Quilting with Karen

Four very happy quilters!!

KK — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:47:29 +0000

If a picture is worth a thousand words then four pictures must be worth a million words!! Here are the final products from the other new quilters in my Wadmalaw Island Sassy Senior Quilters Club!! This time last year I had six brand new quilters – only one who had much experience in sewing. A year later they had produced two joint effort quilts and each one has finished an individual quilt. When they showed off their quilts the first of January – my class more than doubled in size for this year!!! Many of the senior ladies had observed the quilting class but would say they couldn’t do that. Now they all want to try!!! I had a wonderful day yesterday on the island with twelve in my class and two more should have been there!!! It was especially gratifying to watch those who had been with me in 2011 sharing their knowledge and helping the new ones because to me that is really what quilting is all about.

Enjoy the pictures. I love how they used the same pattern but each one is so unique and so much a reflection of their own personality. They are also showing the pillowcases they made to match their quilts.

First up, Miss Mary Alice.

Here is Miss Maggie.

And now Miss Alice – she is Maggie’s sister.

And finally Miss Clare – aka Miss Daisy.

Our first pattern for 2012 is a Disappearing or Divided Nine Patch. Two weeks ago each quilter selected their fabric choices from our ever growing stash of fabrics. If we couldn’t find three fabrics to work together I came home and looked through my stash and was able to find something to complement their selections. It was so much fun to watch them as they looked at fabrics and we talked about what would work together as colors and value and pattern. Personal likes and dislikes are so unique!!

Our first sewing day of the new year was yesterday and even with double the number of sewers and all but one of them being very new to sewing everything went so smoothly. I have cut back my days on the island to twice a month but they will be able to sew on the alternate Wednesdays on their own as I make sure each one understands their next step before I leave and I have six seasoned sewers now to help them out.

The Secrets of Life

KK — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:17:42 +0000

The world would be a much nicer place if everyone just followed the simple rules found on this quilt. Isn’t it sweet! Applique, piecing and embroidery by Jolene, quilting by Karen. All pictures are clickable for a larger image.

2012 Quilting Goals

KK — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:16:09 +0000

As 2011 draws to a close and a new year looms on the horizon I’ve decided to set some specific goals for my personal quilting. I tend to let my own work get pushed to the side and this year I want to make sure I carve out time each month for my quilting and piecing.

I plan to set up a blog page devoted to my progress in reaching those goals and I haven’t solidified any of them yet – but I have been thinking and this is my rough draft.

1. Enter at least two quilts in national shows. GULP!!

2. Quilt 12 tops that are already completed. List to come.

3. Complete 12 Projects Half Done…………at least to the Ready to be Quilted state. List to come.

4. Make 6 baby quilts for Covering SC Kids – our Quilters of SC challenge.

Purchase only fabric needed to complete a project (such as a border or a backing) but try to “make do” with what is in the stash.

Some like to keep track of how much fabric they have used as opposed to how much they have purchased. I’m not going there! LOL

So how about you…………do you set specific quilting goals for yourself? Maybe this is the year to try it out!!

Her Very First Quilt

KK — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:30:40 +0000

Here is Ms. Vance of Wadmalaw Island with her first finished full size quilt. Miss Anne as she is known by friends and family is an accomplished sewist and has taken to piecing like a duck to water. She sewed and sewed and sewed and made a queen size quilt for her first quilt of her own. I was so happy to do the quilting for her on this one. And look – she even wore colors to match the quilt on the day I returned it to her – and she did not know I was bringing it to the center that day.

Prior to this the Wadmalaw Sassy Seniors had made two joint effort quilts. Then they all began their own individual quilt tops. All are now completed. I have quilted Miss Retta’s and now Miss Anne’s. I will be working hard to have the others quilted for the new year. We all owe my friend Virginia a big thank you as she does the binding for us.

If you want to get lifted up – get out there and volunteer your time, talents, and services to others. You will receive blessings tenfold in return.

Shoebox Sampler Quilt

KK — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:12:06 +0000

I love sampler quilts – they always present a challenge to add quilting that pulls all of the separate elements of the quilt together into a cohesive statement. This sampler by June is called a Shoebox Quilt. What is that? Well, it’s sort of like a round robin. There are usually 12 participants. Each quilter picks a block pattern that they are going to piece. Each quilter selects a variety of fabrics and places them in a shoebox. Then the shoebox travels around the group – each month you get a new shoebox. Using the fabric inside you make a quilt block from the block pattern you previously selected. You put the quilt block and the remainder of the fabric back inside the shoebox and pass it on. At the end of 12 months each quilter gets their own shoebox back with 12 beautiful quilt blocks inside. Each quilter then selects a setting for their blocks and stitches up a beautiful quilt. And then some lucky longarm quilter gets to put the finishing touches with quilting. I always love to get a top from June because it is always straight and square and I can quilt away without having to deal with technical issues.

