Tag Archives: quilts

Feb6

TOOL TIME THURSDAY and more quilts

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TOOL TIME THURSDAY and more quilts

Well, its Thursday so I think Thursdays would be really good to tell you about new tools or materials etc. that I have discovered.  This week I will concentrate on you appliquers!  I have found, and tried, a new foundation paper for those who use a foundation meant to partially disappear when soaked only leaving the fibre content..great for giving a little dimension to your applique.  It’s not really so new, I just got around to trying it.  The foundation is made by Floriani and is called Stitch N Wash Tearaway Fusible.   The interesting part is the fusible.  It is a very, very light fusible and you MUST read the directions for it to work.  Unlike other fusibles this one takes a very limited amount of heat for a very limited amount of time.  You need to use the SILK setting on your iron and press from the fabric side or use a press cloth!  If you heat it too much it will not stick.  Be sure to follow the directions.  (Ask me how I figured that out!) It feels much lighter than the Sharon Schamber paper we have been using.  I cannot pick a favorite but they are definitely different.  I do like the idea of not having to add that extra glue to place the template.  Give it a try.  Here are a few pics of a quilt that I finished not long ago.  It was totally done with fusible and what a fantastic job!

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What a great baby quilt this is.  I used a whimsical dragon fly for the quilting motif and love the way it came out.  Baby is due tomorrow so Grandma will be binding quickly I imagine!  Great job!

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A charity quilt that just came off the table.  Really nice, I know someone will really appreciate Jennefer’s work on this one!

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On the table now.  A gigantic batik quilt.  A great birthday present for a Bonnie’s wonderful son!  He surprised her by picking batiks and bright batiks at that!  Hopefully it will be finished today.

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Happy Quilting…bee happy!   Karen

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Jan31

PATCHWORK CENTERED IN SOCHI OLYMPICS

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When you watch the Olympics or see ads on TV, keep your eye out for all of the patchwork designs incorporated into the logos and advertising.  Yes, even TEAM USA is dressed in patchwork.  Quilting is widely popular in Russia.  Here are a few of the logos being used.  Notice the fantastic colors and patterns included by the designers.

Now isn’t that just too cool!  Quilting up in space and quilting at the Olympics!!!

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

Apr3

Another landscape – retreat coming!

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Well, getting ready for a great guild retreat next Monday thru Thursday – can’t wait.  I will be teaching a quick free half-day class on this super easy way to do a landscape quilt.  Being so close to the Gulf of Mexico I thought it would be fun to do a beach scene, and, I had to add one of the Lorelei beach ladies to my scene.  My studio bathroom is decorated with them so guess where my little quilt will eventually end up.  The quilt needs to be quilted yet, and, of course bound, but it’s moving right along.

Sexy Lady at the beach!

Paula and her quiltWell, if the above picture is titled “Sexy Lady at the Beach”  it stands to reason that this one should be called “Sexy Paula With Her Quilt!  It is so much fun to deliver a quilt and see the big smile!!!  Good job Paula!

Off to the Coastal Prairie Guild meeting tonight to learn all about broderie Perse…should be interesting.  Always fun to see so many quilters in one space having a great time.

Until later..BE HAPPY

Karen

Mar20

My favorite EVERYTHING cleaner!

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greased lightningBefore I forget this for the 100th time, wanted to let everyone know about “Greased Lightning”.  I have been using it for years for everything.  I keep it in my quilt studio all the time.  It will remove grease spots from fabric and it doesn’t leave a water spot.  It’s great for spots on your laundry and just about everything.  I discovered it many years ago and it has sometimes been hard to find.  I went into Lowe’s yesterday for some brush cleaner and, lo and behold, on the endcap, was a large display of Greased Lightning.  This big container only costs a little over $7….  No connection with the company, just appreciate how many binds it has gotten me out of.

BE HAPPY…Karen

Mar18

Keeping Me Busy!

