KatyQuilts

There’s No Place Like Home!

Posted on September 12, 2015 by katyquilts

We had a wonderful week but it is always good to come home! I left my lattice quilt on the frame so I would have something ready to go when I got back. I haven’t fully dealt with mail, laundry, and unpacking but I couldn’t wait to get a few stitches in.

I decided to do a freehand feather in the border but I was having a terrible time seeing where I was going! I ended up getting a desk lamp to sidelight the quilt and turning the room lights off.

You can see here what happened with the machine lights on.

I went with feathers and ribbon candy in the body of the quilt.

It is slow going but I think it will be worth it.

I’m off to spend time with Mr. Wonderful before he leaves on yet another business trip. Have a wonderful day!

Linking up with Pink Doxies

Posted in Free Motion Quilting, HQ Avante, Machine quilting | 11 Comments

Never Forget

Posted on September 11, 2015 by katyquilts

if my people who belong to me will humbly pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. (‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ CEB)

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Finish It Up Friday!

Posted on September 11, 2015 by katyquilts

Today I am going to show you the two baby quilts that I finished last week. I wanted to make a couple quick and bold quilts that would be suitable for boys. Here is the flying geese quilt before washing.

And after:

And a look at the back:

Here is the second quilt before washing.

And after:

I like the first one much better. Probably because the quilting is much tighter. I wanted them to be soft and my tendency is to overquilt. But I like it that way!

I used Warm and White batting for both of these. It is a very flat batting. I think the quality is very good. I loved using this when I was still quilting on my domestic machine. However, now that I am long arming, I prefer something with a bit more loft. I am still looking for my favorite batting but I do prefer cotton poly blends. Hobbs 80/20 is good and I also like Pellon Legacy. But I am still looking ….

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Richard and Tanya Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Quilt Shop Gal

Posted in Baby Quilts, Finishes | 13 Comments

Throwback Thursday

Posted on September 10, 2015 by katyquilts

As I was rummaging through a closet looking for other things last week, I came across these two older quilts. This first one is about 8 years old or so. I think it will be perfect to hang in my office at work for fall.

This was all improv pieced, no pattern available. It really make me think of pumpkin pie and cinnamon rolls!

This next one was made with some of my earliest hand dyed fabrics.

It also shows some of my early free motion quilting on my trusty, old Singer 201.

This one appeared in this magazine.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up with Krista Quilts for Throwback Thursday

Posted in Art Quilts, Throwback Thursday | 9 Comments

WIP Wednesday ~ Homestead Hearth

Posted on September 9, 2015 by katyquilts

We’ve been having a great time with family this week! I’ve even gotten some work on my Brinton Hall quilt while traveling.

One of the hexie frames above still needs to be appliquéd to the background. I should get that done tomorrow. I have also started basting hexies for the path in between.

We made a stop in Mexico, Missouri to visit Homestead Hearth, a shop I have ordered from several times. It was so worth the side trip!

One of the items I purchased was this package of needles.

Oh, my goodness! What a difference a good needle can make! You all were so right! I will never use cheap needles again.

I have ordered scrap bags from Homestead Hearth in the past and I purchased a few more when I was there.

Each bag contains one pound of scraps. I purchased bags that had reproduction fabrics. They cost $9.00 each. I plan to use these for the scrappy hexies I will need for my Brinton Hall quilt.

I also hit up their clearance room. I got a couple of these panels:

A couple fat quarters:

This Civil War panel:

A bit of French General:

And a couple bundles of yardage. Check out those prices!

I got 4 scrap packs and spent less than $60. We also made a detour to Missouri Star Quilt Company. I will share that loot another day!

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts, Freshly Pieced

Posted in Quilt Shops, Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Quilts in the Wild

Posted on September 8, 2015 by katyquilts

Mr. Wonderful and I have hit a number of antique shops while traveling. Here are some of the quilts we spotted. None are coming home with me but it is fun to look!

This next item was a bit of a surprise. I had to wonder about the maker!

How about that skirt for your next formal party! It was all sewn from satins.

I wonder what we will find next!

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

DW Monday And Internet Envy

Posted on September 7, 2015 by katyquilts

I am not at home but I thought I would share what is on my design wall back home. I confess that I spent a few hours working exclusively on my Downton 4 patch instead of just working it as leaders/enders. I had some time before I left but didn’t want to start working on the quilt on the frame and I didn’t want to start a new project, so I sewed a few more blocks. Now I am up to 16 of 30. And I am liking it more with every block.

