The Scarlet Thread Quilt Co.

Georgann's Strip Quilt

Even though it's not very springlike outdoors, today's customer quilt feels a fresh spring day with all it's colors and flowers.

 

This one belongs to Georgann.  It's made from some April Cornell Moda fabric from a couple of years ago. She wanted it to be a little bit special, so in the borders i outlined the floral design and in each of the strips we put a different pattern.  I think it turned out pretty special.  I tried a couple of patterns I hadn't done before and i was happy with them.

What are you working on today??  Hoping this finds you having a bright, sunny, springlike day!

Happy Sewing,

Julie

 

 

 

Snowy Spring and Quilting Thoughts

Hi Friends!  Just trying to keep warm here on the first official day of spring break...like many of you, this sight greeted me this morning!  God has a great sense of humor, huh?

just heard the snow plow going through ;)

I thought I would show you some great resources for quilting ideas.  These are my new, favorite books on quilting design and technique. 

(sorry about the sideways photo)

Modern Quilting Designs by Bethanny Pease

Beginner's Guide to Free-Motion Quilting by Natalia Bonner

Free-Motion Quilting with Anbel Walters

My long-arm is very basic, no bells and whistles...no stitch regulator or computer, no single-stitch button, etc.  When I bought my machine, I wanted the largest throat space I could get, but other than that, no frills was what I could afford.  Someday I'd like to upgrade, but for now I just choke everytime I think about spending that much money! ;)

If you like to do your own quilting, I would recommend any of these books!!

When I'm thinking of trying something new, i get out my books and look around. Then, I practice here on my whiteboard.  It is very smooth to draw on and I can erase it so it works out great. The next customer quilt in line is a graduation gift and I am looking to try a new allover, edge to edge design. These are the ones I auditioned.  Pretty sure I'm going with the swirl/flower combo,  bottom center, #7.  What do you think??  You can just see the edge of the quilt in the background hanging over the bar.  It is pink/aqua/grey...very cute and trendy right now!

Enjoy these last few days of winter, even though it is spring!  At least all my flowers won't come on way too early this year! ;)  And, I think my kids are grateful that it's too cold to clean the garage this week like I had planned!

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie

Watermelons and Babies

Yesterday I was able to get a couple of quilts done that I thought you might like to see.  The first is Paige's watermelon wallhanging. She and her husband are building a new home and she loves watermelons for her kitchen. 

Please don't mind my messes...I'm not very good at staging photos...which really means I'm not too concerned with cleaning up just to take a photo. ;) Here are some close-ups:

 

I also did this baby quilt for a friend yesterday, she shall remaind nameless because it's to be a baby gift and I don't want to give away a secret in case someone is reading. ;)

 

The flowers were sewn on using raw edge applique, very cute. Then we just did an allover stipple so it will wash up nice and soft.  If was fun to do this bright cheery quilt as we anticipate some warmer weather...sounds like we are going to have to keep waiting, though. :(

 

Hope everyone is enjoying their Spring Break times. Ours is this coming week.  The kids are looking forward to our plans to do some Spring Cleaning, NOT! lol  Happens!

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie

 

PS - watermelons and babies...bet this wasn't what you expected! ;)

 

 

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner and More Quilts!

(Yes, my kids tell me regularly that I am crazy.  I prefer silly, but whatever.)  We have a winner of the fat quarter collection!  Elaine W., you are a winner!  Not Publisher's Clearing House, but hey, fabric's even better, right?!?!  Elaine, if you will message me privately and give me your address, I will send those to you. Congratulations!

I have been a busy beaver lately for my quilting customers.  Lots to see!  I even made myself a checklist, so hopefully, I won't show you the same quilts over and over.

Here is a cute little Halloween table runner of Ronna's.  The witches even have crazy hair!

Juanita made this beauty for her church benefit.  I love how you can arrange the colors to make it look like interlocking blocks.

 

Bonnie made this for her grandson.  She makes one for all of her grandkids, they are so lucky!

 

And, onto other, unrelated "stuff", I found this fun website where you can edit your own photos and turn them into collages, etc.  I'm not sure if the best part is that it's free or that it's so easy!!  Look what I made:

 

I can easily waste way too much time on this site. 

