The Actual Quilting

I love the whole process of quilting from picking or designing a pattern to choosing fabric, assembling the top and quilting.  Okay, so sewing down the binding isn't part of the thrill.  By then I'm ready to be finished and work on something else.

There was a time when I hand quilted everything.  It took forever, but it was an incredibly cool look and there's a peacefulness to it.  Then I had children and reality set in.  Quilting time was precious (as it continues to be) and I learned to drop the feed dogs, attach a foot that wasn't actually made for the machine and quilt some straight lines.  I'm not sure why I thought straight lines would be easy or even doable. Some of those early machine quilted projects were not all I'd hoped for.  (This last would be a huge understatement.)  Then I learned to stipple  While I don't do stippling much these days, it's a great way to learn to relax and get the rhythm of machine quilting.   The long and short of it is wavy lines are easier to quilt.  

Two sewing machines later, I'm in love with machine quilting. The first machine I quilted with was from 1985 and it really wasn't meant to quilt. The next machine was designed for quilters and it worked much better. Sewing machine manufacturers have heard the cries of the legions of quilters who wanted better quilting and more room to maneuver.  My  newest machine quilts smoothly and has more room for excess quilt and makes me feel SO much more talented. (Thanks, Mom.)  

I spent a bunch of last week quilting "Lemonade Stand."  Lots of it is leaves.  Leaves are probably the easiest thing to quilt.  They don't have to look alike, they come in a variety of shapes and if one is a little goofy, I just assume the aphids got it.

 Along with the leaves "Lemonade Stand" called for some lemons.  So the border has lemon slices.

 And of course, some lemonade.

Drawing with a sewing machine is actually a lot easier than it seems.  What it mostly takes is practice.  Start with a simple drawing or get some ideas from machine quilting books. Perfection is overrated and not the point; stitching your impressions of leaves or lemons or space aliens is what makes your quilt special.

Quilting "Lemonade Stand" reminded me of my last hand-quilted project, "Citrus Salad." The look is simple and stylized.d

Actually, this one is an orange, but you get the drift. 




If you aren't as confident in your quilting skills as you'd like to be, use smaller thread in a color that blends. Often I go blendy anyway if the quilt top is fairly busy to begin with.  (If blendy isn't a real word, it should be.).  The point is to attach top, batting and back in a way that pleases you.  It's a big part of what makes a quilt your own personal work of art. 

"Citrus Salad" is available on the pattern page of our website, www.mobquilts.com.  "Lemonade Stand" is coming soon. 

Quilt with passion!

Getting Away From It All

Last week I left studio and quilts behind because I needed to be here

seeing this:

I was privileged to watch 29 dedicated young military officers receive their wings and officially become pilots.  How completely cool was that!  If this doesn't make your heart beat a little faster, nothing will. Congratulations to all; your loved ones and country are proud.

After 4 days of Texas heat and some barbeque wings that were SO delicious, I'm back in the cool and leafy Northwest, which could be just a tad warmer, but that's another whole story.  The neat news is that I can look at my studio and projects in a whole new light.


This one, which my rack maker-sweetheart seems to really like, is almost finished.

It's called Lemonade Stand and I like it as a summer quilt because each block has only four pieces, it goes together in a hurry, and the colors are bright as summery.  It's currently only held up by the fact that I ran out of the variegated thread I was using for the top and have to get another spool.  The pattern should be up on the website for sale in a couple of weeks. 

At this point, I'd like to put in a plug for the marvelous group called Quilts of Valor.  Their mission is to cover all service members and veterans with Wartime Quilts.  They always need our help and it's something the quilt community can do for our servicemen and women.

 

I made this one for them a couple of years ago and have another top finished.  There's something about doing these that is so totally worth the effort.
For more information, go to http://www.qovf.org.

This post has been a bit random, but here's the thing.  When we step out of the studio and into the garden or the city or anywhere we don't often go, it creates a spark of creativity and a new enthusiasm for our art.  Everything about my current projects and the ones in my head is brighter and more focused.  I'm re-energized to leap right in.

By the way, today is Flag Day.  Happy Birthday, Judy.

Mother 

Quilts of Summer

When summer finally comes to the Northwest, I always think I'm going to have all this time to sit on the deck, sipping iced tea, enjoying the flowers and vegetables I've planted and planning some new quilt projects.  I don't know why I ever think this because summer is never like that idyllic fantasy.  The flowers and veggies do not plant themselves, weed themselves or pick and deadhead themselves.  How selfish of them.  I won't even get into all the things that the dogs don't do for themselves. 

In addition to all of the above, sunshine gives me energy and makes me want to quilt.  The thing is, I hate to waste too much sun being inside.  The obvious summertime answer is smaller quilts or simpler quilts.  Let's start with smaller quilts.

When I say small, I mean postcards.  These quick projects can be sent through the mail (to someone who really deserves it and will appreciate it), collected, traded or displayed. 
The one above is especially quick and easy.  I did it in about an hour.  The design is fused and edge stitched.  The top is mounted on Timtex, quilted and the "postcard" back is added.  The edges can be bound or satin stitched. 

The sunflowers had more pieces and took a bit longer, but seriously, it was an easy project.  Details were quilted in, which because the whole piece is only 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches, was not a big drama.  My big goal for summer: peaceful and drama free.  I'll let you know if that ever happens. 

These two postcards and one more that's a beach scene will be available as a pattern on the website in a few days. 

Next time:  Lemonade Stand - the easy summer quilt.

I've resisted (mostly) the temptation to whine about our cool and rainy spring.  In truth, although it can be dreary here in winter and spring, we don't generally have much severe weather.  Given the fact that big chunks of the south and midwest have had bouts of VERY severe weather, our wet spring isn't really such a big deal.  Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are dealing with cleanup and rebuilding.