IN THE STUDIO THIS WEEK: REGINA'S QUILT

It's a longarm day ... Regina's quilt is up first. A simple edge-to-edge for a comfy throw size quilt to be cozy during the cold winter months here in New England is the order of the day.

Regina pieced this quilt at a Winter Retreat for "just us gals." Everyone helped me test the patchwork pattern giving me good feedback and encouragement while we kept our sewing machines humming along the seams. 

We chose a quilting design in keeping with the soft vintage floral prints found in the fabrics and I'm using Signature Praline Pink for the thread on top and in the bobbin.

The pattern we're using is 1548 DAISY SWIRL E2E. The pattern is designed at a little larger than 12" for pattern height and width. I increased the size to about 15" to provide for a more open quilting design ... more fitting with Regina's plans for it to be used as a snuggle piece. Regina chose to us a batting from The Warm Company - Warm and Natural which will shrink up after it's first wash for a lovely antique look and get softer and softer with every washing after that.

... and to see the pattern stitch-out with the machine running ...

... and for a closer look at the quilting design ...

... visit Mountaintop Quilting to see more longarm quilting designs formated to all computerized longarm machines (cqp hqf iqp pat plt qli ssd txt)

FALL FAVS & MUST-HAVES

0914: favorite ... fresh flowers, life favs, and some favorites from the studio ... we all have our favorites: coffee cup, flowers, dessert, people and puppies but then there are also those "work" favorites, those go-to patterns and collections that keep our studio running smoothly. I wanted to highlight some of the gotta-have patterns for me that you may have overlooked. Now when there is such a great sale going on in the studio might be a good time to think about checking these and adding them to your pattern library.

 

My all-time favorite collection: 1008 SUN COMPASS+ A complete collection packed with all the patterns you need for completing a wholecloth quilt including two large medallion-sized blocks which make designing and stitching quick and easy. (Thankyou Dani Fisk for sending me the photo I used in the collage.)

 

Let's face it, edge-to-edge quilting is the bread and butter of our longarm business and if you're like me you can on occassion find yourself using the same patterns over and over. Let's spice it up a little by looking as some different files you might like to offer your customers (or piecers reading this blog might like to request of their longarm quilter.)

 

1465 FEATHER SURPRISE E2E 1485 RIBBONS AND LEAVES E2E 1147 PUPPY LOVE E2E

1435 IQ FEATHER SURPRISE E2E 1485 IQ RIBBONS & LEAVES 1147 IQ PUPPY LOVE E2E

1435 CQ FEATHER SURPRISE E2E 1485 CQ RIBBONS & LEAVES 1147 CQ PUPPY LOVE E2E

 

REMEMBER: the discount code for the sale this month ... daisydaysbright_05 ... and the lower prices will show up when you check out after entering the code.

Thanks for stopping by ... leave a comment or two about your pattern favorites.

PURPLE PIXIE POUCHES & FAIRY DUST

0912: together ...

Purple fairy dresses, purple pixie dust pouches, and now a purple fairy quilt. Those are the number one things in Luci's world other than snuggles and cuddles with Mama.

 

The purple fair quilt is almost ready for going on the machine. As soon as the backing is pieced the loading will begin. The quilt top is made using a fairy print panel by Michael Miller using illustrations from the book by Cicely Mary Barker called The Complete Book of The Flower Fairies. A new quilt and a new book ... what a perfect combination for a little girl, and a perfect combination of fun fabrics for the grandma to play with piecing a special quilt.

FIRST: I fussy cut the illustrations of the flower fairies from the panel a quarter of an inch larger than the dark blue trim line that surrounds each of the pictures. I then measured a sampling of the blocks to determine the size of the alternate blocks.

 

SECOND: I subtacted 1.5" from the finished size of the fairy panel blocks for the periwinkle fairy frost sashing I used to surround the fairy print fabric blocks.

 

THIRD: I pieced the sashing strip set and crosscut the strips to add to the alternating fairy print blocks.

 

FOURTH: assemble the bocks into rows.

