Quilting Linda: A Quilting Blog by Linda West

Dec

7

Double Wedding Ring Quilt – The Final Chapter

Posted Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 in Quilt Blocks, Quilting | Read More

I took the quilt to Kat Waterson of www.quiltingkat.com in November. She planned to quilt it the week following Thanksgiving. She called me on November 29 to say it was finished. (She started it earlier than planned.) We were experiencing some nasty weather that week. She and I agreed to meet at the next guild meeting on December 6 for me to get it. She was very pleased with the results.

We met at the meeting and partially opened the quilt so I could see the quilting on the back. I LOVE IT!!! Later in the evening when we had “Show and Tell” at the meeting, a friend and I opened it completely to show the guild members. The back is beautiful too!

Nov

9

Retirement

Posted Wednesday, November 9th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

I retired at the end of October 2011 from my job as office manager at Grace United Methodist Church. I started working in the office in December, 1999. My job included typing and printing the weekly bulletin and the monthly newsletter, church treasurer, receptionist, membership secretary,and general office duties. I loved my job but it could be very stressful at times.

When I had my birthday in October, I decided it was time for me to stay home and quilt! Quilting has become a passion for me. I love every step of the process, from selecting fabrics, to cutting and sewing blocks to the actual quilting and binding.

On the last Sunday of October I received a bouquet of flowers and a gift from the church family.

On the first official day of my retirement, I took a picture of the sunrise. It was a bit foggy that morning which made it even more beautiful.

Oct

30

My Birthday Quilt

Posted Sunday, October 30th, 2011 in baby quilt, Quilting | Read More

I have been participating in a birthday block exchange on the Garden Web Quilting Forum this year. There are 13 people in the group. Each person chose the block pattern and fabrics they would like to receive and the list was sent to everyone in the group. We made a block each month and sent it to the birthday person. In October it was my turn to receive blocks.  I chose the block called “Road to California”. My fabric choices were any color 1930’s fabric with bleached muslin for the background.

I received 13 blocks  (one person made two blocks) and I made three more for a total of sixteen blocks. I arranged them to form five stars (can you find them?) and added a border.

The backing is bleached muslin to match the background fabric.

Oct

2

Double Wedding Ring Quilt

Posted Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

The Double Wedding Ring quilt that I have been sewing since the beginning of this year IS COMPLETE!!!!!!!!!!!! I have struggled more with this quilt than any other quilt I have made. This is the second DWR I have sewn but I had many more problems with this one than I did with the first quilt. The main reason I had problems was because I started this quilt in a class in 2008 and used my small Janome Jem Gold that I take to classes. The quarter inch foot is a full quarter inch. These seams needed to be a scant quarter inch to make the arcs fit on the melons. I became aware of the problem when I started to trim the arcs.

I had to remove the stitching from most of the 322 arcs and resew the angle seams to make them large enough to trim the ends at the correct angle. Because the job seemed so large, I delayed starting this step. During the summer I decided I had to get back to work and sat down for a couple evenings and did the frog stitch. (rippit, rippit)

The next step was to sew half of the arc to the melon shaped background.

The remainder of the arcs (161) were divided into two groups  and squares were sewn onto each end. Half were green fabric and the other half were purple fabric.

The next step was to add the arcs/melons  to the 72 back ground pieces.

I then assembled the blocks into rows of three and joined four rows together to make a section of twelve blocks. I made six of these sections, then I joined two sections together to make rows of 24 blocks, 3 down and 8 across. I made three of these and joined them together. This step was probably the most difficult step because of all the bulk.

…AND HERE IT IS!!!!!!!!!!

I will keep this quilt for us.

Sep

25

Happy Quilting Stars Quilt-Along Table Runner

Posted Sunday, September 25th, 2011 in My Projects, Scrap Quilts, table runner | Read More

This table runner was made of scraps from the Modern Row Robin quilt-along that I participated in earlier this summer.  The binding will  be scrappy.

