Aurifil Thread Journey Quilt Along – Quilting Still!

Happy Thursday, Friends!  I honestly don’t know where this week has gone.  But here we are, looking at another weekend! :)

I received the following picture from Jody showing her quilting in her Thread Journey quilt center.  I think it’s absolutely beautiful.  Jody is quilting her quilt with a wool batt and loving it — and you can see how her feathers poof up!!!

And the newest post on the Journey is up on Aurifil’s blog today.  Check out how I quilted the next border by clicking here – shown with schematics, and additional options for quilting on borders that you can use in any quilt.

That’s all for now, Friends!  I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.

Quilting Treasures “Harmony” Summer Mystery Sew-Along / Part 6

BEFORE WE GET STARTED, YOU WILL WANT TO DOWNLOAD TODAY’S INSTRUCTIONS IN PDF FORMAT TO FOLLOW ALONG HERE. [Please note that this file is the MOST updated version! Always check the postings on this site for the most updated versions of instructions.]  Instructions will be available on this site through Oct 31, 2016.

AND YOU WILL HAVE TO SCROLL DOWN TO THE END OF THE POST FOR AN EXCITING GIVEAWAY AVAILABLE TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF OUR SUMMER MYSTERY QUILT ALONG!

If you are new joining in, and would like to access previous posts, click:

HERE for introductory details

HERE for Installment #1

HERE for Installment #2

HERE for Installment #3

HERE for Installment #4

HERE for Installment #5

Hello Friends, this is it!  Today is the day!!!  We will have our big reveal today, and the quilt will be a mystery quilt NO MORE!

Are you ready?!

I hope you have enjoyed making all the blocks.  I received this really sweet note about our Mystery Quilt Along last week that really made me smile.  And the smile stayed with me all day. :)  Thank you so much to the anonymous quilter who took the time to leave the sweet comment!

“I’m creating the Harmony mystery quilt. I got so excited to make trees today. I loved it so much that I made them all today. I also loved making the stars. I’m new to quilting so I’m learning so much and can hardly wait for a new lesson.”

And today, we will be sewing the blocks together into rows, and then rows into quilt center and then outer border, as shown below.  NOW, you may choose to play with the layout as you wish if you would like to have a different final look to your quilt —  as long as you sew together 5 rows of 4 blocks.

I hope you liked what you saw.  Now I can share with you the back story behind the design.  The basic premise of the Quilt Along is to just make a fun quilt using very basic pieced units in quilting.  And since it was summer, I thought it would be fun to make a few units a week.  And if kept up, quilters will end up with a nice sized throw quilt, finishing at 46″ x 65″.  The colors make the quilt useable all year round.  And once completed, you will have a quilt top ready to be quilted to be used later this year, or given as a gift for Christmas!

I want to thank you again for sewing along with me!  It’s been soooo fun for me.  So curious mind wants to know if you would like to do another mystery sew-along, perhaps in Spring 2017!

Thanks SO much for being my sewing friend these last few weeks.  I have liked hearing from many of you!  Have a lovely rest of your Saturday.

***

Giveaway:

#1.  This giveaway is open to participating quilters who complete the quilt top of this Summer Mystery Quilt Along.

#2.  The winning prize (only one winner) includes 3 FQ Bundles from Quilting Treasures – 2 bundles are what were used to make the cover quilt of my “Creative Quilt & Projects using Precuts or Stash” book, a copy of my “Precuts” book, a package of Hobbs Tuscany Silk batting and some threads.

#3.  To enter, you MUST complete your quilt top.  Please take a picture of your completed quilt top, and email to me by September 9th.  I will then post pictures of all your computed quilt tops, and announce the winner on September 14th.  I hope you will all play along!

***

Here is a picture of my finished quilt top — I should have the quilt quilted and bound by the time I showcase your quilts on September 14th!

I am Wendy Sheppard, and…

… I endorse these fabrics,  because the I love the fabrics THAT much!!!  I just shipped out a quilt made with the Flower Pedals fabrics by Windham Fabrics.

I love all the prints in this collection.  These fabrics are 100% organic as well.  I am always happy to find organic fabrics – they just feel so smooth and nice!  You have to check out the fabrics here.  They are current in quilt stores right now.  So get them while you can.