 

FIFTH: add borders; piece the backing and binding; and it's time for quilting!

1550 FAIRY FLUTTERINGS seems like it might be the best choice for a quilting pattern. The quilting won't show up much on the front of the quilt, but the backing fabric is a tone on tone so Luci will have fun tracing over the fairy quilting pattern with her finger on the backside of the quilt.

You can find the files for 1550 FAIRY FLUTTERINGS by clicking on the links for your machine or file type needed.

• STATLER: QLI: 1550 FAIRY FLUTTERINGS E2E ... click HERE.
• INTELLIQUILTER: IQP: 1550 FAIRY FLUTTERINGS E2E ... click HERE.
• COMPUQUILTER: CQP: 1550 FAIRY FLUTTERINGS E2E ... click HERE.

Now would be a good time to add this file to your pattern library taking advantage of the 35% discounted price by using the coupon code: daisydaysbright_05.

EDGE-TO-EDGE OR CUSTOM

0908: at night ... nothing better than snuggles with puppies and quilts

The top is pieced and now it's time for making decisions as to how to quilt this project. Many longarm quilters will have several questions that might help in the decision-making process but, bottom line ... everything can be boiled down to two basic questions:
•who is the quilt for
•how will it be used

When thinking about who will be using the quilt personal taste and design style general influence pattern choice, but the biggest contributing factor in choosing a quilting pattern is the second ... how will it be used.

You can see how I've used quilts in one of my guest rooms which is decrated around a forest theme. I have quilts on the bed, on the walls and hanging on the quilt ladder. I also have a quilt hanging over the back of the futon that is exposed to light from the window. This poses another risk to shortening the expected life of a quilt and so I'm careful to keep the blinds closed on that particular window limiting potential light damage to my Diamonds on the Double quilt.

If we take time to look at ourselves honestly in the mirror (or at the quilt projects we've finished) we are

1. very proud of our work
2. recognize finishing usually took quite a long time
3. aware of (but usually keeping the final figure quiet LOL) how much money has gone into the quilt to date

... but let's face it ... the cold honest hard truth is that most of us will probably only finish less than five heirloom quality quilts in our lifetime. We make quilts that are to be used, loved, washed several times in the washer, drug around behind toddlers and puppies, used to make the roof/walls of a fort, snuggled under during movie night with buttery popcorn or for picnics in the park on a sunny summer afternoon. Probably about the only stipulation or requirement we may have when giving a quilt to someone is that we don't want to see it later on the garage floor serving as padding for the "guy of the house" while he's changing the oil in his rig! :)

Quilts that take the kind of wear and tear I've listed above need to be filled with sturdy stitching that is continuous across the quilt top. Freequent stops and starts or thread knots are more likely to work themselves loose over time and become a potential weak spot in the overall quilting design. And that is why you will find most of us steering your decision-making process in the direction of choosing an overall or edge-to-edge design. These are the designs that provide more wearability to a quilt and thus allowing for a more extended or longer expected lifetime of the quilt.

These are three favorite edge-to-edge designs that provide texture avoiding the distraction of a repeating motif that can compete with the patchwork design and each design provides a nice alternative from the old tired much used "just stipple it" while keeping a traditional feel as the eye travels over the quilt.

     

The first picture on the left: 1283 CHERRIOS E2E: provides a more open quilt design which works well as you can see when used with a flannel quilt.

The second picture in the center: 1312 BAPTIST FAN E2E: this pattern gives the feel of baptist fan quilting without all the hours and hours of ruler work and time-consuming setup ... an affordable traditional fan look.

The third pattern on the right: 1557 BASKETWEAVE E2E: a brand new pattern following the lines of the traditionally hand-quilted design. You'll want to think it through as you set up after each roll keeping the stitching lines lined up but you'll find the end result is well worth the little bit of extra time.

Check through your pattern library. You'll not want to miss out adding these fresh alternatives for textural edge-to-edge quilting to you design library especially when there is such an amazing discount on the price this month. Remember to enter the coupon code: daisydaysbright_05 before you check out.

