Bonnie's Bed Quilts!
Irmo, SC 2003!
I have loved quilts as far back as I can remember! Even when I was as young as 11 years old I was cutting up squares of fabric and rearranging them and sewing them back together to make pillows and doll quilts. Before leaving for college, my mom and I tied my first comforter to take with me....it wasn't quite a quilted quilt, but it was a beginning.
I first started really QUILTING when I was newly married and my husband's grandmother showed me a cardboard pattern she had, and how to trace and cut the pieces out of fabric one at a time. This was before rotary cutters and mats, and I nearly gave up quilting then! I made my first quilt for my baby sister Mary. I knew I was hooked, but there had to be an easier way!
Within a few years quilting came a long way with the introduction of rotory cutters and fast piecing techniques. I knew I had found my niche and began to add to my fabric stash for quilts to come. (Though I had no idea what I was really getting into yet!)
I guess you could call me a traditionalist in the quilting sense of the word. I love the look of antique quilts. Well worn, well loved and having stood the test of time, they just have a warm *living* feel to them. Quilts that you can crawl under, wrap up in and dream in. Most of my fabrics and quilts are along the traditional lines. I will never apologize for being a traditional quilter, even if I love to color outside the lines a bit and do things extra scrappy and utilitarian style!
I think I might be taking "Decorating with Quilts" a bit too far!
This is a stack of my quilts on top of a small chest in my guest room. I am 5'9" and the pile reaches up to my nose :c) All of these (and more) are displayed below.
This is a stack of my quilts on top of a small chest in my guest room. I am 5'9" and the pile reaches up to my nose :c) All of these (and more) are displayed below.
Newer quilts are towards the top!
October 2007: True Friends! Last December I spent a week with my friend Tonya in Florida. We had a "crumby" week planned where we would sew with each other's smallest pieces, blending our fabrics and making crumb blocks! You have to understand that Tonya is a lover or brights and batiks and even novelties, and I am much more traditional in my fabric choices! THIS was the challenge..to use each other's fabrics together with our own! We made oodles of blocks, laid them out on the floor, and then she and I took turns picking ones that we wanted. "One fory ou, one for me, one foryou, one for me!" It was like a game! This is the end result of that much-more-than-crumby week with a good friend! The poem in the border reads:
"True friends are the Brightest Scraps in the Patchwork of Life!" Two blocks contain Tonyas initials, and my own. She also has the same initial blocks for her own quilt :c)
"True friends are the Brightest Scraps in the Patchwork of Life!" Two blocks contain Tonyas initials, and my own. She also has the same initial blocks for her own quilt :c)
October 2007: Jared Takes A Wife! I have the priviledge of singing alto in the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Choir in Columbia, SC. The choir has become family to me in the past year I have sang with them! Our director/organmaster is getting married on Oct 13th, 2007 and we get to sing for the wedding, which is going to be an experience I am sure I will treasure and never forget!
I was out fondling fabrics one afternoon (oh yes, we all know this scenario!!) When I came across some music fabrics too fun to pass up! They just seemed to jump into my arms and said "Buy me!" I knew this was the perfect focal fabric for this quilt.
I was out fondling fabrics one afternoon (oh yes, we all know this scenario!!) When I came across some music fabrics too fun to pass up! They just seemed to jump into my arms and said "Buy me!" I knew this was the perfect focal fabric for this quilt.
Quilting close-up!
September 2007: 4-Patch Medallion! I was inspired by an antique quilt I saw in a magazine for the center of this quilt. Gotta love the pink and cheddar together! This quilt used up a bunch of scrappy 4 patches I had accumulated from sewing with 1.5" strips and squares. No pattern given.
Close -up of quilting and piecing.
August 2007: This full sized Pineapple Blossom coverlet measures 78.5"X78.5" and uses 36 pineapple blossom blocks set with sashing! Click here for a quilting close-up!
