In The Mood...

Hello Everyone,  
In preparation for National Quilting Day this Saturday, I am sharing with you some great activities that I took part in this week.

Visited A Local Quilt Shop - The shop was quite busy taking in finished quilts made by their customers. If you are in this area Saturday, you may want to stop by Patricias' because they are having a quilt show and wonderful sale in celebration of National Quilting Day.

Patricias' in East Rochester

Fondled Luscious Quilting Fabric - What better way to help welcome Daylight Savings than with these luscious fabrics.

Bright and cheery fabrics.

Read Some Quilt Magazines - It was really nice to spend an afternoon reading some quilt magazines.

Lots of Magazines to choose from.

Worked on a Quilt - I made the time to work on my own quilt project. How often does that happen?

Trimmings from fifty blocks.

Attended a Quilt Guild Meeting - Thursday was the Genesee Valley Quilt Guild meeting. There is always something happening at guild. Our 2013 raffle quilt - Blue Moon Magic was on display.

Blue Moon Magic 2013 Raffle Quilt

Put a Binding on a Quilt Project - An evening was spent sewing on binding. There is nothing quite like taking that last stitch on a binding!

IPAD cover designed and quilted by Kathy Echter.

Worked on a Charity Project - The Irondequoit Quilt Club that I belong to, like many clubs has a Block of the Month exchange. This year the club is having its members make blocks that will be donated to a local quilt shop.  The shop has some volunteers that  will piece the blocks into quilts. Once the quilts are finished they will be donated to the Wounded Warrior project here in New York state.

12" Finished Antique Tile Quilt Block

Quilted A Quilt - My business was not slowed by all of these activities. There was still plenty of quilting going on at True Creations.

Custom quilting on Fig Tree designed quilt.

I hope that I have gotten you in the mood for National Quilting Day this Saturday! I certainly have been busy this past week. How will you be celebrating "OUR" day? Will you visit a quilt show,  sew with quilting friends, read a quit magazine, buy some delicious quilting fabric from your favorite quilt shop, read blogs about quilting, put a binding on a quilt? No mater how you decide to celebrate, be sure to enjoy the day!

Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Parallel Universe: A Modern Quilt

Hello Everyone, 
Many of you have asked me what personal project(s) am I working on. Today I thought I would share with you one project that I have started.

Trimmings, trimmings and more trimmings.

I was watching a video on You-tube that Cozy Quilt Designs posted about a month ago. Daniela, the owner, had attended The Road to California Show and was inspired by the modern quilts on display. She came up with a pattern called Parallel Universe. I really liked what I saw and decided that I too could make a modern quilt.

I first ordered the pattern, and then went to my local quilt shop to purchase some fabric for this quilt. I know what you are thinking - 'She has lots of fabric. I've seen some of her stash!' I did not have enough yardage for my background fabric, inner and outer borders. I did have plenty of black and white fabrics to use.

Fabric selection.

This quilt uses the strip tube method. So I started making my strip sets and tubes.
Then it was time to cut up, cut down and create all those half-square triangle blocks.

Cut up, cut down ...

Once the cutting was done, I pressed all the blocks using Best Press. When you use the strip tube method to cut half-square triangles, you need to be careful handling the edges of the finished block. All the edges are bias.

All the blocks needed to be squared.

Squaring all the blocks.

I decided on a layout and started to sew the blocks together. 

Vertical sashing is added to blocks.

I still need to add the borders, quilt it, bind it and put a label on.

Here is the You-tube Cozy Quilt Design video if you would like to be inspired to make an easy modern quilt.

I have stepped out of my comfort zone to make a modern quilt! If you decide to make a modern quilt be sure to drop me a line letting me know about your experience.

Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy

What's Quilting Wednesday

Hello Everyone, 
I recently had the opportunity to quilt an adorable baby quilt that was made only using half-square triangles.

Circles in the white, arcs in the pink and grey.

Circles stitching.

Here is a glimpse of the quilting on this adorable chevron baby quilt.

Specialty quilting in each of the chevrons.

The entire quilt measures only thirty-six inches wide by forty-eight inches long. Some lucky baby is going to be wrapped in a whole lot of love!

Baby Chevron Quilt.

This Baby Chevron quilt used a total of forty-eight half-square triangle units. (twenty-four pink/white and twenty-four grey/white units) They started with six pink 10" squares, six grey 10" squares and twenty white 10" squares.

If you would like to see how this quilt was constructed check out this video on making a chevron quilt from half-square triangles.

If you choose to make a chevron quilt using this method, you need to note that the edges of the resulting half-square triangles are all bias. Be sure to use care when pressing these units. You may want to use a product like Best Press when doing any pressing using this technique.

This quilt takes no time at all to piece. If you decide to make a Chevron quilt please let me know about it.

Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Yard Boutique

Hello Everyone,
Saturday was the local chapter of the American Sewing Guild's Yard Boutique event.
 
Shoppers started shopping at 9am sharp and did not quit until noon!

Shoppers, shoppers everywhere!

No matter what you were looking for it was there. Anything from magazines, to books, to patterns, to buttons, to zippers, to kits, to yarn and even fabric - could all be found at this yearly sale.

Magazines, Books and lots of Patterns.

Buttons

 A few of the members even had some beautifully crafted gift items. There was a selection of aprons, wall hangings, pot holders, pin cushions, note pad holders, table runners, and place mats to name just a few.

Notepad holders for your refrigerator.

Table runners.

I have the best husband! He helped pack the car, set up my table area, helped another vendor with her cart, pack what was left and unloaded when we got home. 
The best part he was wheeling and dealing with all the wonderful shoppers. I'm sure there were some really great bargains had at my table!

Gem of a helper!

This was a great way to spend a Saturday morning with people who love the art of sewing and quilting. I can only imagine the amazing projects and gifts that will be created by all those who attended and shopped.
 
Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy