Have you enjoyed the Blog Hop? The initial intent was to persuade Riley Blake Designs to keep gingham in their basics line and apparently the campaign worked because RBD said they will continue to manufacture the medium gingham. Unfortunately the small and large checks will be discontinued but we have to celebrate the small victories! Many, many thanks to Mdm. Samm at Sew We Quilt for organizing this hop and for Shari at Living With Purpose for scheduling it and keeping everyone on track.
Today’s Bloggers:
Life, quilts and a cat too
Meadowbrook
Apple Avenue Quilts
Just Keep Swimming
Patchwork Sampler-you are here!
Sew We Quilt
This is the last day of the hop and I’m really excited to share my projects. For those of you who have never visited my blog, welcome.
Earlier in the year I became a little envious of all the beautiful quilting I saw at quilt shows and started thinking about upgrading my machine. I quilt on a very basic mid-arm system; a Voyager machine on a Hinterberg frame. There is no computer or stitch regulator so of course all of my limitations are the machine’s fault. Haha!! Each show was a magnificent display of exquisite designs and perfect stitches. I dreamed of making quilts like that. I signed up to take a class at a local longarm dealer so I could try out the HandiQuilter Avante. After the initial session, I brought in a quilt top of my own and rented time on the machine and quilted this:
The pattern is Cloud Nine by Villa Rosa made with a set fat quarters from Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern line. It was kind of nerve wracking to work on a different machine but when I finished I marveled at the beautiful EVEN stitches.
I love this wavy striped fabric on the back!!
The second quilt started from a stack of fat quarters from Heather Bailey’s new line of fabric called Up Parasol. Recently I’ve seen several quilts where four smaller blocks are set together to make one large block and variable stars are a favorite of mine so I came up with this quilt. I love the soft colors and the mint sashing stars.
Even though I took several classes at the Machine Quilting Today show in August I wasn’t comfortable enough to try a new technique on this quilt so I fell back to my old favorite–allover swirls and curls. This quilt has Pellon Legacy 80/20 batting and it really shows a lot of stitch definition. I haven’t used this batting very much but it worked well in this quilt.
My last project is the one using Riley Blake Gingham. I had some fat quarters of the small gingham so I combined them with coordinating solids and made a Carpenter’s Star quilt.
This quilt presented my biggest quilting dilemma. There are SO many beautiful Carpenter’s Star quilts on the internet. I pored over Pinterest and Google images and could not believe some of the quilting. I sketched out several possibilities as I contemplated various quilting designs. Then I considered the number of hours it would take to stitch out some of those designs and reality struck. It would take a LOT of time to custom quilt this. Ultimately, time was just one of my deciding factors; others were end use and lack of quilting thread in all these colors! This is a donation quilt so it was made to be used and loved. Often with heavy, custom quilting, the quilt loses its soft, cozy feel. All that thread creates a stiff quilt that is better for show than snuggling. In the end, I simply meandered over the whole top. It seems like such a cop-out but I’m happy with my decision. The quilting adds some texture but doesn’t detract from the piecing. It will hold up to a lot of washing and abuse so in the end it’s all good!
I still haven’t decided whether or not I’ll upgrade my machine. For right now, it works well for the types of quilts I make. Most of them are for donation so “perfect” quilting isn’t as important as getting them finished and into the hands of people who can use them. It sure is fun to dream about the possibilities though!
Now for the giveaway:
I have a layer cake from the Modern Neutrals line by Amy Ellis for Moda that someone will win. It contains 42 (10″) squares of fabric (some prints are duplicated). Simply leave a comment for a chance to win. Make sure you are not a no-reply blogger! I will ship anywhere in the world, but if someone outside the US wins I will remove the cardboard backing from the layer cake so it can be folded into a flat rate envelope. Drawing will be held the evening of Friday September 19.
Hope you’ve enjoyed your stop here and the See You In September Blog Hop as a whole. Thanks again to Mdm. Samm and Shari for their encouragement. If you missed a stop, here is the complete list of participants so you can catch up!
Wednesday, September 3
Sew Incredibly Crazy
Bumbleberry Cottage
Thimblemouse and Spouse
Mad Quilter’s Disease
In The Boon Docks
Thursday, September 4
Jane’s Quilting
Life in the Scrapatch
Sew Many Yarns
Gracie Oliver Arts
Everyone Deserves a Quilt
Friday, September 5
Stitchin’ By The Lake
Coeur d’Alene
Words & Stitches
TheSlowQuilter
Pig Tales and Quilts
All Thingz Sewn
Monday, September 8
Quilting Quietly
Creatin’ in the Sticks
Procrastination Queen
Lovelli Quilts
Cherry Blossoms
Tuesday, September 9
Just Let Me Quilt
Marjorie’s Busy Corner
The Quilting Queen Online Blog
Marla’s Crafts
K and S Sweets and Stitching
Wednesday, September 10
Secretly Stitching
Buzzing and Bumbling
Quilt n Queen
Quilted Delights
Grandmama’s Stories
Thursday, September 11
Susie’s World
Needled Mom
Cate’s Linens
How ART you?