1 SQUARE + 1 SQUARE = A STAR

How can that be? How can 1 dark square in a square plus 1 light square in a square equal a star?

... read more ...

LYNN'S SAMPLER QUILT

Isn't this the prettiest sampler quilt? I love the fabrics Lynn chose for her blocks and the center medallion being set off with the jewel points of gold is perfect. Check out those multi-colored corner triangles. How absolutely perfect to pull everthing help each of the fabrics pop. And Lynn made the perfect choice when she picked the border and "plain" block dark batik fabric to complement the primary color tone on tones.

We discussed possible options for custom quilting but I was afraid if weren't careful when making design and thread color choices we could easily have a "war" happening between the piecing and the quilting.

I designed a panto, an edge-to-edge quilting design for this quilt called 1485 RIBBONS AND LEAVES. I want the quilting to be fairly open and full of motion. The swirling of the ribbons and the tumbling leaves captured in the ribbons enhances the patchwork without distracting from the Lynn's skill as a piecer. Nice work Lynn!

A close-up of her center medallion ...

I used a King Tut varigated thread called Sheaves which has several shades of yellow to gold for the top thread and a Signature 100% cotton thread in a medium yellow shade for the bobbin. Batting is the 80/20 from The Warm Company (Warm Bond) so this quilt will wash up nice and soft with wonderful antique puffiness around the stitching lines.

1485 RIBBONS AND LEAVES is available in the store formatted for both Statler and Intelliquilter and marked down for one week only at an introductory discounted price of only $12. Pop on over to the store and add this great pattern to your library while the price is marked down.

... know your craft ... practice your craft ...

... and ... be innovative with your craft ...

QUILTING FOR JILL

First ... let's take a look at those quilts I teased you with yesterday. I promised more pictures of the customer quilts I've been working on, so, here they are! Jill has been bringing her quilt tops to me for her for several years now. Jill used to be a fabric rep for a fabric company and found herself with yards and yards of samples when she retired. Jill makes the best use of a variety of fabrics in her quilts of most any one I know in the quilting world. She has a real eye for color and manages to put just the right little bit of zing in simple traditional quilt patterns.

Jill brought 3 quilts to me to finish up for her this time. She asked for simple edge to edge quilting on the first two. I put leaves on the Fall Chain and simple daisies on the purple and aqua quilt. For the life of me, I can not think of the name of this block. Any one out there able to help me?

Jill's third quilt - the red, white, and blue chain quilt features a piano key border with red frames, a 3" white inner border, and a 6" white outer border. She knew she wanted feathers in the white borders and an edge-to-edge design in the main body of the quilt. Some quilters refer to this kind of quilting as border-to-border quilting.

We decided to use a wiggly line serpentine stitching for a faux "stitch-in-the-ditch" to help define the red frames. I also used the same stitch to define the piano keys.

I used a swirling pattern for the body of the quilt and I digitized a new point-to-point feather pattern to use in the white borders. I love how easily this feather pattern sets up in the borders. I designed it to work as a dead-end border layout so I don't have to struggle with working my way around the corner.

The results is a frame of a beautiful feather design that surrounds the quilt in graceful undulating lines.

WHOLECLOTH FUN

What a fun day playing with one of my new wholecloth designs. I love this shiny red fabric. I've got to go back to the store and read where it comes from and more detail about what the fiber content is. I know it is mostly cotton with some shiny threads woven in for the glitz.

I first heard about this fabric from my friend Dani. She quilted a Sun Compass quilt using a creamy yellow metalic color of the same fabric. I had to beat feet down to Fabric Depot to find some for me. I found both the creamy yellow and this yummy red that is perfect for a holiday wholecloth. I even found the perfect backing fabric on the 50% off rack.

Now, that was fun ... trying to get good pictures of shiny fabric! Enjoy!

Quilting detail at the bottom of the wallhanging.

