Hints for quilt labels

Just thought that I would stop for a minute and give you one of my hints for applying labels to quilts. I have to do three for the Grandchildren right now. So, here goes.
First hint:
     I print on printer ready fabric. I insert a picture that was taken during the year. Included on the label is the childs name, the name of the quilt pattern(approximate), the date, my name and the city and state.

Second hint:
     Don't wait until the last minute to apply the label

Third hint:
     Press under the edges of the label. Then, add a large piece of fusible (Wonder Under or other) in the center of the back of the label.

             
Fourth hint:
     Press the label onto the back of the quilt. Then take your quilting thread and a needle and blind stitch all the way around the label to truly attach it.

OK, gotta go get all of these sewn on.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Let's go Sew!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas rush??

I am not really in a rush. I think that I have scheduled everything pretty well. My quilts are complete. This is the last of the grandchildren quilts.

I guess that I need to get a picture of the quilting. Gee, have to do that before I wrap it.

I do have to get 3 labels done. I normally like to print a picture of each child from the year on the label that goes with their quilt. It just gives us some sort of reference of what they looked like at the time.

I have managed to 'sort of' clean out the living room and dining room for the season. Just need to pull everything out of the attic this weekend and decorate. Tori is having a Miche open house here on the 17th, so have to at least get the tree up.

Although, everything was moved to the 'Goldilocks' room (grandchildren's guest room). I really need to find some space for batting. I love, love, love having all different kinds of batting from cotton to silk.

 
 
 
I did take some time last weekend and go to Myrtle Beach with The Tripp twins and some friends. We had a blast. We found some of the best food available on the strand. We did manage to get a lot of sewing done. Oh yes, a few adult beverages were consumed. The weather was great and we did actually see the ocean on Saturday.
 
OK, enough for now. I am going over to the 'Customer Quilts' page and post some of the finished quilts. I am having a blast quilting other Christmas presents......... So much fun.
 

Quilt Design?

I spent yesterday piecing this 2 inch half square border for my Lone Star. I thought that I wanted this as a final border on my star. Now that I have it on 2 sides, I'm not so sure. I am getting the feeling that the quilt needs a heavier border as the final statement.

I do want this to be as close to King as I can get it and still use Olivia to quilt it.

With these last 2" half squares, the top will measure 104". My frame is 12 feet, so, I cant go much bigger.

I could leave the final 2" off completely and use a pieced binding.

I could take off the 2" and put on a 6" border of some special fabric that pulls all the colors together. That would make the top 112" and I can work with that on Olivia. It will be tight, but, can be done.

This gives you a closer look. I have to put this away for now and finish all of the Christmas quilts. That doesn't mean that I won't be thinking about it. Especially since I have it on the calender to put it on the frame and start quilting it on January 1, 2012. This will be a great way to start the new year.

This is the day before Thanksgiving and the kitchen is going to get real busy. I have the cornbread ready for the dressing. The oven has been cleaned and the turkey will be going in within the next couple of hours. I have a new reciepe for cranberry that I thought I would try. It uses fresh cranberries. Just thought that it might taste better than the canned stuff. The children and grandchildren will be joining us. Only makes 8, but, that's a good number. We'll have lots of left-overs for the 'to go' boxes.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.

BAD, BAD, BLOGGER

So sorry not to have been posting. I have had so much going on that I have not yet caught up. I will be getting everything together and posting several things next week.

1-Sandy's quilt is finished and she now has possession on it. For a top that she didn't like, this quilt really changed her mind.
2-Trip to Seabrook Island and Camp St. Christopher was a giant success. More on that later too.
3-Longarm group met here yesterday---Wonderful gathering
4-Quilts being finished for Christmas-------Pictures forth coming.
5-I DO HAVE SPACE AVIALABLE FOR ADDITONAL CHRISTMAS QUILTS---I don't know how long this will last, so if you need something, you need to let me know quickly
6-I hope to put my Lone Star quilt on the frame right after Christmas---cross your fingers for me as this will be a BIG under taking.

Ok, I guess that we need at least one picture, so I am going to pick something and post it here. It may or may not have anything to do with this posting.

You can't see her eyes, but they are a beautiful blue. This is Patches. She use to be a big fat cat, but, thyroid problems have taken their tole. She is still beautiful.

LET'S GO SEW !!!!!!!



The Saga of Sandy's Mystery Continues

Remember this quilt. This is Sandy's mystery from February of this year. She sent it to me for quilting.

This is what it looked like on the back after I quilted it. Loved the pattern. Loved the thread color. Hated the way the stitches looked when finished.

Well, this is the way the back looks now.

This is the thread that I removed from this quilt. Of course it's only the top thread. The bobbin thread pieces are now on the grass in my back yard.