I Like To QuiltBlog
Quiltscapes
Friday, September 12
Sunshine-quilting
Sew Peace to Peace
MoosestashQuilting
More Stars in Comanche
Living With Purpose
Monday, September 15
I Piece 2-Mary
Till We Quilt Again
Vroomans Quilts
Nini and the Sea
Seams To Be Sew
My Quilting Journey
Tuesday, September 16
Life, quilts and a cat too
Meadowbrook
Apple Avenue Quilts
Just Keep Swimming
Patchwork Sampler
Sew We Quilt
Your “simple” quilts turn out beautifully. These treasures will be a blessing to those who receive them. Thank you for the giveaway!
Your quilts are just lovely, Rhonda.
Love your quilts and your beautiful quilting! Thank you for sharing.
I think you did a marvelous jog with quilts and quilting. The carpenter’s star is given new light with the use of gingham and a meander works perfectly for a snuggly quilt to enjoy. Thank you for sharing your inspiration with us today.
Fantastic projects! The star quilt is my favorite, with the Carpenter’s Star as the runner up. All the quilts turned out so nice, and I love the quilting, too.
I also donate quilts to charity, and it is a great feeling when I achieve a fairly good FMQ using my domestic machine. I know the quilts will be loved!
Thanks for the giveaway.
Oh, my, your stitches are lovely. I understand why you want a new machine, I’m right there with you. A stitch regulator is a huge want for me, but I have no room for a long arm. Love all of your quilts. You have a sunny style that brings lots of smiles.
Oooooh! There is nothing simple about those quilts. They are divine! If you twist my arm (really hard too) I would chose the second one as my favourite. But they are all just so pretty. I loved them all! Thank you for sharing.
Wow, your Quilts are absolutely stunning!! and so beautifully quilted. I think anyone would be happy to have one of these gorgeous pieces!! Thanks so much for your sharing with us!!
Huggs, Nancy
Love the quilts….and this layer cake is on my wish list 🙂 Thanks
such lovely quilts. your gingham one is ideal. lovely choices of gingham with your solids…simplicity at its best….your quilting is really nice too.
Wow your quilts are great. I love the stars and the carpenters quilts and their quilting.
Beautiful quilts. My favorite is the Carpenter`s Star. Your use of the gingham is lovely.
I’ve made decisions about quilting frames and machines this year and since so much of what I do is for charity or kids, the upgrade to anything bigger has not seemed worth it to me. Money spent on a machine leaves less money for fabric so I do my best with what I have.
Thanks for this giveaway.
I love your gingham Carpenters Star quilt. You are very talented! Thanks for sharing it!
Very pretty quilts. I know what you mean about the machine quilting. Sometimes it is easier to stick to what is comfortable and know what will look good.. Thanks for sharing they are lovely.
Such wonderful quilts. Whether you upgrade your machine or not, your quilting is beautiful. Love your carpenter’s star.
Beautiful quilts, especially the gingham one which is just stunning!
Those are all beautiful quilts. It looks like you are having fun playing on the longarm too.
I see no flaws in your quilting, these quilts look fabulous to me!! I think a meander is beautiful and always believe the piecing should shine and not be overpowered by the quilting. Great projects11
Your quilts are wonderful and the donations will be loved at their *forever* home! Did you talk to Sue about the Avante? I was thinking about trading in my Gammill and getting an Avante… 🙂
All your quilts are so bright and cheerful. Whoever receives the carpenter’s star will be thrilled.
Oh what lovely quilts!! You did a wonderful job on them. I really like the carpenters star!!
Love your quilts AND your quilting! I think a meander can be quite effective and doesn’t take away from the pattern of the quilt. Thanks for sharing and thanks so much for the giveaway!
I think all of your quilts are very lovely and incoperating the gingham in the stars was great idea. Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway.
Such lovely quilts…great quilting. Beautiful gingham quilt! Love the pattern and what you did with the solid/gingham mix. Thanks for sharing!
Your quilts and the quilting both are gorgeous! Great job!
wow your projects are very pretty. thanks for sharing and for inspiring.
Your quilts are beautiful!! Wow! Great job!
