CUSTOMER QUILT - STRING THEORY

 STRING THEORY

Just a couple of pics of this awesome quilt that I just finished for a new customer, Lynn.

Lynn is pretty new to quilting, and this is her first large quilt.  Till now, she has made table runners and other small household items. I was curious where she got all the scraps, if she had not been quilting that long.  She says that friends contributed scraps, and she bought about half the fabric from Quilt Fabric.  It was fun to see all the different fabrics as I was quilting.  In addition to all the different colors, there were some novelty fabrics like images from the old comic strip "Blondie" and even some Harry Potter!

This quilt is larger than a queen and smaller than a king.

I used YLI Primary Variegated cotton thread, with the digital quilting pattern called "Outside In", which is available in digital form and paper pantographs from Urban Elementz.  The batting is Warm and White cotton.

In the photos below, the lighting was not the best, and the vibrant colors of the thread look a little muted.  I did not realize the photos had that problem until the quilt had been picked up.  You can use your imagination!  The colors of the thread on the charcoal grey backing are brilliant!

The cost to have this quilt quilted was $158.32, not including the batting, which Lynn provided.  My prices are competitive, and Lynn tells me she saved around $30 by bringing her quilt to me.  And she got it back in two days!

If you are a quilter looking for affordable rates for your latest project, give me a call! Don't quilt, but looking for a great gift for a special person in your life?  Or maybe you want something special for yourself.  I would love to design and create a quilt especially for you!  Contact me for details at 815.735.0997.

QUILT OF VALOR

Yesterday, I had the privilege of working on a Quilt of Valor for Joan, a new customer.  The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.  If you have never heard of QOV, you can find out more about the organization here.

After an unforeseen circumstance kept Joan's regular long arm quilter from completing her quilt by her deadline, she contacted Roberts Sewing Center for the names of other quilters in the area, and found me.

Joan brought me the quilt top, backing, and batting on Wednesday evening, and I finished quilting it the next afternoon, in time for her to bind it and present it to the veteran to take with him on an Honor Flight this Saturday.  You can read about Honor Flights here, and see how they honor our veterans. 



Here are a few photos of Joan's quilt, plus some video showing the actual quilting process.  I used the digital quilting pattern called "Nouveau Feathers", purchased from Urban Elementz, which, when used with patriotic quilts, gives the feeling of blowing wind.  The thread I used was YLI White cotton. 

 

In the first video, you can see the screen of the Android tablet that contains the Quilt Magician software that runs the quilting robot.

I was so happy that I was able to assist Joan in honoring her veteran.  She was happy, too, and brought me another quilt top when she picked up the QOV.  Thanks, Joan!

A FRAMED QUILT BLOCK

I quilt other people's quilt tops.  I create quilts from start to finish for non-quilter customers (and sometimes for a quilter that needs a quilt faster than she can make it herself), but I recently got to do something for a customer that I had not done before.

I was contacted by an elderly gentleman who brought me some Sunbonnet Sue quilt blocks that his late wife had made in the 1980s, and he wanted me to make a quilt out of them for a new great grandchild that was due to be born in the next few days.  The blocks were all the same, but one of the blocks was very much more detailed, down to ribbon and button embellishments, and did not match the others.  I made a quilt out of the plainer ones for him, but suggested that he have the more detailed one matted and framed to give as a gift to a child, grandchild or great grandchild.

The block, even though it was just a single block, had been quilted with diagonal lines, but was not bound.  I took it to Chris in the framing department at JoAnn Fabric and Craft Store, and we picked out mats, frame, and museum glass.  Twelve days later, I picked up the finished product, and was so impressed!  And so was my customer.

I had a 50% off coupon, and the total cost for the framing was $153.  This beautiful framed quilt block will last forever and be handed down through the generations.

Do you have a block that has been handed down to you, and it is just sitting in a box somewhere?  If you bring it to me, I can quilt it and make it frame-ready for you to take in for framing. If you prefer, I can take it in for you and work with Chris to design the perfect work of art!

Another option is to take an old, handed-down quilt that it worn out and unable to be used, and use a part of it as a framed treasure.

Please call me at 815.735.0997 if you would like me to help you create a family heirloom that will stand the test of time!

KID QUILT #11 - SUNNY SIDE UP

KID QUILT #11 - SUNNY SIDE UP

For this quilt, I used this collection of prints, called "Sunny Side Up" by Wilmington Prints. There were forty strips, two each of twenty fabrics.  Each strip measured 2.5" x 42".

This Jelly Roll friendly Log Cabin quilt was made using the pattern found at the Jordan Fabric youtube channel. The log cabin blocks were made from 35 of the strips in the set.  If I had thought of it sooner, I could have used the leftover strips for the binding!  Oh, well!  More fabric for my ever-growing stash! 

The backing is a mottled, bright yellow flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store.  I also bought the fabric for the border and binding there.  

The finished size of the quilt is 53" x 73".

