Once upon a time, at least a decade ago, I attempted a Bargello style quilt.  I didn't like the process. I was well and truly into it before I had realized how much I disliked it. The fabrics were cut and sewn into strip sets,  one 24 " square section cut and sewn.  Recently, well I may be using the word recently loosley here, I took apart the long strip sets and did a kind of rail fence thing with some of the blues. There is too little contrast, so it's boring from a distance.  But close up I find it soothing.

The back uses a large piece

 from a stove top dye lot, from a long time ago as well and an aged piece for the insert to make it all fit.  It's nice to have this little quilt out of the way back cupboard area and into the world of living.  Yeah!!

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Happy Monday, keep on keeping on,
Gudrun

What's happening?

What's happening with Long Arm quilting? Quite a lot, but I haven't posted for some time. Here are a few pictures to bring the blog up to date.

This sweet little number that I call 'Modern Chevron"

Diagonal lines in the floral and pebbling in on the dots.

A bit view of the backing.

close up of quilting.
This Medallion style quilt was also a challenge, like the Modern Chevron above, this one also had
diagonal lines that I wanted to mimic in the quilting.

These New York Beauty blocks are made to finish in t\
three dimensions, as are the flying geese, pictured below.

Back view of Medallion Quilt.  It looks really nice,  unfortunately there was a  bit of stitching that had
the occasional  long stitch
 that I didn't notice. My client did, we are in negotiations :)

Wishing you all a happy Saturday.

gudrun

I was asked for a baby quilt, to be given as a gift. I didn't have any that I wanted to part with. I didn't want to give away the first one I made to an unknown person, and I sure wasn't ready to give up the I Spy Quilt, another one the thread bled on a white background so....I put this one together. It is a floor cloth for a baby. It has high loft batting, free form piecing and my first attempt at machine applique. I am enjoying the machine applique and am working on another small applique piece.
I am thinking this is rather "modern".  What do you think is it "modern" or just a bit weird?  I like this funky fabric and didn't want to cut too small.

The back is made from my ever shrinking stash of flannels. How big is the stash you ask? It is one
size 12 shoe box size...and not crammed full either. Ha!

Wishing everyone a wonderful melting snow time. Watch out for thin ice.
gudrun

Numbers and Colours a Question.

2013!  Some days I am startled,  or is that I startle when that number 2013 rolls across my brain.
I wonder what it is about that number?
So here's an odd question, do any of you 'see' or associate a colour with a number?
Wishing everyone an exemplary 2013!   On to quilting  :)
 This quilt is called Rose Cottage, lots of sweet applique, lots of buttons. This was stitched freehand from the front. The piecer knows about the pros & cons of sewing on the buttons before quilting...her choice.

Here it is displayed on a queen size bed

The colours are not very clear in this picture of a crib size quilt.  I find  it a very pleasing green, looks a tad grey here.  A very quick all over large stipple is all this needed. 

Wahoo....I am sure enjoying having the long arm in a warm room in stead of the very cool Attic.

Happy Wednesday...good ol hump day...weekends almost here.

gudrun

There's a saying....

"I have been busier then a one arm woman in a paper hanging contest".... It took me a while before I got this one, I always thought of paper hanging as 'kiting', then someone said "think wall paper"....doh!

 Where have I been  and why haven't I managed to post in so long?  Well.... when the weather is warmer, I go slower,  :))  in addition I am happily overwhelmed  with company.  It seems 2012 is our summer of visitors.  There's a little time till the next visitor....Hi Donna.

I have quilted two smaller quilts. This picture does not do the colour combination  justice.  The green doesn't look green at all.  I was asked for a three leaf  meander in a matching grey, and add the date and maker's initials.  White backs are intimidating, especially with a dark coloured thread  but that's just me.

This one was done for a young fella finishing his training  in the Canadian Navy. It was needed in a 'hurry', the hurry job consisted of a few maple leaf motifs and meander filling.  I love the strips.

 Happy Saturday friends,
gudrun

Fruit Flies

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. No bananas here, but I did quilt fruit flies in bright neon green thread all over these place mats.

Wednesday again already....happy hump day. gudrun

Jelly rolls

Many quilters are purchasing "precuts" called Jelly-rolls, layer cakes etc. I don't recall all the names but I do recall the names to be bakery like. The names are puzzling to me...is it because quilting like other sedentary occupations can be / is girth spreading like the bakery bits or.... well that is one idea,  just wondering  :)) Where is this going....a smallish quilt made from a fabric jelly roll. Strips 2.5 in. and here ya go...sweet quilt in a trice.

