A Quilters Moto

"Measure twice and cut once"

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

How Awesome is QUILT MARKET?


Quilt Market is AWESOME. I was lucky enough to go with my dear friend Carina Gardner. We had so much fun. I will post you all some of my highlights from my very long but FUN day at Quilt Market. Above is a photo from the Riley Blake booth that was by far the most beautiful one there. It took the cake:)

We had a great time with Amanda Herring of the Quilted Fish. We all wanted to have a tea party and eat cake!!

I then saw one of my favorite pattern companies Pie Plate Patterns! They are the ones that made the pattern for the pinwheel quilt that is at the top of my blog. They were so nice and fun to talk with, I just loved them. How fun!!



This quilt caught my eye for a couple of reasons. First, because it is so stinkin' cute! I love the turtles. Second, because my teenagers can't stop with that YouTube video about Turtles. I have seen it and every time I giggle. I think my next quilt might be turtles, just because they are cute and because now they make me giggle.

How cute are these little guys?! I just loved them. I am probably not talented enough to make them, but I did just love them. They are by Stash Books. Don't you just want to take the little guys home with you?


It is always something adorable and simple like this that makes me feel like I have nothing to offer in the world. I would have never thought of something like this. It is SO STINKIN cute and it just never would have occurred to me to make it. I love it!
Last but not least, I met Amy Butler!! To be fair, Carina Gardner is still and will always be my favorite fabric designer. This is a photo of me with Susan and Amy Butler. It was so fun to be at the Quilt Market and see all the talent there and it was so great to be there with Susan and Carina. I will never forget it. Thanks Carina!!

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Passing on the Tradition

















So, when my husband was in high school his grandmother made him a quilt. It was a king size quilt with itty bitty pieces. The entire quilt was hand done. Pieced by hand and quilted by hand. It was unbelievable! When we got married 17 years ago he brought it with him and put it right on our bed. I LOVED it. Needless to say it has been on and off our bed for the last 17 years. It is needing to be put on display only:( I am so sad. However, with his grandmother now gone and me not being able to put it in the wash. There really is no other way. I want to replace it. I am quilting a new one with very similar fabrics from the first one. Very bright 70's looking fabrics. FUN! Here they are and I am so so sorry that the picture is a little grainy. My dear husband took my good camera camping this weekend. But, I wanted to post what I was quilting.

Fun Funky Block



This block is SUPER easy! I cut 1/2 my blocks 10" and the other 1/2 9". Then I took all the blocks that were 10" and I cut them diagonally once and then again to make the triangles. Then you sew them into these adorable squares with the points in the middle!! How funky and fun is that?!! I know only one thing that makes quilting more fun...

Having it with homemade Jelly!

Grape Jelly and Quilts!!I canned grape jelly last night and loved it. When I got up this morning to quilt and saw it next to the fabric I just loved how it looked laying next to the bright oranges and greens. So, I thought I would take a picture for you. I hope you can just smell the jelly and the fabric:) Happy Quilting!

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Joy of Quilting


I never imagined that I would become a quilter. If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have laughed. But, now...I can't think of doing anything else. I live to quilt. I was diagnosed with heart disease and my cardiologist suggested that I take up a hobby that would relax me. I tend to be a little high strung. Can you believe that? Anyway, I had a friend that suggested quilting. I thought that she was kidding, but then I found out that she was actually a beautiful quilter and she would teach me her craft. After two afternoons with her, I was HOOKED! I went straight home and told my husband that I NEEDED a sewing machine and that I wanted to quilt. So when I suggested that we buy my beautiful brand new Bernina Patchwork Edition Activa 230 he looked me in the eye and said, "REALLY?"

Now, he couldn't be happier that I bought that wonderful humming machine. It creates beautiful quilts like the one right here, made with the stunning Coquette fabric by Carina Gardner, that sits in my family room and he cuddles under it every night. I have since made so many quilts that I have lost count. I will post a few pictures of some of my creations and I will start to blog about the process. I am a quilter that loves the entire process, from choosing the fabric to sewing the binding on. I would love to hear from you about my quilts. I hope that you enjoy them.

A Rainbow of Color

I made this quilt for my nephew Cole. It is hard to see, but the fabric has dinosaurs and bugs on it. Perfect for little boys!!


An Irish Chain



I made this great quilt for my mother. There are actually a lot of things that I would have done differently with this one, but she loves it just the same. Like mothers are supposed to do, right?

Cora's Quilt

This is actually one of my first quilts that I made. I love the fabric I used. I made it for my niece who lived in Boston at the time. I sewed a jingle bell into the lining. It took her two weeks before she figured it out and then it became one of her favorite things. She would walk around and shake the blanket to hear it jingle.