I used Warm and White batting, also purchased from JoAnn.  The digital quilting pattern is called "Batik" and can be purchased from Anne Bright Designs. The thread I used was YLI White cotton.

Here are some photos of the quilt in progress.

 

 

 

 

I decided to use two borders on this quilt.

 Here is the completed quilt.

 And a video of the quilt being digitally quilted with my Tin Lizzie Ansley 26 quilting machine and Quilt Magician software. Maximize the screen to maximize your viewing pleasure!

If you are a quilter looking for affordable rates for your latest project, give me a call! Don't quilt, but looking for a great gift for a special person in your life?  Or maybe you want something special for yourself.  I would love to design and create a quilt especially for you!  Contact me for details at 815.735.0997.

KID QUILT #10 - BLOSSOM BATIK PASTELS

KID QUILT #10 - BLOSSOM BATIK PASTELS

For this quilt, I used this collection called "Blossom Batik Pastels".  There were 40 strips, with 2 each of 20 different fabrics, and I purchased the fabric at Keepsake Quilting.  Each strip measured 2.5" x 42". For the border and binding, I used yardage from Top Shelf Quilts.

 
The pattern for this quilt is a modified version of the pattern called "Jelly Roll Race 1600" and you can find the tutorial on the Missouri Star Quilting Company youtube channel.  What I did to modify it was that I cut each strip in half first, and then cut the very first strip in half again. The backing is a purple and white flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store.  

The finished size of the quilt is 52" x 72".

I used Warm and White batting, also purchased from JoAnn.  The quilting pattern is called "Crinoline" and can be purchased from Urban Elementz.  The thread I used was YLI variegated Pastels cotton.

 

Here are some photos of the quilt.

 

This is how the fabric strips look after they have been chain-sewed together end to end.

 

 

Here is the completed quilt.

And a video of the quilt being digitally quilted with my Tin Lizzie Ansley 26 quilting machine and Quilt Magician software. Maximize the screen to maximize your viewing pleasure!

 

 

 If you are a quilter looking for affordable rates for your latest project, give me a call! Don't quilt, but looking for a great gift for a special person in your life?  Or maybe you want something special for yourself.  I would love to design and create a quilt especially for you!  Contact me for details at 815.735.0997.

KID QUILT #9 - SEW CHERRY

KID QUILT #9 - SEW CHERRY

For this quilt, I used this collection of prints, called "Sew Cherry 2" by Riley Blake Designs. There were forty-two strips, with some repeats.  Each strip measured 2.5" x 42".

This Jelly Roll friendly Log Cabin quilt was made using the pattern found at the Jordan Fabric youtube channel. The log cabin blocks were made from 35 of the strips in the set.  If I had thought of it sooner, I could have used the leftover strips for the binding!  Oh, well!  More fabric for my ever-growing stash! 

The backing is a pink and white checked flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store.  I also bought the fabric for the border and binding there.  

The finished size of the quilt is 53" x 73".

I used Warm and White batting, also purchased from JoAnn.  The digital quilting pattern is called "Pansies" and is a free pattern offered by Urban Elementz. The thread I used was YLI Pastels cotton.

Here are some photos of the quilt in progress.

Here is the finished quilt.

And a video of the quilt being digitally quilted with my Tin Lizzie Ansley 26 quilting machine and Quilt Magician software. Maximize the screen to maximize your viewing pleasure!

If you are a quilter looking for affordable rates for your latest project, give me a call! Don't quilt, but looking for a great gift for a special person in your life?  Or maybe you want something special for yourself.  I would love to design and create a quilt especially for you!  Contact me for details at 815.735.0997.

 

KID QUILT #8 - SUMMER BREEZE

KID QUILT #8 - SUMMER BREEZE

For this quilt, I used this collection called "Summer Breeze IV" by Moda.  There were 42 strips, with 25 different colors.  Each strip measured 2.5" x 42". For the border and binding, I used yardage from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store.
   
The pattern for this quilt is called "Parquet" and a friend showed me a block, but she had lost the actual pattern itself, so I had to be a little creative.  My friend told me to use colors randomly, but that really goes against the way my brain is wired, so I created an Excel spreadsheet and carefully planned out the placement of each piece.  As you can see, I really, really pre-planned this project!  I wanted to be sure that no two fabrics that touched were the same!

The backing is a mottled, bright blue flannel and was purchased from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts Store.  

The finished size of the quilt is 52" x 72".

I used Warm and White batting, also purchased from JoAnn.  The quilting pattern is called "Flower Berries" and can be purchased from Anne Bright Designs. The thread I used was YLI White cotton.

 Here are some photos of the quilt.

I took some of the leftovers and made this fabric chart so that I could keep track of the colors I wanted to use.

 

 Here is the finished quilt.

If you are a quilter looking for affordable rates for your latest project, give me a call! Don't quilt, but looking for a great gift for a special person in your life?  Or maybe you want something special for yourself.  I would love to design and create a quilt especially for you!  Contact me for details at 815.735.0997.