I have wanted to make a miniature quilt ever since I saw them in 2005 at the AQS Quilt Show, Paducah, KY. Recently I found the book, Thimbleberries Pint-Size Traditions, by Lynette Jensen.   The themes of the miniatures in this book are the seasons and special holidays.  Now I have the perfect

opportunity to make one of patterns, Brown Basket.

For the past few years a group of us have participated in project exchanges at our annual quilters’ retreat at Watson Homestead in Painted Post NY.  From these exchanges, I have received this  beautiful embroidered piece, Autumn gave a party (which I framed) from Pauline;

and a fantastic Fall pieced wall hanging, Things to Love About Fall, from Lisa.  (Do my friends know me or what? – Autumn – my favorite time of year!)

The project for the exchange, to be completed by the  October 2009 retreat, is to be made from provided material consisting of 5 fat quarters and background fabric. We each put our fabric in manila envelopes and randomly distributed them among the 7 of us (Pauline, Lisa, Mae, Jeanne, Debbie, Ruth and myself).  Now the challenge to create something that the giver of the fabric will just love!

So, as I often do when trying a new technique, I made a sample block out of some scrap fabric – just to make sure that everything would turn out as I expected.

Block from "Brown Basket" wall hanging by Lynette Jensenwhen I'm trying a new technique.

I think that the basket block is just too cute and will make a neat-looking wall hanging.

The block will be pieced and the basket handle is hand-appliqued.

I certainly hope that my unidentified recipient will like it too!

Quilting from Home!

Today I received a call from Sandi Verbridge, Sandi’s Quilted Touch , to let me know that she had finished quilting my Celtic top. I had only brought her the quilt last week.  Knowing that I was anxious to have the quilt complete, she put it on her long-arm and quilted  it quickly. I really expected that it would her at least three weeks to finish.

Thank you Sandi!

It is absolutely beautiful – she quilted it with  leaves!                    Autumn leaves and their colors are my favorite!

When I brought the quilt home I laid it on my bed so my husband and I could look at it together. He compared the quilting to the matting on one of his nature photos, Tom Dwyer Photo. It enhances the quilt in the same way that the mats bring out the beauty in his photos. Goes to show that “Quilting Makes the Quilt”   It really does!

Quilting from Home!

We (Lisa, Pauline, Jeanne and I) exchanged the blocks from  Frightfully Crazy quilts by Janet Nesbitt tonight.   We each made one set of blocks:  Harvest Stars  [me], Crazy Jacks (Jack-o-Lanterns)[Pauline], Scaredy-CatsJeanne] and  If the Hat Fits (Witches) [Lisa].

Now to put each of our quilts together.   Which one of us will finish their quilt first?

Quilting from Home!

My Seminole quilt top is complete!

I brought to Sandi Verbridge of Sandi’s Quilted Touch on Saturday so she can perform her quilting magic on her long arm machine. She had quilted a few of my quilts when she operated out of the Watertown NY location and I was really pleased with the quilting she did.

Now that she lives and works in Auburn NY, she is only a 30-minute drive from my home. I was looking forward to meeting her in person and see her long arm in operation. Her family room, with a beautiful working fireplace, has been transformed into a workroom for the long arm. What a beautiful setting for any kind of quilting!

On the long arm she just happened to have a quilt on the frame made by friend and fellow quilter, Barb. Barb had worked on this quilt at a recent get together. She was making it for her grandson. The theme of the quilt is the Boy Scouts and Sandi is quilting it with stars.

Sandi asked me what quilting I wanted done on my quilt – and I wasn’t sure. She told me that the fabrics suggested the outdoors to her. Boy did she hit the nail on the head. I wanted the quilt to evoke thoughts of the Adirondacks. I also wanted to add a touch of the Seminole patchwork that I had seen on our trip to Florida this past winter The border made her think of Indian corn. I was so glad that the feeling of my quilt can be readily seen. I can’t wait to see how it is finished. It’s really true that “quilting makes the quilt”. Now I need to start working on the label carries out the outdoor theme.

Quilting From Home!

In  every month that has five Thursdays, one of my favorite local quilt stores, Mission Rose,    has a ““Go Green” Bag Day” Sale, which translates into a 20% savings on all purchases.  A group of us take the  lunch hour to check out the new  patterns,  material, etc.  I really enjoy interacting with the Mission Rose staff and fellow quilters.  It certainly is ego boosting to  “go where everybody knows your name”.

Last Thursday,  we were trying to find fabric for the border of my Celtic quilt.  Since I had altered the pattern by adding the Seminole strip, I  recalculated the amount of border fabric and thought that I would need 3 yards to complete it.  I had originally purchased 2-1/2 yds. for both the border and binding.   So, I was on a mission to  find replacement fabric.  No matter how much all of us looked, we couldn’t find anything that we liked as much as my original choice.

Barb, one of the staff at Mission Rose, overheard our dilemma and offered the obvious solutions that we had all come up with and rejected:  Can you make the borders narrower, or add more borders?  Then she quickly calculated the fabric needed and came to the conclusion that I actually needed less than two yards for the border.  The computer calculations were set to make borders that are cut along the straight grain.  Joining the borders with miters will effectively hide the fact that they are joined.  I think it helps a wall quilt hang better and not curl when the borders are cut on the straight grain, but certainly mitered borders will work on a bed quilt.

Avid quilters like to go to quilt shops for more than the fabric.  Not only do the  shops have the best quality fabric and supplies, but the staff is knowledgeable, willing to help as you ponder fabric selections and to help solve problems.  I have come to rely on their knowledge and expertise to hopefully make me a better quilter.

Quilting at Home!