A Littler Easier To Piece

Hello Everyone,
Irondequoit Quilt Club met last night. The usual agenda took place - Pledge of Allegiance, announcements, upcoming club quilt show information, Wounded Warrior quilts information, fat quarter exchange, raffle and of course show and tell. We were also treated to a wonderful presentation by quilt club member Deb Thomas.

Deb Thomas

Deb's presentation was all about rapid fire tools made by Deb Tucker. She highlighted two rulers in particular, the Hunter's Star and the Lemoyne Star.

This pattern is call SueNami and was designed by a member of Deb Tucker's family, her sister-in-law Sue Tucker. The bases of this quilt pattern uses the Hunter Star ruler and the Wing Clipper I ruler.

SueNami quilt 68" x 68"

Merrilee and Nick look at the similarities between using the larger Hunter Star ruler and the smaller Hunter Star ruler. Both are dramatic.

Hunter Star large ruler verses small ruler.

Next Deb spoke about the Lemoyne Star ruler and showed a few samples of quilts made with it. This quilt has all the different size stars that you can make with the ruler. 

Constellation Wall Hanging with ten different size stars.

The last quilt that Deb showed was Pop Stars. This quilt is made using 40 - 2 1/2" wide strips, with the addition of a light, a medium and a dark fabric. This quilt as well as the other quilts shown are all made using a strip piecing method with no y-seams. How cool is that?

Pop Stars 88" x 113"

Irondequoit Quilt Club meeting's program last night gave us all a new way to see how some new tools just might make it a little easier to piece some of our more tired and true quilt blocks.
Until next time…
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Four Seasons at MQX

Hello Everyone,
How many of you belong to a guild? Does your guild seem to be always searching for the next group quilt project to do? Let me share with you an exhibit from a guild in Italy that was on loan to MQX. 

Beginning in 2010, the enthusiastic members of Casa Patchwork and Quilting Guild began a journey of creating "banners" to represent the four seasons. The only rules were to use three basic colors to represent each season and the finished banner needed to measure 6" wide by 60" long. I present to you the four seasons as interpreted by the members of Casa Patchwork and Quilting Guild of Bassano Del Grappa, Italy.

Spring - Pink, Green and Brown

Summer - Red, Orange and Purple

Fall - White, Brown and Black

Winter - White, Grey and Blue

As you can see the end result is an approximately 40-foot long exhibit of color and imagination with each member being able to express their own creativity.

Until next time…
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Spring Sprung at MQX

Hello Everyone,
Andrea Brokenshire has a true eye for nature and its beauty. At MQX she had a wonderful exhibit entitled Flora Bota'nica. It displayed realistic botanical imagery, that is based on her photography. These works of art were created by applique and thread painting. Andrea combines her love of the natural world and fabric with in her art quilts. Here are two quilts from this exquisite display.

This special exhibit was truly a breath of fresh air. It was hard to believe that these were quilts. As you approached this exhibit the quilts looked like photographs. Really unbelievable. 

Until next time…
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Most Important People

Hello Everyone,
As many of you know I am a big fan of continuous learning; both as a student and as a teacher. Last week was my turn to learn at the Machine Quilters Exposition in New Hampshire.

I was fortunate enough to take both creative and technical classes from some really wonderful instructors. All the classes I took will help me enhance and deliver more beautiful and professional quilting to my customers.

While attending the festival I ran into a few friends. 

My longtime friend Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quilt Works was teaching at MQX.

Her online shop is not only a Judy Niemeyer certified shop, but Jackie herself is a certified Judy Niemeyer instructor.  She was very busy teaching a few Judy Niemeyer classes - A Party for Four; Sunflower Illusions; Charm Elements. Be sure to check out Jackie's website.

I had the pleasure of seeing and talking to some of the designers that create all those wonderful quilting designs that I use on your quilts. 
Here is Anne Bright of Anne Bright designs. Many of my customers (you know who your are) spend their lunch hour perusing her website for designs for their next quilt.

One of the very first instructor I had when I purchased my Gammill with Statler Sticher was Kim Diamond. Kim's instruction over the years has been invaluable to me. It was such a great joy for me to see her at MQX last week. I was also fortunate to meet Janet who works with Kim at Sweet Dreams Quilt Studio. Kim's designs are always the ones that all of you seem to search out for those quilts that you want to make great impact. All those custom and beautiful whole cloth baby quilts. I had such a great time meeting up with Janet and Kim.

I don't think that a quilt show would be complete without some other famous people stopping by as well. I'm sure that all of you know Mark Lipinski.

Well there you have it. Some of the most important people that I have in my life as a longarm quilter. Without these great people I would not be able to do my job for you with enormous confidence and success.

Until next time… 
Happy Quilting, Kathy

Winter Wednesday

Hello Everyone,
As I took a break from longarm quilting to have lunch, I couldn't help but notice all the snow coming down outside. I wanted to share with you what nature had to offer today in my backyard other than snow.

Northern Cardinal

Until next time…

Happy Quilting, 
Kathy

Show and Tell

Hello Everyone,
On a frosty below zero January night the Irondequoit Quilt Club meeting was held. Brrrrrrr..... One favorite part of all of the meetings is Show and Tell.  It is truly amazing how warm it can become with some friendship and color. Here are just a few of the beautiful quilts that some of the members shared.

Laurie made this quilt with the intention of giving it away. Once she finished it, she decided that she really needed to keep it even though she has no blue in her home! I'm sure that someday one of her children will be the recipient of  this beautiful quilt. 

Nick showed a quilt that he uses as a wall hanging in his home. He must have sooooommmmmme wall in his house.

Lucy brought us two quilts to admire. The first is a quilt that one of our members taught as a class. Lucy did a beautiful job with her color selection on this one.

Her second quilt was much larger. She spent many hours on this beauty hand piecing all those stars.

Well there you have it. A few quilts from Show and Tell that brought lots of warmth and happiness to an otherwise blustery winter evening.

Until next time…
Happy Quilting,
Kathy

Downton Abbey Tea

Hello Everyone,
In the deep freeze this past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful trunk show at Patricias' a local quilt store in Rochester,NY. This was no ordinary trunk show. It was a Downton Abbey trunk show complete with tea!

When you entered the parlor you were greeted by Lady Catherine. She offered a spot of English rose tea. It was just delightful!

You were invited to look at all the beautiful quilts, dresses, bags, tea cozies and more items which were made from the beautiful Downton Abbey line of fabrics from Andover. 

As you moved through the parlor, there were servants to help with any need you might have.

One servant was willing to share some Unofficial Recipes - 

Patricias' has all the patterns and fabrics for these beautiful quilts and projects. Be sure to check them out.

If you are a fan or not of the Downton Abbey series, this was certainly a wonderful treat on a cold and snowy winter day. 

Until next time…
Happy Quilting, Kathy