It only took 28 hours and 30 minutes to take all of the quilting out of this quilt. I am so glad that is over. Now, to decide what color and what type of thread to use to re-quilt it. I was hoping to have it re-quilted to take to Sandy next week, but, I am not sure that is going to happen.

More later,

Countdown is on !!!!!!

Yes, the countdown for our trip to Seabrook Island has started. We currently have 6 1/2 days left until we leave. So, with that in mind I felt that I needed to start getting ready to go.

First up would be a "Welcome" surprise. Look at these cute little boxes that I found at the container store. Aren't they just darling? I just love the color-----you knew that I would didn't you?

What do YOU think might be in those boxes. Let me assure you it is something good. I can also tell you that it is not sweet and sour chicken.

OK, have to get back to work. I have a quilt on the frame that I need to start stitching on so that my client will have it for our St. Christopher Retreat.

More on our trip later. Now we only have 6 days to wait.

New Quilt

Just took this off of the frame. It is posted on the customer page along with a close up of the back.

It's been a very good day.

Lookin' Better?

Over the past few weeks I have had a number of people comment on how this looked:

See that stack of stuff on top of the storage cabinets next to the window? This picture was taken after I had taken some of the 'stuff'off.

I decided today that I would try to do something about that. I bagged up a bunch of fat quarters and UFO blocks and took them to Jane for the Logan charity quilts. I also added 2 bolts of homespun fabric that I had purchased from the Quilted Pearl when they closed. All for a good cause.

Then I loaded up all of the fat quarter drawers with their designated fabric colors. You know, red, blue, yellow, and green. Then there are the 2 drawers for black and whites, one for halloween, one for Christmas.......you get what I'm talking about.

So this is how that wall looks now:

Looks good don't you think?

I have also not shown you what Mr. OLT did for me to get my fabric bolts off of the floor.

Don't you just love these? They store perfectly under Olivia since I no longer keep batting rolls under there. He put casters on each box so that I can move them out for cleaning the floor. Love the different colors. Told him to use whatever paint we had in the house.

Look good don't they.The long yellow one is for wide backs.

Then this is how they look all loaded up:

 Cool right? I love not having them leaning all over everything and in the floor. Plus, they stay so much more accessible.

Oh yes, back to the subject of the window wall. It does look so much better. However, Houston, we have a few problems.

What do I do with this?

And this?

And then there is this. I am just about to get a handle on this mess. The only problem that I have now is that batting has taken over my living room and dining room.

One thing for sure, is that this area will have to be cleaned out before the longarm group meets here next month. Of course, that was exactly why I scheduled the meeting here. If not for guild or bee meetings at my house, it would never get cleaned!!!!

At least I have accomplished something today. It has not been what was on my list to do, but, it made a visual difference in the studio.

Now to try to get things together for Pieceable Retreat.

Have a good weekend.



Time

Where does time go? I sure wish I could find some that I have lost. This month is passing so fast. Next week we have QSC's fall retreat.

This is such a fantastic weekend. This year over 300 quilters will gather at White Oak conference center for classes, show and tell,meeting friends we haven't seen since last year. This is one of those times that when it's over, we are all so exhausted, but, it's a good tired, if you know what I mean. We are also inspired to go home and try some of the wonderful techniques that we have seen.

Once I get home from there: it's off to Aiken to judge the quilt show for the Carolina Pines Quilters. This is a new experience for me and I am looking forward to the challenge.

This is a show at the Aiken County Museum that will hang from November 1 - 27, 2011. This is their 31st show and sure to be a good one.

So, if you are in or around Aiken, S.C., do yourself a favor and head over to the Museum and view this free show. Lot's of eye candy.



Then we have to most anticipated event of the month.

That's right.....One Loose Thread and the Frayed Knots head to the coast of South Carolina for the first Beach retreat. We will be sewing at the Camp St. Christopher Conference Center on Seabrook Island. The 'Frayed Knots' are packed and ready to go.

On the way they will be stopping in Orangeburg, S. C. to visit with the folks at 'A Stitch in Time Again' quilt shop. A wonderful young shop with so much great fabric.

Down the road a few miles they will get to Summerville, S. C., the home of 2 great quilt shops. One is the world renoun 'People Places and Quilts' and the other is 'Sew and Sew'. Totally different fabrics and totally different shop climates.

These next few weeks will really be busy. Christmas is coming up fast and I am just beginning to realize that. What to get for the Grandchildren and for Mr. OLT? Big questions to be answered. Makes my head hurt to even think about it.

New and exciting things are happening. There is a NEW RETREAT in the works for May 2012!!!!  Two fantastic teachers !! Two fantastic Techniques!!!!  Two fantastic Quilts !!!!More on that soon. Just save the dates May 7 - 10, 2012!!!!!

