KatyQuilts

Feather Practice

Posted on January 30, 2014 by katyquilts

I took a Craftsy class by Angela Walters this week called Free Motion Feathers. She is a great teacher and I learned a lot. I need lots of practice! I had extra backing and batting at the end of the last QOV that I quilted so it was a perfect time for a little practice. I used cream thread on black fabric and two layers of batting. Here are some pics of my doodling.

Clearly, I do not spend enough time just doodling and playing with FMQ! Up close, this looks awful, from a distance not so bad. It would be better with matching thread to hide all my oopsies. I want to master feathers but I need to take the time to practice if I am ever going to get there. If I wanted you all to think I was a master quilter, I wouldn’t share these pictures! But this blog is about the good, the bad, and the ugly of my quilting journey so there it is.

I am linking up with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday and Gemma at Pretty Bobbins.

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

Work in Progress Wednesday!

Posted on January 29, 2014 by katyquilts

I got up early yesterday and got my last QOV in the frame and managed to get it quilted before work.

It’s a bit hard to see the pantograph in this picture.

You can see it better on the back.

I can’t wait to see it washed up! I hope to get it bound before work tomorrow.

I didn’t make any progress on my 16 patches but there is always tomorrow, right?

I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.

Posted in Pantographs, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Happy Tuesday!

Posted on January 28, 2014 by katyquilts

Well I didn’t get much sewing done during the day yesterday as I ended up going in to work. But I made up for it last night.

I actually have 20 blocks finished and another 8 more are well on the way.

I have never watched Bonnie Hunter’s quilt cam until last night and hadn’t intended to then. I was ready to go to bed but decided to check blogs first. I saw on Bonnie’s blog, Quiltville, that she was hosting her quilt cam and I decided to watch a bit to see what all the fuss was about. It was actually quite fun to see what she was working in and hear little tips and tricks along the way.

I guess it is a bit like having the radio on in the background except that it is all quilt chat. I ended up staying up much later than I planned but I got a lot of sewing done. Thanks Bonnie!

We had a little low key birthday party for Daughter #3 last night. Guess who came to the party?

I am linking up with Connie for Linky Tuesday.

Posted in Quilt of Valor, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Design Wall Monday

Posted on January 27, 2014 by katyquilts

Once again it is time to see what everyone in the blogosphere has on their design walls! Check out Patchwork Times to see what others have up. I have the start of another Quilt of Valor on mine.

I have more strips cut and ready to sew today.

I love making 16 patches. They go together quickly and make a great quilt.
The borders are on this one and it is ready for the frame.

I just need to figure out a backing fabric.

I am linking up with Marelize for:

Today we celebrate the 20th birthday of Daughter #3! She is such a joy and I am thankful to God for giving her to us.

Happy Birthday, beautiful lady! The world is a lovelier place because you are here.

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

MidWinter Blues QAL!

Posted on January 26, 2014 by katyquilts

Lori at Humble Quilts is at it again! She just started another Quilt-a-Long that she is calling MidWinter Blues. She posted the first step yesterday. Here are my blocks for step one.
I really love this block pattern. Lori’s blocks finish at 5 inches but I bumped mine up to 6. I did this so I could use dies that I already have for my accuquilt studio die cutter. In case anyone is interested, I used dies 50035 and 50771.

I also worked on the blocks I made Friday.

I bought these fabrics from Connecting Threads during their Black Friday sale. I am not in love with this yet. Maybe I will like it more when it is quilted. It will be another Quilt of Valor.

Check out the QAL over at Lori’s by clicking here.

Happy Sunday!

You, Lord, are my shepherd. I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord. (Psalms 23:1-6 CEVDCUS06)

Posted in Accuquilt Studio Cutter, Civil War Repro Quilts, Doll Quilts, Quilt of Valor, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Baby, it’s cold outside and a FAL 2014 Finish

Posted on January 25, 2014 by katyquilts

So what is a girl to do but stay in and sew? I also did a bit of a cleanup in the sewing room and gave my oft used featherweight a bit of regularly scheduled maintenance.

See that pile of blocks? They will become anther QOV. I did a bit of rearranging to accommodate another person in the sewing room. My friend, Sarah, came over for a sewing lesson. She did such a great job! I cleaned and oiled this machine so she could use it.

