butterfly sampler

A sampler is a combination of blocks in a quilt.
The main blocks in this one were from a Block of the month kit from Joann's Fabric.
I used small twin sisters blocks and a coordinating butterfly print for sashing and borders to make this lap quilt.
It was machine quilted with the 'stitch in the ditch' technique. I quilted around some of the butterflys in the sashing and border to add texture and show off the great print.

Star in the midnight sky

This began as a 'stash buster', it was supposed to be a wall hanging!

I had always heard that making the the star proved that you were a 'real quilter', and I had a lot of scraps from other projects I wanted to use up.

I thought it would be a good project for a few weeks of nasty cold winter weather, and it was!

The center medallion star and first border was the original plan, it took some patience to get the star just right.

My husband liked it, and it required a trip to the fabric store and piecing the smaller quarter stars to make it big enough for the bed.

Since my husband liked it so well and added his suggestions to the finishing, I gave it to him for his birthday.

Assymetric panel quilt

This quilt was made with a purchased panel and co-ordinating pillow tops.
Placement of the large blocks was a challenge, to get a good balance and meet the size requirements.
Note the coordinating backing.
The owner of this quilt was very pleased with the results.

Jackson's dogs

This quilt was made for a small boy. Photos of the family's dogs were printed on fabric and used for some of the blocks.
Many communications were necessary as this quilt was designed, to make sure it was exactly what the owner wanted.

It is a keepsake that will last for a long time.

Buffalo Calf Woman

This quilt was made for a friend with Native American Heritage. Machine embroidery buffalo in white and natural coloring, a fabric print of "White Buffalo Calf Woman" and a Native American look print make this a one of a kind quilt.

While making this one, I learned to download and edit embroidery patterns from the internet and how to manipulate them on the embroidery machine.

It is machine quilted with a southwest design, in keeping with the theme.

Log cabin with pansy machine embroidery

This quilt was made for a special lady. She loves pansies and I did a stained glass applique with machine embroidery in the alternate blocks on the throw. I used a folded border on and a pieced border to finish it.

I quilted it on my sewing machine.

Hand quilting Tennessee Waltz

Tennessee Waltz wallhanging

Detail of hand quilting
This was my first adventure in hand quilting, and this is another Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day pattern that I felt I really had to make.

I was trying to use up 'stash' fabric and this purple reminded me of my daughter who loves anything purple. It's real name is "Thinking of TJ".

I found the hand quilting to be a lot of fun and will be doing more of it in the future.

T L 's Irish Wilderness quilt

This queen size quilt was my husband's 40th anniversary gift. He loves fishing and hunting and the focus fabric in the blocks screamed his name to me when I first saw it.
The pieces were hand cut using scissors (another early attempt at quilt making) by our daughters, making this truly a 'family project'.
The blocks didn't always match up, but I felt the thought was what counted in this case.
I used a varition of Irish Chain in the setting which gives this quilt its name.

First pieced quilt - Double Irish Chain

INSPIRATION for a hobby!!!!!

This quilt was the beginning! I made it for my granddaughter. I really had no idea how to do it, cutting pieces one at a time with scissors and sewing them together. I found a pattern on the internet and just went from there.
This one is tied rather than quilted.
I had always liked the Irish Chain pattern, and have made several more and variations on it since.
I have learned how to use many techniques to simplify cutting, piecing, construction and even learned to quilt on the machine and by hand since I made this one, however, this Irish Chain proved that I could make a quilt using the time honored traditional techniques.

Delectable Mountains top completed 2007

I saw the book for this quilt at Paducah KY, when I went to the Quilt show there in 2006. I fell in love with the pattern! so purchased the book. Quilt in a Day Delectable Mountains by Eleanor Burns. I added my own blocks for the corners.

I chose the pinks because often, these are the colors of the clouds as the sun rises over my Ozark Mountains .

The quilt turned out beautifully, and will provide a lot of comfort and pleasure to the owner.

UGLY fat quarter challenge

This is a Storm at Sea block created for our Guild's "ugly fat quarter" challenge, and the "lovely" fabric I drew at the challenge.