July 2007: This plaid Star Struck was made using a variety of homespuns and fabric obtained from thrift-shop shirt purchases! 80 blocks set 8X10 give this quilt a center measuring 64"X 80" before borders! Click here for close up of continuous baptist fan quilting detail!
June 2007: Cathedral Stars! I designed, pieced and quilted a special quilt as a donation forTrinity Episcopal Cathedral's 41st annual Trinity Bazaar to be held Nov 3rd, 2007. All the proceeds will benefit local Columbia SC agencies. The drawing will be on Nov 3rd, 2007. You can check HERE for info on purchasing tickets! Close up of Quilting Label
June 2007: Shirt Tails!While digging for something in my bins, I came across all three baggies of these blocks. They all seemed to want to go together... so I thought what the heck, laid them out on the floor and started playing. In the baggies for the rosebud blocks were some 5" plaid strips and some 3.5" plaid strips, destined for making more blocks. I used these for the sashings. Close Up.
I really like how this one turned out...even the back! Several years ago I received a quilt top for machine quilting that was too fragile to quilt, but the pattern was sooo cool I had to replicate it before sending it back. It was for a large star that made a 4 block quilt. Well, you know how it goes, I only got two done and I never got back to it. So I decided that these two large blocks were going to go on the back of this quilt. I think I like the back as much as the front and it sure makes things interesting! Again, this one was perfect for the baptist fans.
I really like how this one turned out...even the back! Several years ago I received a quilt top for machine quilting that was too fragile to quilt, but the pattern was sooo cool I had to replicate it before sending it back. It was for a large star that made a 4 block quilt. Well, you know how it goes, I only got two done and I never got back to it. So I decided that these two large blocks were going to go on the back of this quilt. I think I like the back as much as the front and it sure makes things interesting! Again, this one was perfect for the baptist fans.
April 2007: Cabin Fever! 3" paper pieced log-cabin blocks? I must have been crazy! Number of blocks: 324. Pieces per block: 17. Total pieces in center: 5,508. This was one of those "long term project" quilts. I started piecing the blocks in 2001 from the smallest of scraps that I couldn't bear to toss away. When it was announced this year that our guild show's theme at the Richland County Library was "Log Cabin Quilts" I knew I could give myself the push I needed to finish this top and quilt it in time for the show. The basket blocks in the corners were 4 orphan blocks that I just felt like using up. The "reason" there is a star in the corner of the quilt instead of the whole thing being repeats of barn raising is....I FELT LIKE IT! :cD
One Block! Close up of quilting detail Close up of piecing
One Block! Close up of quilting detail Close up of piecing
March 2007: Crayon Box! Squares, bricks and strips...what could be more fun?This quilt sews up so fast, you will have a pile of 12" blocks ready to set in no time! Close Up & Quilting Detail!
March 2007: Road To Camp Gravatt! A weekend away at a quilter's retreat gave me the opportunity to turn a stack of long time UFO Puss-In-The-Corner blocks into a really fun quilt set with wonky stars!
Quilting detail
Quilting detail
February 2007: My Blue Heaven! This is a two block quilt! A modified puss in the corner block, and an hour glass star block, both in 8" finished size. All from 2.5" blue and neutral scrap strips! You can make this quilt as big or small as you would like depending on the number of blocks you make. This quilt uses 45 star blocks and 45 puss blocks. Quilting Detail!
Jan 2007: Epiphany Stars! When I graduated from massage therapy school in November 2005, the stashbuster online group gifted me with these individual star blocks! They are in 4 sizes, 3", 6", 9" and 12". It was a challenge to put all these various stars together in a pleasing design! I will charish this quilt forever and the friendships that sustained me through the difficult journey of going to school and getting my license in neuromuscular and massage therapy in my 40s! Click for quilting detail!
Jan 2006: I started this Ohio Stars & Rails Quilt the week of Sept 11th, 2001. I took the last stitches in the binding and sleeve last night! It was a long time finishing, but I wanted to hand quilt this.
