It may be cold and freezing outside but I’ve had pretty blooms this week in the studio.  Linda is a first time customer for me.  She made this pretty Blooming Nine Patch lap quilt for a friend.  It was very nicely pieced  – she even pieced the back  – it could be a quilt top on it’s own.  This is the first time Linda has ever had a quilt custom quilted and I hope I did her quilt the justice it deserved.

Blooming Nine Patch front:

Close-up, center of quilt:

Blooming Nine Patch back:

Close up of back:

Back top corner/border:

I used a creamy yellow Permacore on the top and Bottom Line tan on the back.  The tan Bottom Line really looks light golden yellow to me.  Anyway – it worked perfectly.  Quilters Dream Puff for batting – really makes those feathers stand out and drapes so nice.

Here is the final quilt from me and the Prince before Christmas.  Time for a little quilting break for both of us.  This one is by Frances and is called Christmas Goodies. The pattern is by Teri Christopherson.   It is so very cute.  I may have to make one for me soon.  Sew Fine thread on top and Bottom Line in the bobbin.  Quilters Dream Blend batting.  I had a great time doing this one and the song, My Favorite Things, kept running through my head while I was working on it.

The TTT gals had Christmas lunch together today at a local resturant in Summerville and then went on to Betsy’s for a sampling of absolutely to die for desserts.  I took a couple of candid pics at the resturant  – didn’t get everyone as Frances and Virginia were sitting in front of window and there was a glare and Betsy had left to get ready for our visit. 

This is Joanne and Sheila.  Joanne is listening intently but Sheila looks a bit askance, doesn’t she?  Love that lime green snowman sweater she is wearing.

Here we have Cindy in the gold and Janice in the black Christmas sweater. 

Here are our three redbirds, Maureen, Corky, and Joanne.  Funny how they all sat side by side. 

The pics were taken one right after the other.  Someone across the table caught their attention. 

For the past two years the girls have given me a very generous Christmas gift.  This year I put out the word that while I appreciated the gifts very much I would much prefer that they give a gift to a charity dear to me, Heifer International. This is a project dedicated to ending poverty and world hunger by giving the recipients the means to raise food or products from their livestock.  You can learn more about it by clicking on the name.   And being good little TTT girls, they did just that.  Today I received the present above – because they gave a pig, a flock of ducks, and a promise basket (there is a red Christmas basket under the fabric).  The promise basket contains geese, ducks, chickens, and rabbits.   I am so happy with my Christmas gift and so blessed to have such a wonderful, loving group of friends.

Wishing all of my loyal readers a very blessed and merry Christmas.  May all of your wishes come true!

This quilt was pieced by Virginia when she lived in FL.  She decided to put it in our upcoming quilt show and gave me the honor of quilting it. 

Lots of ruler and circle template work.  Pebbling around each of the stars/mariner compasses.  And of course, feathers!!

Dark charcoal thread (So Fine) on the top and black Bottom Line in the bobbin.

This very sweet and romantic quilt was pieced and appliqued by my friend Janice.  It has a funny story behind it.  A few (or more!) years ago around this time of the year Janice and I traveled to Pawley’s Island to visit Island Threads Quilt Shop.  We had some purchasing plans for some specific projects in mind.  While we were perusing the shop Janice found this quilt kit and fell in love with it but because it was so close to Christmas she was feeling guilty about purchasing something so “big.”  She kept saying she should just buy it and give it to Bill (her DH) to give her for Christmas but what if he already had purchased something and he really did like to surprise her.  So I said, “Hey, I think I can take care of this problem” and I walked out onto the porch of the shop and called Bill on his cell phone.  He is in industrial sales and travels all around the LowCountry but luckily he was in cell range and I got him on the phone.  Did he have a present for Janice yet?  No?  Well, there is a quilt kit here she is drooling over but she won’t buy it.  Would you like me to buy it so you can give it to her for Christmas.  “YE S!!  That would be great,” says Bill.  So back into the shop I march and pick up the kit and buy it.  Of course, Janice is aware of all of this.  I take it home, Bill comes by and picks it up and reimburses me and takes it home and wraps it up and on Christmas Eve when Janice unwraps it she gives the academy award winning ”Oh, my!!  How did you know I wanted this??” surprise act.  All are happy.  Merry Merry Christmas.

Fast forward a few years and……………….here it is all finished for this Christmas.