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I have been working on customer quilts and have a few pictures to show. The first “pile” of yellow dog toysis left over strips of fleece that I braided into pull toys for dogs.  I will give them to family dogs and take the rest to the shelter.  They were just the selvage edges that I cut off before finishing the edges of the blankets for a dance team.  The second picture is a delightful wall hanging, meant to hang on a high wall in a stairwell.  Joyce did a great job of designing this.  The last is a quilt made by Mary.  It has the cutest embroidered blocks.    Back to work for today.  I have a king size quilt on the long arm, 102″ x 96″

BE HAPPY…Karen

Joyce Wall hanging in progressMary A overall qult pic

Mar15

WORKSHOP PROJECT ALMOST DONE!

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Drunkards Path close up

Drunkards Path quilt

This quilt top came from a workshop with Ebony Love and the Coastal Prairie Quilt Guild of Missouri City, Texas. We had the opportunity to work with Ebony and cut out Drunkard’s Path quilt blocks on an Accuquilt Studio machine supplied by Quilters Cottage in Richmond, Tx. It was a lot of fun and I was determined not to let all of the pieces sit in their little zip lock bags as usual. Sew….here is my version of a happy quilt made entirely with Drunkard’s Path blocks. The curved piecing went smoothly and it was great fun arranging, and re-arranging the blocks on my design wall. This will eventually be quilted and become a new table covering for my kitchen table. Bright colors remind me of Spring and Summer approaching.

Feb28

Hints for a great binding and Sandy Quilt donation project

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Great little quilts from this weeks quilting schedule. The fourth picture is not QUITE a quilt yet but is on my list for the upcoming weekend. These are blocks from all over the place. There are 42 total blocks donated by Mary Kay from Arizona, Evelyn from Canada, Jaynie from Texas, Mary Pat from Wisconsin, Rebecca from Utah, and Lisa from New Zealand. I will build these into a wonky quilt pattern and they will be sent to E-Quilter to be distributed to the people who went thru Sandy, the horrible storm on the East coast. So many are still without homes! It really feels good to give back to people in trouble. I hope to piece, quilt and bind this quilt and get it into the mail next week. Watch for a finished picture.

I had a wonderful time at my David Taylor class last weekend. One of the tips I learned, which I think is fantastic, is how David keeps his quilts perfectly square. Get twill tape (1/4″) from your local fabric store. Measure your quilt carefully and pin a piece of twill tape from exact corner to other corner. Do opposing sides as step 1 and 2. Be sure to pin the twill take carefully, ends, then middle, then split the difference as many times as you need to. Sew with a straight line stitch making sure the tape is right along the edge and does not extend into your quilt where the binding will not cover it. Then, measure the other two sides, excluding the first tape, pin as you did the others and stitch. THOSE EDGES AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE ANYMORE AND WILL ALWAYS BE EXACTLY THE SAME! No more uneven edges to bug you or quilt judges!

BE HAPPY…..Karen

Feb10

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Well I’ve finally recouperated from a fantastic retreat. Got lots done and had a ball. Also had way to much Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla! Check out the crew with the fancy cow – all ready for partying. On Wednesday evening we had to have dinner at Goodson’s Cafe in Tomball – well known for their Chicken Fried Steak – and it was “sew” good.

When I got home I was able to stay on track and quilted Judy’s two quilts. The first is gorgeous and has soft colors in teals and corals. The picture really doesn’t do it justice and is way off in color. I think I need a photography lesson!! The second is a sweet little baby quilt done in blue and yellow with butterflies. Some baby will smile over that one.

A picture of my completed red bird block. I started over and got it right this time. Soaked it and it definitely works..you cannot see the machine stitches at all! Very cool. This is a technique I will continue to use.

Lastly, on the way home Sally and I stopped at the Galleria in Houston for a luncheon for Bo’s Place. Our guild has been working for four years with Bo’s Place. It is a grief counseling facility and part of their counseling is having the participants make quilt squares. We have been putting them together and they hang on every wall in the building. What a great group!

Been making lots of fleece blankets today for my daughter’s dance team. The are gold with the name of the team “Golddusters” embroidered in green. It takes 31 minutes to sew out the name since it is rather large. The edges are finished with a wave stitch in green and gold (from the Babylock Evolve). They look nice but…only 26 of them!.

Until later

BE HAPPY…Karen