Books and Products I love!!
Each year I promise myself that I will get better at blogging and do it more often, this is my attempt for 2016! I’m going to start out with a post about my favorite quilting books and products that I use. Check them out and feel free to leave a comment on your favorite quilting book or product! I don’t have a huge library of quilting books, I tend to borrow from friends! But I will say the books I’m listing below with links are ones I have purchased and LOVE! I am part of Amazon’s associate program so if… Read more »
Quilting a “modern quilt”
For the second time this year, I was asked to quilt a modern charity quilt. The first was for a guild that I knew I wasn’t going to rejoin, so there was some guilt involved there and the second was for my modern guild (NHMQG) that is going to be at QuiltCon 2016 so no pressure there! There is typically a lot of straight line quilting involved in modern quilts, which on a regular sewing machine is really no problem, but on a longarm we’re talking ruler work. There’s an extended base, a selection of rulers and micro handles involved…. Read more »
A Little Tip to Make Your Machine Binding a Little Easier!
I recently had a customer drop off three quilts and she wanted me to attach the binding to to the front of each one for her. As she was giving me the tops and backings, she handed me these three thread spools that had fabric on them. I must have looked puzzled, because she said, “haven’t you seen this before?” I told her no, what are they? Binding spools!! I don’t know about you, but when I’m putting binding on my quilts I roll the binding up and sit it in my lap. It usually unwinds, falls on the floor,… Read more »
Are You a Perfectionist?
I am not. That’s not to say I don’t put out quality work, I just won’t sit there and tear out a seam 45 times and re-sew it until it’s perfect. Not gonna do it. Which brings me to this blog post. I have a granddaughter now (Elsa), she was born on December 27 of last year and of course she’s the best granddaughter ever. Last month we spent Thanksgiving with my son (Erik) and daughter-in-law (Sarah) and of course the baby Elsa. Erik asked me if I could send his and Sarah’s Christmas stockings to them and I immediately… Read more »
Have you been challenged???
My friend Marie of Marie’s Creative Space loves a challenge! And her challenges sometimes turn into my challenges, because she asks me to quilt some of her challenge quilts! Recently I quilted her quilt for the Hoffman Challenge and while it didn’t win, it was picked to be part of their traveling exhibit! Pretty cool, huh? On this quilt I tried to mimic the fabric in the solid fabrics. And around the 3-D flowers in the center was a simple background fill to make the flowers “pop!” Then there was the Modern Quilt Guild‘s “Michael Miller Challenge” where we were… Read more »
Product Review
In general, anyone who sews by machine is going to need (at some point) a seam ripper…For years I used the ones that came with my machines until I discovered the world’s greatest seam ripper! I kid you not, this puppy is GOOD! I present to you, the Clover Seam Ripper! It is SHARP! It is ergonomic. It doesn’t roll away! This is seriously the best seam ripper I’ve ever used – and boy do I use it! Next time you’re at your local quilt shop, pick one up and take it home – I have a feeling you’ll love… Read more »
On Being Creative…
In December of 2011, a group of seven quilters formed the “Creative Conglomeration” and for the next 11 months offered up challenges based on color. Some of the challenges were basic (use seven shades of green), and some were very specific (use this piece of fabric and the theme is…). I had a ball completing each of the challenges – even though I was lucky to meet the deadlines! Fast forward to October 2013 – Nine friends decide to take a trip to MA to hear a lecture and trunk show by Victoria Findley Wolfe – we were in awe…. Read more »
A New Machine!!
But first, a brief history of my sewing machines…. 1984 – I inherit my mother’s no-name sewing machine. (my dad was friends with an import/exporter so I have no idea where it came from, probably called a Zinger or something like that.) 1988 – Sears Kenmore – my mother’s machine just died…stopped working. Gave it to a friend for her sister who’s house had burned down – her husband oiled it and it ran fine…who knew?!? 2002 – I want a Papillon. Husband says no more pets. I put my name in at the shelter saying if they ever get… Read more »
Thread, Thread, Thread…
I spent the past week at the MQX Quilt Festival in Manchester. It was a great week filled with lots of fun and lots of learning! More on that later. What I really wanted to do was talk thread. I have been using mostly Signature 100% cotton thread in my longarm for the past 12 years. I don’t have any problems with it, the colors are great and well, it’s predictable. The past few months I’ve been paying attention when someone would ask another machine quilter what kind of thread they like/use. Quite a few said they love Glide, while… Read more »
