each block is not perfectly square, and to set it together with another one, the printed lines don't match up. You can't even square up the blocks on your own as some are made completely wonky and you'll cut off or sew off your points. I tell you this thing drove me nuts and if I hadn't been commissioned by the LQS to make it, I would have pitched this thing in the garbage long ago! So, if your thinking Foundation by the Yard sounds like a great idea....DON'T DO IT!!!!!

Foundation by the Yard...

2009-01-31T20:05:00.003-08:00

I finished this quilt about two weeks ago and just haven't had time to blog about it! Busy with hockey, hockey and more hockey! I will be back soon to tell you more about this quilt...there is a story!

2009 Challenge

2009-01-03T18:58:00.005-08:00

At the beginning of January I decided to join the many quilters taking the 2009 Challenge completing one project a month. That's 12 finished quilts in the next 12 months!!! I can do it! And the crazy part is it won't cost me a thing as I have more than enough projects waiting for my undivided attention. If your interested pop on over to May Britt's Blog at http://abyquilt.blogspot.com/ and join the wave!!! Thanks for the challenge ladies...I can't wait to get quilting!! (I couldn't get the link to work properly so if anyone can help me...)

Timberline Complete!!!

2008-12-21T11:15:00.008-08:00

Now this quilt defines the meaning, labor of love!! It was so worth it...the quilt is absolutely stunning in person. At first I thought who in their right mind would want to make this one into a queen...it would take ages! Well, this is why, it's gorgeous!! I made the wall hanging which measures 48"x48". Now how about that border...told you it was a show stopper.

The pattern was very well written and it is meant to test and challenge your perfect scant 1/4" seam. I was super surprised when I only had to trim wee slivers off of my blocks and even when I got all my blocks sewn together and layed out my borders...they fit like a glove!!! Even with all those seams!

Now not every seam lined up to perfection, but after the amount of time I spent unsewing sections of this quilt it was time to let a few slip by. Now I know, tisk..tisk, I still have lots of room for improvement! :)

Did I mention seams!!!!! Look at them all!!! I can't believe I'm actually showing you the backside of my quilt top...I feel like there should be horror music playing in the background!!! hahahaha!!! Well, I hope you enjoyed this journey with me, and if your thinking about trying one of Judy Martin's patterns...just do it, you'll love the results!! My biggest tip would be to make a practice block before you begin, you will learn how to perfect your scant 1/4" seam before you begin and you will be glad you did!

Workshop Bag...

2008-12-09T11:15:00.002-08:00

I started this bag last spring and have finally got around to finishing it or at least almost finishing it! I still have to put the handles on but couldn't wait to post it. This bag is the perfect size for taking all of your supplies including your 17x23" cutting matt, all your rulers and fixins that you need for your workshop. Just throw it over your shoulder and go...

Timberline update...

2008-12-03T10:09:00.004-08:00

As promised, here is a bit of an update on the Timberline Log Cabin wall hanging that I have been working on. All 36 center blocks are complete and trimmed. I quickly set them up on the table but I can see now from the picture that I need to do a bit of a switch a roo to get them looking right. Won't be too long now until she is complete and I can get the border on...and what a stunning border it is!!! Just you wait and see...

I shopped...

2008-11-28T13:12:00.005-08:00

and shopped...

and then I shopped some more...

I took a few days this past week and flew down to Arizona to visit my parents who have been snowbirds in Yuma for the past 3 years. Just as winter is starting to settle in around here it was nice to get away and enjoy the 80 degree weather. And as luck would have it, it was so nice in Alberta while I was gone that all our snow was nearly gone when I got back... :) I did a lot of relaxing and a little bit of touring around and a whole bunch of fabric shopping! About 25 yards to be exact....eeeks! Oh, but I have plans to use each and every bit of it....I do, I really do! :) See the top picture is some border fabric that I picked up to use with some of my Kansas Troubles charm squares and jelly rolls. The second pick, is a bunch of Williams Inn by Nancy Halvorsen to go with some of the line I already have in my stash for a king size quilt for myself. The third pick is some Moda border fabric for those pesky shangri-la charms and jelly rolls I have hanging around. And the last picture was such a nice find...I was extremely late to jump on the bandwaggan for Moda's Simplicity line and only having one piece in my stash I was so lucky to find these pinks and greens which I have planned to make the most darling quilt for my dearest friends daughter, who happens to LOVE pink!!! See, it all has a purpose and I was completely justified in purchasing every last yard of it! And to top it all off, it was 25% off!!! Going through Canadian Customs was kinda funny though....Ma'm what kind of goods are you bringing back with you? Ahh, just shoes and fabric! Yup, that's all! Oh ya, I caught a massive shoe sale and ended up squeezing 5 pairs in my luggage. Now justifying the shoes is another story all together...