It was well worth the effort! Detail Pic
It was well worth the effort! Detail Pic
Dec 2005: I am addicted to thrift shop hopping looking for men's 100% cotton shirts in plaids and stripes! This Smokey Mountain Stars quilt is the result of a weekend of playing with plaids!
Nov 2005: I made two quilts to draw winners for during finals week at massage therapy school! All the names of the graduating students were placed in a mug, and drawn for. Pineapple Blossom was won by Andre, and Random Stars was won by Marie!
Sept 2005: Trip Around The World, twin size, also destined for Katrina relief. Lots of evacuees have been relocated near me in Columbia, SC, and this one along with many others is being donated locally to help.
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
Sept 2005: Still on a mission to make quilts for Katrina Survivors. This quilt I call Brick Paths. The bricks form diagonal rows down the quilt, offset by cream on cream plain squares.
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
Sept 2005. This week Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast and I have been busy making relief quilts. Several refugees will be arriving in Columbia, SC and I want to do SOMETHING to help. Pressing a button on the computer to send money helps, but is not "hands on" enough for me. I attacked a bin of 3" scrap strips to make this Scrappy Bargello in a twin size.
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
September 2005: This is the week that Hurricane Katrina has devisated the gulf states. I am making quilts to send to help the refugee effort. I wanted to make something sturdy that could be used for a pallet on the floor as well as a quilt to keep someone warm, so I turned to my bin of recycled denim from jeans, and came up with this Denim Brick Road quilt. Pattern is "Yellow Brick Road" by Atkinson Designs.
Pic of fun "cows over the moon" backing and label
Pic of fun "cows over the moon" backing and label
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
July 2005: I just finished the binding on this Zig-Zag 9 patch last night! It seemed to go on forever because it is king size and meant for my bed. This quilt is my latest completed leaders/enders project from 2" squares. Here is a close up of the quilting-in-progress! I had alot of fun doing the windy feathers through the 9patch zig zags and squash flowers in the plain squares!
May 2005: I've been working on getting tops that have sat around for a while quilted. This
30's Trip Around The World was a kit from Common Threads Quilting in Waxahachie TX. I pieced it for the shop, it was displayed there as a demo for a while, and then it came back to me. Close up of the quilting
30's Trip Around The World was a kit from Common Threads Quilting in Waxahachie TX. I pieced it for the shop, it was displayed there as a demo for a while, and then it came back to me. Close up of the quilting
Simply Strippy! I had an overflowing bin of 3.5" strips. It seems bins of different widths are always reaching the overflowing point here, and that can inspire me to find something that will use those up!
These two quilts were given to friends graduating from massage school in the class just ahead of me!
Simply Blue StrippyThese two quilts were given to friends graduating from massage school in the class just ahead of me!
Simply Multi Strippy
Here is a pic of the quilting detail on the Simply Blue Strippy!
I'm a bit behind at updating this page. Some quilts have been done for a while but I didn't have a hanging sleeve to hang the quilt for picture taking. Bad excuse I know! I love string quilts, always have always will! This quilt is a queen sized Spider Web. Easy and fun to make and used up alot of smaller pieces. I fell in love with an antique spiderweb I had seen in a magazine, also set with the same antique 'dirty pink' background and I just had to give it a try! The string pieced border was also alot of fun. Here is a pic of quilting detail showing the machine quilted baptist fans. This pic of the back shows a great way to use up odd ball fabrics! I cut 10-1/2" squares of a lot of left over pinks and corals that I wanted to clear out and pieced them together for the back.
The only thing that is "new" about this quilt is the pic of the full quilt! The directions to this Oklahoma Backroads quilt have been on my site for some time, but I never got around to getting a decent pic of the quilt when quilted and bound. I have found that the fence on my side yard and a cloudy day makes for good lighting! Here is a pic of the quilt back using up lots of 10-1/2" purple squares, and a pic of the quilting detail.