I had previously designed a Tulips Quilt using the same fabrics.  You might have seen it displayed at Fall Market last year at Windham Fabrics’ booth.   Check out the house and the bicycle prints used in the quilt!!!!  The pattern is a free-to-use pattern – details to download pattern are here.  Kits are also available here (even if they misspelled my last name on the website!)

Alrightie, Friends.  I hope you keep enjoying your summer.  Meanwhile, if you happen to have an all-time favorite fabric line, I should dearly like to know which it is!  Till tomorrow.

Aurifil Designer of the Month 2016 Block 1 & Mini Giveaway!

Hello Friends!  I hope you are well.  Check out this Windham Fabrics’ Blush & Blossoms FQ bundle!  I am sure you know the feeling of owning beautiful fabrics.  These fabrics are seriously beautiful.  I actually didn’t want to cut into these fabrics…. but I have a quilt to make! :)  Click here to view the entire fabric range.

I am using these Blush & Blossoms fabrics to make quilt with the Aurifil Designer of the Month Blocks. And here is my first block, completed!

Are you following the fun project, and making the quilt?  If you are, do share your block on Aurifil’s Flickr page. And you will be eligible to win exciting prizes from Aurifil!  Click here to find out more about Block #1 by Heather Valentine.

I piece all my quilts with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread – the main reason being the thread is so fine that I don’t lose any “real estate” when I press my seams, and that ensures a more than satisfactory accurate finished size for the quilt blocks I make.  If you have never pieced with Aurifil, leave a comment and let me know you would like to.  I would love to know if you are participating in the Aurifil DOM 2016 quilt along.  I will pick two of you to receive a spool in my favorite color (2310) for piecing.  I know, I don’t exactly have a loud personality. :)

Thanks for stopping by!  Life is a bit crazy busy at my end at the moment.  But my little family is doing well.  And we are almost back to our pre-blizzard routine!

Giveaway: Annie’s Machine Quilting Level 2 Online Class

Hello Friends, I did mention to you there would be an imminent giveaway, and well, the giveaway is HERE, TODAY! :)  Annie’s is sponsoring the giveaway of a copy of my Machine Quilting Level 2 online class.

This free-motion quilting class covers slightly more involved quilting motifs (compared to the ones in my Learn to Machine Quilt class) by working on this class project, and quilted using a domestic sewing machine.  I will be stitching along with you ALL the motifs you see in the pictures of the class project below.  Due to time constraint, sometimes I would just let you finish out a section and move on to the next motifs.  BUT, I will get you started.

The class is yours to keep once you win it – you may access the class anytime you wish!  You will also get a chance to interact with me should you have any questions.

After completing in the class project, you will have a chance to make 3 additional projects (instructions included in the class) that will give you a chance to quilt the motifs you learn from the class project on the additional projects.

Additional Project #1: Quilting a pieced quilt with Star Bright:

Additional Project #2: Quilting an applique quilt with Carolina Tulips:

Additional Project #3: WOW Project with Fanciful

Here are a few comments from the official class page on Annie’s:

“I was not confident to do quilting. But listening and following your classes has made everything simple for me to follow. I have started quilting now. Nice and well explained.”

“I have been following Wendy on Ivory Spring for several years and love her feather work… I have tried to make your feathers for some time and your demonstration “fix me real good.”

“Wendy does a great job of breaking designs down so they are easier to quilt. She is a wonderful teacher and is very pleasant to listen to. I love everything she does and would definitely sign up for a feather class if it is ever offered.”

Awwwww – THANKS… I am made the happiest of quilters with the feedback!

In order to enter to win the prize:  Just leave a comment or about what you look for in an online quilting class between now and next Thursday (January 14, 2016).  Winner will be announced and contact on the following Monday!  Open to international quilters!

And that’s if from me for today.  I am running late this week, and desperate need to get something solid accomplish before the weekend.  School started this week, and we had a slightly rocky start.  First, Miss Baby had so much fun during her Christmas break she was most un-enthusiastic to go back to school.  So, I made her favorite cinnamon raisin break on the first day of school as a “pick me up”, only to realize an hour before she woke I had forgotten to add the yeast!!!  Then, we found out she forgot her lunch box after we got to school that first day.  So, Mom had to make a second trip back to school to deliver the lunch box.  And then, I have been doing house-keeping stuff for work to move and hopefully “propel” me to productivity.

