This gallery contains 4 photos.
Well, quilting a custom quilt is so labor intensive that I HAVE TO break up the quilting with something more free. So, opened up my Electric Quilt 8. I updated it long ago but this is the first time I’ve actually looked at it since then. WOW has the face of this program changed. Love […]
Well, its Thursday and my favorite ripper shows up this week. The Havel ripper is the best ever! I found this out the very hard way, ripping the quilting from an entire quilt, worse yet, made from Kaffe Fassett fabric. If any of you have tried ripping this fabric you know how hard it is to rip without damaging the fabric. I have tried this type of ripper before but never really gave it a chance. There is a bit of a learning curve, try it and stick with it. You will not regret your efforts. I bought at least 10 different rippers ranging from the normal ripper we use up to these “instruments of destruction! Even that tiny tiny point is so sharp that it will cut a thread with just the bare bit of pressure – BUT NOT THE FABRIC! The Havel Ripper won hands down (and it even comes with extra blades!)
Now, here are a few pictures of my completed Celtic Mystery quilt. Still have binding to go though. I spread it on the bed, not the greatest lighting but will show you the pattern a little better I think. Again, kudos to Bonnie Hunter!
The rest of todays efforts went to embroidering a bunch of fleece throws for my daughter’s dance team – GO GOLDDUSTERS!
Goldduster’s Fleece Throws
Quilt happy
Karen
I have been working on customer quilts and have a few pictures to show. The first “pile” of yellow 
is 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
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.
Had a really great time last week at Bonnie Hunter’s workshop in Cypress, Texas. She is the most down to earth, friendly teacher!! What an experience. She will be speaking at the Coastal Prairie Guild in Missouri City, Texas next February. Yeah, I know, way to long to wait. Bonnie is an avid collector of vintage machines as well as a scrap quilt gal. She has a great scrap saving system and you can read about it on her website, http://www.quiltville.com Lots and lots of free patterns as well.
I am not a scrap person and was really unsure about “scraping”. I did her Easy Street mystery over the holidays and had such fun with it that I have attempted to get into scrap mode. Wow, that’s harder than you would think for a non “scraper”. You would not believe the pieces she was confiscating from the trash bin at the workshop! Look on her site for her little bitty “ruler” that has tiny holes in it so that you can check any machine you are sewing on to make sure you have an accurate 1/4 inch seam. I bought one, but it is so tiny I’m not sure I got home with it. I may have to buy another ($3). I highly recommend getting yourself one. So Cool! The block is my first of many for Bonnie’s Tulip Time quilt. It is in her new book “String Fling”.
Until Later
BE HAPPY…Karen
Well, here are my swap Mug Rugs for the Quilting Gallery.com swap. They are so much fun and so quick to do. I did the owl with hand applique, the Scharon Schamber way with foundation paper; and, the bird with fusible and a small machine blanket stitch. I love them both. I made the blanket stitch super small to reflect the overall size of the design and love the way it came out. These patterns, along with several other really cute designs are available on the Craftsy site. I will spend some time this weekend trying to learn how to upload buttons to make it easier for you to find things.
Wouldn’t this be a really fun guild exchange?
Meanwhile, I found a great thought today and it really fits me…. “if I were more organized I’d be able to keep up with my organizational list!” Trying to catch up this weekend after a great week of quilting with friends, two workshops, and a guild meeting! (not to mentions allergy issues-sigh-got to love Houston!).
BE HAPPY….Karen
Wow what a fantastic day Wednesday turned out to be. At the Coastal Prairie Quilt Guild meeting, starring our speaker from Grayslake, Illinois Ebony Love, a guest was introduced and she had a fantastic surprise. She was from the Lake Jackson guild – Plantation Quilt Guild – and had their donation raffle quilt which had been won by one of our members! Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be me. WOW! My day for sure. Isn’t this quilt super and so much fun! I love the colors and will hang it in my house today. I will give it “entry-hall” treatment. So excited. Then, I even won a door prize that night.
I really felt special!
Be Happy, Karen
A big Valentine hug to everyone! Hopes for lots of candy, dinner out, and especially quilty stuff! A great pattern for hearts is a free download on Sarah Vedeler Designs site. She is the designer that has designed the BOM for The Quilt Show for 2013. She has made hers out of the Dupioni Silk fabric mix that is available in quilt stores (at least thats what it looks like to me). It is very nice, modern, and very colorful. Take a look at her site. www.sarahvedelerdesigns.danemcoweb.com/ Click on the SHOP tab and scroll down to the Free Downloads pic, click there and you’ll find the heart quilt. I love color!
New tool – to me! Well I finally stopped by the closest Harbor Freight in Sugar Land. Forever I have been wanting to stop by and pick up some 18″ long magnets that help hold the quilt tops I am quilting. I did manage to get several and really like them. BUT, as important, hanging right next to my magnets was a small magnetic wrist band. It has wide elastic with a velcro closure and is advertised to hold screws, etc. that one might be working with. HOWEVER, look how wonderful it is to hold a small pair of thread snipping scissors as well as pins. FANTASTIC…this way I always have my scissors, don’t always need a pin cushion handy, and don’t have a pair of scissors poking me in the “girls”! Whoo Hoo! What a find. I love both things! Probably only longarmers would use the magnets but the wrist band is super! I have researched and find that the claim of a magnet near our computerized machines not being good is a false assumption.
My fantastic new find – the wristband. It is truly comfortable!
Until Later…BE HAPPY ….Karen
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
It’s happy Tuesday at Retreat today! Bonnie has finished her One Block Wonder Quilt – we named it THE FINGER! She is working on her second quilt top built from the special Creative Grids ruler, the 4 1/2″ quarter square triangle…Looks like it will be really neat!
Carole has been slaving over her blocks for two days now…maybe a glass of wine for dinner. She is one of the happiest quilters I know!
Sally gave up on her workshop project for a while and has resorted to crocheting. Grandbaby coming soon so she has an excuse. Can you tell she doesn’t want her picture taken – she hasn’t “styled” her hair yet!
Sandy finished this great quilt today. Looks really great especially the opposing corners!
Last, but not least, is our esteemed crew Captain – Judy! Her baby quilt is coming right along – a disappearing 4 patch.
The bright project is my finished top from a workshop several years ago. It is a Cara Gullati pattern only I made it with all of my hand dyed fabrics – super happy!
So…busy Retreat -lots of laughs and sewing and fun!
Until later…BE HAPPY
Karen
Karen The Quilter 