This is another one I didn't have great pics of either. Here is a pic of the Chunky Churndash quilt outside hanging off the deck rail. It was hard to get the quilt to 'stand still' as there was a storm brewing and the wind kept sweeping it off the rail before I could get a pic taken! Here is a close up of the quilting.
Basketweave Strings! This is another one that I have directions for on my website. (see menu to the left of page) What a fun way to use up all those oddball strips! I really enjoyed making this. The quilting adds so much texture to the straight straight piecing. Wonderful fun!
I've been promising my son Jeff a Sponge-Bob quilt for a long time! Valentine's Day was around the corner, so I quickly put together his Road to Sponge-Bob quilt using the Yellow Brick Road pattern by Atkinson Designs.
Scrappy Double Irish Chain was another leaders/enders project! I had alot of fun watching this quilt grow while I was working on other projects. I've always liked chain patterns that leave space for wonderful fancy quilting!
I spent over 3 years piecing on this Ocean Waves quilt before the top was done! Tons of tiny triangle squares, they finish at 1.5" square! I really love how this quilt turned out, I've always wanted to make one. I machine quilted this one using wool batting. Wow...was it NICE! I'll be using wool again in the future. Here is what the top looks like on the bed. Close-up of quilting detail! I pieced the back using up alot of pieces of black and grey that I wanted to whittle down. Pic of quilt back. How long have THESE fabrics been in my stash? :c)
January 1st, 2005: The first quilt of the new year! I finally finished the hand quilting on this 6 point string star. I've been working on it for a bit over 3 years. We took a week's vacation to a little cabin in the Smokey Mountains in Western North Carolina between Christmas eve and New Years Day and this was my take along project forcing myself to GET IT DONE! I wanted badly to finish it by midnight on New Year's Eve, but midnight came with still 2 baptist fans to go, so I finished it the evening of New Year's Day, the first finished quilt of 2005.
Full Quilt Closer Shot Very Close Shot!
It has been my goal this past year to also use up as much stash as I can, and curb my fabric buying habits. I pieced the back for this quilt out of neutral 10.5" squares for a very fun back!
November 2004: I made this Delectible Mountains quilt as a demo for a workshop I am teaching at my guild in January.
The story is that Susie passed away this year due to lung cancer (yes, smoking related *sigh*) and her family donated her stash to the guild. We held a sale to raise money for guild programs and what was left came home with ME since I am the charity quilt chairperson. I had to use Susie's stash to come up with a quilt pattern that would be fun and easy, and the quilts we make will go to the breast cancer center. I chose this simple delectible mountains pattern because I could do it scrappy in controlled colorways (alot of susie's fabric that was left over is green or florals!) and I can make kits easily out of 8.5" squares out of the fabric.
The story is that Susie passed away this year due to lung cancer (yes, smoking related *sigh*) and her family donated her stash to the guild. We held a sale to raise money for guild programs and what was left came home with ME since I am the charity quilt chairperson. I had to use Susie's stash to come up with a quilt pattern that would be fun and easy, and the quilts we make will go to the breast cancer center. I chose this simple delectible mountains pattern because I could do it scrappy in controlled colorways (alot of susie's fabric that was left over is green or florals!) and I can make kits easily out of 8.5" squares out of the fabric.
November 2004: I went to the Sister's Quilt Show in Sister's Oregon in July! While there I saw an antique quilt of red 9 patches set with a chrome yellow alternate square. It was bright and beautiful and I knew then that the red/neutral 9 patches that I had been making were destined for this setting! Here is a pic of the finished red/yellow 9 patch on my bed. I don't know where the white spot came from in the middle of the picture, but oh well! A close-up pic shows the all over feather quilting I did on it. I have also been on a mission to use up all the odd ball fabric I can by cutting it into 10.5" squares and sewing it together for the back! It really does make for a fun back. This close up shows the weird valentines and other oddball reds I depleted using them in the back.
September 2004: Log cabins are a favorite! I have made several over the years, but had never made a 'courthouse steps' variation. Scrap Lanterns is my attempt at using up an overflowing bin of 1.5" scrap strips. I quilted this quilt in an all over feather design because the piecing and fabrics were so busy. I really like how it turned out!
