Thread Tales From A Scrappy Quilter

Each year our longarm group holds a challenge to create a piece based on a specific pattern each year.   You can modify the pattern, create any size, or even create a garment or bag.   Possibilities are wide open.   I did not find the time to participate last year and almost did not this year but finally decided I would take 3 days to cut, sew and quilt the top.   I opted to use just 3 blocks turned like a heart and created different fills on this.   I used part of one day just to mark some grids, then all one day to quilt.   It really saves time when grids are marked and you don't have to measure over with each row!   It is not a judged event, just a challenge to us personally.  I tried using fills with feathers flowing on top of the grids.   Also the checkerboard background I had never stitched out.   It came out rather cool! This is Lou Ann's quilt for her granddaughter.   Hand guided panto and is executed perfectly.   That is a hard panto to hand guide from the rear

This client quilt is one I also purchased the pattern for several years ago.   I hope mine turns out as nice as hers if I ever find my "round tuit".  There is a lot of space to quilt on this wall hanging.  Sometimes it is hard holding back and keeping the budget reasonable for avid quilters that create many beautiful quilts each year.  This one almost has as much negative space as it does pieced blocks. 

This quilt was so much fun to quilt.  It sounds like it was fun to make also.       I ghosted in hexies around the sides of the quilt.    This comparison shows the difference between Hobbs 80/20 on the left and white Quilters Dream on the right.   I used white for this quilt.     The back was a solid kona type fabric.     A little pillow top too!  

Look at this lovely Baltimore Album style floral appliqué quilt that will be offered for bidding at the guild's live quilt auction held every 3 years.  The blocks were made by individuals in the guild during a workshop teaching the technique, then a group set the quilt, then I quilted, another bound, and yet another will label.  Team effort folks!   I custom quilted this with a little scalloped border breaking up the space and setting off the chain effect in the piecing.  I echoed the applique and created a stem so that I could stitch continuously around the applique without starts and stops or without the need to do tiny dense work to pebble and ditch the designs (all hours donated).  I tried to develop a plan that I could fit into a week's schedule but I still ran over.   There are 42 blocks, my first estimate planning in my mind is 1 hour per block plus a geometric border.... that's estimating 46 hours quilting time!   Plus planning, advancing, breaks etc.  Typicall