Road To California Quilt Show 2009

I get to teach two classes at the Road To California Quilt Show in 2009! Can you believe it? I'm soooo excited!! The two quilts are Pinwheels on Point and Quilt as You Roll.

Pinwheels on Point is the all day class I'm teaching on Wednesday, January 14, the day before the show actually opens.

This quilt features a Layer Cake (those 10" square packs) and additional yardage. I decided to use a Layer Cake because they are fairly new and, goodness sakes, what do you do with them?

I hope you agree that this quilt is a good way to do something with them.

Because Layer Cakes feature the fabrics from a specific line, they are all different. Pairing the different colors and designs with a single fabric in pinwheels is a good way to unify them for a quilt.

Deciding on a layout was fun and (lucky you), I have included a layout sheet in the pattern. That way you can customize the quilt with the colors in the Layer Cake you choose.

Speaking of colors and fabric choices, you can select a Cake Layer or use yardage. Both options are given in the materials list. The fabric line I used was Hemming House by Moda but there are many, many, many !!! other beautiful collections that will work.

Patterns will be available from The Calico Horse in Redlands (http://www.thecalicohorse.com/) after September 15, 2008.

If you have questions about Pinwheels on Point please contact me through this blog, the Calico Horse, or my e-mail seesuesew@charter.net.

Road To California Quilt

The Quilt as You Roll class is offered Thursday evening, January 15, 2009. Go to www.road2ca.com to sign up for the class.

This is the second of the two quilts I will be teaching at the 2009 Road to California Quilt Show. I named it Quilt as You Roll because it features a jelly roll and when its done, it is already quilted.

Quilt as You Roll is a simple looking quilt but offers several techniques you may want to learn. They include quilt-as-you-go (no further quilting needed), free motion (around the flowers) and raw edge binding. Plus the whole quilt is raw edged and has a comfy, cozy look.

Patterns and materials are available through the Calico Horse Quilt Shop in Redlands, CA (http://www.thecalicohorse/). The patterns will be available after September 15, 2008. If you have any questions you can reach me through this blog, the Calico Horse, or my e-mail: seesuesew@charter.net.

Can't wait until Road to teach this cozy, raggy, snuggly quilt!

The Big Combo: Piecing AND Applique

NO, the Big Combo is not a gigantic dinner plate at your favorite Mexican restraunt!!!

YES, it is the winning combination of piecing and applique!!

Here are some examples of Big Combos, my favorite type of quilting. Ya gotta admit, it does have it all!

This quilt is the combo of all combos. Its a sampler called 'Birds and the Bees' by Quilt Soup. I taught it as a class at the Calico Horse and did we have fun...pieced blocks, hand and machine applique blocks, hand piecing, we did it ALL!

The fabric line is Dandelion Girl by Moda and is the fabric used on the pattern picture itself. The other quilts were done in pinks and reds, one in blues, greens and yellows; and one in deep civil war reproduction fabrics. Pictures of those quilts are predicted for future blog entries.

Don't you just love these pears??!! This is an oldie but goodie from Blueberry Hill Quilt Designs called 'Pears & Pinwheels'. It's done in indigo fabrics (One of my favorites!) and hangs over my guest bed. The piecing is pretty straight forward and the applique pears are fused and just top stitched around the edges. Perfect combo!!

'Entangled' by Simple Pleasures was really a pleasure to make. Fun crazy quilt background blocks are made from light batiks. Then the hearts and vines are appliqued over the top of each block. I used a feather stitch and lots of machine applique on each block before I assembled the rest of the top. I love the angled pieces in the border. As long as you keep the same angle, you can do as many pieces as you want. What fun! What a combo!

PEACEFUL PIECING

Peaceful piecing, what could be better or more true? Piecing is a true love of mine (although applique is pushing in somewhat). It is so satisfying to see those bits and pieces of cut fabric come together and make a beautiful block, then go on to make a complete quilt.

The 'Crow's Foot' quilt from Wednesday's Best (Indygo Junction) was truly a piecing pleasure. I guess adding applique crows turns a bear paw into a crow's foot, huh?

This is a tiny ( 18" x 22") quilt I made in a Jo Mortin class (not with Jo Mortin, just a class). There was this fabric with the 2" x 2" printed quilt motifs on it. I just knew there was the perfect use for it and there it was! The centers for the log cabin blocks.

Hot Stars and Cool Nights or was it Cool Nights and Hot Stars? I named this quilt one of those two titles. Either one works, though, doesnt it? This is my color interpretation of Monterrey Medallions by Atkinson Designs. Her pattern is scrappy and most of the ones students made in class were scrappy too. Of course, I had to be different. This one will hang in the 'Teacher' section at Road To California in January of '09.

Free Motion (E-motion!) Quilts

If you're looking for some fun and a foolproof way to practice free motion quilting take a look at these quilts. The patterns are from Dog Gone Quilts (www.doggonequilts.com).

They are free motion quilts, made with fusible applique. When the pieces are fused down, there is a small area between each piece which is left for you to free motion in. Basically, it is 'scribbling' with black thread and is a real FOOLPROOF way to learn to free motion quilt.

The best part is that when you are free motioning (!), if you think you make a mistake you just 'scribble' over it and continue on. Then at the end you go back and fix it...IF you can find it!!

What a patriotic pair of chickadees. I think they are debating the merits of our current presidential candidates.

Here we have my vibrant Easter Bunny. No doubt about the wow factor here. Who says Easter has to be pastel?

'Country Chicken' is the first one I did. I think he is more of a rooster, but 'chicken' works.

Check out those patterns and prepare for some real fun!!

June Quilters

Here we are....the jazzy June quilters....just finished with our beginning class. Yellow

Donna's dreamy dazzler! How could anyone resist?

Kim accepts appreciation and alocades for her adventure.

Barbara smiles serenely savoring the success of her finished beauty.

Julie joyfully holds perfect, perky polkadot and prepares to finish her fantasy.

Lucy beams broadly as bravos for her queen-sized quilt resound.

Quilt Photos

Finally, photos!

The learning curve was steep, the physcological block was dense, and the willingness to seek help was buried behind the 'how hard can it be" door. BUT, the skill has finally arrived !!! (Just don't ever say the words "scroll down and hit open" if you expect a response to your comment.)

This quilt is named 'Button-up Buttercup' by FriendFolks. The flowers and centers are raw edged and double fabric so they really fray up. Tell me pinks and browns aren't wonderful together! The 'Button-up' part of the pattern included large buttons in the centers of the flowers, but the quilt looks great without them too. This quilt is not brand-new, BUT it is one of my favorites and has led to several successful classes.