Late Night Applique Quilting

Well I made the attempt not to write here after midnight for everyone's sake, but apparently I can't make the time to sit down at my computer much before then so sorry all,
wish me luck ;)

Things are busy as normal around here but progress is made in small steps. I am running solo right now and wish single parenthood on no one, its tough. I am getting some quilting house keeping done, that's quilting house keeping, don't worry no real house keeping yet this week. The flash slide show for The Pattern Place website project is now complete, yikes that took a while. The photos need a little tweak and maybe an update or two but for now I am enjoying their beauty. They evenly and continuously run one into another and I didn't shell out a dime for the software, love it. Check out the last photo for a link or here for the free download. It is a great program and worked quite well, tons of layouts to choose from.

I spent some time today on a WIP, its actually from my mom but I told her I would bind it. It is a cute lamb and rabbit, each in their own wall hanging. So Springy, I can't wait to hang them up next year. I must get the princess trimmed and bound, avoiding such a big job is not a good idea. My excuse, it's hot and I only cut such big quilts on my tiled kitchen floor after giving my carpet a haircut last time. Too hot to take a big quilt upstairs and literally sweat over it, is that the sound of a violin? Right so tomorrow morning, before it gets too hot ... while the girls are eating breakfast, liking that idea. Off to bed or maybe a little tv and a more binding, night.

Your thoughts, questions or suggestions.
I love to hear from you.
Happy Quilting

Applique Quilting Shopping

So I love applique, it is really a sickness. Love it. I think about patterns and projects day and night. So today was, lets say, a prep day - ya that's right, a prep day. Shopping is honestly one of my children favorite things to do, within reason, of course. Apparently we may have pushed the limits today but boy we had fun. I found a quilting magazine, McCall's How to Quilt it!, from the year I was born, it is in great shape for its 32 years of existence. The coolest thing, not a single ad. Just page after page of the greatest quilting 1978 had to offer. Sew fun, pun intended.
Bought some fabric for blankets for my girls today, just regular flannel and some great textured fleece stuff, all I know is it isn't cotton :) I am very excited to get it sewn together, gotta love the quick projects. I must get Princess Patricia bound tomorrow, or Thursday most likely. Busy times around our house. We are scheduling into July, even August for some things. Must get a ballet recital and a 2nd birthday in there too, oh and ya dad is on a business trip. Maybe while he is gone I can get some sewing done? Who knows, must sleep... Happy Quilting.

Princess Patricia gets her Quilting.

The quilt frame is set to queen size, her highness is loaded, I even have five bobbins full of thread so I can easily swap out the empties. Deep breath, shoulders down - here we go....

Forgive me a little rant :)
I love machine quilting, it is an art with a little science. I find the right technique is a groove for which it takes a few minutes to find and stay in but once that happens, all is good. My machine quilting skills are perishable, I loose more than I like in between quilts. Now, if you think the way I do, then all I need to do is quilt more quilts!Then I wish I could step away from the frame once it is ready to go and, you know, sleep. Its a personality flaw I suppose, but all I want to do is the thing I am ready to do. Oh life is rough - I love quilting! Whew got that out of my system.

So the quilting is going well, I am quite proud of myself that I remembered to take a few pictures, enjoy.
Princess Patricia is a machine applique original design from The Pattern Place. The pattern will be available for purchase and download from our on-line store once I have the example quilt finished and photographed. There are just a few more details to finish up; trim the batting and backing, bind and add the label. The whole quilt should be finished in about a week. I look forward to posting pictures and adding the pattern to the website.

I love your comments and thoughts. It makes my day to see someone has commented on my blog so don't be shy, say Hi! Happy Quilting

Late Night Quilting

It's late, I am tired. I should go to bed but I have a quilt almost loaded. Extending my Grace frame to queen size today wasn't that bad, with my Mom's help :) I am so excited to have our 'princess' quilt nearly finished that I must get it on the frame and ready to quilt tomorrow, or today, depending on how you look at it. I promise to take pictures and post a real post, not like these midnight rambles.
Happy sleeping or quilting, you choose ;)

Jet Lag and Applique Quilts

As a newbie to trans Atlantic trips that jet lag thing hit me like a ton of bricks. Whew, glad that's over. My girls and I are getting our grove back and things are looking like the beginning of summer in our corner of the planet. We are looking forward to a good and safe long weekend at home with a to-do list as long as your arm.

So my machine was so over due for a service it was sad really, so she is off for a spa day and should be back soon, good as new. For now I am toying with a Dresden plate, English paper pieced and I found some mylar templates that worked quite nice for my first attempt. I love the hand sewn projects but time, boy they take time.

I found a wonderful charity quilt pattern that I simply must try it looks so good. Then I did a little digging and it is a disappearing nine patch block pattern. Then I went looking for layout ideas, the sky is the limit but that was a favorite. So I am off to bed with dreams of tomorrow and a great day with my ladies in the studio and a disappearing nine block top to show for it.

Happy Quilting

Applique Quilting in Dubai

Life has a way of bringing you to places you don't know you need.

Today was a good day, we have been in a beautiful and foreign city for over a week now, so many of the last days have been good, but today was particularly good.
What on earth am I doing in Dubai? You are not the first to ask and I have asked myself that question so many times I have lost tract. Well a husband in Oil and Gas and an opportunity we had to fully investigate equals two weeks in the United Arab Emirates. We will see what the future holds for us but for now here we are, the best news - quilting is here too.
I had the absolute pleasure to meet and talk quilts with my new friend, Mala Ramakrishnan today. She, her husband and a growing group of support personnel work to promote and develop a lively quilting community within the Middle East. Classic Quilts & Quilting now has two locations in Dubai, as I learned today.
I was nearly panting I was so hot as I entered Mala's store, this heat has me worried for the summer weather yet to come. She was so accommodating and offered me a chair and a glass of water, its seriously that hot - only 35° I guess today but 41° yesterday. We talked machine applique quilts an quilting and I loved every minute. I drooled over the long arm loaded with a customer's quilt and got even more excited to learn of two guilds in the region, one here in Dubai and another in Abu Dhabi (about an hour away) The bank road store is primarily dedicated to the quilting side of their business and I look forward to visiting the beach road location with excitement second only to seeing my beautiful children in a few days. As the Bernina retailer for the region, I am also looking forward to a new sewing machine when that time comes. I was so excited to touch the fabric and enjoyed a wonderful few minutes of comfort in a wonderfully strange place. I left with a few new fat quarters and all the basics for a small project for my last couple of days by the pool. I am so thankful for a hobby that brings real people from real corners of the world together, it was truly a good day. I think I will make it two in a row and navigate myself to Jumeria and see what the other store has to offer. I will take some pictures and let you know the results. Miss you girls, Happy Quilting

Princess Appliques

Well we are in full princess mode and loving it. Her highness, our three year old regularly consults and is approving. We have the main top machine stitched and assembled, inner borders are on and outer borders are cut. The biased cut vine is pinned in place and today has been flower central. We chose an 'old friend' and added a new twist for the flowers. The Lazy Daisy applique pattern makes it's return and now has a really great flower bud applique to go with it. Can't wait to show pictures of the finished machine appliqued quilt top. For now take a peak at The Pattern Place facebook page for more photos. SO much fun, hubby is home with dinner, got to go :) Happy Quilting