Spring 2004 brought with it a trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. At the time I had already been working on scrappy blue/neutral 4 patches and triangle squares for a 'buck eye' beauty variation...but after travelling through the beautiful country side and the Blue Ridge Mountains, I knew that I had found the right name for my quilt. I named it Blue Ridge Beauty. Pic of unquilted top on my bed.
Close up showing border fabrics. Even closer pic of one block unit!
Another demo top for Common Threads. This one was a pain because the directions for cutting were completely wrong! (*&@#&! I figured out where the problems were, and tho I wasted a bit of fabric, I still like how this quilt turned out. Pineapple Logs is made with reproduction prints. Close up of Border and fabrics.
Spring 2004 brought with it a trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. At the time I had already been working on scrappy blue/neutral 4 patches and triangle squares for a 'buck eye' beauty variation...but after travelling through the beautiful country side and the Blue Ridge Mountains, I knew that I had found the right name for my quilt. I named it Blue Ridge Beauty. Pic of unquilted top on my bed.
Close up showing border fabrics. Even closer pic of one block unit!
Another demo top for Common Threads. This one was a pain because the directions for cutting were completely wrong! (*&@#&! I figured out where the problems were, and tho I wasted a bit of fabric, I still like how this quilt turned out. Pineapple Logs is made with reproduction prints. Close up of Border and fabrics.
Feb/March 2004: Common Threads Quilting in Waxahachie Texas is doing the "Women's Voices" Civil War Sampler as a Block Of The Month. Denise asked me to make the sample quilts for the shop. (I love doing this!) Instead of putting the 25 blocks into one huge quilt, I split them, putting 12 blocks in a straight setting, and the remaining in an on-point setting!
Sept, 2005: These quilts donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
January 2004: Quilt Retreats are perfect for finishing UFOs that have been lurking around! My guild in North Augusta SC holds a retreat at Hickory Knob resort every January! Fun fun fun for 4 days and I finally finished my 16-patch & Pinwheels quilt that had sat about 1/2 finished for over a year! I love how it turned out and gave it a place of honor on the antique guest bed.
I had been working on these 16 patch blocks and pinwheel blocks during sit and sew days at the local quilt shop! I used 2" strips from the 2" strip bin in darks and lights to make the 16 patch blocks. The triangles were cut from 3.5" strips using the easy-angle ruler! I love this ruler...it works with the sizes of strips I like to keep on hand and I don't have to worry about adding that 7/8" to the finished size of the triangle to figure out what size to cut! This quilt was inspired by an antique quilt I saw on ebay. I used up lots of 10.5" squares of neutrals in a fun pieced backing that cleaned out a lot of stash I didn't want anymore!
I had been working on these 16 patch blocks and pinwheel blocks during sit and sew days at the local quilt shop! I used 2" strips from the 2" strip bin in darks and lights to make the 16 patch blocks. The triangles were cut from 3.5" strips using the easy-angle ruler! I love this ruler...it works with the sizes of strips I like to keep on hand and I don't have to worry about adding that 7/8" to the finished size of the triangle to figure out what size to cut! This quilt was inspired by an antique quilt I saw on ebay. I used up lots of 10.5" squares of neutrals in a fun pieced backing that cleaned out a lot of stash I didn't want anymore!
December 2003: Sponge Bob Square Pants is all the rage. I don't understand it, but oh well! *LOL* I made these spongebob quilts (with matching pillowcases) for my friend's 10 yr old twin boys. I went back to the store to find more spongebob fabric for backing, but it was sold out! So I had to 'artfully' piece the backings with leftovers from the front. I think I've found a new love! It was fun to piece the backs, and they look as neat as the front. It's a great way to use up leftovers and save them from clogging the scrap bin!
