Floating Lilies!

I love blues.. When the challenge came out for Project Quilting, I decided I was going to make my quilt with some of my favorite blue fabrics.  I love blues...  I have heard that seeing the color blue causes the body to produce chemicals that have calming effects on a person.  Maybe that is why I love blues so much.  Some of the blue fabrics are from Chris' Dye Candy Fabrics.


I took this photo on my Mom's blue sofa.  I made this quilt with the idea that I would use it as a table topper, but my Mom likes it on the back of her sofa.  Both Mom and I love blues. The quilt could be used as a pillow topper on the head of a bed. It could be a wall hanging too. I just feel so calm and relaxed about it, that I would just use it anywhere!    

I finished the binding last night here at my Mom's house.  I took the final pictures this morning.  Gabby and Toby wanted to poise with the quilt too!


I took pictures of all the steps from start to finish.  I will post them this week while I am here with my Mom's house.   I will explain the construction process.  You may want to make the delightful floating lilies, so I will share it.

Another photo of Gabby and Toby.

I video tapped the quilting of one of the blue lily flowers.  It is about a 2 minutes long video.



What's your favorite color?


Marcia

Getting Up Close with Wiggle Line Quilting in Special Areas

On Monday, June 13th I featured Wiggle Line Quilting.  Today we are going to take a look at Wiggle Line Quilting in Special Areas of the quilt or of the block.


On this quilt I wiggle line quilted on the whole block.  I think it gives it a bit of a modern look.

I outlined with wiggle line quilting on the outside border of the embroidered blocks in this quilt. 


Here is the back of the quilt.

I quilted with wiggle lines right down the center and in the triangular sections.  It softens the sharpeness of the zig zag pattern.

The quilting of the wiggle lines was used for the crosshatching pattern on this quilt.

How about a double wiggle line quilting in the blocks and through the strips? 

Think about adding the wiggle lines everywhere.

Another view of the double wiggle lines.

You can wiggle line quilt into the square and back out again and then continue through the lattice to carry the look through out the quilt.

I am just rolling it off the machine rollers to get ready to trim the edges!  The wiggle lines really do soften the appearance of the quilt.

Check out the wiggle lines on the house block.

Really gives this quilt a unique look.

You have seen this quilt before.  It is the Primary Colors Baby Quilt.  It was one of the quilts that was displayed in the Organic Valley Quilt Show. I made the quilt in January for the first challenge of Project Quilting.  

I quilted it with Zentangle Quilting (Wachuta Doodles) in each block. This block has the wiggle lines at an angle. Click here to see all the posts on the Baby Quilt.

The possibilities are endless with wiggle line quilting. You can try it just about anywhere!

Have a great Monday!  
Marcia

A Weekend Post - Quilts at Organic Valley

The other day I posted photos of my quilts that were at the Organic Valley Quilt and Rug Show on my Crafty Sewing and Quilting in My Garden, Kitchen, and Home Blog. Friends and family suggested that I post them here too!  So here they are. In March I was invited to bring three quilts for their display!  The quilts were in their show from April through June 18th.  

I used my Easy to Sew Quilt Pattern to create the first quilt for a fabric challenge for Quilts by Barb's Retreat last year.  This quilt was also featured in the Ribbon Quilting video - click here for the post about it and here for post with up close photos of it and here for the link to the video.

My Red, Yellow, and Blue Baby Quilt was created for a challenge for Project Quilting.  I posted about the whole process of construction from choosing the colors, through the sewing, and the quilting .  Click here to see those posts.

This next quilt was made using a variation of the Easy to Sew Quilt Pattern.  I used four extra wide backing fabrics to construct this quilt. The floral black and white prints, the solid black, and the solid white.  Click here for the post about using extra wide fabrics for piecing.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Marcia

FAQ's - Friday's Frequently Asked Questions

What do you do in the evenings when you are not quilting or sewing or blogging?  
I package product, like note cards, mini quilts and extra wide fabric sample squares.  

When you own your own business your work is 24/7, so you really need to love all the aspects of the business.  

My favorite part is the quilting.  

My second favorite part is meeting with the customer to decide how their quilt will be quilted - choosing the thread, designs, and batting. 

My third favorite part is packaging the products. 

I set it all up on the dinning room table and organize it kind of like an assembly line, but it is just me to do each step.  I had pressed and rotary cut all the 5 inch squares days before.  I did not do it all in one day.  I am a multi-tasker, so when I need a break from quilting, I press a few pieces of extra wide fabric and then rotary cut them into the squares.  Once all the squares are cut, I am ready to package them. 

