Heathers' Quilt

Charlotte's Quilt

Last year I was invited to the Carletonville Quilters regional meeting for a 'show and tell' and during that visit I volunteered to free motion quilt 'Charlotte's Quilt' for the husband of a lady who had passed away.  

It was my very first volunteer project AND my first experience quilting for someone else.  It was a true honor and I loved to work on that quilt.  I had hoped that once others would see it, that they would call on me again to FMQ their quilts for them.  To see a lot of close up pictures of Charlotte's Quilt, click HERE.

Soon after they had shown that quilt during their next meeting, Heather contacted me saying she loved what I had quilted and that she had a little quilt she wanted me to free motion quilt for her.

I was so excited!  A few things came up that prevented me from starting right away but a couple of weeks ago, I finally got the quilt and I started right away.  Here is Heather's beautiful disappearing nine patch quilt.  I loved her fabric choices!  It screamed Look At Me!!!

She gave me some guidelines of what she wanted me to quilt, but in the end I made a few suggestions and from there I had free reign and quilted what I thought best.    

I kept to the leafy designs she initially suggested within the sashing and borders and extend that design within the block with a custom motif that I think ties in well with the rest of the quilt.

She chose not to see any progress pictures, so I was rather nervous after I was done if she would like it, but when she phoned me after getting her quilt she was over the moon and completely happy with what I have quilted.  Happy happy day!!

I offered to do everything from the basting right through to the binding, and I am so glad I did!  This way I had the chance of seeing the quilt completed.

Note to Heather, thank you so much for allowing me to work on your quilt, I had a lot of fun!  Your quilt is truly beautiful and loved every second I spent quilting it.  I look forward to quilting for you again!

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A Special Gift for a Special Friend

My best friend and sewing buddy has been away for a couple of months now, touring through the southern parts of Africa and South Africa, and during this time she left her sewing machine for me to use and for safe keeping while they're away.  

Looking at the picture below her Bernina B580 looks remarkably bigger than my little Artista, keeping in mind that my machine is dropped inside the table.  There is not much difference between the two machines except maybe the sleek modern design and a few technical advances.  

Anyway, I wanted to give her a little something I knew she did not have. She's been sewing and quilting most of her life so it was pointless to give her more sewing supplies. Believe me when I say that her sewing room is filled with anything and everything you'll ever need for any type of sewing.  So it got me thinking, she would always cover her machine with a towel at the end of the day when she closed up her room.  So I decided to make her something pretty instead.

To finish it off I made a pincushion and scissor pouch that matches.  If you want to make your own scissor pouch I wrote a tutorial some time ago that you can fine HERE.

It felt really good spending some time in my sewing room again after being in a bit of a lull these past few months, I guess I needed a bit of push and encouragement which is exactly what I got from all of the comments that was left during last week and this weeks' link ups.  Thanks again everyone!!! (hugs)

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Show and Tell

Earlier this year I was invited to the Carletonville Country Quilters' Regional meeting.  I was asked to show some of my quilts and to do a little demonstration on how I quilt on my home sewing machine.  I was welcomed with warm smiles and friendly faces, which made speaking and doing the demo much easier. 

Some of the quilts I shown on the day

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous to speak to people who has far more years experience in quilting than I have, but as I was showing some of my quilts, I quickly realised that even with my little knowledge I had something to teach.  They where very interested in free motion quilting.  A lot (most) of them send their quilts to be quilted by others.  

I found that very surprising, but I was eager to show them what I have learnt.  As I was doing the demo, I had quite a lot of questions about the tools I use and my machine set up, and I had quite a few requests to show different free motion quilting designs.  

I was approached by many asking if I am at all willing to quilt their quilts, and I cant wait for the opportunity to do just that.    

When we reached the end of the meeting, Alta Pothas mentioned that they had a quilt, made by a former Chairlady of the Golden West Quilters Guild, Charlotte van Schalkwyk who passed away.  They where looking for a volunteer to quilt it for her husband.  I immediately raised my hands and offered to help.

This is the quilt I am going to be working on for the next couple of weeks... hopefully I will have it finished sooner!  I have not yet decided on what I am going to quilt, as that was left for me to decide.  Its nice having free range in what to quilt, but it has left me a bit undecided.

At least I have finished pin basting the quilt, so now I can start playing around on paper deciding what to quilt... 

I have to thank Alta for the opportunity to quilt this for them, for having me on the day of the 'show and tell' and I hope that this will be one of many more quilts I can quilt for others.

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Double Slice Layer Cake Quilt

For those of you that have been following my blog for a long ...long time, might remember THIS quilt.  The design is called 'Double Slice Layer Cake' quilt and its from Missouri Star Quilt Co. 

I pieced this quilt in December 2012, and would you believe it, I had forgotten all about it.  It was tucked away right at the bottom of one my UFO containers.  I was on a mission these past few weeks cleaning out, sorting out and organizing all of my cupboards and rooms in our home.  The last room I sorted out was my sewing room, and when I came across this quilt, I immediately set it aside, knowing that this quilt WILL be quilted next.

Basting this quilt took me a good few hours.  I had to move the furniture away in my bedroom to clear a large enough space to pin baste it.  It's quite BIG, measuring at 73 inches square.  Luckily I am no longer afraid of quilting a large quilt on my home sewing machine.  After I have finished my Summer Solstice quilt, I know its possible.

For this quilt I am going to keep the quilting simple.  My aim, is TEXTURE.  So I am quilting an all over flower meander design using a gold'ish colour thread.  I think it blends in really well, and on every other dark piece of fabric the quilting shows up more clearly.  I might add a bit of interest inside the narrow white border and quilt something completely different, but I am still deciding. 

It is so nice quilting again after a few weeks' distraction.

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A Quilt for Kayleigh

Kayleigh's little quilt is finished, and I LOVE IT!!  

As I mentioned in last week's post my little girl is turning 3 on 18 April, and I wanted to capture a little something of her within the quilt.  I did not have anything specific to work with, she has no favorite colour yet, not one single toy that stands out, or one specific movie I could use as inspiration.  

But I really wanted to have something to remember her at 3 years old, so I decided on her hands.  Trapunto was the best technique to really make them stand out.  It was the first time I've tried it, and I really love the effect.  The design really pops.

April is mid autumn here in South Africa, and in our region, Cosmos flowers spring up everywhere.  These flowers are also a wonderful reminder of Kayleigh's birth date.  So we took all of these pictures just outside of town between all the pretty colours... I think the quilt blended in perfectly in the background.  Even the blue sky and puffy white clouds helped bring out the colours of the quilt.

She had a lot of fun running around between all the flowers, its at times like these I wish I can freeze time.  She is at such an adorable age, everything is an adventure.  She has no fear!  She is such a loving child eager to give us all hugs and kisses, and she's very funny.. and even at this young age I already know she has a strong personality and she's very strong willed.. 

I used all of my favorite free motion quilting designs in this quilt.  Swirls and pebbles in the center and feathers inside the border.  I also quilted figure 8's within the white sashing borders. I admit, those corners proved to be a bit tricky, not one ended up the same....

This little quilt finished at 52 inch square.

I think she will love her new quilt, especially as she grows each year, comparing her little hands to those of when she was 3....

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