November 2003: I love four-patches! I made this double 4 patch quilt after seeing a pic of one in "Triangle Free Quilts" by Judy Hopkins. It was a very fast project, and used up lots of leftover 2" strips of fabric i have been saving in a bin for just such a purpose! I loved the rich greens and warm tans. I even used a favorite sheet music fabric..the very last I had! It added a nice touch. This was one of those projects where I didnt have to run out and buy ANYTHING..even the backing was already here....It wasnt quite long enough tho, so I took some extra blocks and added some pizzazz to the back as well. Pic of back
I love the blended look of old antique quilts. This 4 Patch Strippy quilt was based on a quilt I saw in the book "Blended Quilts". The large floral and toile fabrics were fun to use!
I think I have been on a green binge! This Rolling Star Quilt was made for display for Common Threads Quilting in Waxahachie Texas. It's bigger than a wall hanging, yet smaller than a bed quilt. It now lives on my dining room table.
Who doesn't love braid quilts? This is a variation I call "Friendship Braid". This is a replica of a quilt that my friend Denice bought in Roundtop TX...it was nearly in shreds, but the 1800's fabrics in it were WONDERFUL! I wanted one of my own, and through trial and error came up with this quilt. Big enough to fit my kingsized bed! Close up of fabrics and quilting detail.
Who doesn't love braid quilts? This is a variation I call "Friendship Braid". This is a replica of a quilt that my friend Denice bought in Roundtop TX...it was nearly in shreds, but the 1800's fabrics in it were WONDERFUL! I wanted one of my own, and through trial and error came up with this quilt. Big enough to fit my kingsized bed! Close up of fabrics and quilting detail.
April 2003: I really need better pics of this one, but I sent it off to my friend Denice who is using it as a shop display at Common Threads Quilting in Waxahachie TX! When it comes back to me I will get better pics! Its another one of those huge bed quilts that almost needs to be photographed ON the bed because it is too big to hold up! This Friendship Cross quilt was pieced following a moda pamphlet that was distributed with a moda line of fabrics called Conestoga Calicoes. It was a TOUGH pattern to piece! So many 1/2 sq triangles.....but the Wondercut Ruler made it easy. I changed the pattern a bit and added the double sawtooth border and 4 corner blocks. another view. Close up of border fabric and corner block.
March 2003: I've had these blocks going for quite some time, and finally finished them up. This is a 'Lady of the Lake' variation, and my intent was to clear out some of the overwhelming amount of blue fabrics I have collected over the years. I used shirting prints and other old fashioned looking lights for the backgrounds. This was also the first bedsized quilt that I finished using the Wondercut Ruler. I have named this quilt "Out of The Blue!"
January 2003: This Puss-in-the-corner Strippy is the first top that I finished in my new home in SC! I really like how it turned out...the warm nutmeg background triangles are a Brannock/Patek fabric I have had for some time! So I feel vindicated in using nearly all of that up...and the black paisley in the border....is now OUT of my stash! YAY! There is NONE left...isn't that a great feeling?
The blocks were made from 4" samples that my friend Denice in TX gave me before I moved from TX to SC....the background shirtings are my own from my stash....There were some really COOL 1800's prints in those 4" samples! This was a great way to use them and keep the 4" centers as big as possible to best show off those prints.
August, 2002: More UFO clean ups! I have had this blue and yellow kaleidoscope project hanging around for YEARS. I know that I finished the top close to 3 years ago...Just now getting around to getting it quilted and bound. I really REALLY like how it turned out. Here is a pic straight off the machine. The finished quilt, bound and ready!
August, 2002: This past year we have had a 'block swap challenge' going with my sit n sew group in Sulphur Springs. Each month we would exchange 4" 'Mary's Triangles' blocks and at the end of the year we were to put them together in the setting of our choice. I took my blocks up to Sun River, Oregon with me to work on while retreating the week of the Sisters, Oregon Quilt Show. I finished the top while there! Here is the top without borders. This is a pic of the finished quilt hanging from the quilting machine, and finally a pic of the quilt on my new mission style bed!