Organized...

2008-11-18T19:56:00.002-08:00

The book for the class suggested to store all the cut pieces in a cutlery tray. Not finding one that I felt suited the job I went digging through my boxes for my threads. I had been using this thin tackle box for my smaller metallic thread spools and with the removeable slats it made a perfect storage solution to keep me organized. Not to mention the lid with snap closures was great for transporting to and from class.

Advanced Class...

2008-11-06T12:09:00.003-08:00

Even though my studio isn't finished yet and we are behind schedule I've managed to get on with my life and GET OUT of the house!! I joined an advanced class at the local quilt shop and Monday night was the first class. The quilt is called Timberline Log Cabin from Judy Martin's Log Cabin Quilt Book. I am going to make a wall quilt with the above fabrics that I picked up at the local shop...of course I didn't want to use anything I had...I wanted something new! :) The wall quilt consists of 36 log cabin's with a set in seam and a gorgeous pieced border, there is also a queen option but honestly I'm not ready to take on 196 blocks and as it stands for the wall I'm already cutting 17 fat qtrs into 1070 pieces. :O Right now I'm half way through the cutting and about to start on the inside 7 pieces of the log cabin, I need to be done all 36 centers by Monday's class. eeeks, I better get movin. It feels GREAT to be quilting again!!!

Diamond in the Rough

2008-10-09T08:37:00.008-07:00

Here is another stunning customer quilt that I custom quilted
before I moved. I ditched all the star sections and did a loose stipple

throughout the light blue background, I also did a feather motif
in the corner sections and did a

freehand starswirl in the outside

borders. This was my frist time

with stitch in the ditch on the

longarm and I'm not so proud of

the way it turned out, I will

definately think twice before

accepting another stitch in
the ditch again. Not until I can

get some good practice on my

own quilts first that is. Overall

I think it turned out quite nice,

it's a beautiful quilt.

Winner!

2008-10-06T11:05:00.004-07:00

Just before I moved I was the lucky winner of this wool kit from Crazy for Primitive Quilts and Gardens . Isn't it gorgeous!!! I'm so excited to start on it, I have never worked with wool before and the colors that were chosen for the kit are my favorite! Check out the little quilted card, isn't it darling! :) Thank you so much for drawing my name and sending it all the way to me, I will be sure to post a pic of it when completed. Actually the day I took this photo, I had planned to start it right away and the very next day we received word of our move. So back in the bag it went and it's packed away with my other kits awaiting the new studio. Oh, by the way, construction begins this weekend!!!!

Moved!!

2008-09-27T15:37:00.002-07:00

Hello Hello!! Okay, for those who have thought I dropped off the face of the earth and don't care about quilting anymore...not to worry...I just moved! A move that wasn't planned very far in advance, it actually all happened within a few weeks, and a move that transported us a couple of provinces over. Another move for the man in my life, yup DH and his work. So, I'm an Albertan again! I had to leave my lovely studio, my quilt guild ladies, my new customers and friends... :( My studio now remains in boxes and Miss Millie is in pieces...a lot of pieces! Construction begins in a couple of weeks to build me my space and I should be up and running and quilting up a storm by November...(crossing fingers). It's been hard not to sew at all lately and I've even thought about setting up shop in my walk in closet....umm, ya, it's that big. So, if I can find enough supplies without disturbing the mound of boxes too much I may get my sewing table set up, and at least get working on some ufo's, like I don't have enough calling my name. After sizing up the boxes marked "kits", I'm feeling as though I should have followed my dear friends advice and marked those boxes "linen closet, upper shelf". The longer they stay unpacked the more likely they are to be found by DH...hmmm. Well, I'll sign off for today but I do have a few pics that I will post soon of some quilts that I finished in an absolute panic before I left and unfortunately not all booked in were completed :(

Custom...

