Emily's quilt - quilting designs

This is the 4th post about the making of Emily's graduation quilt.

I like to sketch up my quilting designs before I start the actual work.  It doesn't mean that I will follow the exactly.  But it does give me a sense of what designs will work better than others.  Its super easy to erase pencil marks on a piece of paper than it is to tear out quilting stitches!  For those of you that have done the tearing out, you know that a fair amount of hair gets torn out at the same time.  Or you might even turn a little grayer.

I've probably posted a blog about this already, so excuse me if this a total repeat.  After I finish making the top, I take a picture of it.  I turn it into black and white and make a copy on my computer.  Then I use tracing paper and start doodling.  I usually draw 2 or 3 different designs and often combine a couple more ideas on each sheet.  Rarely do I completely draw out the design.  If there are complicated things like feathered wreaths or large circles, I will draw these to full scale and using a light box, transfer those designs with blue dissolving ink pens onto the top. Sometimes, I will transfer lines too if I want them evenly spaced across the top.

Here is my start at the quilting designs.  Frankly, I'm not that thrilled with anything that I've drawn so far.  I kind of like the idea of putting "E" shapes into the quilt, and I definitely want it to be more modern.  Wreaths in the white areas, while very traditional, just doesn't feel like the right thing for this quilt.  So, I'll keep sketching and come up with something that I do like.

If you have some great ideas that might help me, let me know!  I'm a little stumped right now.

Happy Quilting!

Polka Dots and Spots - part three

This is a continuation of the theme quilt with the polka dots and spots.

After the main large wedges were in place, I played around with what wedges should be placed next.  I had some really cool black and white fabrics to add into the mix, as well as more of the pink and green fabrics.  Here is the quilt with all of the wedges in place.

Here is how I sewed the wedges together.  I pinned one edge over the stiff tear away stabilizer.  This edge was pinned to the edge of the stabilizer on the adjoining piece.  The pictures show you the pinning on the front side and what it looks like on the back side.

Here is what it looks like when it is pinned together.

I set two stitches in my machine.  The straight stitch is for the start and stop.  It is set for 0.40 length and I reduce the top tension since I use invisible thread in the top and a light weight thread in the bobbin.

I sew a few stitches with this setting, then switch to the zig zag setting.  It is set for 1.0 stitch length and 1.4 stitch width.  The tension is also lower for the top.  Then I zig zag the seam in place.

I still like it so far, and hope you do too!

Painted rose

I wrote a previous blog about teaching paint and stitch to our guild in January.

After I wrote the blog, I realized the sample we picked would not help us to teach the technique, which is basically paint by number.  The picture that you start with HAS TO HAVE shading so that you don't have to imagine it - you just trace the pieces where the color changes.

So, here is a picture that I took of a rose earlier this year that has just the right shading for the class.

I traced this picture onto my prepared for dying fabric, then painted it with fabric paints.

It was then thread highlighted and finally quilted.  Here it is, all ready for the class.

I hope our students learn a lot in our class in January.  Remember, if you are a member of Clark County Quilters, you can take this class for cheap, cheap, cheap!  We love teaching each other our techniques.

Baby born and in the blanket with Dad

I wrote a blog about making a Minky blanket with tab edges for my nephew and his wife.  Their baby was born on September 19th, and here is a touching photo of Dad with the baby in his little blankie.  I can't wait to meet the little boy.

Aah!  Think of all the dreams that are occurring at that house!

Polka Dots and Spots - Part Two

This is a continuation of a previous blog about the Polka Dots and Spots theme quilt that I've been making.

In order to transfer my idea to my design board, I taped together several sheets of freezer paper.  (I used to "melt" them together with my iron, but my off-brand freezer paper didn't hold the ironing! Note to self: buy the real brand next time).  I added the circle for my inspiration piece, and then free hand sketched as close to my sketch as possible. You'll have to look really close to see my sketch lines - sorry for the poor photography. 

I used this great technique to transfer extra-large circles to foundation paper - either tear-away or water soluble.  You can purchase a set of these gadgets at a drafting supply store.  One part has a pointed end and the other part has the pencil.  Each piece has a slot that fits exactly on a yardstick.  It is basically a huge compass when you're done mounting the parts onto the yardstick.

After the foundation pieces were cut out, they were glue basted to the material, the edges were turned, and all the adjoining edges were machine appliqued to each other.

The next thing was to place some defining parts onto the background.  Those pieces that would inform the rest of the design.   I knew that I wanted to use pinks and greens in graduating shades and offset these with very large polka dot/spot black and white fabrics.  Here is the piece with some of these wedges in place.

I like it so far and I hope you do too!

Polka Dots and Spots - Part One

Clark County Quilters selected "Polka Dots and Spots" for their 2020 quilt show theme.  I like to make quilts for the theme of the show, and encourage others too, so that our display is awesome!

I looked at a lot of pictures on Pinterest and through some of my books and magazines for ideas.  While I'm not a huge polka dot person, I really like a lot of material that has tiny spots on it.  Or even large spots, like Moda grunge dots.  I even made a blouse of Moda grunge dots.  (OK, that was a little off topic.)

I found a great hand dyed piece of fabric from Maureen Schmidt for my inspiration.  Fabrics to match this piece were either pulled from my stash or purchased from Island Quilter.  Here's a picture of the fabrics I have in mind with the inspiration piece. Don't you just love the hand dyed piece?

Here are some of my sketches for this quilt:

I picked the one in the lower left-hand corner and decided the size would be 50" W x 70" H.

I hope you like it so far!

Baby Blanket For Nephew's Family

My husband's nephew and his wife are expecting a baby boy in December.  This little baby blanket made from Minky started as a kit that I purchased from McKay Manor.  They provided both of the fabrics in 30" x 30" pieces, as well as the fluffy navy blue edging.

It was so simple to make this little blanket.  I pinned the edging to the top and basted it in place.  

I then placed the backing on top, right sides together, and sewed around the edges, leaving a small opening to turn the blanket.

And finally sewed close to the edges.

I know that the little baby and his parents will enjoy cuddling in this little Minky blanket.

And I hope you like it too!