Closeup of 1237 Ornamental Feather

Closeup of 1236 Circle of Angels

Closeup of 1229 WB Medallion

1075 Bead Strings was used in the border and 1077 Touching Beads was used for the sashing. I couldn't get a good picture of the 4th block used ... 1233 Pine Cones & Berries. Sorry. This sample is just a 4 block sampler with the blocks being set in at about 17" and the wallhanging finishing about 38" square. It could easily be enlarged to bed size. Wouldn't this be yummy on the bed during the holiday season after Thanksgiving all the way through New Years!

STITCH OUT SAMPLER

Hooray for a day of sunshine! Even for an Oregonian, the rain is getting to be a bit much for this time of year. It's time for sandals, short pants and sweaters to be packed away. Let's see if I'm as ready for summer after next week when I visit my daughter in the Alabama heat and humidity. Then I'll be glad to be back in the cloudy cool Pacific Northwest - where we do love our roses!

My Joseph's coat has been a real distraction as he shines in all his glory outside the window at my desk. The color variegation and the multiple blossoms on one stem - I know they have a name for that type of rose, just can't remember right now - is truly a wonder to behold.

Just a note: click on any picture to enlarge and see the quilting up close and personal.

I took today to play with my longarm machine. I wanted to get a stitch out sampler of some of the new patterns and to review some of the functions and procedures with Creative Studio, our new software for our Statler Machines. You never know how much you've internalized the processes until you step outside of the box and begin actually applying them in new and different ways. Some of the things I tried today were as easy as pie. I found others that made me think a little bit to work it out, and then I found those processes that need a little more time with the manual.

When I looked at the designs for this latest release I found a common thread running throughout. Most of these new designs are all about TEXTURE.

I played with the traditional clamshell pattern taking it a step further by adding echoes to the shape to help make it an easy edge-to-edge design, and then adding additional textural patterns inside of the clam shapes. The possibilities are endless.

The clamshell is a design that appears to be easily executed but has in the past been one that put me a little on edge. Keeping the curves nice and rounded; keeping the spacing accurate; managing to keep the points out of the curved line above and below - these are some of the challenges when executing this design. The computer driven machines help with the accuracy but there are set-up issues with the alternating trim design. I'm not a big fan of multiple tie-off points which is a part of alternating patterns. And, through all of this technical jargon, much thought, and many hours at the computer mouse in hand, I finally came up with some designs that are easily executed, accurate, and give a fresh new look to an old favorite.

There are 14 designs in the collection ... 6 single blocks, 6 edge-to-edge designs, and two bonus edge-to-edge designs added in to increase the flexibility when working with a Classic rather than an Optimum. The bonus single rows will also allow other options with an odd sized quilt when the rows just won't divide up right and the pattern becomes too distorted. This collection (1207) is on sale this month for almost half off the total value is purchased individually ... and ... if you drop a comment (say, "Put my name in the hat!") in the box at the end of this post you'll be entered into a drawing to get a free edge-to-edge pattern! This picture shows a row of 1217 Clam Bubbles E2E and a row of 1208 Clam Double E2E. I had no idea the two different patterns would fit together so easily like that!. Fun surprises all around.

Two fun edge-to-edge designs I've shown you before as line drawings are just as cute stitched out. 1218 Sock Monkey and 1220 Cloudy Cascades sitiched out like a dream today. I had run a single pattern of them before as a test. Today I wanted to include them in actual stitch out for my customers to review. Sometimes it's hard to translate what you see on the screen to how it might look on a quilt top. Much easier when you're looking at an actual stitch out.

Cloudy Cascades gives you a chance to practice with Alternating function in the Creative Studio program so the mountains don't march down the quilt top in rows.

The tiger stripe blocks and triangle are really all about texture. These designs would look so good on an lodge type quilt, a guy quilt ... think about the texture that is created with a baptist fan but now make it into wavy lines following a diamond shaped pattern. 1210 Tiger Stripe 1, 1211 Tiger Stripe Triangle, and 1212 Tiger Stripe 2 look good stitched out to the desired size be it large or small so density of quilting is easily controlled and balanced.