This is what I did on my "fun filled" evening last night... 

I carefully stacked one of each fabric, so that I had 30 squares in each pile.  I put them in the ziplock bag with a label and a business card.  Quilters order them on my website, so they can match up their quilt top with the backing fabric before they order it.  


Remember everyone can order fabric, you don't have to be one of my quilting customers.
  
I carry in stock 30 extra wide fabrics and I even sell to other long arm quilters.


Some of my customers order the extra wide fabrics for borders too, so they don't have to piece the sides for a long border.

Each sample package of 30 squares sells for only $4.00 plus $2.00 shipping.


You can also buy one 5 inch square for $1.00 that includes the shipping.


It is a great way to see if it matches your quilt top.

They are packaged and ready to go.








One night I packaged Mini Comfort Quilts for my online store.  


Wow !   I really have some exciting evenings!

These are the $3.00 Mini Comfort Quilts - available in 4 patch and 9 patch. 

And here are the 5 1/2 Inch Crazee Patch Mini Comfort Quilts and they sell for $6.00 each.

Both come with a printed message.

Why do I write a blog?


Monday's Post about wiggle line quilting inspired Jeannie from Quilting by Jeannie .  She is also a long arm quilter and she tried the wiggle line quilting and posted it on Thursday!  Hop over and see it.  It's great!  


And that is exactly why I write a blog.  I love what I do so much, I really want to inspire others to create!  


Thanks for the questions... keep them coming... Marcia@craftysewing.com


Have a great weekend!


Marcia

Winners Announced for the Double Double Quilting Giveaway!

 Deanna said...Cute wall hanging. That curly hair is just the sort one is tempted to pull just enough to watch it spring back. Thanks for the giveaway chance.





Anne said...

I am a new follower. I choose a overall stipple with heart shapes thrown in here and there.

Congrats to the two winners!

The Double Double Quilting Giveaway is $20.00 off my Machine Quilting Services on a Lap Size Quilt or larger. (approximately 45" X 65"). 

The prize is good for one year thru' June 16, 2012. 

 Additional Bonus:  If you book your quilting date for September 2011, you will can get an extra $10.00 off the quilting!  So that's $30.00 off the quilting on a lap size quilt or larger.

Thanks to all of you who entered and shared it for me! Thanks for following my blog I really appreciate it.


Hope you are having a great day!


Marcia




Enter the current giveaway at: Hodgepodge Patchwork Tuesday - Welcome Wall hanging and Giveaway

Hodgepodge Patchwork Tuesday - Welcome Wall Hanging and Giveaway!

Why would you make a "Welcome" wall hanging?  Because you want to welcome your friends and family into your home or place of business.  I needed one for my quilting shop. This was a fun wall hanging to make.  I just had some "free form" fun drawing and cutting out the letters and flowers.

First I chose my center white fabric.  Then I sewed a black and white border fabric around the white fabric.  I cut the black and white fabric askew, to kind of give it an off center look. 

I drew out some letters on the wrong side of lite heat and bond, so they would come out facing the correct way.  Then I ironed the heat and bond to the black fabric and let it cool. Then I cut out each letter, pealed the paper off, and placed the letters on the white fabric.  When they were all in place. I pressed with the iron to adhere them to my fabric. This is a raw edge applique  method.  

I did the same thing with the cornflower.  You could draw any type of flower.  I chose the cornflower, because I can draw it.  Daisies are easy to draw too. I made three flowers in different sizes. I used a black dotted fabric for the centers of the flowers. Picked a place that was eye pleasing and pressed them onto the fabric. Note that the bottom flower overlaps into the border.  This helps the off center look of the whole wall hanging.

When I quilted the wall hanging I used a poly batting, so the cornflowers puffed out a little bit.  It gives it a 3D look when you stitch on the edge of them and stitch a denser stitching in the background.

I added a sleeve on the top when I did the binding.  I pushed a wood dowel thru' the sleeve and used black ric rac to make a hanger with ties hanging down on the sides.

Today's Giveaway is a 4 pack of Fabric and Toes Note Cards. (Value$6.00)

Follow me and leave a comment to enter the drawing.   

Drawing will be Monday, June 20, 2011 at 6pm CST! 

So in conclusion, Welcome to my blog! 

Marcia

There is still time to enter the Double Double Quilting Giveaway .  It ends June15th.






This giveaway is now closed.  Thanks to everyone who entered!  

Check the Giveaway and May for Me page for the current Giveaways.