I used Sew Fine by Superior thread on the top with Bottom Line (also by Superior) in the bobbin.  Cream in the light areas and a dusty pink in the colored sashings, borders, and hearts.  Janice used a busy fabric on the back but the quilting is still pretty visible thanks to Dream Puff batting.

Callie Cat loves to get under quilts.  As soon as I placed this one on the big table for pictures and went to get my camera I came back to this – the quilt had grown a big lump!

Her story is she’s inspecting for threads I missed when I was burying them. 

‘Tis the season………lots of quilts to quilt……..first up one of Jolene’s………I Believe.  The pattern is by Pat Sloan.  Another one that we started a few years ago……..finally finished………and then it had to season awhile before it got quilted.  But it’s ready for the holiday season this year and for our upcoming show in March.

It was fun to come up with all the background fillers and designs for the applique.  I used Quilters Dream Puff batting and it gives great definition to the quilting but is still so soft and drapable.  Jolene used a flannel on the back and this quilt is kitty certified as cuddly and nap worthy!

Next up is Betsy’s Four Patch Swirl and Stars.  Betsy took the Four Patch Swirl class from Lynn Buske but wanted a different setting.  She saw one and took some pictures and we figured it out.  I really like this one and it was difficult to let Betsy have it back!

I’m giving the Prince and myself a rest and taking a few days off from quilting.  I’m going to spend Thanksgiving in the mountains with Jolene.  Can you say sew sew sew and no no no roasting a turkey??  LOL

Wishing all my friends a wonderful Thanksgiving and a season of blessings.

Corky's Four Patch Swirl

Maureen's Sunflowers

I think I’m going to do one with a Christmas theme next.

Sometimes the gods are with you and you get a quilt that just begs for the quilting you like to do best.  Thank you, Frances, for allowing me to quilt your Summer Song. 

I used Bottom Line thread in the bobbin and Sew Fine in the top……four different colors.  Same color in the bobbin throughout.  Tried a new (to me) batting – Dream Puff by Quilter’s Dream.  It quilted beautifully – gave wonderful definition – and has a fantastic drape and feel.  This was my first attempt at a feathered switchback border.

If that title didn’t pique your interest then nothing will!!

My friend and quilting buddy Janice and I traveled to Houston to  THE SHOW in 2007.  While there Janice purchased a pattern called Aardvark and a set of fat quarters to use with it.  She also added fabrics from her stash once she began the construction.  We don’t know why it is called Aardvark but it’s a pretty cool quilt.  I quilted it for her yesterday morning and she came and picked it up right after lunchtime.  I quilted large echoed swirls all over to counterpoint the straight line piecing.  My camera battery was low and the colors in the pictures look washed out.

While I was at Jolene’s two weekends ago I purchased a pattern called Jack at the Gate.  Here is my version of it.  It’s  a small wallhanging or little table topper size.  I did a few changes.  The middle pumpkin was up on the fence top but to me looked like it was floating.  Two of the pumpkins had Jack o’ Lantern faces and I wanted mine to just be for fall and not Halloween.  Isn’t the fence fabric great?  I did this one all from fabrics in Jolene’s stash.  Corky says the knot holes on the fence look like bird poop. 

And finally – studio pics of the studio cats, Lucy Lawless and Calico Patchkat.  They sure are good company when I’m working alone and the very best quilt inspectors ever!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween weekend.  Jolene is coming in and we’re going to have a quiltathon with lots of treats and no tricks.  She’s bring fresh apple turnovers and fritters and jugs of cider.

That’s the name of the pattern of this quilt.  It was pieced by Betsy, one of my TTT gal gang.  She took the class from Anita Bowen at Pieceable Retreat in the fall of 2008.  Betsy is planning to give it to one of her daughters for Christmas.  She wanted custom quilting but not heavy.  I did stitch in the ditch around each block part and then used a circle template and a ruler to give it a very formal, traditional quilting pattern.

Callie Cat loves to get under the quilts when they are draped over the rails of the longarm and play hide and seek.  She inspected the top and back of this one and gave it the Kitty Kat seal of approval.

My friend Maureen and I both love autumn – the crisp cool days, the warm bright colors.  I just quilted this one for her – she wanted it simple but evocative of fall.  So……….oak leaves tumbling and swirling across a patchwork of wonderful fall color.

Can’t you just smell the cider and pumpkin pie!!