 I quilted straight lines in the stars, except the middle, feathery bits on the lights. I'd love to hear how you would have quilted this one. ( wind blew just as I took the pic...in case you were wondering)

I took a liking to the backing fabric.

the middle star was quilted with a double 16 point star and a couple of circles in the centre.

Hope you are all enjoying a happy Saturday.

gudrun

Happy February

Oh Yeah!  January is gone.....and it flew by!
Last Saturday I tried something I wanted to do, for sometime.  I have been inspired again to
try, by seeing a  more scrap busting style quilts on a yahoo group I joined called Stash Busters.
I cut and pieced a crib quilt in an afternoon.   Whew!  I  received a lovely box of coordinated fabrics, of which I used a few and was left with a group that just called to be made in to a happy quilt for a small creature.  I thought I would experiment with these. Of course as you know it isn't a quilt yet.  It doesn't look like much....but getting closer. I learned a lot and I want to try it again. It's liberating to cut and sew and watch it grow.
  One thing I learned, I am not great at hurrying...but I did sew a small simple quilt top in an afternoon.
Therefor I should be able to get a special wedding quilt finished by August...unless I get sidetracked making small smiley quilts.

I am thinking of a plain back, and quilted with flowers and a butterfly or two.....use up some thread spool ends.
Fun  :)
gudrun

Small Quilts

I have quilted a number of small quilts over the past few days. One reason for this is that I have been waiting for an order of batting since end of Dec. argh! This one is a sweet flannel;  finished in time for Christmas.

 

This has a  little Christmas panel in the centre.....nice one!

Each little block was detailed to make it look as if   pieced.  I think this may have been better with more definition, possibly a higher loft batting or two batts

This is a single block scrappy; many of the fabrics have circles and stars, that is how I quilted it, in an all over.

I took these pictures outside on a bright day, the extra reflection from the snow makes for interesting shadowing.

This is fat-quarter friendly quilt, (6 fq)  Oriental style fabrics with a large Ginkgo leaf panto

 That's it for now.... just some of what's been happening here in between all the rest of it.

My new sewing digs have been a real bonus.  I love that it is warm in the room, I have been sitting down and sewing much more often....a good thing.

Happy Sunday,

gudrun

Small Quilts

Long armers are the perfect match for large quilts so we get a lot of them.  It is such fun to
get some small ones. This was done in a heart meander.

Scrappy Bingo

The next one is for our Community Quilt Program.

Happy Thursday,

gudrun

New York Beauties

Another  New York Beauty I  had the pleasure of quilting.  There are folded fabric points in the construction method.  This does not allow for quilting edge to edge.

The second picture shows what I mean. I used a grey thread with a shine.  I was surprised at how

much the thread blended into the colours making it a challenge to see.
Pictures of previous NYB I  quilted.....

 







Sew...I need to finish the one I have started constructing. Of course I have no intention of setting the blocks like the quilts above. Although how to set them,  is yet to be determined.
gudrun

Cat Quilts

I made two cat quilts using a panel, this is the first. It is an Andover panel. I added borders, stitched in some cat and mouse silhouettes, a spider web, to cover a booboo (should I have confessed?)  a bit of embroidery and a few beads. It lives happily with my best buddy and her family of cats.

This is the second one, a bit different, used a log cabin block down the left side, more silhouettes not as much hand work. I gave it to my MIL.

This is the third cat quilt, also started with the same panel.

 I did not buy three of these panels, but someone was charmed with them, thought I did such a marvelous job with the first one he gifted me with a couple more.  

I cut the last one apart, lost the pot of flowers, &  had lots of fun. In the outer border I stitched silhouettes of cats, but later decided there was too much of that green, trimmed the border and cut the heads
and feet off a couple of the wee creatures. DUH.

I thought I had come to the end of my session of cat quilts so I use squares of cat material on the back. Apparently I am not done with cat quilts.  I have another one pieced.
It's not a panel, and I call it Ode to Willa.  Willa is where ever it is that wonderful cats go, when they leave us forever.  She stayed with us for 19 years, and left us a year ago.
gudrun

New York Beauty

Check out this lovely little quilt. Wahoo wild and wonderful oranges and brown. The right now kinda colours!





Of course George came outside to help me photograph this lovely...the wind was up and the photographer is an amateur.


It's a small piece 46 x 68 and is not rectangular...as you can see.

What all ya 'all think?  Love to hear from you.  Leave a comment.

Gudrun