Thread Tales From A Scrappy Quilter

This was the first DeJonge design that I have custom longarm quilted.   Pieced by Maureen Wood.   I must confess, I have a bundle of her gradated fabrics and a beautiful pattern but I just have not found the time to start.  I am also so accustomed  to Judy Niemeyer patterns where templates are given for every fabric that I hesitate to start this one.   Several friends were able to attend a DeJonge class near Dallas last month but I had too much on my schedule already when I learned about it.   On my bucket list! A few pictures of Maureen's beautiful Enchanting Stars:     Somehow, I forgot to take a full photo after trimming up the quilt.  I used a variegated thread from Superior, Fantastico #5003 Magic Carpet for most of this quilt and single layer of Hobbs Midnight Black batting.  I used Black Glide on the black areas.   I often use a gray so ...

I saw this quilt @ a booth at QuiltCon - Savannah this year and knew I had to make it.   I not only made it but also made the quilt that was hanging next to it at her booth too!   It's a long story on finding fabrics but along the way I discovered Riley Blake Confetti Cotton solids.  They had the 5 purples I needed. Here she is, my Fade to Purple.   Pattern by Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  All the quilt top fabrics are Confetti Cotton Solids, threads are Glide and MicroQuilter, maybe 1 Magnifico.  Bobbin threads are Glide 60 wt which I LOVE.   Batting is QD 70/30.  I love the finish! My quilt hanging at Houston Quilt Market - Riley Blake booth!  What a thrill.  Look at the props they brought in to coordinate with it.  Wish I had this wall at home.  My design progress at home. A finish in October at a retreat with Houston Modern Quilt Guild members.  Woohoo!  The show is 1...

This year's challenge seemed like a really fun idea!  Everyone that participates will create a block, finished at 18.5" bound that would become a block in a "sampler" quilt with all our blocks pinned up on the design wall.  For unity, this used one focus fabric that Debbie supplied (Quilting Quarters in Conroe where we meet each month) and we were to use a white background. Notice I say.... seemed like a fun idea LOL!  My first idea was to make a Compass /NY beauty block of some sort and have part of it missing  and finish off the design with quilting.   Well I was hitting the wall with the actual design and the 18.5" block....   Then I thought I would do a simple HST type block and just quilt a beautiful feather design like I did on my Amish With a Twist 3.   Perfect.   Then I really looked at the focus fabric.   Oh my word this really was a longarm challenge!   No way in...