2008-07-24T07:56:00.005-07:00

Pictured above is my second try at custom quilting for a client. Yup, I fretted over this one too. I wasn't as stressed over this one but I sure learned a valuable lesson on which way to load a quilt. PLAN FIRST, then load! As you can see this is a prime example for loading lengthwise...how much time I would have saved. Oh well, lesson learned. This fun quilt was first seen by my customer in a magazine and after hunting down the fabric all the way down in the states, she made it for her daughter as a gift. For the quilting I chose a ribbon motif for the orange circles, reverse loop meander in the white background and white border, a wave type pattern for the pink borders/sashings, a ribbon vine for the rectangles and a ribbon and loop design for the outside border. I used white, orange and pink cucurini thread for the top and pink cucurini for the backing. I used Pam Clarke's ribbon motif for the circles with the laser and the rest of the quilting I did freehand with just a visual beside me. So there you have it, second custom done!

Flames...

2008-07-16T13:08:00.004-07:00

My first official custom quilt! Now go easy on me okay. My new favorite saying is ... I can only get better! At first my client wanted all the star sections ditched and a flame pattern in the background and other blocks in a blue thread, oh and seperate borders. No problem ... right? Right before I got it out to quilt she popped in to say she wanted the flames to go right over the yellow border and out onto the outer border as well, okay no problem. Once I got it out and ready to quilt, the blue thread just didn't really do much for the quilt and would have looked terrible streaking across the yellow border. After a quick dive through my tickle trunk of thread I found a Rainbow called Salsa, bright red, orange and yellow ... where did that come from? Must have been in my little free pack of thread from APQS. Hmmm ... could it be more perfect? After a quick call to my client to make sure it was okay to plaster her quilt with a Rainbow, I jumped right in. Wow, custom quilting for a customer is scary! I had such anxiety over this one and made so many mistakes ... what was that again ... OH ... I can only get better! Right. Anyway, once it was done I called her right away and she came right down, which was good cause I wouldn't have lasted another day not knowing if she liked it or not. And she did, she loved it! Phew!!!

Hazel...

2008-07-16T12:40:00.004-07:00

Customer baby quilt from Nancy Halvorsen's Winsome Baby book. Love the pattern. After searching everywhere for the Winsome fabric line I finally found it last Christmas in Yuma Arizona while on vacation. I brought a whole bunch back and made a quilt for my great-nephew Aron in January. Made it up and delivered it so fast that I didn't have time to take a picture. It was in the smokey blues and celery greens, lovely. Above is a customer quilt made for Hazel that I quilted up with a reverse loop meander with the odd daisy, heart and star thrown in. Love the colors she chose, such a cute quilt!

Winner!

2008-07-16T12:36:00.004-07:00

The bargello quilt below that I quilted for a customer, won the Peoples Choice Ribbon at our local quilt show this past weekend. As it should, it's beautiful! It must have taken her forever to piece that quilt, and she even chose all the fabrics herself! CONGRATS! You deserve it!

Bargello Beauty!!

2008-07-05T09:45:00.005-07:00

Pretty in Pink! This ever so pretty Bargello is a customer quilt that I quilted using the Cassaundra's Rose pattern with Pink Cuc thread top and bottom. No wonder I ran out of pink thread! :0) This was my first attempt at quilting a bargello and my very first time using super puffy poly batting. The batting stressed me out a bit, I was so worried about sewing puckers into the quilt...I have no idea how this turned out so beautifully. I let my customer know that if her daughter doesn't like it, I will personnally purchase it from her. How do we keep ourselves from getting so attached to these quilts that are in our lives for such a brief time. I love them all!

Here is a pic of the back of the quilt, it was a pretty pink batik.

I actually have a king size bargello kit at home made up in, you guessed it, earth tones. Hmmm, I will have to get at that sometime this year!

Kansas Troubles...

2008-07-03T08:34:00.004-07:00

I've always been drawn to the Kansas Troubles line of fabric, there's something so cozy about it. For obvious reasons I ordered in Jelly Rolls and Charm Packs of the Autumn Journey line on my first fabric order. I've since brought in the new Cranberry Wishes line in Jelly Rolls and Layer Cakes...that line is so deep and rich, I can't wait to make something for myself out of it!

Above is a customer quilt, she used a new pattern from Kansas Troubles using the Autumn Journey line of fabric. I quilted it using the pattern Ground Cover by Golden Threads and as this was my first time using it, I didn't quite anticipate it to be the workout that it was. :0) So well worth the trouble though, this quilt came alive after I took it off the frame. The copper thread we chose looks fantastic and just pulls all the fabrics together. Love this quilt! I just might make one for myself! Ha ha, famous last words!

