What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Create this quilt to trigger imaginative story telling either with or without a second person “playing.” There are all sorts of ways to use this quilt if you create this combination of an I-Spy quilt with the rules of Calvin and Hobbes’ Calvinball.* Start with your stash, or ask your guild to send you scrap fabric squares that fit a theme: I asked my guild members to give me 5″ squares that depicted either a destination, a vehicle or conveyance, or something you would take with you on a trip. I received wonderfully diverse fabric scraps and it was a ...

Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us today. I've decided to start blogging (on a regular basis) again. I would like to share my knowledge and experiences for those of you who wish to learn, experiment and better your own quilts. Here is one of my first Quilt Editorials for 2020 - #queditorial.

I would like to share with you my approach to modern vs traditional quilt designing.

As you might already know, I actually design a little bit of both. Although I truly classify myself as a modern-traditionalist, some others see me as a modern quilter. Where's the difference ...

What a great way to border a quilt — lettering!. Be it a name, a date, a wish, or a promise, use lettering that uses both upper and lower case for a personal and readable look. You can do it yourself (read below) or buy this printable design in two sizes, 24″ long and 51″ long for $6, or ask me to do custom lettering for you. (email me, Peggy Aare, at PaperPiecingHeartlandATgmail.com The cost will be about $18.)

If you want to make a pattern on your own, start with the whole phrase typed in whatever font you want ...

My final finish for 2019 is this Super Simple Sampler in Blue quilt.

 

Here are the two latest fat-quarters to enter my fabric stash. I'm certain that no one else on earth owns these fabrics. The first:

What the heck is it? A photograph of my recent Chicago quilt, downsized from its original 72 inches wide, to only 9 inches across. Six copies fit on a fat-quarter of fabric (FQs are 18" x 22"). 

They were printed onto a lovely organic cotton sateen by the custom printer Spoonflower.com. Spoonflower's usual price is about $13.00 per FQ - I took advantage of a two-for-one sale to pay that price for the ...

Over the past week to two weeks, I have been working on ….sit down and prepare yourselves for this… a **pieced** quilt. Yes, me. A very simple pieced quilt, but nonetheless.

I'm on a roll with city quilts! I've made two New York quilts,  a Chicago quilt, and now, a second Los Angeles quilt. (Photos of  earlier quilts and an instructional booklet are here.) Below is the second Los Angeles quilt: 

I mentioned earlier that I am DELIGHTED to have been selected as a Michael Miller Brand Ambassador for 2020. As part of that we received, just before Christmas (Squee!), a box of goodies to use. I cannot WAIT to get into the studio to play. As a reward for getting all the gift wrapping and prep actually done before the 24th, I treated myself to opening the box on December 23rd, but waited until today to post and share the joy.

There are so many goodies in this package I hardly know where to start, but since I am prepping ...

Here are the projects that have consumed me in recent weeks.  The first started out as this pyramid of 11 hexagon-shaped formations that I call kaleidoscopes: 

I finished it just like that, with the pyramid shape and a dark grey binding. I hoped it was done, right up to the moment that it occurred to me that if I turned the thing upside down, and added another kaleidoscopic formation to the bottom.....

Here is a stack of three Santas each holding a candle. This paper-pieced pattern builds on the previous single Santa, ” Let Your Light So Shine.”

Click to download this $8 wall hanging pattern finishing at 15″ x 27″ . Make it with either a dark or a light background… it’s sure to bring smiles to everyone.

The top Santa alone make a great place mat, pillow, or framed hanging. You can modify this pattern, or order just the single Santa with the purse instructions.

Single Santa with purse option $9
Three Santa wall hanging $8

And yes, there was even more fun stuff at Market…see why I never got to the quilts? (Previous two posts have more good stuff.)

I am still playing catch-up for last week. The BRMQG had its November meeting with several show and share ideas. Also, a treat for me, the president brought in a guest from Germany. Bridget and Marquita met in an airport. One had a quilt sticker on her luggage and the other saw it. Of course, they struck up a conversation.

Yvonne's take on a women in history challenge

I've been working on this quilt on and off, for a year, and it was one of my most challenging. Rather than just pleasing myself, I also had to please an equally delightful but entirely different person - someone I've admired for years - who has high standards in everything she does. I was thrilled when she commissioned me to make a quilt that would remind her of the Chicago she grew up in.

The finished piece measures about 63" x 70"

If I bake a cake, I know there won't be any leftovers. My DH and I, unfortunately, share a sweet tooth - we'll eat the whole thing in 1-2 sittings. So I don't bake.

That gives me more time to quilt. And one of the great joys of quilting is knowing that there are going to be lots of yummy, color-coordinated, high-fiber, calorie-free leftovers, with a shelf life much longer than anything involving butter!

Here's my newest leftover quilt - a trifle about 22" square.

It's the direct descendant of this large (about 70" high) English Paper ...

Progress on Night Sky is coming along nicely!  All the stars are done…welllllll, I have six seams left on the white/silver stars but the stars are basically done.  Now I just have to add the sashing…frame….borders?  Whatever the black pieces around the stars is called.  That is my quilty goal for July.  To get the... Continue Reading →