These Singer 301s are such great machines! I have two, maybe three….

Thanks to everyone for the lovely comments on my signature swap quilt finishes this week. I so appreciate every person that stops by. I found a great place to hang my second swap quilt. This is in our upstairs hall. This was another project on my list for the FAL 2014 hosted by Katy at The Littlest Thistle. My original FAL post for this quarter can be found here.

We are having company for lunch today so i need to get to work. Happy Saturday!

Posted in FAL 2014, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Friday Finishes!

Posted on January 24, 2014 by katyquilts

This week I finished both quilts from my SQT signature swaps. Here is the first one hanging in my foyer. These were both on my list for the FAL 2014, original post here.

I can’t get a straight on shot where it is hanging. This fits perfectly on the place I wanted to hang it. Here is a detail of the border quilting.

This snowball quilt has 4.5 inch finished blocks.

I really struggled with the thread on this one. I used the Premosoft from Fil-Tec with matching bobbins. It kept wanting to break and shred when quilting right to left. Very frustrating. My crosshatching looks okay in pictures but up close, it is not good. I learned a lot doing this one and that is always good. After washing and shrinking, I am happy with it. However, I am still not showing the back!

Today I am working with a friend who wants to learn to quilt. I can’t wait!

I am linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Sew Can She, and Amanda at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Happy Friday!

Posted in Civil War Repro Quilts, Finishes, Small Quilt Talk Group, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

In the Frame

Posted on January 23, 2014 by katyquilts

I managed to piece together my second set of signature blocks last night and get it in the frame.

Now the quandary is how to quilt the blocks. I have a border design I want to try.

I may try cross hatching. I always seem to feel brain dead and out of ideas at this point.

I am linking up with Kelly for Needle and Thread Thursday.

Posted in Civil War Repro Quilts, Small Quilt Talk Group, Swaps, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Work in Progress Wednesday

Posted on January 22, 2014 by katyquilts

I have blocks from yet another signature block swap sitting here just waiting for inspiration. I put them up on the design wall as is and I think I like it!

Sometimes simple is best. I am going to try out a few ideas on EQ but I may well come back to this. I even had a perfect border fabric already out.

I pulled this as a possible binding fabric for the last signature quilt I made.

I have two other fabric tacks at the idea stage.

I bought this stack of Kaffe fabrics a while back on sale and think it looks very springlike! I want to find a solid to go with them but I think I want something other than white.

I also have this stack of patriotic FQs from Connecting Threads.

No doubt this will become another QOV, I just need to decide on a pattern.

I have this stack that I bought at Hancock’s last summer but I think I need a few more shirting fabrics to go with what is here.

Hop over to Lee’s blog, Freshly Pieced, to see what others have in progress today.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Sewing with Swap Blocks

Posted on January 21, 2014 by katyquilts

I made really good progress on my friendship quilt made with blocks from the Small Quilt Talk group swap. I finished the top and the quilting! Today I want to get the binding done before work.

Have you ever done a block swap? I have done many over the years. They can be a lot of fun. However, I know of many people that were totally disappointed. It is all a matter of expectations really.

I do swaps for fun and friendship, not to make an award winning quilt. You will have some swappers that make perfect blocks and others that struggle to make a block square and even close to the right size. You will likely be swapping with newbies right along with those more experienced than you.

If you expect perfect blocks, don’t swap, make them yourself!

When I put these blocks together, I only tried to match the corners of the blocks. I didn’t even try to match the points at the sides of the blocks. Once in a while, they lined up! But when all is said and done, those mismatched or missing points won’t be that noticeable.

One thing that can cause problems is when the seam allowance was cut too close.

I didn’t see this until I was sewing the blocks together or I probably would not have used this block. This workmanship is really not up to par for a swap. I salvaged this by adding a bit of fusible interfacing to the back to reinforce the area. I am not mad about it, I knew when I signed up I could get anything back.

On the flip side, I do my very best to send out my best work to others. I make a test block to make sure I can so this well or I don’t sign up.

At the end of the day, for me at least, it is about connecting with other quilters. This quilt won’t be perfect but it has been fun to make from beginning to end. And I have a tangible link to my online friends.

I am linking up with Connie at Free Motion by the River.

Posted in Civil War Repro Quilts, Small Quilt Talk Group, Swaps | 15 Comments