Cracked Pots

2008-07-02T12:19:00.010-07:00

This gorgeous quilt was made by a new customer of mine. She did such a beautiful job on all the piecing, it was a treat to quilt!

I used the pattern Paisley Playtime by Lorien with a King Tut Variegated thread.

One down, about a bazillion to go...lol

Bears...

2008-06-27T11:17:00.003-07:00

I made this flannel quilt for a friend to give as a gift. I cut up the bear panel and made nine patches to go along with the bear blocks to make a quick quilt. I quilted it using the pattern Popcorn small and King Tut thread. I love flannel baby quilts!

Turning Twenty

2008-06-20T08:25:00.009-07:00

It's definitely that time of year! Above is another customer quilt, made for a graduation gift. I wish I received a quilt for graduation...all I got was luggage...think they were trying to tell me something??? Ha Ha!!! I quilted this one using the pattern Fascination by Lorien, which is such a nice pattern and I used lime Cucurini thread and it looks FAB!

Jupiter's Burning

2008-06-18T15:04:00.003-07:00

A dear friend of mine made this massive quilt as a graduation gift and I had the pleasure of quilting it for her. The pattern is called Jupiters Burning from the July/August issue of Quiltmaker magazine. I love her choice of color, it looks so striking in person. What a beautiful gift!

Sleeps Six...

2008-06-12T22:32:00.002-07:00

I am a huge fan of Pine Needles quilts and have finally started my In Full Bloom kit that I purchased last summer. With the help of my niece, we started on the sleeps six block, thought we'd start small. My niece does beautiful drawings and wants to learn to quilt during her week long visit with me, so we looked through my projects in waiting and picked an art quilt. I put her to work straight away with tracing and in no time flat she had all the images traced out. I put them to fabric and a few short hours later we had our first block. I will stash it away for now in wait for thread painting and a little embellishment.

Trees Up...

2008-06-04T11:33:00.004-07:00

This flannel quilt is a customer quilt that I had the pleasure of quilting for her. It's one of those stack and slash patterns I think it's called Trees Up. I used King Tut Thread on the top with So Fine on the bottom. Pattern is Bright and Breezy by Lorien.

I'm a busy bee at the studio lately, I now have 16 quilts needing my attention. There aren't enough hours in the day!

Snapshots

2008-05-19T12:18:00.003-07:00

Over the long weekend I finished up this lap quilt, a birthday gift for my dearest friend. Now I just have to find the time to quilt it! Still not sure what pattern or thread I'm going to use...hmm. I was a bit scared of all the bright fabrics while putting together the blocks, but now that it's all put together and I think the chocolate border really finishes it off...I LOVE IT! Not to mention every color in this quilt is an accent color in her front room...it couldn't be more perfect!

Okay so now, if you've read my previous posts...this obviously means that I slipped up and made another quilt before I finished the last one. I know, I know! I'm still working on the applique border, so it hasn't really been put away so to speak and I couldn't help it...these bright colors were calling me, and besides it's for a birthday, that's got to count for something!!! :0)

Progress Report....

2008-04-27T08:02:00.003-07:00

I'M DONE!! Well, the center section anyway....now on to the borders and the applique. I'm getting excited to be able to start something new, being grounded to one project has been quite challenging but the results speak volumes, it's actually working. UFOs beware!

And the winner is......

2008-04-21T20:30:00.002-07:00

Congratulations to Rose Marie from over at Applique 'n Patch Quilting, winner of my very first draw for CHARM SQUARES! Thank you to all who entered. I have enjoyed visiting all the new blogs, well new to me that is. Keep stopping by and don't forget to leave a little note once in awhile.

What I'm working On...

2008-04-14T20:45:00.005-07:00

I purchased this quilt kit last year at this time to make for my in-laws. It has since taken up refuge on my cutting table and instead of putting it away yet again, I'm refusing to do anything else until this quilt is DONE! Of course this quilt is a big queen size! The middle of the quilt consists of 14 rows of 12 blocks in each row, with a few small borders and a large applique border. I have 9 rows completed so far and man, was that a lot of work, only 5 more to go...rows that is!

Free Draw!!!

2008-04-12T15:13:00.003-07:00

I haven't posted in 10 days...it's been a busy 10 days let me tell you! So, I'm back with something fun! My first draw! Comment on this post to be entered to win FREE CHARM SQUARES!!!

Any Ideas???