I am the proud mother of a highschool graduate! I never thought it would happen....how could so many years have gone by so fast? But they did...and my oldest son, Jason, graduated from Waxahachie High this May! He requested a black and white color scheme for his graduation quilt. Since he is about to fly the coop off into the great big world...I thought it only appropriate that his quilt be in the "Birds in Flight" pattern! Here is a pic of me with Jason in his well earned cap and gown on graduation night.
I am SO inspired by the patterns, colors and fabrics of antique quilts from teh 1800's. I love trying to achieve a 19th century "feel" to many of my quilts. This simple Diamond Four Patch was made with 2 1/2" strips of reproduction fabrics to help use up leftovers from my Dear Jane Quilt..(which is STILL in the handquilting process!)
Somewhere In Time: This quilt is a replica of a late 1800's top that came to me too fragile for quilting. I fell in love with the"ocean waves variation" design and the turkey red background. Of course, I HAD to recreate it! I used the original top as a guide for pulling reproduction fabrics from my stash, and stayed as close to the original as possible. The real struggle with this pattern was that all the red squares are INSET SEAMS! *ackckk!* But it was good practice...and I mastered the challenge! Here is a pic of the ANTIQUE TOP that I worked from. You will notice the blocks are bigger than in mine..when I drafted the pattern, I made it so I could work with 2 1/2" strips, and have MORE blocks to play with!
I finished piecing my 10,000 piece postage stamp quilt and am SO thrilled with how it turned out!
I plan on quilting it as soon as I can squeeze it in between customer quilts...
Curious as to how this quilt is broken down into units? Here is a break down of one block!
Here is a pic of the beginning layout of 144 blocks before sewing together. There are 400 5" 25-patch blocks in this quilt, with each square measuring 1".
Here is a pic of the beginning layout of 144 blocks before sewing together. There are 400 5" 25-patch blocks in this quilt, with each square measuring 1".
Notice: this quilt, named "Perkiomen Daydreams" after my love of perkiomen valley split 9 patch layouts took a 3rd place ribbon in the "artisan pieced" category at the 2002 Dallas Quilt Celebration! YAY!
Got any sports fans in your life? There is a variety of sports fabric on the market...all big prints, directional in design, and I had NO idea what to do to use this fabric effectively! This had to be a special quilt for my friend Lynn's 8 yr old twin boys to snuggle under while watching Steelers games! I decided to use the focus Steeler fabric in large 8" snowball blocks, and set them alternately with 8" red and blue star blocks using black as the background. Here is a close up of the Stars & Steelers top in progress with a few blocks laid out on the floor. Click here to see the finished Stars & Steelers quilt hanging on my fence before sending it off! Click here for a close up of Quilting Detail.
Guild retreats are a great place to really concentrate on finishing UFOs! I finished this 9 patch cross quilt for my son Jeff while at a retreat in Texas. I used a pic of an antique quilt to inspire the color and lay out!
March 2001! I just finished this Star-Struck Quilt for my baby sister, Mary! She graduates highschool in May. Way to go Mary! This quilt is quick and easy and uses up lots of scraps. I have included instructions so you can make one as well!
Sept, 2005: This Star Struck quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.Playing with 9 patches! Two different 9 patch blocks, half with scrappy blacks in the 4 corners and centers, and the others with scrappy colors in the center sides with black in the center. Muslin for lights.
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
I made this Random Sampler from a collection of odd blocks. This quilt includes leftovers from about 15 years of quilting! I assembled the blocks in a hodge-podge manner, using strips and squares and other pieces to tie it all together. One side was so off it made the top wider than the bottom! So...I did as our quilting foremother's did..I whacked it off to square it up, added some more borders, and quilted it with an all over baptist fan pattern on my longarm machine. This one is for me and is on my bed!
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
I taught a Block-of-the-month sampler class to my guild in Burley Idaho. I decided this project was a good one for me to try my hand at amish colors! I enjoyed using an 'out of the ordinary' setting for this Amish Sampler quilt.