I finished this top last evening to take a break from the Double Wedding Ring quilt that has consumed my sewing time this summer.

Sep

15

Happy Quilting Stars – Block 6

Posted Thursday, September 15th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

This is the final block. I am trying to decide if I want to add the background frame to each block and then cut it to make it “wonky”. I have lots of scraps left also. I plan to make a scrappy border around the entire table runner.

Stay tuned for the final version!

Sep

5

Happy Quilting Quilt-Along Block 5

Posted Monday, September 5th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

This is the fifth block. One more to go!

Sep

4

Happy Quilting Block 4

Posted Sunday, September 4th, 2011 in table runner | Read More

This is the fourth block.  I have plenty of fabric left and plan to make a scrappy border to place around the table runner.

Aug

26

HQQA (Happy Quilting Quilt Along) Block 3

Posted Friday, August 26th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

The third block went together quickly. Last week I cut out the brown squares and background fabrics needed to finish all the blocks, so I was half done cutting before I started this block.

All three together:

Aug

20

Happy Quilting Quilt-Along

Posted Saturday, August 20th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

I finished the Modern Row Robin quilt-along last week. My friend Kris told me of a new quilt-along that started this week. This is called Happy Quilting Quilt-Along. We are making 6 different stars in all, with 2 new stars introduced each week.

My plans are to make a table runner with the six different stars. The pattern calls for sashing around each block which is then cut at an angle to make the blocks “wonky”. Because I want to make a smaller project, I am not going to make my blocks “wonky”.

To see the directions or to join the quilt-along, visit this blog.

http://happyquiltingmelissa.blogspot.com/p/quilt-long.html

I have completed the first 2 blocks. Directions are given for each star in five different sizes. I chose the smallest size, 9 inch blocks.

Block 1

Block 2

New block patterns are added to the Happy Quilting blog on Mondays and Fridays. See you next week!

Aug

13

Modern Row Robin Quilt-Along

Posted Saturday, August 13th, 2011 in Moda City Girl fat quarters | Read More

My Modern Row Robin Quilt- Along quilt top  is finished! This was a lot of fun.  A good friend was also making this mystery quilt and using the same fabrics. We compared our rows each week. It was great to see her ideas compared to the pattern and my rows.

Another quilting friend suggested quilting stars in the large white spaces and I love that idea. I plan to do a loopy meander with a few stars scattered through out the quilt and larger stars in the empty spaces around and above the houses.

Kris and I will start a new quilt-along next week.  Stay tuned!

Aug

10

Modern Row Robin – Week 5

Posted Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

And now…. the final row. I machine appliqued the hexagons after fusing them to the row.  I plan to put the rows together next weekend and add a small border.

Aug

10

Mini- quilt from scraps

Posted Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

When I made a wall hanging from the scraps of my Twister quilt in March, I still had some very small scraps. I made a mini quilt with the scraps from the wall hanging. Well.. I finally quilted it. I ordered a wire frame to display it from Erica’s in South Bend, IN.

I am now displaying it in my sewing room on  top of my bookcase.

Aug

5

Appleseed Quilters Guild Monthly Mini

Posted Friday, August 5th, 2011 in Wall Hanging | Read More

Appleseed Quilters Guild in Fort Wayne, IN holds a drawing for a small quilt each month. It is usually a small wall hanging but it can be a purse or other small quilted item. The quilt for August was a small hand  quilted and embroidered wall hanging.

I purchased one ticket and was the lucky winner.  Mary Cummings donated this adorable wall hanging. Thank you Mary!

Jul

29

City Girl Row Robin – Week 4

Posted Friday, July 29th, 2011 in baby quilt | Read More

This week I decided to make all the blocks the same.  Some of them are a bit wonky. The pattern suggested cutting the final blocks at an angle. The final border was an inch larger than the finished block so I had to square it up to a 12 inch finished square.

The final row will be posted on Monday. I hope to work on it next Wednesday. See you next week!

Next week I will decide on the final placement of the rows.

