Tick-tock-tick-tock...

Christmas is two weeks away and we are behind as usual. I finished the top of the last quilt for my new step-grandkids, and just need to get it quilted and bound so I can mail everything to Arizona. The other adult grandkids are getting money...always appreciated by young people struggling to make ends meet. We'll be having one daughter and my son and his family with us for Christmas, and this is what we look forward to. These are the quilts going to Arizona.

Finished!

Needs quilting and binding.

Finished!

Getting the other customer quilts done is my priority now. I have a few more to do, and am presently struggling with one with that white on white fabric where the pattern is painted on. My machine is not happy to sew through this fabric! I have done a lot of picking out after the tension changes and the stitches get pokies. I am considering picking all the quilting out and using a different (better) white on white from my stash. We'll see.

This customer combined beautiful batiks with bold black and white prints for an exciting effect.

Mimicking the shapes in the construction, I used a spiral square for the quilting.

It looks really cool on the solid black back.

This quilt is not yet finished. The customer wants big stitch done diagonally through the 9 patches and solid blocks. I am trying to find the color of pearl cotton she wants locally, and haven't been successful. I'd like to get the handwork done and get it back to her. Stay tuned.

I used a simple swirl design for the machine quilting.

The back is pieced.

This is a simple pattern with big impact. I like it very much.

I used a star and ribbon panto for the quilting.

Wonderful backing...I wish I had some of this.

Isn't this an adorable panel? Simple straight borders finished it perfectly.

The whimsical Funky Fans pattern gives the quilt texture without overpowering the panel design.

Dotty backing adds to the whimsy.

This quilt is lovely! It has the soft color combination of sage green and dusty purples. 

I think it called for elegant quilting, and that means feathers.

The quilting was done with a light sage thread and looks nice on the back, too.

This quilt is a gift to the customer's  friend who is a devout Christian.

I used a pattern we might see on church floor tiles or wooden screen designs.

The same fabric is used on the back as well as being the border of the quilt.

I finished a repair this week. The quilt was made in 1914 and is well documented by the Quilt Project of North Carolina. It was shown in the quilt turning at the show with all the rips and shredded top side. It took a long time to stabilize the numerous places where the fabric had split from age and wear, as well as adding a facing across the top to stabilize the fabric and motifs in the embroidery. I patched the holes, added new binding and gave it a soak and gentle wash. It really came out well and I hope the customer thinks so, too.

The quilt is done with redwork motifs that represent various people, pets and events in the maker's life.

The top of the quilt was badly damaged and had no fabric between motifs to sew to. I made a facing of muslin and sewed this to the top, turning it to the back. Then, I added the patches to the open areas to hold the top to the back. I re-quilted the new pieces before adding a thin binding like the original one.

I carefully avoided patching over the embroideries.

All done and looking great. This quilt needed to be preserved and had to be mended extensively to be around for more generations.

I had better stop writing, get dressed, and go to work! There are two Christmas parties, another round of ablation injections, and a community ladies lunch this week so I need to carve out time for quilting. I couldn't do it all without Mr Wazoo. He has put up all the decorations so far, and is busy with tree decorating this week. He's a keeper!

The tree is about half done.

Santas and painted lights on the mantel.

These elves are antique and frolic under the TV

Yes, he got up a ladder to hang his favorites...these lit balls. There isn't a way to show how they really look. The brightness of the lights blurs their woven appearance. He loves these. There are way more lights and decorations outside and in, but I am busy and can't do a wander with my camera right now. I'll try to document them later.

Back to work!

 

Moving through the queue of quilts

Another week has flown by and I am working like crazy to get ahead before Christmas. Custom quilting has taken a back seat for a while, but I am going to have to get the last three done so I can focus on my own projects. After I finish them, I will no longer take custom jobs. I prefer to work on repairs and do edge to edge quilting to free up some time to create and sew. I'm not getting any younger, and would like to have some quilty fun while I can!

The second quilt.

The lady well loved by her family

I finished the second quilt from the customer's mother-in-law's dresses. I had plenty of fabric leftover, so I made three pillows with Grandma's picture surrounded by squares of the dress fabrics for her three grandchildren. (I forgot to snap a photo of them before the customer picked them up...sorry) I looked up Grandma's obituary and there she was, wearing one of the dresses I used in the quilts. Reading about her moved me to make something for the three grandchildren. I only have some pictures and my memories of my grandma, and I still miss her and grandpa, especially at Christmas. The pillows were a gift.

I promised a picture of the latest repair. Here it is. Unfortunately, I didn't take 'before' pictures, but it had 97 open seams, tears in the fabric and holes in the back. Nothing giant. Easy to fix!

Thank goodness there wasn't too much mending to do on this zig-zag edge.

I've been working on a quilt for one of my daughter's step-children who loves blue. I hope to have it finished by Monday.

The fabric is by Zen Chic, my favorite designer, and the collection is called 'Blue-ish'.

While I was sewing blocks, I looked up and this is what I saw. Mom and the twins mowing the lawn for Mr Wazoo. He was not amused. A bit later, the dad of the group showed up; an impressively large eight point buck. I don't know how the local hunters missed him. I'm glad they did, though.

This beautiful EPP quilt was a joy to quilt. Perfectly square and flat...a longarmer's dream.

I found this panto on line and it was absolutely perfect for the pattern of the blocks. The quilting thread is a very light sage green that blends well with all the colors in the blocks.

You can see the pattern better on the back.

Next, was this half square triangle quilt with an oriental flair to the fabrics.

The panto is stylized ginkgo leaves in a mid-toned blue.

It looks great on the back, too.

I understand this quilt started life as a panel! The customer worked her magic and made this glorious quilt. The colors and pattern work perfectly together, and the border print is gorgeous.

The quilting is a medley of vines, leaves and flowers. The mid-tone gray blended well with the print and stands out a bit on the sashings.

Isn't this backing wonderful?! I love it, especially for this quilt.

Diligent sewing helped me to finish the top of the blue-ish quilt. I'll make the back and get it quilted tomorrow.

Mr W put the tree up while I worked in the studio. It was a rainy day and he couldn't play outside...

I think tomorrow will also be  a dismal day, so maybe he'll start the decorations! We love Christmas, and he loves to decorate. In a neighborhood in the middle of nowhere, we have the most 'exterior illuminations', as he calls them. I'l get a picture when he gets them out.

Have a fun week!