Lots of pics of this quilt – June gave me a nice light colored back to showcase the quilting stitches on both sides. This one took a week altho I did not quilt on it every day of that week. Four thread color changes, ruler work, and freehand quilting. Sew Fine thread on top and Bottom Line in the bobbin – both by Superior Threads. Love that combo of thread – it always works perfectly for me.

Enjoy the quilt show! And don’t forget – all pictures are clickable to get to an expanded view.

Sisters’ Choice – Act One

KK — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:33:48 +0000

My small group the Sew’n Sisters have done a quilting project together every year. Two years ago we did the pattern Cracked Pots and last year we did Monterey Medallion. This year instead of selecting a pattern we decided to just select a specific block and what would be more appropriate than the Sisters Choice block. We each pulled fabrics from our stash that we cut into patches and put into a communal box. We also selected the same background fabric for everyone to use. Then we got busy and each month we would pick at least once day when we made Sisters Choice blocks. We finally had enough made to move on to designing our quilt tops. We put all of the blocks into a pile and selected ones that spoke to us – a true Sisters Choice!! Each of us selected a different setting for our blocks so when this project reaches its final fruition there will be four very different quilts all built around the same quilt block.

Frances was the first to finish her top and I just (finally!!) got her top quilted. We are both very happy with the outcome.

Hopefully over the next few month I will be able to present the other three versions. Mine is together but not quilted. Betsy and Sheila each have a little more piecing or applique to finish on theirs.

Everyone added some type of challenge to this project. Frances had a kit for a small wallhanging that she incorporated into the center of her quilt. I had a focus fabric that I used in the border of mine that I had had for years but had never had the perfect quilt for and I decided this was the time to use it. Betsy has never been real comfortable with doing truly scrappy and she did a wonderful job of letting go of her inhibitions and just putting fabrics together. Sheila chose an applique medallion center and also has added an applique border of her own design.

So here is Frances’ Sisters Choice. I just finished reading and getting inspired by DeLoa Jone’s latest book “Sampler Solutions”. I was able to incorporate many of her ideas into the quilting.

Walking in a…………….

KK — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:59:01 +0000

………….Winter Wonderland. This beautiful winter snow scene Blue Work quilt was done by Marcie. I was like a kid again cutting out snowflake patterns to quilt in the open spaces around the blue star blocks. Remember the fun of folding a paper into sixths or eighths; cutting a pattern; then opening it up to reveal a marvelous snowflake?

Remember, all pictures are clickable for an enlarged view.

You Get your Kicks………….

KK — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 04:07:54 +0000

……………on Route 66!!

This is so darn cute it stinks!! LOL Marianne does the most exquisite hand applique and embroidery and she outdid herself on this darling darling tribute to the most famous highway in the US. I was so thrilled to be given the opportunity to quilt it. Take some time and travel across America in this quilt – complete with Burma Shave signs!! True Americana at its best!

All pictures are clickable for a larger view.

Smiling “Sassy Seniors”

KK — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:18:43 +0000

Last week I taught my Wadmalaw Island “Sassy Senior” ladies how to make a quick and cute seasonal table runner. They were thrilled to be able to start and finish a project in one sewing session and some of them plan to make some more for gifts. Look at the beautiful smiles on these wonderful ladies!!

One had finished her quilt top and was happy to show it off. It is now here with me so that I can quilt it for her. This lady had never used a sewing machine before we started learning in January. Now she is well on her way to becoming a proficient quilt piecer and sewer.

Click to view slideshow.

If you have never volunteered your services, skills, or talents with others, you don’t know what you are missing!! I get back tenfold what I give to these ladies. Yesterday they held a Thanksgiving dinner and fed other seniors from the nursing homes, assisted living homes, and elder day care facilities in the area. These ladies carried plates and trays and drinks and actually served those that are older than they are. It was a joy to be there with them.

More Fall Quilting

KK — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:19:55 +0000

First up a darling black and white quilt by Betsy. This called for an overall edge-to-edge quilting treatment and I used my “threes and Es” motif. Look at the close up and see if you can find the threes and the Es. Betsy inserted the cute red prairie point accents on the two side borders so I had to be very careful when quilting to keep them out of the way. Betsy purchased a “Five Yard” pack for this quilt and used on of the patterns provided with the five yards of fabric.

The next pattern is Falling Leaves. Alice Lynn and Alice “Mom” made the top for the wedding celebration of Alice Lynn’s son Neil to Emily. I did the quilting in a leaf and loop motif. Another quilt that only needed edge-to-edge quilting to make it perfect.

Next up is Eureka! a Gathering Friends pattern pieced by Jolene. This is a bit out of the box for her as she usually does not do glitzy or use Oriental style fabrics. The formality of this quilt top and the large open spaces just screamed for a fancy formal quilting treatment and that is what it got. I don’t know why I don’t have a full picture of the quilt.

Virginia has been busy making quilts for her granddaughters and her daughter-in-laws. This one is for Melissa. It is a shadow box type pattern in beautiful fall colors so leaves and loops were called upon again in the quilting.

See……..I really have been a busy bee. More to come so stay tuned! Better yet, just subscribe and you won’t miss a single stitch.