More photos.

I am not sure why the pictures didn't all load before so lets try again.  Here is the photo of the swag and the lint.

Here is the photo of the peach octagon.  The quilting really pops on this fabric.  Lots of nice detail.

My next post will be about my newest organizational find and all the stuff I am able to keep in it. 

Photos Venetian Tile

Here are some detail shots of the quilting done on Venetian Tile quilt.  Here is one of the small squares.

The black border has a feathered swag with a heart.  The lint was a problem showing up on the black fabric.

Jan picked up the quilt today and she loved it.  I am so happy.  I really enjoy machine quilting and then seeing the reactions of others when they see the quilt.

Venetian tile quilt done

I finished quilting my first customer's quilt.  Venetian tile.  I had a lot of fun quilting it.  I repeated several different motifs in the center of the octogans done in purple thread.  In the small diamonds I did a melon motif around the seams.  In the peach half octagons I did the same motif, melons around the seams with a curly-cue in the centers of the wedges.  The focus fabric outside border has a meandering leaf pattern done in a peach color.  The outside black border has a scalloped swag pattern with feathered plumes on the inside and at the upper points a heart motif.   The black borders around the octogans where outlined 1/4" inside in black.  It turned out well I think,  I hope that when Jan comes to pick it up that she likes it. 

Photos to follow. 

Water lilies wallhanging done

I just finished this wall hanging.  It is a hand painted silk piece that was approximately, 16 X  20" of water lilies.  I fused it onto a silk painted scarf that I also had painted that was appr. 30" square.  It is china silk.  I used wool batting and a hand marbled piece of silk for the backing.  This was definitely a learning curve for me since I have not quilted a piece like this before.  I tested out fusing some scraps together to see how they would react to the fusible and it worked out great.  The purple ribbon border is also china silk.  I used some eyelash yarn and couched it down along the cut fused edge of the water lilies panel and then also at the outside edge.  I thought that the yarn added a playfulness without being too much.  Since this will be a gift for a baby girl it will be something that will be young and playful but as she gets older it will still appeal to her.

It was a lot of fun to work on but as I said it did require learning how the silk would respond to the fusing, quilting and overall handling process.  I love running my hand over the piece because it is so soft and luxurious feeling. 

I have several other hand painted silk pieces that I have done that I want to do some really awesome quilting on, but that will have to be for another time.  I have 6-8 quilts coming in the near future to quilt for others so that will keep me quite busy. 

Happy quilting.

Progress

I was beginning to get a little panicky around here thinking about everything I need/want to do and so yesterday I just decided to sit down and quilt for a while. This is the stack and whack quilt that I have to quilt. Six hours later I said enough and looked at how much I got done  and guess what, I have about 3/4 of the center quilted.  I have 12 more of the blocks to quilt and   the outside borders.   I stitched around all th black gridwork and then did various quilting motifs in the          

blocks.

I discovered a new blog that has fast become one of my favorites.  The link is included.  The blog is about machine quilting and the premise is 365 free motion filler designs.  Leah Day is the owner.  She has an online store and is extremely talented, and busy.   She has motivated me so much to get at everything that I want to accomplish and don't let excuses get in my way.  One of the reasons I got so far with my quilting yesterday.  I ordered her Ultimate Quilting Kit- it includes Machingers quilting gloves, The Supreme Slider and Magic Bobbin Washers.  They arrived yesterday and so I put them to a good work out.  No couch potatoes around here.  If you show up at my doorstep I am going to put you to work.  Kidding aside.  These products are wonderful and really helped moving that quilt around under that machine.  I  think that the stitch quality was better too.   I also used many of her ideas for fillers for the blocks and it was so easy to get 24 of those blocks done.

So, I hope that you will check out her blog and store.  I am off to see what other fun things I can get into.

Have fun and remember to keep the peace.

New Years Resolutions and Past Years Accomplishments

As I have been contemplating my New Year's Resolution I have to look over the past year and see what I accomplished and what I did not get done.  I am excited to say that this year has brought tremendous growth for me.  First of all, I started managing my finances more consistently by balancing my check book and increasing my savings.  This small change in my attitude towards balancing my checkbook on a monthly basis has created a wave of ongoing improvements.  Next, I went to a machine quilting expo in the fall that snowballed into deciding to machine quilt for others.  I sold my quilts this year with greater frequency and even started to make custom order quilts.  This fall, I took a financial Bible study course which brought me full circle again into knowing that I must do this.  This December I launched my machine quilting business. 

A lot has transpired over the past year and I can see that this year is going to be even busier. 

I have a grand-daughter now to sew for and to bond with.  She is a beautiful baby and it will be fun to watch her grow.  My son and daughter-in-law will be having guests frequently, I am sure, to see this bundle of joy as much as possible.  Next, my daughter is getting married May 29 and I will be finishing up the brides-maids dresses and preparing for her special day.  Lots of planning to do and executing that plan.

This is Michael, Meghan and Avery Morgan.

I also have to build my machine quilting business especially my skills to run the business and to do the machine quilting, along with continuing to work a full-time job and all the duties of running a household.  I am sure that there will have to be some changes and some letting go of some fun things in order to get everything done.  I know that I will find a groove and get into a rhythm but sometimes when I think about all that is about to happen I  get an overwhelming feeling that this is impossible. Yet I know best way to get it done is to break it down into baby steps and do one thing at a time.  This will be a very fun and exciting year.  I am looking forward to the challenges that it brings and the rewards that will also follow. 

So to all of you, may your year look a little scary to you.  If you are too comfortable with everything you are not growing and if you are not growing then you are not living up to your potential.

Have a great new year ahead.

First client for machine quilting

My first friend/client brought me their quilt top to be quilted for her today.  It is gorgeous.  Red background floral print stack n whack into 36 octogans with black sashing strips.  The pattern is called Venetian Tiles.  It is stunning.  I got it spray basted tonight but that is all that I am doing tonight.   I am taking a short break now to recuperate from a rather busy day and week, so far.  It has been a very successful week so far. 

On another note.  We held a second day of  quilt/craft sale at work and once again we did very well.  Definitely well worth our time to take all of our creations in to work.   Hopefully, we will have enough time to make up more inventory for another craft fair in March.