And, last of all, I do several "soldier" quilts throughout the year and I'm always looking for ways to create designs that work for both men and women, are utilitarian in nature as these quilts will be well-used and well-loved, and the designs must set-up and stitch out easily. 1197 Ripples & Stars and 1216 Clam Star E2E are two new designs that will meet those needs. Both patterns are offered at half price during this next week. Be sure to visit the Mountaintop webstore to take advantage of the sales.

Remember to participate in the poll at the top of the side bar, and get your name in the hat for a free pattern to add to your Statler Library. The drawing will be held first thing in the morning July 1st!

ROCKY RAILROAD BED

And, now ... for the rest of the story ... Plots of Rocks.

Walter is a longarm customer of mine and always brings me interesting quilt tops with interesting ideas and suggestions for quilting designs. This last winter he brought me a Railroad quilt. I couldn't believe the care he took in piecing the fussy-cut rails and the actual pattern he picked to go with all of these railroad fabrics was perfect. And, now to the quilting.

We talked about a lot of different possibilities included the use of the traditional railroad crossing signs and signals. But it true what they say about quilts talking to you. As Walter's quilt hung on the design wall waiting patiently for it's turn to loaded onto the machine, it kept saying,

"Keep it simple. Let my fabrics shine through on this one."

"Remember the young man who will be sleeping or napping under me. He doesn't want something all fancied up. He wants a peaceful rest and to stay warm."

"He just wants to appreciate Walter for knowing how much he likes trains."

And, so, after much careful listening to the quilt top, a plot of rocks was born. The collection consists of a Rock Block, a Rock Triangle, and a design called Rocks Fill P2P. I stitched straight lines in following the path of the rails, did a quarter inch echo in the blue triangle blocks, and a simple crosshatch block in the railway company logo blocks. The borders were filled with rocks with the set-up made easy using the point-to-point rock design.

And Walter sent me the nicest note of appreciation for the design choices I worked out for his quilt telling me how much the young man liked his new quilt. Thank you Walter, for sending me the challenges that help me to grow in new directions and to see the design possibilities with new eyes.

PATTERNS & PLOTS OF ROCKS

Today was a day of cutting, piecing, and computers.

First, the cutting ... my red and white sample of TWISTING RIBBONS is hanging in my trunk show at Fabric Depot and this means I need to have another sample on hand for booth hangings in the area and regional retail shows.

I like the swirling twirly motion in the blue and white mock-up. So, today I started the blue and white sample ... a day of cutting and piecing blocks. I need a total of 48 blocks for a twin size quilt. Sometimes I don't like knowing I need 96 two inch squares with lines drawn on the diagonal ready to complete sew-n-fold corners. I sorted the patches and blocks in sets of twelve blocks so the numbers wouldn't be quite so overwhelming. I have 20 blocks more than half finished so there is hope, but I still have a lot of triangles to prep before I can sew!

The second thing I did to help manage the "numbers I don't want to know, was to break up the cutting/piecing tasks by working on other projects. The other project of the day was to update my online web store with all the new Statler patterns I've been digitizing over the last 2 months.

NOTE TO SELF: Never, ever wait this long to add the new patterns to the catalog! Oh my, I think I would rather be drawing diagonal lines on squares in preparation for piecing face-to-face half square triangles!

But, enough of the whining. Statler users, you'll want to be sure and get yourself over to the Mountaintop "store" and check out the new designs. I have half of them loaded and ready for your shopping. I will be getting the rest of them uploaded tomorrow. Click on the "What's New" bar under each category to see the new patterns. Overall you will find 14 new blocks, 3 new border/sashing patterns (Grab a martini and check out the Olive Eye Sashing!), 8 new edge-to-edge designs including a great Sock Monkey design for Eryn's Monkey Business quilt and all of you Northwest quilters won't want to miss Cloudy Cascades (both to be added tomorrow), and 4 new triangle designs.