Have you ever started seeing something on Instagram or on blogs and started thinking you needed whatever it was you saw? A great FQ bundle perhaps or some new gadget. Well, I am not immune. For quite some time, I’ve noticed that many serious quilters love their Juki TL 2010Q machines. They are large straight stitch machines that stitch very fast. I started pricing them out and reading reviews here and there. I usually use one of my Featherweights for piecing.

And I often use my vintage Bernina as well. But neither of them are all that fast.

I kept telling myself that I do not need another machine! Still I looked. It might not be any better than what I already have. This would be an expensive experiment in that case.

The other day, I decided to pull out one of my vintage Singer 301s. I hadn’t used one for piecing in a long time.

Guess what? This machine is fast and smooth! More so than I had remembered!

I really don’t need another machine. I already have everything I could want and more.

Problem solved. Envy gone.

Linking up with Patchwork Times for DWMonday and Cooking Up Quilts for MCM

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Slow Stitching Sunday

Posted on September 6, 2015 by katyquilts

I brought my scrappy hexie project along in our trip. I haven’t worked on this in a while so here is a picture to show you where I am at on it.

It is getting a bit unwieldy for a travel project. I have 54 more hexies cut for this.

I would like to have this done this year so I better get to work!

Linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday

Posted in Hand piecing, Hexagons, Scraps | 18 Comments

August Finishes and September Goals

Posted on September 5, 2015 by katyquilts

First of all, thank you all for the many kind comments on my room re-do! The paint I used was Pittsburg Paint’s Gand Distinction and the color is called Magical.

Now on to m goals. I still can’t believe it is September already so it is time. Actually past time since it is already the 5th! Anyway, here is my list of goals for August:

1. I want to finish my scrappy lattice blocks and perhaps get them into a finished top. Done and loaded onto the frame for quilting!

2. Since my little Liam liked brother’s quilt so well, I plan to make him a quick quilt with a soft backing. Done and delivered!

3. I am again going to try to come up with a plan for Sister Quilt #2.

Sigh….

4. Still want to come up with a good leader/ender project. Done and in progress!

I didn’t have a very long list this month, but I did get a few other things done.

I finished these small quilts.

I quilted four QOVs.

I finished the Little Sister quilt (which is now hanging in my office at work).

I also finished two baby quilts to have on hand for gifts. I will share those finishes in a seaparate post.

I will need to keep my September goals modest as we are traveling again.

1. I want to finish the Lattice Quilt.

2. Finish and Mail my bow tie blocks for the swap.

3. Complete all 7 medallions for Brinton Hall.

4. Start and keep up with the mystery quilt that Lori at Humble Quilts will be hosting.

5. I’m going to go farther than just deciding on a pattern for the second sister quilt and say that I will also cut it out!

6. Quilt any QOVs that come in.

We shall see how closely this list matches up with reality!

Posted in Goals, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Finish It Up Friday! ~ Decorating with Quilts

Posted on September 4, 2015 by katyquilts

So you have put up with my painting stories last week, now it is time to share the results. But just for fun, I dug out some true before pictures.

Pretty darn bright, right?

Well, take off your sunglasses because here is the after:

I am so excited to have a place to use all of my little red, white, and blue quilts!

Most of the small quilts are made with vintage fabrics.

I found the small kitchen cupboards at a yard sale and the small enamel table came from an estate sale that my daughter worked at. This room is a good place to display some of my vintage toy sewing machines.
This is how I hung my little quilts. First, Daughter #3 and I laid them out on the floor to decide on an arrangement.

I took the picture so I could remember! Then I hung them up using rolls of painter’s tape.

This way I could adjust easily. I used a level at this point to get them straight. Then I hammered tiny brass pins in the corners.

After that, I lifted the quilt and removed the tape rolls. This little block is one inch to give you an idea of the size of the pins.

The framed newspaper will get hung up. I also plan to buy new sheets for the bed. I took these pictures before I made the curtains from a vintage sheet with hand made lace on the edge. Overall, I am quite pleased with how it turned out. I found the vintage desk at a yard sale not long ago and loved it. Maybe because I loved playing school as a child. I am so glad I found the perfect place for it.

Here is a picture showing my curtains in place.