Have a great week. Pictures from retreat when I return.

What HAVE I Been Working On?

I have been working on this. I found this panel at Pieces and Patches. Audrey was using it for an embellishment class that was to be taught at her shop. I bought it thinking that I would do the same, embellish it with beads, etc. I still might do that, but, that is not what I used it for. You probably can't see it, but, I have done all types of free motion quilting all over this piece, all from the front of the machine. I tried different designs (Yes, even feathers!!), different threads, and also a different way of batting. This piece is double batted. I have warm and natural next to the back and Dream Poly next to the top. I used Bottom Line prewound in the bobbin. Top threads included: Sew Fine, Robinson Anton, Superior Natural Colors, and Fil Tec's Glide Thread.
I loved working with the different threads. I have decided that I love Glide thread and will use it in other projects. It will just glisten off the top of a quilt. Beautiful.

I really do like the body in the wall hanging with the 2 types of batting. It has structure that I feel is needed in a wall hanging. I may try using a request loft of poly next time or even using wool, depending on the end results that I want.

The prewound bobbin was really the 'trick' to use on this piece. I am lovin' these things. I have other varieties to try later, but right now, all I have tried are the ones from Superior. I have used both Bottom Line and Sew Fine in the Superior prewound bobbins. I have some from Fil Tec, but, I have not had the chance to try them with Olivia yet. I'll let you know about them later.

OK. Now I have a clients quilt on the frame. It will be a challenge that I will be working on over the next few days.

 I am also working on my Lone Star Quilt. Remember this:

This is Helen's Lone Star. I have added pieced 3 additional borders for this top and will spend the next few days adding them to this center. During our November meeting of Devine Quilters we are to show our Lone Star's so that the committee can determine if we will have enough for an exhibit. If so, we hope to be mounting a Lone Star exhibit at the Richland County Public Library in September 2012.

I also have this Lone Star:

This was made around 2007. Sara Quattlebaum challenged me to make a Lone Star in miniature. We were doing a class out of the Jan Krentz book. So, that is just what I did. My diamonds are 1/2" wide as compared to the 2" half square triangle block that I used in Helen's star. This piece hung at the Ashville Quilt Show and won a Blue ribbon at the SC State Fair.

I hope to construct one more Lone Star this coming year. One that is not as big as Helen's and is a good size wallhanging larger than the miniature. We'll see.

OK, enough for now. We are less than 2 weeks away from QSC's Fall Retreat. I can't wait to 'pick' the brain for Karen Kendo on how to quilt several of my tops.

Hope your day is SEW beautiful,

Great New Deal on Quilt Camp!!!

I have had so many requests for 2 days of Quilt Camp that I have put in a new listing for February 2012!! Yes, if you can't join us for the entire weekend-----then-------just make your reservations for Friday and Saturday night!!!! Two nights, double occupancy, in a cottage only costs $306.00. If by chance you want that as a single----- a cottage single is $406.00 !!!! Great deals for a fabulouse weekend.
I do still have openings for lodge rooms and registration is still open for them.
Look at the top of this page for a link to the registration form. Print it off and get your deposit in.
LET'S GO SEW!!!!

Great Weekend!!!!!!!!!

You know you have had a great weekend when your football team won.
Goooooooo Tigerrrrrrrrs.

Also, you know you have had a good weekend when you have a great quilt come off of the frame looking really good. That's happened too.

This is Beth's sheep quilt:

I am not so sure that you can really see the quilting on this one so, this is the pantograph that I used to quilt it. 





The whole project turned out great. I used King Tut in the top and Sew Fine in the bobbin and Olivia just purred.

Now, on to other projects.

By the way, I have some open time in the schedule if anyone is trying to get something done in time for Christmas. Just call me.

Design Group

I was going through some old emails today and happened upon some pictures that I have not shared. We have a local group called simply 'The Design Group' that meets once a month. Sara started this group while the Quilted Pearl was still open. Once The Pearl closed we had to find another place to meet, so, we now meet at Greenhill Baptist Church in West Columbia. But, I digress.
One of our group decided some months ago that we all should make a Lone Star Quilt. This has expanded to include the Devine Quilt Guild and an exhibit at the Richland County Public Library in the fall of 2012. Back to the subject Joyce.
The pictures that I am posting here show to what extent quilters will go to have 'just the right color' in a particular area of a quilt. Helen needs some additional color or toning down of a color in this piece, so, what did she do? She brought the top and the fabric pens to Design Group and we all sat around and 'colored' the fabric.

We had a good time. We always do. We are all very opinionated and have been known to convince people to completely 'deconstruct' tops, just to change one small block. A great group of quilters of all levels.
Just thought that I would post this today, just for fun. Thanks to Jodi for taking the pictures.