Thanks for stopping by!  Hugs to you all!

The Little House On The Hill: Preview

Hello Friends,  I have been plagued by delayed flights in my recent trips.  I arrived home from Indiana after midnight on Monday. After catching a couple of hours of zzz’s, I went straight to work on a quilt that simply has to catch its flight to Australia. I stayed up most of last night working to make the quilt happen… and here is a very sneaky preview of another collaborative project with Lynette Anderson.

I have NEVER made yoyo’s this small (without using those nifty Clover yoyo makers) until this project.  It was not as scary as I had feared.  I found that starch-pressing the fabric first helped the process tremendously.

So tell me – do you like yoyo’s, and do you use them on your quilts?  I will be back tomorrow with a final post on Fall Quilt Market this year to round off our week.  Thank you for stopping by – I hope to catch up with your blogs and emails this weekend.

Pre-Market hashtags

#Quilt Market Houston 2015  #Super Shuttle  #Packing  #Frantic  #Scrambling  #Lists #Laundry #Last minute sewing  #Binding  #A wee bit stressed!  #Down to the wire  #Lay out Miss Baby’s Clothes  #Getting over cold #Regroup  #Cough drops #Excited #Meetings #Friends #Quilts  #Yoyos

***

Hello Friends, the aforementioned are what have been constantly flashing in my mind these last few days before I leave for Market.  I have been under the weather (and am still sick), and lost a few days of work last week…. thus the stress and scrambling!  I am still working on my stars, swirls and birds quilt to bring with me to Market.  But these came in the mail yesterday, and that means I am a small step closer to Market!

And here are a couple of sneaks peeks of my stars, swirls and birds quilt (as promised)- scheduled to be hung at one of the booths.  This quilt is quilted with threads from my Aurifil Subtle Strings Thread Box.

I finally remembered to take a picture of the threads included in Subtle Strings – more about that later!  Suffice it to say I am seriously in love with these colors!

My scheduled sightings at Market are as follow – I would love to see you!

Friday, October 23, 2015

Schoolhouse for Aurifil – 1:55 to 2:10pm, room 352A

Schoolhouse for my new book / Landauer – 2:35 to 2:50pm, room 351C

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Book Signing at Brewer booth – 10:3o to 11am, booth 2842 or 2843

Book Signing at EE Schenck – 4 to 4:30pm, booth 2508 or 2515

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Book Signing at Landauer – 11 to 11:30am, booth 1760

So far — though not confirmed with all, I think (!) you can see my designs/quilts at the following booths:  American Patchwork & Quilting, Aurifil (#1332), Hoffman Fabrics (#1343, 1346), Landauer Publishing (#1760), Quilting Treasures (#1558), and Windham (#2554, 2555).

***

As I finalize things to get myself ready to leave, I am mindful that the real stars of my Market adventure are my little family.  My husband will be gallantly holding down the fort, with a very willing accomplice (aka Miss Baby).  But my Market adventure would not be even possible without the day to day understanding and unfailing support of these two who are dearest to me!

I hope you have a lovely rest of your week — I shall check in with you again soon!  Love and hugs to you all!

Thread Talk from my Sewing Machine #65

Hello Friends, I am happy to share with you a “faux” long-arm free motion quilting motif that I have quilted on my latest completed quilt.  I am going to show you how “quilting off the seat of one’s pants” works out in real life using a piece of paper.  The goal is to fill the paper with the motif — exactly like how we would quilt an allover quilting motif on a quilt.  So, first let’s look at the progression of filling up a space with quilting motifs, starting from #1.  The different colors denote different repeats of the motif.

So, here you see I “quilted” #1-9 with not much of any abnormality.  I do want you to note how I always have my “starting” swirl of each repeat going a different direction — as much as I can — that gives the overall effect a sense of movement!  I also want you to notice that the leaves aren’t in any particular shape as long as they taper inward, as well as the filler swirls I use to fill up some open space that is too small to fit another repeat of the motif.

