Staple Singers On My Pandora

I look at professional quilters work and squirm uncomfortably with jealousy. Jessica in Arizona is a pro I follow, her work is wonderful. Another is BeckyBeesQuilting, she lives local but I have never met her, I follow her on Flickr.com.
Looking at the pictures I think, "Is that the goal of how I want to quilt?" It's lovely controlled quilting, that's what drives me crazy with green. I know I have to just let go and do the best I can. I know I want that control, but am I really willing to work that hard on it?
I want my quilting to look modern, fresh, and not so traditional. Part of that look for me is that freehand style and more all over.
I am getting ready to quilt a quilt for my girlfriend Faith, a kind of free hand style memory quilt.
I have done some sketches for it and prepared some things on tissue paper I am going to quilt thru.
Here's a look I like, the centered bit, not the edge bit which needs more practice.

I am quilting a baby quilt with this to see how well it works and what it looks like after a trip thru the wash. Color accurate in first photo of post.

I also have been playing around with this piecing pattern:


I am going to make it smaller and with fewer pieces, you'll see later... so that pattern idea is on track... Im going to cut something out while I work on Faith's quilt. I'll show you later.
and I am in the final piecing on this one ..

I did most of it before I left for CA to move my Mom. I added little pieces to make it a straight.
I may add borders or something.... yawn, it is just taking too dang long. It has Y seams and is a nightmare. I would just like to get it sewn up and make it stop pressuring me to finish.
I used a layer cake and Jelly Roll from Moda in Cotton Blossoms... more later.

That's whats going on quilting wise at my house. I think I have caught you up.
My Moms Condo is closing soon so we are busy with those details. What better thing to do when the economy is in free fall then buy real estate? I ask you.
Quilters Rock!!

Dreaming!

Every Week I get a newsletter from Dover the free image people. They send a link to sale items and samples. I downloaded the harsh black and white image from them... took the image and lowered the contrast so that when I print it out I don't use all my ink. I hope to one day be skilled enough to enlarge and quilt the the image, or one similar on a quilt. Beautiful. Dover is a great source for copyright free images or "clip-art".
The other day I had a friend in to quilt. It was my first passage quilting bee. I was kinda nervous, I usually don't have people in my work space and it was the first time I let someone else use my Handi - Quilter Sweet 16. All-in all it went pretty well. She bought me lunch, and was a good guest. My friend quilted 4 quilts for passage and I fixed up some so she took away 7
so that was good right?

THREAD

I love thread! A most common, noble, hardworking thing. Never when I pick out clothes do I say to myself " check out how well that thread is holding that sleeve on!" Yet, there it is doing it's job.
In a quilt, thread can really add something or be a big distraction. Personally, I like thread to kind of "disappear" into the fabric design - as in ... Let's not look too closely, I'm a folk artist not a fine artist. I try to pay homage to tradition and still do something as a quilter that looks fresh. Other times, I am just quilting that sandwich together.
I own a Handi-Quilter Sweet 16 (follow link to see a picture) , I am sure you have seen the ads in magazines. I am not a longarmer, I'm more a hobby quiliter. I quilt for charity, do my own quilts, quilt for my friends, samples and Etsy.
All that being said my point is this: I take thread very seriously. I want strong thread, that is thin and doesn't have a lot of lint for me to clean up. Thread also has a kind of voo-doo quality to it, what works for you may not be what works for someone else. To a certain extent a quilter has to find the thread that works the best for them and experimentation is required. I have tried lots of brands Aurifil, Gutermann, Mettler, Robison Anton, Signature, Star,etc etc...
After about a year of trial and error I have a couple I like.
For piecing I like Aurifil, and Masterpiece by Superior ... Lately, I have used Essentials at Connecting Threads a VERY good value per spool and a very good piecing thread that I have also used on the HQ16 - a nice quilt.
Far and away my favorite quilting thread is Superior Threads. I like the So Fine and Bottom Line the best. I also really like Signature Thread see pic above.
In the face of looming depression, I decided if I was going to be cash poor I wanted to spend some money on thread. I also want to expand my quilting business and take on more jobs per month. So I need to have some color options. They just released a bunch of new pale colors in So Fine so I made an order. I have been waiting for my box to arrive. Pins ANd NEEDLES!!!

Here is my beautiful box of thread and bobbins they sent me... they packed it so nice and clean.
When I opened all the boxes it was so pretty!!

I'm so happy! I even got something called Moda green.. I'm so happy! oh I said that already.
I have been contemplating this purchase for months, looking at the website and looking at the catalog, playing with my thread cards etc
Thread cards? Here's photo. At 3$ a card they are a bargain and a great help.

I don't have a whole set because I don't use some of their threads (yet) but there are more.
Just the cards I need...
Questions? coz I feel like an expert, I'm not; I just have an opinion.
Quilters Rock!

What Up?

Today I am trying to get back to a "normal" schedule but I fear my bon-bon days of Do Nothing are over for a while. This Friday is Passage night and I am trying to get some tops quilted. I have 2 done, and another 2 on the way hopefully.



I'm been distracted by a "genius" idea I had, making a template and maquettes, plus trying to get everything in my regular life done by its deadline. I need to figure out our pine tree situation, since they are dead. Blah, blah blah, I feel really busy and kind of shattered. The good news? I'm sewing! I love working with cloth and thread!
Quilters Rock!

Working Working Working

Hi, whew, its been awhile huh?
I'm still settling Mom, but she seems
pretty happy.
I have been working on paid work lately, which means it's time sensitive. So I feel
really busy. I figured out a way to show you what I am working on without spoiling the published unveiling. Black and White!
I am testing a pattern and making the version that gets photographed... I haven't been doing this very long so I am always nervous. I love the idea of getting paid to sew, and I am grateful to the company that values my efforts.

More later
Quilters Rock!

Rachel

I'm Back!

I'm going to have to find time for everything but I am home.
Thank You Jesus!
quilters Rock!

VACATION

Lots of things are happening, but not a lot of quilting. Lately I have been focused on moving my Mother to this state from California. She is 75 years old so some assistance on my part is required. I am leaving tomorrow to drive down and get her. Posting has not been a priority as I get prepared to leave, sorry for that. I'll be back after labor day.
Did you ever see that movie Home for the Holidays? Its from 1995, its a Thanksgiving movie, a classic. Visiting my family generally reminds me of this movie! So if you rent it, think of it happening to me in the middle of a hot, Southern California August.

I have a feeling that I'll miss my online life more than I'll be missed.

I will be twittering my doings so if you twitter, I tweet!