Category Archives: Longarm Machne Quilting

Quilting Customer Quilts on my APQS Longarm

Aug2

Show entry quilts, appliqué, quilt hints

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Gosh, been so busy, nose down, working on a couple of show quilts, that I haven’t posted for a while.

First, here’s a beautiful quilt appliquéd by Joyce. Some great appliqué and fun to quilt-even if it took me forever to figure out what I wanted to do. These quilts with very little quiltable room are tough but I like the result.

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This is another show quilt you will probably recognize as Judy Niemeyer’s Glacier Star. It is truly a challenge to quilt these paper pieced marvels since they are so popular. Charmaine’s version is delightful. I love the colors!

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And, last but not least, a beautiful happy birthday quilt for my friend and “quilt-bee participant , Beck. Our Sugar Land, Texas bee makes a quilt for each member celebrating their 80th. The other members do the terrific appliqué blocks.

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Now hint for today…if you mark with pencil and it won’t come off, mix 1/4 cup water with 3/4 cup alcohol and 7or 8 drops of Palmolive green liquid dish detergent and apply gently with toothbrush.

Bee Happy…Karen

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Jul21

Modern Quilt by “old, gray haired quilter”

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Well, I decided that this “old, grayed quilter” would see if it was possible to make a modern quilt. Guess what, I made my first modern quilt and liked it, even had fun doing it. All quilted now and ready for binding…ugh! This started with several groupings of pieces of fabric exemplifying a study of space. Then I decided that even though I had just used old stash without much consideration of color, I didn’t want to waste my efforts. So..here it is. It does look better in person but hopefully it will pass the “modern” movements inspection. Either way, I called it ugly when I started and have grown kind of fond of it now.

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Bee Happy…Karen

Jul6

Black, white and “red”all over

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Finished a great black, white and red quilt for Esther. Putting the binding on and making an embroidered label for her. It’s a great quilt! Working on a show quilt that’s really looking good. surprise later.

It reminded me of an old argument I have had with myself and others. Black and white…all colors?, no color? Sew….decided to study up on that for my color exercise today.

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20130706-162200.jpg. Guess what? Still no definitive answer. Seems like it depends on whether you ask an artist or a scientist. In art, black is all colors and white is the absence of color. In physics it depends upon the reflection of light. White is the reflection of all colors and black reflects no colors! Now, not sure I have a great answer yet but I am starting to get it!

Bee happy…Karen

Jul2

Texas is definitely Red and orange!

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It’s July, it’s HOT, it’s red, orange and all shades thereof! Been reading a lot about color lately. I know I learned some of this in my “very younger” years but my senior moments are more like hours and days now.

There are some really terrific color wheels out now but the simplest was from a painter, Johannes Iffel of Germany, living in the early 1900’s. it’s so simple that it even resonates with me. Apparently he was the first to assign “feelings” to colors. Interesting trivia!

20130702-154720.jpg. The colors in the center are the PRIMARY colors. They are clear and true and can not be mixed from any other colors. The colors surrounding the center are Secondary colors, mixed from combing two of the primary colors. (Yellow plus blue equals green). The colors on the outside ring illustrate “hyphenated” colors (yellow-green) or, more scientifically Tertiary colors in between the primary and secondary colors Ok…got that! Back to reading and learning about color.

Just finished a neat, fun quilt with some freehand playing. Quilt belongs to Debbie and I think she will like it. It was very Spring/Summery and I wanted it to be light hearted! I like the casual outcome!

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Bee happy…Karen

Jun28

Wow, Honorable Mention at NQA Columbus, Ohio

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Fantastic surprise and a big congratulations to Judy Y. For an Honorable Mention ribbon at the NQA quilt show in Columbus Ohio this weekend. Judy did some fantastic appliqué and I had so much fun quilting it. Kudos also to Sharon Schamber for some of her designs in the quilting! This picture was sent to us by a great Texan now living in Ohio. Thanks Peggy!

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Bee happy…Karen

Jun27

Color and quilting

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Yes, I know what colors I like, I know how they make me feel, but…I don’t know the WHY behind color usage. I have to admit that I have read many articles about color and its use but, alas, none have ever stuck. So, I have drawn a big red line in my studio, am in the process of eliminating areas that have become disappointments and time wasters in my life, and am heading down a new road of discovery. My first plan is to really learn the basics of color. I hope you will join me on my journey. Packing my bags now and the trip will start soon!

Meanwhile a quilt I just finished is one of the things that made me think about color. I wish the colors in this pic were more accurate. This is a bright, happy quilt with shades of yellow, purple, fushia and even some green. I rarely use variegated thread but this quilt really called for it. Keeley did a marvelous job of piecing this quilt! Here is a close up, hope you like it as much as I do.

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Bee happy, Karen

Jun25

When The Cows Go Home!

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Oh my, the cows are ready to go home and their momma is going to the farm! I guess they will have to graze at my house for a little longer. They are fantastic and look so content. Great whimsical design work by Sandy K! Good job! Can’t wait to see them embellished!

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20130625-063338.jpg don’t you just love them!

Until later…Bee Happy. Karen

Jun16

Quilts headed home

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Trying to straighten out my picture files on this iPad, I found several quilts that I hadn’t posted. I think my favorite part of quilting a quilt is deciding on the designs. Sometimes the quilt needs super simple, often I quilt by the theme of the quilt, and sometimes I just “feel” what I want to do. Anyway, here ya go…

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20130616-045059.jpg. These belong to Julie. The black and white quilt was based on a quild workshop, the batik one, still on the machine when I took these pictures, is destined to be a wedding present. The batik colors are wonderful. This quilt was a joint venture of Julie and her mom. How neat is that!

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20130616-045348.jpg. This quilt is a fantastic version of Easy Street, Bonnie Hunter’s last mystery. Elaine did an incredible job and it will be terrific on her bed! Go Elaine!

These last pictures are of a really cute K. Fassett quilt made by Roberta. Had a bad thread issue on this quilt and ended up frogging the ENTIRE quilt. Wow, first and I hope last time to do that! It did turn out nicely in the end. I do love Kaffes colors!

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Enough for today….bee happy!

Karen

Jun6

What makes it modern?

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Well, even though I’m one of those “gray haired old quilters” I am intrigued by the modern quilters movement. I have been watching and reading about modern for a couple of years now. I love the bright, clean colors and the clean quilting lines. I’m intrigued by the movement but really have trouble seeing the wide divide between “traditional quilters” and this modern movement. Our “traditional” quilt guild is so receptive to all types of quilting, traditional piecing, appliqué, art and innovative, so many techniques, the more the merrier. Our members range from age 9 to age 90. Anyway, just rambling and wondering why the quilting world, always such a friendly place, seems to be morphing into a “them and us” group.

Meanwhile I am starting to work on a modern quilt, at least one that I would define as modern, lots of negative space, more solid colors than I normally use, and it is a challenge. I love jumping out of my box and exploring this movement. Here is a pic of my beginnings… This is just a grouping of various blocks that were a study in space and shape. I intend to slice and dice them into more shapes and set them in a sea of plain white then play with textural quilting. I’ll post as this project progresses. You never know I might dip dye my hair before its all over!

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Meanwhile here’s a traditional quilt I just finished, just fun! Good job Keeley!

Have fun and Bee Happy! Karen

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