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
This quilt is called Stained Glass . I made this with jewel toned prints and black. Machine pieced and machine quilted. It was a gift for my friend Lori as a wedding gift....sent all the way to Scotland! Machine pieced and machine quilted.
Tara's Garden was so fun to make in purple and yellow and green! It was made for a special friend as a high school graduation gift. Machine pieced and machine quilted.
This pattern was admired so much that I was requested to make it AGAIN to fit a queen sized bed in autumn colors. Click here to view! This quilt was machine pieced and heavily machine quilted with swirling feathers in the borders and lots of background stippling for a very antique look!
My friend Paul graduated from University a couple years ago in Perth, Australia....I made this Cosmic Stars quilt for his accomplishment! It is shown hung on his clothesline in his back garden.
This quilt is called Celtic Dreams. The red and gold represent the Scottish flag. The green is for the rolling hills, and the white symbolises lucky white heather. This quilt was made for a Scottish friend in Canada. Machine pieced and machine quilted.
Kaleidoscope quilts are great fun, creating the optical illusion of interlocking circles. This one has over 100 different fabrics and was specially ordered by my chat friend Mica, for another chat friend Ann. This quilt went to Canada for Christmas 1997. Ann has the quilt on her Bed and she just loves it! She shows it to all who come by! Machine pieced and machine quilted.
I made Thousand Pyramids for my mom as a gift for her new house in the mountains of Garden Valley, Idaho. The scenery is breath taking there. I love to walk the country mountain roads and gather my thoughts. I dont visit often enough! Machine pieced and machine quilted.
When my sister Joy turned sweet 16 a few years ago, I made her Joy's Stars as a birthday gift. I snuck over while she was at school and put it on her bed as a suprise! She was REALLY suprised! She loves burgundy and dark green and has it with her at college now. Machine pieced and machine quilted.
I should call this quilt Pinwheels from Hell! After collecting authentic 1930's fabrics, and adding reproductions to them, I came across every quilter's nightmare. Though I prewashed all the fabrics,
one of the reds still decided to bleed after the quilt was HAND QUILTED and washed! (*&@#$(
one of the reds still decided to bleed after the quilt was HAND QUILTED and washed! (*&@#$(
But I still like it...just dont look too close!
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
One year our guild had a "Doggy Bag" challenge! We were to take 1/2 yard of the ugliest fabric in our stash, put it in a brown paper sack, and bring them to be exchanged at a guild meeting. The challenge was to use as MUCH of the fabric as we could in the design of our choice. Dog Daze is the result of this challenge. Here is the ewwwwwww fabric! Machine pieced and machine quilted.
I fell in love with the Country Cousins pattern from the book Scrap Quilts. I had to make it to deplete my stash of red scraps. I used lots of splashy polka dots and red checks and plaids for a country feel. Machine pieced and machine quilted.
Sept, 2005: This quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
I have a large floor frame for hand quilting in my dining room. I made Mountain Thistle for my mom as gift for Christmas 1997. Each 12" block has 133 pieces, some measuring as small as 3/4" (Insane? No doubt!) It is intricately hand quilted with feathered wreaths and swags and elaborate borders. Mom loves it! The quilt won a blue ribbon at our guild show! Here is a pic of the whole quilt .
My Bedroom is full of quilts, as is every room in my house! Shown here on my antique bed are my hand quilted double wedding ring (My second full-size quilt...I didn't know better at the time!) my hand pieced and hand quilted Grandmother's Flower Garden. Over the foot board is a machine pieced and machine quilted Road to St Louis quilt. (I've been to St Louis..it doesnt look like that!)
Sept, 2005: Road to St Louis quilt donated to Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts.
This next quilt is called Mitre Box. It is made by sewing strips of varioius widths together, cutting the strip sets into squares, then cutting those squares with an 'X' from corner to corner and rearranging the triangles into a pinwheel design. Really easy and striking!
No comments:
Post a Comment
If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.
Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.
Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)