Your quilts are just beautiful and so is all the quilting…love them all! I prefer a soft quilt, so I like that you kept the stitching not so tight. Great projects!
Loved your Carpenter’s Star quilt! Have to say your quilting is wonderful…wish I could quilt as well as you… yessewingisfun@yahoo.com
Those quilts…those quilts…those quilts…
They are just beautiful! I haven’t seen one before with the stars in the border like that second one…how AWESOME IS THAT?? You did such a wonderful job of choosing colors and patterns…Very nice work….
I love your Carpenter’s Star quilt. One of these days I will get my machine quilting to look as good as yours!
Love your quilts. The quilting really brings out each one and makes them pop! The Could Nine really gave me an idea for some precuts I have.
Your quilts are stunning! great job on all three. The gingham looks marvelous in the carpenters wheel, and the meandering on it is perfect. I love to do custom quilting as well, but I agree with you, sometimes a meander pattern is all that is needed.
Your quilts are so beautiful, and your quilting is awesome. I think you did a wonderful job.I wish I could do half that well. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow….what beautiful quilts and quilting…..I really love the carpenters star……that colors are perfect…and what a great giveaway…..
Your Carpenter’s Star is wonderful. Love how you used the gingham in it. Your other quilts are beautiful too.What a great job on everything.
Your quilts turned out lovely and your quilting is fabulous. I need to work on making my stitches more even.
Great projects- I especially love the stars in the sashing- ( up Parasol) what a neat look!
Fabulous!
I especially love your Carpenter’s Star quilt!
Eye candy alert!!! Wow, are your quilts fabulous!!! I can’t even begin to pick a favorite. They are all making me smile from ear to ear.
I like the gingham-solids combo! And your quilting is lovely in each of the quilts.
All of your quilts are beautiful and you did a great job on the quilting too.
You’ve made three marvelous quilts. The second one is a favorite with lots of white and the green border. Love the gingham quilt – it is really wonderful and loved seeing the close up pictures. Yikes, that’s something to rent a machine and use it for a quilt; I would be so nervous.
Very cute quilts. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Rhonda! Such lovely work, really lovely. I love your pattern. Is it super intricate? I am following you now and so glad to read your post.
Your quilts are all beautiful. Each one so bright and cheerful, and your quilting turned out perfectly.
I love your quilts, especially the last one, Carpenters Star quilt! Thanks for the giveaway!
Beautiful! Your machine does great work.
Wow Rhonda,
your modern gingham quilts are stunning!
Thanks for sharing and beeing part of the hop.
I love the Carpenter’s Star quilt but my favorite is the one with the UP Parasol fabrics….I think using a white background makes the most beautiful quilts! blessings, marlene
What beautiful quilts! I can’t pick a favorite, it’s like looking at children, each beautiful in its unique way. 🙂
Your carpenter’s star is quite beautiful!
I love your quilts, especially the carpenter star quilt. Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway. I think your quilting choices were perfect for both quilts.
Wow…you did great completely 3 quilts! I love the sawtooth star one….its my all time favorite block!
The carpenters star quilt is magical. What a gorgeous quilt
You are lucky to be able to try such machines. Here in Switzerland, there are hardly longarm machines to try or to rent, so I do everything on my home sewing machine. A dream would be at least a mid-arm, but I will have to travel to Germany to test one. Let’s dream a little bit, perhaps I will have the opportunity one day.
My fav project ist your carpenter star quilt, it is just beautiful! no more words to say, I love it!
Your quilting is amazing and the all over meander is perfect for the Carpenter’s Stars, love the way you pieced it with gingham and matching solids.
Love those quilts, so modern and bright. Hugs, Susie x
All of your quilts are beautiful and the quilting is great! I especially love your gingham quilt.
The quilts are so pretty! I would have hard time picking just one favorite. I bet you have the same problem? Well done, Rhonda.
Your quilts are beautiful. I love smaller carpenter’s star blocks sewn into a quilt. Thank you for sharing them.
What beautiful quilts!
Oh, my goodness! Your quilts are all just gorgeous! The stars are my favorite. Beautiful work!
HAve enjoyed all of the Blog Hop. Your quilts are lovely.
Love your quilts especially the gingham one. Such a good idea. Thanks for sharing.
Love your summer quilts! The quilting is beautiful, too. Thank you for the chance to win the layer cake. That would add spice to my scrappy quilting!
Rhonda…your quilts and quilting are absolutely wonderful!! It is hard to pick a favorite!!! Love all 3 of them…especially the ‘happy’ gingham carpenter star, it will definitely be loved!! Thanks for sharing your summer sewing projects!! Happy stitching, Pauline