Clearing the Decks.....

I'm busy, never a dull moment. I'm trying to finish up a couple of tops and clear the decks a bit so that I can start on a 'I have to do it right now project'! I like to have my surfaces cleared up a bit to start on new projects it kind of clears the mind....
That in it's self is always a bit funny...this is when you get enticed to start new projects that you were definitely not planning...I will confess that one next time too. I am being good though and finishing up some stuff but will show those next time...

This is a fabulous quilt from a very lovely Lady, Maria, red, black and white (French General) fabrics, with a red fleece backing...very cuddly. As Maria was a little indisposed 'we' chose Trellis Hearts panto, with red thread, it turned out really nice.

Next, we have a lovely stars quilt in tans, rusts and blues in lovely traditional fabrics. My customer chose Surf by Anne Bright, we used Metro thread in Khaki Sand....a very versatile coloured thread it mixes so well with many fabrics. I believe this panto is going to be a firm favourite.

And so I have already started a big wholecloth, here is a sneak peak....

I spent today doing very micro, micro fill.....at least 8 hours worth ......now my hands hurt!

Dragonfly Party 2 AKA The Colorado Quilt.....

So, it's time for the big reveal of Lynette's Dragonfly Party 2. This is a special quilt to Lynette, it's one of two twin quilts, I'm sure in due course that Lynette will explain the sentimental value of this pair of quilts to you herself.

I felt honoured that Lynette would think to send this quilt top from Colorado to Scotland for me to quilt it for her. I hope I have done the quilt justice and that the quilting comes up to Lynette's expectations.

The twin of this quilt has been quilted in the USA by Judi Madsen AKA 'The Green Fairy' ..... so I have a lot to live up to in that respect!

This top has been patiently waiting in line since January, it arrived like this....

All freemotion hand guided and ruler work quilted on my APQS Millennium longarm quilting machine.

First off I have to say it was a pleasure to quilt such a beautifully pieced quilt....just look at those 1/4 inch sashings, they were perfect and I felt duty bound to keep them that way so stitched in the ditch either side with Superior Monolon Thread..sorry not shown in the photo but definitely used....I chose trilobal polyester threads from Filtec Glide, Metro and Isacord to match the fabrics on the top of the quilt with a golden yellow for the background and a creamy So Fine in the bobbin on all of the backing fabric.

I used a variety of rulers, I've no affiliation to any one company I use what I like and what is suitable for the job in hand, it's important to find rulers that fit in your hand comfortably when there is as much ruler work as in this quilt. I used Deloa's Castle ruler for the straight lines, Renae's 12" arc for the curves in the large blocks, A curved ruler from Accents in Design for the continuous curves in the pieced blocks and 2 circle rulers to draw guides for the feathered wreaths....I used a purple marker to place dots where necessary as guides for the quilting designs.

But come on in and see it for yourself....

Lynette requested a double batting of wool over cotton which always gives great definition to the quilting.... so lets just carry on with a few photos of the quilt shown on a twin bed...

My Favourite block

Looks wonderful in this room....there's just one problem, Lynette wants me to send it back?????

The Backing Singers....

Before Festival of Quilts in Birmingham this year, I made up a quick quilt in the 'modern quilt' style, with minimal piecing made up all from left over backing fabrics with the intention of quilting it as a demo quilt on the APQS stand at quilt FoQ. As it happened we had lots of quilts, some are still waiting to be quilted but this one is now finished....I quilted swirls and Egyptian key type blocks as a nod to Angela Walters. Using a navy Metro thread top and bobbin so it matched the top fabric but contrasted against the backing fabric. I gave a little bit of definition to the pieced blocks with some of my favorite straight line quilting.

The 'Backing Singers' is a throw size quilt and would be a great Guy quilt or a throw for  a modern style home.

Still 'Swooning'.....

 

Remember this, it's my 'Swooning' quilt, well, it's now quilted and I sent it off to Festival of Quilts in a box!
That was more than two weeks ago now, it's a bit like sending your kids off to school for the first time releasing your quilts into the wild, I just hope that after being stuck in a box for a couple of weeks that it hangs well at the show, I'd be happy with that!

I thought you'd like to see some in progress photos so here you go, first on my Millie....

I used a ruler for the stitch in the ditch and straight line fill, drew out a template to get the placement of the spine in more or less the same position within the blocks, then all feathers and curved fills are freemotion, handguided.

Here it's being blocked, layered first onto a  sheet, then pinned into the carpet and sprayed to really soak it..... stand back and watch the magic happen when everything pulls together and lies flat.....hopefully? 
You can also do this by soaking your quilt in a bathtub too then laying out and pinning down. You would definitely want to soak in the bath tub if you had used a blue marking pen, this time I didn't so it wasn't totally necessary.

Still pinned down and drying off... I used a contrasting dark gold thread and double batting of Hobbs 80/20 and Quilters Dream wool. 
This will be a quilt to be used, I wanted a quilt a bit like a bedspread that comes down to the floor on my Queen sized bed and it really does that finishing at 96"x 92".

Last step was adding the piping and binding, I already have a really good set up for that but it still pulls on your shoulders quite a bit?

I forgot to take a full shot of the quilt with the binding all finished.  
Well, that's not strictly true, by the time it was bound I was running late and it had to be boxed up in a hurry ready for the courier.  All being well, I'll get a good photo of it hanging in Birmingham, that's as long as it isn't all crumpled from being in storage with the logistics company???

Feathered Swirls....

I'm always trying to fit in time to make up a few sample quilts from simply pieced blocks to show how 'the quilting really makes the quilt'! 


This is a very simply pieced 'take 5' pattern with added borders, I used my much loved freemotion handguided 'feathered swirl' design and love how this turned into such a cute little quilt.

 I added the prairie points just to use up the fabric but love the added dimension they give to this little quilt.