Jul

22

Modern Row Robin Quilt Along – Week 3

Posted Friday, July 22nd, 2011 in baby quilt | Read More

I have had a very busy week and didn’t have time to quilt until Friday. This week we are making different sized houses. I took the easy way and made each house from just one fabric. This row has a large amount of white space. This will require some special quilting. I haven’t joined the rows at this time. I may want to rearrange the placement of the rows after I see the last two rows.

This is Row 3 – House Block

Unless there is a lot of white space in the next two rows, I plan to place the House Row in the center of the quilt.

Jul

15

Modern Row Robin Quilt Along

Posted Friday, July 15th, 2011 in baby quilt, Fabric Stash | Read More

Last week a quilting friend sent me an email with a link to a Row Robin that does not require exchanging rows with other quilters. Five bloggers are creating this  row quilt by posting a new row each Monday  for five weeks. I have completed two rows at this time.  I am using fat quarters from  Moda’s City Girl line of fabric.

The finished quilt should be 48″ X 60″. I think it will make a nice baby quilt.

Row 1 was posted by  Lisa Marie from That Crazy Quilty Girl

Row 2 was  posted by Melissa from Lilac Lane

I did not place my row 2 blocks in the same order as the designer.  I want the  largest star to move  into the row from the end because  it only has four points, progressing down the row to the smallest stars.

If you would like to quilt along, visit the sites listed below.

Row 1- Lisa Marie from That Crazy Quilty Girl
Row 2- Melissa from Lilac Lane
Row 3- Heather and Megan from Quilt Story
Row 4- Anne Marie of Gen X Quilters
Row 5-Jen at ReannaLily Designs Blog

Check back next week to see my next row!

Jun

25

Quilting Queens Row Robin Quilt

Posted Saturday, June 25th, 2011 in Fabrics, Quilt Blocks, Wall Hanging | Read More

I have been participating in a Row/Round Robin with an online quilt group this year. I have received my original row and all the rows made for me by the other participants. We each chose to make a row or center for a quilt and mailed it to to next person on the list. We each included instructions on what we would like to see in our quilts and whether we wanted to make a row quilt or have borders added to the center.

I chose a row quilt in traditional blocks and darker colors. My original row has Thimbleberries type blocks,  houses, trees, and friendship stars. I ask them not to join the rows as I want to make sashing to put between the rows. I plan to make four-patch squares for the sashing.

Row # 1 My original row.

Row # 2- Kay in PA

Row # 3- Annesew

Row # 4- Odessa

Row # 5- k8orlando

Row # 6-Wynative

Row #7- Kay in Pa  (These are made from leftover “scrap corners” from the spools.)

The above names are our online names in the quilt group.  I thank everyone for all the work and great rows you created for my quilt.

Jun

23

NQA Quilt Show 2011

Posted Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 in Quilting | Read More

Last weekend we went to Columbus and my daughter and I attended the quilt show at the Convention Center. I enjoy this show because most of the quilts are the type I make or would like to make. I also enjoy shopping at the vendors.  This year I met Rebecca Barker, the Quiltscapes artist. I purchased a signed print from her. It is now hanging in my sewing room.

Jennifer and I had a wonderful time shopping and finding new patterns and fabric. Here are the treasures I found.

Jun

22

“Pin Up” Quiltlets – A quilt pin display

Posted Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011 in Fabric Stash, Fabrics, Quilting | Read More

Bob and I drove to Gahanna on June 16 to visit Jennifer and Tristan. Jennifer and I went to the 42nd Annual NQA quilt show at the Greater Columbus Convention Center the next morning. We took lots of pictures of quilts and bought lots of neat quilting items. The item that really caught my attention was a pattern by Quiltricks, a trio of quiltlets to display a quilt pin collection. They are displayed on a tabletop quilt rack.

Bob and I returned home on Saturday evening. The next afternoon I went through my scraps and cut out the pieces for the quiltlets and pieced and quilted the tops. On Monday after work I completed the binding, hand stitching it to the backs of the quilts.