I sort of quilted myself in a corner at #9, and have no convenient to get out to fill the remaining open area.  No big deal, cut the thread, and find a convenient spot to start again.  Thus #10 and so on, until an entire area is filled up.

Here is what is on paper transferred to a real quilt looks like on the back of my latest completed quilt…

Curious what the quilt looks like on the front?  I am afraid you have to wait.  All I can tell you is that my husband loves the quilt.  He has great taste, because he…. married me!  HAHA.  Please note I am totally cracking a lame joke at that one!  Alrightie, I shall catch up with you later!

p.s.  You may click here for my other Thread Talk posts.

Thread Talk from My Sewing Machine #64

Happy Monday, Friends!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  I had to pack in quite a bit of work to make something happen, but that’s okay.   I am just now catching up with your comments/emails!

Often times what I plan in my mind for quilting scheme on my quilts don’t come to pass.  On this most recently finished quilt, I had planned for formal feather plumes — but one just can’t quite force formal on adorable polka dots.

In the end, I turned to my informal pseudo feathers and “plume-ified” them.  Basically, I quilted my plumes as I would in my regular feather plumes, except forming my feather lobes differently.  It took a little bit to get used to. Just make sure you follow the path of quilting the regular feather plumes, and go from there, and I think you will be fine.  The effect is lighter, air-ier, and sweeter!

Click here to read about my Thread Talk post on feather plumes.

Click here to read about forming psedo-feathers.

Click here to read all of my archived Thread Talk post.

Thank you for stopping by – I have to run for now.  I have A LOT to get done before I can go to bed tonight.  I shall catch up with you later!  Love and hugs to you all.

Fanciful in MACHINE QUILTING LEVEL 2 Class

Happy Monday, Friends!  I hope you had a lovely Father’s Day weekend.

I am happy to share with you today Fanciful, one of three “real” quilts included in my DVD or online machine quilting class, Machine Quilting Level 2, offered by Annies, with which you can practice the quilting skills you learn from the class presentation.  You will receive complete instructions, as well as full-sized applique templates, on how to construct the quilt top for Fanciful with the purchase of the class.

In constructing Fanciful, I mixed regular cotton quilting fabrics with batiks to see if I would like the effect.  The star blocks and the white and light taupe you see are of regular cotton quilting fabrics, while the rest are batik fabrics.  I have to say I am really pleased with the visual effect of mixing batiks and regular cotton fabrics in the same quilt. And of course, this exclusive project was designed with LOTS of quilting opportunities in mind… thus the vast expanse of negative space!

You will be able to see the quilting close-up in the class presentation toward the conclusion of the class as I walk you through on how I quilted all three of the real quilt projects presented in the class.

If you have been visiting here for a while, you will know that I am an Aurifil addict, specifically for their Mako 50 weight thread, with which I had quilted nearly all my quilts, including Fanciful. The batting used for this quilt is Hobbs Tuscany silk batting.

You may click here for a free preview of the class.  Of course, if you have any questions – you know where to find me. :)  I hope you are having a good summer.

We are traipsing about here and there… while I am attempting to find time to work on some very exciting things for the coming Fall and the coming year.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have a lovely week!

Light and Quilting!

Hello Friends, I hope you are well.  My Calico Trail quilt (read about the quilt here) tagged along when I took a few other quilts for a photo shoot session recently.  I shall let the pictures do the most of the talking… about how the 7am sunlight reflected the quilting on Calico Trail.

The entire quilt is constructed and quilted with Aurifil Mako 50 cotton thread.  Batting used is Hobbs Tuscany Silk batt.  Fabrics are from Quilting Treasures‘s Petals and Matrix collections.

Light is amazing, is it not?

Thanks for stopping by, Dear Friends.  It’s been a happening week, and I am trying to keep my head above the water! Tootles for now.

I spotted….

… my quilts at Landauer Publishing‘s booth at Spring Market this past May.  I think something is afoot…

Incidentally, Sew in Love {with Fabric} did a really nice feature on Recreating Antique Quilts  (thanks so much!!!).  Click here to read the feature.  Click here to purchase the book.

I am planning to re-make Ivory Baltimore in few weeks that will be a little different from the original version. Stay tuned for details.

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope you have a most blessed weekend.