Well, sorry I am rambling on so... My mind is going about a thousand miles a minute trying to plan my quilting activities for the next few weeks...apparently, that makes me tend to ramble and bounce around!  Not to mention, I am just stopping home for a few minutes between preschool and volunteering at my kids' school.  Like I said, rambling.  Or maybe I should say brook, babbling brook.  Ok, i'll stop now.  Talk to ya later!

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie

 

 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner and More Quilts!

(Yes, my kids tell me regularly that I am crazy.  I prefer silly, but whatever.)  We have a winner of the fat quarter collection!  Elaine W., you are a winner!  Not Publisher's Clearing House, but hey, fabric's even better, right?!?!  Elaine, if you will message me privately and give me your address, I will send those to you. Congratulations!

I have been a busy beaver lately for my quilting customers.  Lots to see!  I even made myself a checklist, so hopefully, I won't show you the same quilts over and over.

Here is a cute little Halloween table runner of Ronna's.  The witches even have crazy hair!

Juanita made this beauty for her church benefit.  I love how you can arrange the colors to make it look like interlocking blocks.

 

Bonnie made this for her grandson.  She makes one for all of her grandkids, they are so lucky!

 

And, onto other, unrelated "stuff", I found this fun website where you can edit your own photos and turn them into collages, etc.  I'm not sure if the best part is that it's free or that it's so easy!!  Look what I made:

 

I can easily waste way too much time on this site. 

Well, sorry I am rambling on so... My mind is going about a thousand miles a minute trying to plan my quilting activities for the next few weeks...apparently, that makes me tend to ramble and bounce around!  Not to mention, I am just stopping home for a few minutes between preschool and volunteering at my kids' school.  Like I said, rambling.  Or maybe I should say brook, babbling brook.  Ok, i'll stop now.  Talk to ya later!

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie

 

 

Customer Quilting

Ronna's cute little table runner with an allover stipple.

Ronna's mystery quilt.  I took this photo before I quilted it to look at it and decide on the quilting.  It turned out beautifully, but...I can't find the after photos. ugh!

TIna's quilt made for her daughter's wedding and a close up of the embroidery in the border. Sure to be a keepsake!

 

 

I work on customer quilting jobs every week, but seem to lose track of which ones I've posted here.  If you have any great organizational tips for me, I am all ears!!

Happy Sewing,

Julie

Ronna's Quilts - part 1

I recently quilted for a new customer named, Ronna.  She brought beautiful quilts and told me to quilt them however I liked.  When I first started quilting, that phrase struck fear in my heart!  I didn't like having so much leeway(sp?) to quilt customer quilts anyway I liked.  I was just sure I would choose quilting designs the customer hated! Fortunately, no one has ever left mad or upset when they have picked up their quilts. So, after a few years and a few hundred quilts, I am much more comfortable when people say that.  I know a few questions to ask to give me a general direction and off I go! 

This one is a sweet little quilt with checker borders and applique tulips.

 

I think it turned out pretty sweet!

Happy Sewing,

Julie

 

Mary's Quilt

 

 

 

A few photos of a quilt I finished a few weeks ago for Mary.  It was huge (86 x 106)  I quilted each block and sashing strip separately, so it took a while. When you are in the middle of one of these you don't feel like you will ever finish, but I think it looks good now.  I used a variegated thread that fades through the colors of brown, black, gold and rust, just like the corn looks in the field in the fall before it's harvested.  Days that are just around the corner! ;)

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie

Island Waters

Sitting here trying to come up with a title...Island Waters sounds pretty good to me right now.  The blue batiks in this quilt made me think of water so I quilted an allover rippling pattern on the diagonal meant to look like ripples in the water.  I guess if I can't be in real island water right now, I'll just be grateful to have been able to work on another quilt.  Oh, and I might need a Pina Colada or something. ;)

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie

Fair Beauty

RuthAnn made this little beauty, dresden plates appliqued onto a tone on tone background.  She wanted it quilted a little special as she planned to enter it in her local 4H Fair. After she was finished she added a few crystals. 

As it turns out, she won! Grand Champion!  I went to the fair to see it, but couldn't find it.  Because it had won Grand on, it was displayed in a glass case.  I was standing right by the case and didn't see it!   I had even stopped to visit with someone and the case was right in front of me! urgh  Don't you hate it when you do something dumb? 

In any case, I was glad for her success.  And, it was my success, too, in a "backstage" sort of way. :) 

 

Happy Sewing,

Julie