The sale for this month features a design called Ripples and Stars. The Ripples edge-to-edge we've all loved to use so far has morphed into a new pattern with the addition of stars scattered randomly through the ripples. The new Ripples and Star pattern is on sale for the next week until June 15th for half price to celebrate Flag Day.

I used this pattern on an American Hero quilt I finished back in March. American Hero quilts are presented to the parents of soldiers who have lost their lives in combat. A very worthy cause to support those who serve and sacrifice with honor and courage.

But, what about the "plots of rocks" you ask? You'll have to come back tomorrow to read about their story.

BABY QUILTS & A FRENCH BRAID

I am always amazed at what a difference fabric choices make when we piece our quilts. Simple changes in color, value, and scale can make a quilt look completely different. My husband contends we could just make the same pattern over and over with different fabrics ad noone would be the wiser. I don't think I would go quite that far. I can barely stand to make more than two samples of each pattern I design. But I will confess to being pretty tired of a pattern by the time I've gone through all the steps getting it print ready.


Two of my friends used the free baby size Bebe Bears quilt recently for new babies soon to arrive in their family/neighborhood. I wanted to share their pictures with you today so you could see what I talking about.


What a difference the fabric makes! I love the softness of Ann's quilt. And Juanita chose to use just two fabrics and add two columns and two rows to her version because she wanted a larger crawling floor mat size baby quilt for her new great grandson. By the way, adding two rows/columns makes the quilt finish at about 45"x45".

Ann's expectan friends are lovers of horses and are using a "horse theme" in the nursery so I didgitized a rocking horse pattern to go on her quilt. Isn't this simple little rocking horse just the cutest pattern to go on a baby quilt! Rocking Horse is a new edge-to- edge pattern now available at the Mntop webstore.

What else has been on the machine? Sunday was a quilting day. I love it when I have time to devote to the quilting machine with no interuptions and Sunday just happened to be that day this week. Marilyn brought in her newly completed French Braid quilt. I used an elegant falling leaf pattern as an all-over pattern with a mustard colored thread. What a rich combinaton - the combination of the rich colors with this fabric line, her great piecing, and a beautiful quilting pattern in a wonderful thread. GREAT JOB MARILYN!

QUILTING CRUISE & THE COLOR OF SUNSHINE

Lots of plotting and planning happening in the studio these days. I've been putting the final touches on new designs due to be released in a week. Several new E2E designs I'm sure you will enjoy using on your quilts. Some are designs that have been cooking on the back burner for a while and some are filling special request for fellow quilters. Never hesitate to drop me an email or give me a call if you need a design altered or you have an idea you need worked up into a pattern.

The design catalog is a work in progress. It seems to have a life of its own but I'm beginning to get a handle on how to "tame" it and make it work for me and for quilters. Some days I feel like my head will explode if I have to learn one more new piece of software ... or ... if I have to make one more piece of software work for me the way I need it to work. I have had (knock on wood) pretty good success with all my programs and Vista. I did have to have to Geek Squad out for some fine tuning, and I have one program that I still can not get to run yet. The odd thing about that program - it's a brand new up-to-date program. Ah well, what's a few more hours on the phone with tech support. You gotta keep your sense of humor!

Final touches are falling into place in the planning for our cruise to Alaska this coming September. Statler/AutoSketch Classes, Piecing Classes, Quilt Shop Tours, and sight-seeing in some of the most beautiful country in the world. It's a cruise you won't want to miss. Continue to check back often for updates and more information.



DESIGN SNEAK PREVIEWS:
1148 ROSES ... and ... 1149 WOVEN HEARTS














Stay tuned for more updates with designs and patterns.

And finally, food for thought ... THE COLOR OF SUNSHINE. Have you ever notice the difference in the color of Spring Sunshine vs. Winter or Autumn Sunshine? I'm sure there is a scientific explanation as to what causes these differences but I'm not sure I want to explore that avenue. It would destroy the magic of recognizing June Sunshine and how different it is from August Sunshine.

Enjoy this picture of January Sunshine about 4:00 in the afternoon as it casts it's rays across the trees. Honest, no trick photography here, just a study in texture and natural color.