2008-04-02T13:40:00.006-07:00

I'm looking for ideas to turn these 28 fat 1/4's into a quilt for my niece. I thought I'd send out the call to my new blogger friends and see what pattern ideas come back...I'm thinking maybe a turning 20?? HELP!

Hugs & Kisses

2008-03-31T17:16:00.003-07:00

Here is an older pic of a quilt that I made for my dear friend's first born, Katie. Made entirely from Nancy Halvorsen's Charms Flannel. I loved it so much that I made another one for a colleague and have cut out yet another one and have all the hearts and stars appliqued. I am just waiting for the right baby to give it to. There's nothing better than giving a baby quilt!

A little more snow...

2008-03-29T18:04:00.002-07:00

Heritage Quilt

2008-03-28T12:39:00.006-07:00

My local quilt guild, The Minnedosa Valley Piecemakers, made this Heritage Quilt for the yearly fundraising raffle. The quilt will be displayed in town until the winner is drawn at the Homecoming Celebrations this coming July.

I quilted it using the Rosie pattern, and now am thinking I should have taken a picture of the back of it as the pattern is just gorgeous!

Jelly Rolls!!!!

2008-03-27T11:31:00.004-07:00

NEW DELIVERY! Today I received the Dandelion Girl Jelly Rolls by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda. This line of fabric is so pretty, I think I might keep one for myself, oh, my stash of Jelly Rolls is growing quickly!

Big Block Quilt

2008-03-26T07:24:00.002-07:00

A customer quilt, made for her daughter. Made with super soft bright cottons, what little girl wouldn't want to curl up in this.

I quilted it using Wandering Daisies pattern with King Tut thread.

Great Find!!!

2008-03-25T09:01:00.002-07:00

During my recent quilting trip to the most beautiful valley in BC, I picked up these two cotton twigs...REAL COTTON...I had to have them for my studio. My new American friends in super warm climates may be thinking, "yeah, so what", but this is pretty spectacular for a small town Canadian!!!! I must thank my dear friend Linda for packing them ever so gingerly for me to carry them on the plane home. Oh, and thanks goes out to Val for insisting we stop at the greenhouse. Who knew I'd find such a treasure.

Crazy Rays

2008-03-19T21:16:00.004-07:00

I made this quilt last year for my niece, although she hasn't received it yet because it looks stunning hanging on the wall behind my desk at the shop. Lol. I modified the Crazy Rays Buggy Barn pattern and added 2 extra star sections and used bright bright flannels. She's going to love it...I just have to get it to her.

Giggles Flannel

2008-03-18T11:41:00.005-07:00

Look what's new ... Giggles Flannel Charm Squares and Jelly Rolls!!!! So soft and adorable, just in time for spring! The Jelly Rolls are separated for baby girl or baby boy ...

Strip Search

2008-03-11T13:06:00.006-07:00

One of my customers quilts that I had the pleasure of quilting! Pattern is Strip Search, made with Wildrose Jelly Rolls. She modified the pattern by adding sashing and borders and it turned out lovely. I quilted it with King Tut #983 using the Drifting Leaves pattern by Darlene Epp.

Mexican Stars

2008-03-09T16:40:00.004-07:00

Take a look at the Mexican Stars wall hanging that I made yesterday at the Guild Workshop with instructor Shirley Kelly. It still needs to be quilted but I couldn't wait to post it!

Trees

2008-03-05T20:24:00.001-08:00

My first official customer quilt! I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

Quilted using Happy Times by Lorien Designs and King Tut Thread.

Rail Fence

2008-03-05T19:37:00.000-08:00

I made this flannel baby quilt a while back and have finally quilted it. This one is so soft and snuggly.

Quilted using Wandering Daisies by Jodi Beamish and King Tut Thread.

The Shop!!!

2008-03-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the shop!! We opened this past January and are already busy with customer quilts. And I thought I'd be able to get all my UFOs quilted before they started rolling in...nope, not just yet. :) Actually, I still have a lot of piecing work to do on most of them. But hey, there's plenty of time in 2008 to complete them! In the shop you will find a small selection of Charm Squares, Jelly Rolls, Fat 1/4 Bundles, Layer Cakes, Kits, Patterns, Quilters Dream Batting, Superior Thread and LOTS of inpsiration!!

Olde Town Quiltery is located in the building of the oldest independent weekly newspaper in the Canadian West, The Minnedosa Tribune, established in 1883!! Minnedosa, also established in 1883 is a quaint community nestled in the valley with our very own lake. 125 years young!!