Christmas Rush is winding down

 It's been a busy couple of months for me what with all the quilts needing longarming before Christmas!  Here's a photo of one quilt for a client.  She chose the Bossa Nova pantograph for her quilt.  This is one of my favorite designs.

Under my needle

 I've been a bit overwhelmed with quilts needing my expertise, I think the Christmas rush began early this year.  I already have 22 quilts in the queue and I've decided not to take anymore quilts from new clients until I get caught up.  I am always accepting current clients' quilts so if you're already a customer of mine don't hesitate to stop on by!

Isn't this a great Autumn quilt?  I stitched a design that looks like the breeze blowing across the quilt.

And this quilt was loaded on the frame just this afternoon.  I will begin stitching it tomorrow morning.

Under my needle

 It's time I posted the latest quilt tops on my frame!  The first one is a customer's quilt and she made a 2nd one just like it only with a blue theme.  I used a pantograph called Let Love Bloom which has hearts and swirls in it.

This quilt top is also a customer's quilt.  It's a wonderful Christmas quilt called "Over the River".  I used a pantograph with snowflakes on this quilt.

Difference in Thread Weights

 I don't remember where I found this photo, but it's a great visual of the various thread weights available today.  50 wt is what I use on my long arm.  40 wt is usually used on embroidery machines as well as quilt piecing and sewing garments.  I use 70 wt thread for bobbin thread on my embroidery machine.

Latest quilt on my frame

 It's been beautiful in NC the last few days!  I've had my windows open every day and the breeze is wonderful as I work on my longarm machine.  This is the latest quilt on the frame.  It's 110"x110" and it belongs to a customer.  

Under my needle

 I had the privilege of working on an antique quilt today and had to share it with you. This quilt is from the 1930s or 1940s and is made with feed sack fabrics. My customer chose a floral design to be stitched on it and I think it looks wonderful!

Under my needle

 Today's quilt top is on my frame and I'm stitching a design called Hickory Dickory.  This is a client's quilt and I'm having fun quilting it!

Triangle Star Quilt

 I'm busy working on a quilt top that I made. I'm doing custom stitching on it and I've been working on it for 2 days and I hope to finish it tomorrow night. I have about 7 hours work left on it, not counting breaks. I'll start early tomorrow morning!

The pattern is called Triangle Star and it was created by Edyta Sitar.  

Under my needle

 I'm working on a client's quilt on this rainy, cold winter day.  It's a great day to be quilting!  The quilt on the frame today is a big one, king size and it's a beautiful quilt.

Under my needle

 Winter has finally arrived in NC.  On this cold Sunday this is under my needle.  I began it last night and plan to finish it and 2 other small quilts today!  The pantograph on this quilt is called Bossa Nova and it's a favorite of mine.  

This is one of the other quilts I need to finish for a customer.  It has a travel theme and I'm stitching campers on it using my robotics.

Under my needle

 I have a customer quilt on the frame tonight, I'm working late.   On the wall are 2 quilt tops I made over the summer.  I haven't had time to longarm my own tops lately but I'll have more time after the Christmas rush is over.

Under my needle today

 I've been busy this week, trying to catch up with my longarming schedule.  I'm a bit behind!  This is the quilt on my frame this afternoon, a king size made by a customer.  I have 8 more lined up and I'm having fun!

Flower Girl Quilt

 

I finished a little quilt top over the weekend.  It's a Jolly Bar quilt, from the Fat Quarter Shop. When you buy a Jolly Bar a free pattern comes with the package.  A Jolly Bar contains 40 5"x10" strips of a fabric collection.

2 QOV tops to longarm

 I'm longarming, and on my frame will be 2 Quilt of Valor tops.  Both are for the national Quilt of Valor Foundation.  This was the first one...

I love QOV quilts.  I attended our group's last awards ceremony where we awarded over 25 quilts to deserving veterans.  The man I gave my quilt to gave me 3 hugs because he was so grateful.

If you would like to serve veterans in this way you can visit the QOV Foundation website to find a quilt sewing group in your area. There are groups all across the country! 
https://www.qovf.org/about-qovf/whos-in-my-area/

 The search function on their site doesn't work very well if you enter a zip code.  You have better results if you zoom in on your location using their map.

Here's the 2nd one...

Yesterday, I cut out the pieces for a small wall hanging I plan to hang in my foyer/hallway.  It's a Jolly Bar quilt, from the Fat Quarter Shop. When you buy a Jolly Bar a free pattern comes with the package.  A Jolly Bar contains 40 5"x10" strips of a fabric collection.

Under my needle today

 I'm working on a large quilt today, 116" x 93"!  I haven't sent a post lately about what I'm working on in awhile.  I have my new wall hanging where it can be seen easily.  

If you're visiting my page looking for information about my services, I would love to help you finish your quilt!

Table runners

 I've finished 2 table runners and they were a breeze to make.  The pattern is from Missouri Star Quilt Company called Friendship Chain.  The shorter one is for my sister.  She asked for a table runner with a sunflower theme and I found the perfect fabrics for it!  The other one is for my dining room table.

Van Gogh

This is a baby quilt I longarmed this afternoon, it's a top made by a customer. I used a design that reminds me of the curves in Van Gogh's Starry Night.

Back to work after a long delay

 My longarm machine is finally back from being serviced, being gone 6 weeks!  Far too long, I'll take it somewhere else next time.  In the meantime I spent time working on UFOs.  Here's one... the Sugar & Spice quilt from Studio 180 Design. The fabric collection I used is called Promenade by Moda Fabrics.

I feels so good to be back to work!  Here's the quilt on my frame this afternoon.  It's the second of 4 QOV quilts I need to finish this week.  2 are for the National Foundation and 2 are for the local QOV group.

Update 3/24/2024:  I have made the star blocks and laid out the pieces for the center 

of the Sugar & Spice quilt.  I still have 2 borders to add, then I can assembled the quilt top!

Latest QOV is on the frame

 Here's the latest Quilt of Valor I'm working on today!  National Sewing Day is this Saturday and I have 4 QOV tops to longarm so I can turn them in on Saturday.

Triangle Star

 

My latest quilt is called Triangle Stars.  It has 560 HSTs.  In August, my husband and I spent a week in Williamsburg, Virginia at a resort.  He spent some of his time riding his bike on the bike trails and I spent my time sewing the HSTs.  I put the HSTs together last month and now I'm making the applique blocks. There are appliques that go in each corner and then I can assemble the blocks!